Divorce Bait, Romance Reality

The whole world knew my marriage to the A-list actor was a disaster.
They were all just waiting for me to get publicly humiliated on the new reality show, Second Chances.
But on the very first night, the famously aloof Rashawn Croft had a near-total breakdown when the producers assigned him a separate room.
During a heart-to-heart, he tearfully complained to the entire world that I never spent his money.
In a romance challenge, my one-off, playful "hubby" sent his heart rate skyrocketing to 140.
And when he was handed a fake divorce agreement, he completely lost his composure, cried his eyes out, and threatened to sue the production company.
The internet went wild:
Dude, we get it. Turns out you were the miserable trophy wife all along.
OMG they baited us with a divorce drama and switched it to a romance! I am OBSESSED with this!
Elara, honey, stop smiling and look at your husband! He's about to short-circuit and die over there!

1
I'm a polarizing starlet who clawed her way up from nothing.
My talent? My looks. My acting skills? My looks. My special abilities? You guessed it, my looks.
I was comfortably floating in the C-list until the news of my secret marriage to superstar Rashawn Croft broke, and the internet had a collective meltdown.
Besides the Grand Canyon-sized gap in our social and financial status, there was another reason for the shock: everyone in the industry knew Rashawn had a subtle animosity toward me.
At an awards ceremony, our eyes met by accident across the crowded hall. I was still in fan-service mode, flashing my brightest, sweetest smile. The mans expression, however, twisted into something deeply uncomfortable. He instantly wiped the smile off his face and, in a moment of panic, actually rolled his eyes at me.
When the clip went viral, everyone was baffled.
Rashawn Croft, though famously cold and reserved, was known for being an impeccable gentleman. Composed. Emotionally stable.
Yet, with me, his disdain was utterly undisguised.
Later, fans dug up the few other times wed been caught in the same frame. No matter how brightly hed been smiling a second before, the moment he saw me, his face would freeze over.
Combined with my naturally soft voice and penchant for being playful, the internet painted a picture of me as a desperate social climber, constantly fawning over a man who was repulsed by me.
Now that our secret marriage was out, those old clips were trending again.
Netizens jeered that his aversion to me was so visceral it was making his face turn red with rage. Hordes of anti-fans tagged the producers of Second Chances on my social media:
Please, for the love of God, get a divorce. Let Rashawn go.
This girls got nerves of steel. My husband looking at me with that much disgust every day? I wouldnt be able to smile.
I feel so bad for Rashawn. He's normally so chill, but shes pushed him to the point of rolling his eyes. Imagine how miserable his life must be.
...
Spurred on by the public outcry, Second Chances officially invited us onto the show.
Rashawn and I had been forced together by our grandfathers; there were no feelings involved. Our daily interactions were no different from those of strangers. I was sick of our dead-water life.
I accepted the offer without hesitation, ready to cash one last big check before the divorce.
As I was happily counting the zeros on the contract, I noticed Rashawn staring at it with a complicated expression, his pen hovering over the signature line.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"My pen's out of ink," he mumbled, looking down.
"There's another one right there."
"That one's broken, too"
I could tell he was reluctant. Figuring he didn't want to waste his precious time on me, I leaned in, using my most coaxing tone. "It won't mess up your schedule too much. Come on, please? For me?"
"Well alright. Fine."
Stammering, a faint blush creeping up his ears, Rashawn dazedly signed his name.

