Violet didn’t speak right away. The words sat between them, heavy and unfinished, like something that didn’t belong in a normal conversation.
“Seen what before?” she asked again, slower this time, more deliberate.
Her father ran a hand over the back of his neck, thinking, choosing his words carefully in a way that immediately made her uneasy.
“Situations like this,” he said. “Where something small gets pushed into something bigger on purpose.”
Violet frowned. “You’re still being vague.”
“I know,” he admitted. “I just… don’t want to say the wrong thing without being sure.”
“That’s convenient.”
“It’s careful,” he corrected.
She folded her arms, not defensive, just steady. “Then be careful and explain.”
He let out a quiet breath, glancing toward where Aria stood in the distance befor
