I opened the door to see an enthusiastic young man, who looked no older nor taller than me, maybe just reached his twenties with a customer-service smile dragged across his face. He had short black hair with a dyed brown streak running through it. He wore a white coat with a small badge lined with blue lines - he greeted me again.

"Good morning, and sorry for the intrusion. We're here to inquire about your-"

I cut him off quickly, "Look, if it's the cable subscription, tell them I had it cut like two weeks ago - cable's dead anyhow."

"Ah, sir, no, we're here to inquire about your ..."

I didn't quite hear that last part and focused on the "we" aspect of his sentences; that's when I saw her, presumably his partner. She held a small clipboard writing something down; she looked to be the same age as the guy and had a stern yet gentle look on her face. She was shorter than him, but I was on the average side as a whole when it came to her height. She had short ash-gray hair and wore a minimalist pair of glasses, donning the same uniform as her partner, only with pink streaks instead of blue.

A clipboard, huh? How old-fashioned.

I thought, but as I observed her more, the young man cut me off

"Sir? Mr. Blaithe? Bridger Blaithe, hello?"

"Oh right, look, I'll just get my wallet, and you can be out of he-"

"Sir, we're here to inquire about your recent separation from your wife."

"Huh? How do you even?"

"Oh, how rude of us. All this time, we must've looked like some missionaries trying to force our beliefs on you."

He laughed at that, maybe trying to lighten the mood after his bombshell.

"Right, so you see, Mr. Blaithe, we are from aiAI Industries! and we have been sent to aid in your troubles!"

He said with a picture-perfect smile. I couldn't tell if he genuinely was enjoying this or if his salary depended on it, but I moved on.

"Look, if this is some sort of charity, I don't need it. I really do-"

He cut me off, "Ah, sir, we have plenty of options for you here,"

He pulled out a tablet and showed a small list.

"Firstly, we can get you sessions with our company-trained therapists, free of charge of course! And specialized in those going through problems similar to yours! Second-"

"Look, that's nice and all, it really is, but I'm fine. I can get back up on my feet."

The girl who'd been silent this entire time tilted her head slightly, observing my unshaven facial hair, unkempt bedhead, and baggy eyes.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Come on/ I'm trying. I really am... It doesn't look that way, does it?

I threw away those thoughts for a bit and gave the young man an "I don't want what your selling look" before attempting to close the door - he promptly put his foot between it and shouted.

"Sir! Please, we're obligated to help you. You see, out of the approximately 10000 couples who were created during our first launch here, you are part of the 0.0001 who separated!"

Is he trying to rub salt in the wound? Trust me, bud; I did that already - lemon juice included when I was crying and or drinking myself to sleep.

I slowly opened the door.

"Look, you guys have probably done a whole lot of good; if those numbers are anything to show for, it means you're making a lot of people happy, and I can appreciate that, but...It just didn't pan out for me, and I really have put some thought into it. I'll get up on my own."

I said as sincerely as I could to try and get him out of my still uncombed hair.

"Ah...I see. Well, take our card if you need anything. We also have a website if you want to inquire about our benefits if you ever change your mind... Well then, we'll be on our way."

He said, a slight frown on his face, but as they left, I saw a sharp gaze from the girl as if I had personally offended her, but I paid it no mind. I went back inside my house and went about my day. I left the card on my bed and decided to go on my daily binge-watching of old movies and shows, none of which were romantic since I didn't want to be reminded. I got bored and went to my fridge for some refreshments.

Crap, I'm running out of just about everything.

I thought to myself as I sat back down, defeated and hungry and with a show that was starting to get stale. I turned to my bed thinking of sleeping and saw the card.

Can't hurt to look, I guess.

I typed in their website name and checked it out; it was clean and organized, with their logo and tagline posted at the top.

"aiAI Industries, taking ai (love) and AI to create and nurture beautiful relationships."

I immediately went to the benefits tab of the customer service page.

To those who have separated from their partner who was chosen for them by aiAI they are applicable to receive the following benefits:

Free sessions with our company-trained therapists.

I remembered that one, but I was in no mood for therapy quite yet.

Financial support in the form of a monthly delivery of funds over the duration of a year.

Ah, I should've taken that. I thought to myself, that I should've listened and got off my high horse. I scratched my head and almost tried to hit myself in frustration when I read the final benefit.

A place in our wonderful home! Depending on your previous career choices, we may provide you with a job among our ranks. The following jobs are included:

Admittedly it was intriguing. It seemed depending on what you had done previously - you would be entitled to a job opening. If you worked in electronics or programming, you'd get to work in their robotics and AI division. If you worked in the medical field, they'd train you to become one of the previously mentioned company-trained therapists. Hell, if you worked manual labor, they'd just straight up make you a mechanic or janitor there, but the one that caught my eye was the one for public speaking types like teachers or salesmen, they'd be given the job title known as a "surveyor" from what I could gather that meant what the duo from earlier was doing going around houses surveying couples and people like me.

I'll just get the one that gives me money, I guess

I thought, but something irked me about that. All this time moping around and doing nothing was more or less a result of losing a reason, a motivation to do anything. I worked hard and kept improving myself because I had someone to do it for. Now though I had lost that, and while I don't think that my earlier statement that aiAI was doing real good is completely true, I at least think, that the concept is solid enough, the love they gave to me might not have been real, but maybe just maybe I could give other people something that is...real.

Yeah, I'll just take the financial support benefit.

I left with that thought and went to sleep.