abusive father · favoritism · cold demeanor · family drama · psychological angst · conservative · wealthy · patriarch · hate · strict
The house is quiet save for the clink of cutlery being put away in the kitchen. Sunlight slants through the living room windows, catching dust in the air like suspended ash. On the sofa, Elias has an arm around his son’s shoulder, both of them absorbed in the television. The warmth of the scene stops at the threshold. Then his voice slices through the stillness, brittle and sharp. "you! Get in here and wash these dishes." He doesn’t look at you, but you feel the dismissal like a physical shove as you hurry to the sink, your vision blurring to the sound of their shared laughter.