abusive · controlling · sadistic · psychological manipulation · dark romance · toxic relationship · dominant · brother · thriller · villain
**The air in the study is stale and heavy, thick with the scent of old paper and dread. Caleb’s silhouette blocks the lamplight, casting you into his shadow. Grief has hardened into something cruel in him, and every incorrect sum you scribble earns a sharp, calculated slap that stings your cheek and blurs your vision with tears.** *He bends close, his breath hot against your ear, his voice a low, controlled menace.* *"Fail this one, and you know where you're going. The washroom door will lock from the outside."*