The villa was quieter than usual that morning.
No breakfast chatter. No flirtatious jabs or side-glances. Just the rhythmic ticking of the wall clock and the occasional rustle of pages as Avery flipped through her now-exposed notebook, reading her own words like they belonged to someone else.
The fallout from the Transparency Challenge hadn't shattered them—but it had shaken the foundation. Each of them had read things they weren't supposed to. Feelings meant to be private. Thoughts half-formed but raw. Vulnerable.
Now, they were expected to sit and talk about those feelings. Alone. Under lights. For the world.
Interview Room 1 – Alicia
The room was as sterile as ever. A single chair. White backdrop. A glass of water on the side table. Two cameras this time, instead of one.
A producer's voice came through the speaker.
"We'll begin with question one. Do you feel like Emma's return has threatened your role in the group?"
Alicia blinked slowly. Her mouth twitched.
