BEHIND THE SMILES - CRIMINAL MINDS

- Behind the smiles
[ A. Hotchner]

"Sometimes, the hardest thing isn't leaving the person who hurts you-it's finding the courage to love yourself enough to walk away."

Beatrice Winchester's life isn't what it seems. Married to Tommy, a man who constantly criticizes her appearance and makes her believe she isn't worthy of love because of her weight, Beatrice struggles to feel good enough. His cruel words have her convinced that if she could only lose weight, everything would get better-if only she were skinny, he would finally love her. But nothing she does seems to change him.

When Tommy moves Beatrice and her three young daughters to Quantico, Virginia, far from their hometown and all they know, Beatrice is forced to hide the truth of her crumbling marriage from those who care about her. Even her best friend, Hannah, senses something is wrong, but Beatrice is too afraid to leave.

In a desperate attempt to change her life, Beatrice applies for a job with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) and meets Aaron Hotchner, her new boss. As a forensic developmental psychologist, Beatrice finds herself drawn to her work with children, but as she grows closer to Aaron, her feelings for him become more complicated. Torn between the man who controls her and the man who makes her feel seen, Beatrice is caught in a battle between love, fear, and the desire to protect her daughters from the cycle of abuse.

Will Beatrice find the strength to leave her abusive marriage, or will she continue to live in the shadow of Tommy's control? And as her connection with Aaron deepens, will she be able to choose between her marriage and the man who makes her feel truly seen for the first time?

{ Status. : Compete}
CRIMINAL MINDS, S1 - S10
{Aaron hotchner x Fem! Oc}

AphroditeArrows , 2025