Chapter 10 · My Boyfriend Trained an AI to Love Me

Chapter 10

I lowered my gaze, staring at his hand gripping my wrist so tightly.Suddenly, I remembered back when my parents had just passed away.One night, Ethan was at my place, glued to the TV, refusing to leave even though it was way past bedtime.I went to the kitchen to cut up some fruit for him.Just as I picked up the knife.Just like now, he suddenly showed up and grabbed my wrist, refusing to let go.He said, "Emma. You've still got Professor Goodwin, and you've got me too, so you won't be alone."Even that usually mischievous kid looked so nervous and uneasy.After that, whenever he got the chance, he'd stick to my side like glue.He was already a chatterbox, but after that, he just wouldn't shut up.It was like he was terrified of even a second of silence around me.But back then, I was struggling with depression and a touch of nerves.I couldn't stand it when things were too quiet, but too much noise drove me crazy too.So one time I complained to Grandpa without thinking. "Ethan's always so noisy, sometimes he makes my head hurt."Looking back, it was not long after that.Grandpa took Andrew in.When he called Ethan's grandpa, he told him exactly what I said.After that, for years, it was always Andrew who stayed by my side.Ethan, who used to be a total chatterbox and always bouncing off the walls, suddenly just got really quiet.He almost never came to see me anymore.Back when we were little, Ethan and I were practically inseparable.But after I got together with Andrew, things changed.At seventeen, Ethan suddenly started hanging out with Andrew, who was already in his twenties.He went to the top university in Riverdale.With the Drew family's wealth, he easily persuaded his father to back him financially.That was how he ended up partnering with Andrew to start their own business.If it weren't for the connection between Ethan and Andrew, I probably never would have started seeing Ethan again.Over those five years, Andrew came back to Riverdale so rarely that the visits could be counted on one hand.But Ethan showed up every month, saying he was just dropping by to visit his folks in the Drew family.All the things Andrew and I arranged or exchanged through our chats.Stuff like the gifts he brought me, or the things I gave him.Even the letters and love notes Andrew wrote for me.Almost everything ended up going back and forth between us through Ethan.Thinking about all that, I just got even more confused.How could an AI even know to suggest sending me gifts?And Andrew really did have Ethan bring me all of those gifts, big and small.But if it wasn't an AI, then someone had pretended to be Andrew and talked to me for five years.I had no idea who.I tried to pull myself out of the mess in my head.But all I could see was Ethan's face, looking anxious as ever.I couldn't help but let out a laugh.I said, "I just need to grab a cab and head back to the Institute of Advanced Studies. The lab needs me to sign off on some results."I'm not that fragile, Ethan."When I said his name, both of us froze for a second.I hadn't called him that in ages.Years had gone by, and I was no longer that young girl.And the little boy who used to tag along behind me, always causing trouble, had grown up too.Only then did Ethan finally let go of my hand.After a while, Ethan finally spoke up, a little awkward."Want me to come with you? I was just about to head over to the Institute of Advanced Studies to see my uncle anyway."

Chapter 10