Page 52 of Faking with Three

“But I’ll figure it out. I want to pull my weight, you know? And maybe show people I’ve got more to offer than just my face.”

Marcus smiles faintly, but there’s a flicker of something in his expression—sympathy, maybe? “I get it,” he says. “It’s not easy breaking out of the box people put you in.”

“Yes,” I say. “Exactly. I don’t want to sound ungrateful—I’m incredibly happy for Love Lab’s success.”

“But you want to see if there’s a way to reinvent yourself without compromising on your role in the channel’s views?” Marcus says. He’s good, really good.

I nod. “Yep.”

He leans back in his chair. “My advice would just to be yourself. If you force it, people will catch up that you’re being disingenuous. And that never works out.”

I nod, thinking about Olivia. I’ve tried to stay away from her, to pretend there’s nothing there. But it’s not working out anymore. “I’ll keep your words in mind.”

Ethan’s apartment is quiet when I let myself in, the sound of my boots scuffing against the hardwood the only thing breaking the silence. It smells faintly of coffee and whatever cologne he uses—clean, sharp, and just annoyingly Ethan.

My phone buzzes with a text:Help yourself. I’ll be back soon. Feel free to reply to comments and messages on the WeTube account

I toss my phone onto the coffee table and head over to his laptop, which is already setup on the desk. It’s logged in, just likehe said. The WeTube page is open, and notifications are pinging like crazy. It’s hard to believe how much attention we’ve been getting lately. It’s all anyone can talk about—Love Lab, the three founders, and, of course, Olivia. Especially Olivia.

I sit down, scrolling through the comments. Most are harmless: fans debating their favorite episodes, throwing out ship names, or begging for behind-the-scenes content. But a few are… less innocent. Comments about Olivia’s looks, her body, and the kind of attention she gets from us on camera. My jaw tightens as I read them. She doesn’t deserve that kind of crap.

Still, I can’t let myself get too worked up. Instead, I switch gears. Ethan's desktop has a folder labeled"Recorded Content."My curiosity gets the better of me, and I click it open.

Inside are a series of files, all labeled with dates and short descriptions.

My eyes land on one labeled10/27/24,it’s the most recent file. Ethan and Olivia’s date.

I hesitate for a second. Ethan didn’t mention anything about editing this yet, but I figure I could help him out. Maybe surprise him with a rough cut. I double-click the file, leaning back as the video starts to play.

The first few minutes are standard fare—Ethan and Olivia on the couch, joking around as they set up her game. They look comfortable, laughing and teasing each other like old friends.

Ethan leans closer, and Olivia starts to blush in that way she does when she’s trying not to show how much she cares. It’s… nice. Sweet, even.

And then it happens.

Ethan brushes her arm. Olivia glances at him, her expression softening. The tension between them is almost unbearable, even on screen. And then he kisses her.

My stomach tightens as I watch. The kiss isn’t staged or playful; it’s real. Her hands go to his hair, his to her waist. Beforethe footage cuts, I see them falling back onto the couch together, their bodies tangling as they completely forget the camera is still running.

I sit back, my head spinning. It’s not just what I saw—it’s what it means. Ethan and Olivia. Together.

The rational part of me tries to push it aside. It’s not like I have a claim on her. She’s not mine. Hell, we haven’t even talked about what happened between us. But that doesn’t stop the sharp pang in my chest.

I head towards the door, when it opens and Ethan steps in.

Rage fills my head. He looks up and grins at me, and I see red. How dare he touch her?

Ethan’s smile fades when he sees the look on my face.

“Whoa, Jax. What’s your deal?” he asks, his brows knitting together in confusion. He tries to sidestep me, but I move with him, keeping my arms crossed and my stance firm.

“You tell me, Ethan,” I say, my voice sharp. “You planning on telling me about you and Olivia, or was I supposed to just stumble onto it accidentally?”

Ethan freezes, his eyes narrowing. “What are you talking about?”

I lean closer, my jaw tightening. “The footage,” I say, emphasizing every syllable. “Death Crunch. You left the recording running, genius. Guess what’s in the last five minutes of your little ‘date’?”

It takes a second, but I see it click in his brain. His face goes pale, then flushes red. “Shit,” he mutters, running a hand through his hair. “You watched it?”

---