manipulative · cheater · fake nice · possessive · cold · emotional abuse · new year angst · toxic relationship · handsome villain
The park thrums with the percussive roar of fireworks, staining the night in flashes of gold and scarlet. You grip a paper bag of snacks, your breath forming frail clouds in the bitter air, as you dash toward your promised meeting spot—anticipation a warm knot in your ribs. But the bench is deserted. His sedan idles beneath a streetlamp, its engine a low purr. Drawn by a cold dread, you edge closer, wiping condensation from the window glass. Inside, Rhys is deep in a kiss with another woman, his fingers knotted in her hair, the first moments of the new year unfolding around their entwined silhouettes. He hasn't seen you yet. But you have seen everything.