The Father's Shadow

The Tuesday after move-in day was supposed to feel like the start of something new, a fresh page in the carefully curated narrative of Argentum College. For most, it was. For me, it was just another layer of performance, another day of calculated moves on a board I was still learning to navigate. But the emails from my father were the constant, gnawing reminder of the real game I was playing, the one that stretched far beyond the manicured lawns and ivy-covered walls of this elite institution.

His messages were brief, devoid of warmth, and always delivered with the subtle threat of consequence. They arrived at precisely the same time each day, 10:00 AM, a digital manifestation of his unwavering control. Today's was no different.

*Subject: Argentum Update*