Behind the glossy, staged facade of The Bachelor and You, Alexander Kim sits in a darkened room, alone. The lights from the set bleed through the windows, casting long shadows across his tense features. He stares at the wall, his fingers tightly gripping the edge of the chair, his jaw clenched. His mind races, tangled in the chaos of emotions that threaten to unravel him.
The memory of the day he left Sophia at the altar haunts him still, a fresh wound that refuses to heal. Her face—tear-streaked, broken—flashes in his mind. He can still hear her voice, pleading, asking him why. Why did he leave her? Why did he break her heart?
He swallows hard, trying to push the painful images aside, but they resurface with relentless force. He had convinced himself it was for the best. He had promised himself he was doing the right thing. But every step he took away from her felt like a betrayal. Every day without her felt like an eternity.
A sharp knock on the door interrupts his thoughts. The producer steps in, clipboard in hand, all business. "You're up, Alexander," they say, voice flat but with an undercurrent of expectation.
He nods, barely hearing them. His gaze drifts to the screen of his phone resting on the table beside him. A single message from Julian Styles lights up the screen.
"You'll do what's necessary. Don't let your conscience get in the way. You don't have a choice."
The words sting, a reminder of the deal he made—a deal that left him trapped. Alexander's hands tremble as he reaches for the phone, his thumb hovering over the screen. Julian's influence still looms over him, pulling strings like a puppet master, forcing him into a game he never wanted to play.
The memory of that fateful meeting with Julian floods back, and for a moment, Alexander's chest tightens with suffocating dread. He had been cornered, vulnerable, and Julian had used that against him. Threats against his family, against everything he held dear. Alexander had made the hardest choice of his life then: sacrifice his future with Sophia to protect those he loved.
But now, standing on the edge of this twisted reality, he feels the weight of his decision heavier than ever. The guilt gnaws at him, a constant reminder that the woman he loved is here—on this show—and he has to face her. He has to face the consequences of his actions.
A flashback overtakes his mind—Sophia's tearful plea the day he left her. The heartbreak in her eyes, the way she had crumpled in front of him, pleading for an explanation. He had no answer for her then, and he has no answer for her now.
His breath hitches as he snaps out of the memory. He doesn't have time to dwell on it. The cameras are ready, the audience is waiting, and he's expected to play his part. He's no longer the man he once was. The man who loved Sophia. The man who had a future with her.
Alexander takes a deep breath, pushes himself to his feet, and heads toward the door. The weight of his past presses down on him as he steps into the bright lights of the set. The cheers of the audience are deafening, but they don't reach him.
The host, Julian Styles, stands center stage, grinning like a predator who knows he holds all the cards. Julian's eyes lock with Alexander's, and for a moment, there's an unspoken understanding between them. The same understanding that binds them in this cruel game.
"Welcome, Alexander," Julian says, his voice smooth, like honey, but there's an edge to it—one that only Alexander can feel. "It's time to meet the women who will fight for your heart."
Alexander nods stiffly, his hands trembling as he forces a smile. He knows this is only the beginning. The beginning of a game he never signed up for, but one that he's bound to play. And as much as he wants to walk away, he knows he can't. Not with the secrets Julian holds, not with the people who rely on him.
As the cameras roll and the women begin to step forward, Alexander's gaze flickers to the crowd, then to Sophia. She's standing there, her face a mask of calm, but he sees the flicker of pain in her eyes—the same pain that mirrors his own.
He wants to reach out, to explain, to apologize, but the words don't come. He's a man caught in a web of his own making. And he has no idea how to untangle himself.
For the first time in a long while, Alexander feels completely powerless. The lights, the cameras, the applause from the audience—all of it feels like a heavy weight pressing down on him, suffocating him. He's supposed to be in control, the confident bachelor who is the center of attention, but right now, he's just a man caught in a game he never asked to play.
