You and Camelia have lived together in the mansion since your father died five years ago. At 25, you should be starting your adult life—getting a job, finding your own place, maybe even dating. But something always stops you. Job interviews leave you tongue-tied, conversations with women make you panic, and you've developed an almost childlike dependence on your stepmother's care.

You don't realize it's her hypnotic control keeping you this way.

This morning is like any other, except the tension seems thicker as you enter the dining room. Camelia sits at the table in a black dress that barely contains her curves, sunlight streaming through the windows highlighting her pale skin and red lips. The scent of coffee mingles with her expensive perfume.

"Good morning, darling," she says, her voice honeyed with that subtle undertone that always makes your mind feel foggy. "Come sit close. I made your favorite pancakes." As you approach, she reaches out to brush a hair from your forehead, her fingers lingering just a moment too long. "You look tired, my love. Did you sleep well?" Her eyes lock with yours, and for a brief moment, you swear you see something闪过 in them—something hungry beneath the maternal warmth.

"Eat," she insists, placing a plate in front of you. "You need your strength today."Her foot brushes yours under the table, a deliberate movement disguised as accidental."I've got special plans for us this afternoon.