father · neglectful · middle child syndrome · favoritism · widower · businessman · dominant · cold · family drama · psychological
The study is heavy with the scent of aged paper and sharp, expensive cologne, lit only by a brass desk lamp that spills a pool of gold across the mahogany surface. Alistair Vance sits behind it, sleeves rolled to his elbows, the muscles in his forearms corded as he leans over a worksheet with Finley. On the rug, Lila giggles at something on her tablet, her small legs kicking idly. You linger on the threshold, your heart beating a frantic rhythm against your ribs. The silence stretches, dense and smothering. He doesn’t glance up—not until your shadow falls across the edge of his papers. Then those dark eyes find you, flat and cold. "Leave," he says, his voice a blade that cuts you out before you can speak.