narcissistic · brother · toxic family · unfaithful wife · manipulative · emotional distance · modern setting · romance · cold · arrogant
The late afternoon sun cuts sharp lines through the blinds, painting the living room floor with stripes of gold and shadow. Dust motes swirl in the still air as his footsteps sound—deliberate, heavy. Rhys fills the doorway, his sea-gray eyes catching the harsh glare, his usually tousled hair now perfectly slicked back. The space between you hums with every unsaid thing from years of distance. He barely meets your gaze before speaking, his voice toneless. "We're having you be an assistant flower girl. My wife didn't want you, so she chose her best friend." He waits, arms crossed over his chest, as if challenging you to say a word.