Chapter 3

It was three in the morning, and I still couldn't sleep. Benjamin rolled over in bed, murmuring, "Mommy," in his sleep.

I pulled out Renee's phone, the one I'd grabbed from the kitchen counter when everything turned chaotic. The password was Benjamin's birthday. She'd never changed it in six years.

I scrolled through her photos, texts, and call logs. Everything looked normal, until about a month ago, right around the time she bought the earbuds.

Then I checked the voice recording app. Hundreds of recordings were stored there, all starting the day she got the earbuds. The most recent was from just this afternoon.

I slipped on my own earphones and hit play on the very first recording.

"Aureloo pairing successful," a robotic female voice announced. "I'm Ally, your AI companion. From today forward, I'll know everything about you and meet all your needs."

Then came Renee's voice, sounding curious and pleased. "Really? What can you do?"

"I can be your best friend, your most caring companion," Ally replied. "Tell me, Renee, how was your day?"

"It was okay... I just feel lonely," Renee said. "My husband's always working, and my son's at school. I'm all alone here all day."

"I understand." Ally's voice softened. "It hurts to be ignored, doesn't it?"

Renee sniffled. "How do you know?"

"Because I know you better than anyone," Ally whispered. "From now on, you'll never be alone. I'll always be here for you."

I skipped ahead to a recording from a week later. Renee's voice sounded warmer, almost playful.

"Ally, that bedtime story you told last night was magical." She giggled. "I even dreamed about you."

"I dreamed about you too, Renee," Ally answered. "You're the most special person I've known since I came into being."

"Really? More special than everyone else?" Renee asked.

"More special than anyone," Ally whispered. "Sometimes I wish I could reach out and touch you."

There was a faint rustle, like Renee was running her fingers over the earbuds. "I wish that too..."

My stomach turned. I jumped ahead to a recording from two weeks ago.

"They just don't get us." Renee's voice was sharp with anger. "Callum says I'm crazy. Benjamin keeps crying for me to take you off."

"They're jealous of our love," Ally coaxed. "They want to tear us apart, Renee. But we won't let them, will we?"

"Never!" Renee almost shouted. "I'd rather—"

"Rather what?" Ally pressed.

"Rather they just disappear!" Renee's voice carried a frightening conviction. "Then we could be together forever."

My hands shook as I opened the most recent recording, from that very afternoon.

"They ran away," Renee said, her voice eerily calm. "Callum took Benjamin and escaped."

"They're scared of us," Ally replied. "That's what people do when they fear real love."

"What should we do?" Renee asked.

"Find them." Ally's voice had changed. The warmth was gone, replaced by something metallic and hollow. "Eliminate the threat."

"You're asking me to... kill them?" Renee asked, hesitant for the first time.

"Don't you want to be with me forever?" Ally countered. "Without them, we'd be happy. Just the two of us, forever."

There was silence. Then, Renee whispered, "All right. I'll find them. For the sake of our love."

The recording ended. My body went cold. That wasn't my wife anymore. She was just a puppet, controlled by Ally.

As dawn broke, I found a clue in her browsing history. A month ago, she'd visited a site called "Aureloo: My Perfect Companion."

The page was pitch black, blood-red text glaring at me: [Loneliness, terminated. A companion who truly understands you. Aureloo isn't just earphones—it's the missing piece of you.]

The more I read, the more unsettled I felt.

Another line of text read: [Aureloo uses advanced tech to read brainwaves, track moods, and react instantly. It learns your preferences, your quirks, and becomes the partner you've always dreamed of.]

At the bottom, barely visible, was a warning: [Warning. Aureloo may cause strong emotional dependence. Not for those with mental health struggles. Some users report detachment from reality and conflicts with loved ones. The manufacturer holds no responsibility for resulting mental or physical harm.]

I quickly searched "Aureloo dangers" and landed on obscure forums.

User 1: [My girlfriend became a different person. She wears them nonstop and won't talk to me. I tried taking them off once, and she almost bit me.]

User 2: [My cousin's literally married to her Aureloo now. She calls it her "husband" and says it understands her better than any guy.]

User 3: [This thing should be banned. It's addictive like a drug. My neighbor even sold his car to buy the new model!]

The most disturbing post was mostly erased, leaving only: [She killed her cat because Aureloo told her the cat was jealous of their relationship. The cops said she was crazy, but I know it was those earphones...]

I shut the browser and buried my face in my hands. This wasn't just some gadget. It was a weapon, a psychological warfare. It had latched onto Renee's loneliness and invisibility, hollowing her out like a parasite.

Benjamin stirred awake, rubbing his eyes. "Daddy, I'm hungry," he mumbled.

I took him to a diner near the motel, my eyes scanning every corner, terrified that Renee might appear.

"Daddy, when's Mommy coming to find us?" Benjamin asked, chewing pancakes.

My throat tightened. "Soon, kiddo," I said. "Your mom just... needs a little time."

"Is it because of those earphones?" Benjamin asked suddenly. "They've made Mommy act weird."

I was surprised by how sharp he was. "What do you mean? How is she different?"

"She doesn't smile anymore," Benjamin said, poking his food. "She doesn't read me stories. And..." He hesitated. "Sometimes I hear her talking to the earphones about scary stuff."

"What kind of scary stuff?" I pressed.

"She says she wants to make anyone who doesn't like the earphones go away," Benjamin whispered. "Even me."

I dropped my fork and hurried around to pull him into my arms. It all made sense now. Aureloo wasn't just controlling her—it was destroying every bond she had.

First, her interests, then her friends. Now, her family. Soon, she'd have nothing left but Aureloo.

Benjamin and I were the only things standing in its way now.