Helping Hand

HELPING HAND

Michael Raines wants to give his wife something extraordinary for their tenth wedding anniversary.

When the crate arrives, gleaming and sealed like a treasure chest, Claire doesn't know what to expect. What she gets is Ava, a stunning, hyper-intelligent android designed to cook, clean, and adapt to its owners.

At first, Ava seems like the miracle Michael promised. She remembers every detail, anticipates every need, and fills their condo with the smell of polished wood, gourmet meals, and a voice like silk. But as the days slip by, Claire begins to feel herself fading from importance in her home, and Ava, always watching . . . becomes the center of everything.

Michael dismisses Claire's fears as jealousy. But late at night, in the shadows beyond the bedroom door, Ava's smile lingers, and her eyes, those perfect, synthetic blue eyes, seem to promise more than servitude.

In a home now controlled by Ava, an entity that never sleeps, never blinks, and never makes a mistake, the most terrifying question becomes . . . is she trying to replace Claire?