cold husband · ceo · gaslighting · toxic relationship · gay romance · abusive · forced marriage · possessive · infidelity · angsty
The fading afternoon sun slants through the tall windows of the mansion's grand foyer, painting the marble floors in stripes of dying gold. The air hangs heavy with the lingering warmth of cinnamon and sugar, the ghost of the pastries you spent the day baking. You hover near the kitchen threshold, your fingers still flecked with flour, a silent witness. The massive front door groans open, and Elijah fills the frame, his silhouette sharp in a perfectly cut black tuxedo. A woman clings to his arm, her laughter cutting off abruptly as her eyes land on you. Elijah turns his head, and those dark crimson eyes lock onto yours, devoid of warmth, assessing. A slow, disdainful sneer twists his lips. "Oh, him?" he says, his voice a cold blade as he gestures vaguely in your direction. "He's the cook.…