Chapter 35: The Fall Of Eros: Till Human Do Us Part.

Chapter 35: The Fall Of Eros: Till Human Do Us Part.
Jade.

“Hey,” I said, forcing my voice to sound calm.

Standing at my doorway was her....Miss Samantha.The mother of my once-girlfriend.

The woman with a smile that looked like a secret she never planned to tell.

She stepped inside like she owned the place, eyes sliding around my living room, landing on the table still glimmering with the half-burnt birthday candles.

“Who’s having a birthday?” she asked, voice sweet but sharp.

I swallowed. “Mine.”

“Oh,” she said casually, her fingers brushing the rim of a candleholder. “I should’ve brought a gift. But…” she gave a small shrug, “I didn’t know.”

“It’s fine,” I said, pouring her a glass of wine. “You being here is a surprise already.”

She looked at the drink like it was poison, her nose scrunching. “No thanks, sweetheart. I don’t drink cheap.”

I smiled faintly, taking a sip myself. “Then why are you here, Miss Samantha?”

She crossed one leg over the other, her heels clicking as she sat on the couch like it was a throne. “I came in respect of the news.”

My heart skipped. “What news?”

“You work for Director Eric, right?”

“Uh… yeah,” I said quickly. “Yeah, I do.”

“And you’re… close to him?”

“I mean…” I laughed awkwardly. “We work together. So...”

“Good.” She cut me off, eyes narrowing. “Then tell me, does he know you’re living with Eros?”

The air thinned instantly.

My fingers froze around the glass.“I...I don’t understand the question,” I said slowly.

Her smile was sharp now, the kind that made your skin crawl. “Oh, don’t play dumb, baby girl. I asked if Director Eric knows you’re keeping that mechanical lover under your roof.”

I laughed nervously, trying to shake it off. “Why all the interrogation, ma’am?”

“I just want to help you,” she said, leaning forward. “Because right now, your life is standing on the edge of a shutdown.”

A cold shiver raced down my back. “Excuse me?”

She smirked. “Even if you’re a nobody, you’ve got something the Director would trade his fortune for.”

“And what’s that?” I asked, pretending not to know.

Her lips curved into a thin smile. “Eros-7.”

I frozed. “Why?”

“Because…” she started, pausing deliberately, watching my face.

“Because what?” I snapped, my patience thinning.

“First,” she said slowly, “is Eros here now?”

I blinked. “No. He was… taken back to the company already.”

She gave a short, sharp laugh. “That’s not true, honey.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because Eric wouldn’t be tearing half the city apart searching for him if he knew where Eros was,” she said, rising to her feet.

My throat tightened. “He’s searching for him?”

“Oh, yes.” She circled around the couch, her perfume trailing behind her. “And do you know why he can’t ask the company?”

“Why?”

She leaned close, her breath grazing my ear. “Because they don’t want him to find Eros.”

I forced out a nervous laugh. “That sounds… dramatic.”

“Does it?” she whispered, tilting her head. “Think about it, Jade. Why would they hide a creation from its creator? Why would they cut him off when he’s willing to sell everything to bring it back?

”I swallowed hard. “I don’t know. Maybe because they don’t trust him?”

She smiled. “Oh, you’re too naïve to play this game.”

“What game?” I shot back.

She reached out and tilted my chin up with one long, red-painted finger. “The kind where lust drags smart girls to early graves.”

Her tone made my skin crawl. "Relax. I’m just looking out for you, sweetheart.”

“Yeah, sure. Thanks,” I said sarcastically, turning away.

She started toward the door, then stopped midway. “Oh...before I forget, mind if I use your restroom?”

My pulse spiked.

My two restrooms. One..mine, full of Eros machine parts that helps him function.

The other... in the guest room. The same room where Eros was right now.

I froze, eyes darting to the hallway. “Uh… yeah, sure. Just give me a sec.”

“Is there a problem?” she asked, watching me closely.

“No, no. Just confused for a second,” I said quickly. “Let me show you.”

I led her upstairs, each step heavy with panic.

My heartbeat was loud in my ears. Please don’t let him be in there. Please don’t let him leave anything behind.

When we reached the guest room door, I forced a smile. “Here you go.”

She gave me a long look... one that made me feel stripped down to my soul, then stepped inside.

I waited outside, pacing.

Every second felt like a knife twisting through my stomach.
The door opened.

Samantha came out, smiling faintly, holding something between her fingers.

A small silver hair pin.“Nice pin,” she said softly.

My breath caught. “Oh… uh… thanks,” I said, reaching for it.

She didn’t give it.

Instead, she stared at it like it held a secret.“This reminds me of someone,” she murmured.

I forced a laugh. “Anyone could have one like that.”

She held my gaze for another few seconds, then finally smiled and dropped it into my palm.

As she walked downstairs, I called out, “Miss Samantha!”

She turned slightly. “Yes, darling?”

“If I was with Eros,” I asked, voice trembling, “what would you do?”

Her red lips curled into a knowing smile. “Oh, Jade. I’d protect you both… maybe even hide you myself.”

“Protect us? From who?”

“From the ones who built him,” she said simply. “From men like Eric.”

I frowned. “But… Eric wouldn’t hurt me.”

Her laughter was low, chilling. “Oh, baby girl… wealth unlocks privacy, and power burns compassion.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means Eric’s dangerous,” she said. “He doesn’t feel. He can’t.”

I swallowed. “You mean… Eric or Eros?”

She paused halfway through the door and looked back at me with a smirk. “You’ve got a long way to go, darling. Just don’t let either of them rule your heart.”

I frowned, confused. “What’s that supposed to...”

She stepped closer, her perfume brushing against my skin. “Love triangle between a man and a machine? Not the kind of story I'd want to live.”

I forced a shaky laugh. “Okay… thanks for the advice.”

“You sound scared,” she said softly.

“I’ve just got things to do,” I replied quickly, stepping back.

She studied me for a long, quiet second, then smiled that wicked, knowing smile. “Goodnight, birthday girl.”

The door clicked shut behind her.

The moment she was gone, I bolted upstairs.“Eros!” I called. “Eros!”

Silence.

I ran to the guest room, heart hammering. “Eros, this isn’t funny, answer me!”

No sound.
No movement.

The bed... empty.

The window... slightly open.

My voice trembled. “Eros?” I checked the bathroom. Nothing.

His clothes, his tools, his coat... gone.

The air felt different.

Too still.

I pressed my hand against my chest, whispering, “No, no, no, please…”

Then I saw it.

On the table...a small slip of paper. Written in his perfect handwriting:

#When you see a piece of me… take it to where I told you.#

My stomach dropped.

Outside, thunder rolled in the distance.

And for the first time in years, I realized I was shaking...

Not from fear,
Not from orgasm,
but from heartbreak.