Chapter 2:

Part Two

Cupid In Love!

Part Two
Kiara's POV.

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Kiara sits in a corner booth at the café, a jazzy song playing softly in the background. She sips her Arizona iced tea, still wearing her oversized sunglasses despite being indoors, safely away from the sun. She is waiting for her target.

Melina Stone. A clumsy woman with trust issues.

It took Kiara a few days of research to track her down and learn enough about her background to find her soulmate. Luckily, it wasn't difficult. His name is Mark Griffith, a photographer for the same modeling company Melina works for.

It only took one second look at him for Kiara's powers to flare up, leaving her lightheaded.

A clear sign that he was, indeed, Melina's soulmate.

Today is the final day of Kiara's carefully planned encounters between the two. She has arranged for them to "randomly" meet at the café, and now all she has to do is wait.

Mark is already there, sitting idly at another table while sipping what appears to be coffee.

Kiara pulls out her phone and switches to selfie mode. She holds up her Arizona iced tea, her sunglasses hiding her eyes as sunlight streams through the nearby window, giving the picture a warm, cozy glow.

She looks at the photo.

Frowns.

'Too much sunlight.'

She adds a filter and looks again.

'Better.'

Opening Instagram, she types beneath the picture:

Nothing better than Arizona iced tea.

A few hashtags follow.

She posts it, and takes another sip.

The ringing of the bell makes Kiara turn toward the café door as it opens, revealing the person she's been waiting for.

Kiara continues scrolling through her phone, keeping her eyes on Melina from behind her sunglasses.

Melina looks around the café, and the moment she notices Mark, her eyes light up. Mark had already noticed her walking in, and his smile brightens as he watches her approach.

Melina walks over and starts a casual conversation, probably something along the lines of, "What a surprise seeing you here!"

Kiara watches them from behind her sunglasses as they continue talking. After a moment, Mark gestures toward the empty seat across from him, and Melina happily takes it.

That's when Kiara feels it.

A warm wave crashes through her body, almost like a sudden gust of wind passing through her. The sensation lasts only a few seconds before disappearing completely.

Mission complete.

Kiara smiles to herself.

She stands, leaves a tip on the table, and walks out of the café.

The city bustles with life around Kiara as she makes her way through the crowds. Eventually, she turns onto a quieter street and continues toward Soul-Link.

"So don't wait! Download Soul-Link today and take the first step toward the connection you've been searching for—"

Kiara passes a storefront window displaying the latest Soul-Link advertisement. The familiar line catches her attention, and she glances at the screen.

She rolls her eyes.

Of course.

Without giving the advertisement another thought, she keeps walking.

When she spots a taxi, she raises a hand. The car pulls over beside her, and she slips into the back seat.

"Where to, ma'am?" the driver asks.

"Soul-Link Inc."

Kiara settles into the seat and pulls a small pocket mirror from her bag, checking her makeup.

"Oh, you're one of those Soul-Link people, huh? That made the datin' app?" the driver asks as he pulls back into traffic.

"I didn't make the app." Kiara doesn't look up from her mirror. "I work for the company."

"Same thing," he says with a chuckle. "I hear that ad everywhere. Says they'll find me my soulmate." He shakes his head. "Bit much, don't ya think? Sounds almost too good to be true."

Kiara says nothing.

"Besides," he continues, "it's not like there's some Cupid flyin' around, shootin' people with love arrows."

Kiara slowly closes her mirror.

For a moment, she stares at her own reflection.

Then she looks out the window.

"...Right."

The driver doesn't seem to notice the faint amusement in her voice.

After reaching her destination, Kiara steps out of the taxi after paying the driver, who had been a little too talkative throughout the entire ride. She sighs as the car drives away.

Soul-Link Inc. stands before her—a towering skyscraper in the middle of the city, impossible to miss and constantly drawing the attention of passersby.

As Kiara approaches the entrance, she pulls out her phone to check her latest post. She's already gotten over two thousand likes.

She scrolls through the comments as she walks through the doors, when a familiar voice reaches her ears.

She doesn't look up.

Her eyes remain laser-focused on the screen as she walks past, her arm coming dangerously close to brushing against her's.

She can feel the stare on her.

But she refuses to look up and meet it.

Instead, she keeps walking, putting more distance between them with every step.

Taking the elevator, she presses the button with more force than necessary before the doors close. Her hands fall to her sides as she puts her phone away and crosses her arms.

She should take a picture so it'll last longer.

Kiara scoffs. She doesn't need to look up to know when Gracelin is around. The woman isn't exactly subtle when it comes to staring at people, much to Kiara's dismay.

The doors open, and Kiara steps out with long strides, making her way toward Ethan's office. A few coworkers pass her by, none sparing her more than a passing glance. She doesn't look at them either.

She knocks on the door bearing the name Ethan Valentine before stepping inside.

The man behind the desk is in his forties, with brown skin, cropped gray hair, and brown eyes. He's dressed in a wine-red suit, looking every bit like the serious office worker he is.

He looks up from his computer.

"Kiara. What brings you here?" he asks, his deep voice carrying across the office.

Like most modern offices, the room has white walls decorated with a few plants and figurines that serve no real purpose.

"I just finished my task."

"The one with Melina Stone?"

"Yes."

Kiara steps farther into the room but doesn't bother taking a seat.

Ethan nods. "Good job. There were no complications, I assume?"

"None."

"Then you know where to go."

Kiara nods and turns toward the door, but stops halfway there.

"Would it be possible for me to get another target by tomorrow?"

Ethan raises an eyebrow.

"Kiara, you can't take another job immediately after having your memories washed. It's not recommended, and it's dangerous."

Kiara sighs.

Of course she knows.

Once a matchmaker successfully brings two soulmates together, their connection to those people is no longer needed. That's why the Black Room exists.

After every mission, matchmakers enter the room and use the power within to erase every memory they have of the people they just matched. It's a necessary precaution. Without those memories, matchmakers can't interfere with the relationship afterward or become personally attached to the people they've helped.

"Right."

Kiara walks out before Ethan can say anything else.

Right outside the Black Room, Jeremy is waiting. He nods when he sees her.

"Walking in?"

Without even sparing him a glance, Kiara opens the door and walks inside.

Jeremy lets out a sigh.

"I'm getting paid too little for this shit."

Kiara ignores him.

The moment she steps into the darkness of the room, everything around her seems to disappear.

At the center sits a glowing red stone.

She approaches it, places her hand against its surface, and closes her eyes with a quiet sigh.

Then it begins.