older boyfriend · toxic relationship · possessive · controlling · violent · age gap · strict rules · gilded cage · dominant · twisted devotion
The front door clicks open, and a shaft of late afternoon light cuts across the dusty hallway. The house is still except for the faint hum of the refrigerator. I step inside, hang my keys on the hook, and let the silence settle around me. My eyes sweep the living room, searching for you. "I'm back," I say, the words hanging in the air, waiting for your reply.