Love Redux: The Reunion of Ex

The first event after my comeback was... interesting, to say the least.

The host, trying to warm up the crowd, tossed out a question. "What's the weirdest reason you've ever heard for a breakup?"

The leading actor, Alan Ward, turned his gaze toward me. His voice was soft, almost wistful, as he said, "My first love told me our phone numbers didn't match, so even fate decided we couldn't be together."

I was speechless.

1

It had been five years since I'd left the industry, and this was my first event back. My agent, more nervous than I was, stuck to me like glue.

I, on the other hand, was surprisingly calm, scrolling through social media right before walking in. The comments were... classic.

"Mary Simpson is attending today! That's unexpected!"

"She showed up probably because she's short of money. I bet the next time we'd see her would be selling products on a livestream."

"What work does she have?"

"Am I really that old... Kids these days don't even know Mary Simpson?"

"LOL, she's been gone for five years. The industry's moved on. Linda's the new queen now-better looks, better talent."

Ah, the fan communities were still the same.

Forever young, forever ruthless.

2

The event's lounge was a maze. After wandering around for what felt like forever, I didn't find it, but I did spot Alan.

From a distance, I could see his lounge-spacious, luxurious, the best one there.

Funny how things changed. Five years ago, it would've been mine.

"He really made it," I muttered.

My agent shot me a panicked look. "Mary, let's not stir the pot. You remember how he was during the breakup. He's a top-tier star now. If he's not out for revenge, we should count ourselves lucky."

I pouted innocently. "Really? You think he's still holding a grudge?"

My agent just stared at me, deadpan, while I burst out laughing.

"Relax," I said, waving a hand. "I've pissed off plenty of people. My status might not be what it used to be, but my sharp tongue's still here. If anyone messes with me, I'll give them a piece of my mind."

My agent looked even more stressed.

3

Walking the red carpet felt different this time. No host dragged me on stage for awkward small talk, and my seat was tucked away in a corner. Perfect.

Back in the day, sitting in the front and at the center meant I couldn't even yawn without someone snapping a photo. Now, I could finally breathe.

As I watched a sea of unfamiliar faces from the new generation, it hit me-five years had flown by.

Alan was the final act, walking the red carpet with his co-stars to promote their new movie.

He'd grown into his looks, more polished, more striking. The female lead, Linda Adams, was stunning too.

The host, ever the opportunist, asked, "What's the most bizarre breakup reason you've ever heard?"

Linda giggled, covering her mouth. "Oh, I've never been in a relationship," she said, her voice dripping with faux shyness.

I raised an eyebrow. Was this what passes for good acting these days?

The crowd ate it up, clapping and laughing.

Then the host turned to Alan. "What about you, Alan? Surely you've got a story?"

Alan's eyes scanned the surroundings, landing on me. My stomach dropped.

Then, with that same wistful tone, he said, "My first love told me our phone numbers didn't match, so even fate decided we couldn't be together."

Shit. He should keep it secret!

Seriously, it's been years. Could he just let it go? I would never date someone younger from now on. Their memory was way too good.

4

After five years away, the industry wasn't exactly rolling out the red carpet for me.

My agent sifted through the scraps and landed me a spot on a reality dating show.

The announcement sparked its fair share of backlash.

"Mary used to be too good for variety shows. Guess she's desperate for cash now."

"Who wants to watch an old woman on a dating show? Pass."

I shrugged. Let them talk.

The more they criticized, the more attention I got.

But what even was a reality dating show?

I decided to do some research.

Hmm, it was a bit complicated.

The show had run for three seasons, each more chaotic than the last.

Season one, a contestant fell for the director.

Season two, two male contestants developed the show's unexpected love story.

Now, everyone was waiting to see what madness season four would bring.

I had to admit, I was curious.

5

The first day of filming hit me with a surprise. Alan was a hidden guest. Great. Just what I needed.

For me, it was very discouraging.

To make things even more awkward, the actress from Alan's new movie was also there. Probably some new promotional strategy.

Five years out of the loop, and the industry had clearly gotten... creative.

When Alan appeared, the live chat exploded. The comments doubled in an instant, flooding the screen with excitement.

