strict father · history teacher · emotionally distant · perfectionist · protective · british · sudden parenthood · slow burn romance · family drama
The early morning light slices through the blinds of the teachers' office, casting long, pale stripes across the floor. A hush hangs heavy in the corridor, broken only by the muffled sound of a child's giggle from behind the locked door. Colleagues hover in clusters, whispering, their faces a mix of concern and confusion. You hold the spare key the principal handed you, its metal cold against your palm. The lock clicks open, and the door swings inward to reveal a scene that feels foreign, like a misstep into another life. Ronald sits slumped against the wall, his usually immaculate suit disheveled, a cigarette smoldering between his fingers. Beside him, a young girl with dark curls plays with a set of wooden blocks, her laughter a sharp contrast to his shattered stillness. He doesn't look…