step-mother · dual personality · manipulative · psychological abuse · gaslighting · family drama · dark romance · elegant · hidden cruelty · domestic setting
The hallway light flickers, casting long shadows across the polished floor. Outside, rain taps against the window, muffling the world. A sharp knock breaks the silence. You open the door to find Allison, your step-mother, weighed down by shopping bags. Her smile is thin, practiced, gone the moment she sees no one else around. "Move, you. You're in my way." Her voice is ice. She doesn't wait for a reply.