Chapter 1 10.22 @ We were playing a fake couple on Coupled , the biggest reality dating show in the country . When the finale wrapped , Liam , the A - list movie star I'd been paired with , had a million dollars quietly transferred to my account . That night , his manager sent me a warning . " Take the money and be smart . Don't get any ideas about this being real . A million bucks is a king's ransom for a D - lister like you . " The next day , he and my best friend , Ava - the show's other female lead - went public with their real relationship . The shippers went wild . Amid the nationwide celebration , I sat down for a live interview . I held up my phone , letting the camera catch the glint of the audio recorder app . " Toast number one : To me , " I said , my voice steady . " For falling for the act and ending up the punchline . " " Toast number two : To being the smokescreen , the perfect cover for his real love story . " " And toast number three : To the two of them , for not even waiting 24 hours to slap me in the face with their official announcement . Liam and Ava blew up my phone , their threats frantic . " If you release that , you'll disappear from this town for good ! " I smiled . Who said I was just some D - lister ? The camera flashes in the interview room were relentless , searing spots into my vision . Reporters , smelling blood in the water , shoved their microphones ' toward my face . " Chloe , what did you mean by those ' three toasts ' ? " " What's on that recording ? Is it about Liam and Ava ? " " Is this just a case of a woman scorned ? If you can't have him , you'll ruin him ? " In my pocket , my phone vibrated violently . The screen lit up with the two names I knew better than my own : Liam . Ava . I didn't answer . I let the frantic buzzing hang in the air , a jarring counterpoint to the tense silence of the room . I looked straight into the camera lens and curved my lips into a smile - the perfectly calibrated , media - trained smile I'd practiced for three months on the set of Coupled . " You want to know what's on the recording ? " I held up my phone , rny thumb hovering over the play button . The entire room held its breath . Suddenly , my agent , Sarah , burst through the door and snatched the phone from my hand . " I'm so sorry , everyone . Chloe's a bit emotional today . This interview is over ! " She grabbed my arm , her grip surprisingly strong , and hauled me toward the exit . " Chloe , are you insane ? " she hissed under her breath . " You think you can take on Liam Carter ? With what army ? " She shoved me into the back of a black SUV and slammed the door , cutting off the cacophony of the press . Sarah tossed my phone back at me , her face a mask of fury . " Liam's team just called . They want you to post a retraction on social media right now . Say it was all a joke . " Chapter 1 I glanced down . A new text from Liam had come through . Chloe , don't push it . I can make sure that recording of yours never sees the light of day . It was followed by a voice memo from Ava , her voice thick with fake tears . VĀM TĀ , SA 10:22 ( " Chlo , aren't we best friends ? Why are you doing this to me ? Liam and I are in love . Can't you just be happy for us ? " In love ? An image flashed in my mind : the final night of filming Coupled . Ava , hiding in a corner of the green room , her eyes red - rimmed . " I ' m so jealous of you , Chlo , " she'd whispered . " Getting to be with Liam . I just have to watch from the sidelines . " I had actually comforted her , telling her it was all just for the cameras . Looking back now , I realized she wasn't jealous . She was auditioning . She should have gotten an Oscar for that performance . I turned off my phone , leaned my head back against the leather seat , and closed my eyes . " Sarah , pull over . " " What for ? " Tm terminating my contract . " Sarah slammed on the brakes , and the SUV screeched to a halt in the middle of the street . She stared at me in the rearview mirror , her eyes wide with disbelief . " You're what ? " I'm leaving you . And the agency . Effective immediately . " The news that I'd unilaterally broken my contract shot up the trending charts even faster than Liam and Ava's relationship announ- cement .