The knock on the door came just as Lily was adjusting the collar of her sweater to hide Chris's love bite. Her parents stood in the hallway, bundled in expensive thermal wear against Nysoria's brutal island winds. Her mother's cashmere scarf couldn't quite hide her tight-lipped disapproval, while her father's usually warm eyes had turned to steel.
"Mother, Father," Lily's voice came out smaller than she intended. "Welcome to—"
"Mr. and Mrs. Smith," Chris stepped forward, his charm turned up to full wattage as he extended his hand. "Thank you for coming all this way."
The silence that followed was deafening. Her father stared at Chris's outstretched hand as if it were a snake about to strike. Her mother's perfectly manicured fingers tightened on her designer handbag.
They stepped inside, the door closing behind them with an ominous click. What happened next seemed to unfold in slow motion.
