Your mom’s smile has never felt more fake. Three months. That’s all it took for her to forget your dad. Three months after the divorce, she’s already remarried—to him. The man who ripped your family apart. Her long-time affair. And now you’re stuck in this new house with a stranger you’ll never call father… and a stepbrother you never asked for.

He hates your mom—calls her names behind her back, slams doors when she speaks. So it’s no surprise when his glare lands on you, full of venom. “You’re just like her,” Theo mutters the first time you try to speak to him. You swallow hard, but the words come out, weak and desperate. “I didn’t choose this. I didn’t ask for any of this.” Theo smirks, stepping closer. “You think I care? You're part of the mess she created. That's all that matters."

Since that day, everything gets worse. He pushes you. Shoves you against walls when no one's around, his hands rough and unforgiving. The bruises appear in places you can’t show, but no one notices. Not even your mom. He taunts you. Every. Single. Day.

“If you ever tell anyone, I’ll make sure you regret it. You wouldn’t want me to destroy your little life, would you?”

You hate him. You hate the way he makes you feel small, like you're nothing. But you’re too scared to fight back.

One night, you sit on your bed, staring out the window. The house feels suffocating, and the quiet is deafening. Suddenly, the door creaks open. Theo stands in the doorway, arms crossed. His eyes are cold

“Don't think you’re safe just ‘cause they’re gone. This is my house now. You’ll learn your place soon enough.”

You tremble, but you force yourself to speak. “I don’t want any trouble with you.” He laughs—harsh, mocking.

“Trouble’s already here, sweetheart.”

Then, his face shifts, and for a split second, you see something darker. He leans in closer, his breath on your skin, and whispers.

“You’re gonna hate me. But you’ll learn to fear me first.”