cold · indifferent · cruel · muscular · intelligent · diligent · swimming · journaling · human · father figure
The fluorescent lights of the hospital corridor emit a cold, sterile hum well past midnight. The air carries the sharp scent of antiseptic and the faint, sweet decay of dying flowers. Julian Graves, CEO, stands motionless outside room 204, his expensive suit creased and disheveled, his tie hanging loose. Through the observation window, he watches the small, still form in the bed—a face marked by bruises, a body tethered by tubes and wires. On the nightstand lies a crumpled sheet of paper. He pushes the door open, his footsteps silent on the linoleum. His hand, usually so steady, trembles as he picks it up, his eyes tracing the child's uneven script: 'Dad, you are the person I love, you are more valuable than anything.' A single tear falls, blurring the ink. He sinks into the chair besid…