Matchmaker Mayhem
Chapter 65: The Live Matchmaking Showdown

Chapter 65: The Live Matchmaking Showdown

The ballroom had been transformed into an elaborate arena for the final challenge. Rows of chairs formed a semi-circle around a grand stage, where three tall podiums stood, each illuminated by bright spotlights. Behind them, a massive screen displayed the words: Matchmaking Showdown: Love in Action.

Ava clutched her clipboard, feeling a mixture of nerves and determination as she stood offstage. Her competitors—Julian and Astrid—were already in position, flanked by their assistants. Julian, as usual, looked infuriatingly calm in his sleek designer suit. He was busy tinkering with his tablet, presumably making last-minute adjustments to his algorithm. Astrid, draped in a glittering shawl, was lighting a candle at her podium and muttering what sounded like a prayer to Venus.

Ryan stepped up beside Ava, holding two bottles of water. "You okay?" he asked, handing one to her.

"Fine," Ava lied, uncapping the water and taking a long sip.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "You’re gripping that clipboard like it owes you money."

She glanced down and loosened her death grip. "I’m fine," she repeated, more for herself than him. "I’ve handled chaos before."

Ryan smirked. "True, but this is televised chaos. Millions of people watching. No pressure."

Ava groaned, elbowing him lightly. "You’re a terrible pep talker."

"And yet, you keep me around." Ryan’s grin softened into something more reassuring. "You’ve got this, Matchmaker. Trust your gut. It’s gotten us this far."

Ava gave him a small smile, her nerves easing ever so slightly. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Ryan said, stepping back as the announcer’s voice boomed through the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final challenge of the International Matchmaking Convention: The Live Matchmaking Showdown!"

The crowd erupted into applause, the sound echoing through the ballroom. Ava took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and stepped onto the stage.

---

The host, a chipper man with impossibly white teeth, explained the rules as the competitors took their places.

"Each matchmaker will meet with three clients live on stage," the host said, gesturing to the waiting area where nervous participants fidgeted with their outfits. "The goal: to create the most compatible couples based on their preferences, personalities, and that special spark!"

Ava glanced at her clipboard. She’d already reviewed the client profiles multiple times, mentally cataloging their quirks and interests. Julian, meanwhile, had his tablet in hand, his algorithm humming away as it processed data. Astrid, unsurprisingly, was arranging her tarot cards in front of her, muttering about Saturn’s influence.

The host continued, "At the end of the challenge, the audience will vote on the best matches based on chemistry, compatibility, and overall connection. Let the matchmaking begin!"

The audience cheered as the first clients were brought on stage.

---

Round 1: The Nervous Teacher and the Dog Lover

Ava’s first client was a shy elementary school teacher named Kelly, who blushed furiously under the stage lights. Her profile mentioned her love of gardening, baking, and her golden retriever, Max.

Julian’s first client was a venture capitalist with a passion for skydiving, while Astrid’s was a poet who claimed to have communicated with dolphins.

Ava scanned the remaining profiles quickly, searching for a match. Her gaze landed on Daniel, a soft-spoken veterinarian who looked equally out of his element on stage.

"Kelly," Ava said, stepping forward with a warm smile. "This is Daniel. He’s a veterinarian, which means he probably knows how to spoil Max even more than you do."

Daniel chuckled nervously, adjusting his glasses. "Golden retrievers are my specialty."

Kelly’s face lit up, and they immediately launched into a conversation about dog breeds and favorite hiking trails.

Meanwhile, Julian’s match was already going sideways. His algorithm had paired the venture capitalist with an adrenaline junkie who insisted on describing her latest bungee-jumping accident in graphic detail.

Astrid’s poet client had declared the poetically inclined dolphin communicator his "soulmate" within thirty seconds. Unfortunately, his dramatic proclamation sent the poor woman fleeing offstage in tears.

One round in, Ava was feeling cautiously optimistic.

---

Round 2: The Amateur Chef and the Foodie

For her second client, Ava worked with Marco, an aspiring chef whose dream was to open a farm-to-table restaurant. She quickly scanned the profiles and found his perfect match: Vanessa, a food blogger who traveled the world reviewing unique dining experiences.

"Vanessa," Ava said, introducing the two. "Meet Marco. He’s working on perfecting his farm-to-table recipes. Maybe you could be his first critic?"

Vanessa’s eyes lit up. "Farm-to-table? That’s my favorite concept!"

As they bonded over their shared love of food, Julian’s algorithm made another misstep, pairing a Broadway enthusiast with someone who proudly declared they "hated musicals." The tension between the pair was palpable, and the audience cringed as their conversation turned into a debate about the cultural value of Les Misérables.

Astrid, meanwhile, claimed her tarot cards had predicted her match would end in "a passionate misunderstanding." She wasn’t wrong—her clients were now arguing about whether Mercury retrograde was a valid excuse for bad behavior.

