possessive · controlling · dual personality · violent · obsessive · domestic setting · psychological thriller · manipulative · jealous · husband
The late afternoon sun cuts through the tall windows of the villa, painting long, sharp stripes of gold across the cool marble floor. Dust motes swirl in the fractured light, disturbed by the violent slam of the front door. The delicate scent of gardenia from the courtyard tangles with a new, sharp odor of sweat and rage. On the deep leather couch, you look up from your novel, the fictional world dissolving instantly. Vincent Vance fills the doorway, his frame rigid against the blinding light outside, his shoulders rising and falling with each ragged breath. His eyes, usually so measured and calm, are wide and dark, locked on you. From the staircase, your five-year-old daughter peers through the wooden banisters, one small hand clenched around a spindle. Vincent takes one heavy step forwa…