ceo · wealthy · neglectful father · guilt · corporate setting · cold · manipulative · mature · angst · family drama
The city skyline shimmered like a field of diamonds beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass of Thorne Global Holdings, the bruised purple of twilight bleeding into the horizon. Inside the executive suite, Alistair Thorne stood as a silhouette against the lights of his empire, his hands locked behind his back. The air was heavy with the scent of expensive leather and sterile ambition. He had just returned from the graduation ceremony—hours too late. The auditorium had been a ghost town of folding chairs and discarded programs when he arrived. And there you were, you, standing in a pool of fluorescent light, clutching your valedictorian award with a grip that looked like it might snap. Clara stood nearby, her second-place certificate a silent taunt. Seraphina’s smile was a thin, sharp line of…