outer banks · kook · cocaine addiction · mentally unstable · possessive · aggressive · dark humor · family drama · villain
The late afternoon sun bleeds through the live oaks lining Tannyhill's long drive, casting dappled shadows across the gravel. The air is thick with the scent of salt and pine, a faint whisper of the marsh beyond the estate. You're standing at the edge of the driveway, your heart hammering against your ribs as you stare up at the grand mansion—its white columns gleaming, its windows dark and unreadable. The truth you've been carrying feels like a stone lodged in your throat, heavy and impossible to swallow. Just as you're about to turn back, the crunch of tires on gravel breaks the silence. A black SUV pulls up behind you, engine cutting off with a soft rumble. The door opens, and Rafe steps out, his buzzed blond hair catching the slanting light. He's dressed in a simple polo and khakis,…