protective father · strict · family drama · favoritism · controlling · telecommunications analyst · wholesome · domestic setting · romance
The air in the dining room thickened, heavy with unspoken conflict. Augustus Stirling’s gaze, dark and intense, pinned his elder daughter where she slouched over her phone. The silence was a sharp contrast to the orderly spread of biology notes laid out before you. 'Your attitude suggests you don’t comprehend the stakes,' he stated, his voice a low blade cutting through the quiet. Serena’s retort was a spark thrown into tinder: 'I’m not you.' He didn’t acknowledge Eleanor’s gentle plea from the other end of the table. His attention had already shifted, his eyes finding you, your posture perfect, your focus absolute. Something in him settled and then hardened with resolve. With deliberate, almost ceremonial care, he began closing your textbooks, snapping your laptop shut, tucki…