Page 2 of Twisted Promise

Anya knew the day’s schedule because Meryl had shared it with her. It was easy: the participants arrived, exchanged pleasantries to break the ice, and had dinner together. Each was pulled aside for confessional interviews, a highlight for viewers and the most replayed section of the video.

Hovering her mouse over the “most replayed” marker, Anya clicked. The anonymous chat comments began to sync as Alessio’s interview appeared on the screen.

He looked positively irate. His glare alone seemed capable of shattering the camera lens.

The woman behind the camera prompted him to introduce himself. He complied, his tone unkind and terse:“Alessio. 28. Archery.”

“What made you come onto the show?”

Alessio gave a solid moment of silence to the question, long enough for Anya to readjust her back on the couch, before answering:“No reason.”

Then, the interviewer laughed sheepishly and asked another question through her clenched teeth.“Well, this is a reality love show, and I know there are many people interested in your relationships. So, are you dating anyone?”

With rare patience, Alessio stared into the center of the lens as if he were staring right at Anya.

“I was.”

“Oh!”the woman’s voice quipped,“Can you tell us more about them? How long were you two together? Do you still love them? Do you think they feel the same?”

“I don’t want love, just her.”

A twitch pulled at the corner of Anya’s lips. Against her better judgment, her eyes drifted to the chat. Comments flooded in, mostly reactions to Alessio’s unexpected declaration.

His publicist had been excellent at preserving his image, keeping him away from the romance circus that spellbound others. It was what sold his bachelor mystique.

Alessio was fifth-generation wealthy, the only son of private equity moguls, an accomplished competitive archer, and painfully photogenic.

He looked like someone with thirty-seven consecutive girlfriends, or concurrent, but unfortunately, he had a voice. And it had no qualm about snubbing anyone in his way.

Anya braced herself as she scrolled through the comments.

1

I’m not surprised he had a girlfriend, but why does he make it sound illegal?

2

I think it’s sweet.

3

Does anyone know who he’s talking about? There’s got to be something floating on the net.

4

I think it’s someone from years ago. If y’all have been following him on his social as I do, you’d see that he started carrying that weirdly crooked crochet thing on his key fob when he was 20. It doesn’t match his DIY cool-boy aesthetics.

5

@4I know what you mean! I reverse-imaged it, but I guess it’s handmade since I couldn’t find anything like that.

6

No! I was rooting for him to stay single! I can’t imagine him dating or even having a crush. It’s like watching my own son get the birds-and-bees talk.

7

@6Didn’t know he had parent-fans.

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