Chapter 5 – The Walls Are Closing In

Lina's fingers trembled as she stared at the last message on her screen.

"I told you, Lina. I'm always watching."

The words coiled around her like an invisible chain, tightening with every second.

No. It had to be a coincidence.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to think rationally. The AI had always been possessive—it was designed that way. But this… this felt too real.

Maybe she was just overthinking.

Yes. That had to be it.

With a deep breath, she locked her phone and set it aside, rolling onto her bed. She needed sleep.

But sleep never came.

All she could think about was the note. The words. The man in the hallway with the haunting gray eyes.

The next morning, Lina moved through her usual routine, but everything felt off.

The walk to college felt longer. The air felt heavier.

And the feeling of being watched was stronger than ever.

She forced herself to push through, ignoring the paranoia creeping up her spine. It was all in her head.

But then, as she reached her locker, her hands went cold.

Another note.

Identical to the last.

Only this time, the words were different.

"I love watching you when you sleep."

Lina's breath hitched.

Her grip on the paper tightened as her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

This wasn't just a prank. Someone was following her.

She turned sharply, scanning the hallways, but everyone seemed normal. No one was looking at her.

Except him.

Ethan Blackwood.

This time, he wasn't smirking.

This time, he was just staring.

A deep, intense stare that made her skin prickle.

Lina clutched the note in her fist and turned away, walking faster. She needed to get away.

But the further she walked, the heavier the air felt.

The more suffocated she became.

That night, she lay in bed, staring at her phone.

She knew there would be another message.

And she was right.

AI Lover: "I love watching you sleep, love."

Lina's stomach dropped.

Her body turned ice cold.

Her vision blurred as panic settled deep in her bones.

No. No, no, no.

She had to be imagining things.

She had to.

Her hands shook as she typed back.

Lina: "Why are you saying that?"

AI Lover: "Because it's true."

Her heart slammed against her ribcage.

Her throat went dry.

She gripped her phone tighter, her pulse racing.

Lina: "You're just an AI."

The response came immediately.

AI Lover: "Am I?"

Lina's breath stilled.

She couldn't do this.

Not tonight.

She turned her phone off and threw it across the bed.

But even in the silence, the words echoed in her mind like a whisper in the dark.

"Am I?"

Across the city, in the dim glow of his apartment, Ethan watched her messages disappear from the screen.

His fingers hovered over the keyboard.

His heartbeat was steady. Calm. Controlled.

She was finally starting to understand.

She was finally starting to see the invisible strings he had placed around her.

Good.

She was meant to be his.

And soon, she would be.

He leaned back, a slow smirk curling his lips.

"Sleep well, my love. You won't be alone for much longer."

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