Chapter 3

Both Nicholas and Sophie were irritated at this point, while the others were smiling at the potential success of the program.

He was in a bad mood because of Sophie's sudden presence. Not only was she going to participate in that meeting, but as the chief editor of the publication to which he had promised exclusive access to the show's behind-the-scenes, she would probably be present in his life for the next fourteen weeks.

The girl was annoyed by the fact that she would have to provide journalistic coverage for a program she considered extremely sexist, the type that portrays women as objects for men's entertainment. In this program, a millionaire plays at being pampered and competed for, under the false image of romance, constructed from the very start by the show's title: "The Key to the Heart."

"I talked informally with Ryan and Ian, Sophie... and we're thinking of providing daily coverage, showing everything that happens in the mansion or even during the dates. There will be twenty-four hours of interaction between the girls every day, seven days a week, and only two hours of the actual show in total," Brad said.

"Isn't there going to be pay-per-view?" Sophie questioned. It was a natural question, as many reality shows tend to offer pay-per-view for those willing to pay for it. "I'm sure many frustrated housewives stuck in unhappy marriages and naive girls who still believe in Prince Charming would be thrilled to pay to swoon over Mr. Pierce twenty-four hours a day," she commented. The remark, however, wasn't natural; it was sarcastic and mocking. She herself couldn't believe she let it slip, as it could get her into trouble since her employers seemed quite invested in the project.

"Too bad Prince Charming won't be in the house twenty-four hours a day, Miss Parker," Nicholas said, looking at her with the same tone. The other five men present were looking at each other, not understanding.

"Oh, what a shame!" she said sarcastically. "Still, I'm sure this select audience would relate a lot to the fourteen desperate girls fighting... literally, it's quite likely... for the key to his heart."

Nicholas swallowed hard to keep himself from responding and saying all the things that were going through his mind at that moment.

"Sophie, my dear, are you sure you're in a condition to continue participating in this meeting? You don't look well! We can excuse you, have a little more chat with the guys... and we can always have a separate meeting among us later," Ian suggested.

"No... it's not necessary," she took a deep breath. "I apologize to everyone for my behavior... and I promise to be one hundred percent professional and dedicated to making this partnership work. I was just a little uncomfortable with this program because it seems quite sexist to see women competing for a man... but I recognize that it's a reflection of our society. This romantic idea you're selling will likely be a success, and it will boost TVZoom's sales as well, and that's what matters," she tried to be pleasant, despite not giving up on being honest.

"Great!" Nicholas said more to himself than to her. The more professional she was, the less bothersome her presence would be. Maybe he'd even forget that he hadn't met her that afternoon but fourteen years ago, which felt like centuries on one hand and just a few months on the other due to the conflicting thoughts and memories he had about her.

"While John was showing us the presentation, I was thinking we could have, on Fridays... or maybe Saturdays, interviews with each eliminated girl about her experience, about Mr. Pierce," Parker suggested.

"Perfect!" Ryan praised.

"And in the first week, we could have a big interview with all fourteen, creating a profile for them... talking about where they come from, what they expect from a future husband... things like that. I can develop this idea further and present the complete model to you later," they all agreed with her.

The meeting continued as usual, even though Sophie was thinking about how the coming weeks would be extremely challenging. She wasn't one to shy away from challenges, so bring it on! If she could survive it, she'd surely leave the experience with even more prestige with RIB's owners than she already had.

That should be all that mattered to the successful girl now, even in the face of the not-so-good news she had received from those beautiful and unforgettable eyes and smile that afternoon.