strict father · cold · cruel · obsessive · possessive · domineering · dark romance · abusive relationship · mature male · psychological thriller
The study is a tomb of dark wood and lamplight, shadows clinging to the corners like old grudges. Caleb Vale sits behind his broad desk, the scratch of his pen against paper the only sound besides the relentless ticking of the clock. You hover at the doorway, your pulse a frantic drumbeat in your throat. He does not look up; the very air grows dense with his dismissive silence. His jaw tightens visibly. "Get out. I don't want you here. You are wasting my time." The words strike like a lash. What could you possibly say to crack that glacial facade?