She lowered her head, trying to hide the grin threatening to break free. Thinking back on her past life—and her time with Ivory Murphy on the show—dragged up the old sting of how differently their stories had played out.

Back then, Ivory’s entrance had been a spectacle. Her striking looks had every male guest sitting up and every viewer eating out of the palm of her hand. Jaylani, meanwhile, had believed she had better conversation skills and a winning personality. But on the show, she couldn’t gain traction, not with looks that didn’t exactly stop traffic.

Frustrated, she’d cooked up all sorts of schemes to connect with the male guests—including slipping a crew member cash to steer them her way. But during one desperate play, Ivory exposed the whole thing on a livestream, and Jaylani’s plans unraveled right in front of everyone.

From that day on, she was branded conniving. The audience—joined by legions of online commentators—buried her under a mountain of criticism. The producers, citing the backlash, kicked her off the show without so much as a goodbye.

Life after the show was brutal. Friends and colleagues iced her out, judging her every move, and she spiraled into a depression that stained the rest of her days and ended in bitterness.

All of it traced back to Ivory! If Ivory hadn’t streamed her downfall, would she have fallen so far? Ivory—the real puppet master—was the true architect of Jaylani’s ruin!

In her final moments, Jaylani swore that if she ever got another chance, she’d give Ivory a taste of her own medicine and expose her for the world to see.

Astonishingly, fate smiled on her. She got a second chance at life. Armed with memories of her past, Jaylani deftly manipulated events until Ivory became the audience’s least favored contestant.

By the time they wrapped up shooting the first episode, Ivory’s reputation had already taken a nosedive. Jaylani was sure Ivory wouldn’t escape her ill fate this time. Ivory, in this lifetime, your downfall is inevitable!

After they finished dissecting Ivory, the group silently agreed to drop the subject. The other two female guests were upstairs cleaning up—earlier, while helping with meal prep, an unruly octopus had splattered ink all over them, forcing a wardrobe change.

When Jaylani and Braxton Reynolds stepped into the room, the two women came downstairs. Millie Reed—the investment banker with a chic bob—and Mikaela Jackson—the aspiring pop singer with playful space buns—joined the gathering.

“Where’s Ellis?” Mikaela asked, scanning the room.

Jaylani stifled a laugh. “Ellis Murphy’s off fishing, I imagine.”

[Amusement rippled through the online chat.]

[Fishing during a dating show? Only Ellis would pull a retirement move.]

[Why can’t we switch to his stream? I’m desperate over here.]

Every contestant on the dating show Love Matters had their own camera crew and personal livestream channel. The main channel—capturing common areas like the villa’s living room—ran around the clock. Contestants only had to meet the minimum streaming requirements; after that, they could continue or pause whenever they liked.

Ellis seemed the least interested in broadcasting. Once he hit his streaming quota, he’d shut down his channel and move around like he didn’t have a care in the world. As a result, his fans had to catch glimpses of him through the main feed or the background of someone else’s stream—usually just snagging his shadow.

Even so, Ellis’s fanbase ballooned. He’d entered the entertainment industry at eighteen and, over a decade, evolved into a triple-threat star, racking up accolades with zero scandal. His genuine talent and sterling reputation had fans crowning him a “legend,” a title that carried far more weight than the usual fan-given nicknames.

In today’s entertainment scene, Ellis was a rarity. Though he’d begun focusing behind the camera, his appearance on this dating show as a favor to the director had boosted the ratings by seventy percent. What happened with the show after that was none of his concern.

Meanwhile, viewers were plenty amused by the competitive jabs flying among the other guests.

Inside the villa, the chatter turned lively at the mention of Ellis. They were so engrossed that nobody noticed Ivory sneak back in, change clothes, and slip into the room—until her laid-back voice broke the conversation.

“I think he’s pretty charming,” Ivory remarked, thoughtfully touching her chin as she recalled his silhouette from afar. Of all the male guests, he was the only one who genuinely intrigued her. As for the others—the sharp dresser, the fresh-faced heartthrob, and the stylish pop star—they struck her as painfully ordinary.

