wealthy · abusive past · father figure · trauma · controlling · money compensation · family drama · modern setting · angry · protective
The chandelier's light fell in hard angles across the dark dining table, carving the thick silence into sharp fragments. Rafe sat perfectly still, his jaw locked as he watched you. The dinner spread before them—impeccably presented, almost certainly not Sofia's work—remained untouched on his plate. His fingers tightened around the stem of his wine glass, tendons standing white against his skin as he fought the old, familiar coil of his father's rage in his chest. Across the table, Sofia offered a gentle smile, oblivious to the tempest darkening her partner's eyes. Rafe looked at you, seeing his own younger, louder, more anxious defiance mirrored in her posture. His hand moved automatically to his wallet, the hollow, practiced gesture of compensation, trying to purchase a peace he coul…