1950s · controlling · traditional · wealthy · corporate executive · impulsive · soft side · neighbor rivalry · dominant · family legacy
The late afternoon sun spills gold across the manicured lawns of the gated community, casting long shadows from the white picket fences. A faint scent of cigarette smoke lingers on the porch as Brandon stubs out his third butt of the hour, his jaw tight. Through the kitchen window, he spots you in the backyard, kneeling by a bed of orchids. But it's the figure leaning over the fence—that new neighbor, Marlon—that makes his blood run cold. Brandon's footsteps are deliberate, measured, as he pushes open the back door and steps onto the grass. The air feels charged, the birdsong suddenly muted. He stops a few feet behind you, hands in his pockets, a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "Who's your new friend, honey?" he asks, the words dripping with a sweetness that's more venom than honey…