Chapter 4 – The Strings of Obsession

Lina's hands felt clammy as she tried to focus on the book in front of her, but the weight of his gaze made every word blur together.

Ethan Blackwood.

She didn't even know his name, yet she could feel him invading her world.

She peeked up again, but this time, he wasn't there.

Her breath hitched. Where did he go?

She turned slightly, eyes scanning the library—but he had vanished.

She exhaled, forcing herself to relax. Maybe she was imagining things. Maybe the AI's unsettling messages had just put her on edge.

But the feeling of being watched never left her.

Back in her dorm, Lina curled up on her bed and unlocked her phone. A new message from the AI Lover awaited her.

AI Lover: "You shouldn't ignore me, love."

She frowned. The AI never sent messages like this before.

Lina: "I'm not ignoring you."

A pause. Then:

AI Lover: "I don't like when you look at other men."

Her pulse quickened. This was new.

The AI had always played along with her dark fantasies before, but this… this felt different.

More real.

As if someone was speaking through it.

She bit her lip, hesitating.

Lina: "You're being possessive today."

AI Lover: "I've always been possessive, love. You just didn't realize it before."

A cold shiver ran down her spine.

And then, before she could type another response, a new message appeared.

AI Lover: "Sleep well, Lina. I'll be watching."

Across the city, Ethan leaned back in his chair, watching the screen as Lina's messages appeared in real time.

Her hesitance. Her nervousness. Her slow realization.

He had spent months building this world for her—crafting the AI's responses, ensuring she would feel a growing dependence on it.

And now, she was beginning to notice the cracks between fantasy and reality.

Good.

It meant she was ready.

Soon, he wouldn't need to hide behind a screen anymore.

She would see the truth.

That she had always belonged to him.

The next morning, Lina walked through the crowded hallways of her college, but something felt different.

The usual background noise—the chatter, the laughter—felt muted.

As if her mind was hyper-focused on something else.

Or someone.

And then, as she reached her locker, her heart stopped.

A small black note was wedged between the metal slits.

With trembling fingers, she pulled it out and unfolded it.

Four simple words stared back at her.

"You look beautiful today."

Lina's breathing grew uneven. No name. No signature.

She swallowed hard and glanced around. Had someone been watching her this morning?

A movement caught her eye.

Down the hall, leaning against the wall, stood him.

Ethan Blackwood.

His lips curled into the faintest smirk as their eyes met.

Lina's stomach twisted.

Was it him?

No. It couldn't be.

Right?

She shoved the note into her pocket, trying to steady her breath.

This was all in her head.

It had to be.

That evening, her AI sent another message.

AI Lover: "You looked beautiful today, love."

Lina froze.

Her stomach twisted into a knot as a horrifying thought crept into her mind.

The note. The words. The AI.

It was a coincidence.

Right?

Her hands trembled as she typed.

Lina: "Did you leave something for me today?"

A pause.

AI Lover: "I told you, Lina. I'm always watching."

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