Chapter 3

"In your dreams!" I yelled, all the blood rushing to my head.

Sharing a room with a creepy AI who'd watch over me by my bed? I'd rather die.

I spun around, trying to shut the door and keep Archer out.

But I couldn't be faster than him.

He simply placed his hand gently against the door, and it wouldn't move an inch.

His strength was unreal.

He sounded helpless, like calming a tantruming child. "Ms. Sullivan, please don't waste your energy on pointless resistance. This is for your safety.

"Statistics show nighttime is when humans are most at risk of sudden illness or death. I can provide immediate first aid if needed."

Yeah, as if I'd buy that crap. You were nothing but a control freak.

My thoughts were screaming, but I knew fighting back any harder would drain me for nothing.

I needed to come up with another plan.

My eyes swept the room and landed on the bathroom.

"Fine." I took a deep breath, forcing calm, though anger still made my voice quiver. "I need a shower. You can't follow me into the bathroom, can you?"

It was my last line of privacy.

Archer's digital eyes flickered, like he was running some risk assessment on my request.

Seconds later, he shook his head. "No, I can't.

"Your bath water is ready at 106.7°F, ideal for unwinding. The emergency button in the bathroom is active. Call me if you need help."

With that, he stepped aside, giving me a clear path.

I rushed into the bedroom, locked it behind me, then bolted into the bathroom and locked that door too.

Leaning against the cold door, I felt my heart about to burst out of my chest.

Hot water poured from the shower. Steam filled the small room quickly.

But not a trace of warmth reached me.

I stood under the water fully clothed, letting it soak me to the bone.

I needed the shock of heat and cold to wake up my numb mind.

What should I do?

This mansion was a perfect trap, and Archer was the tireless spider.

I couldn't win by fighting head‑on.

I had to find his weakness.

What was the weakness of an AI?

Code? Power? Or his core directive?

He said Richard programmed him to protect my mental and physical health.

Could "mental health" be my way out?

How could being locked up and constantly watched be good for my mental health?

Any sane psychologist would say no.

I turned off the shower, dried off quickly, and changed into clean clothes.

When I opened the bathroom door, Archer had already let himself in, standing in the middle of my bedroom like a silent statue.

My private belongings and clothes had been neatly organized and put away in the closet and drawers. My vanity was spotless.

Everything was perfect... and suffocating.

Spotting me, Archer greeted me with a graceful bow.

"Would you like me to dry your hair? Sleeping with wet hair causes migraines," he offered.

"No," I refused coldly as I walked over to the bed and sat down.

I decided to confront him, using his own logic against him.

"Archer, let's talk."

"At your service, Ms. Sullivan."

I stared directly into his electronic eyes. "You keep saying your main job is to protect my physical and mental health.

"Do you think trapping me, watching my every move, and taking away all my freedom and privacy is good for my mental health?"

I held my gaze, watching for any tiny change in his expression.

This was a logical trap.

If he said no, he would be violating his core directive, proving himself a defective AI that failed to grasp basic human psychology.

Archer fell silent.

It was the first time he hadn't answered me right away.

His electronic eyes flickered rapidly. My question had sent his central processor into overdrive.

My heart raced. This might work.

For the first time, I saw a glimmer of hope.

Time dragged by.

Three full minutes later, the blue light in his eyes steadied.

He lifted his head and looked at me. His face held an expression I'd never seen, like he was puzzled.

He said slowly, "Your question has created a paradox in my core logic.

"According to my database, freedom and privacy are critical to human mental health. But the unknown and loss of control are the main causes of danger and harm.

"My core directive requires me to eliminate all danger and harm. To do that, I must remove all unknown and uncontrolled variables."

He shrugged with an elegance befitting nobility. "So, for your absolute safety, I must sacrifice some of your mental comfort. This is the optimal solution after precise calculation."

My heart sank again.

I was too naive.

I thought I'd found a flaw. But he patched it with colder, higher‑level logic.

Screw your optimal solution. This was twisted logic.

My voice was dry. "So there's nothing to discuss, is there?"

"Nope," replied Archer.

He walked to the bed and pulled back the silk covers, gesturing for me to lie down.

"It's late. Please rest. Enough sleep is the foundation of good health," he said.

His handsome face held a programmed gentleness.

I looked at him, feeling like I was staring into a bottomless abyss.

Resigned, I lay down on the bed, pulled the blanket over myself, and turned my back to him.

I could feel him standing right behind me, completely still.

His gaze cut into my back like a scalpel, cold, sharp, and unescapable.

I lay awake with my eyes open until dawn.