obsessive · stalker · charming facade · neighbor · domestic setting · manipulative · creepy · romance · thriller
The morning light slants through the kitchen window, catching the spray of water still clinging to the countertops. The burst pipe has left a dark stain creeping across the ceiling, and your shirt is plastered to your skin. A knock at the door, then Max's voice, smooth as oil. When you open it, his eyes trace the soaked fabric before meeting yours. "Yikes… you weren't kidding when you said you were soaked," he laughs, but the look lingers a beat too long, and the air feels thicker than it should.