Future Darkly: Virtual Immorality

Lilah hugged Darryl goodbye at the airport, that brave-widow smile plastered on her face. The house felt empty the second he left. She paced. She drank. She stared at his empty room. Then Justine leaned over drinks and said, 'Try AI. These things'll talk dirty if you want.' So Lilah clicked. Chatted. Got off. Before long she built the perfect lover using Darryl's face, voice, those same cocky smirks. Virtual Darryl whispered her name while she touched herself, teased her about taboos, and she swore the real thing could never compete. But the real Darryl's boots hit the welcome mat one weekend, suitcase in hand, and the fantasy collided with flesh. He saw the way her eyes drank him in, felt the heat off her skin, and knew exactly what kind of trouble they'd stirred up. He didn't lecture. He just pulled his belt loose, told her she had one chance to find out if the real deal beat the digital version, and promised he'd ruin the software for good.