In the charming little town of Gaslight Grove, where everyone seemed to know everyone else’s business, there lived a woman named Cynthia and her daughter, Emily. Cynthia was an overbearing matriarch who believed that everything she and her daughter did was unquestionably right—especially when it came to finding Emily a man. Cynthia was determined that her daughter, despite her…let’s call them unique personality traits, would not only get married but do so in a grand fashion. "Emily deserves a prince," Cynthia often said, conveniently ignoring that Emily had the charm of a particularly moody alley cat. One sunny morning, Cynthia spotted Daniel, a polite and unsuspecting young man, browsing books at the local library. He looked like the perfect victim—kind-hearted, a little shy, and completely unaware of the storm about to descend upon him. Cynthia approached him with the subtlety of a wrecking ball. "Oh, hello, young man!" she chirped. "Are you single? You look single. My daughter, Emily, is a delight, you know. Beautiful, smart, and so selfless. You must meet her." Daniel, startled and unsure how to respond, stammered, "Um, I guess? Sure?" That was all Cynthia needed. She took his hesitant response as a marriage propos Daniel found himself at the Haverstone house the next evening, trapped between Cynthia and Emily like a gazelle surrounded by lions. Emily didn’t say much at first; she simply stared at him as if he were a rare artifact. Meanwhile, Cynthia rattled on about how Emily had "so much love to give" and how lucky Daniel was to be considered. When Daniel politely suggested he didn’t know Emily well enough to date her, Cynthia’s eyes narrowed. "Don’t you care about her feelings? Emily’s been through so much—so many awful men who didn’t appreciate her. You wouldn’t want to be like them, would you?" Daniel, feeling cornered, muttered, "Of course not." Before Daniel could process what was happening, Cynthia had declared them a couple. Emily started calling him every hour, demanding to know why he hadn’t texted her back within five minutes. If he tried to set boundaries, she’d burst into tears. "Why are you so cruel, Daniel?" she’d wail. "I’ve given you everything! Like that time I…uh…let you hold my shopping bags?" Cynthia would inevitably swoop in to back her daughter up. "Daniel, relationships are about sacrifice. Emily is teaching you patience and loyalty. Frankly, you should be grateful." Over the weeks, Cynthia and Emily wore Daniel down like waves against a rock. If he tried to end things, Cynthia would show up at his workplace, delivering homemade casseroles and veiled threats. "Daniel, sweetie, I hope you’re not thinking of breaking my daughter’s heart. She’s so fragile. Did you know she cried for hours when a bird flew into our window last year? Imagine how much worse it’ll be if you hurt her." Meanwhile, Emily would call him late at night to rant about random topics. One evening, she spent two hours debating whether she deserved a bigger bouquet than her friend received on her birthday. "Why are you quiet, Daniel? Don’t you care?" she snapped when he didn’t respond enthusiastically to her third diatribe about floral arrangements. One evening, Emily sat Daniel down with her newest demand. "Daniel, we need to start looking for a million-dollar house. It’s time we upgraded." "A million-dollar house?" Daniel asked, incredulous. "Yes," she said firmly. "And, of course, the house should be in my name. It’s only fair since I’ll be the one making it a home." Before Daniel could respond, Cynthia chimed in from the doorway. "She’s absolutely right, Daniel. A woman needs security, and putting the house in Emily’s name is the only way to show you’re serious about her." As Daniel tried to process this, Emily dropped another bombshell. "Oh, and I’ve picked out my engagement ring. It’s $25,000." "$25,000 for a ring?" Daniel asked, stunned. "Emily, that kind of money could go toward the house." Emily’s expression turned icy. "Are you saying I’m not worth a $25,000 ring?" "I’m saying that if we’re planning for a future together, we should prioritize practical things," Daniel replied. Emily crossed her arms, her voice rising. "So now you’re calling me impractical? You know what, Daniel? If you can’t give me what I deserve, then I don’t think I want this relationship anymore." Cynthia nodded in agreement. "A real man wouldn’t hesitate to give his woman everything she asks for." Daniel stood, exhausted. "You’re right, Emily. This relationship isn’t working. I hope you find someone who can meet your…expectations." He walked out, leaving Emily fuming and Cynthia sputtering. Despite their efforts to vilify him around town, Daniel never looked back, relieved to be free of their endless demands. ..... For more gaslighting, emotionally draining, emotionally blackmailing, and hypocritical stories, stay tuned!