Chapter 2

"You can leave the room once your affection levels reach 80," the staff member explained.

Everyone thought it would spike instantly. But both of their readings stayed stuck at 68.

Behind closed doors, Eddie and Bella had done everything there was to do. On camera, they were suddenly perfectly restrained.

Bella sat by the doorway.

Eddie stood out on the balcony, breathing in the night air. Through the edge of the glass, he could see my room.

Logan still hadn't arrived. I was alone, sitting on the edge of the bed with the affection meter watch on my wrist.

Then came a knock at the door.

I looked up.

A baseball cap shadowed half his face. Damp strands of hair carried the mist from the thermal spring.

He smelled like late rain.

The livestream chat exploded instantly.

"My first love is back!"

"Logan is so hot! There's no comparison."

"You need to wear this," I said, handing him the other affection meter watch.

Eddie hated being told he looked like Logan.

In our first year of marriage, we were walking at dawn when I stopped in front of a giant luxury billboard of Logan. I couldn't take my eyes off it.

Eddie had pulled his cap down over my head, blocking my view, and said jealously, "I knew that's the type you like."

Now, in the other room, Eddie stood on the balcony and clearly saw Logan enter mine and close the door behind him.

But he didn't care.

He knew that Logan, the man he could never surpass and secretly envied, had only married Bella because of a contract.

Logan didn't even like the beautiful actress. There was no way he would ever fall for me, a plain, divorced nobody that even Eddie despised.

Eddie let out a soft scoff, looking completely unconcerned. Yet, he carefully observed my reaction.

"Nice to meet you, Alisson."

My affection rate stayed at 50 as I extended my hand.

"Nice to meet you, Logan."

He shook it.

A few seconds later, the watch suddenly let out a sharp, piercing alarm.

Logan's affection level jumped straight to 100, but he himself stayed completely calm.

"It's broken," he said flatly.

After switching watches, everything returned to normal.

On Eddie and Bella's side, after a few rounds of couple games, their affection level climbed past 80, and they left the room early.

On my side, Logan's affection level stayed at 25 the entire time. It was almost nonexistent.

I asked the staff, "If it never goes above the limit, do we have to stay here overnight?"

Logan heard me. He stood tall and quiet in a thin black hoodie, his gaze distant.

"It counts as a failed mission. You can leave after an hour," the staff replied.

We were the last to come out.

"This is such a flop."

"They have zero chemistry."

"Get her out of here. Can we stop showing her? I only want Eddie and Bella."

The chat was overwhelmingly negative until the live stream ended.

In the interview rooms afterward, cameras and lights filled the space.

Eddie stood in a corner, watching Bella being interviewed. His eyes briefly landed on me.

"Feeling excited?" he asked me out of nowhere. "Was there a moment you thought that Logan might fall for you?"

I ignored him and turned away, but he stepped in front of me.

"My gosh, Alisson," he said casually, hands in his pockets and head tilted. "The more I think about it, the more I realize divorcing you was the right choice."

Someone passed by, and he immediately straightened up again.

He was back to that warm, gentle, slightly broken image as if I was the one who had hurt him the most.

Bella finished her interview and walked over under everyone's gaze. She took my hand. "Alisson, treasure Eddie. He really does love you."

A red string bracelet hung from her wrist.

I had seen that bracelet.

Last year on our anniversary, Eddie had something like it in his pocket.