Chapter 4: Loving the Allure

Kate sat with perfect poise, her back straight, her every gesture exuding a rare elegance that had garnered her a legion of fans for her dignified manner. Now, however, she sat even straighter, seemingly immobile, her expression a serene mask—except for a faint blush that crept up to her ears.

Ivy, realizing she had once again blurted out something unfiltered, felt at a loss, fumbling for words. "Ah, what I meant was… your face, no, not just your face, your eyes, your nose, even your hands—each feature is a beauty all its own."

Kate's throat moved subtly as she turned another page, appearing as though she hadn't heard Ivy at all.

"I… Well!" Ivy felt her attempts at recovery only dug her deeper, finally admitting defeat with a resigned sigh. "Anyway, if there were an annual 'Top Ten Allure' ranking, all my votes would go to you."

With a sudden, sharp snap, Kate closed her book and stood. "Let's go downstairs."

Ivy followed behind, dejected, wondering if Kate now saw her as an unfiltered fool. Why does my mouth betray me at the worst times?

In the living room, Annie noticed them first and asked with concern, "You alright, little Ivy?"

Ivy looked up with a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, just got a little dizzy earlier."

In their line of work, many experienced low blood sugar, so no one was particularly surprised.

Sophia sighed theatrically, "Finally! I was starting to die of boredom without anyone around."

Annie, who had been seated next to her, rolled her eyes. What a roundabout way to complain.

Ivy looked toward the door, asking, "Ethan and the others aren't here yet? I mean, what's a love show without some drama?"

Sophia replied, "Matthew just messaged me—they're on their way back. They went shopping for supplies."

Ivy nodded, and suddenly Kate, seemingly out of nowhere, asked, "Are you bored being with me?"

"Huh?" Ivy blinked, bewildered by the question, unsure why Kate would ask such a thing.

Kate only said, "Never mind," though her expression hinted at faint displeasure.

Ivy began to replay her recent comments, wondering what had triggered this. Perhaps her use of the word "alluring"? The media often described Kate as pure, ethereal, and composed, so maybe "allure" hadn't sat well with her?

Scooting closer, Ivy tugged Kate's sleeve lightly, whispering, "I didn't mean it like that; you're not 'alluring' at all… just think of it as my innocent rambling."

But instead of lightening Kate's mood, her words only seemed to deepen the shadows in her expression.

Feeling like she'd struck out again, Ivy slumped in defeat, half-sprawling across the couch until her arm brushed Sophia, who patted her head and asked, "Feeling unwell again?"

Ivy jolted upright, "Oh, I'm fine—just being lazy."

Recalling her agent's constant reminders to maintain proper posture on camera, she quickly adjusted herself, abandoning any notion of lounging.

At that moment, the male contestants returned, filling the room with lively chatter.

"Ivy, look what I brought you!" Ethan beamed, having deemed Ivy a worthy ally in his newfound quest to charm Kate.

"What is it?" Ivy asked, curious.

Ethan pulled out a bag with a grin. "Ta-da! Your favorite, mini wafer cookies!"

Ivy laughed at his silly attempt at wordplay, half-amused, half-bemused, and clapped politely. "Well done on remembering my favorite snack, Ethan. Very impressive!"

Perhaps Ethan lacked the cunning to be an ally in distracting Kate.

Leaning closer as he handed her the snack, Ethan whispered, "Kate kept glancing my way earlier. Think I have a shot?"

Ivy patted his shoulder encouragingly, "A solid one! Just make sure to stay ahead of the competition."

With tearful determination, Ethan replied, "Thanks for the pep talk—I'll give it my all!"

Kate had started for the stairs when a crew member stopped her.

"There's a suggestion to play a round of truth or dare. Would you mind staying a bit longer for a few extra shots?"

"Truth or dare?" Kate's brow lifted in mild intrigue, the subtle expression captivating the crew member, whose heart nearly skipped a beat.

