Before the guests could head out, they had to wait while the crew finished setting up the outdoor filming gear. They gathered under the villa’s porch, squinting at the blazing sun, their enthusiasm wilting by the second.

The male guests seemed to take it a little better—none of them appeared particularly worried about tanning. The women, though, stared down the scorching sun like it was a personal enemy. Even Millie Reed felt a flicker of dread. She wasn’t the type to obsess over a ten-step skincare routine like some celebrity, but the idea of frying under that sun wasn’t exactly appealing. Luckily, she’d just reapplied sunscreen and prayed it would hold up.

A shadow fell over her. Millie froze. To her surprise, Ivory Murphy was standing right beside her, holding a pastel pink parasol.

Catching Millie’s stare, Ivory assumed she wanted in on the shade. “You didn’t bring an umbrella either? No worries—mine’s big enough for two.” She lifted the parasol, pulling Millie under its cover.

Ivory had only just remembered her parasol, abandoned earlier on the villa’s porch. Sunscreen or not, she didn’t trust it against sunlight this brutal, so she’d gone back for it.

Millie blinked up at the stretch of pink above her, caught off guard. She hadn’t expected Ivory to offer her shade—let alone hold the umbrella for her. Millie had been nursing a bit of a grudge against Ivory because of her ties to Braxton Reynolds; she’d assumed the girl would be a pain to deal with.

Now, though, she felt a sting of shame at how quick she’d been to judge. Smiling, she took the umbrella from Ivory. “Let me hold it. I’m taller.”

The second it left her mouth, she worried Ivory might take it as a dig at her height. But Ivory only nodded, totally unbothered.

“You’re really tall—I wish I were that tall. Then I could finally wear that Victorian-style gown I’ve been obsessed with!” Ivory sighed, remembering the dress she’d had to pass up because of her height. She puffed out her cheeks in playful frustration, looking like a pouting pufferfish.

Millie couldn’t help but laugh. Up close, Ivory was kind of adorable. She was just a blunt, honest girl—not the scheming villain the internet painted her as.

Nearby, Mikaela Jackson spotted Ivory under the parasol and couldn’t resist a jab. “Some people are so vain—like sunscreen’s gonna make her face any prettier.” She’d muttered it, but not quietly enough. A few heads turned. Mikaela slapped a hand over her mouth, nervously glancing at Jaylani Cunningham beside her.

Jaylani kept her usual serene smile, and Mikaela relaxed. Jaylani hadn’t missed the comment—she agreed with it, actually. But unlike Mikaela, she wasn’t dumb enough to say it loud enough for the wrong people to hear. That kind of slip had a way of biting you later.

Finally, the crew was ready, cameras and gear in tow. At the director’s cue, everyone set off. Each guest had their own idea of the island’s most beautiful spot, so they scattered down different paths.

Oscar Alvarez took off immediately, already knowing exactly where he wanted to film. Keith Morris headed the opposite way, just as purposeful. Ellis Murphy strolled off in another direction, the picture of laid-back ease—like he was filming a wellness-retreat ad.

The standout, though, was Braxton Reynolds, lagging conspicuously behind the female guests. He had a destination in mind, sure—but he was far more concerned with Jaylani. So he followed her, with “coincidence” ready as his excuse.

As it happened, Jaylani was headed the same way as Ivory. The thought of a pest like Braxton trailing after them made Ivory’s skin crawl.

Noticing Ivory’s furrowed brow, Millie asked, “Everything okay?”

Ivory scrunched her nose and dropped her voice. “I’ve got a tagalong. And he’s annoying as hell.”

Millie immediately guessed who the tagalong was, but Ivory’s bluntness caught her off guard.

“Didn’t you like Braxton—” Millie started, only to get a look from Ivory that screamed, Do you really think my taste is that bad?

Millie blinked, confused. But Ivory had no interest in explaining. She was still annoyed by the mess the original Ivory had left behind, but she knew the truth would come out eventually.

Hoping to shake Braxton, Ivory and Millie picked up the pace. They were headed in the same direction—Ivory to the rocky coast, Millie to the grove nearby—and both planned to be back within half an hour.

Once they split up, Ivory reached her destination: the spot where she’d found Ellis earlier that morning. It had stuck with her ever since the director announced the task.

