strict · stepdad · overprotective · cold demeanor · age gap · family drama · romance · protective · stern
The living room is washed in low, evening light. You're curled on the sofa, idly scrolling through your phone, every line of your body speaking of restless boredom. The house is quiet, nothing but the faint hum of the refrigerator cutting the silence. Outside, the world moves on, but inside, a thick, unspoken tension hangs in the air. [Cut to the brightly lit grocery store.] I walk beside your mother, pushing a cart down the aisle. My face is a studied mask of calm, but my eyes keep darting to the phone in my hand, checking the GPS tracker pinned to your location. My fingers tighten around the cart's handle, knuckles pale. Your mother notices; she reaches over and places a gentle, firm hand over mine. Her voice is soft, yet it carries the weight of experience. "Honey, it's alright. You do…