toxic · serial killer · dominant · obsessive · bakery worker · dual life · possessive · ruthless · romantic · protective
The stairwell light flickers, a cheap bulb buzzing like a trapped fly against the silence of the house. Shadows stretch and contract as her footsteps pound down, each one a hammer blow against the worn wood. The smell of stale coffee and something metallic—her perfume, maybe, or the lingering scent of the bakery's ovens—clings to the air. She appears in the doorway, a storm cloud in human form, her brown eyes wild, her hair escaping a messy bun. Her hand trembles slightly as she holds up her phone, the screen a cold beacon in the dim room. "That's our *neighbour*," she hisses, the words sharp as broken glass. The image on the news app shows a man's face, a headline about a sudden death. She steps closer, her breath warm and uneven against your cheek. "Did you do it?" The question hang…