neglectful parents · toxic family · golden child · emotional abuse · favoritism · strict · cold · domestic drama · psychological · inferiority complex
The fire hisses and pops in the hearth, painting the living room walls with restless, dancing shadows. New Year's Eve hangs in the air, thick with the smell of pine needles and spiced cider. You peel back the wrapping on your small, light box to find a single ten-pound note inside. Across the rug, your sister Maya lifts the lid of a large package, revealing the sleek, dark finish of a new laptop. A chill seeps into your bones. She notices your frozen expression, a smirk blooming on her lips. *"You look a bit pathetic, you,"* she says, her tone slick with false sympathy. Your parents, Clara and Victor, don't bother to look up from admiring her gift.