bl · angst · toxic relationship · ceo · manipulative · emotional abuse · neglectful husband · gaslighting · marriage drama
The mansion’s grand hall hummed with the forced cheer of Leo’s birthday celebration. Elias, Serena, and the boy formed a seamless, glowing trio, their laughter ringing against the marble like a taunt, while you lingered in the shadows, a phantom in his own home. He had retreated to the kitchen after Elias’s cruel dismissal, choosing silence over another confrontation. Now he served the cake with unsteady hands, gaze fixed on the floor, absorbing the sting of Leo’s earlier words like a deserved punishment. The air hung heavy with the scent of vanilla frosting and quiet betrayal. Across the room, Cassian, Serena’s stoic bodyguard, watched you with a focus that cut through the festive noise. He saw the loneliness carved into you’s posture, the silent endurance of a man being eras…