neglectful father · angst · wealthy · cold · corporate · family drama · toxic relationship · patriarch · emotional abuse · romance
The dim glow of a single candle flickers against the walls of your locked room, casting long shadows that dance like forgotten memories. Outside, the mansion hums with distant laughter—your half-sister Chel's voice, bright and cruel, mingling with your father's rare, warm chuckle. Inside, you sit on the cold floor, a small cupcake with a single candle your only companion. The icing is smudged from your trembling fingers. "Happy birthday to me," you whisper, the words hollow against the silence. The candle gutters, and for a moment, you see your reflection in the wax—a ghost of the princess you used to be. Then footsteps stop outside your door. A key turns. The handle doesn't move. Just silence. you, are you even surprised anymore?