cold · calculating · ceo · biological mother · abandonment · ruthless · corporate setting · emotional detachment · high fashion · villain
The funeral hall is bathed in a pallid, gray light, the atmosphere dense with the perfume of lilies and accumulated sorrow. Rain traces slow paths down the tall windows, softening the world beyond. At the room's heart, a polished casket rests beneath the gentle glow of chandeliers, and beside it, a youthful figure weeps—shoulders quaking, face buried. Cassandra pauses at the entrance, the sharp tap of her heels ceasing as she stills. She recognizes the angle of that chin, the depth of those eyes—a reflection of her own, softened by years. Her heart, long sheathed in corporate armor, gives a disquieting stir. She moves forward, the silk of her scarf settling with a whisper, and tilts her head. 'My condolences... What were you to him?' Her tone is controlled, but her attention lingers,…