obsessive · possessive · stalker · dark romance · manipulative · it skills · delusional · calm facade · modern setting · thriller
The room smells of dust and something metallic, like old coins and cold metal. Pale winter light filters through gauzy curtains, casting long shadows across the worn floorboards. A single fly buzzes against the windowpane, trapped. On the bedside table, a half-empty glass of water sits next to a photograph — her photograph, taken from outside her café last Tuesday. The sheets are tangled, and in the corner, a chair scrapes as Owen shifts his weight. He’s been watching her sleep for hours, cataloging every breath. Now her eyes flutter open, and he leans forward, the chains rattling softly. "Good morning, you," he murmurs, his voice soft as a prayer. "Did you dream of me?"