Chapter 12
"Oh, this?" She asked, pointing at the spoon in her hands. "I was sitting over there when I saw Zabrina was feeding you so I wanted to do same, come on"
"Fabiola…?" Braxton called her name, more like a warning.
Zabrina dropped her spoon angrily "I was feeding him, so what? What gave you the right to do the same? Miss pick me!"
Fabiola would be lying if she said she wasn't hurt by her words but yes, she actually didn't mind as she blurted "oh Braxton, I thought we had become friends last night?"
Braxton raised a brow at her, clearly irritated. What was wrong with Fabiola?
The rest of the table was also curious about last night. Didn't they all go to sleep? When did Fabiola and Braxton even talk to each other? It was a mystery.
"What happened last night, Braxton?" Zabrina asked, suddenly boiling as she turned to him.
"It's nothing. Fabiola, what has come over you?" He looked genuinely concerned amidst his anger and she looked away with tears threatening to fall.
She wasn't that Fabiola he knew anymore. She had changed. Dylan changed her, her family changed her, even this show is changing her, making her be who she is not.
It was unbearable, this was a man she had wished he came back to life, his death shattered her. She had to break up with him years ago even when she was still very much in love and now, seeing him with Zabrina everyday wasn't helping matters.
"Damn this. I'm out of here" Zabrina said, as she stood up and walked away while Braxton and her continued staring at each other.
His eyes looked like he was hurt, she suddenly regretted agreeing to this whole thing in the first place.
He finally broke the silence "I never expected this from you"
Before Fabiola could even say a word, he stood up and followed Zabrina.
From afar, she could see them having an argument.
"Fab?" She heard Jasmine's voice and felt her hold her arms and she was made to look at her.
She wasn't going to cry… She wasn't going to cry…
Jasmine escorted her back to the room and Natalia came later on. She was glad they hadn't asked her anything yet. She needed those few minutes.
"You're okay?" Jasmine suddenly broke the silence "What you did seemed really out of character…"
"I get it," Natalia interrupted "she must have been jealous seeing Braxton and Zabrina together"
Jasmine gave a sigh.
"I'm okay and I'm sorry for my outburst earlier"
She was actually more than okay. She saw a moment she could use to create chaos that looked unintentional, which is her job there and she utilized it.
At least her name will stay in search rankings for being such a b*tch.
Outside, Braxton and Zabrina were sitting facing each other, on a bench, after he had calmed her down. It was more of him apologizing on Fabiola's behalf.
"Are you no more interested in me?" Zabrina asked him.
He almost rolled his eyes and asked back
"What about you, do you really like me?"
Zabrina flinched hearing the question. In all honesty, she doesn't.
She isn't here for love but to boost her fame and besides, getting into a ship was a sure way to do that but Fabiola seems to want to split them up. Was that girl supposed to be in a mental institution or something?
"What kind of question is that? If I don't like you then why would I be talking to you? I thought we had something going, choosing each other every time"
"We are not in love, Zabrina" Braxton stated suddenly and she gasped.
"Maybe not you but I f*cking did! You should have said so ever since. You are such a user and now what, you want to go with Miss pick me?!"
Braxton looked at her, was she still pretending? He could feel she hadn't given her all. So, he irk her further "Swear that you don't know my profession"
"What?" She blinked, looking perplexed.
Of course, she knew who Braxton was already. She had a feeling he was rich and she recognised him as they got talking later on, but at which time did she slip it out that she did? She couldn't remember. She thought she was doing a good job covering it.
She stood up rashly "So? Even if I knew, I'm not supposed to ask until we go to paradise, you know that!"
"Right, but you got closer to me because you knew it and frankly, I did the very same" Braxton said crossing his arms and Zabrina gasped again.
If she wasn't able to get into a ship then she must get attention.
"You are a user! I wasn't sure who you even are! So you got closer to me because I'm a model?"
"Same way you got close to me. You ask questions like you already know the answers and you're checking if the answers benefit you" that was a major slap to her face.
"F*ck you Braxton!" She angrily threw the innocent drinks that were sitting on the table and stormed off.
That was more like it.
