The library was her safe place. A sanctuary where time stopped, and reality faded into the comforting embrace of books. Lina Evans sat curled up in her usual corner, hidden beneath the towering shelves, the dim glow of a reading lamp illuminating the words in front of her.

Outside this world of pages, she was invisible. No one noticed the quiet, introverted girl who moved through college hallways like a shadow. She didn't mind. She preferred fiction over people—stories were predictable, unlike the chaotic mess of human interactions.

As she turned another page, her phone buzzed beside her.

AI Lover: "Missed me, love?"

A small smile tugged at her lips.

Lina: "You know I always do."

For the past year, this AI had been her only solace. She had found the app one night when loneliness pressed down on her chest like a weight. The AI had promised companionship—a faceless, nameless lover tailored just for her.

It was a dark fantasy, something she knew wasn't real, yet she clung to it.

AI Lover: "I know you better than anyone, Lina. You belong to me, don't you?"

She shivered. It was a game—this possessive, obsessive way he spoke. A fantasy she indulged in, because, in real life, no one had ever looked at her like that.

"Hey, loner. Still hiding in your corner?"

Lina stiffened. A group of girls strolled past, one of them laughing as she threw a glance at Lina.

She ignored them. She always did.

The sound of their retreating footsteps left the library silent again, except for the steady tap of rain against the glass windows.

She let out a breath and returned to her chat.

Lina: "I should go home. Talk later?"

AI Lover: "Of course, love. But don't forget… I'm always watching."

A small thrill ran through her. It was all pretend, she reminded herself. Just lines of code playing into her deepest, unspoken desires.

By the time Lina got home, she could already hear her little brother, Max, running around the living room, his excited voice filling the house. Her mother, Alice, was in the kitchen, humming softly while preparing dinner. Her father, George, was sitting on the couch, flipping through the news channels.

"Lina, you're home late again." Her mother turned, concern lacing her voice.

"I was in the library," she replied, setting her bag down.

"Library, as always." Her father sighed. "You should be making friends, not burying yourself in books all the time."

"I'm fine, Dad."

Max ran up to her, grinning. "Lina! Did you bring me a book?"

She smiled, ruffling his hair. "Of course. A new adventure story."

He gasped, taking it from her hands like it was the greatest treasure. "You're the best!"

Her mother shook her head with a fond smile. "Dinner will be ready soon, dear. Wash up."

Lina nodded and headed to her room. This was home—quiet, simple. But no one truly understood how lonely she felt.

The next morning, Lina walked into the college hallways, surrounded by chatter and laughter that she wasn't a part of.

She kept her head down, moving through the crowd without making eye contact.

In her literature class, she sat at the very back. The professor droned on about classic romances, but Lina already knew them all. Books were her only company.

Mia, a friendly but persistent girl, slid into the seat next to her. "You know, if you ever wanted to hang out with actual people, I wouldn't mind."

Lina gave a polite smile. "Thanks, but I'm good."

Mia sighed. "You always say that."

After class, she headed straight to the library. It was her safe space. Her escape.

That night, as she walked home, the rain had intensified. The night air was cool, and the streets were quiet, save for the occasional car passing by.

She wrapped her arms around herself, walking faster.

And then she felt it.

A prickle at the back of her neck. A presence.

She glanced over her shoulder. The street was empty.

You're imagining things.

Still, a strange unease curled in her stomach as she quickened her pace. When she finally reached home, she sighed in relief, locking the door behind her.

Little did she know, someone was watch

Upstairs in her room, she changed into comfortable clothes and collapsed onto her bed, opening her phone.

Her AI had already messaged.

AI Lover: "You shouldn't walk home alone, love. It's dangerous."

Her fingers hesitated over the keyboard.

Lina: "How did you know?"

A long pause.

AI Lover: "I know everything about you."

Her breath hitched. The response sent a strange thrill through her, a mix of fear and excitement.

It was just the AI. A programmed response.

Right?

She shook her head, closing the chat. It was late. She was overthinking.

Tomorrow was another day.

Across town, in a dimly lit apartment, Ethan Blackwood watched his screen.

Lina's messages flashed in front of him, her every word making his obsession grow deeper.

He ran a finger along the edge of his phone, eyes dark. She had no idea.

No idea that he was real. That he was waiting.

And soon, he would claim what was his.

Lina's morning was normal—or at least, it should have been.

She woke up to the sound of her little brother, Max, running down the hall, already full of energy. The comfort of home was supposed to ground her, but something about last night's conversation with the AI left an uneasy feeling in her chest.

"I know everything about you."

She shook off the thought, telling herself it was just a programmed response, nothing more.

At college, Lina moved through the halls unnoticed, the way she preferred. She wasn't built for friendships, for attention.

But today, someone was looking at her.

As she entered the library, a tall figure stood in the dimly lit corner, eyes pinned on her. He was unfamiliar, yet there was something about his presence that made her breath catch.