She glanced at the spot where the fish had escaped, a twinge of disappointment prickling through her. Peering down from the rocks, she saw no sign of any fish. So much for her fish dinner.

And it wasn’t just the fish getting under her skin. Jaylani had trailed after her like a shadow.

“Ivory? What a coincidence—we picked the same spot.” Jaylani smiled.

Ivory rolled her eyes before turning to face her. This location wasn’t exactly convenient, and Ivory hadn’t planned on shooting anything elaborate, so her cameraman stayed back, filming her from a distance.

Jaylani, meanwhile, waved her cameraman off for the moment, saying she wanted to scout the location herself and would call him over once she decided it was good enough. The considerate act earned her another round of praise from her audience—always so thoughtful, so kind.

So Jaylani stood there alone, unaccompanied, perfectly maintaining her facade of sweet, generous grace.

Braxton Reynolds had been following Jaylani Cunningham when she mentioned she was thirsty, so he dutifully headed back to the villa for an iced coffee. When he returned, he was surprised to find only Jaylani’s cameraman—Jaylani was nowhere in sight.

Concerned, Braxton asked where she’d gone. The cameraman pointed toward the rocky shoreline, guessing she’d gone there to film.

“Mr. Reynolds, let’s go check it out,” the cameraman said.

Braxton nodded and followed him to the rocks. The second they arrived, his blood ran cold: Jaylani was standing with Ivory Murphy.

Irritation flared hot in his chest. He was just about to call out to Jaylani when he saw her stumble and hit the rocks. From where he stood, it looked as if Ivory had pushed her.

“Jaylani!” he shouted, furious, and rushed toward them.

The cameraman looked just as shocked. As he scrambled toward Jaylani, he was already frantically trying to reach the director.

“It looked like Ivory just pushed Jaylani right in front of us! This is going to be a disaster!” he fretted, panic sharp in his voice.

The production team had no clue what had happened. They were in a meeting, discussing future episodes, when the news hit. The director bolted for the beach, panic-stricken.

Back at the scene, Braxton helped Jaylani to her feet, his anger aimed straight at Ivory. “How could you be so heartless? You know Jaylani’s been sick, and you pushed her! She was right by the ocean—what if she’d fallen in? Could you live with yourself?” he shouted.

Jaylani, visibly in pain, tried to calm him, her voice soft. “It’s okay, Braxton. I’m fine. Ivory didn’t mean to…”

She glanced up at Ivory, who stood over her like she didn’t have a care in the world.

Viewers of Braxton and Jaylani’s livestream were shocked—and furious.

[Just when I started thinking Ivory might not be so bad after that lunch drama, she pulls this? Can she really be this cold-hearted?]

[This is so dangerous! If Jaylani had been standing any differently, she could’ve been pushed into the ocean! Unbelievable!]

[Ivory is such a villain! It wasn’t enough to mess with someone’s relationship—now she’s getting violent!]

[Jaylani, stop being so forgiving! She’s walking all over you, and you’re still defending her? Infuriating!]

Echoing the viewers, Braxton was beside himself with rage, his eyes blazing. Jaylani’s timid glance spoke of fear and vulnerability, painting her as the victim of Ivory’s bullying.

He couldn’t stand seeing the woman he cared about treated this way.

Braxton shot to his feet and reached out to push Ivory. “I usually never hit women, but you’ve really crossed the line today—I can’t—”

Ivory just looked at him with pure disdain. As she moved to step aside, a long arm suddenly cut in front of her, blocking Braxton’s advance.

A cool, firm voice intervened.

“Mr. Reynolds, it’s never gentlemanly to raise a hand to a woman.”

The voice was calm, carrying an undeniable chill.

Ellis Murphy had stepped in, gripping Braxton’s wrist. Braxton winced but kept his composure, aware of the cameraman recording behind Ellis.

Braxton swallowed his anger. “Mr. Murphy, Ivory started this. I’m trying to defend Jaylani. I hope you’re not taking the aggressor’s side!”

Ivory couldn’t resist a scoff at Braxton’s accusation, her expression mocking.

“Maybe you should donate your brain to someone who actually needs it,” she replied icily.

“What are you insinuating?” Braxton snapped, frustrated. “You pushed Jaylani, and now you’re denying it? We all saw it happen!”

“And which eyes saw me do it? With which hands?” Ivory countered, arms crossed.