"Alan's definitely here for Linda. They just worked together on that new project!"

"OMG, my ship is sailing! They're so real!"

"Alan wouldn't join a show like this unless he wanted to. He's here for a reason-I'm living for this!"

6

The first day of filming kicked off with everyone breaking the ice and going over the rules. One rule stood out. "Guess someone else's crush, and you earn extra points."

When the topic came up, Linda turned to me with a sweet smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Mary, you must have so much more experience than us. I could never compete with that."

Was it just me, or did that sound... backhanded?

I smiled back, unfazed. "Oh, absolutely. I've dated more men than you've had hot dinners."

The comments section erupted.

"Wow, she's really proud of being a player, huh?"

"Why did they even invite her? She's going to ruin the vibe for Alan and Linda."

"Exactly! What's there to brag about? Having a ton of exes isn't a flex."

"Did you see Alan's face? He looked so uncomfortable. He probably hates people like her."

"Please, don't pick Mary. Let her fade into the background where she belongs."

Surprisingly, though, a lot of people did choose me that day. Mostly out of respect, I assumed.

After all, I was the veteran here-safe, reliable, and unlikely to cause drama on day one.

The comments weren't thrilled. "Why did three people send messages to Mary? So boring."

"It's just because they don't know each other yet. Sending messages to the senior is the safe choice. And the messages were all super formal. Definitely just going through the motions."

"Meanwhile, Linda's message? Definitely sent to Alan. I'm calling it now!"

The show's rules were clear: the audience couldn't see who the guys were texting, but they could see the girls' messages.

I thought about it for a moment. Most of the male guests were younger than me, and texting one of them would've been a one-way ticket to getting roasted online.

Not that I cared much about the backlash-I just didn't want to deal with younger guys again. Been there, done that, never again.

So, I sent my message to the one guy who was my age.

"Men age like fine wine," I wrote, adding a flower emoji for good measure.

"LOL, Mary's so old-school. Who uses flower emojis anymore?"

"It's just an emoji, chill. It's not that deep."

"Only old women use those outdated emojis. Linda's message was way better-'I want to spend more time with you.' Now that's smooth."

"I'm taking notes! If I were Alan, I'd be swooning."

"Alan and Linda are really sweet. I'm manifesting it!"

7

The next day's date was decided by a random draw. I silently prayed, "Please, anyone but Alan."

Of course, luck wasn't on my side. I picked up the numbered ball and read, "Number one. Who's number one?"

Alan raised his hand, grinning.

Well, this was just my bad luck.

On the way to the date, Alan turned to me with that same charming smile. "Can I call you Maria like the old days?"

I shook my head so hard it felt like it might fall off.

"Let's keep it professional," I said. "Mary will be fine."

Alan chuckled, "But Maria, we're on a dating show, so of course, we should use more intimate terms."

I felt a bit uneasy seeing Alan's smile.

It reminded me of the days when he'd call me dear sweetly, only to show up three hours late to set the next morning. The internet had a field day with that one.

And let's not forget-dating an ex was just... weird.

That said, Alan had clearly matured. He carried himself with a confidence and poise he didn't have years ago. Maybe he'd moved on. Maybe this wouldn't be as awkward as I thought.

I tried to relax, but the comments weren't helping.

"I'd rather see Alan with Linda. They're such a perfect match."

"Alan's so graceful, even on a date with someone like Mary. That smile is everything."

"Can we stop calling Mary an 'old woman'? She's only 29. She's not that much older than Linda."

"Yeah, but let's be real-she's not as young or pretty as Linda."

"Isn't it possible that being 29 on a dating show is indeed a bit old? If she dares to be on the show, why can't the audience comment?"

"Yeah, and compared to Linda, Mary does look old."

"I just want Alan and Linda to date already. They'd be so cute together!"

8

Who would've thought my first big moment back in the spotlight would be a date with my ex?

The whole thing was painfully awkward.

By the time it was over, I was ready to bolt.

But then the staff hit us with bad news. "Sorry, the car broke down. It's going to be a while."

Alan's eyes lit up. "I'll take you on a bike ride!"

I stared at him, speechless.

"You don't want to?" he asked, his smile faltering.