Episode 10
830 Words
"You want to mess with me? You're still wet behind the ears!"
Emily heard Jessica's voice echoing down the hallway, sharp with indignation. It was barely 7 AM, but the drama had already begun.
Following the sound, Emily found Jessica squared off against Aaron in the kitchen. Jessica stood with one hand on her hip, the other clutching a coffee mug so tightly her knuckles had turned white.
"I was simply making an observation," Aaron replied, his voice deliberately calm, which seemed to infuriate Jessica even more. "The water pressure in your shower might be affected if someone uses the downstairs bathroom simultaneously. I was trying to be helpful."
"By timing my showers?" Jessica's perfectly shaped eyebrow arched. "How considerate of you."
Emily leaned against the doorframe, observing the tension. Mike sat at the kitchen island, hiding behind his cereal bowl, clearly wishing to be anywhere else.
"Morning," Emily said, breaking the standoff as she stepped into the kitchen.
Jessica's expression immediately shifted, a practiced smile replacing her scowl. "Emily! Sleep well?"
"Like a rock," Emily lied. In truth, she'd spent most of the night replaying conversations and planning strategies. "What's for breakfast besides tension?"
Aaron snorted, turning to pour himself coffee. "There's granola and yogurt in the fridge. I made a fresh pot of coffee."
"Perfect," Emily said, reaching for a mug. As she passed Aaron, he leaned in slightly.
"Watch yourself around Jessica," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "She was going through your things while you were in the shower."
Emily kept her expression neutral, nodding slightly to acknowledge the information without giving away her reaction. She wasn't surprised—in fact, she'd anticipated this and had strategically "forgotten" her journal on the nightstand, filled with misleading personal notes and fabricated vulnerabilities.
Kevin strolled into the kitchen, looking unreasonably refreshed for someone who should be suffering from jet lag. "Good morning, everyone. What's on the agenda today?"
Director Brad appeared at that exact moment, as if summoned by Kevin's question. "Good morning, contestants! I hope you all slept well because today we begin our first proper challenge!"
The production team swarmed in behind him, adjusting lights and positioning cameras.
"Today's challenge is simple," Brad continued, his game-show host enthusiasm in full force. "Treasure hunt! The house and grounds contain five golden tokens. Each token represents immunity from elimination for one round."
Emily noticed how everyone subtly straightened, their attention sharpening.
"Additionally," Brad said with a dramatic pause, "one token is special—it contains a power that will be revealed only to the finder. The hunt begins in thirty minutes. Good luck!"
As Brad exited, the contestants exchanged calculating glances.
"Well," Jessica said, setting down her mug. "I'd better get ready." She flashed a brilliant smile before gliding out of the kitchen.
Mike finished his cereal and stood. "I should change into something more suitable for hunting."
Once they were alone, Kevin turned to Emily and Aaron. "Interesting development."
"Very," Aaron agreed. "Five tokens, five contestants. Theoretically, we could all get one."
"But where's the drama in that?" Emily said, stirring her coffee. "The producers would never make it that easy."
Kevin's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I'm betting there are only three tokens, maximum."
"And one special power," Aaron added. "Which means..."
"At least two of us are getting nothing," Emily finished.
The three exchanged looks, a moment of unspoken agreement passing between them, before Aaron walked away to prepare.
Kevin stepped closer to Emily once they were alone. "Clever move with the journal. Did you really think Jessica would fall for it?"
Emily nearly choked on her coffee. "You saw that?"
"I see most things," Kevin said casually. "Including how Aaron seems determined to either protect you or sabotage you. I can't quite tell which yet."
Emily shrugged. "Maybe he hasn't decided either."
Kevin studied her for a moment. "You're very good at this, you know. The question is, good at what exactly?"
Before Emily could respond, a production assistant appeared. "Fifteen minutes until the challenge starts!"
Kevin smiled, a genuine one that reached his eyes. "May the best manipulator win." He raised his coffee mug in a mock toast before walking away.
Emily stood alone in the kitchen, contemplating her next move. The treasure hunt would reveal alliances and strategies. She needed to be careful about appearing too competent too quickly.
As she headed back to her room to change, she passed Jessica, who was speaking quietly into her phone.
"—don't care what it takes," Jessica was saying. "I need that information before the next elimination. Yes, about Emily Chen specifically."
Emily continued walking, her face betraying nothing. So Jessica was digging into her background? Interesting. She wondered how deep Jessica would go—and what exactly she hoped to find.
The game was evolving faster than anticipated. Emily would need to adapt quickly if she wanted to stay ahead.
And staying ahead was non-negotiable. She had too much at stake to lose now.
- Writer
