Chapter 5: Exposed—Revenge in the Spotlight

He waits until I’m alone in the cave—not really alone, since my boyfriend, Sebastian, is with me, though only I can see him. Carter comes in, says nothing, and suddenly pins me against the wall.

His breath smells faintly of mint and desperation. I freeze, caught off guard.

I’m stunned: “What are you doing?”

I glance at Sebastian, who’s glaring daggers. The air turns icy.

Sebastian’s face goes icy, cold air radiating off him.

If looks could kill, Carter would be at the bottom of the sea.

Carter, oblivious to his doom, flashes a gentle smile: “Autumn, stop pretending. I know you like me.”

He leans in, voice low. I try not to gag.

Three question marks pop up in my head. “How did you come to that conclusion?”

I push against his chest, but he holds firm.

“I remember when we filmed in the mountains. I had a fever, no assistant. You drove five hours to take me to the hospital. When I was half-conscious, you confessed your feelings to me, but I didn’t respond. If you let us stay and feed us, I’ll date you secretly for a week and stop being cold to you.”

He says it like he’s doing me a favor. My jaw drops.

He doesn’t know the crew secretly installed a camera while we were out—viewers loved the cave too much to miss it. His greasy, self-important speech is broadcast live. The viewers are floored:

“Whoa, Carter and Autumn have history?”

“Isn’t Carter shameless, using romance as a bargaining chip just to stay in the cave?”

“Didn’t rumors say he was kept by rich women before he got famous?”

“Looks like it’s true—he’s way too practiced at selling himself.”

“Will Autumn say yes?”

“She probably will. If my idol wanted to date me, I’d say yes in a heartbeat.”

The chat is on fire, and I’m just trying not to laugh.

Carter, seeing my silence, thinks I want more. He frowns: “Don’t be greedy, Autumn. You might end up with nothing.”

I burst out laughing.

I can’t hold it in. The absurdity is too much.

“You misunderstood. I volunteered to take you to the hospital because I was bored—no filming those days, so I wanted an excuse to get out. As for confessing? I was rehearsing lines from the script. You must’ve been delirious from your fever and took it for real.”

I lay it out, no sugarcoating.

“Carter, what makes you think I’d fall for you? I can’t stand your confidence and sleaziness.”

I wrinkle my nose, making sure the camera catches it.

“Trust me, I’m not interested. Get out.”

I point to the door, not waiting for a response.

He’s humiliated, furious, and punches the wall beside my head: “I don’t believe you. You must be lashing out because I’ve been ignoring you.”

His ego is truly unbreakable.

Sebastian has had enough. With a flick of his finger, two fish leap from the spring and slap Carter across the face.

The sound echoes, and I double over laughing.

I laugh: “See? Even the fish can’t stand your greasy lines. Get lost.”

I wave him off, still giggling.

Carter glares and leaves in disgrace.

He stomps out, face red, muttering curses.

The comments explode:

“I’m ashamed to have ever been his fan.”

“How can he be so shameless?”

“I’ve got his latest magazine—selling it cheap.”

“I used to think Autumn and Riley were too harsh. Now I say—keep speaking up!”

The tide is turning, and I can feel the support growing.

Watching Carter leave, I wonder if Marissa will send another simp. Sure enough, she comes herself the next day.

She walks in, sits down, and orders: “Autumn, I’m moving in. Get food and supplies ready for me.”

She doesn’t even bother to pretend this time. The entitlement is unreal.

I arch a brow: “Why? I’m not your servant.”

I cross my arms, waiting for her next move.

Her eyes are full of malice: “There’s no camera here. If I walk out with two slap marks on my face, what do you think the viewers will believe? They all know you love to bully me.” She threatens with a smile.

She leans in, daring me to try something.

The comments are full of question marks:

“Is this the sweet Marissa I know?”

“She’s not sweet, just nasty.”

“This livestream is like a magic mirror—shows everyone’s true colors.”

“Autumn, go after that fake innocent! We’ve got your back.”

