Violet
“You’re holding yourself together better than most girls your age. Most would have cracked under the pressure long ago,” she observed.
My jaw tightened.
“I didn’t know there was a performance review,” I said, growing bolder with every passing minute. It was clear by now that she was trying to intimidate me.
But to do that when there was nobody watching was weird. Maybe she wanted something from me. What though?
A corner of her mouth curved.
“Everything in this house is a performance review.”
Silence settled again, a bit heavier this time.
“I came here first,” she said abruptly.
The words felt out of place, as if she’d pulled them from a different conversation.
I frowned. “I’m sorry?”
“I built Ironcrest’s influence while my husband was busy fighting wars and chasing legacy