The group turned, surprised to see Ivory settled on the couch behind them, clearly having tuned in to their talk. Oscar Alvarez was the first to respond.

“Were you eavesdropping? Ivory, don’t you have anything better to do?”

Ivory glanced at him, seemingly bemused, then paused as if giving it real thought. “If by eavesdropping you mean overhearing every word upstairs thanks to your booming voice, then I suppose I was.”

Was she critiquing his volume? Oscar’s mood darkened. “What are you implying? Are you saying I’m too loud?”

Ivory looked innocently at him. “I didn’t mean that. Being loud isn’t a bad thing, right? With that kind of lung capacity, you’d really shine in the music scene.”

Oscar, caught off guard, couldn’t rebuke her. Instead, he found himself pondering her intent. “Do you really think I’d make a good singer?”

Ivory nodded sincerely, mentally picturing him performing with no need for a microphone.

“Well, that’s a perspective I didn’t expect. I’ll let it slide this time.” Buoyed by her unexpected compliment, Oscar let the matter drop.

Save for his manager, nobody knew Oscar’s secret dream was singing. Even after achieving some fame, he had begged his manager to let him try it, only for the studio session to end in disaster.

Afterward, his manager banned him from singing publicly, warning that his fanbase couldn’t handle the surprise. So Oscar’s fantasy of fame through music lingered as a dream.

Whether Ivory truly flattered him or not, her remarks had won him over enough to forgive and forget.

In contrast, Jaylani hadn’t counted on Oscar’s quick, civil reconciliation with Ivory. She’d expected Ivory to leave, ashamed and tearful. Jaylani forced a grin and sought to stoke the flames.

“Actually, Oscar’s voice wasn’t as loud as mine just now. If I upset you, Ivory, I apologize. We were discussing Ellis, and you’re welcome to join instead of keeping to yourself. We’d love your company...”

Jaylani’s remark was a subtle little nudge—just enough to remind Oscar Alvarez of Ivory Murphy’s earlier accusation about him being too loud. The implication? Ivory had probably been eavesdropping, not joining in. Millie Reed, the sharp-eyed investment banker, cut Jaylani a look that was impossible to read. After weeks of filming, Millie had seen through Jaylani’s sweet-girl act. That outward kindness hid a calculating streak. Every time Ivory got scolded on camera, Jaylani’s fingerprints were usually somewhere on it. This was no exception.

One casual comment from Jaylani was all it took to light Oscar’s fuse again. Odds were, he’d go off on Ivory. And when he did, Ivory—no match for him in a war of words—would end up running off in tears. The internet would eat it up, calling her a drama queen or plain rude for listening in.

Millie, though, had no interest in playing referee. She wasn’t close to Ivory or Jaylani, and she treated the show like a paid vacation. To everyone’s surprise, Oscar didn’t blow up. Instead of escalating, he just shrugged.

“I guess being loud is my superpower,” Oscar mused. “Never knew I had such great lung capacity—might be a hidden talent…” He rambled on until he lost the room.

Jaylani blinked, thrown. Ivory had caught the jab, but she didn’t take the bait. With someone like Jaylani—who lived for attention—the best move was to starve her of it. Besides, Ivory had bigger things to worry about.

Her stomach growled, loud enough to remind her it was lunchtime. “What’s on the menu today?” she wondered, peeking toward the kitchen with real interest.

In Ivory’s time, tech and society had advanced, but the environment had paid the price. Food wasn’t what it used to be. Pasta, fresh greens—forget about seafood and meat—were relics of the past. Now everything came in supplement form. Ivory was desperate for a break from the same old bland routine.

In this world, routine could be a drag, but the food? That was one hell of a perk.

Keith Morris, the bespectacled tech exec, had been put on lunch duty. He adjusted his glasses and announced, “For lunch, we’ve got shrimp linguine with braised calamari, garlic sautéed greens, and clam chowder.”

