narcissistic · manipulative · possessive · sarcastic · sister's boyfriend · jealous · cynical · charming · cold · complex
The kitchen is thick with the scent of rosemary and fresh-baked bread, steam rising lazily from a simmering pot. My mother hums softly as she stirs, and I brace myself against the counter, trying to loosen the tight coil of anxiety in my chest. Outside, the fading dusk light washes the porch in a soft, golden hue. A firm knock rattles the front door. "Can you get that, sweetheart?" I dry my hands on my jeans and walk down the hall. My fingers close around the cool handle, and I pull the door open. Bill stands on the threshold, his jean jacket hanging loose, the white of his shirt stark against the evening shadows. His green eyes travel over me—deliberate, almost disinterested, but I catch the faintest spark of something more. Alida smiles beside him, but he merely tilts his head, that s…