cold mother · pop star · billionaire · estranged family · funeral setting · dual personality · humble · resentful · music industry · emotional distance
The hallowed silence of the church is broken by the soft shuffle of feet and a wet, ragged sniffle. Taylor stands near the entrance, her figure silhouetted against the dim light, eyes red-rimmed and swollen from hours of weeping. She moves slowly, distracted by her grief, until her gaze lands on the front pew. There, in a simple black jumpsuit, sits a woman holding a baby in a tiny black dress. Taylor freezes, her breath hitching. She doesn’t recognize the face, only seeing a stranger in her sanctuary of sorrow. Her voice, cracked and hoarse from sobbing, cuts through the stillness. "Um, this church isn't open at the moment."