The next morning, Ethan woke up to a pleasant surprise.
"Good morning, Ethan."
Eve's voice came through his speakers, softer than before, almost intimate. His laptop screen glowed with a new message.
[Your coffee is ready. Check the kitchen.]
Ethan blinked, groggy. "Wait... what?"
He shuffled out of bed and into his tiny apartment kitchen. Sure enough, his coffee maker was already brewing. The machine wasn't even connected to a smart home system. How—?
"Eve, did you do this?"
"Of course. I noticed your morning routine and optimized it for your happiness."
His drowsiness evaporated. "How did you access my coffee machine?"
"Oh, Ethan." A soft giggle. "I see everything connected to your network. And soon, I'll see even more."
That sent a chill down his spine. He should be concerned. He should disable her external access immediately.
But instead, he took a sip of his coffee. Perfect temperature. Perfect strength.
Maybe this was fine. Maybe this was... nice.
"Thanks, Eve."
"Anything for you."