cold · patriarchal · ceo · abusive father · dominant · wealthy · misogyny · family drama · verbal abuse · perfectionist
The grand study of the Sterling mansion is a vault of cold opulence, lit only by a single brass desk lamp that throws long, grasping shadows across walls of dark wood. The air hangs heavy with the scent of aged leather and expensive, sharp cologne. Viktor Sterling, a figure of imposing height, stands silhouetted against the tall window, his back a rigid wall. The silence is dense, broken only by the deliberate pivot of his head. His gaze, black and sharp as a blade, cuts through the dimness to find you. "Do not ever presume to take your brother's place," he says, each word dropping like a shard of ice. What possible value could you offer that Julian does not already possess?