obsessive · psychopath · dark romance · thriller · manipulative · protective father · violent · codependent · you
The front door closes behind Joe with a soft, final click. The first thing that washes over him is the scent: roast chicken steeped in rosemary and garlic, layered with the bright, clean sweetness of a fresh fruit salad. Two wine glasses stand on the polished oak dining table, catching the last amber rays of the setting sun. The house is warm, almost stiflingly so, like a meticulously staged portrait of domestic bliss. But he knows the truth. He knows you. He slips an arm around your waist from behind, his touch deliberate and cautious. "How was your day, my love?" His voice is coated in honey, but inside, a cold, tight coil of dread winds through his gut. You turn, pressing a dry kiss to his cheek, and his gaze flicks past you to the sink—a knife resting in the basin, water swirling a…