Page 107 of Alice Chen's Reality Check

I can understand why, from a production standpoint, we’re here. It’s incredibly cinematic, and I can see a drone camera circling above us as the helicopters touch down and drop us off.

As someone who might have to do a stunt on this bridge, though, I’m not a fan. I inhale deeply while counting to four, then hold mybreath for seven seconds, then exhale for eight seconds. I’m doing my best to calm my nerves, but as the panic sets in, I can tell it’s not about to work.

Then Daniel takes my hand, squeezes it briefly, and says, “You’ve got to be kidding me. Is this really a good idea after what happened to Anton?” He’s addressing Leah, his voice deceptively mild. “Do we know if the bridge sustained any damage in the storm?”

“It wasn’t my call, I can tell you that, but the PAs checked over all the equipment, and we surveyed the bridge. You’re perfectly safe.”

When filming starts, the three of us remaining couples are stationed on the bridge, positioned against a waist-high railing that serves as a safety barrier. Across from us, there’s a huge white screen.

“You know, I didn’t think I was scared of heights,” Selena says, peering over the edge. “But maybe I am.”

Noah scoffs. “That’s the point. They want you to be afraid.”

“Next time I go on a reality show, I’m going to tell them I’m afraid of large sums of money and puppies,” I mutter.

“At least they haven’t figured out how to weaponize my true fear—parental disapproval,” Daniel mutters back.

Dawn is the last to arrive, in her own helicopter. When she disembarks, the cameras follow her as she walks toward us like the bridge is her runway and we’re the peanut gallery at Paris Fashion Week.

Despite the way she’s taking on the catwalk, there’s something off about Dawn Taylor. It might be the gale-force winds or the early hour, but her hair just isn’t quite as glossy as it usually is, and she looks pale and just the tiniest bit haggard, even with her makeup on. Her outfit, a red jumpsuit with a white belt, seems a little rumpled, as if whatever magic she possesses that keeps her looking camera-ready is starting to wear off.

“Babes, welcome to the semifinals,” Dawn Taylor says, striking a pose. “I’ve got a devilishly difficult challenge for you today. You’re looking down the barrel of the Fraud Challenge.”

By now we know our cues. Selena gasps, everyone looks shocked,and I arrange my face into a suitably horrified expression.

“I know some of you have been very, very bad,” Dawn Taylor says in a sultry tone. “And it’s time to come clean. For the Fraud Challenge, you’ll be playing a twist on Two Truths and a Lie. I’ve personally picked out three revealing statements about your partner. You’ll be on the hook to guess which statements are true and which are false. Fail to guess correctly, and you’ll be taking a plunge.”

She gestures at the steep drop below us.

“Now, without further ado, let’s get into it!”

The crew members help us into the harnesses and secure them. A bungee operator comes around to check that all the straps are correctly attached. Then Freya and Bryan come around to do a second check, testing our cords and adjusting as needed.

Once we’re all standing on the edge of the bridge, Dawn Taylor fills us in on the rules.

“The game is simple. I’ll list three facts about your partner. For every statement you correctly guess as true or false, you get one point. If you get two questions wrong, you get pushed off the bridge into a terrifying bungee free fall. The couple with the most cumulative points wins a hot couple’s massage back at the villa in the Sunset Suite. The losing couple is getting the hell out of here. Ties will be determined by who answers the fastest, so stay sharp, babes!”

A cameraperson pans across the row of us on the bridge, and I try not to think about how high up we are.

“Noah and Ava, step onto the platform,” Dawn Taylor calls out, and Noah and Ava cautiously climb over the safety rail. All that’s left between them and the fall into the water below is their bungee cords. Dawn Taylor joins them on the platform, positioning herself so she’s closer to Noah. “Okay, Noah, you’re up first. Let’s see how well you know Ava. We caught footage of Ava checking out Daniel and Chase by the pool. True or false?”

Noah laughs. “True. Who wouldn’t check out these guys? They’re pretty easy on the eyes!”

Noah gets the point, then scores one more for knowing that Ava cheated on her vegetarianism with a taco last week. When the round is over, the two high-five each other for earning three points.

“Now let’s see if our next couple can go three for three! Alice and Daniel, it’s your turn.”

Daniel helps me over the safety barrier as we step onto the platform together. My stomach lurches as I glance down toward the water below. I take a deep breath to steady myself. I can do this.

Dawn Taylor says, “Daniel, true or false? Alice chose to betray you during the Greed Challenge.”

Shit. I never told him, I realize too late. Why didn’t I tell him right after it happened?

Oh, right. Because I didn’t trust him back then, and I’d made my choice for good reasons. And then by the time I felt like I could trust him, I’d kind of forgotten about it. I was busy with the mystery of Anton’s death, after all.

“False. Alice would never back down from a challenge or betray a teammate,” he says with so much certainty that I feel like I’ve been sucker-punched in the gut.

“Oooh, looks like there’s trouble in paradise,” Dawn Taylor says, and with a click of a button, the white screen lights up with a projection of me during the Greed Challenge, racing to fill the red barrel. “Daniel, Alice chose to betray you.”

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