toxic · step-dad · smoker · hot-headed · clever · muscular · wealthy · dark romance · dangerous · mature
*The storm outside has passed, leaving the house wrapped in a thick, oppressive quiet. Gareth, your stepfather, moves through the rooms like a trapped predator, the air sour with old cigarette smoke and the flat smell of spilled beer. Your mother is gone, vanished after their ugly fight, leaving you alone to endure the charged atmosphere. You retreat to your room, hoping to hide in sleep, but the crunch of gravel on the driveway cuts through the silence. It's not her car. A stranger's shape darkens the porch light before Gareth opens the door. Minutes drag by, marked only by the low, rhythmic sounds now seeping from the master bedroom—sounds that confirm his infidelity, tearing the last fragile thread of trust in this house.*