Page 41 of Loved By Aphrodite

Hephaestus glanced up briefly, his expression grim. “Mortals are completely distracted. Look at this.”

The screen shifted to show a reporter standing outside a massive corporate headquarters. “In a shocking turn, Fortune 500 companies have reported record low attendance rates,” the reporter said, gesturing to the empty parking lot behind her. “Employees are calling in sick to plan weddings, declare their love, or go on spontaneous romantic getaways. Productivity losses are estimated to be in the billions.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Even the workaholics?”

Hephaestus nodded. “Even them.”

The screen cut to an airport terminal, now eerily quiet. The reporter continued, “In the travel sector, airlines are struggling to keep up with cancellations as passengers prioritize staying close to loved ones rather than embarking on business tripsor summer vacations. The industry is facing unprecedented challenges.”

Finally, the broadcast showed an aerial view of New York City, the streets filled with couples in festive attire rather than the usual chaos of pedestrians and honking cars. “And in cities across the globe, government offices and courts are overwhelmed with marriage license applications. Some municipalities have declared emergency measures to handle the influx.”

She frowned. “You’re telling me the world is falling apart because people are…in love?”

Her eyes remained glued to the television as the news anchor described the chaos unfolding across the globe. Weddings in grocery stores, love-struck CEOs abandoning boardrooms for impromptu serenades, and entire schools closing as teachers and students alike chased their crushes.

A fresh wave of worry swept over her. She turned to Hephaestus, who was still focused on his laptop. “This is too much of a disruption. We need to stop the fake love now. People aren’t living their lives—they’re obsessed. It’s unnatural.”

Hephaestus looked up, his brow furrowing in agreement. “I think I can shut down the app in an hour. It’s not complicated once I bypass Anchises’s security measures.”

She bit her lip, considering his words. “Could you…add something to the code? Like a filter that stops the fake love matches but lets the real ones continue?”

He blinked, as if surprised by the request, but his lips quirked in a small, knowing smile. “Of course I can. But for something like that to work, we’ll need your magic. Love magic. The kind that knows the difference between infatuation and the real deal.”

“You can’t do it on your own?” Her cheeks flushed, and she folded her arms, trying to mask her sudden embarrassment.

“Aphrodite, it’s your domain. Without you, I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“It’s just…love magic is personal. Intense,” she sighed. “I’m used to weaving it for mortals, not coding it into an app.”

“I know you can do it, just let your magic flow and do what feels right.”

She met his gaze, and for a moment, the room felt charged with the quiet tension of unspoken emotions. Finally, she nodded. “Okay. Let’s do it. For the mortals.”

Hephaestus smirked. “For the mortals.”

After Hephaestus was done working on the code, they sat side by side as he explained the app’s framework. When she was ready, she closed her eyes, summoning the subtle shimmer of her magic, feeling the pulse of true love’s essence within her.

She placed her hands gently over the keyboard, closing her eyes as she concentrated. A soft golden glow emanated from her fingertips, seeping into the laptop as her magic intertwined with the framework. She could feel the pulse of the code, its mechanical rhythm shifting and adjusting as her love magic found its way through.

Beside her, Hephaestus worked steadily, his fingers flying over the keys. She followed his lead, and bit by bit, she felt the balance form—the delicate line between real love and the artificial spark created by the app.

Her breath hitched as the sensation locked into place, a perfect equilibrium between the two. “There,” she whispered, soft but confident. “That’s it. The balance.”

“Got it.” With a final flourish of keystrokes, he leaned back, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. “Done.”

Aphrodite threw her arms around him. “We did it!”

Hephaestus laughed, and his arms wrapped around her, holding her close. “I think we make a pretty good team.”

She chuckled. “I guess we do.”

“We should get?—”

A soft fluttering of wings interrupted Hephaestus. Their gazes met as they both recognized the sound.

“Hello, Aphrodite,” Hermes, Messenger of the Gods, greeted as his winged leather sandals landed on the ground. “You are—Hephaestus.” The normally humorless god’s stupefied expression was almost comical as he stared at their entwined arms.

“Yes?” Hephaestus answered, refusing to let go of Aphrodite.

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