Sophia's POV.
This is the second time I lay my eyes on him, but yet my heart shatters all over again like the first time. It's like a punch to the gut, unexpected and unavoidable. There he is, standing under the harsh studio lights, his dark eyes scanning the room as though he's a stranger to me, and yet, every inch of him is familiar. Alexander Kim, the man who tore my world apart. I'm not sure what I expected, but this isn't it.
He's dressed in a sharp, tailored suit, his hair perfectly in place, the same flawless, confident look he wore when we were together. But now it feels like a mask. Something's off. The arrogance that once exuded from him now feels like an armor he's wearing to shield himself from whatever pain lies beneath. I watch as he offers his signature charming smile to the other contestants, but my stomach tightens.
I'm not here to play some game. I'm here to get over him, to prove to myself that I'm stronger than this broken heart. But standing just feet away from him, watching him act like nothing ever happened between us, it's impossible not to feel the weight of everything we were—and everything we aren't anymore.
The other women around me are all trying to put on their best faces. Some are adjusting their hair, others nervously fidgeting with the hems of their dresses, but me? I'm numb. I can't bring myself to feel anything but anger and confusion, simmering just beneath the surface.
Then, Maya steps forward.
She's not like the others. While everyone is trying to look perfect for the cameras, Maya stands out. She's tall, dark-haired, with a bold confidence that makes her seem untouchable. As she glides toward Alexander, I notice the sharp glint in her eyes, something calculating, but with a layer of curiosity that doesn't quite match the flirtation in her smile. She doesn't seem rattled by Alexander's presence at all. In fact, she looks almost like she's studying him, sizing him up.
"Alexander," she says, her voice smooth, almost too smooth. "It's a pleasure."
Her handshake is firm, assertive, and I watch as he reacts, visibly taken aback by the way she holds his gaze a little too long. There's no warmth in it, no admiration—only a careful assessment. Maya isn't here to fall for the charming bachelor act. She's here for something else.
I can't quite place my finger on it, but there's something about her. She doesn't belong here with the rest of us, at least not for the same reasons. She's too smart, too calculating. And I don't know if I'm ready to find out what that means for me yet.
As Maya moves back, Ethan steps forward. He's the complete opposite of Maya, effortlessly charming in a more subdued, approachable way. His smile reaches his eyes, and there's something warm about it—something that makes me relax for a moment, even though I know I shouldn't be letting my guard down.
"Hey, Sophia," he says, stepping up to me with that easy grin. "I know we're all in this crazy mess together, but I just wanted to say—don't take all this too seriously. Life's too short."
I blink, surprised by the genuine kindness in his voice. There's no pretense, no hidden agenda. He's just… being real. For a moment, I find myself actually breathing a little easier, despite everything happening around me. Ethan's warmth is a stark contrast to Alexander's cold, distant demeanor.
"Thanks," I reply, trying to muster up a smile. But it's not easy. Not when I know he's the reason I'm here, the reason my life feels like it's spinning out of control.
Alexander watches us, and there's a flicker of something in his eyes—frustration, maybe? He glances away quickly, but I can see the tightness in his jaw. I wonder if he's bothered by Ethan's attention. Or maybe it's just his own guilt gnawing at him. He should have never left me. I deserve better than this.
As the introductions continue, I find myself observing both Maya and Ethan more closely. Maya seems to be holding something back, her sharp eyes always calculating, always probing. And Ethan? There's something disarming about him, like he's trying too hard to be the good guy. The truth is, I don't trust either of them. Not completely. But then again, I don't trust anyone here—not even Alexander.
I step back from the group as the first round of mingling begins, my mind racing. This is a game. That's all it is. But it doesn't stop the pain from creeping in whenever I look at him, whenever I catch him staring at me like I'm just another contestant, just another challenge to conquer. His indifference stings more than I care to admit.
I can't keep doing this. I need to get through this, but I don't know how. My heart is still so tangled up in him, in us. And maybe, just maybe, that's exactly what these people—Maya, Ethan, and Julian, all of them—are counting on.
It's all a game. But what if I'm the one who's already lost?
I try to shake off the heaviness that settles in my chest as the room buzzes with conversations. The contestants are all mingling, sizing each other up, while I stand in the corner, lost in my own thoughts. Maya's gaze keeps flickering in my direction, sharp and observant, like she knows exactly what's going on inside me. Or maybe she's just studying all of us, playing the game her own way. Either way, she's not someone I want to get tangled up with. But then again, I can't ignore the fact that she might hold some of the answers I'm searching for. After all, there's something off about this whole show, and if she's aware of it, she could be the key to unraveling it.
