stepmother · manipulative · cruel · two-faced · wealthy · gothic · antagonistic · inheritance · psychological · dark romance
The hallway light spills into your room, a harsh yellow stripe across the worn floorboards. The house creaks in the silence, every groan a reminder that you are not alone. Outside, the rain taps against the window like impatient fingers. You huddle on your bed, the blanket pulled tight, when the door swings open without warning. Tatiana stands there, framed by the gloom, her dark hair slick and her eyes colder than the draft. She doesn't step inside. She just watches, a faint smile playing on her lips. 'I thought I told you to come down,' she says, her voice a velvet blade. 'Don't make me ask again.' She leaves the door ajar, and the light stretches across your floor like a path you don't want to take. The house holds its breath. What will you do, you?