The blinding flash of cameras was like a thunderstorm erupting in Aria Morgan's chest.Her heels clicked sharply on the polished marble floor of the grand hotel lobby, echoing through the endless sea of flashing lights and shouting reporters. Every step felt heavier than the last, as if the weight of her entire career pressed down on her slender shoulders.
She adjusted the strap of her navy satin gown, its sequins reflecting the relentless flashes. The gown was beautiful, expensive… and utterly meaningless now.
Aria's smile was flawless, perfectly rehearsed like every other moment of her life in the public eye. But inside, a silent scream burned.Her manager, Julian Cross, walked beside her, eyes darting nervously from one camera to the next.
"We're almost there," Julian murmured, trying to sound reassuring, though his tone was thin and brittle.
Aria barely nodded.
For the past ten years, she had fought tooth and nail for every single role, every single spotlight. From her very first debut as a hopeful ingénue to now—a woman whose name was whispered in scandal columns, whose performances were panned as embarrassing, whose social media was a minefield of hate comments.
And tonight… this was her last shot.
"This reality show… it's not exactly your usual comeback," Julian said, voice low, "but it'll get people talking again. That's the point."
Aria's eyes flickered toward him.
"I know what I signed up for," she said. Her voice was cold, practiced, and tired. "I'll be the pick-me girl who ruins budding couples, causes drama, and makes people hate me. Fine."
Julian exhaled. "Good. Just stick to the script. You don't want to blow this last chance."
She forced another smile.
The truth?She was beyond caring.
But then, as they turned a corner and the sea of flashing lights suddenly parted, her breath caught.
Standing at the entrance of the grand hall was him.Liam Hunter.
Her ex-boyfriend.
The man whose name still stirred something dark and unspoken in the deepest corners of her heart.
Liam looked impossibly perfect, as always. Tall, sharp-featured, dressed in a classic black tuxedo that accentuated his broad shoulders and icy demeanor. His dark eyes scanned the crowd, but when they met hers…Something unspoken passed between them.
Recognition. Anger. Regret.
Her heart slammed painfully against her ribcage, but her face remained impassive.
"Liam," Julian said casually, as if introducing her to a stranger at a press event.
"I know who he is," Aria said sharply, without looking away.
Liam's gaze didn't waver.
For a split second, time froze.She saw flashes of their past—laughing together in sunlit cafés, secret arguments behind closed doors, and the painful moment three years ago when she had disappeared from his life without a word.
No calls. No explanation. Just… silence.
Now, fate had decided they would meet again.Not by chance.But by design.
Because this reality show was no ordinary production.It was a carefully orchestrated game of scandal, scripted conflicts, and manufactured tension.
And their roles?Perfectly written to maximize viewer engagement.
Aria was the villain—the 'pick-me girl' determined to sabotage every romantic pairing that formed.Liam… was her target.
The cameras already began to roll.
"Welcome to the first episode of Love Under Fire," the producer's voice boomed from hidden speakers, "where Hollywood's brightest stars are forced to play for love… and scandal."
The crowd of reporters screamed louder.
Aria forced her posture straighter, her smile brighter, masking the storm inside.
But Liam's eyes never left her.Cold, calculating.A challenge.
A warning.
In that moment, she realized something terrifying:This wasn't going to be just another publicity stunt.
It was personal.
Because beyond the scripted lines and forced interactions, a deeper game was at play—one that would expose not only their hidden past but possibly destroy both their lives.
Aria stepped forward, placing herself under the harsh glare of the spotlight.
"Let the game begin," she whispered to no one but herself.