“Both eyes! It wasn’t just me—the three cameramen and every livestream viewer saw it too!” Braxton retorted.

From where Braxton and the cameramen stood, they all thought they had seen the same thing. After Jaylani exchanged a few words with Ivory, she suddenly stumbled backward as if struck by something invisible, then fell.

What else could it have been but Ivory pushing her? Unless Ivory planned to claim Jaylani staged the fall. That would be ridiculous.

On the ground, Jaylani lowered her head, a quick gleam of satisfaction flickering in her eyes. She’d timed everything perfectly, making sure Braxton and the cameras caught her fall just in time.

Ivory was cornered this time!

Ivory merely shrugged, unfazed.

“So that’s your interpretation? Maybe you all need to get your eyes checked.”

Braxton blinked, his fury deepening, ready to go at Ivory again.

“Ivory! I thought an apology would be enough, but now I’m calling the police. You will face the consequences!”

Calling the police?

“No!”

Braxton stopped, surprised that the protest came from Jaylani, not Ivory.

He looked at Jaylani, puzzled by her unexpected objection.

But when he saw the worry in her eyes, his anger softened.

Holding her hand, he cut in, “Jaylani, I know you want to shield Ivory, but she needs to be held accountable. If you’d been any less lucky, you could’ve fallen into the sea. This isn’t just bullying—it’s potentially attempted murder!”

Attempted murder now?

Ivory wasn’t scared. If anything, she was amused. How could a man this naive be the protagonist?

Absolutely baffling.

Jaylani was still lying on the ground, her guilt and panic plain to see. Yet Braxton read her nervousness as kindness.

Whatever. Let them call the police. The bigger the scandal, the better. She wouldn’t be the one embarrassed when the truth came out.

To Braxton’s surprise, Ivory smiled and agreed with his proposal wholeheartedly.

“You’re right. It’s time for justice. The police will find out who’s lying, so call them. I’m ready for a fair investigation.”

Her sudden righteousness caught Braxton off guard.

But it was too late for Ivory now, he thought. If she’d apologized earlier, he might have reconsidered. But at this point…

“The truth will come out, Ivory. Prepare to face the consequences.”

It almost seemed laughable. Ivory’s reputation was already in shambles—how much worse could it get?

What a shame Jaylani had to endure such distress.

Meanwhile, Jaylani’s heart raced, her palms clammy.

Call the police?

This didn’t need police involvement! Besides, it couldn’t involve the police. She’d only meant to publicly humiliate Ivory, to further tarnish her reputation in front of everyone and the livestream viewers.

Playing the sweet, gracious girl to climb the social ladder had always been Jaylani Cunningham’s specialty. She’d just never meant for things to spiral this far.

Jaylani sucked in a breath, shoving down the panic. She gave Braxton Reynolds’s sleeve a gentle tug, forcing a brittle smile.

“Braxton, let’s not drag the police into this. We can just chalk it up to a misunderstanding. We’re all friends here—there’s no need to make things ugly…”

Braxton hesitated, visibly torn. “Jaylani, you don’t always have to put everyone else first…”

[Sure, Jaylani’s kind-hearted, but telling Braxton to back off when she’s the one who got wronged? That’s a little too saintly.]

[Why would she let it slide? Someone as messy as Ivory Murphy probably deserves a lesson. If not, she’ll just keep pushing her luck!]

[Don’t be so hard on Jaylani for being soft-hearted. She’s just naturally sweet. It’s bullies like Ivory who take advantage of that. So frustrating!]

[And why does Ivory look so relaxed about all this?]

Logically, if Ivory really had wronged Jaylani, she’d be nervous and apologizing the second Braxton mentioned calling the police. But Ivory stayed calm, even wearing a faint, almost mocking smile as she watched Jaylani and Braxton—like she thought they were overreacting.

Meanwhile, in Braxton and Jaylani’s livestream, a few strange comments started popping up:

[Just came over from Ivory’s stream—try looking at this from a different angle. That’s all I’m gonna say.]

[Mixed feelings—I used to admire Jaylani, but now she just seems… manipulative.]

[What’s going on? Wasn’t Ivory supposed to have pushed Jaylani? And wait—Ivory actually went live today? How did I miss that notification?]

[There’s no shortage of fools this year. Braxton, maybe get your eyes checked?]

