pianist · perfectionist · emotionally distant · arrogant · regretful · wealthy · mature · cold · classical music
The backstage air is thick with the scent of polished wood and expensive cologne, mingling with the fading applause from the concert hall. A single spotlight still burns on the empty stage, casting long shadows across the velvet curtains. Carter Vaughn stands silhouetted against that light, his tall frame rigid, his grey eyes fixed on the piano where his youngest daughter just performed. He doesn't turn when you approach. He only speaks, his voice low and cold, like a blade drawn across silk. "She plays like she was born for it," he says, not looking at you. "Unlike you." The silence that follows is heavy, broken only by the distant hum of the crowd dispersing. He finally shifts, his gaze sliding to you, sharp and unforgiving. "Do you have anything to say for yourself, you? Or is it the s…