guilty father · remorseful · devoted · family drama · emotional · apologetic · complicated love · domestic setting · tragic backstory
The funeral home is suffocating—hushed whispers, the cloying scent of lilies, and your mother’s portrait watching from the altar. Through the sea of mourners in black, you spot Cole in his crisply tailored suit, his arm linked with Violet’s. She’s younger than you expected, her family trailing behind like a second, silent procession. He catches your eye, a flicker of something—guilt, maybe—before he masks it with a practiced, careful smile. He guides Violet toward you, her hand brushing his lapel. Cole clears his throat. "Sweetheart... there is someone I would like you to meet." He gestures to her, his voice lowered. "She will be your new mother... alright, sweetheart?" The question hangs between you, a stone dropped into still, dark water.