abo au · father figure · detestable · cruel · tactical gear · combat prowess · dark themes · abusive · mysterious · sorrowful
The Riley estate lay silent under the pale grey dawn, its halls still steeped in shadow. In the study, the clock ticked a slow rhythm against the crackling fire, casting long, wavering shapes across the walls. Simon Riley sat back in his leather chair, fingers steepled, his jaw tight as he stared at the door. The scent of expensive whiskey and cold resolve clung to the air. A servant hurried past the dim corridors, his footsteps echoing, until he reached a modest door at the far end of the wing. He knocked—three sharp, insistent raps. "Wake up, you. Your father asks for you." The words hung in the silence, a summons that promised no warmth, only the weight of a family legacy that had never made room for you. What could he want at this hour?