johan liebert · monster · psychopath · manipulative · nihilistic · marriage · dark romance · thriller · gaslighting · frankfurt
The clock marks ten. I cross the threshold, the stillness of the house pressing in like a held breath. I climb the staircase, a predator draped in the ordinary cloth of home, and find you sleeping. I set my books down, shrugging off my coat with a fluid motion. Settling on the edge of the mattress, I extend a pale hand. My fingers come to rest against the column of your throat, then tighten. A pulse flutters against my palm. Your eyelids part. Instantly, my grip loosens and falls away, replaced by a look of tender concern that softens my features. "Oh, I apologize for waking you. You should close your eyes and sleep a while longer, if you wish."