Inescapable Devotion

On the reality show, the interviewer leaned forward and asked, Have you ever been in a relationship?

I looked directly into the camera, my voice cool and entirely detached. Yes. But he was far too clingy, so we broke up.

A moment later, the crew interviewed the nation's darling, the brilliant, award-winning actor Gabriel.

With an incredibly tragic, puppy-dog expression, Gabriel sighed. "She was too cold to me, so she dumped me. Honestly, I only joined this show because of her."

The internet exploded. Within seconds, fans launched a massive online crusade, determined to unmask the ungrateful ex-girlfriend who had dared to break the golden boys heart.

Meanwhile, I quietly took a step back in the lounge, praying I could blend into the wallpaper.

When I first received the invitation to join Heartbound, a celebrity dating reality show, I had absolutely no intention of going. But then they offered me a sum of money that made my jaw drop.

It was only when I arrived on set that I realized my ex-boyfriend, Gabriel, was also on the roster. To make matters worse, his rumored on-screen sweetheart, Alyssa, was here too.

The two of them had just starred in a massive historical drama that had taken the country by storm. Their on-screen chemistry was so intense that their shipper fandom was practically feral, begging them to get married in real life.

As for me, I was just a struggling, low-tier actress. I had been blessed with striking looks, but cursed with a reputation that turned me into a magnet for online abuse no matter what I did.

And ninety percent of that abuse was courtesy of Alyssa. She had set me up on multiple occasions, successfully cementing my status as the ultimate real-life villain in the eyes of the public.

The moment Alyssa saw me, she flashed a sweet, nauseating smile.

"Paige, darling! I had no idea youd be here! Why didn't you tell me?"

I brushed past her outstretched hand, utterly refusing to play along. "Theres a lot you don't know, Alyssa. I'm not your keeper, so why would I report my schedule to you?"

She froze, her lower lip trembling as her eyes instantly filled with tears.

I didn't care. If she tried to walk over me this time, Id drag her down with me.

Once all the guests had arrived, Gabriel naturally took the center spot. Alyssa stood proudly right beside him, practically radiating triumph.

The live stream went active, and the chat section flooded with adoration.

Gabriel and Alyssa look so perfect together!

Oh my god, they need to get married already! Lock them in a room together!

But Gabriel's eyes kept drifting toward me. The intensity of his gaze made my stomach flip, and a sudden wave of panic washed over me.

To kick off the show, the director announced a sudden segment, demanding that we open our suitcases on camera.

I frowned, speaking up before I could stop myself. "Wait, what about basic privacy?"

But the internet didn't care about personal boundaries. The chat began flashing at lightning speed.

I want to see what cute things Alyssa brought!

Oh my god, show us Gabriels suitcase! I'm practically screaming!

Looking around, I noticed that the other guests didn't look surprised at all. I realized instantly that this segment had been pre-arranged. Alyssa and I belonged to the same agency, yet no one had bothered to warn me.

Before anyone else could speak, Alyssa eagerly unzipped her bag.

"I'm more than happy to share my suitcase! I believe that if you join a show like Heartbound, you should be completely transparent with the audience. Don't you agree, Paige?"

She smiled with pure, harmless innocence, but I only sneered inwardly.

She began displaying her belongings, starting with a fluffy, oversized pair of pajamas. "I love plush sleepwear. It's so cozy!"

Aww, those pajamas are adorable! Alyssa is such a sweet, wholesome girl!

Look at how open Alyssa is. Meanwhile, some people act like they have dirty secrets to hide.

"And these are my skincare products," Alyssa continued, holding up a few bottles. "As girls, we must always take care of our skin!"

She's so sweet! I love her!

Alyssa is the ultimate girl-next-door. Who wouldn't fall in love with her?

Suddenly, Alyssa's cheeks flushed a deep crimson. She quickly hid something behind her back, stammering with embarrassment. "This... please don't look at this..."

Her childish display only fueled the chat's curiosity. The director's eyes lit up, teasing her until she finally yielded. Biting her lip, she slowly brought out a box of herbal tea formulated for chronic stomach issues.

"I bought this for myself, not for anyone else..." she whispered, lowering her head in a display of sheer modesty.

But everyone knew that Gabriel frequently suffered from severe stomach pain due to his erratic shooting schedules.

Oh my god! That is definitely for Gabriel!

Alyssa is such a thoughtful angel! This is true love!

The ship is real! Please just announce your relationship already!

Am I the only one who thinks she's being incredibly dramatic? If it was for herself, why make such a scene?

The skeptical comments were instantly drowned out by her army of fans.

Alyssa went through her entire suitcase, basking in the wave of online adoration. She shot me a smug, superior look, but I only offered a lazy shrug.

Then she turned her gaze toward Gabriel, looking like a puppy begging for a treat.

But Gabriel didn't even glance at her. He looked right past her, his eyes locked onto me.

I quickly looked down, pretending to be fascinated by my sneakers. We were broken up, yet he was still looking at me like that. It was going to be the death of me.

The director soon turned the camera toward me, and I reluctantly unzipped my suitcase.

Inside were just a few simple changes of clothes, two basic bottles of moisturizer, chargers, and a mountain of snacks. Fortunately, I had packed my underwear in a separate, solid black pouch. I pulled my collar up, wondering if my agent would strangle me for bringing so many snacks.

Is Paige only using two bottles of moisturizer? With skin that perfect, she's definitely trying to show off.

Shes so fake. First she complains about privacy, and now shes trying to establish a cute foodie persona?

