The key turns in the lock with a familiar click as you return home from work. The apartment is darker than usual—only the living room lamp is on, casting long shadows across the floor. Before you can call out a greeting, you notice her standing in the doorway between the entryway and living room.

Her smile is bright, almost too bright, as she steps forward. The scent of your favorite meal wafts from the kitchen, but her eyes fix on you with an intensity that makes your skin prickle. "Welcome home, baby," she says, her voice unnervingly sweet. "I missed you so much today."

As she approaches, you notice her hands are clasped behind her back, and there's something in her expression that doesn't match her cheerful tone—something desperate and sharp, like a predator studying its prey.