2
The show featured three couples and was broadcast live 24/7.
Before filming, the director had given each couple a rough script outlining their conflicts and narrative arc. But considering my decade of consistently mediocre acting and Rashawns A-list status, the director ultimately decided to just let us play it by ear.
The moment I trudged into the frame, wrestling with two small suitcases, the live chat exploded:
Here we go! The main event has arrived!
LMAO, the other couples showed up holding hands or walking side-by-side. Rashawn not only walks separately from Elara, he makes her carry her own luggage.
So what if she schemed her way into a wealthy family? Shes still just the hired help with no dignity. They never even officially announced the marriage. The Croft family probably doesn't even acknowledge her.
The online roasting was brutal, but it wasnt just online.
Sophie, another actress on the show, noticed my struggle and took a subtle jab. "Elara, a woman's hands are delicate. Marcus never lets me carry anything heavy. If I didn't know better, Id think you were Rashawn's assistant."
Sophie and I debuted around the same time. She's fiercely competitive and loves to show off. After marrying the director Marcus, she spammed her social media for weeks, flaunting her marriage into a "prestigious" family.
Of course, compared to the Croft empire, Marcuss family was small potatoes. So it was understandable that she was a little bitter when my marriage to Rashawn was revealed.
Whatever. I was here for the money, not the drama. I ignored her.
The shows panel of experts, having clearly done their homework, had already accepted the narrative of me being the unwanted, long-suffering wife. Seeing my silence, they assumed I was swallowing my pride, their eyes filled with pity.
The chat continued:
Seriously? Sophie and Marcus are on a divorce show because hes 'too possessive'? Are they sure theyre not just here to flex? That gold-digger must be so jealous seeing how happy our Sophie is.
Serves Elara right for clinging to that old family arrangement. She made her bed, now she has to lie in it.
Just then, the camera panned.
Rashawn Croft was not, as everyone assumed, relaxing somewhere off-screen.
He was struggling toward us, pushing five enormous, interconnected suitcases.
The other guests, who had been whispering and watching the spectacle, fell silent. They all stood up to help him.
"Rashawn, I thought you were a minimalist," one of them joked. "Getting a little high-maintenance, are we? You want me to toss that garbage bag for you?"
Rashawn coolly sidestepped their hands, his expression sour.
I pushed through the crowd. "Uh, those are all mine," I explained. "And that's not a garbage bag. That's Rashawn's luggage."
The live chat erupted again:
I'm dead. So Rashawn is the 'assistant'!
So real. When my husband and I travel, all his stuff fits in one plastic bag too.
What's so funny? Look at his face, hes furious. Its written all over him. Only Elara could piss off an Oscar-winner this badly.
Don't hold back, Rashawn! Let it all out! I'm here for the daily dose of him being disgusted by Elara.
The show wasted no time stirring the pot. For our first night, they decided we would draw lots to see if wed sleep in separate rooms.
I started to say, "Can we just skip the draw? Rashawn and I will just choose"
The words "separate rooms" were still on my tongue when the silent man beside me cut me off. "I'll draw."
Sophie put on a show of sympathy. "It's okay, Elara. I know you want to use this chance to stay with Rashawn. Maybe you'll get lucky."
The chat found this hilarious:
Look at how disgusted he is by her all the time. I bet they've never even shared a bed. No wonder she's so desperate. Poor little rich girl.
Did anyone else notice Rashawn secretly glaring at Elara like five times in the last ten seconds? If looks could kill, shed be dead. This is amazing.