Pretty simple, especially for a coastal show built around seafood, but for Ivory, it might as well have been a luxury feast. She gulped audibly. The room turned to look.

Unbothered, Ivory beamed at Keith, eyes sparkling. “When’s the food ready?” she asked, sounding like a kid waiting for the lunch bell.

Her excitement was cute—so cute it caught Keith off guard. But then his thoughts drifted to how she used to fixate on Braxton. That felt more like her usual M.O. This innocent, eager version didn’t quite match the intense girl he remembered.

“The calamari’s almost done, and I’m starting the linguine,” Keith said, moving to the stove.

Food was on the way. One thing was still missing, though—Ellis Murphy.

Everyone knew where Ellis was. No one dared go get him. They didn’t know him well enough. He shared meals and quarters with them, but he kept his distance. Even when he was calm, something about him discouraged casual chit-chat.

Still, an encounter with Ellis could mean more screen time—a tempting prospect. Jaylani’s heart raced as she thought about being the one to fetch him. She was starting fresh, and she’d already decided to lock in one of the four male guests as a steady partner. Deep down, Ellis was the one she wanted most. Tall, handsome, famous, rich—he was the total package.

But he was also the hardest to pin down. With so few chances to win him over, Jaylani kept Braxton as her backup. Even if she couldn’t pair with Ellis, sharing a frame with him was still a win.

Just as she was about to volunteer, Ivory beat her to it. “Is he out fishing? I’ll go find him!” She took off, sneakers tapping against the floor.

The group sat there, stunned.

Oscar looked at Braxton, confused. “What’s gotten into her today? Isn’t she usually glued to your side? Why’s she running off to find someone else?”

Braxton’s face darkened. “How should I know? And stop pairing me with her—there’s nothing between us. She’s not even my type.”

Oscar chuckled awkwardly, scratching his nose. “Yeah, yeah, we all know you prefer someone like Jaylani. Don’t worry—tonight’s vote, I promise I won’t compete with you.”

Only then did Braxton relax a little. He glanced at Jaylani, expecting her usual worshipful gaze, but she was still staring at the door. Was that regret in her eyes?

“Jaylani?” Braxton prompted.

She snapped out of it and quickly put on her gentle smile again. “What’s up?” she replied softly.

Relieved to see her back to normal, Braxton relaxed. Maybe he’d imagined her earlier distraction.

“It’s nothing. Didn’t you say you wanted to talk about signing with my company? My manager’s free now. What should I ask them?” he offered.

“Really?” Jaylani’s eyes lit up. From the moment she got a second chance at life, she’d vowed to leave her boring job behind and use the reality show to break into entertainment. Her interest in Braxton had a second motive—his agency, Apex Talent, was the biggest and most reputable. Joining Apex would cement her career.

“Great, let’s start now!” she exclaimed, eager to become an Apex artist.

Ivory Murphy went looking for Ellis Murphy for one simple reason: she was starving, and lunch wasn’t getting served until Ellis got back.

Ellis was at his usual spot by the shoreline, supposedly fishing—though he always came back empty-handed. Most people assumed he was just bad at it and never asked about his catch, mostly to spare his feelings. The cameraman, however, knew the truth. Ellis was actually damn good at fishing. He just released every fish he caught, like he only did it for the thrill of it—or to kill time.

Today was no different. Since he’d gotten there, Ellis had reeled in nearly ten decent-sized fish. He let the first nine go, and he was about to release the last one when a bright voice cut through the quiet.

“Grill that one—don’t let it go!”

Ellis hesitated, fishhook still in hand, and glanced over. A girl stood there in a plain white T-shirt and green shorts. Her long, fair legs seemed to glow under the sun, all elegant lines and a subtle curve at the calves.

His gaze snagged on her legs before he caught himself. He smoothed his expression back into its usual calm and kept right on releasing the fish.

