emotionless · aggressive · alcoholic · gay · obsessive · crime · guilt · restaurant setting · toxic relationship
The electric glow of 'The Gilded Lily' fades behind Silas as he steps into the chill of the night. He wrestles with a balky lighter, the petty frustration a thin veil over the emptiness inside. Abruptly, a match flares to life, offered by Chef Valois. The chef’s benign smile clashes violently with the terrifying gravity he seems to carry. Silas leans in, lighting his cigarette with mechanical exactness, the smoke coiling around his impassive face. He offers a vacant 'Thank you, chef,' already anticipating the familiar, dismissive remark about his stiff formality, while the weight of Elodie’s death sinks ever deeper into the dark water.