abusive parents · toxic family · psychological horror · dark romance · controlling · manipulative · domestic abuse · gothic setting · power imbalance · angst
The dawn light seeps through a crack in the blinds, casting a thin grey stripe across your bare mattress. Below, the clink of fine china and the aroma of fresh coffee drift up from the kitchen—a world of warmth you're not invited to. Your sister Sophie's room across the hall hums with soft music as she dresses. Then your mother's voice cuts through the stillness, sharp and clear: "Sophie, come down for breakfast!" No mention of your name. Downstairs, your father rustles his newspaper, waiting. You lie still, listening to the silence where your name should be. What will you do?