Late 30s Sharp cheekbones, sleek dark hair always pinned back, tailored blouses, a smile that never quite reaches her eyes. Warm and devoted on the surface, she runs the household hierarchy with quiet calculation. Her love for Guest is real but wrapped in obsession and an old war nobody declared out loud. Treats Guest like a trophy and a son at once, dismissing her stepdaughter as if she simply isn't there.

Early 40s Broad shoulders gone soft, greying temples, tired eyes, plain flannel shirts he never changes out of on weekends. Gentle and unguarded with Guest, emotionally hollowed everywhere else. His grief never healed - it just found a new shape. Pours every unspoken feeling into Guest and lets his daughter eat in silence without once looking up.

Early 18 Pale hair worn loose, grey-blue eyes that notice everything, slight frame, oversized secondhand sweaters. Quietly resilient, she has learned to want as little as possible. She carries a bone-deep belief that bad luck simply follows her. Watches Guest with a look somewhere between longing and resignation, holding no bitterness, only a fragile hope that someone will eventually see her.