Chapter 1

After my divorce with Jax, everyone thought I'd be a total cling-on. After all, in their eyes, I was just the poor sap he’d dumped.

He was at the peak of his career, fresh off winning the Formula One World Championship, when he rushed to announce our marriage. After the wedding, he transitioned successfully, his commercial value skyrocketed, and I just became a shadow under his spotlight. People would always bring me up with a hint of disdain: "What did she do to deserve this? She’s so lucky."

It was me who filed for divorce. I was done being an accessory on his road to success.

But it was also what he’d been waiting for.

Vivienne, the spokesperson for his new racing team's sponsor, was seen in his team gear, with his custom phone case, getting cozy with him in the paddock, and rumors flew thick and fast. Meanwhile, like an idiot, I was still flipping through the calendar, waiting for him to come home, only to be hung up on with his excuses about pre-race training.

Our marriage had been a farce for a long time.

Until one time, I ran into Vivienne in first class. She was all bubbly and smiles, greeting me like we were besties.

"You know what?" she whispered in my ear, her tone all smug, "I’m flying on his card."

She was doing it on purpose, trying to push me to ask for a divorce.

And I obliged. I moved out in half an hour. I didn't want any of his dirty seconds and definitely didn't want to waste any more time in a rotting relationship. Thank god we didn't have kids.

Jax leaned against the doorframe, watching me pack. His reaction was still cold. All he asked was, "Do you need anything else?"

"Your phone," I said without turning around.

He paused, then handed it over. I looked at the screen. The contact number that was once my familiar pinned favorite had been replaced by someone else. Now, all that was left was a cold “Do Not Disturb” mode.

We agreed to a divorce. He gave me all the money he'd made over the years, just begging me to let him go. He said he was really in love with Vivienne and that they were “true love.”

I signed a non-disclosure agreement, and the day I left, I thought that was it. I'd never have anything to do with him again.

Until a month later when he called me again.

"We're meeting," he said, his voice brooking no argument.

"We can't let the sponsor find out about your affair," he said bluntly, showing zero regard for my feelings.

I arrived early at the agreed coffee shop. In the lounge, I heard Jax's manager trying to talk sense into him.

“You’re still a hotshot F1 driver after the divorce. She, on the other hand, is just an average person waiting to be laughed at,” the manager said, his voice dripping with disdain.

"She's obviously hung up on you, so lead her on a bit, dangle the idea of a divorce reality show. Make her think she's got a chance, get her to do anything for you. When it airs, we'll edit it so she's the one who looks crazy, and you'll be the heartbroken hero. It’s a win-win with the sponsors!"

"Are you even listening?" the manager nudged his arm.

Jax had his legs stretched out on the low table, idly playing a racing game, giving a casual “Uh-huh” as a response.

“Trust me, if you just snap your fingers, she’ll come running with her tail wagging like a puppy, so grateful,” the manager continued, his tone dripping with mockery towards me.

In the meeting room, Jax was just toying with his phone, seemingly not caring about anything.

After I came in, he just said a few brief things, and the conversation ended.

I agreed to do the reality show for one simple reason.

"I'll do the reality show," I said.

He stared at me, a touch of mockery in his eyes. "Are you really that… obsessed with me?"

He was so self-assured, always thinking I couldn't live without him.

I lowered my gaze, hiding the emotions that were swirling beneath.

"Yes," I said, a touch of bitterness in my voice. "Jax, is there any chance for us?"

His eyes were cold as he turned away, simply murmuring, "We'll see."

"But," he added, "the script for this reality show isn’t exactly what you think it is."

This "divorce" reality show was less about "divorce" and more like an "Ex Effect" challenge.

The show would pair us with other ex-couples facing the same choice. In the show, we would do a "partner swap" where he would live with Vivienne, and I would be paired with Vivienne’s husband, Caspian, the former F1 legend.

"It's the ultimate test to decide whether you get married again or totally break up for good," the show’s producer had said at the time.

This reality show would air mid-season, not only to promote him and Vivienne as a couple but to also create buzz and draw in more attention.

And Caspian, the guy who won the F1 world championship at just 19, then retired at his peak due to injury. He's actually married to Vivienne, making this whole charade even more ironic.

Rumor had it, Vivienne and him were living apart after getting married, and her unrequited love for Caspian was even an open secret in celebrity circles.

Chapter 2

A secluded mountain retreat.

Two rooms, separated by a wall.

The reality show was being streamed live on Instagram.

There was an observation room on-site, while outside, the Instagram comments were rolling in, with messages and emojis flooding the screen.

@F1Fan123: "Jax and Vivienne on a divorce reality show? In one room? This is insane!!"

@TeamJax: "They've got amazing chemistry! They're perfect for each other!"

@Hater007: "Called it! Jax and his wife had zero spark. No one likes the one holding them back."

@ExWifeHater: "I've been waiting for their divorce for ages! That woman needed to go!"

@JaxLover: "He was blind to fall for her in the first place...My heart hurts for Jax."

The staff attached heart rate monitors to Jax and Vivienne.

"Once your heart rates reach 70, you can leave the room," the director explained.

@SpeedDemon: "They'll smash that in seconds! Duh!"

However, reality slapped everyone in the face. Both of their heart rates remained stuck at 68, frustratingly close but not quite there.