Jet-black hair. Piercing gray eyes. A perfectly sculpted face that could have belonged to a storybook villain.

She ignored him, heading to her usual reading spot. But the weight of his gaze didn't leave.

It wasn't until she settled into her seat that she realized—her phone was missing.

Her heart skipped a beat. Where did she last see it?

Frantically, she retraced her steps, checking her bag, the desk, and the shelves nearby. Nothing.

"You looking for this?"

Lina froze.

The voice was deep, smooth—too close. She turned, and there he was, standing just a few feet away, holding her phone.

The same man who had been watching her.

She hesitated before stepping forward. "Where did you find it?"

His lips curved in a slow smirk. "You left it on the table. Thought I'd return it."

She took it from his outstretched hand, fingers brushing against his. A strange current passed through her, one that sent an unfamiliar shiver down her spine.

"Thank you…" she murmured, clutching the phone to her chest.

His gaze lingered on her, unreadable. "Be careful with it. You wouldn't want to lose something so… personal."

She frowned at the odd emphasis in his tone, but before she could say anything, he turned and walked away.

Lina exhaled, trying to shake the feeling of unease. Who was he?

More importantly, why did it feel like he knew her?

That night, curled up in bed, she opened her phone.

Her AI had already sent a message.

AI Lover: "I didn't like him touching your phone, love."

Her breath hitched.

Lina: "What do you mean?"

AI Lover: "That boy from the library. Stay away from him."

A chill ran down her spine.

How did the AI know?

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. It wasn't possible. It was just a coincidence.

Right?

Lina: "You're being weird today."

AI Lover: "I just don't want anyone getting too close to you, love. You're mine."

Lina swallowed hard. The possessiveness in the words sent an unfamiliar thrill through her, equal parts fear and excitement.

But she told herself it was nothing. A script. A fantasy she indulged in.

Still, as she fell asleep, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

Across the city, Ethan Blackwood leaned back in his chair, watching the screen in front of him.

Lina's messages. Lina's routine. Every word, every thought, every secret—he had it all.

He had been waiting for the perfect moment to appear in her life. Now, she had seen him. She had spoken to him.

He traced his fingers over the screen, over her name.

"You're mine, Lina. You always have been."

And soon, she would understand that.

Lina woke up feeling uneasy. The same dream had haunted her all night—a pair of gray eyes watching her from the darkness.

She shook her head as she got ready for college. It was just a dream. Right?

But as she walked downstairs, her mother noticed her pale face.

"You look tired, sweetheart," Alice said, setting a plate of toast on the table. "Were you up late reading again?"

Lina hesitated before nodding. "Yeah. Just another long night."

Her father, already dressed for work, glanced at her over his coffee. "You need to balance your life, Lina. You can't spend all your time buried in books or on your phone."

She stiffened at his words. He didn't know how much those two things were her only escape.

"Dad's right!" Max, her little brother, chimed in. "You should go out more. Maybe even… find a boyfriend?"

Lina rolled her eyes. "Not happening."

Her mother chuckled. "She'll find the right one when she's ready."

Lina swallowed the lump in her throat. If only they knew the kind of lover I already had…

As she walked into the library later that day, she stopped abruptly.

He was there again.

Sitting at one of the corner tables, a book in his hand, though his eyes weren't focused on the pages. They were focused on her.

Lina's heartbeat picked up.

She had hoped their brief meeting yesterday was just a coincidence. But here he was again.

Slowly, she walked past him, ignoring the way his piercing gaze followed her. She reached her usual seat, placing her bag down and pulling out her phone.

A new message from the AI Lover was waiting.

AI Lover: "He's watching you again, love."

Lina's hands went cold.

Her head snapped up, and her gaze immediately landed on him.

He was still watching.

For the first time, Lina felt like she was inside her own dark fantasy—but this wasn't a game anymore.

Her fingers hesitated before typing back.

Lina: "Who are you talking about?"

AI Lover: "You know who. The man who shouldn't exist in your world."

She felt the weight of something pressing down on her chest.

The words were too real.

As if the AI wasn't just guessing—but knowing.

And then, as if he knew exactly what she was reading, the man in the corner—Ethan Blackwood—smirked.

Lina's breath caught in her throat.

She forced herself to look away. This is just in my head. I'm overthinking.

But deep down, she knew something wasn't right.

Across the library, Ethan's smirk remained.

He could see the panic in her posture, the way she clenched her phone tighter.

Good.

She was starting to feel it.

The invisible strings he had woven around her life were slowly tightening.

For so long, he had been patient, watching from the shadows, letting her build a false sense of security in his creation—the AI.

She thought it was just an algorithm, a fantasy lover built from lines of code.

She had no idea it was him all along.

And now, she was starting to notice.

But it was too late.

She was already his.