The day has been absolute chaos — a rollercoaster of shadows shifting between unspoken words, glances heavy with the past, and truths I never imagined I’d learn. Every step I’ve taken since we left Mom’s house feels like walking a tightrope between pain and something new, something I still don’t quite understand. I hear the car engine cut off, and all my focus lands on Aaron. We’re so close, yet everything feels different now. So far from the man I once knew — though I can’t deny I really like these changes. The way he looks at me now, his softer tone, that patience he never had with me before — it all fits together like puzzle pieces finally finding their place.

“We’re home, sweetie,” he says flirtatiously, leaning into my seat after unbuckling his belt.

“Violet, how are you feeling after seeing her?” he asks while brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

The touch of his fingers is as gentle as if he feared breaking me with just one stroke.

“I won’t lie — I was scared at first, Aa