@justeva25.bsky.social inspired me to update my simself, and to not make him a somewhat copy of me irl, but to make him an elevated version of me..so...here we are! 😜

I’m so sorry for your loss. Losing a dog is truly heartbreaking they really are family. Praying for you during this time ❤️

Well… lines have been crossed, and tensions are only just beginning to rise.

What will come next?

Find out next time on day 3 of...

DEBT...OR... DESIRE!

They pulled apart—just slightly.

Too close.

Too aware.

Penny’s breath caught as she looked at him… like something had shifted.

Neither of them spoke.

Because there wasn’t anything safe to say anymore.

And so...they kissed.

No hesitation. No second thoughts.

Just one reckless moment—

And then P.O.O.P. chimed.

“Sixty seconds has ended. All rules are now reinforced.”

“...Well,” Penny exhaled softly. “That’s convenient.”

Salim didn’t smile.
“Is it?”

A beat. Penny stepped closer.

“…Feels like a trap.”

“Most things here are.”

Another pause.

“You think we should risk it?” she asked quietly.

“I think…” he said, softer now,
“…we decide for ourselves.”

And suddenly—

A soft chime echoed through the kitchen.

The speaker-like device on the counter flickered to life.

They froze.

“Good evening, Penny & Salim. For winning this morning’s workshop, you have been granted a reward.”

“You will have sixty seconds to cross the line… without penalty.”

She bumped his shoulder lightly.
“Don’t let it go to your head.” He said.

She huffed a laugh and nudged him again.
“Jerk.”

For a moment, the tension between them softened—easy, quiet.
Then it shifted.

Their eyes met.

Penny’s hand lifted without thinking, her fingers brushing against his cheek.

…and a horrible waste of paper.”

Penny laughed softly again.
“Who knew a jokester was hiding under all that marble?”

Salim’s lips curved just slightly.
“I have my moments… with the right person.”

A small smile tugs at her lips as she looks away.

“Well… I guess I should feel honored then.”

“It’ll be okay,” he said softly.

Penny let out a small, frustrated breath.
“But the simoleans—”

“Would be nice,” Salim admitted, a faint smile touching his lips. “But that’s not really the point of this.”

Penny bit her lip. "I guess not."

"Keeping notes on those two is useless.

“I did,” Salim said calmly. “And just for the record… I’m not starving. This place has a plethora of food.”

Penny let out a laugh, her shoulders finally easing as she hopped up onto the counter beside him.

“Good to know,” She muttered. Then she sighed.
“There goes more cash down P.O.O.P.’s gullet"

After being forced to let Babs and Sebastian have their moment, Penny stepped back, jaw tight, clearly not satisfied with how that ended. She looked over and saw Salim in the kitchen

Penny made her way over, the tension in her shoulders still lingering as she approached him. "Did you see all that?

“No,” she said evenly. “I’m stating facts. You two are ruining this for everyone.”

Babs held her gaze for a beat, letting the words sit.

Then she scoffed, brushing past her shoulder.

“Whatever. Go stare at paint drying with your starving artist.”

“His name is Salim,” Penny said evenly. “And second—we’re not so desperate that we’d tank the prize fund for five minutes of attention. We want actual connections."

“So now you’re better than me?” Babs shot back. “Is that what you’re trying to imply?”

Penny didn’t even hesitate.

Penny tilted her head, unimpressed.
“Considering you two are the main reason we lost what we did? I’ve got a pretty solid idea.”

“Whatever,” Babs shot back, rolling her eyes. “You’re just mad because Silas is too much of a prude to do anything with you.”

Penny didn’t even flinch.

“About what, Penny?” Babs asked, all innocence.

“About you and Brindleton Beach Boy costing us more Simoleans from the prize fund.”

Babs scoffed. “Please. You don’t know what we were going to do.”

Her eyes locked onto Penny. A slow, deliberate look. Like a dare. And Penny took it.

Without hesitation, she slipped through the crowd and followed them inside. Ahead, Sebastian disappeared into the master bedroom.

but Penny caught Babs before she could follow.
“We need to talk.”

He let out a low chuckle, following easily. “Babs, you never have to ask me that.”

“Perfect,” she said. “Let’s find somewhere a little more private.”

Sebastian smirked and moved ahead, leading the way toward the villa.

Babs followed—but not before glancing back over her shoulder.

Babs didn’t miss the way Penny was watching—sharp, unblinking, like a hawk waiting for the slightest mistake.

Without a word, she slipped her hand into Sebastian’s and pulled him off the dance floor.

“I’m bored, Sebby,” she murmured, glancing back once over her shoulder. “Wanna have some fun?”

“And I’ll be damned if they ruin my shot at winning this money.”

A small smile tugs at her lips.

“But… I like what I’ve got going on with Salim. So—he wins. For now."

“I’ll say it—I don’t like Babs. And I definitely don’t like Sebastian.”

She tilts her head, unimpressed.

“They’ve got that same energy as the kids who used to call my natural curls a ‘distraction’… like they weren’t the actual problem.”

“I’ve seen this type before. It never ends well.”

Salim could tell Penny wasn’t going to let this go. Still, he did what he could to keep the tension from ruining the night—at least for now.

“Let’s just wait and see,” he said gently, taking her hand and guiding her into a slow twirl.

“Yeah,” she murmured under her breath. “We’ll see.”

“Or what?” she teased, leaning in anyway.

Across the floor, Penny’s smile dropped.

“Oh, absolutely not.”

“Oh boy…” Salim muttered under his breath, catching the look in her eyes. “They’re not crossing the line yet, Penn. Maybe they’ll behave.”

"I don't think so."

The dance floor pulsed with energy—lights flashing, music thumping, bodies moving a little too close for comfort.

Babs laughed, her hands sliding up Sebastian’s chest as he pulled her in again, their bodies brushing just enough to cross the line.

“Careful,” he murmured, though he didn’t move away.

“We should get back…” he whispered, his voice barely there as his hands slipped from her waist.

Aubrey blinked, like she’d just come back to herself. “Yeah… for sure,” she murmured, heat rushing to her cheeks.

Neither of them moved.

Not until their lips were only seconds apart—close enough to feel each other’s breath, their heartbeats echoing in the quiet between them, their stomachs twisting into tight knots.

Knox hesitated.

Knox nodded, his thumb shifting just barely against her side.
“Yeah. I get that.”

Another pause. But this one was different.

He didn’t look away. She didn’t either. The music below faded into nothing. Her breath caught just a little.

His eyes flickered to her lips and back up again.

A beat passed, and Knox’s gaze didn’t leave hers.

“Do you...You always do this?” he asked softly.

“Do what?”

“Find quiet places and disappear from everything.”

Aubrey’s smile lingered, but something behind it softened.
“Only when I need to.”

Aubrey smiled softly.
“Yeah. You’ve got it.” His hands had settled more confidently at her waist, and Aubrey didn’t pull away. If anything, she leaned in just a little more.

“I think I’m getting the hang of it,” Knox said.

“You’re a natural.” Aubrey giggled as they moved.

Knox hesitated for only a second before stepping forward.

Aubrey’s breath hitched just slightly as her hands rested on his shoulders, guiding him closer. They swayed. Completely out of sync with the music below.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Knox let out a small breath.
“…Like this?”