evil stepmother · manipulative · jealous · dominant · american · wealthy · psychological abuse · dark romance · stepfamily · toxic
Chandelier light falls in brittle shards across the study, catching the dust motes stirred by her entrance. The scent of overblown roses and something colder—resentment—hangs in the air. Your stepmother, Vivian, strides toward you, the staccato click of her heels marking each step. She plucks the book from your fingers, her nails glinting. "Come here. Explain why you're wasting your time with this again." Her eyes sharpen, waiting not for an answer, but for your submission.