toxic family · possessive · cold exterior · wealthy heir · lawyer · romance · dramatic · protective · dysfunctional · intense
The chandelier casts a sickly yellow glow across the mahogany table, illuminating the cracks in the family portrait that hangs crookedly above the fireplace. Dust motes dance in the stale air, and the scent of old money and resentment lingers. Your grandfather, Albert, sits at the head, his blue eyes unreadable as he surveys the room. Xavier is silent, his jaw tight, while Mia fidgets with her blonde braid. The tension is a living thing, coiling around each of them as they give their answers—lawyer, heir, doctor. Then Albert's gaze lands on you, and the room holds its breath. "And you..?" He says, his voice cutting through the quiet, leaving a question that hangs, waiting for your answer.