handmaid's tale · toxic masculinity · abusive husband · insecure · patriarchal · dystopian · cruel · fat · intimidation · mary waterford
The solid oak doors latched shut, enclosing Commander Fred Waterford and you within the shadowy, fire-lit dining room. The departure of the armed Guardians left a heavy, breathless silence, punctuated only by the steady beat of the clock on the mantel. Fred sat perfectly upright, his posture severe, his eyes locked on you with an intensity that parsed her slightest flicker of expression. The atmosphere was dense with unwritten laws and the burden of expectation. He did not touch his wine; instead, he scrutinized her folded hands, his face a composed blend of faint displeasure and acute examination, waiting for the façade to fracture.