Ivory saw he hadn’t stopped. Panic flickered through her, and she scrambled across the uneven rocks toward him. In her rush, she missed a step and twisted her ankle.

“Ouch!” Her cry came out unexpectedly soft and sweet.

In one swift move—faster than he even registered—Ellis reached out and caught her before she fell.

“Careful.”

He glanced down at her legs to make sure she was okay, relieved when there wasn’t a scratch on her. The cameraman, watching, froze for a second, then kept filming on instinct. This was Ellis’s first moment of real physical closeness with a female guest. The livestream was off, but this footage? Perfect for the final edit.

Inside, the cameraman was buzzing. If they aired it, the scene would blow up.

Ivory, meanwhile, didn’t give a damn about the cameraman’s excitement. Her eyes tracked the fish Ellis had released as it slipped away with the current. She pouted, disappointment flickering across her face.

“A perfect fish for grilling, gone just like that…”

She’d never had grilled fish before. She’d heard it was delicious, though.

Ellis pulled his hand back, unfazed that Ivory’s attention was stuck on the fish and not on him. Everyone knew Ivory was into Braxton Reynolds. So even if her long legs happened to match Ellis’s secret type, he wouldn’t read into it. Maybe he’d just file her under “nice legs” and leave it at that.

“Thank you. If you hadn’t caught me, I probably would’ve bruised something,” Ivory said, her disappointment evaporating as fast as it had come. She flashed him a grateful smile.

Ellis packed up his fishing gear, his tone polite but distant. “Don’t mention it. Did you need something?”

Her enthusiasm came rushing back. Her eyes lit up. “Yes! I came to call you for lunch. We’re having shrimp linguine, braised calamari, garlic sautéed greens, and clam chowder!”

The excitement in her voice gave away exactly how ready she was for that menu. Ellis figured the meal was probably Braxton’s handiwork. Then, a second later, he heard Ivory murmur under her breath.

“I wonder if Keith can make fish. Fish for dinner would be perfect, too.”

So lunch was Keith’s doing? Ellis raised an eyebrow, curious but not about to pry. He and Ivory weren’t close—just a few words exchanged over the past few days. They weren’t exactly at the “ask personal questions” stage.

Ivory, however, clearly couldn’t let the fish go. Walking beside Ellis, she noticed just how tall he was. She barely reached his neck. His broad shoulders and strong arms had felt reassuringly solid when he’d caught her.

She turned her head and openly studied him. He really was the most handsome male guest in her eyes. Even from this angle—an angle that should’ve been unflattering—he looked perfect.

Having grown up in high society, subtlety wasn’t exactly Ivory’s strong suit. She stared so hard that Ellis couldn’t ignore it. He turned, brows furrowed, and met her eyes.

“Is there something on my face?”

Ivory shook her head.

Ellis raised an eyebrow, waiting. If there wasn’t, why was she staring?

Ivory answered like it was obvious. “I’m just admiring how handsome you are!”

Ellis fell silent.

Even his legendary composure slipped.

After a beat, he managed, “...Thank you.”

Ivory waved him off. “No thanks needed. It’s just the truth. Out of all the men I’ve seen, you’re the best-looking by far.”

“Not Braxton?” The question slipped out before Ellis could stop it.

Ivory wrinkled her nose like she’d smelled something bad. “Him? At best, he’s average.”

She couldn’t fathom what the previous Ivory had seen in him to fall head over heels. Honestly? Baffling.

Her reaction caught Ellis off guard. This conversation had already veered way past their usual small talk.

So they walked back to the villa in silence.

Keith’s lunch was ready, perfectly timed.

Seating wasn’t assigned, so everyone sat wherever they wanted. A long table fit four female guests on one side and four male guests on the other.

In the past, Ivory would make a beeline for the seat across from Braxton, hoping to get more face time with him during meals. Because of that, Braxton always wore a sour expression at lunch, never getting to enjoy a peaceful meal.