Tessa Sinclair and Ronan Beaumont stop “performing” and finally choose the real thing: honesty, trust, and being on the same team. The ending hits because it’s not about a giant public stunt. It’s about Ronan drawing a clear line with the people who control his life, and Tessa learning to stop running when love looks safe. That’s the whole point of this series: the fake relationship ends when they both admit the truth out loud.
Quick context
This is one of those short, super-bingeable vertical dramas. The setup is simple: a “one-night mistake,” an old grudge from childhood, and then a fake-dating deal meant to annoy their exes… and obviously it turns real.
- Tessa Sinclair is the girl who comes back to North Lake High with a big attitude and a bigger wall around her heart.
- Ronan Beaumont is the rich “heir” / nemesis who acts confident, but the story keeps showing he’s tired of living as a label.
- The series is listed as 62 episodes on DramaBoxDB.
That’s all you need before we get into the ending.
What people keep saying about the ending (the vibe online)
There isn’t one “official” long synopsis posted publicly, so most of the ending talk comes from fan/review reactions and general recap-style commentary. Two points show up again and again:
- Ronan’s best moment is when he finally stands up for himself (and for Tessa). One popular review calls that choice one of the most satisfying moments in the whole series.
- The finale doesn’t depend on a huge dramatic gesture. Another write-up describes the ending as more about growth, trust, and saying the truth clearly, instead of doing something loud and melodramatic.
So if you’re expecting fireworks, you might be like “wait, that’s it?”
But if you’re watching for emotional payoff, it lands.
The real ending
I’m going to break this down like a map: what happens, what it means, and how it connects to earlier parts of the story.
1) The “fake” deal ends when the ex-drama stops being funny
The series starts with a petty goal (make the exes mad) and then slowly turns that into something heavier: pride, fear, reputation, and who gets to decide your life.
By the final stretch, the same fake-dating moves that used to feel like a prank don’t work anymore, because:
- Ronan is not joking. He’s in it.
- Tessa is not joking either… but she’s scared.
That fear is important. A fan review literally points out that Tessa’s fear of opening up is obvious, and that she pushes Ronan away even when he’s consistent with her.
Meaning: the ending isn’t a plot twist. It’s the story finally forcing Tessa to do the thing she avoids: choose trust when it’s easier to run.
2) Tessa’s “rejection” phase is not random (it’s her pattern)
If you felt angry at Tessa near the end, you’re not alone. Some viewers said they wanted to scream at her because she rejects Ronan even when he’s being steady and patient.
But that’s actually the point.
Tessa’s big internal conflict is not “do I like him?”
She clearly does.
Her conflict is: “If I let this become real, can it still be taken from me?”
So she does what a lot of people do when they feel unsafe:
- she becomes sharp,
- she goes cold,
- she pretends she doesn’t care.
Meaning: the ending only works if Tessa’s growth is earned. She has to learn that love isn’t just chemistry. It’s consistency.
3) Ronan’s big payoff: he stops being “the Beaumont heir” and becomes Ronan
This is the emotional spine of the finale.
A fan review describes Ronan as someone “suffocated by the rich kid label,” and highlights his decision to stand up to his parents as one of the most satisfying moments.
That matters because Ronan’s conflict isn’t only romantic. It’s identity.
He’s been treated like:
- a brand,
- a family asset,
- a “perfect rich boy” who must behave correctly.
So when he finally draws a line (for himself and for Tessa), it’s the story saying:
Love is not real if you only choose it in secret.
Meaning: Ronan’s “I choose you” is not cute unless he also chooses a life where he can actually keep choosing her tomorrow.
4) The exes (and the chaos characters) are there to test “real vs performance”
The story is built on performance:
- fake smiles
- staged PDA
- “we’re together” as a weapon
So the ending has to flip that and make it honest.
That’s why the exes / troublemakers matter in the final episodes. In at least one review, Beckett and Jessie are described as the kind of villains who keep showing up and keep losing (with lots of humiliation).
