Mateo was a data archivist in the same sector. Quiet. Careful. His eyes the color of burnt honey. They were assigned to work together on a project cataloging pre-Prohibición literature — old books full of sonnets, love letters, and poems about "soulmates."
The Prohibición de la Relación had been law for three generations. Citizens were paired by the Registry of Affection, assigned partners based on genetic and social compatibility. These were not marriages. They were "Collaborations" — functional unions for raising children and sharing resources. Romance was considered a destabilizing force, a relic of a chaotic past that led to jealousy, war, and economic collapse. Mateo was a data archivist in the same sector
"Don't," she whispered.
Emilia felt the words land like a stone in still water. and economic collapse. "Don't