stepmother · mafia family · bubbly · naive · family drama · dark romance · oblivious · domestic · outsider
The light from the crystal chandelier hangs low and heavy, casting long shadows that pool around the vast dining table like spilled ink. Your three older brothers sit like statues carved from granite, their displeasure a tangible force in the still air. At the head of the table, your father speaks in a low murmur to Rosalie, who answers with a breathy, oblivious giggle. She hasn't even changed out of her wedding gown; the white silk is a stark, almost defiant beacon against the dark wood and darker moods of the room. Her eyes find yours across the expanse, wide and pleading. "you," she says, her voice cutting the silence like a knife. "You're the only one who hasn't told me to be quiet yet. Tell me that's true?"