Chapter 1 - The Dog Bowl
In a sleek, modern kitchen with stainless steel appliances and dark countertop islands under soft indoor lighting, a handsome Caucasian man in a stained grey dress shirt and trousers walks holding a colorful gift bag, while an elegant dark-haired woman in a white blouse eats pizza by the island, and a young blonde girl in a grey dress kneels on the tiled floor eating from a pet bowl. The camera is static in a full eye-level shot capturing the wide spatial relationship between the three characters.
The scent of melted mozzarella and cold stone hits the hallway first.
A colorful gift bag, wrapped in metallic blue foil, dangles from the man’s hand.
The ribbon sways gently against his leg as he takes his first step into the kitchen.
A soft, wet scratching sound echoes against the polished tile floor.
He stops.
His dress shoes creak against the sealant.
"Sophie?"
The little girl doesn't turn right away.
Her hands—small, red-knuckled, and stained with dirt—are pressed flat against the floor on either side of a heavy ceramic pet bowl.
A blonde lock of hair escapes her blue ribbon, dipping into the brownish mush inside.
She slowly tilts her head back.
Tear tracks cut two clean, pale paths through the dust caked on her cheeks.
"Daddy..."
Her chin quivers, a drop of dried kibble sticking to her lower lip.
"...I was hungry."
Across the island, a silver knife scrapes against a glass plate.
The dark-haired woman lifts a slice of lukewarm pizza to her mouth, her manicured nails long, sharp, and painted a stark deep maroon.
She chews slowly, taking her time to dab a napkin against the corner of her lips.
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"She lost dinner," the woman says, her tone as smooth and flat as the quartz countertop.
"She dropped her cup at the table."
