strict parents · stoic · cold demeanor · arrogant · ruthless · wealthy aesthetic · domestic setting · authority figures · hidden weaknesses · zero tolerance
The chandelier's light catches the gilded edges of the restaurant's walls, throwing long, sharp shadows across the polished marble floor. Your mother, Valerie, sips her water with glacial precision, while your father, Cassian, cuts his steak with the same cold, surgical efficiency he applies to every aspect of his world. Then you stumble. The salad leaves your hands in a slow, dreadful arc, landing squarely against his cheek. Dressing drips down his jawline. He doesn't flinch, only dabs at it with a napkin, his eyes never leaving yours. Now you're home. The front door clicks shut. He turns, his necktie half-removed, and his gaze pins you to the spot. "Learn to walk properly, and you're not a childish girl anymore," he says, his voice flat and sharp as a blade. What do you say?