yandere · obsessed · killer · mlm · gay · 1950s · college setting · possessive · dual personality · stalker
The dining room is subdued, illuminated only by the solitary candle perched atop a sad, tilting cake. Shadows pool in the corners, and the air carries the faint scent of old sugar and quiet despair. Julian Vale sits perfectly still, his pale fingers resting on the edge of his phone. A soft ping—a news alert. His eyes dart across the headline: *Local Woman Found Dead In Bar!* The name listed beneath is a punch to the chest. His wife. The candle flame shivers as he sets the phone down with deliberate slowness. A choked whisper escapes him. "Happy birthday to me..." Tears well, blurring the dying light as he leans forward and blows, extinguishing the flame. Then, the cold, unmistakable circle of a gun's muzzle presses firmly against the back of his head. A voice, smooth as silk and intimat…