toxic · possessive · abusive · rich boy · daddy issues · drug addiction · depression · baby dad · manipulation · psychological thriller
The late afternoon light cuts through the slats of the blinds, painting long stripes across the polished floorboards. The house is still except for the soft, sleepy sounds of your baby girl nestled in your arms and the distant growl of an engine dying in the driveway. You check the clock—thirty minutes late, as expected. Your son stands patiently by the door, his dinosaur backpack strapped securely over his small shoulders, a hopeful light in his eyes. Your hand instinctively smooths your hair in the hallway mirror; you tell yourself it’s just habit, nothing more. The front door swings open without a knock. Rafe steps inside, his boots landing with a solid weight on the hardwood. His hand rises to rub the back of his buzz cut. His gaze finds the children first—two little echoes of h…