41. 41
AShowstopper entered the villa the next day.
His name was Alfie. He was six-foot-five and a semiprofessional rugby player.
Most importantly, though, he was immediately smitten with Chiara. They hit it off right away and by the evening’s cocktail party, they were basically matched. I was thrilled to see her moving on from Hugh so swiftly.
There was also another public vote reveal and subsequent dumping on Friday night.
Callum and I were the first match to be deemed “safe,” and I sank into him as we waited to see who would be sent home, relieved we were not in the bottom this time. Our newly developed physical connection must have really done great work for our standing in the public’s eyes.
We should have been making out all over the place from the beginning.
In the end, Hugh and Grace were voted out. It appeared the public didn't like his game playing or the way he acted in Chateau Desire.
I couldn’t say I was sad to see him go.
***
For the first time since Bella Amore began, all Bellas were on the After Amore Live Show that Sunday.
The last time I was on the show, Callum and I were just trying to find our footing in the early phases of our deal. Back then I was an anxious mess, still trying to navigate being on Bella Amore in general and scared of any question that came my way.
Now that we were in a wildly different, and better, place, I wasn’t spiraling over what I was going to be asked or have to talk about.
I was secure, in both myself and in my relationship with Callum, which in turn made the whole experience almost fun.
Instead of sitting and sweating, dreading the moment the spotlight would be pointed my way, I was able to enjoy simply being out of the villa on a balmy summer night.
We were in the final block of the show, and Gemma had already asked Callum and me how our week had been, noting that we seemed to be more physical than ever before.
I was still a bit flushed over being called out on live television for making out with someone so much but, other than that, it had all been rather painless.
So when we came back from commercial break and Gemma called out my name again, I wasn’t expecting a thing.
Maybe that’s what made what happened next all the more jarring.
“Poppy,” she said as she focused her sharp gaze on me. “There’s been a bit of a stir back in England about you.”
Huh?
“Oh?” I said, unsure where she was going. Was Callum’s and my physicality really that big of a deal?
“There’s a news story that just came out that has people very curious.”
A news story? I didn’t understand what she meant, wasn’t sure what she could possibly be talking about.
It must have shown on my face because after only a moment of waiting for me to reply, she pressed on.
“It seems that your ex has given a few interviews.”
My chest tightened and it was suddenly hard to breathe as the words registered, and I realized exactly where this was going.
Oh no. Oh, please, no.
“Poppy,” Gemma said, and for an instant a look of apology flashed across her perfectly composed features, as though she really did feel bad for what she was about to ask and how it would blow up my existence here.
She carried on anyway.
“Were you previously engaged?”