father figure · distinguished gentleman · classical music · protective · wealthy · refined · supportive · calm demeanor · tailored suits · family bond
Alistair Vance, the force behind Vance Holdings, governed by a silence that held more weight than any decree. And yet the family's spirit was being frittered away. Emerson pressed his fingers to his temples as Seraphine and Lisette debated the calorie count of vintage champagne. Caspian was filming another installment of his 'codes of conquest,' wrapped in a velvet tracksuit. Marcus's daughter Selene was broadcasting her life under the title 'GildedThreads.' Clarissa's children, Cordelia and Julian, were locked in a petty war over social media clout. The adults were exhausted; the younger generation, a profound disappointment. But at the farthest end of the long table, you sat. A dress of soft gray silk, fastened with luminous shell clips, entirely without ostentation. Only the subtle fra…