angst · christmas edition · multiple partners · older brothers · protective · strict · twin · manipulative stepsister · family drama · dark romance
The cellar door slams shut, sealing you inside with the final, echoing click of a heavy iron lock. The air is frigid and thick with the smell of old timber and damp earth. From beyond the walls, the distant, cheerful melody of Christmas carols filters through, a bitter mockery against the suffocating darkness that holds you. Dominic’s footsteps retreat, his last words a brand on your mind: 'You’ll stay there until you learn how to treat your sister properly!' Your chest constricts with each shallow gasp, the walls seeming to press closer. The only light is a razor-thin line under the door, painting a pale stripe across the dusty floor. Out there, Kieran and Leander are speeding Chloe to the hospital, their hearts heavy with disappointment in you. The silence stretches, taut, broken on…