Even if you find them annoying, they serve a purpose:
- they push public pressure onto the couple,
- they try to “expose” what’s fake,
- they force Ronan and Tessa to decide if they will still pick each other when it’s messy.
Meaning: the ending isn’t “we kissed, we’re done.”
It’s “we choose the truth even if it makes us look stupid for a minute.”
5) Why the ending feels “softer” than other short dramas
DramaBox-style short dramas sometimes end with a huge dramatic move. This one gets described differently: less grand gesture, more honesty, growth, trust.
So instead of ending like:
- “I bought the school!”
- “I proposed in front of everyone!”
- “I destroyed my enemy in public!”
…it lands more on:
- “I’m done pretending.”
- “I’m done hiding behind pride.”
- “If you choose me, I’ll meet you there.”
That’s why some people say it feels oddly mature for a high school story. (Still dramatic, but emotionally cleaner.)
Ending beats table (what happens + what it means)
These are the key “beats” of the ending arc, in a simple table so it’s easy to follow.
| Ending beat | What happens (simple) | What it means | What it connects back to |
|---|---|---|---|
| The fake-dating mask stops working | The couple can’t keep using the relationship as a prank | Real feelings need a real choice | The original deal to annoy their exes |
| Tessa pulls away | She rejects / blocks / hesitates even when Ronan is steady | Fear of trust is her final boss | Her emotional wall and pride |
| Ronan chooses a side | He stands up for himself and for Tessa | He stops living as a label | “Beaumont heir” pressure / parents |
| The villains lose power | The ex-drama fails to control the couple | Chaos can’t win if you don’t feed it | Fake dating started as ex-revenge |
| The relationship turns real | They stop pretending and speak honestly | Truth is the real “happy ending” | Finale theme: honesty over melodrama |
Character wrap-up (why each person ends where they end)
This is the “who changed and how” version.
| Character | Who they are at the start | What changes by the end | The takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tessa Sinclair | Sharp, defensive, doesn’t trust easily | Learns to stop rejecting safety | Love is not a trap if you choose it |
| Ronan Beaumont | Confident mask, trapped by reputation | Stands up for himself + Tessa | If you want real love, be real publicly |
| Daphné | “Drama queen” energy | Gets a more nuanced final arc | People can surprise you |
| Jessie | Messy ex-drama role | Ends up looking toxic / exhausted | Self-respect matters (even in chaos) |
| Milo (fan-mentioned) | Teasing friend | Pushes Ronan toward the right choice | Sometimes the friend is the moral compass |
“Wait… what did that scene mean?”
Because episodes are short, the finale moves fast. Here’s the clean way to read what the show is doing.
When Tessa pulls away, it’s not “she doesn’t love him”
It’s: “she doesn’t trust that love can stay.”
That’s why her growth is the real ending payoff. A reviewer even frames it exactly like that: frustrating to watch, but rewarding once you see the growth land.
When Ronan pushes back against pressure, it’s not just romance
It’s identity. He’s choosing to stop being shaped by the “rich kid” story people wrote for him.
When the ending feels “quiet,” that’s intentional
Some commentary calls out that the ending avoids big melodrama and leans into honesty and trust instead.
So the last message is basically:
- the fake dating created the space for truth,
- the truth is what finally makes the relationship real.
So… is it a happy ending?
Yes. Not “perfect life forever” (it’s a teen short drama, come on). But it’s a happy ending in the way that matters:
- Ronan chooses Tessa in a way that costs him something (pride, control, comfort).
- Tessa chooses love even though she’s scared, which is the biggest change she could make.
- The story ends by rewarding honesty over performance, which fits what people say about the finale’s tone.
And honestly? That’s why it sticks in your brain after you finish it.
One last note (for anyone rewatching)
If you rewatch, don’t just watch for “plot.” Watch for the small pattern:
- When Tessa uses sarcasm, she’s usually protecting a soft spot.
- When Ronan acts cocky, he’s usually hiding pressure.
- The ending works because both of them stop hiding.
That’s the whole series in one sentence.
