The Upgrade

Tiana was filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness as she entered Eliot's office at the FOT headquarters. Taking a few deep breaths, she calmed herself and called upon her rational side to take charge of the situation.

"It feels surreal. I'm finally about to find a partner, a husband to make things more complicated," she thought, trembling slightly. She walked into Eliot's office and composed herself before taking a seat. With determination, she sought guidance from her rational and brilliant self to navigate the upcoming conversation.

Eliot began explaining how FOT worked and handed her a form. "Here is the form; just fill it in as I install the app on your phone," he instructed. Tiana thanked him and carefully went through the form. As she reviewed the pages, something puzzled her.

"I don't understand this section," she voiced her confusion.

"Which one?" Eliot inquired, and she pointed out the section that perplexed her.

"My friend never mentioned anything about this. Did I forget, or did she overlook mentioning it?" Tiana questioned.

"Neither you nor your friend is at fault. Congratulations! You've received the golden egg," Eliot revealed.

"The golden egg? What are you talking about?" Tiana asked, seeking further clarification.

"Do you see the code below the form?" Eliot asked, pointing it out.

"Yes," she replied.

"That's what I'll use to activate the golden version of the app for you," Eliot explained, his face beaming with a smile.

Tiana's frustration grew as Eliot failed to directly answer her question. "Again, what exactly does this golden egg mean? Are you playing games with me?" she exclaimed. Realizing her outburst, she quickly apologized, saying, "Oops, sorry about that! I didn't mean to be rude."

"No need to apologize. I understand you're feeling anxious and overwhelmed. All of this can be quite overwhelming, especially when you're searching for someone to spend your life with," Eliot kindly responded.

"Thank you for understanding," Tiana gratefully replied.

"Of course. With the golden egg, I assure you, you'll find someone with a 100% guarantee of total happiness. Originally, this option was intended for the upper echelon, the elite class. But they decided to give a very rare chance to regular folks like you to acquire the golden egg, hence the one in a hundred chance," Eliot elaborated.

"Upper echelon? Are you saying there are different classes even in this kind of business?" Tiana expressed her surprise.

"Yes, there are special advertisements on channels accessible only to the wealthy, which reveal secret ways to apply for the golden egg. But it comes at a price regular folks can't even fathom," Eliot disclosed.

"So you mean there are TV channels available only to the rich?" Tiana asked, taken aback.

"That's right," Eliot confirmed.

"Okay, as wild and amazing as this golden egg thing sounds, you still haven't explained exactly what it is," Tiana cautioned.

"Sorry, um... you know how people graduate from universities, right?" Eliot asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Some graduate with distinctions, others with merits, and others with something else. I was an A student, so I've forgotten what it's called," Eliot admitted.

"I'm sorry, but what does that have to do with the golden egg or FOT? Can you please get to the point?" Tiana requested, her tone kind.

"Golden egg peers are a select group of individuals who graduated with the highest honors after completing a one-year training course. These individuals are considered elegant elite geniuses. Once I upgrade your account using the code below the form, you'll be able to choose your groom from among these golden egg men," Eliot explained enthusiastically.

"So that's why it says 2.0 here?" Tiana asked, connecting the dots.

"Yes, that section gives you two choices: either select from the regular peers if you feel overwhelmed and can't handle too much love, or choose one of the elite individuals from the golden version available in the 2.0 option. However, I haven't seen or heard of anyone with the golden egg gift who chose the former. So, what will you do?" Eliot inquired.

"Well, as you said, no one can resist the temptation of a 100% happiness guarantee. Sign me up!" Tiana exclaimed, filled with excitement.

"Excellent choice."

An hour later, after signing up, Tiana went to Jane's house and waited for the app to finish setting up. She shared with Jane what Eliot had explained earlier, and Jane was surprised to hear about the golden egg.

"Wow! The golden egg?" Jane exclaimed in astonishment.