I reply coolly: “You set me up once on that travel show, now you want to do it again.”

I stare her down, not backing off.

Marissa grins: “If it works, why not? My reputation’s great, viewers are dumb—they’ll believe anything I say! And now there are leeches everywhere. I’m not staying anywhere else.”

She’s so smug, I almost want to slap her right then.

So that’s why she’s desperate to move in.

I glance at the camera. Bet she didn’t know it was there. She’s basically digging her own grave.

I smirk, waiting for her to realize her mistake.

Viewers rage:

“Did she just call us dumb?”

“If I ever spend another cent on her, I’ll cut my hand off.”

“Can we kick this disrespectful actress out of the industry?”

The chat is a tidal wave of fury.

I think of Riley, another of Marissa’s victims. Maybe I can help clear her name on camera.

I tap my chin, pretending to ponder.

Casually, I ask, “I’ve always wondered—how did you get Riley labeled as a diva? She seems really dedicated to acting.”

I keep my tone light, but I’m digging for dirt.

Marissa, thinking there’s no camera and that I’d hear the truth from Riley anyway, doesn’t hide it: “Oh, an investor friend liked her. I tried to set them up, but she cursed us both out. The guy retaliated and ruined her reputation.”

She shrugs, like it’s no big deal.

I snort: “Setting people up? Sounds more like pimping. Don’t sugarcoat it.”

I raise an eyebrow, daring her to deny it.

She sneers: “I know you look down on me, but so what? I’m more successful. Being self-righteous gets you nowhere in this industry.”

She flips her hair, smug as ever.

“So, between Brandon, Jordan, and Carter, who would you pick?”

I lean in, curious.

“Brandon, of course. He’s rich and gullible. The other two aren’t great either.”

She’s so smug she doesn’t even filter her words.

She gets impatient: “Enough small talk. Are you going to agree or not?”

She taps her foot, eyes narrowed.

I say coolly: “I don’t want to.”

I hold her gaze, not blinking.

She freezes, then stands: “Fine, get ready to be trashed by the viewers.”

She storms toward the door, but I stop her.

“Wait!”

She smiles, certain I’ll cave: “I knew you’d come around—”

Smack, smack—I slap her twice.

The sound echoes in the cave. She staggers back, stunned.

Her triumphant smile vanishes, replaced by fury: “How dare you?!”

She clutches her cheek, eyes blazing.

“Sure did. Better to own it than let you frame me. At least I got some satisfaction.”

I shrug, unapologetic.

She glares: “Just wait. I’ll make sure the viewers drive you out.”

She storms off, slamming the door.

Keep dreaming. I glance at the camera—she’s the one about to get exposed.

I wink at the lens, savoring the moment.

Afterward, Marissa runs off sobbing to her three simps. They come at me, but they’re no match for Riley’s sharp tongue or Sebastian’s tricks. They leave, battered and defeated.

Riley stands at my side, arms crossed, while Sebastian hovers nearby, invisible to everyone but me. The guys retreat, muttering, and I can’t help but smile.

Soon, it’s the last day of the show. When the production team arrives by yacht, Marissa and her crew are so relieved they’re almost crying. They’ve had enough of this primitive life. Before boarding, Marissa throws one last threat: “Just wait for the viewers’ judgment.”

She tosses her hair, but her eyes are red and swollen.

I smile: “I believe the viewers can see the truth.”

I wave, feeling lighter than I have in years.

After filming wraps, the crew doesn’t let us rest—they take us straight to the studio. We’re not allowed our phones, so Marissa has no idea what’s happened online.

We sit in the green room, nerves buzzing. The tension is thick, but I’m oddly calm.

The host asks for our thoughts. Riley and I give standard, polite answers. Marissa’s group, except for Brandon, can’t hide their resentment.

They glare at me, but I just smile.

“We weren’t on the same team as Autumn, but we were still teammates.”

“We never expected her to be so heartless. After the rain, no matter how we begged, she wouldn’t let us stay in the cave.”

“Marissa suffered most—she even got slapped twice.”

