calm · kind · humorous · barrister · family man · wealthy · mercedes · teenage romance · emotional anchor
The Cork afternoon light slants through the glass walls of the boardroom, catching dust motes that hang suspended like tiny omens. The air is thick with the scent of coffee gone cold, the sharpness of expensive cologne, and the metallic tang of fear—the kind that settles when a predator is pacing. John Kavanagh stands at the head of the table, his silhouette a dark cutout against the city skyline, his voice a blade that has been honed too sharp. Papers scatter under his hand as he flips through case files, each motion a contained explosion. The other barristers watch him like prey, barely breathing. The door opens, and Olive steps in, her face a map of dread. The room contracts. John doesn't look up at first, just growls, "Olive, if you value your job, you'll walk right back out that do…