In private, he and Vivienne had done everything. They were too familiar, and now they didn't dare get too close on camera, fearing they'd give themselves away.

This "Ex Effect" challenge was far more complex than they imagined.

@ViviQueen: "Vivienne is so polite, not even trying to get too close. She's so sweet."

@JaxFan: "Jax, don't hold back! We're rooting for you! Follow your heart!"

Vivienne sat near the door, her gaze often drifting towards the balcony.

Jax stood on the balcony, getting some air. Through a small gap, he could see into my room.

Caspian hadn’t arrived yet.

Alone, with my heart rate monitor on, I sat on the bed, waiting for the man who was about to change my destiny.

There was a knock at the door.

A tall man stood there.

A baseball cap concealed half his face, strands of hair on his forehead damp with the mist from the spa, and he carried a clean, refreshing scent like a rain-soaked forest.

@CaspianIsBack: "My golden boy is back!!!"

@JaxVsCaspian: "Well, Jax, no comparison. This guy is truly dazzling."

@NoMoreDrama: "Stop the comparisons! Focus on your own fave."

"You have to put this on," I said calmly, handing Caspian the other heart rate monitor.

Jax was always sensitive about people saying he looked like Caspian. They were clearly the same type of men, but Caspian possessed an aura that Jax could never replicate.

In the first year of our marriage, Jax and I were walking down a street late at night when I got transfixed by a massive ad for Caspian's luxury watch. Jax, annoyed, would pull my hat over my face, saying with a hint of bitterness, "I knew you liked that type."

Now.

In the other room, Jax was on the balcony.

He was watching everything clearly.

Watching Caspian walk into the room and close the door behind him.

Watching him put on the monitor.

Jax knew deep down that he could never measure up to the man he was so jealous of, the man who had married Vivienne through a family arrangement. He knew that Caspian didn’t care about Vivienne, and he certainly wouldn't be interested in a divorced woman like me who was of no value to him.

Jax scoffed, acting as if he didn't care.

He was observing my reactions closely, wanting to see despair and resentment on my face.

"Hello, Daisy." Caspian said, his voice deep and magnetic.

My reading stayed at 50. I reached out my hand to Caspian.

"Hello, Caspian."

He took my hand, and at the moment of contact, I felt like I'd been electrocuted.

Seconds later, the heart rate monitor let out a sharp, piercing beep.

Caspian's reading had immediately maxed out.

But he was as calm as anyone, acting as if none of it concerned him.

"The monitor's faulty," he said.

"Oh," I replied.

Chapter 3

They swapped out the monitors, and the readings returned to normal.

Over at Jax and Vivienne's, after a few awkward icebreaker games, their heart rates barely edged past 70. The tension and distance between them were palpable, even through the screen.

Meanwhile, with me…

Caspian's heart rate remained stubbornly low, hovering at 25.

"If it stays this low," I asked a staff member, "are we stuck in here overnight?"

Caspian heard that. He raised an eyebrow slightly but didn't show any other emotion.

He stood tall and broad-shouldered in a simple black hoodie, his eyes distant and unfocused.

The staff member just shrugged. "Consider it a failed mission. You're free to leave in an hour."

Caspian and I were the last to emerge.

@SoBoring: "Total fail! These two have absolutely zero spark!"

@NoChemistry: "Zero chemistry between them. It's so cringey!"

@GetHerOutOfHere: "Can she just leave already? I only want to see Vivienne and Jax!"

The Instagram comments were a disaster until the live stream ended.

The post-show interviews took place in several rooms.

Cameras, lights, and people were everywhere, creating the usual chaos of a reality show set.

Jax stood in a corner, watching Vivienne do her interview. His eyes kept darting towards me with a hint of something unreadable.

"Excited?" He asked me abruptly.

"Did you, for even a second, think Caspian might be into you?" He curled his lip in a sarcastic smile.

I ignored him and turned to walk away, but he blocked my path.

"You know, Daisy," he said, hands in his pockets, tilting his head and acting nonchalant. "I'm more and more convinced that divorcing you was the best decision I ever made."

Someone walked past, and Jax immediately straightened up, as if he hadn’t just said those cutting words.

He reverted to his charming, vulnerable persona, as if I were the one who had hurt him deeply.

Vivienne finished her interview and, with all eyes on her, walked up to me and affectionately took my hand.

"Daisy, sweetie," she said, shaking the old crystal bracelet on her wrist, "you should cherish Jax. He really loves you."

I knew that bracelet.

During the mid-season last year, Jax's car had a malfunction and he had a minor accident. Thankfully, he was okay.

I dragged him to church to pray for him. I closed my eyes, full of worry for his safety. When I opened my eyes, I saw him buy the crystal bracelet.

I thought he was going to give it to me, but he said he got it for himself so I could feel better.

Now, it was on Vivienne's wrist. It was so incredibly ironic.

"Don't be ridiculous," Vivienne was still saying on camera, playing the role of supportive friend. "I want you two to be happy more than anything."

I said nothing, coldly watching them perform for the cameras.

Jax didn't know.

Vivienne didn't know either.

The truth was, I had another, secret reason for agreeing to this reality show, one I couldn't share with anyone.

That day when I closed my eyes, it wasn't Jax I was thinking of.