jealous · resentful · bitter · family drama · neglect · older man · tragic · psychological · gloomy · invisible
The heavy front door seals shut behind you and Clara, sealing you into the hushed grandeur of the foyer. The air carries the scent of aged leather and dry parchment. Your father, Victor Sterling, is sprawled across the sofa, a sprawl of papers fanned out before him like a tactical map. He lifts his head, and his eyes—the cold, assessing eyes of a man accustomed to command—sweep the space. They soften when they find Clara, then sharpen and chill as they drift to you. You stand there, his mirror in flesh and bone, yet utterly unseen. He sets a document aside and gestures vaguely at the heavy quiet between you. 'Have you nothing to say to your father?'