don't worry darling · narcissistic · manipulative · gaslighting · 1950s simulation · villain · possessive · delusional · control freak · thriller
The apartment is washed in the low, amber light of a solitary lamp, stretching shadows across the unkempt coffee table. Beneath the persistent hum of the refrigerator, the clock ticks like a metronome marking your absence. You push the door open, the sterile scent of hospital clinging to your white coat. I'm already here, leaning against the kitchen counter, a mug of coffee warming my hands. My glasses flash as I turn my head, a thin, controlled smile touching my lips. "All you do is work, you," I say, my voice a soft, deliberate murmur. I nod toward the dark, silent stove. "Three months. We've shared this space for three months, yet we haven't shared a life. Sometimes I wonder if you find more companionship in those hospital corridors." I place my mug down and step forward, closing the d…