Unraveling

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Aria Summers stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of her office, watching the city bustle below. The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the sleek, modern space, but she felt a chill run down her spine. Something was off today; the air felt heavy with foreboding.

A sharp knock on her door broke her reverie. Before she could respond, the door swung open, revealing Vivian Reed's imposing figure. Aria's heart sank as she took in her rival's triumphant smirk.

"Vivian," Aria said, forcing a polite smile. "To what do I owe this... unexpected visit?"

Vivian strode into the office, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor. "Oh, I think you know why I'm here, Aria. Or should I say... the amazing, psychic matchmaker?"

Aria's blood ran cold, but she kept her composure. "I'm not sure what you mean. My success comes from hard work and understanding people, nothing more."

Vivian's laugh was sharp and humorless. She reached into her designer handbag, pulling out a thick file. "Cut the act, Aria. I know your little secret. The 'red strings,' the impossible matches, the whispered conversations with yourself. It's all here."

She tossed the file onto Aria's desk, papers spilling out. Aria's eyes widened as she recognized transcripts of private conversations, testimonials from former employees, and even blurry photographs of her seemingly gesturing at thin air.

"How did you--" Aria began, but Vivian cut her off.

"It doesn't matter how I got it. What matters is what I'm going to do with it." Vivian's eyes gleamed with malice. "You have two choices, Aria. Sell me your business - at a very reasonable price, of course - or I go public with all of this."

Aria's mind raced. Her gift had always been her most closely guarded secret, the source of her success and her burden. If this got out, everything she'd built would crumble. But to give it all up to Vivian? The thought made her sick.

"You can't be serious," Aria said, fighting to keep her voice steady. "This is blackmail, Vivian. It's illegal."

Vivian shrugged, unperturbed. "Prove it. Meanwhile, I'll be exposing you as a fraud who's been manipulating people's lives with some sort of... what? Psychic powers? Do you think your clients will stick around once they know the truth? Or will they run screaming from the crazy lady who claims to see magical threads?"

Aria sank into her chair, the weight of the situation crushing down on her. She'd always known her gift was both a blessing and a curse, but she'd never imagined it could lead to this.

"I'll give you 48 hours to decide," Vivian said, turning to leave. "Oh, and don't even think about running. I have eyes everywhere, Aria. If you try to disappear, I'll release everything immediately."

As the door closed behind Vivian, Aria buried her face in her hands. The red strings that only she could see seemed to dance mockingly around her, a reminder of the gift that had brought her so much success and now threatened to destroy everything.

Her phone buzzed, startling her. A text from Ethan lit up the screen: "Need to talk. Can we meet later?"

Aria's heart clenched. With everything crashing down around her, how could she face the man who had unwittingly become the center of her world? As she stared at the message, torn between her secret and her heart, Aria realized she was running out of time and options.

Aria's fingers hovered over her phone, her heart racing as she contemplated Ethan's message. She took a deep breath and typed out a reply, agreeing to meet him at a nearby café in an hour. As she hit send, a wave of anxiety washed over her. How could she face him with Vivian's threat looming over her head?

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