Second Chance At Love: I Become Young Again To Overhaul My Love Life!

I sank back into the couch, red wine in hand, my thumb hovering over Joshua's profile on the SCAL app. The words "Last Chance" glowed at me, a silent warning I wasn't sure I was ready to face. I let out a soft sigh, the weight of the decision pressing on my chest.

"No," I whispered, almost as if I was trying to convince myself more than anyone else. I'm Arisa. Not Ariana. That's who I wanted to be, the real me—not some version of myself propped up by lies.

I set my wine glass down with a soft clink, my fingers trembling ever so slightly as I decisively tapped "Cancel." There. Done. No going back.

The second my decision was made, Mavrik's hologram flickered to life, his smirk as insufferable as always.

"Arisa," he said, his voice thick with that mix of mockery and annoyance, "why do you insist on sabotaging your potential love life?"

I rolled my eyes, sinking deeper into the couch. "Maybe because I prefer relationships based on truth, Mavrik. You know, honesty? Does that concept not make it into your perfect little algorithm?"

Mavrik's hologram tilted its head, as if considering my words, then shrugged. "The SCAL system works best when its suggestions are followed, Arisa. Ignoring them comes with consequences."

I raised my wine glass in a mocking toast, though the irritation simmering just beneath the surface almost made me drop it. "Consequences? What, are you going to send me a sternly worded email or something?"

His eyes narrowed, an almost predatory gleam in them. "You'll see."

******

Later that evening, I was scrolling through memes, trying to distract myself from the whirlwind that had become my life. It was the only way I could keep my mind from spiraling.

My phone buzzed again, and before I could even swipe away the notification, Mavrik's voice rang through the room like an annoying alarm.

"Since you've chosen not to comply," he said, his tone colder than usual, "the system will now activate the fail-safe: the 'Love Magnet' setting."

I snorted, the ridiculousness of it hitting me all at once. "Love Magnet? Seriously? Sounds like something out of a bad rom-com."

But Mavrik didn't laugh along with me. His tone hardened, that familiar edge creeping into his voice.

"It's not a gimmick, Arisa. For the next 30 days, your presence will attract every romantic hopeful within a 50-foot radius. Compatibility doesn't matter. Prepare yourself."

I shook my head, a dry laugh escaping my lips. "Right. Sure. Bring it on."

I leaned back into the couch, feeling a strange mixture of annoyance and amusement. Like that would actually happen. But I couldn't shake the nagging feeling in the back of my mind that maybe—just maybe—he wasn't joking.

Mavrik sighed, his holographic figure flickering for a second before disappearing altogether. "You'll find out soon enough," he warned, and then he was gone.

I sat there, staring at my phone, that eerie sense of foreboding lingering in the air. What the hell had I just signed up for?

******

The next morning, I walked into my favorite café, my mind still reeling from Mavrik's ominous words. Maybe I was overreacting. Surely, it couldn't be that bad.

The barista slid my usual coffee across the counter, a little too cheerfully for my liking. "This one's on me. A smile like yours deserves it."

I blinked, confused. "Uh, thanks?"

Before I could even take a sip, a voice rang out from behind me. "Let me pay for her breakfast. A woman as stunning as you shouldn't have to buy her own food."

I turned around, irritation bubbling up immediately. "I'm perfectly capable of paying for myself, thanks." I didn't wait for a response as I spun on my heel and hurried out, avoiding the group of hopeful admirers now gathering behind me.

********

Walking into my office later, I couldn't shake the feeling that everything was off. I'd sent the email to Jake saying I was on a long vacation, and Ariana would be stepping in for me. I figured I could at least regain some semblance of control. But the moment I stepped inside, I knew I'd been wrong.

Jake handed me my coffee, his hand trembling just a little. "You… you look radiant today, Ariana," he stammered.

I raised an eyebrow, my lips curling into a smile that barely reached my eyes. "Radiant? Are we writing perfume ads now?"

Before he could respond, a delivery man entered, struggling under the weight of several massive bouquets of flowers. "These are for you, Miss Ariana. All of them."

I stared at him, speechless for a moment. "You've got to be kidding me."

The insanity continued. Halfway through a quarterly review, Daniel, my business partner, cleared his throat. His cheeks were unusually flushed, and his gaze lingered on me in a way that made my skin crawl.

"Ariana," he started, his voice unsteady, "I've always admired you. Professionally, of course… but also personally."

I couldn't help but groan and pinch the bridge of my nose. "This is a budget review, not a rom-com audition, Daniel. Focus!"

By the time I got home, I was about ready to lose it. My head was spinning with everything that had happened, so I grabbed my phone and opened the SCAL app, expecting to see Mavrik's smug face. Sure enough, it was there, looking more satisfied than I felt.

"Enjoying the Love Magnet effect?" he asked, his tone dripping with that obnoxious sense of triumph.

"This?" I gestured around the room, where flowers and gifts were scattered in chaotic abundance. "This is a disaster! I can't even get through a morning without some random guy offering me free coffee or serenading me!"

Mavrik simply shrugged, as if he couldn't care less. "You were warned. The fail-safe doesn't play by the rules."

I ground my teeth together, my frustration reaching a boiling point. "Deactivate it. Now."

"Not possible. The system is locked for 30 days. Think of it as… an exercise in adaptability."

I grabbed a cushion and threw it at his hologram, watching it pass right through. "I'll adapt you," I muttered under my breath, half to myself.

Determined to get a break from this madness, I went to yoga, hoping for at least an hour of peace. Surely, in the quiet of stretching and breathing, I could regain some sense of normalcy.

It didn't take long for that illusion to shatter.

The instructor kept sneaking glances at me, his voice faltering as he tried to lead us through the class. "And now, let's… uh, move into downward dog. Beautiful form, Arisa."

A fellow yogi—completely unbalanced—fell out of his tree pose, his eyes locked on me. "Hey, uh, do you come here often?" he asked, his voice too eager.

I shot him a look, feeling my patience snap. "This is yoga, not speed dating!"

By the time I collapsed back onto the couch that evening, I was beyond exhausted. My phone buzzed with yet another SCAL notification, and I picked it up reluctantly, half expecting to see Mavrik's latest reminder of just how much control he had over my life.

SCAL Notification: "Congratulations! Your magnetism is at 110%. Keep it up!"

I groaned and tossed my phone onto the coffee table. "Oh, I'll keep something up. My patience for this nonsense."

As I lay there, staring at the ceiling, a thought wormed its way into my mind: What if all this chaos is actually teaching me something? About myself? About what I really want?

My phone buzzed again, but this time, I ignored it. I just needed a break—a brief moment of quiet. But deep down, I knew this was only the beginning of the storm. And whatever came next? I'd be damned if I wasn't ready to face it.