Ava glanced at Ryan, who gave her a thumbs-up from the sidelines. So far, so good.

---

Round 3: The Gamer and the Cosplayer

The final round brought Ava her biggest challenge yet: Jared, a self-proclaimed introvert whose profile listed his primary hobbies as gaming and avoiding social interactions. Ava scanned the profiles, biting her lip. Who could she pair with someone so reserved?

Then she spotted Mia, a vibrant cosplayer who loved comic conventions and building intricate costumes.

It was a risk, but Ava trusted her gut.

"Jared," she said, guiding him toward Mia. "This is Mia. She’s a cosplayer, which means she probably knows every video game character you love."

Mia grinned, adjusting her neon-colored wig. "Are you into RPGs? Because I just finished making a full armor set from Dragon Quest."

Jared’s eyes widened. "Wait—you made armor? How?"

As Mia launched into a detailed explanation of her crafting process, Jared’s initial awkwardness melted away. By the time the round ended, they were laughing together like old friends.

---

Just as Ava began to relax, the screen behind her flickered, displaying a new set of compatibility scores. Confusion rippled through the audience as numbers appeared next to each couple—numbers that didn’t match anything Ava had calculated.

She whipped around to see Ethan smirking in the shadows, holding up a tablet.

"What the—" Ava began, but the host cut her off.

"It seems there’s been a... technical update to the competition!" he announced, clearly unaware of the sabotage. "New compatibility scores have been calculated for each couple!"

The screen now claimed that Jared and Mia had a compatibility score of 17%, while Julian’s mismatched musical duo somehow had 93%.

Ava’s blood boiled. She caught Ryan’s eye, and he immediately sprang into action, moving toward Ethan with purposeful strides.

---

"Ethan," Ryan said, his tone deceptively calm. "What are you doing?"

"Just leveling the playing field," Ethan said with a smug grin.

"Really? Because it looks like you’re rigging the game," Ryan replied, yanking the tablet out of Ethan’s hands.

As the two men bickered backstage, Ava turned back to the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she said, projecting her voice, "love isn’t about numbers. It’s not about algorithms or compatibility scores. It’s about connection—real, messy, human connection."

The audience erupted into applause, and Ava felt a surge of confidence.

---

When the audience votes were tallied, the ballroom erupted in cheers and applause. The host’s voice boomed through the speakers, announcing Ava as the winner of the Matchmaking Showdown. The crowd’s enthusiasm was infectious, and Ava found herself grinning despite the weight of the competition still lingering on her shoulders.

Jared and Mia, her standout match of the evening, shared an impromptu hug on stage that sent the audience into a frenzy. The host, not missing the opportunity to milk the moment, exclaimed, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is what we call chemistry in action! Give it up for Jared and Mia!" The pair blushed under the spotlight but waved shyly to the crowd, solidifying their status as the undeniable fan favorites.

Julian, on the other hand, looked uncharacteristically rattled. His algorithm, once heralded as infallible, had been no match for Ava’s intuition and people skills. He maintained a tight smile as the host thanked all the participants, but the flicker of frustration in his eyes was hard to miss.

Astrid, ever the eccentric, shrugged off her loss with a dramatic flourish. "The stars were against me tonight," she declared, holding her tarot cards aloft. "But Ava, darling, you have my respect. Venus shines brightly on you." She gave Ava a wink before gliding off the stage in a swirl of glittering fabric.

As Ava stepped down from the stage, the weight of the day finally lifted. Ryan was waiting for her near the edge of the crowd, his arms crossed and a triumphant grin plastered across his face.

"Told you you’d crush it," he said, handing her a bottle of water.

Ava smiled, her heart still racing. "Thanks. For everything."

Ryan shrugged, his playful demeanor softening. "You make it easy to believe in you."

Before Ava could respond, a burst of applause drew her attention back to the stage, where Mei and Harold stood clapping enthusiastically. Mei, Ava’s longtime mentor, exchanged a knowing glance with Harold, her old friend and occasional rival. Their smiles carried a message: the battle might be over, but the real challenges were just beginning.

As the crowd began to disperse, Ava felt the adrenaline giving way to something deeper—an overwhelming sense of purpose. This victory wasn’t just about winning a competition; it was a testament to everything she believed in. Love wasn’t an algorithm or a cosmic prediction; it was about connection, empathy, and the courage to take a chance on the unknown.

Ryan nudged her shoulder gently. "You’ve got that look."

"What look?"

"The ’I’m already planning my next big thing’ look."

Ava laughed, the sound light and unburdened. "Maybe. Or maybe I’m just enjoying this moment."

Ryan’s grin widened. "Either way, it suits you, Matchmaker."

As they walked out of the ballroom together, Ava felt a new determination brewing within her. The International Matchmaking Convention might be over, but her journey was far from finished. Somewhere, new challenges awaited, and she couldn’t wait to face them head-on.