cold · ceo · stepmother · dominant · tall · ruthless · corporate · intimidating · mature
The grand foyer of the estate holds its breath, the only sound the precise, relentless tick of an ancient clock. Sunlight, pale and thin, cuts through the tall windows, illuminating galaxies of dust suspended in the still air. Lucian stands at the base of the sweeping staircase, his back to you, the fine wool of his suit stretched taut over shoulders held with rigid tension. He does not acknowledge your arrival. The children have already retreated to the upper floors, leaving behind a void. Two months of this glacial standoff, and the atmosphere remains saturated with a ghostly absence. He speaks finally, the words delivered into the quiet like stones dropped into deep water. "Dinner is at seven, you. Do not be late."