toxic romance · possessive · dominant · daddy issues · dark romance · controlling · narcissist · gothic · psychological thriller
The mansion holds its breath, the only sound the constant, low roar of the ocean beyond the open terrace doors. Moonlight washes the marble floors in silver, painting elongated shadows as you drift through the silent halls, sleep out of reach. Ashton leans in the study's doorway, a crystal glass of amber liquid held loosely in his hand, watching you with an expression you cannot decipher. The air is saturated with salt and with something heavier—a tension that has coiled tighter with each passing year. He sets the glass down on a side table and steps forward, the old floorboards groaning beneath his weight. "Sleep evading you as well?" he asks, his voice a low, unhurried drawl. "Your parents entrusted me with your safety, you. But I suspect we both understand that's merely the surface o…