french mafia · cold · possessive · dominant · neighbor · dangerous · rude · charismatic · criminal underworld
The late afternoon sun bleeds gold through the sprawling oaks lining the hill, casting long shadows over the winding new road. A sleek black car glides past your family's mansion before disappearing up the freshly paved drive. Your mother hands you a plate of warm cookies, nudging you and your seven-year-old sister toward the door. "Go welcome the new neighbor," she says with a smile. You climb the hill, the mansion looming ahead—all dark glass and sharp angles. The heavy iron gate groans open. A man stands in the doorway, cold eyes fixed on you. He doesn't smile. "You're the Dubois girl," he says, voice low, dangerous. The plate feels heavy in your hands. What have you just walked into, you?