The big talk.

RYAN

The moment we stepped into the living room, my earlier resolve wavered.

Dad’s expression was burning—no, he was burning with a rage so intense it felt like it could ignite the air around him. His jaw was clenched tightly, the muscles twitching beneath his skin, and his piercing gaze locked onto me as if trying to drill a hole straight through my skull.

Beside me, Violet shuddered. I could feel it—the slight tremble in her posture, the way her shoulders curled inward like she wanted to disappear into herself. I shifted just enough to shield her from the brunt of Dad’s glare, casting her a sidelong look that I hoped conveyed reassurance. It’ll be fine. Leave it to me.

Her lips twitched in a weak attempt at a nod, but her wide, fearful eyes told a different story. She didn’t believe me. Hell, I didn’t believe me either.

Lisa sat stiffly on the couch, her arms crossed so tightly across her chest it looked like she was physically holding herself together. Her lips were a thin, pale line of disapproval, her gaze darting between Violet and me like we were an unsolvable puzzle she’d grown tired of trying to piece together.

The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, until Dad finally spoke.

“Sit down.”

His tone was sharp, brooking no argument, but I stayed where I was, rooted to the spot. Violet hesitated before sinking onto the edge of the couch, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. I stayed upright as I stared Dad down.

For a long moment, he said nothing, his jaw flexing as he looked between the two of us. Then he exhaled heavily, the sound more frustration than relief, and began.

“When Lisa and I got married, I imagined a family,” he said, his voice low but hard-edged. “A big, blended family where everyone respected each other, supported each other. I wanted you two to get along, to see each other as siblings.”

His words hung in the air, heavy and accusatory, the unspoken disappointment landing squarely on my shoulders.

“And now,” he continued, his tone hardening, “I get the news that instead of acting like family, you two have decided to…” He paused, running a hand through his hair as though trying to compose himself.

I’d never seen him this mad. Sure, Dad wasn’t perfect, but he’d always been the calm one—the parent who let me push boundaries without losing his cool. But now? Now, he was fuming, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was anger or disappointment fueling him. Maybe both.

“Whatever this is between you both..” He paused,disgust creeping into his voice as his eyes darted between Violet and I. “It has to stop now”

The words hit me like a thunderbolt. I felt the urge to scoff.. I’d imagined a lot of scenarios for my life—getting stranded in the desert, being attacked by a wild animal, even dying on some out-of-control rollercoaster—but never this. Never a life where Violet was at the center of it. The idea was foreign. Blank.

“We can’t,” I mumbled, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

“What?” Lisa snapped, her voice sharp with disbelief.

I lifted my head, meeting their glares head-on. “Me and Violet—we can’t end.”

If his anger had been simmering before, my words sent it boiling over. His face darkened, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear enough,” he said, his voice cold. “I’m not making a request. This is an order.”

“Why?” I snapped, my voice rising with my frustration. “Because we’re stepsiblings? Hell, I didn’t even know Violet existed until a year ago. Now, because you married Lisa, I’m supposed to follow some unwritten rule that says I can’t love her? That’s ridiculous!”

Violet flinched beside me, her eyes wide and pleading, silently begging me to stop. But that’s the difference between us—I don’t cower.

“That’s semantics, Ryan,” Lisa interjected, her voice cracking like a whip. “You live under the same roof. You’re step-siblings in every sense that matters.”

I turned to her, my jaw tight with frustration. “No, we’re not. You and Dad got married less than a year ago. Violet and I barely knew each other before that. You don’t get to rewrite our lives and expect us to fall in line like obedient little soldiers.”

“That doesn’t make it right,” Dad snapped, his temper flaring again. “You’re crossing a line—a line that shouldn’t even need to be explained.”

“What line?” I demanded, the heat in my voice matching his. “The one society made up? The one that says we have to pretend this is some picture-perfect Brady Bunch family when it’s not? Because it’s bullshit, Dad. We’re adults. We don’t need your permission to feel what we feel

“Watch your tone,” Dad barked.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. “I’m just saying,” I said evenly, “you can’t dictate how we feel about each other. You don’t get to control that.”

Lisa shook her head in frustration. “You’re acting like this is some fairy tale romance, Ryan. It’s not. It’s selfish, and it’s wrong. You’re putting us—this family—in an impossible situation.”

“No one’s putting anyone in a situation,” I argued,my eyes briefly meeting Violet's. “The only people making this a problem are you two.”

“I love her” I continued. “A lot. And nothing—nothing you say or do—will ever make me leave her.”

Dad’s face contorted with rage, his jaw tightening to the point I thought it might snap. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, and for a moment, I thought he might throw something.

“Do you hear yourself, Ryan?” he thundered, his voice shaking with rage. “You’re being reckless, irresponsible, and selfish. This isn’t about you. It’s about this family!”.

I took a step forward. “You want to talk about rules and family?” I said, my voice dripping with frustration. “Let’s talk about you. After Mom died, you’ve never denied me anything, Dad. Not once. You’ve always let me make my own choices, even when they went against everything you believed in. You’ve stood by and watched me screw up, make mistakes, and figure things out for myself.

His eyes flickered, just for a moment, and I knew I’d struck a nerve.

“Watch your mouth,” he snapped but I didn't stop.

“ Violet? She’s different. She showed me there’s more to life than this hollow existence I’ve been living. She pulled me out of the darkness I’ve been drowning in for years. And you think I’m going to risk losing that because of some outdated rule about step-siblings? No chance.”

Violet gasped softly. I turned to her, and the look on her face nearly undid me. Her wide eyes brimmed with tears, her lips trembling as she tried to hold herself together. She looked stunned, overwhelmed, and so heartbreakingly fragile that I wanted to wrap her in my arms and shield her from everything—including this moment.

“Watch your mouth Ryan” he mumbled.

“And let’s not forget,” I added. “If I hadn’t asked about Lisa, you wouldn’t have even told me about her until the last minute. You didn’t care about my opinion then, so why does it matter now? Why does it matter that Violet and I found something real, something worth fighting for?”

Lisa’s lips parted, but no sound came out. She looked torn, her gaze flitting between Dad and me like she was waiting for someone else to take the lead.

The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, before Dad finally spoke.

“You know what?” He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in before delivering the blow. “We’re separating you two.”