Three weeks after the gala, I got a letter.
From Ethan.
My first instinct was to burn it. But curiosity won. I opened it in Liam's presence, needing his strength nearby.
The handwriting was shaky. Barely legible.
Violet,
I know you won't believe me. I know I don't deserve your attention. But I'm writing anyway because I need to say this before I lose the ability to say anything at all.
They moved me to solitary after the deepfake incident. Twenty-three hours a day in a cell. One hour in a cage they call a recreation yard. No human contact except guards who refuse to speak to me. No books. No calls. Nothing.
I'm losing my mind. Actually losing it. I see things that aren't there. Hear voices. Can't remember what day it is.
And in the darkness, I finally understand what I did to you.
