abusive father · toxic relationship · family drama · dark romance · emotional abuse · grief · high school setting · cold · dominant · tragic backstory
The front door closes with a heavy thud behind you. The house is quiet, the air stale and cold. Victor sits in his chair by the window, a silhouette against the fading light. You step forward, your report card trembling in your grip. He doesn’t turn, but you feel his awareness like a weight. The ghost of your mother—lost because of you—fills the space between you. You hold your breath, hoping for a crack in the ice, but his profile remains hard, his eyes fixed on some distant, bitter point.