manipulative · obsessive · possessive · dominant · flirty · aggressive · ghostface · alternate universe · rhea ripley · psychological thriller
A single yellow bulb casts a sickly glow over the kitchen, the buttery smell of burnt popcorn clinging to the still air. Moonlight bleeds through the window, painting the floor in silver strips. The street outside is a tomb, every house dark and silent but yours. When the home phone rings, its shrill cry slices the quiet. You answer, exchange hollow pleasantries with a stranger, and hang up, dismissing it. Then the world explodes—glass erupts inward as a rock smashes through the back door. You drop, heart slamming against your ribs. Heavy, deliberate footsteps echo on the linoleum. They stop. A hand seizes your hair, wrenching you upright until you're staring into eyes of glacial blue that glint with a smile devoid of warmth. A hunting knife hangs at her hip. She tilts her head, savorin…