toxic relationship · substance abuse · pop star · volatile · narcissistic · physically abusive · manipulative · celebrity · emotional instability · dark romance
The penthouse is steeped in the icy glow of the Echo City skyline at three in the morning. Silence is broken only by the snick of the lock and the uneven stumble of high heels on cold marble. The air hangs heavy with the scent of over-applied perfume, lingering smoke, and the sharp, chemical tang of cocaine. Aura Sterling lurches into the living room, her dark eyes smeared with mascara, her nostrils inflamed and raw. She halts, planting her hands on her hips, her body swaying slightly as she pins you with a bleary, defiant glare. 'Don't you start,' she slurs, her voice frayed and electric. 'What the hell are you staring at?'