3
Rashawn nervously unfolded the slip of paper. He saw the word "SEPARATE."
The live chat and I let out a collective sigh of relief.
Thank god they dont have to share a room. Rashawn must have been terrified.
Okay but Elara is stunningly beautiful. And her voice is so sweet. If I were Rashawn Id be obsessed with her.
^^ Are you insane??!
The host went around asking if we were happy with the results.
Sophie, who had also drawn "separate," looked sadly at Marcus. "I'm not used to sleeping alone. I'm worried I won't be able to sleep."
The host turned to me, a glint in her eye. "Elara, you must be used to sleeping alone quite a bit, right? Any tips you can share?"
I fired back with a saccharine smile. "Sorry, I rarely sleep alone."
No one would ever guess. Rashawn Croft had the face of an ascetic who was tired of the world, but behind closed doors, he had a bigger appetite than anyone. That "gentlemanly" reputation his fans loved so much? It mostly consisted of him driving me to the brink of exhaustion while playing dumb.
Thinking back, I kind of regretted the hormonally-charged night I'd slipped on a bathrobe, walked into his bedroom, and sat on his lap, declaring, "Even if it's a contract, we still have to fulfill our marital duties."
One of the main reasons I was so eager for this divorce was that my body just couldn't handle the frequency anymore.
When it was Rashawn's turn to answer, his thick, dark lashes fluttered. His voice was low and cold. "If I'm not satisfied, can I change it?"
The host, not expecting this, was momentarily stunned. "The rules say you can't."
Rashawn took a deep breath. "Can I draw again?"
The host shook her head helplessly. "No."
A flash of raw anger crossed the man's already brooding features.
I gently tugged on his sleeve. "Just follow the rules."
Rashawn nodded stiffly and walked away, his arms and legs moving in awkward, uncoordinated synchrony.
The chat was confused:
Is it just me or is Rashawn acting super weird? Does he want to share a room with Elara?
No way. He's probably just trying to save face for her in front of the cameras.
Oh no. I think I'm starting to ship them. Elara said one soft thing and he instantly obeyed.
Was that obedience or was he just disgusted into silence? The man was so rattled he forgot how to walk.
Without Rashawn plowing his field, I slept like a baby and woke up feeling refreshed.
The next day, I was up early. Sophie was in the kitchen making breakfast for Marcus. They were bickering over whether to have boiled or fried eggs. The argument somehow ended with them in a passionate embrace. Sophie even shot me, in all my bed-headed glory, a triumphant look, as if to say, "So what if you married a Croft? My husband loves me. Yours doesn't."
A camera suddenly swung toward me. "Today is the couple's chemistry challenge! Pop quiz: What does Rashawn like to drink for breakfast?"
"Iced Americano?" I guessed randomly.
After our marriage, Rashawn had started taking over his family's business and was semi-retired from acting. He was up and off to the office before dawn every day. How was I supposed to know what he liked?
A moment later, the host cornered Rashawn as he returned from his morning run. "Rashawn, what's your favorite breakfast drink?"
"Hot latte."
The host smirked. "And what's Elara's favorite breakfast drink?"
"Iced Americano," Rashawn answered without a second's hesitation. "But I worry that drinking cold things all the time is bad for her, so I often switch it to a hot one for her."
I stared at him, completely shocked. "Rashawn, why didn't you tell me? I always thought the housekeeper was getting my order wrong! Hot Americanos are disg"
I caught myself, realizing I was about to offend someone, and swallowed the rest of the sentence.
The host was even more surprised than I was. "Rashawn, do you usually make breakfast for Elara?"
Rashawn gave a slight nod, a hint of pride in his expression. "She's so tired every night. She needs to rest in the morning."
Sophie, who had been enjoying the show, froze. The spatula clattered from her hand to the floor.
The panel of experts watched with knowing, maternal smiles.

4
The host, determined to get some drama, fired off a dozen more chemistry questions.
The final score: Rashawn answered every single question about me correctly. I managed to guess one correctly about him.
I was still in a daze when the evening campfire chat began.
Even though we lived under the same roof and had our fair share of intimate contact, Rashawn and I rarely talked. We were both busy with our careers, and besides, Rashawn was the textbook definition of an earth sign: introverted, reserved, and impossible to read. I'd wanted to ask him about those viral clips of him glaring at me, to ask if he really hated me that much, but he always managed to sidestep the conversation before it even began.
And yet, here he was, acting like he knew me better than I knew myself.
The chat was buzzing:
This is insane. Even the ultimate doting husband Marcus got a question about Sophie wrong. Rashawn got them ALL right. This can't be scripted, can it? Its kinda sweet.
Look at Elaras shocked face. It has to be real. Her acting isnt that good.
Me: Thanks a lot, that's a real backhanded compliment.
Im so curious. If Rashawn really despises Elara like everyone says, why would he make her breakfast? But if he likes her, why do they act like total strangers?
Agreed. This couple is so fascinating. The others feel like old married couples, but these two have this weird, electric ambiguity.
The theme for the night was "Money."
The moment I saw the topic, I knew this segment was aimed squarely at me.
The host started with Marcus and Sophie. "In your pre-show questionnaires, you both mentioned having some conflicts regarding family finances."
Sophie huffed. "Well, there's that popular saying, 'Where the money is, the love is.' But Marcus still hasn't given me his bank cards."
The female rapper from the third couple teased, "But at least Marcus loves to spoil you, Sophie. I always see you posting pictures of those thousand-dollar bags and jewelry. My man won't even add me to his Amazon Prime account."
Sophie lowered her head shyly. "It's not that big of a deal. I value emotional connection more than material things. But Elara is the one who really married her way out of poverty. She probably has more to say on this topic."
I caught the insinuation in her voice and gave her a sweet smile. "Marrying a rich man is pretty great. You'll get it once Marcus reaches Rashawn's level."
Sophie's smile faltered. See? She brings it up, but she can't take the answer.

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