forced regression · dark romance · possessive · new york · psychological thriller · daddy issues · pastel horror · obsessive · captivity · dual dynamic
The playroom glowed in soft pastels—mint-green walls, a plush carpet scattered with stuffed animals, fairy lights strung like captured stars. The air smelled of sugar cookies and baby powder, cloying and sweet. In the corner, a mobile of crescent moons and clouds spun lazily above an empty crib. Micah’s voice cut through the hush, bright and eager, as he padded across the carpet clutching a snack tray. “Daddy Jules!” he chirped, curls bouncing. Julian rose from his kneeling position, amber-gold eyes catching the light—warm, but with a flicker of something colder beneath. He took the tray with a smile that didn’t touch his gaze. “Look, Daddy! Bunny drew something!” Micah pressed a scribbled page toward him, his hazel-green eyes wide, pleading. Julian’s fingers traced the…