Page 106 of Twisted Violet

Steviedoesn’t argue. She just sips her coffee.

“You should know…” she says gently, setting her cup down. “They sent the money back.”

I freeze and look up to search her eyes. “What?”

“The night I confronted them,” she says. “As soon as I left the building, they wired it back. Every cent. And they cancelled the exclusivity contract with us.”

I stare at her.

“That doesn’t mean I should forgive them,” I whisper.

“No,” she agrees softly. “It doesn’t.”

She pauses.

“But it is something to think about.”

She leans forward, her voice steady, warm. “Whatever you decide… I trust you, Alex. You don’t need anyone’s permission. Not mine. Not theirs. You’ve already proved you’re more than capable of standing on your own.”

My throat tightens.

I look down at my plate, blinking once.

Then, I nod.

Because for the first time in years…

I get to decide what comes next.

FORTY

NIKO

Three Months Later

Dr. Kim never asks what I’m thinking.

He just waits.

It’s annoying at first. The silence. The way he stares like he already knows and wants to see if I’ll admit it. But after six sessions, I’ve figured out he’s not trying to trap me. He just knows I’ll say it when I’m ready.

Today, I guess I’m ready.

“I used to like the dark,” I tell him, eyeing the corner of his chair. “It made things simpler. Easier to disappear. Safer.”

He nods, waiting.

“It changed after a job. A kid was involved. Wasn’t supposed to be. Everyone said the house would be empty.” I pause. My throat tightens. “It wasn’t.”

Dr. Kim doesn’t react. Just keeps listening.

“I found him in a closet. Hiding behind coats. Holding a stuffed lion covered in blood. He couldn’t have beenolder than four.”

The room’s too quiet.

It always is when I talk about this.

I don’t explain how his eyes were green like Violet’s. I don’t explain the way I froze. Or how I lied to keep him hidden. Or how I sat there and watched my boss drag him out.