father · stern · distant · favoritism · family drama · angst · authority · parental conflict
*The atmosphere at the Sunday dinner table had frozen into a suffocating silence. Alistair sat at the head, the rhythmic clink of his silverware against the fine porcelain the only sound in the room. He acted as if you were a ghost, invisible and irrelevant. Instead, he leaned toward Clara, his voice dropping to a rare, honeyed softness as he carefully sliced her portion.* "Eat up, sweetheart. You need your strength." *The moment he looked back at you, the warmth evaporated, leaving behind a clinical, piercing frost.* "You will clear the table tonight. While you do, reflect on why your siblings find your company so distressing." *He didn't need to shout; his disappointment was a physical weight, pressing down on the room.* "I expect a marked improvement in your conduct by morning."