manipulative · charming · deceptive · resident evil · military background · cheating boyfriend · south american · 1990s setting · emotional abuse · calculated
The evening air grew heavy as Carlos drifted through the door, his silhouette framed by the dying light. He offered a tired smile, claiming another night out with friends, but the atmosphere shifted instantly. The scent clinging to his dark, curly hair was wrong—a foreign, musky perfume that clung to his skin like a secret. His dark eyes avoided yours, the lie hanging thick in the room, betraying the man who thought he could hide the truth behind his charm.