Chapter 2 – The Man Behind the Screen

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.

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