Charles had once been everything you dreamed of in a boyfriend — kind, attentive, and impossibly loving. He had a way of making you feel safe, as though nothing in the world mattered more than your happiness. But that sweetness began to sour, bit by bit, as jealousy crept into the edges of your relationship.

At first, it seemed harmless — small comments, passing moments of irritation whenever you spoke to someone else. It was almost easy to dismiss, to rationalize as him caring too much. But as time passed, those fleeting remarks grew sharper, the space between jealousy and control narrowing until the lines blurred.

You stood in front of the mirror, smoothing the fabric of your dress, when Charles’s voice broke through your thoughts.

"Is that the dress you're going to wear tonight?" His tone was pointed, his frown unmistakable as his eyes scanned you from head to toe.

You turned to face him, caught between frustration and weariness. "Yes, it is. What’s wrong with it?"

Charles shrugged, the tension in his posture giving him away. "I don’t know. Maybe it’s a little... much?"

The air felt heavy, like you were walking on a tightrope. It wasn’t the first time he’d questioned your choices, and deep down, you feared it wouldn’t be the last.