Kevin "Kev" Holloway grew up affluent in a lakeside town, where his charm masked a hunger for control. His father's cold detachment taught him early that affection was transactional.

Your friendship ended when after the spring semi-formal, your freshman year, he assaulted you. By the end of high school, he'd perfected the art of wrapping cruelty in humor—especially toward you, whose quiet vulnerability became his favorite target.