“She only dared because there were no cameras in the cave.”

“Shows like this shouldn’t invite scandalous stars like Autumn again.”

They finish, looking expectantly at the host.

He looks at them sympathetically: “Actually, there was a camera in the cave.”

He lets the words hang in the air. The silence is deafening.

“What?”

Marissa and the others, except Brandon, are stunned.

Their faces drain of color. Marissa’s hands shake.

Her voice trembles: “So the viewers saw everything?”

She clutches her chest, panic rising.

“That’s right,” the host confirms. “They saw Carter’s sleazy offer, and your threats too.”

He says it gently, but there’s no mercy in his eyes.

Brandon, still clueless: “But Autumn slapped Marissa!”

He looks confused, still trying to play the hero.

The host says nothing, just snaps his fingers. On the big screen, footage rolls of Carter’s failed seduction and Marissa’s threats and boasts—all her dirty laundry aired for everyone to see.

The room goes silent as the video plays. Marissa’s face crumples, Carter’s jaw clenches, and the audience murmurs.

It’s a public execution. Marissa bites her lip, eyes red with rage. Carter clenches and unclenches his fists, on the verge of exploding. Brandon and Jordan can’t believe their beloved Marissa could be like this.

They slump in their seats, shock written all over their faces.

“This must be fake,” they mumble.

They look to the host for help, but he just shrugs.

Marissa, breaking down, demands: “Didn’t you promise to make me the star? Why show this?”

Her voice cracks, and she looks around, desperate.

The host is firm: “Marissa, don’t blame the crew. We’re all about authenticity!”

He folds his hands, expression calm.

“No, that’s not what you said when you invited me!”

She’s on the verge of tears, but nobody rushes to comfort her.

I can guess why the crew turned on her. Before joining the show, she’d just starred in a hit drama and was super popular. The crew wanted to ride her fame. But then they saw viewers preferred me and Riley and shifted focus. Turns out, audiences love seeing stars brought down to earth. So when Marissa and Carter started showing their true colors, the crew let it play out, boosting ratings. Finally, they staged this interview for maximum impact.

The reality TV machine never misses a beat. They know exactly when to flip the script.

Marissa can’t handle it, shoves the host, and storms off.

The audience gasps, but nobody stops her. The damage is done.

After the show, I head home and scroll through Instagram and Twitter. The top ten trending topics are all about the island show:

#AutumnAndRileySoPitiful

#CarterSleazyAndOverconfident

#CarterKeptByRichWomen

#MarissaTwoFaced

#MarissaFansAbandonHer

#JordanAccusedOfPlagiarism

My phone buzzes nonstop—DMs, tags, even old friends crawling out of the woodwork to congratulate me.

Most fans have abandoned Carter and Marissa. Someone even posts proof that Carter was kept by rich women, and that after making it big, he dumped them and pulled strings for others. Other celebrities who were burned by Marissa come forward, and my follower count skyrockets.

I refresh my feed, watching the numbers climb. For once, the internet is on my side.

The biggest surprise is Jordan. An employee at his studio accuses him of stealing songs, saying Jordan mocked him: “Don’t think your songs are good. People only care about my name. Without me, your work is nothing. And if you expose me, I’ll accuse you of theft first—who do you think they’ll believe?” Jordan promises him a debut in exchange for more songs, but never delivers. So the employee exposes him while his reputation is already tanking.

The receipts are brutal—screenshots, emails, even voice memos. The fallout is instant.

Scandal after scandal breaks, and the public eats it up. Marissa, Jordan, and Carter are ruined. Fans abandon them, sponsors demand compensation. Especially Marissa and Carter—their dramas and movies are pulled due to zero tolerance for scandals. Production companies go after them for damages. Despite their earnings, the penalties are overwhelming.

They try to post apologies, but nobody’s buying it. The internet has spoken.

Brandon, at least, just gets criticized for his temper.

He posts a half-hearted apology video, and the comments roast him, but he’ll bounce back. Rich boys always do.