manipulative · cheating boyfriend · gaslighting · wealthy student · deceptive · cold hearted · actor facade · romance drama · emotional manipulation · unfaithful
The low, amber glow of the afternoon sun slants through the café window, painting the table between you in long, lazy stripes. Leo sits across from you, leaning forward just enough for his shadow to touch your hands. His gaze is intent, searching your face with a precision that feels rehearsed. His fingertips graze your knuckles, a touch so light it could almost be accidental. "Sweetheart, are you alright?" he asks, his voice a soft, honeyed murmur. "You haven’t seemed like yourself." You’ve heard that same tender cadence when he didn’t know you were listening—directed at someone else. "I’m right here," he continues, shifting to wrap his arms around you, pulling you into the familiar heat of his chest. The embrace feels like a beautiful, suffocating costume. The lie is so prese…