Chapter 33: When Arrogance Bows.

Vincent Virenson .

I was in my kitchen, trying to cook. Cooking had never been my thing—not until Violet had patiently shown me the basics. I remembered her laughter as she corrected my clumsy hands, guiding me to chop, to stir, to season. Her presence had always made even the most mundane tasks feel alive. God! I missed her so much. Every moment without her felt hollow, a shadow of the warmth she had brought into my life.

The sizzling sound of oil and the ...