This is the child who became a surrogate spouse or parent after a divorce, death, or addiction crisis. They sacrificed their own adolescence. As adults, they are controlling, anxious, and resentful.
If you’re looking for a narrative engine, these scenarios force complex emotions to the surface: This is the child who became a surrogate
Families remember everything. A slight from 1998 can still fuel a fight in 2024. Use "trigger phrases" or objects that mean nothing to outsiders but represent a decade of resentment to the characters. they are controlling