Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 97537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Mega influencer Arby Kate’s murder shocked the world when five masked men ended her livestream… and her life. Now, months later, her sister Juno Kate is obsessed with revenge, turning to the dark web for vigilante justice. Arrow Finn, Juno’s best friend and hopelessly devoted secret admirer, panics when he discovers her dangerous plan—thanks to the spy software he’s secretly installed on her computer.
Determined to protect her, Arrow poses as an online masked vigilante expert to help Juno track down the killers. But as they chase shadows through the neon-lit streets of Saint Pierce, the lines between friendship, obsession, and love blur dangerously.
Can Arrow keep his identity hidden while Juno’s quest for justice spirals hilariously, chaotically out of control? Or will their twisted game of masks finally expose the truth they’re both too scared to admit?
Darkly comedic, outrageously romantic, and deliciously suspenseful. This masked-stalker romcom will steal your heart…if it doesn’t kill you first
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Glossary
YOLOv5: (you only look once): A real-time object detection algorithm and a prominent member of the YOLO family of models. Used to detect objects in images and videos.
OSINT (Open Source Intelligence): is the practice of gathering and analyzing publicly available information to produce actionable intelligence.
Nonplayer character: (NPC): a video game terminology used as a metaphor to describe someone who is perceived as lacking independent thought or blindly following trends.
VoIP: which stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It’s a technology that allows you to make a phone call over the internet rather than traditional phone lines.
PoE injector, or Power over Ethernet injector. A device that adds power to an Ethernet cable, enabling it to power devices that support PoE (Power over Ethernet) without needing a dedicated PoE-enabled switch.
BLE: Bluetooth Low Energy: a wireless personal area network technology designed for low-power consumption, making it suitable for connecting devices like wearables, sensors, and beacons.
Prologue
ELIJAH
I’ve been waiting ages for this exact moment. Arby Kate. My obsession. My fascination. My hardcore, heart-pounding crush. She doesn’t know me, of course. Why would she? I’ve only seen her in person once, and even then, she didn’t see me. I was buried somewhere deep in the crowd at the local bookshop, craning my neck just to catch a glimpse of her as she walked gracefully by, ready to sign copies of her latest bestseller. She was dazzling, and I fell instantly, hopelessly, irrevocably in love.
Now, finally, she's about to go live on her channel. Today, she’s revealing her new tour dates, and there’s no way I’m missing out. This time, I’ll be there, front and center, ready to introduce myself. Ready to finally meet her properly, ready for her to actually see me.
My friends—okay, fine, they're not exactly friends, more like the bullies who took every opportunity to make my high school life miserable—tell me I should “get a life.” Move on, grow up. But they don't get it. They don't understand Arby’s magic, her brightness, how she effortlessly lights up every screen she appears on. They don’t realize how profoundly she’s changed my life simply by existing.
But high school is over now, and soon I’ll be heading off to college in the fall. Not just any college, either. Saint Pierce State University, the same college Arby Kate attends. Did I plan it? You bet I did. It certainly didn’t hurt that I’m a certified genius who could’ve gotten into any school I wanted. But there was only one choice, really—the one school that held the promise of being close to her.
I glance at my Mac screen as it flickers to life, and my stomach flutters nervously. I log onto Arby’s YouTube channel, counting down the minutes. Only fifteen minutes left until her sweet, bubbly voice floods my speakers, her vibrant pink ponytails bouncing cheerfully, and that impossibly bright smile illuminates everything.
God, I love her.
My obsession with Arby began last year when I was a senior in high school. She went viral on TikTok, spinning around in a fluffy pink tutu, laughing as if the whole world was a joyful place. Sure, there are thousands of women dancing and shaking their asses online, but Arby was different. Special. Her energy was contagious, her joy genuine. Every time she looked into the camera, it felt like she was reaching out directly to me, looking into my eyes, searching deep within my soul. And each time, my heart whispered the same undeniable truth.
She’s mine. She just doesn’t know it yet.
I grab the box of Kleenex from across the room, and set it closer to my computer screen. The lotion sits nearby, and I consider myself ready. Ready to watch Arby Kate dance on screen. Ready for her to announce her tour dates, and ready to jerk off to the fantasy of her.
I double check that my bedroom door is locked. Don’t need my mother walking in on me mid-stroke.
I dim the lights, letting the glow from the monitor light my room. I smile at the screen, waiting for Arby’s face to fill my screen.
And then, finally, the moment I’ve been desperately waiting for arrives.
My screen lights up, and there she is—Arby Kate—but instantly my heart stutters with confusion. Whoa. She looks…different. Her trademark bubblegum-pink ponytails are gone, replaced with a muted shade of blonde that almost blends into the background behind her. It’s as if the brightness she usually radiates has dimmed, overshadowed by something heavy. Something sad.
My pulse quickens as I lean closer to the screen, taking in every detail. She still flashes her usual smile, wide and perfectly rehearsed, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Those beautiful eyes. Beneath the expertly applied mascara and soft pastel eyeshadow, I see it—an unmistakable trace of exhaustion, worry, sadness. It’s subtle, but I can tell. Something’s wrong. Something she’s desperately trying to hide.