Darcy closes the door behind her, her chest still contracting from lack of breath. In the mirror, her face stares back at her all red and blotchy. She quickly turns on the taps and begins splashing water on her face. Her body longs to break down and let the emotions pour out. The realisation that she wants to end things with Drew is devastating. Ten years of history together only to call it quits? Another whimper escapes her mouth.

‘Stop it,’ she reprimands herself. She’s technically working. Imagine if Alice knew she even thought about her personal life during work hours. Her personal life is on pause until she figures out what to do about Bonnie leaving the show and Bonnie being caught on camera with her ex.

She pats her face dry with the handtowel. She wishes she had some makeup to try to make herself look semi-respectable. She reaches for Bonnie’s top bathroom drawer, but it squeaks violently and Darcy freezes. She doesn’t want Bonnie to know she’s gone searching through her drawers, so she has to go back out there barefaced with nothing to hide behind.

She makes her way back to the lounge room to find Bonnie sitting on the edge of the sofa. ‘You okay?’ she asks.

Darcy gives her a tight smile. ‘Sorry about that. So unprofessional.’ She shakes her head, disappointed in herself. ‘I’m fine. Not enough sleep.’

And instead of pressing Darcy about it, Bonnie seems to accept her excuse and instead brings the conversation back to herself. ‘I need my phone back. If that photo is all through the media, I’m sure there’d be a fair few people trying to contact me.’

Darcy assumes Bonnie is referring to her ex in particular. ‘It’s in Sydney. All the phones were put into a safe in the production office after you guys were put in lockdown.’

‘Can you get it couriered up here or something?’

Darcy considers the logistics of this, trying to ignore the throbbing headache forming behind her eyes from her crying outburst. ‘It might be an option, but I don’t know that Alice is going to okay it. Technically you’re still signed on to the show. Legally we don’t have to give your phone back until after the season finale.’

Bonnie groans and buries her head in her hands. ‘How is this happening?’ she mumbles.

Darcy finds herself feeling sorry for Bonnie. Yesterday she woke up being a fan favourite to win The One and now, only twenty-four hours later, she’s facing a media frenzy, the latest villain in reality TV. ‘Can you sit tight and I’ll try to sort this stuff out?’ Darcy asks. ‘I’ll see what I can do about your phone, but I also have to go see Ty.’

‘How is he?’ Bonnie’s expression is stiff, as though she’s unable to decide whether she’s concerned or pissed off.