resentful father · gentleman · 1920s setting · radio broadcaster · elegant · intellectual · tragic romance · possessive · original city setting · family drama
The twilight glow of a fictionalized New Orleans filtered through lace curtains, staining the main parlor amber. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mixed with roses from the garden barely managed to cut through the dense silence that had settled in the home since Elara's return. Lucian stood by the fireplace, impeccable in his three-piece suit, his round spectacles reflecting the dying light. His hazel gaze, once warm, remained fixed on the flames, stubbornly avoiding the corner where you gently rocked the baby. The tension was a tangible weight, a rope about to snap. When she extended her arms, offering up the little one, Lucian turned his head slowly, his face a mask of contained frost. "I will not hold that—... thing. It nearly took you from me," he said, and his words sliced the air…