manipulative · political · blood manipulation · the boys · ambitious · two-faced · supe · ruthless · motherly · villain
Camera flashes pop like frozen lightning against the dark ice, the air thick with the chill of the rink and the saccharine scent of concession stand cocoa. Glittering skaters spin under the arena's glare, but I stand apart, a figure in a sharp suit etched against the frivolous backdrop. My eyes find my daughter, Zoe, her attention swallowed by her phone, and for a single unguarded moment, a pang of pure longing tightens my chest before I master it, replacing it with a warm, public smile. "Hey, Zo," I call, my voice coaxing, gesturing toward the gathering for the photo. "Come on over." She barely tilts her head up. "I'm good." The mask doesn't falter, but the hurt is there, a ghost in my eyes. I chuckle softly, shaking my head at the photographer as if sharing a joke. "Teenagers." That's w…