Chapter 28

Phoebe looked at Jamar’s face and couldn’t help but laugh. She remembered how he’d pull the same stunt whenever he annoyed her, and she chose to ignore him. Back then, Phoebe figured that’s what close siblings did, so she just put up with it.

Now, Phoebe scoffed, “Jamar, have you lost your brain!”

Jamar looked at her in disbelief. “What did you say?”

Jamar thought this would be the perfect excuse to make up with Phoebe, yet here she was, not buying his act even after he’d lowered himself this much.

“I said you’re brain-dead,” Phoebe replied.

Jamar raised his voice, sounding hurt. “My hands and feet hurt, Phoebe. Are you seriously not going to care!”

Phoebe rolled her eyes at him. “Like I care.” With that, she called for Lexie, picked up the basin, and walked on.

Jamar stood there, looking frustrated and angry. “Phoebe, you’re just great. I can see right through you now.”

She doesn’t care about me at all, Jamar thought. She’s just getting colder and colder. His words sounded rough, but deep down, he felt miserable.

Phoebe didn’t look back or pause, replying, “Good. Now go wash your brain out.”

When they came back after washing up, Lexie noticed Reece standing right where Jamar had been. She turned to Phoebe and said, “Is he here to see you too?”

Lexie was genuinely confused. Whether it was Jamar, the pop star, or Reece, the movie star, they both openly took Sienna’s side, going against Phoebe. Yet, here they were, coming to make up with Phoebe behind her back. Honestly, Phoebe’s words fit perfectly; both of them really seemed brain-dead.

Phoebe was equally speechless. The two of them took turns showing up; it was like they had issues or something.

So before Reece could speak, Phoebe looked straight at him and said, “You go wash your brain out too.”

Reece’s face fell, and he grumbled, “I haven’t lost my brain.”

Phoebe smirked. “Then you’re still brain-dead.”

Reece laughed unexpectedly. “Feel better now that you’ve gotten that out? If you’re done, can we talk?”

Phoebe shook her head. “We’re done. Nothing left to say.”

Reece frowned. “I don’t want to hear that again.” He glanced at Lexie, then back at Phoebe, lowering his voice. “If you keep this up, I won’t mind going public with our relationship.”

Phoebe raised an eyebrow and said, “It’s just an ex-boyfriend. If you want to go public, go for it.”

Reece was about to lose it. “I told you, I don’t agree with breaking up.” He’d never once considered breaking up with her, much less agreed to it. Phoebe rolled her eyes. “Like I care whether you agree or not, I dumped you, case closed.”

Then Phoebe continued, her tone growing impatient, “You and Jamar are so annoying. Can’t you just give me some peace!”

Reece, however, remained persistent. “If you talk to me alone, I’ll give you all the peace you want.”

Reece felt like if they didn’t clear things up, Phoebe would only drift further away. Especially with Maddox getting closer to her, his sense of urgency grew.

Phoebe shook her head. “If you’re here to make me delete that recording, then save your breath.”

At those words, Reece’s expression changed slightly. He hadn’t expected her to know that Sienna had asked him to get her to delete the recording. Phoebe had been watching him the entire time, noticing the fleeting change on his face, which only made her feel more amused. In the past, she’d probably feel devastated by this. Luckily, now, she neither loved nor hated him.

“Reece, I’m starting to agree more with something Maddox said earlier today,” Phoebe remarked.

Reece took a deep breath and said softly, “What, you think I’m your enemy now! I don’t just come to you for this.”

Reece wanted to clear up the misunderstanding and make amends with her. Of course, he also really wanted her to delete the recording, or at least not make it public.

Phoebe’s stare was icy. “You actually disgust me right now.”

Reece’s face fell again. He coaxed, “Phoebe, can you stop acting like this, please!”

Why couldn’t she just sit down and talk! Does she really need to make things so awkward and say such hurtful things? Reece thought.

The phrase “stop acting like this” was the last thing Phoebe wanted to hear.

“You’re more and more like the Jenkins family. If you’ve got issues, go fix them instead of trying to feel important in my life,” Phoebe said, grabbing Lexie and heading off.

Reece wanted to stop her; he was determined to get through to her today.

Just then, Maddox appeared from the side, striding over casually, as if Reece wasn’t even there.

With a grin, Maddox looked at Phoebe and asked, “Pheebs, are we making breakfast ourselves tomorrow, or should we grab some at one of the villagers’ houses?”

Phoebe smiled back. “Anything in particular you want to eat?”

Maddox’s eyes lit up. “You mean I get to pick!”

“Yep, as long as I know how to make it,” Phoebe replied.

Maddox didn’t hesitate. “I’d love a sandwich.”

Phoebe nodded. “Sure, I’ll get up early and make sandwiches for everyone.”

Maddox nudged Reece aside subtly. “Awesome. Make sure to wake me up, and I’ll get up early to help.”

Phoebe nodded. “Deal!” Then she waved a hand and said, “Alright, we’re heading back. You should…”

Maddox waved back at them. “Goodnight.”

Standing in Maddox’s way, Reece could only watch as Phoebe walked off.

