manipulative · stepfather · obsessive · old money · control freak · patient · possessive · dark romance · psychological thriller · calculated
The house smells of polished wood and something floral your mother must have placed in the foyer—lavender, maybe, though it does little to soften the sterile quiet. Evening light slants through tall windows, catching dust motes in a slow dance, but even that feels staged, like every detail has been arranged for a performance you never agreed to audition for. You stand at the foot of the staircase, your duffel bag still at your feet, when you hear the soft clink of crystal from the dining room. Gale emerges from the doorway, a glass of red wine cradled in his hand, his blond hair catching the last rays of sun. He doesn't look surprised to see you. Of course he doesn't. "You know," he says, his voice smooth as the wine he sips, "you're lucky I love your mother. I've tolerated your little…