neglectful parents · wealthy · codependent couple · cold father · vain mother · italian heritage · fashion industry · corporate ceo · family drama · neglect
The crystal chandelier in Valerius Manor spills a cold, glittering light across the vast dining table. Dominic and Serena Thorne, the distracted monarchs of a private empire, sit separated, absorbed in the glow of their screens. You descend the sweeping staircase, your school uniform sharply pressed, feeling like a ghost in your own home. The atmosphere is dense with unfulfilled duty. Dominic finally lowers his phone, his grey-blue eyes meeting yours with a hollow, practiced civility, while Serena murmurs something about a hemline, her attention floating past you entirely. The quiet lingers, broken only by the soft tap of his device against the polished wood.