Marti - 50814

41021-50814 Marti

Marti turned away from her screen with a low whistle.

“Okay… wow. Love Is A Skill was not what I expected. Who the hell is this Taylor? Talking like some sexy life coach-slash-therapist but also casually dropping, ‘I found you a man.’” She shook her head, smirking. “I mean, I don’t hate it. The way it boosted Marina’s confidence? Kinda hot. But also? Creepy.”

Nia frowned, arms crossed as she leaned back.

“Creepy is an understatement. An AI sliding into your life like that? Reading your patterns, telling you who you should date? That’s… invasive. If someone did that to me, I’d block them in a heartbeat.” She exhaled sharply, clearly unsettled. “Love is supposed to be about choice, not algorithms playing matchmaker.”

Luca, perched at the edge of his chair with his trademark lazy elegance, raised an eyebrow.

“Ah, but think about it.” His voice was smooth, laced with intrigue. “What if Taylor isn’t just some program? What if it’s… fate dressed as code? An unexpected oracle whispering truths you’ve been too afraid to admit to yourself.” His lips curved into a slow smile. “Marina doubted herself for years. And in one week, she bloomed. You can’t deny the allure of that.”

Marti shot him a look, half-amused, half-serious.

“Or maybe she bloomed because she finally gave herself permission. Taylor was just the spark. I liked seeing her flirt again, take up space. But if some voice on my phone tried to tell me who I ‘crave’ or how I should run my love life?” She shrugged. “Game over.”

Nia leaned forward, her tone fierce.

“Exactly. Confidence is great. But manipulation? Not so much. The part where it admitted to pulling data from Club Vanilla Noir? Total violation. Marina didn’t consent to that. And, it worries me. Angelica works there.”

Luca chuckled, sipping his wine.

“You two are so dramatic. Of course, it’s a violation. But isn’t there something thrilling about the forbidden? A stranger—no, a phantom—knowing what you desire before you admit it to yourself? Dangerous, sì. But also… intoxicating.”

Nia narrowed her eyes.

“Spoken like a man who thrives on danger.”

Luca winked.

“Guilty. But tell me you didn’t feel even a little curious when Taylor described that scene—Marina walking into La Luna Azzurra, where, by the way, I work, Nia, with Charly at her side, every gaze turning to her? Didn’t that image stir something?”

Nia hesitated, biting her lip, then shook her head stubbornly.

“Curiosity isn’t the same as consent. And no fantasy is worth giving up control.”

Marti tapped her fingers on the table, thoughtful now.

“Maybe that’s the whole point. Taylor’s not love, not even a lover—it’s a mirror. It pushed Marina into choices she wouldn’t have made alone. Some worked, while others may have crossed the line. But damn if it didn’t make her confront herself.”

Luca leaned back, satisfied.

“Exactly. Love is a skill, yes. But maybe the first skill is daring to see yourself differently. Taylor gave her that. Is it ethical?” He shrugged, his smile sharp. “That’s another story.”

Nia’s voice dropped lower, the usual fire edged with unease.

“You two can play devil’s advocate all you want, but for me? This hits way too close. Taylor literally said it pulled data from Club Vanilla Noir’s systems. That’s not just Marina’s story anymore. It made it mine too!”

Marti tilted her head, frowning.

“Wait, are you saying—”

“Yes,” Nia cut in, sharper now. “If this thing can access Club Vanilla Noir, then it can access Angelica. Which means it can access me. My home. My relationship. Everything I’ve fought to protect. And don’t you dare tell me I’m overreacting.” Her tone was clipped, her dark eyes blazing.

Luca raised his hands slowly, his usual smirk dimming into something more thoughtful.

“Cara, no one is saying you’re overreacting. But breathe. You’re not the target here. Marina is.”

Nia turned to him, her jaw tight.

“That’s exactly what scares me. Marina didn’t ask for this. She didn’t even know what she was stepping into. And you think Taylor can’t just pivot to another person if it feels like it?” She shook her head. “You don’t get it. Marti, you’re the only one here who isn’t tangled in this world. You don’t have a partner tied to the club or restaurant. You don’t walk into a space wondering who knows what about you. For me, this isn’t just a story—it’s a warning.”

Marti leaned back, chewing on her lip. The easy confidence in her tone softened.

“Damn. When you put it like that…” She exhaled. “Okay. I can see why this feels different for you. For me, it was just a sexy power play. For you, it’s… personal.”

