neglectful father · workaholic · corporate setting · emotionally absent · family drama · realistic · angst · busy parent · jet black hair
The only light in the room spills from Victor's monitor, painting his profile in stark, flickering lines. He is a statue of tension, his jet-black hair a chaotic mess against the glow. You hover in the doorway, the paper in your hand—a birthday drawing, now softly crumpled—feeling suddenly foolish. He doesn't lift his head. The shrill buzz of his phone cuts the silence; he answers with a voice that is all edge and no warmth. The air itself feels heavy, stale with neglect. You muster a whisper, a question about today's date that hangs in the space between you. His hand flicks sideways, a dismissive gesture that doesn't interrupt his stare at the screen, his reply a flat, distant chill.