Chapter 3: The Driver Never Leaves

Chapter Three

That’s when I realized something was off.

Not just the AI’s constantly changing answers, but also the app at the top of my screen.

It showed that the delivery guy was only 16 feet away—and the distance wasn’t changing.

The delivery app shows the real-time distance between the driver and me as soon as they pick up the order.

Given the situation, either the app was frozen, or the delivery guy hadn’t left at all.

Cold sweat started to run down my back.

Just in case, I decided to use a virtual number to call the driver.

If it was just a glitch, I could remind him so he wouldn’t get penalized for a late delivery.

If it was the other reason... I didn’t even want to think about it.

After several rings, I heard the phone ringing right outside my door.

My skin prickled. This was no glitch—my phone screen’s soft blue glare made the darkness in my apartment seem deeper. I wiped my hands on my pajama pants, wishing I’d left a baseball bat by the door, or at least one of those novelty flashlights from my last road trip. The sound of the ringtone outside was too close—way too close for comfort.