He glances at the women as they step forward, one by one. They're beautiful, polished, each of them with their own story, their own hopes and dreams. But none of them are Sophia. None of them can fill the hollow space she left in his heart. His eyes find her in the crowd again, standing just beyond the bright lights, her face calm but distant. She's so close, yet he can't reach her. He can't even begin to explain why he left her, why he did the one thing that shattered everything they had.
A voice cuts through the haze of his thoughts, sharp and professional. "Alexander, you're up," a producer says, snapping him out of his reverie. The time for small talk is over. It's ShowTime.
He forces his legs to move, each step toward the stage feeling like a mile. His heart pounds in his chest as he approaches Julian, who flashes him a knowing grin. There's something in that smile—something that makes Alexander's stomach twist with unease. Julian knows the truth. He knows what Alexander is hiding, what he's running from. And in this moment, it's like Julian has the power to make Alexander do anything.
"Are you ready to meet the women who will fight for your heart?" Julian asks, his voice smooth, seductive even. The question hangs in the air, but Alexander doesn't hear it. He's still too lost in his own thoughts, too consumed by guilt to care about any of this. The game, the show, the competition—it all feels like a farce.
He looks out at the women gathered before him, their eager faces all blurred in his mind. He knows they're here to win, to impress him, to get his attention. But it doesn't matter. Nothing matters right now except Sophia. The woman who once meant everything to him, the woman he betrayed.
A flash of movement catches his eye—Sophia, stepping forward, her eyes meeting his for the briefest moment. It's like a jolt of electricity passes between them, an unspoken connection that neither of them can ignore. He sees the hurt in her eyes, the pain he caused. And it cuts deeper than any words ever could.
His throat tightens, and for a second, it feels like the entire world is closing in on him. His breath comes in shallow gasps, and the smile he's been forcing onto his face falters for the briefest second. But no one notices. The audience doesn't see his inner turmoil, the storm raging inside him. To them, he's just another handsome bachelor ready to pick his perfect match.
"Ladies," Julian says with a flourish, gesturing toward the women standing before him. "Let the games begin."
But for Alexander, the games have already begun. And they are not the ones he signed up for.
The first woman steps forward, her face bright and eager. She gives him a flirtatious smile, and for a moment, Alexander forces himself to smile back. It's mechanical, automatic, like he's on autopilot. But all he can think about is Sophia. The way her eyes looked at him with so much love, so much trust—and how he betrayed that trust without a second thought.
He listens to the introductions, each woman offering a piece of herself, a small part of her life. But it all feels so irrelevant. Their words are just background noise to the constant, deafening pulse of regret in his chest.
When it's finally over and the women are escorted to their respective places, Alexander finds himself alone for a moment. The lights dim, the audience quiets, and he's left in the shadows of the stage, just a man grappling with his choices.
He stares at his reflection in the backstage mirror, running a hand through his hair, trying to steady himself. He needs to be strong, to appear confident, and to convince the world that he's fine. But inside, he feels like he's falling apart. The guilt, the anger at himself, the memories of Sophia—they're all pulling him in different directions, each one threatening to drown him.
A hand on his shoulder startles him, and he turns to see Julian standing behind him, his expression unreadable.
"You're doing great," Julian says, his voice laced with a cold edge. "But don't forget, Alexander—you don't have a choice. You signed the contract. You agreed to play this part."
Alexander looks away, his stomach churning. He wants to scream, to tell Julian to leave him alone, to end this charade once and for all. But the words stick in his throat. He can't risk it. Not with everything at stake.
"I haven't forgotten," Alexander mutters, the words slipping from his mouth like poison.
Julian's lips curl into a smirk, as if he can sense Alexander's inner turmoil. "Good," he says, before turning and walking away, leaving Alexander to stew in his own guilt.
The moment Julian disappears down the hallway, Alexander takes a deep breath, steadying himself once again. The show isn't over. He's only just begun. But already, he feels like he's losing. Losing the woman he loves, losing himself, and most of all—losing control.
As he steps back into the bright lights, he wonders how much longer he can keep pretending.