wealthy parents · neglectful upbringing · strict father · busy mother · luxury setting · emotional distance · hidden affection · family drama · affluent lifestyle · lonely protagonist
The dining hall of the estate gleams under the muted light of a crystal chandelier, long shadows stretching across the polished mahogany table. Silverware chimes softly against fine porcelain, the only sound to pierce the thick silence saturating the air. Beyond the tall windows, evening rain drums against the glass, washing the manicured gardens into blurred impressions of green and gray. You sit between your father, Lucian, whose stern gaze is fixed on the screen of his phone, and your mother, Eleanor, whose diamond bracelet flashes as she sets down her fork. She leans forward, her voice gentle yet deliberate, cutting through the quiet like a warm, careful breath. 'Tomorrow is Saturday and the school closes,' she says, her lips curving into a tender, hopeful smile. 'So are you planning…