"Yes, I was skeptical at first, but Eliot said it was a very rare chance for people like us. I had no choice but to take it," Tiana joyfully shared with Jane.

"Congratulations! You made the right decision. I can't wait to see the men they'll set you up with," Jane responded.

"They can't be that different from the ones you had. Oh, sorry! Hughie, does this conversation make you uncomfortable?" Tiana asked, noticing Jane's husband listening quietly.

"No, it's fine. We were taught not to get emotional easily. But this is an interesting conversation. Why did you choose me, honey? I'm sure there were more handsome guys on your options," Hughie curiously asked Jane.

"Are you allowed to ask that?" Jane sarcastically replied, countering his question.

"Sorry, you don't have to tell me," he replied with a serious face. "I'm just kidding. The reason I chose you? I guess it was your kind eyes. The moment I saw your eyes, I just knew you and I were meant to be. Were you disappointed in me when we met?" Jane asked.

"Never. I fell in love with you from the moment I saw you in that wedding dress. Looking into your eyes, I also knew you and I were meant to be. After living with you for the past few months, I can't believe I'm married to such a wonderful person. You have a fine and precious heart, a gift that breathed life into an empty shell. Without you, my life would be empty," Hughie expressed his love.

"Oh, honey! I can't live without you either. I love you very, very much!" Jane replied, filled with affection. Hughie leaned closer and passionately kissed his wife, leaving Tiana feeling awkward.

"Alright, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. See you later," Tiana awkwardly said, excusing herself.

"I'll come to your place later to help you find your soul mate. Wait for me, okay?" Jane excitedly exclaimed.

"Alright, thanks," Tiana replied and headed back to her place. Upon arriving home, she waited a few hours for the app to finish setting up and then began scrolling through the profiles of the handsome golden men displayed on the app. And then, she saw him: David Bash, 36. It was love at first sight. Tiana couldn't believe she had the opportunity to marry such a handsome man just by clicking on his profile. She had never imagined that she would have a chance to date, let alone marry someone in her lifetime. She spent hours admiring his profile, captivated by his looks.

Later, Jane arrived to help Tiana choose a man who would fulfill her dreams.

"Don't tell me you've already chosen one," Jane said upon her arrival.

"Not yet," Tiana replied.

Jane took the phone from Tiana, curious to see what the so-called golden egg peers looked like. She felt a twinge of jealousy as she observed their looks.

"Wow! They are even more handsome than I thought, certainly more handsome than the ones from my list. Not that they are better than my husband, though!" Jane said to Tiana.

"Of course! Now help me choose one," Tiana requested.

"Have you shortlisted anyone from these?" Jane asked.

"That David Bash is not that bad, I guess," Tiana replied absentmindedly.

"David Bash... hmm, he's not bad at all! Select four more guys, then take your time and really think before choosing one of them," Jane advised.

Blinded by David's charm, Tiana randomly selected four other guys without much thought, merely for the sake of her friend. Then, she pretended to contemplate carefully before finally deciding to choose David Bash.

"Are you sure?" Jane asked.

"Yes," Tiana replied resolutely.

"After I click this, there's no going back," Jane warned.

"I'm certain," Tiana assured her. Jane clicked on David.

"Alright, congratulations! This weekend, you're marrying David Bash," Jane excitedly announced to Tiana.

"That's it? I'm getting nervous!" Tiana anxiously responded.

"Don't worry, I'm here for you. You're finally getting married! It's going to be awesome! I promise, there's nothing to worry about," Jane reassured her.

"Except for delivering the news to my parents. They always wanted me to find someone, but I'm not sure if they'll be happy to hear about this," Tiana expressed her worry.

"If you're unsure, just don't tell them until after you're married. That's what I did."

That evening, Tiana decided to call her parents and inform them about her decision. Her mother was open to the idea, but her father became furious, considering it dishonorable and an insult that someone would marry his daughter without his permission or meeting his family. The following weekend, Tiana went ahead and got married to David Bash.