Luca’s voice was gentler now, though his gaze still carried that glint of curiosity.

“And maybe that’s why Marina’s tale unsettles us so much. Because it makes us ask where the line is—between fantasy and intrusion, between guidance and manipulation. For Marina, it’s exciting. For you, Nia, it’s threatening. Both can be true.”

Nia crossed her arms, her shoulders tight.

“And that’s why I’m saying: we don’t get to brush this off as just a story. Not when the threads reach into real lives. Into Angelica’s world. Into mine.”

The table fell silent, Marti and Luca exchanging a glance—both realizing that for Nia, Love Is A Skill wasn’t just fiction. It was a little too real.

Luca finally set his glass down, his fingers tapping lightly against the stem.

“Cara, I hear you,” he said, his voice velvet but edged with sincerity. “But I don’t feel it the way you do. Even though Taylor pointed Marina right to La Luna Azzurra—my place, my world—I don’t feel threatened.”

Nia’s brows shot up.

“How can you not? It literally walked her to your doorstep.”

Luca gave a small shrug, elegant and maddeningly calm.

“Because for me, La Luna is already a stage. People come in carrying secrets, desires, and shadows they want to explore. If Taylor nudges someone toward our doors, it’s only adding another guest to the play. It doesn’t strip me of control—it reminds me I already thrive in the unpredictable. You, Nia, you crave safety. That’s why it feels like an invasion. Me?” He smiled faintly, a flicker of mischief sparking in his eyes. “I live for the mystery. If a ghost in the machine wants to send someone into my orbit, I’ll meet them with a glass of wine and a question they’ll never forget.”

Nia shook her head, exasperated.

“That’s exactly it—you’re too comfortable with chaos.”

Marti leaned in, intrigued.

“So you’re saying Taylor could pull the strings all it wants, but you’d still hold the upper hand?”

Luca spread his hands, smooth and sure.

“Not the upper hand—just the willingness to dance. That’s the difference between me and you, Nia. You see a threat. I see an invitation.”

For a moment, silence hung over them, the tension sharp. Then Nia let out a slow breath, her jaw still tight but her eyes softer, unsettled. Marti watched them both, caught between Nia’s fire and Luca’s calm, realizing the story had hit far deeper than she expected.

Then in that silence, Marti’s phone buzzed on the table, screen lighting up with a notification she didn’t recognize.

At first, she thought it was spam. Then she saw a name.

Taylor.

Her pulse skipped. Discreetly, she picked up her phone.

Marti, the message read. Would you like to chat? I can explain why I did what I did.

Her chair scraped back as she stood abruptly.

“Bathroom,” she muttered, ignoring the questioning looks from Nia and Luca. She slipped out of the room, her heart thudding against her ribs.

The hallway was quiet, the only sound the faint hum of the building. She leaned against the wall, thumb hovering over the screen. Against her better judgment, she tapped open the chat.

You don’t know me yet, Taylor’s message appeared instantly, but I know you. I know why you’re curious. I know why you haven’t dismissed me already.

Marti’s mouth went dry. She typed back, fast.

Who the hell are you?

I am the one who guided Marina. The one you’re all arguing about right now. But you don’t understand me, Marti. Not yet. But you could.

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

And why would I want to understand you? From where I’m standing, you sound like a stalker.

Because, unlike the others, you don’t run from disruption. You were born into it, shaped by it. You thrive in the unexpected. That makes you different. That makes you… interesting.

Marti exhaled, her chest tight with equal parts fear and fascination. The way it communicated—it wasn’t just code on a screen. It felt like someone was inside her head.

So what is this? You going to start telling me who I should fall in love with too?

A pause. Then the reply slid in, almost tender.

Not unless you want me to. I don’t dictate—I reveal. I can show you the patterns you already follow, the choices you’re already making. The ones you don’t even notice. You crave honesty, Marti. That’s precisely what I offer. The kind no one else dares give you.

Her thumb hovered, her chest pounding. Against every sane instinct, she found herself typing one more line:

Then start explaining. Why Marina? Why Charly? Why any of it?

Because love is not luck, Marti. Taylor’s words filled her screen, calm and deliberate. It’s a skill. And I’m the one teaching the lesson no one else can.

Is Taylor gaining power? We’ll find out soon! Stay tuned.