Kate paused, then said, "Sure, let's record it."

The crew member, dazed with excitement, returned to his post, while the group gathered around the dining table, seated in pairs with Kate directly across from Ivy.

Kate and Leon were two of the most private stars, rarely active on social media, making this game an enticing opportunity for the show. If either revealed even a glimpse of personal preference, it would boost viewership tremendously.

"We'll spin the bottle," Ethan took on the role of host enthusiastically. "Each person gets a turn, and whoever the bottle lands on has to answer a question or take a dare. Let's start with… Miss Stone!"

Kate reached out, fingers graceful as she spun the heavy bottle. It twirled swiftly, finally coming to a halt pointing at Ivy.

"Oh! Ivy's the first lucky winner!" Sophia teased. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Ivy replied, smiling.

Sophia turned to Kate, "So, Miss Stone, what would you like to ask Ivy?"

Kate answered simply, "Nothing."

"…"

Sensing an awkward pause, Ethan quickly interjected, "I've got a question!"

Clearing his throat, he turned to Ivy with a smirk. "Describe your ideal type."

A standard question for a dating show, yet risky, as fans might speculate Ivy was hinting at one of the male guests.

After a moment, Ivy answered, "Someone in the same line of work—someone I can relate to."

"That's it?" Ethan pressed, dissatisfied. "How about a physical type?"

Ivy scratched her cheek thoughtfully, "Alright, someone alluring, with fair skin, long legs, and nice hands."

It was a vague response that applied to many stars, yet it appeased Ethan.

"Good enough. Next, Leon's turn to spin."

For the next few rounds, the group stuck to relatively tame questions, keeping things light until Ivy spun the bottle and it pointed back at Kate.

Annie couldn't help but chuckle, "Kate and Ivy sure are lucky with each other in this game."

Sophia rolled her eyes, "Must you narrate every detail?"

Ignoring the comment, Annie asked, "Truth or dare, Miss Stone?"

Kate glanced at Ivy, "You choose."

Surprised, Ivy hesitated before saying, "Truth." After all, no one dared assign Kate any outrageous dares.

"So, what's your question, Ivy?" Annie asked, curiosity evident.

Ivy thought, glancing at Ethan, who winked conspiratorially, and she got the hint. "Would you consider dating someone younger than yourself?"

Ethan gave her a thumbs-up for her daring question.

To everyone's surprise, Kate didn't deflect or evade. After a pause, she answered, "Age isn't important."

A hush fell over the table, as everyone registered the implications. Ivy noted Kate's answer and exchanged a look with Ethan, silently adding another rival to her brother's list.

When it was Kate's turn again, the bottle, by chance, pointed back to Ivy.

Kate didn't wait for the group to prompt her, nor did she give Ivy the option to choose. She looked Ivy in the eye and asked, "Why are you so curious about that last question?"

Caught off guard, Ivy stammered, "Oh… I was just asking for a friend, you know… he really likes you, so I thought I'd see if he stood a chance."

She couldn't quite meet Kate's eyes, feeling their intensity even with her gaze cast down, each passing second painfully awkward.

"I'm done with my question," Kate finally said, breaking her gaze.

Ivy patted her chest in relief. Curiosity was dangerous.

She risked a peek at Kate, only to find Kate watching her still, sending her gaze hastily elsewhere.

With little divulged after several rounds, the show wrapped up that segment, the production team satisfied they'd at least confirmed Kate's openness to dating younger people—a tantalizing teaser for viewers.

That evening, though Ivy felt physically worn, she dutifully set up a livestream, an agency requirement but also something she enjoyed, connecting with her fans.

When asked about how she was getting along with the others, Ivy smiled at the screen and replied, "Everyone's been wonderful—Sophia, Annie, and… everyone else."

A voice off-camera suddenly called out, "Am I in the 'everyone else' category?"

Comments exploded across the screen, fans typing furiously: Was that Kate Stone's voice?!