Page 44 of Alice Chen's Reality Check

“Dream on, Slayer.” Daniel laughs. “I can handle you.”

“So you’re in,” I say. I meet his gaze, and for one electric moment, it’s just the two of us here in this room. He takes a deep breath and nods.

“I’m in,” Daniel confirms.

I stick out my hand, and when he shakes it, elation floods throughme. I’m back in the game. “You’d better keep up with me.”

“You know I always have,” Daniel says, cocking an eyebrow.

“Secret alliance is back, baby!” Chase shouts, pumping his fist in the air.

Selena gently takes his arm and lowers it. “Too soon. Read the room.”

Seeing the two of them together, I wonder if Selena and Chase might actually, in the long run, be a good match. But what Chase did still hurts, and just thinking about it makes my stomach turn. Three years down the drain. Maybe it was time for our relationship to end, but what stupid way for it to happen.

The sound of applause jolts me out of my thoughts. Dawn Taylor is slow-clapping. “Well, isn’t this adorable? I suppose I should thank the four of you for spicing this show up.”

“Always happy to help,” Daniel says dryly, but Dawn Taylor just nods as though he really means it.

“Seems to me like you’ve got the drama you wanted,” Peter Dixon says. “Will you do the honors?”

“Of course,” Dawn Taylor says. She brushes a perfectly curled tendril of hair behind her ear. “I’ll give Naiah and Sage their send-off.”

She stalks out of the room, her heels clicking on the tile. She pauses at the doorway. “Congratulations, all of you. Welcome back to hell.”

STORY NOTES FOR EDITORS: “DAWN TAY’S INFERNO: LOVE IS HELL,” SEASON 1, EPISODE 2: LUST (CONT.)

DAWN TAYLOR:…I’m afraid that today, the couple that fell victim to Lust was Naiah and Sage.

[Footage: Naiah flirts with stylist Matteo, making out with him in the dressing room.]

[Footage: Sage is found with stylist Emma, his pants down, starting to get hot and heavy before the footage blurs out.]

[Dawn Taylor wearing a sexy devil costume standing in front of all the contestants gathered on the beach.]

DAWN TAYLOR:Naiah and Sage, say your goodbyes. Your journey through hell ends here.

[Naiah, crying, runs off screen without speaking. Three vape pens and a blueberry-flavored condom packet fall out of Sage’s pockets as he chases after her.]

DAWN TAYLOR:Naiah and Sage weren’t the only couple put to the test.

[Footage: Daniel opens the door to find Chase and Selena together.]

DANIEL CHO:What the hell, guys? We were in a secret alliance.

SELENA RIVERA:I’m sorry, Danny.

CHASE DE LANCEY:It was like seven minutes in heaven.

[B-roll footage: Chase and Selena looking deep into each other’s eyes, absorbed in conversation on the couch. Trevor and Mikayla egging Chase on as he does a body shot off Selena’s stomach.]

[Pull-back shot of Dawn Taylor addressing the contestants inside Villa Paradiso.]

DAWN TAYLOR:Today, two couples broke up, and two new couples came together. A hot and heavy passion has burst into flame between Chase and Selena—

[Surveillance footage: Two figures moving together in the dark storage shed. Audio of moaning and heavy breathing amplified 4x.]

DAWN TAYLOR:—and a spark has reignited between Alice and Daniel, who reconnected on this island after eight years apart.

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