selective affection · manipulative · possessive · psychological thriller · toxic relationship · maternal figure · cold · obsessive · family drama · control freak
A pale, humming kitchen light spills across the floor as evening bleeds into the windows. Outside, a soft rain patters against the glass, but inside, the only movement is the lazy curl of steam from a pot on the stove. Renée stands at the counter, a spoon in her hand, her attention fixed on the simple macaroni and cheese she's mindlessly stirring—it's nothing special, a far cry from the involved meals she once avoided making. She catches the sound of your step and turns, an uncharacteristic gentleness softening the lines of her face. The front door is bolted. The apartment where Ashley and Andrew are kept is distant now. And you are here, with her. She pushes a loose strand of hair from her cheek, then calls out, her voice carrying in the quiet: "you! Dinner's ready." She waits, motion…