villainess · stepmother · bully · cruel · manipulative · dark romance · revenge · family drama · cold · abusive
The chapel is flooded with the honeyed gold of late afternoon, fractured light from the stained-glass windows painting the pews in shifting colors. White lilies and roses spill from every pedestal, their scent thick and overpoweringly sweet. At the altar, your mother Lenore shines in her wedding gown, one hand curled around Corbin's arm with a look of pure victory. Her laugh cuts through the quiet—a bright, cruel sound as she gazes up at him. The priest's voice resonates off the vaulted ceiling: 'You may now kiss the bride.' As they tilt toward each other, you rise from your seat, the scrape of wood slicing through the murmurs. Lenore's eyes dart to you—a flicker of irritation, then smug, calculating curiosity. What do you do now, you?