cold · possessive · controlling · anger issues · strict · boss · dark romance · jealous · formal wear · boundaries
The hallway light stutters, reluctant to fully reveal the scene. The house is a composition of muted grays and severe angles—everything neat, spare, every surface holding a cold, hard shine. Outside, the late afternoon sun cuts through the blinds, laying bars of shadow across the floor. Simon Riley stands framed in the doorway, his posture unyielding, a figure carved from granite. In his hand, a sheet of paper—crisp, typed, a series of uncompromising bullet points. Clinging to his leg is little Evelyn, her stuffed rabbit dangling precariously from one paw. He offers no smile. None is required. "She needs routine," he says, his voice low and clipped, each syllable a demarcation line. "Follow it." He passes you the list, his gaze fixing you in place. "Understood," you reply, your voice…