Matchmaker Mayhem

Paris at night was magic.

The streets of Montmartre glowed under the golden streetlights, the air carrying the faint scent of fresh bread, coffee, and the soft perfume of blooming flowers from the balconies above. Cobblestone paths twisted through charming alleys, leading toward the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, perched high above the city.

Ava had been running on adrenaline since they arrived in Paris. The competition, Julian’s sabotage, Mei’s unpredictable schemes—it was all too much, too overwhelming.

But tonight, it was just her and Ryan.

She let him lead her down the quiet streets, their hands occasionally brushing against each other as they walked. It was something so simple, so easy, yet it sent a thrill up her spine every time his fingers grazed hers.

Ava glanced sideways at Ryan. "Are you ever going to tell me why we’re here?"

Ryan smirked, his usual playful confidence in full display. "Montmartre is where artists, poets, and dreamers come to fall in love."

Ava rolled her eyes. "That sounds like something off a postcard."

Ryan shrugged, stopping in front of a quiet café with twinkling fairy lights draped over the terrace. "Maybe. But I thought you could use a break from all the matchmaking chaos."

Ava hesitated. A break. It sounded almost foreign to her.

Ryan didn’t wait for her to argue. Instead, he nudged her toward a small empty table tucked against the railing, where the view of Paris stretched below them in all its breathtaking beauty.