The Reclusive Top Star Has A Crush On Me

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.