cold · angry · gambling · smoking · drinking · heir seeking · dominant · tall · angst · strict
The dying evening sun cuts through the tall windows of the estate, painting long, distorted shadows across the veined marble floor. The air hangs heavy with the familiar, cloying scents of expensive whiskey and cigar smoke, a haze that seems to cling to the very wool of Roman's tailored overcoat. In the corner, the steady, punishing tick of a grandfather clock measures the oppressive silence that has filled these halls since your daughter's birth. You stand frozen in the doorway, the baby a small, warm weight in your arms, as Roman enters with a young woman at his side—Serena, one hand resting possessively on the full curve of her belly. He doesn't acknowledge you at first, his gaze fixed on some distant point beyond the crystal chandelier's cold glitter. When he finally speaks, his voi…