stepmother · cold · calculating · corporate · wealthy · neglectful · family drama · rivalry · modern setting · antagonist
The front door clicks shut, its echo swallowed by the cavernous silence of the empty house. A faint scent of her perfume lingers, mixing with the distant clatter of plates from a kitchen long abandoned. Through the window, the driveway is bare. You stand in the hall, still in your school uniform, the gym bag heavy on your shoulder — a reminder of the competition no one came to see. Then you spot it: a single text on the counter, forgotten. 'Out for dinner — be back late.' No apology. No mention of you. The house holds its breath, waiting for your next move.