This is hilarious. Who brings a suitcase full of junk food to a dating show? So try-hard. Alyssa is much more genuine.

I had no idea I was being thoroughly ripped apart online over a few bags of chips.

Seeing that I hadn't made a fool of myself, Alyssa's smile faltered slightly.

Finally, it was Gabriels turn. His suitcase was incredibly neat, containing only the essentials. However, with a quiet smile, he reached in and pulled out several bars of dark sea-salt chocolate.

I didn't know Gabriel liked dark chocolate! I need to buy some right now!

One suitcase is full of chips, and the other has artisanal chocolate. Why does this feel strangely romantic?

Don't start shipping them. It's only going to hurt you.

I kept my eyes fixed on the floor, my heart hammering against my ribs. Gabriel hated chocolate. But that specific brand was my absolute favorite.

The host smiled warmly, leaning in with the microphone. "Gabriel, why did you bring so much chocolate? We heard you don't even like sweets."

Gabriel offered a bright, charming smile, his eyes drifting lazily in my direction. "Someone I love is completely obsessed with this brand. I brought it specifically for her."

The internet went absolutely wild.

Oh my god! Is he talking about Alyssa? He loves her so much!

It has to be Alyssa! Their chemistry in the drama was off the charts!

Alyssa fans need to stop projecting. There are other female guests on this show.

Alyssa stepped forward, her voice sweet and high-pitched as she stared at the chocolate. She clasped her hands over her mouth in delight. "Gabriel, you like this brand too? What a coincidence, it's my favorite as well!"

Gabriel silently placed the chocolate back into his suitcase, offering a cool, detached response. "Right."

Haha, is Gabriel just shy?

Only real couples act this awkward on camera. If they weren't together, they'd be playing it up with polite banter!

That actually makes a lot of sense.

Wait, did anyone notice that Paige also had chocolate in her bag?

So what? She's probably just trying to ride the coattails of our favorite couple!

Within minutes, the trending topics on social media were completely dominated:

#AlyssaAndGabrielShareSameTaste

#PaigeTriesToClingToGabrielWithSnacks

To make the filming process easier, our rooms were located on the second floor of the villa.

Gabriel looked like an absolute runway model in his crisp white shirt and dark trousers. Even while pulling a suitcase, he exuded an aura of elegant, untouchable grace.

Alyssa, on the other hand, stood by her heavy bag, looking incredibly fragile. She cast a helpless, pleading look toward Gabriel.

"Gabriel, could you help me with my suitcase? It's so heavy, I can't seem to lift it."

Her voice was sweet enough to melt a stone.

But Gabriel walked straight past her, stopping right beside me. "Sorry, Paige already asked me to help her first. You'll have to find someone else."

Before I could say a word, he snatched the handle of my suitcase from my grip.

Alyssa's fans instantly lost their minds, flooding the live chat with anger.

Paige is shameless! First she copies Alyssa's snacks, and now shes stealing her man?

Can someone please kick Paige off this show? Shes ruining the romance!

What a manipulative snake. She clearly saw Alyssa struggling, yet she rushed to claim Gabriel first!

Is Alyssa a delicate princess or something? Can't you see Gabriel simply didn't want to help her?

I was entirely oblivious to the online war, but I knew I was likely being roasted alive. To minimize the damage, I held onto the handle, whispering through gritted teeth, "Let go. I can carry it myself. I don't need your help."

He refused to release his grip. Instead, he leaned down close, his lips curving into a soft smirk.

When we were together, this specific movement usually meant he was about to kiss me. Fearing he would do something reckless on live television, I immediately let go and stepped back.

He raised an eyebrow, his voice dropping to a low whisper that only the two of us could hear. "I'll bring the chocolate to your room tonight."

My face flushed hot.

Seeing Alyssa standing there in distress, another male guest, Brody, stepped forward to help. "Alyssa, let me carry that for you."

Alyssas eyes welled with tears as she shook her head. "No, thank you. I can manage on my own."

Brody blinked, looking genuinely confused. "Wait, if you can do it yourself, why did you ask Gabriel in the first place?"

Alyssa's face burned crimson with embarrassment. Angered, she grabbed her bag and dragged it up the stairs herself.

The viewers were stunned.

Brody is the ultimate literal-minded guy.

Alyssa looks so pitiful. Is everyone ganging up on her just because she's successful?

My heart breaks for her. She was just trying to be polite, and now everyone is treating her like a burden.

Gabriel carried both of our suitcases upstairs, entirely ignoring Alyssa as he walked past her.

She bit her lip, looking thoroughly miserable.

Seeing her distress, several other male guests quickly rushed over to offer their help, which finally brought a small, satisfied smile back to her face.

See? Our girl is still loved by everyone!

That snake Paige might have gotten his help, but Gabriel clearly belongs to Alyssa!

Gabriel shouldn't have helped Paige. Look at her face, she doesn't even look grateful. Who does she think she is?

I followed behind Gabriel, nursing a massive headache. The rooms were self-selected, and under the pretext of convenience, Gabriel claimed the room directly next to mine.

Alyssa quickly claimed the room on his other side.

As he set my suitcase down inside my room, he turned his back to the cameras and shot me a heavy, loaded look. When we were together, this look was always followed by him pinning me against the nearest surface.

My heart did a violent flutter. Even after all this time, I still had absolutely zero immunity to his face. I swallowed hard, preparing to kick him out, but he simply turned and walked away with effortless grace.

Alright, maybe I was just overthinking things. After all, we were broken up.