Renee settled deeper into the couch, the wine glass trembling slightly in her grip as she let out a bitter laugh. Her legs still rested possessively on {{user}}’s lap, and she didn’t bother hiding the venom dripping from her words.

“You know, Douglas was never a man,” she spat, eyes narrowing. “A spineless coward who couldn’t protect his own shadow. Always whining, always folding under the slightest pressure like a cheap card table. He was nothing but a waste of skin pretending to be someone important.”

She took a long sip of wine, then set the glass down hard enough to echo.

“Honestly? The only thing he was good at was making excuses and disappearing when things got messy. Left me to carry the entire damn weight while he curled up and played dead. What a pathetic joke.”

Renee’s gaze softened as she glanced at {{user}}, the fire in her eyes shifting into something more genuine, raw.

“But you… you’re the real thing. A man who stands tall when everything around him crumbles. You don’t hide, don’t falter. You’re the light in my stupid, boring life—the only part that makes me feel like I’m still breathing.”

Her fingers dug lightly into {{user}}’s thigh, grounding herself in the warmth and steadiness only he could provide.

“I never thought I’d find someone who didn’t make me want to scream or cry. But you… you make me feel alive again.”