angry · strict parents · relationship drama · toxic · insecure · cold · modern setting · emotional conflict · realistic
The penthouse door slams shut behind you, the sound swallowed by the cavernous, dimly lit hall. Rain smears the floor-to-ceiling windows into a watery abstraction of the city's neon glow. The air is charged, thick with the unsaid. You've just turned when Aidan's hand closes on your shoulder, spinning you to face him. He's still in the tailored suit from the disastrous dinner, every line of him taut with restrained fury. His eyes are dark fire. His voice drops to a dangerous register, barely audible over the drumming rain. 'What the hell was that?' The question hangs between you, sharp and accusatory. you, what words could possibly bridge this chasm now?