The lights were too bright. That was the first thing Olivia noticed when she stepped onto the set of Perfect Match. The studio audience roared as her name echoed through the speakers. She smiled, the way they had told her to in pre-show prep, but there was something off about the whole thing. The way the host’s grin never faltered. The way the applause cut off like a switch had been flipped.

This wasn’t just another reality dating show.

The producers had been vague when they contacted her. “We’ve run the most advanced compatibility analysis in history. You won’t just meet someone you like, Olivia. You’ll meet the one. We guarantee it.”

It sounded like a scam, but Olivia was tired. Tired of dating apps, of bad first dates, of wondering if she was meant to be alone forever. So, she said yes.

And now, she was standing under a blinding spotlight, the host beside her, the audience waiting.

“Olivia,” the host beamed, “are you ready to meet your perfect match?”

She nodded, her stomach twisting.

The screen behind her flickered, and a name appeared in glowing letters. Jasper Sterling.

A man stepped out from the shadows. Tall. Dark-haired. Handsome in a way that felt too… precise. Like he had been sculpted rather than born. His eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

He looked at her like he already knew her.

The audience cheered as Jasper extended his hand. Olivia took it—because what else could she do?—and a strange current passed between them. It wasn’t the spark she had expected. It was something colder.

The host clapped his hands. “Now, Olivia and Jasper, let’s talk about why you’re perfect for each other.”

A screen lowered from above, flashing with images. Photos of Olivia. Some from her social media, sure—but some she didn’t recognize. A shot of her at a coffee shop, reading. A picture of her asleep in her own bed.

Olivia’s breath caught. “Where did you get these?”

The host chuckled. “Oh, Olivia. We know everything about you. That’s how we found your perfect match.”

Jasper squeezed her hand. His skin was ice-cold. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “You’ll understand soon.”

A door opened behind them, revealing a hallway lined with monitors. Each screen showed another couple—other contestants, standing stiffly beside their so-called soulmates, their smiles frozen. Their eyes empty.

Olivia tried to pull her hand away, but Jasper’s grip tightened.

“Love isn’t about choice,” the host said, his smile never wavering. “It’s about certainty.”

The lights dimmed. The audience didn’t move. Jasper leaned in, his voice a whisper against her ear.

“Don’t fight it,” he said. “They always make the perfect match.”

And the doors slammed shut.