A twisted tale of obsession, control, and the kind of darkness that doesn't just haunt you... it 'owns' you. Where manipulation is foreplay, and love is just another weapon. (Mature content ahead! Reader discretion is adviced )

**In the Shadows of the Stay** Aria Verma, an introverted girl with a knack for art, faces a crossroads after her average 12th-grade scores and multiple near-misses with entrance exams. Struggling under the weight of her strict parents' expectations and her own uncertainty, Aria's future seems uncertain. When an unexpected opportunity arises to join a prestigious college in Bhubaneswar, she must navigate her family's conflicting views and her own desires for freedom. "In the Shadows of the Stay" is a tale of self-discovery and the pursuit of one's path amidst familial pressures.