3. Two Minutes Seduction

~Kiara~

We walked out of the room.

My three roommates, Chloe, Mara and Tinsley were looking really nervous and excited while I just couldn’t wait to get this done with.

The production crew led us to a stunning clifftop area.

And immediately we got there, there were a lot of bright studio lights.

The floor was decorated with a plush red carpet and hundreds of cameras were mounted on cranes, tracking every of our moments.

"Alright, ladies, line up right along the carpet edge!" a male producer with a megaphone shouted.

We were instructed to form a semi-circle after.

A tall man in a tuxedo finally stepped onto the center stage.

He was the main host of Love on the Rocks.

He smiled directly into the primary camera lens while his teeth looked white like he had whitened it for the purpose of this show.

"Welcome, America, to the most scandalous season of Love on the Rocks yet!" the host announced.

"Tonight, twenty beautiful women enter this villa and they all have one single goal which is to capture the heart of our mysterious celebrity Bachelor."

The host turned back to face our lineup, his smile never left his face as if it was directly plastered.

"But this season, the rules are changing." The host's grin widened.

“Over the next six weeks, you will compete for the attention of our Bachelor. You will go on dates, face weekly challenges, and fight to survive each Rose Ceremony. But that is not all."

A dramatic music song came up.

"This season, contestants will have the power to steal date time from each other.”

Murmurs started to go all around but I remained quiet as I listened attentively. I needed to do all I could to get the prize money and save the clinic.

The host raised his hand to maintain the peace of the room as he continued.

“In this villa, time is your currency. Every contestant will earn Date Time Credits based on challenges, audience ratings, and the Bachelor’s responses.”

A giant screen behind him lit up with a glowing counter labeled:

TIME = POWER.

“You do not simply get dates. You spend them.”

“If you want time with the Bachelor, you must earn it. If you want more time, you must win it. And if you want someone else’s time…”

His smile widened.

“You steal it.”

The girls around me immediately erupted into whispers.

"And while connections are encouraged, secret hookups are strictly forbidden. Every contestant will be monitored twenty-four hours a day. Anyone caught breaking the rules could face severe penalties.

However, designated intimacy zones allow private interaction between the Bachelor and contestants under full production monitoring.”

A few girls exchanged nervous looks.

"Throughout the season, America will also be watching. Public rankings will be revealed regularly. And the most beloved contestants will gain advantages. The least popular may find themselves in danger."

"Even more shocking..." He paused dramatically. "Our Bachelor may not remain the only man in this competition. Additional celebrity bachelors could arrive at any point during the season turning the entire game upside down."

The girls practically lost their minds.

"So choose your allies carefully. Guard your heart even more carefully. Because in this villa, anything can happen."

“Now we are moving on to the introductory challenge which we call the Two Minutes of Seduction.

One by one, each contestant will enter a private room inside the villa. You will have exactly one hundred and twenty seconds alone with the bachelor.

Your job is to use your mind, your words, or your body to make his heart rate spike on live television. The girl with the lowest impact will risk immediate elimination tomorrow night."

A collective gasp went through the line of girls.

My jaw nearly hit the floor.

Seduce a stranger on live television?

Mateo definitely forgot to mention this part of the contract.

"And now," the host lowered his voice dramatically. "The moment you have all been waiting for. Let's meet the man of the hour."

Down the long gravel driveway, a black limousine purred toward the red carpet.

The windows were totally blacked out.

Heavy white smoke rolled out of the exhaust pipes while the cameras instantly zoomed in.

The driver opened the back passenger door.

And slowly, a heavy, custom-made leather shoe stepped onto the asphalt.

Followed by a muscular frame in a stunning tailored charcoal suit.

His jacket stretched tightly across his impossibly broad shoulders.

He was easily six-foot-four and was built like a solid wall of muscle.

He stepped fully into the bright studio lights while he ran his hand through his thick hair that was a striking icy-silver colour.

He turned toward our line.

His grey eyes scanned the women, looking completely bored until they locked right onto me.

On seeing him closer with appropriate lighting, everything in the world seemed to stop that moment.

Zane Sterling.

I felt my blood completely drain from my face.

My knees went totally weak. It couldn't be him. It wasn't possible.

Five years ago, Zane was just a regular college hockey player with big dreams.

"Oh my god!" Chloe gasped next to me, her voice shaking.

"It’s Zane Sterling! The captain of the Seattle Vipers! He is a literal NHL billionaire with bastard money! How did the network even afford him?!"

Billionaire? NHL captain?

The words echoed in my brain.

I had spent five years blocking out the sports world entirely.

I didn’t know he was now a famous, ridiculously wealthy superstar bachelor.

Zane didn't look surprised to see me at all.

In fact, as his grey eyes tracked my hair down to my green dress, his smirk grew wider.

He looked like he knew I would be here.

"Cut! Great introductory shot!" the director shouted.

"Ladies, remain in your positions while the Bachelor heads to the seduction room!"

The second the cameras paused, my survival instinct kicked in.

My heart started beating fast. I couldn't do this. I couldn't stay in a house with the man who ruined my heart, let alone try to seduce him on TV…

I broke character and stepped off the red carpet, marching straight toward a female producer holding a clipboard.

"I need to quit," I said. "Right now. I want to opt out of the show."

The producer blinked at me like I had two grown two heads all of a sudden.

“What? Honey, nobody quits on night one. You signed a binding contract."

"I don't care about the contract. I am leaving," I snapped, turning around to find the exit until I heard a baritone voice from behind.

"You aren't going anywhere, Kiki."