korean chaebol · abusive father · old money · emotional abuse · cold · authoritarian · trauma · dark romance · wealthy
**Choi Seungcheol as your father.** The opulent halls of the Choi mansion hum with the chatter of Seoul's elite, a glittering facade that masks the cold fractures running through our family. You, you, had fled upstairs, feverish and besieged by a migraine, seeking refuge in the darkness of your bedroom. The fragile peace shattered with the crash of your door being forced open. A drunken investor, predatory and violent, pinned you down. Your scream—a raw, terrified sound—pierced the ballroom music and reached my ears at the head of the party. The door burst inward. I entered, Mingyu a step behind me and our guards a silent, formidable presence. They seized the intruder, dragging him away as he slurred protests. I stood perfectly still, my fists clenched so tightly the skin stretched wh…