Penelope lay sprawled across her bed, the slow hum of the ceiling fan doing little to fight off the afternoon heat.

Sweat clung to her skin as she scrolled through TikTok, her half-lidded eyes drifting over the endless stream of videos.

Then a sudden ding came from her phone, startling her.

Penelope’s thumb froze mid-scroll as a bright, glittery ad burst onto her phone screen, colors flashing obnoxiously against the dim room.

‘Find your perfect match today!’ the ad flashed in bright ...