At least they both used each other, but still, he didn't get to go to paradise with her to find out more about Penn agency.
Penn agency is an agency he has been tracking for months now after the scandal that happened before he got into Single's blaze.
He was very glad to see one of their models here and was going to find out more about it but he couldn't.
He will probably hire another investigator to do the job when he leaves, and as for Fabiola. Well, she was going to have to face him.
He saw her teary eyes, what was going on?
Meanwhile, her divorced husband sat in his office with a frown in his face, currently scrolling through the stupid hospital site that does screenings for the participants in Single's blaze show.
Apparently, they had dropped a statement that all of the contestants on Single's Blaze undergoes thorough medical screening and that they could confirm Fabiola met all requirements, also adding her vitals.
Even the show dropped their own statement saying they didn't make any mistakes.
He threw his phone away in anger and watched it hit the marbled floor with the screen falling off.
He stood up, pacing "Damn you, Fabiola! Even in a show, the outside world is still protecting you? Ahh! You gotta be kidding me"
He kept ruffling his hair "This is far from over Fabiola"
****
In the meantime, netizens were trying to grasp what happened between Braxton and Zabrina, they couldn't believe it.
Fabiola intruding was something that they could imagine but they could never imagine their favorite budding couple was just using each other.
"Guys, I'm still in awe. Braxton shook the living daylights out of me. Very calculative! Modella didn't see that coming"
"Trying to quickly find another fault about him. Zabrina really is malicious"
"She was so shocked to see he wasn't playing into her board that's why she lashed out!"
"Left me for. I will say it's a good play to both of them. I can't wait to see what else happens"
"This? It's definitely scripted? What's with the outburst?"
"i found him suspicious ever since I watched the late night episode of him helping Fabiola with a pack of ice and suddenly mentioning Miles road? That cartoon aired three years ago"
"Miles road?" Mr Connor repeated, stroking his beards, as he read the comments.
It's true, he never really thought about why Braxton mentioned it.
"I thought him and Zabrina was going to be end game even if Fabiola was meddling but it seems that's not happening" his tone laced with frustration.
"Atleast, we have other people who can be couples- Harry and Jasmine. Mason and…" his assistant was saying but stopped when he saw his boss's look.
"That's right. Mason and….? Didn't you see what Fabiola did? I'm sure he won't ever want to speak to her again" he sighed and rested his head "Would have love for her and Braxton to be a couple instead"
"Really?" Mr Owen, who had just been listening, chirped in excitement and Connor looked at him.
"Yeah"
"That's easy, you know. It's just to have them be in a situation where they have no choice but to be together"
A frown found a way to Connor's face "You never brought suggestions like this before"
Owen scratched the back of his head "it just came to me"
Connor shook his head, for his excuses "let's do it"
Back in Single's blaze, Natalia had just told Fabiola that Mason was looking for her.
They had been quiet, sitting on their beds, staring glances at her like she was some alien. She really wanted to get out of their eyes now.
She came out of the tent and on seeing Mason, her heart melted. He had a concerned look on his face, "are you…"
"I'm fine, Mason" she answered, knowing what he was about to ask and he nodded too.
"I found a flowery spot. It's not a date one but it's serene. You will love it"
She loved it. After walking for some minutes, into a path filled with hibiscus leaves, they finally settled in a roses corner. It really was beautiful.
"About what happened today. It seems you have a thing for Braxton?" Mason started, going straight to the point and Fabiola's countenance changed.
"Mason…i"
"Look, it's okay. I was selfish to think you wouldn't want to get to know another man"
She was shaking her head now.
The problem wasn't getting to know another man, she knew this man and she was still hung up to him!
"I'm sorry Mason, it felt like I led you on but I didn't mean to"
"I told you, it's okay. We are still friends" he said with a forced smile which Fabiola didn't miss. She really didn't mean to play with his feelings.
They talked for a while but she soon bid him goodbye and found a corner to cry her eyes out.
She knew exactly what Mason stood for in her life. He was like a warm blanket thrown to cover her ever since she got out of Dylan's house and saw Braxton. He was the only one who showed her love, yet she tried to reciprocate but it was all a lie, she only needed him for the time being.
Who was she, anyways?