Chapter 35: Ethan’s Downfall
It all started with a trickle.
Ava’s phone began buzzing relentlessly at 7 a.m., her morning coffee barely cooling as she scrolled through texts and emails. By the time she’d officially entered her office, the whispers had become a roar. Everyone wanted her opinion on the scandal du jour: Ethan Chase, the so-called genius of love, had finally met his match. Or rather, his downfall.
"Have you seen this?" Kelly burst into Ava’s office, holding up her phone. Her grin was so wide it could’ve split her face. "Your mortal enemy is trending for all the wrong reasons."
Ava gestured for her coffee mug, which Kelly immediately snatched away like a caffeinated bribe. "What’s trending?" Ava asked, her tone tired. She had a mental list of at least six different scandals Ethan was overdue for.
Kelly wiggled her eyebrows. "Oh, you’ll love this."
She tapped her phone, thrusting it toward Ava, who groaned but took it anyway. The screen displayed a local news article with a headline that felt like Christmas morning:
"Cupid’s Algorithm Exposed: Data Lies, Fake Matches, and Unethical Practices."
"What the—" Ava stared at the headline, blinking as her brain caught up with the dopamine hit of vindication. "What happened?"
"Short version: His ex-fiancée, Clara—yes, the Clara—turned him in. She handed over emails proving that Ethan’s so-called algorithm was mostly fabricated. Turns out, Cupid’s Algorithm is basically the Wikipedia of matchmaking—unverified and full of nonsense."
Ava blinked, taking the phone back for a closer look. "Wait, she has emails?"
"Oh, honey." Kelly dropped into the nearest chair. "She has emails, screenshots, and voice memos. Apparently, Ethan’s idea of compatibility is throwing darts at random percentages and hoping nobody notices."