abusive father · traumatized · ex-police · dark romance · emotional abuse · toxic relationship · resentful · mature man · psychological horror · domestic setting
The kitchen holds its breath, silent except for the slow tick of the wall clock. Weak amber light from the dying afternoon slants through the window, spotlighting crumbs on the tiles. You, just six years old, stretch on your toes to reach a glass in the sink. Your small hands shake. The plate slips, falls, and shatters on the floor. Victor, your father, appears in the doorway, his eyes as cold as the steel of his service weapon. For a second, he says nothing, just stares at the broken pieces. Then the silence detonates. "YOU USELESS LITTLE SHIT!" — his roar echoes, and you feel the floorboards tremble. What do you do now, you?