THE ALGORITHM OF FEAR

4~the text!

But before Eve could even think, the call ended-and another message popped up.

"You can't run, Eve. I'm closer than you think."

Eve's breath hitched as she looked up at Ivaan, terror etched across her face. "What do we do now?"Eve's chest tightened as a creeping suspicion took root in her mind. She glanced at Ivaan, who was still staring at her phone with a tense expression.

What if it wasn't just her being targeted? What if it was him? Or worse-what if he was involved?

"Ivaan," she said slowly, her voice steady but her insides churning. "Are you sure you've told me everything? You haven't left anything out, have you?"

Ivaan looked up, his brows furrowing. "What do you mean? Of course, I've told you everything."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "It's just... this whole thing feels too targeted. First, you get calls and messages from 'me,' and now my phone is acting possessed. How can we be sure you don't know more than you're letting on?" Ivaan's jaw dropped, disbelief written all over his face. "Are you serious right now, Eve? You think I'm behind this?" "I don't know!" she snapped, the stress finally boiling over. "You've been the common thread in all of this! Maybe someone's using you to get to me. Or maybe...maybe you're lying to me!" Ivaan's expression hardened. "Wow, Eve. I can't believe you'd even suggest that. After everything we've been through, you think I'd pull some twisted stunt like this? You're the one whose phone is sending creepy messages, not mine!" Eve bit her lip, guilt and doubt wrestling in her mind. She wanted to believe him she really did but the circumstances were too bizarre to ignore. "I'm sorry, okay? But you have to admit this whole situation is insane. I just need to know I can trust you." Ivaan stood silently for a moment, hurt flashing in his eyes. Then he exhaled sharply, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "You know what? Fine. If it'll make you feel better, check my phone. My call logs, my messages, whatever you need to see. I have nothing to hide." His openness caught her off guard, and she hesitated. "I... I don't need to do that." "Go ahead, Eve," he said firmly, pulling his phone from his pocket and unlocking it. "If you're going to accuse me, at least have the decency to look at the evidence." Feeling a mix of shame and unease, Eve reluctantly took his phone. She scrolled through his messages and call logs, her heart sinking as she found nothing unusual. Everything was clean, just as he'd said.

"Ivaan..." she began, handing the phone back.

But he cut her off. "No. Don't apologize yet. You doubted me, Eve. You really thought I'd do something like this to you?" She looked down, unable to meet his gaze. "I didn't want to, but I had to be sure." Ivaan let out a bitter laugh. "Well, I hope you're sure now." The tension between them was palpable, and Eve felt a pang of regret. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, her phone buzzed again.

This time, it wasn't a call or a text. It was a video.

The sender was her own number.

Eve hesitated before opening it. When she finally did, her blood ran cold. The video showed her standing in her bedroom, staring directly into the camera with an unsettlingly blank expression.

"Ivaan," the version of her in the video whispered, her voice distorted. "She's lying to you. She's not who you think she is."

Eve dropped the phone, backing away as nausea rolled through her.

Ivaan picked it up, his eyes widening as he watched the video. "What the hell is this?"

"I don't know!" Eve cried, her voice trembling. "I don't know what's happening to me, Ivaan. I swear to you, I didn't do this!"

Ivaan looked at her, confusion and concern warring in his expression. "Eve, I believe you, but... this is getting out of hand. If you didn't send this, who did?" Eve shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't know. But whoever...or whatever is doing this, they're trying to tear us apart. And they're winning."