The Road Back to You

Jade sat across from Kathy in their usual coffee shop, his fingers drumming against the table, his leg bouncing restlessly. He had been carrying the weight of a secret, and it was eating him alive.

He should tell Violet.

But should and would were two very different things.

"You look like you're about to explode," Kathy observed, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know what to do," Jade exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. 

"This about Violet?" Kathy leaned in, sensing the gravity in his tone. 

"He reached out to me," he nodded, hesitating before he spoke. 

Kathy's expression darkened. "Ethan," It wasn't a question.

"He's been here. Watching her. But he's not forcing his way back in. He asked me if I thought she'd even want to see him," Jade nodded again. 

"And? What did you say?" Kathy inhaled slowly, glancing away for a moment as if collecting her thoughts. 

"I didn't know what to say. I told him I'd think about it," Jade swallowed. 

"And have you?" Kathy's lips pressed into a thin line. 

"Every damn second. If I tell her, it'll destroy the peace she's finally found. But if I don't…" he shook his head. "She'll never forgive me if she finds out on her own," Jade sighed. 

"You should tell her. You should help her fight from the ghosts that had been messing with her head. And when that happens…" Kathy's gaze was steady. 

"Everything changes," Jade closed his eyes. 

Violet sitting at her desk, ran a frustrated hand through her hair, exhaling sharply. Thinking that maybe she was just being paranoid. Maybe the past was clawing its way back into her head, even though she had spent years trying to bury it.

A knock at the door startled her. She turned sharply, expecting Kathy or Liam, but instead, it was Jade.

He hesitated at the threshold, something unreadable in his expression. "You okay?"

"Fine," she lied, crossing her arms. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you've been acting strange. And I know you, Vi. When you start seeing ghosts, it means something's messing with your head," Jade studied her for a beat too long. 

"I'm not—" her breath hitched. 

"Are you sure?" he cut in, voice calm but firm. "Because I think you know exactly why you're feeling this way."

"I don't want to talk about it," she turned away, unwilling to meet his gaze. 

"Then don't," he took a step closer, his voice softening. "But if I tell you something, you have to promise not to freak out."

A lump formed in her throat. She forced herself to look at him, her pulse hammering in her ears. "Jade—"

"He's here, Violet."

The words hit her like a punch to the stomach. A thousand thoughts crashed into each other in her mind, each one more chaotic than the last.

"No. That's not—he wouldn't—" she shook her head, almost laughing. 

"He would." Jade's voice was quiet, certain. "And he did."

"How long?" Violet swayed on her feet. Her fingers found the edge of the desk, gripping it like a lifeline. 

"A while," Jade sighed, rubbing a hand over his jaw. 

"Did he say anything?" her stomach twisted painfully. 

"No," Jade hesitated. 

"Jade, tell me," she demanded, her heart racing. 

"He reached out. But he didn't push. He wanted to know if you were okay. If you were happy," he looked away, his jaw tightening. 

"And what did you tell him?" Violet swallowed hard, the weight of those words settling deep in her chest. 

"The truth," Jade's eyes softened. 

A sharp exhale left her lips, but it did nothing to ease the pressure in her chest. Ethan had been here all along. Watching. Waiting. Leaving lilies and cryptic notes. Never once stepping forward, but never truly gone.

Violet exhaled sharply, looking away. She had spent years preparing herself for this moment. She had promised herself that if it ever happened, she would be indifferent. That she would not let Ethan Sinclair affect her anymore.

And yet, here she was.

Heart pounding.

Hands shaking.

"What does he want?" Voice barely above a whisper as she asked.

Jade hesitated again. Then, finally, he said, "You."

Her breath hitched.

"But here's the thing, Vi… he's not forcing his way in. He's not demanding to see you. He asked me if I thought you'd even want to see him," Jade leaned forward, his voice softer now. 

That threw her off. She had expected Ethan to be stubborn, to show up at her door unannounced, to invade her life the way he always had.

But this?

This was different.

And somehow, that made it worse.

"I don't know what to do with this," her voice was barely a whisper. 

"You don't have to do anything. But, Vi… at some point, you have to decide if you're going to keep running or if you're ready to face him," Jade gave her a small, sad smile. 

"Well, you can tell him I have nothing to say," she forced a hollow laugh. 

"Are you sure about that?" Jade studied her carefully. 

Her lips parted, but no words came out. Because she wasn't sure. She wasn't sure at all. Violet closed her eyes. The answer should have been easy. But it wasn't.

The night air was cool against her skin as she stepped outside, the city alive with the hum of distant traffic. She didn't know where she was going... her feet just carried her, her thoughts an endless loop of questions she had no answers to.

Was he watching her now?

Had he seen her at the exhibition?

Had he changed?

Did he regretted leaving?

Her hands clenched at her sides. She hated this. Hated that he could still make her feel so much without even being in the same room. Hated that despite everything, there was still a part of her that wanted to see him.

And maybe, just maybe… a part of her that wanted him to see her too.