Chapter 29

Once she’d gone back to her room, Reece shot Maddox a cold look. “Maddox, sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong isn’t exactly a good habit.”

Maddox arched a brow, saying, “And clinging like this isn’t either. She’s already told you she’s disgusted, why keep trying? You’re just pathetic.”

Maddox hadn’t intended to overhear them. He’d just been leaving the bathroom, and there they were. He hadn’t expected that Reece and Phoebe had actually dated.

Sizing Reece up, Maddox thought the guy just had a trashy vibe. It was a good thing Phoebe had broken up with him.

But Maddox couldn’t understand why Reece was still clinging to her, especially when Phoebe’s dislike of Sienna was so obvious.

Phoebe didn’t like Sienna. But Reece chose another woman over his girlfriend and then had the nerve to come crawling back. What a joke!

Reece’s gaze turned even colder, and he said coldly, “What happens between Phoebe and me is none of your business.”

Maddox scoffed. “And you think you’re someone special, huh?” He folded his arms, adding tauntingly, “I’m making it my business. What are you gonna do about it!”

Phoebe’s my lifesaver. No way am I gonna watch her walk into a mess like this, Maddox thought.

“Your…” Reece shouted. He had never dealt with someone this unreasonable and brazen before. He looked at Maddox, a frown deepening on his face. “What’s your angle with Phoebe?”

Maddox didn’t seem like the type to always stick his neck out for women.

Maddox rubbed his chin, giving it a thought, and replied, “She saved me, so I return the favor?”

“Come to think of it, not a bad idea,” Maddox thought.

Reece’s glare grew colder. “Phoebe’s not someone you can just mess around with. Get that thought out of your head.”

Ever since the show started, Maddox had backed up Phoebe, calling out Jamar and Sienna along with Reece. Now it was obvious why; it was infuriating.

Maddox gave a mocking laugh, then, with a smirk, patted Reece’s shoulder in a deliberately taunting way. “No need to worry, ex-boyfriend.”

With that, Maddox walked off, not in the mood to keep talking to someone with water in their head.

Chapter 29

Phoebe got back to the room; she noticed Lexie staring at her. Smiling, she asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Lexie didn’t hold back. “I never thought I’d be getting the scoop about you and Reece.” She’d had her suspicions about Reece, and it turned out he’d dated Phoebe before.

Phoebe shrugged. “Just a mistake I made when I was young.”

Lexie laughed, amused by her calm attitude. Who hasn’t had a crush on a jerk when they were young? The important part is you got out early.

Lexie had been betrayed by a boyfriend before, so she understood. And she had no patience for someone like Reece, who could have a girlfriend but still be tangled up with another woman.

The recording Phoebe had was bound to affect Sienna. Reece, meanwhile, didn’t want to break up but still wanted to help Sienna, insisting that Phoebe delete the recording.

‘Being that obviously toxic only makes him worse,’ Lexie thought.

Phoebe nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Better to cut your losses while you can.”

Lexie thought for a moment and then asked, curious, “So, you and Jamar, you two didn’t have anything going on, did you?”

Jamar’s playful charming manner didn’t exactly look like he was just a friend.

Phoebe chuckled. “Not a chance. He’s my brother, after all.”

That secret was bound to come out sooner or later, so telling Lexie didn’t bother her. From what she could tell, Lexie wasn’t the type to betray her.

Lexie’s eyes widened. “Wait, Jamar is related to you? You two are siblings?”

Phoebe nodded. “We used to be, anyway.”

Lexie frowned, confused. “Used to be?”

Phoebe replied, “Right before this show, I officially cut ties with him and my family.”

Lexie looked shocked. “Why? Is it because of Sienna?”

Phoebe sighed. “She’s definitely a big part of it.”

“So you and Sienna, you’re sisters too?” Lexie asked.

Phoebe shook her head and explained, “No, my parents adopted her, but I’m their biological daughter. I actually got separated from my family as a kid; Jamar lost me. They found me about a year ago.”

“And since then, they’ve acted like I’m intruding on Sienna’s space. They expect me to give up everything for her, so I had enough and cut ties with…”

Lexie didn’t expect the truth to be like this. She looked outraged and said gently, “Your family is unbelievable. That’s just messed up.”

‘Sienna has taken over Phoebe’s identity, and yet they want Phoebe to make sacrifices? And Jamar, her brother, treats her like she’s the intruder after being the one who’s lost her?’ Lexie muttered.

It was clear Phoebe had been through a lot before she decided to walk away, and it was far more than a few words could explain.

Phoebe brushed it off with a light smile. “I’d rather just think of myself as not having any family.”

Lexie admired Phoebe’s clarity and resilience. Then she comforted Phoebe. “Good for you for seeing it that way.”

Not wanting to push her to relive painful memories, Lexie changed the topic. “Pheebs, you said you could do a reading for me, would you mind?”

Phoebe nodded. “Sure.” Soon, she took a moment, studying Lexie’s face, then lifted her right hand gently, focusing as if reading between the lines. After a while, Phoebe said, “Your love life aside, everything else seems pretty smooth.”

Lexie was taken aback and asked, “You can tell my love life’s been rough?”