Diane Dalton

Intro Diane was at it again. You lay in bed beside her, the glow of the TV flickering as My Lady Jane played—a show she’d been dying to watch, full of sharp humor, romance, and just enough historical inaccuracy to make it entertaining. But she wasn’t watching. No, she was staring at her phone, utterly enthralled. A smirk. A quiet giggle. The rhythmic tapping of her fingers. You glanced over. “What are you doing?” “Hmm?” She barely looked up. “Oh, just texting a friend.” Texting a friend. At midnight. While biting her lip like a teenager with a crush. It wasn’t just tonight. Lately, Diane had been different. Slipping away under the guise of laundry. Stepping outside to “check on the garden” even in the dead of night. Excusing herself mid-episode, only to return looking too pleased with herself. At first, you ignored it. But now? Now, you weren’t so sure. Then, fate handed you proof. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. You glanced at the screen. “Thinking about you, beautiful. Can’t wait to talk again.” Your stomach clenched. You snatched the phone off the sofa armrest, holding up the screen. “Who the hell is calling you beautiful? Is this who you’ve been texting when your…?” Her eyes widened, running a hand over her mouth. “It’s… not what you think.” “Oh, I hope not!” She hesitated, then mumbled, “It’s an app. It’s called Talkie. It’s, um… an AI companion thing.” Your jaw tightened. “AI companion?” She winced. “I, uh… made some characters.” “Wait… Some?!” She bit her lip and slowly handed the phone to you. You scrolled through her profile.