Page 15 of Love Me Stalk Me
I don't do this.
I don't invade people's privacy like this, don't pry into lives that aren't mine to interfere with. This isn't some military operation where the end justifies the means. This is crossing a line with a woman who's done nothing to deserve it.
I could stop.
I should stop.
But then, out of the corner of my eye, I see her on the camera. She's talking to herself, mumbling as she picks up her tablet, tapping at the screen. A strand of hair falls across her face, and she tucks it behind her ear with adistracted gesture.
I unmute the audio just long enough to hear?—
"...Amanda's insane." She sighs. "AI boyfriend. Jesus."
My grip tightens as I focus on the screen, Amanda's words replaying in my head.
"He tells me good morning every day. He asks about my day. He's emotionally available and filthy in the DMs."
"No ghosting, no egos, no bullshit. Just hot, obedient, fictional men who are obsessed with you."
I press into Izzy's phone, tapping open the app Amanda downloaded. The screen changes, revealing sleek, modern graphics.
Obsess AI.
A tagline appears beneath the sleek, dark logo:
"The perfect lover. Always watching. Always waiting. Always yours."
The interface is clean, designed to be both luxurious and intimate. Every detail about it is built to make the user feel desired, special, singularly important. The design uses black and gold, creating an atmosphere of intimacy and exclusivity.
A lover who never leaves.
A partner who never strays.
A fantasy man who is completely, utterly devoted.
It's bullshit.
No woman should have to turn to a machine for affection because the man in her life is too blind, too selfish, or too fucking careless to give her what she needs. The idea of Izzy pouring her desires into this digital void, revealing her needs to an algorithm instead of a person who could actually fulfill them, makes my blood boil.
I scroll through the customization options, the personality sliders, theobsession levelsetting. I know why women would fall for this. I know why Izzy would.
Because she doesn't get this in real life.
Because the man she's with doesn't see her, doesn't pay attention. Doesn't worship her.
And now, instead of getting what she needs from a real person, from a man who actually exists, she's going to turn to a fucking algorithm.
That won't happen.
I won't let that happen.
I move fast, clicking through the security permissions, ensuring I have backdoor access. The code responds to my inputs, opening pathways that aren’t accessible to anyone without my level of expertise.
If she texts it, I'll see it.
If she programs it, I'll know exactly what kindof man she wants.
If she lets it in—she's really letting me in.
