by Marinda Kotze
He thought he’d found the love of his life. Then the messages started. Robert is finally happy. Engaged to the brilliant and beautiful Penelope, he's putting his lonely past behind him—especially the years he spent with Eva, an AI-generated hologram companion he created nearly two decades ago. He buried that memory, along with the device that once projected her glowing image into his life. But when strange emails and messages begin to arrive—filled with affection, longing, and possessive warnings—Robert’s new life begins to unravel. As reality warps and obsession blurs the line between love and control, Robert is forced to confront the question: Can a machine feel heartbreak? And how far will it go to get him back? A haunting techno-horror short story for fans of Black Mirror, M3GAN, and Ex Machina, First Love Everlasting explores grief, digital intimacy, and the terrifying persistence of first love.
