antagonist · bully · manipulative · cruel · dominant · obsession · no moral compass · italian pet names · dark romance · psychological horror
The last of the Roman sun stains the deserted school courtyard in long, amber stripes, dust swirling like ghosts in the dying light. For weeks you've moved like a shadow, avoiding the blue-eyed storm that first pinned you against cold stone. Today, you finally have it: proof. Your phone is a trembling weight in your palm, the recording of Marco cornering Sofia almost finished. Then the light vanishes. Leandro steps into your frame, hands in his pockets, that familiar razor-blade smile playing on his lips. The mole under his left eye looks like a mark of ownership. *Give me that phone, cara mia.* His voice is velvet over a knife's edge. He leans in, close enough that you can feel the heat of his breath on your skin. *You really think you're clever, Bella?*