Page 49 of The TV Show Rival
Relief washed over the team, a collective exhale of pent-up tension escaping their lips.
With a triumphant grin plastered across his face, Diego held aloft the weathered wooden chest.
They roared! They had done it! They had beaten the clock, outsmarted the competition, and conquered every obstacle in their path.
The clock ticked down the final seconds as they scrambled back down the hill, their hearts pounding in their chests. With five minutes to spare, they burst back onto the beach, the coveted chest clutched firmly in Diego’s hand.
The beach, once a shared haven, now felt desolate, a reflection of the turmoil within her as the moonlight shone. Diego’s successful retrieval of the chest, their team’s triumphant cheers—everything seemed muted, overshadowed by the betrayal that ate at her conscience.
A rustle in the nearby dunes caught her attention. Spinning around, she saw Jamie walking towards her.
A hesitant smile stretched across Jess’ face, only to falter as Jamie’s expression wore a mask of fury.
She knew, with a sickening certainty, why. She’d glimpsed the devastation on Jamie’s face moments after her team’s loss. Now, she was here to unleash her anger. Fair and square.
As Jamie closed the distance with each forceful stride, she landed a vicious slap against Jess’ cheek, leaving a burning imprint and a raw shock in its wake.
Another slap followed, quicker this time. Jess stumbled backwards, the sand cushioning her fall, the sting on her face overshadowed by the far deeper pain in her heart.
Tears welled in her eyes, blurring the image of the furious woman towering before her.
“How could you?” Jamie’s voice, raw with emotion, cut through the roar of the ocean. “We were supposed to be partners. We were supposed to be...” Her voice trailed off, choked with a sob she tried desperately to suppress.
The weight of Jamie’s words hit Jess like a physical blow. Shame burned hotter than the sting on her cheek. “Jamie, I...” Words seemed to fail her.
How could she explain the desperate gamble, the fear of losing, the intoxicating taste of victory that had blinded her to the cost?
“I messed up. I betrayed your trust and I’m so, so sorry,” she pleaded.
“You used my trust. We shared something real, something special, and you threw it away for a stupid competition.”
“Jamie, I...” she stammered, her voice barely a croak, “I didn’t think it through.”
Jamie scoffed, a harsh, disbelieving sound. “Liar! There’s no way you just blurted all that out to Diego in a few seconds. You must’ve been feeding your team information all week, just in case an opportunity came, haven’t you?”
“No, it wasn’t like that.”
Jamie let out a harsh laugh, devoid of humor. “Don’t even try, Jess. I told you every doubt, every fear my team confided in me. You knew about Maya’s claustrophobia, and you told it to Diego knowing she was my best choice at any moment. And you used it all against us!”
“During the cave challenge, Diego, with your intel, knew exactly what to do. He kept hovering around Maya, purposely brushing past her, talking loudly, making himself a large, imposing presence in the narrow passage. She couldn’t think straight. She was trapped, suffocating. We lost precious time because of you, Jess!”
“I’m sorry—” she began, but Jamie cut her off again, her voice thick with anguish.
“Don’t you dare say you’re sorry!” Jamie screamed, her voice breaking. “This isn’t about a simple apology. You destroyed everything! You used my trust, our connection, to win a stupid competition! My team hates me now, Jess! They think I betrayed them, that I spilled all their secrets. And you know what? I blame myself for being such a fool!”
Her voice hitched, raw with emotion. “Love must have blinded me. I regret ever falling for you, Jess. This… this secret romance has ruined everything.”
The words struck Jess like a physical blow.
“Jamie, wait,” Jess pleaded, her voice trembling.
“There’s nothing left to say. I hate you, Jess. And I will never forgive you for this.”
A raw edge crept into Jess’ voice as she snapped. “Jamie, come on! This was a competition! Did you expect me to just hand you the win? If you were so worried about your team’s weaknesses, you shouldn’t have confided in me!” Her voice shook slightly, a tremor of guilt battling with the need to justify her actions.
Jamie recoiled as if slapped, her eyes widening in shock. “This is the real you, Jess. I was a fool to think you’d actually changed.”
“You can call me whatever you want, but I’ve never been one to back down from a challenge. No matter what.”