Chapter 2
10
Zoe’s eyes were red with fury.
Adam quickly jumped in to defend his sister. “Ms. Serrano, she’s just looking out for everyone. She didn’t want to see our hard work
go to waste. Besides, you ordered far too much for two people. It’s only natural for Zoe to suspect you have ulterior motives.”
I didn’t even bother to lift my eyelids. “Mind your own damn business. I’m spending my own money. What right do you have to say
anything?”
Hearing me so blatantly call him a meddling fool, Adam’s carefully constructed mask of gentle patience finally cracked. “I’m trying
to be reasonable with you, and you resort to insults?”
“Oh,” I said, turning to him with an expression of pure, unadulterated logic. “I’m not just insulting you to your face. If you’re hard of
hearing, I can carve it on your tombstone for you.”
”
”
Adam and Zoe stormed off, fuming. My brother looked like he was bracing for an apocalypse. “It’s over, Aria. The audience is prob-
ably crucifying us right now.”
Well, I was full and had nothing better to do. I pulled out my phone and opened the live stream.
Sure enough, a lot of people were tearing us apart.
“Aria is so arrogant! Adam was just trying to be a team player!”
“She does nothing and has the nerve to attack everyone else. Where did the producers even find this woman?”
“Get Liam and Aria off the show! I can’t stand them.”
www
Chapter 2
But amidst the hate, a few voices of support were starting to emerge.
N
“I don’t think she’s wrong. The show never said it was mandatory for them to cook.”
“Yeah, our Kiki was exhausted and still had to force herself to go pick vegetables. It broke my heart to watch.”
“Rick loves meat! A meal without it is like torture for him.”
“Okay, Aria is a total savage, and I think I’m starting to love it? What’s wrong with me? LMAO”
10.30
I watched the scrolling comments for a second, then turned and lowered my voice, asking my brother, “Did you really steal Adam’s spot? Did you ask Dad for help?”
His expression soured. “No way. I joined the show behind Dad’s back. I wouldn’t have dared ask him to pull strings for me.”
“Then…”
“I have no idea what happened. In the initial rankings, I was in the lowest tier. Then, after the second elimination round, I suddenly had over a hundred thousand votes. The show took our phones, so I had no idea who was voting for me. I just… somehow ended up in second place.”
