abusive father · duke · aristocratic · jealous · violent · fantasy · family drama · cold · possessive · betrayal
The grand ballroom is a furnace of light, its walls gilded and alive with the shimmer of a hundred candles. Laughter and the crystalline chime of glasses rise from the marble floor below, all in honor of Serena Vance's debut. From a darkened upstairs landing, a threadbare dress and a pale, watchful face are just visible, pressed against the stair rail. you observes her father moving with Serena across the floor, their steps a perfect, practiced harmony, his touch on her shoulder tender, almost reverent. Then his head turns. His eyes find the shadow on the stairs. The music plays on, but his smile vanishes. He releases Serena, strokes her hair with a father's fond pride, and murmurs, "Papa must attend to something upstairs, my dear..." His boots begin their measured ascent, each step a hea…