Chapter 2: One Who Learns, Teaches

“Don’t you think you are making this argument a bit too personal?” Fred asked their senior reporter, Andrew Logan.

Andrew sneered as he put his feet up on top of his desk. “I am stating facts! That is what I do. Ivy Benson has swindled people out of their money with fake promises of guaranteed love. It is high time someone exposes her.”

“Are you sure it’s not because of what happened with your young brother, not necessarily because of Mirror Love Connection?” Fred inquired.

Andrew frowned as the topic of his brother was raised. Renewed waves of pain rushed through him, and he felt anger bubble in his chest like magma.

Steve was lying in the hospital in a coma after attempting suicide. It was true that matters of the heart could kill someone faster than a bullet.

He had stupidly bought into the idea of love sold to him by Ivy Benson. With promises of guaranteed love, Steve had used up most of his savings to attend the so-called ‘Love Doctor's’ love-seminars and even subscribed to her application.

“Steve believed everything that Ivy Benson said! He even found a girl on that Mirror Love matchmaking application who came and took everything he had. She made off with not just his money but his sanity and will to live!” Andrew recounted bitterly.

“It was not Ivy Benson’s fault, though! I mean you can say what you want, but that woman and her company have a high success rate of lasting love connections! Going after her and against her might in a way be damaging to your credibility as a star reporter. Remember, Ivy does have supporters as well who believe in her company and who she has helped make great connections!” Fred answered.

“Why is it that we only look at the successful clients of that company and not the failed ones? I will be the voice of the voiceless. The ones we cleverly disregard when we speak of the ‘success rates’ of Mirror Love Connection! She must stop guaranteeing people, love. It is not guaranteed if there is a chance of failure. Besides, how is she a love expert when she has no love herself? Why doesn’t she use her application and advice to get herself a guaranteed love?” Andrew took his feet off his desk and regarded Fred coldly. “Do you want to know why? She knows her fake application and advice are nothing but hogwash! It doesn’t work!”

Fred exhaled sharply as he looked back at his colleague. “Andrew, are you sure about the fact that it doesn’t work? As mentioned, she has success stories to back up her claims!”

Andrew humphed. “Probably people she pays off to give positive reviews and fake success stories! I know people like Ivy Benson! They grew up with silver spoons in their mouths and take from people without any regard for the consequences of their actions. Have you not realized the world we live in, Fred? The poor keep getting poorer, and the rich keep getting richer!”

Fred decided to quit the argument. He knew Andrew was not acting from a place of his usual reasoning but a place of pain and hurt.

“Just be careful. I do hope you are not biting off more than you can chew in this case! I have heard Ivy Benson is not the type of woman who backs down from a challenge! She will come after you with all she has!” Fred warned.

“Oh, trust me, Fred, I am counting on that!” Andrew responded.

“So, talking about love, you and Felicia seem to be going steady! I mean you have never been in a relationship with anybody for long. Your longest relationship record is what? Two months? You have been with Felicia for four months now!” Fred changed the subject.

“Talking about ‘love?’ Why do people always assume if a man and a woman are together there is love involved? What I have learnt, Fred, is love is a choice fools make to get hurt. I will never give my heart to anyone. That way, I am never in a position to get hurt. Felicia and I are merely keeping each other company. The reason we are still together is she understands the arrangement and has not begun speaking about unicorn dreams farting hearts, happily-ever-after, sailing towards the horizon or anything silly like that,” Andrew answered sternly.

“Again it’s just emotions speaking! You have had your heart broken before, but that doesn’t mean love does not exist, Andrew!” Fred stated.

“I don’t want to sugar coat my beliefs for you, Fred. I don’t believe in love, period! I have yet to see a successful relationship based on love!” Andrew replied.

“What about your parents? Are they not celebrating their fortieth anniversary?” Fred petitioned.

“My parents did not get together because of love. It was an arranged marriage of convenience!” Andrew pointed out.

“However they started is not the issue here. They have not stayed together for this long for convenience, right?” Fred asked.

Andrew frowned and shrugged. He knew his parents were happy, but he could not remember ever hearing them tell each other they ‘loved’ each other. His whole life, their family were united and would do anything for each other, but ‘love’ was a word that was never used in their house.

An email alert popped up on his laptop. Andrew clicked on it and read it silently before punching the air in triumph.

“Did you just win the lottery?” Fred asked.

“In a way, yes! The elusive Miss ‘Love Doctor,’ Ivy Benson herself wants to schedule a meeting with me!” Andrew answered. “Finally, I will get to meet the spoiled Miss Sunshine and hear what pipe dreams she will try to sell me!”

Fred smiled. “I would be careful if I were you! She is known to rip apart reporters like you on their shows!”

“Reporters like me? Who do you know who has won the ‘Journalist of the Year award,’ six years in a row?” Andrew bragged.

“Well, she might be the one to end that winning streak,” Fred stated, and Andrew laughed out loud.

“I am Andrew Logan. Google me!” Andrew said.

“Well, she is Ivy Benson. Google her. She is highly intelligent and fierce. As if that is not enough, she is mind-blowingly gorgeous! She is not a ten out of ten, rather a twelve out of ten. Be careful that her beauty does not disorient you during your meeting. Many men have fallen due to her siren looks!” Fred warned.

“Ummm…that makes it even more interesting! I can’t wait to meet the twelve out of ten gorgeous, ‘Miss Love Doctor!’”