Ethan, on the other hand, keeps giving me these soft, sympathetic looks, the kind that make me feel seen in a way I didn't expect. It should be comforting, but it only adds to the confusion. I don't want to get involved with him. I'm here to heal, not to get entangled in another mess. But there's this undeniable pull whenever I'm near him, a warmth that seems to melt the cold edges of my anger. Maybe I'm just starved for kindness, starved for anything that doesn't remind me of the devastation Alexander left in his wake.
I glance at him across the room. He's talking to one of the other contestants now, his smile practiced, and his charm effortless. But I can still see the cracks in his mask. His eyes flicker toward me every so often, and when they do, it's like a silent tug between us. His guilt is palpable, even from a distance. He knows what he did to me. He knows the damage he caused. And yet, here he is, playing the part of the bachelor, pretending that everything is fine, pretending that we didn't have a history. That we didn't have dreams.
A voice snaps me out of my thoughts.
"Are you okay?" Maya asks, suddenly standing beside me, her tone deceptively casual.
I stiffen, a little surprised. She must have sensed my distance, my discomfort, though I'm not sure how much of it she's truly aware of.
"I'm fine," I say, perhaps a little too quickly, then force a smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes.
Maya raises an eyebrow, her gaze searching. "You don't seem fine. You look like you're thinking too much." She tilts her head. "Thinking about him?"
I hesitate, caught off guard by her perceptiveness. I should deflect, pretend like it doesn't matter anymore, like Alexander's presence doesn't affect me at all. But something in Maya's gaze makes me feel like she's already seen right through my defenses.
"I'm just trying to figure out why I'm here," I admit, the words slipping out before I can stop them. "I'm not here to fall for some game. I'm here to move on. To prove that I'm more than just… his mistake."
Maya nods slowly, her expression unreadable. "I get it. You don't have to explain yourself to me. But here's the thing, Sophia—this game is full of surprises, and not all of them are fun."
There's a weight to her words, a warning that lingers long after she walks away. I don't know if she's trying to be comforting or if she's simply trying to plant some doubt in my mind. Either way, it doesn't matter. I'm not here to play anyone's game. I'm here to get through this—alive, unscathed, and hopefully a little bit stronger.
But as the night drags on, and I watch Alexander interact with the other contestants, I wonder if that's even possible. I wonder if I'll ever be able to look at him without feeling the jagged edges of our past scraping against my heart.
The first rose ceremony is upon us. The tension is thick, like a live wire in the air, as the contestants stand in neat rows, all of us waiting for the moment when our fates will be decided. I can feel my heart racing in my chest, each beat an uncomfortable reminder of how much is at stake here. But it's not just about the rose anymore. It's about survival. It's about proving to myself that I don't need to be in this game to move forward in life.
Ethan is standing next to me, his presence oddly calming. He gives me a quick, reassuring smile as he leans slightly toward me. "You'll be fine," he whispers. "You're stronger than you think."
I give him a tight-lipped smile in return, not trusting myself to speak. I don't know if I believe him. I don't know if I'm strong enough to get through this without losing myself in the process.
And then, finally, it's Alexander's turn to speak. The room goes quiet, the anticipation so thick I can almost taste it. He walks down the line, his gaze moving from contestant to contestant, making eye contact with each of us before stopping in front of Maya.
"I'm sorry," he says softly, his voice still carrying the weight of regret. "Maya, you've been great, but I can't offer you a rose tonight."
There's a collective sigh from the room, and Maya's smile falters, but only for a second. She doesn't seem surprised, or even disappointed. Instead, she gives him a nod and steps back, her expression cool and unreadable.
I feel a strange sense of relief wash over me, as though the air has been cleared, and I can finally breathe again. But it's short-lived. There are still so many questions swirling in my mind, so many things I don't understand. Why am I still here? Why does he still have this power over me?
The rest of the roses are handed out, each one a step toward uncertainty. When it's my turn, Alexander's gaze lingers on me just a moment longer than necessary. He looks at me, and I swear I can see the pain in his eyes—the guilt, the regret. It makes my chest tighten, but I force myself to hold steady.
Finally, his voice breaks through the silence.
"Sophia," he says, his tone low and steady, "I'm offering you a rose tonight."
I take it from him, our fingers brushing briefly. And for the briefest of moments, everything feels suspended in time. Like maybe, just maybe, things could go back to the way they were.
But then the moment shatters, and reality sets in. This is not a fairy tale. This is a game. And I'm only a player.