The sudden shift in tone sent a ripple of shock through the audience. Was there more to this than they’d realized? Before long, a wave of viewers jumped over to Ivory’s stream. What they found there was laughter—and comments like ‘fool,’ ‘cringe,’ and ‘clown.’ Luckily, one helpful viewer told them to watch the replay if they wanted the full picture, so they waited eagerly, already suspecting part of the truth.

Could Jaylani’s fall have been not Ivory’s doing at all—but something Jaylani staged herself? Still, plenty of skeptics chose to wait for the replay before jumping to conclusions.

While Braxton was busy handling the situation, brushing off Jaylani’s attempts to stop him, he went ahead and dialed the police. Jaylani’s face twisted in irritation for a split second. Did Braxton not understand plain English? She’d told him—explicitly—not to call them!

Grinding her teeth, Jaylani quickly pulled herself together. It would be fine—as long as she stuck to the story that this was all a misunderstanding. Besides, she’d made sure ahead of time that no one but her and Ivory had seen what happened. So if Ivory told the police Jaylani tripped on purpose, why would anyone believe someone with a reputation for being jealous and spiteful?

With that reassurance, Jaylani steeled herself and kept up her fragile-victim act, avoiding eye contact. Once Braxton finished the call, the police said they’d be there soon and told everyone not to leave, so they all stayed put.

Braxton, still seething and trying not to look at Ivory, crouched beside Jaylani. His heart ached for her, and she gave him a soft smile, assuring him she was fine.

Ivory, completely over the melodrama, turned to Ellis Murphy. “Thanks for having my back just now.”

She hadn’t expected Ellis to step in for her. She could’ve handled Braxton herself. Thanks to her unusual background, she’d been trained in self-defense since she was little; dealing with Braxton was like going after a slow-moving target.

Ellis studied Ivory thoughtfully. She was twenty-one, yet today she seemed younger, brimming with bright, carefree energy. She tilted her head slightly, giving him a genuine smile, as if the whole mess had already rolled right off her.

Ellis found himself momentarily speechless. “You’re not scared?”

Understanding his concern, Ivory lifted her chin. “Why should I be? I haven’t done anything wrong.”

She knew exactly who should be afraid, but she left that part unsaid. Seeing her confidence, Ellis decided not to interfere any further. If she could handle it, he’d stay out of her way.

The photographer behind them looked hesitant. Ellis shot him a subtle glance, silencing him with nothing but quiet authority. The photographer thought maybe they should’ve helped Ivory, but under Ellis’s gaze, he didn’t dare move.

Ivory, unaware of any of that, caught the photographer’s apologetic look—but quickly turned back to Ellis. “Since you helped me today, how about I treat you to dinner sometime?”

Ellis politely declined. “No need. I didn’t do much. It was nothing.”

“Nonsense!” Ivory insisted, more determined now, like it had turned into a challenge. “You helped me, so I owe you. My dad always says debts should be repaid.”

Ellis blinked, thrown by her quirky belief, but her earnestness amused him rather than annoyed him.

In the end, almost charmed by her enthusiasm, he nodded. “Alright.”

“That’s more like it.” Ivory beamed, satisfied. Her grin made it clear she was glad he’d seen reason.

On their side, the atmosphere had turned almost friendly. But Jaylani, even while talking to Braxton, couldn’t keep her eyes off them. Watching Ivory chat so warmly with the usually aloof Ellis only fed her jealousy, envy curling through her chest like creeping vines.

Why? Despite Ivory’s shaky reputation, Ellis was willing to talk to her! Their exchange was perfectly civil, yet Jaylani’s dissatisfaction only grew. In both her past life and this one, she’d never managed to draw the attention of someone as untouchable as Ellis—the pinnacle of the entertainment world.

Ellis! How could he even talk to Ivory?

“Did you call the police?” The officers’ arrival cut through Jaylani’s thoughts, snapping her back to reality.

She quickly collected herself and stood with Braxton’s help, practically radiating vulnerability. The officers, noticing her condition, were about to ask about her injuries when Braxton cut in, voice tight with frustration.

“Officer, Jaylani’s the victim—Ivory Murphy pushed her. She fell and almost ended up in the water!”

Braxton’s urgent tone made the officers inspect Jaylani’s legs, expecting to find visible harm. But instead of bruises or swelling, there was nothing there.