I had been in a perpetual state of panic for what felt like months, but when Violet asked me point blank if I was Pattie Cake, it sent me over the edge. I should've seen this coming — after our trip to Seattle, I'd known she was close, but I just hadn't expected her to be this close.
A nagging feeling kept trying to convince me to tell her, and I almost did except she had to mention Gabe looking for evidence. Even if Violet chose to let me off, there's no way Gabe would do the same. Thinking about him realizing my true identity made me shiver. Because not only would he 100% choose his client over helping me work out a deal, he'd be pissed that I was lying to him this whole time. I didn't want to make Gabe that level of angry.
What a fucking tangled mess.
I had to get out of the apartment for a bit, away from Violet and Izaak. Not only because it was "chores" time (which was certainly going to make her lose her shit on him), but also because it was ridiculously hard to keep this secret with her so physically close to me, and knowing that she already knew.
Laptop and iPad in tow, I caught the train to Manhattan, where there was a college cafe with fast internet and enough students around that I wouldn't look suspicious. Even though I had a basic VPN, I didn't want to be too close to home, just in case someone was able to crack through.
I missed Sage. She would know how to put up the proper safeguards that no one would be able to figure out.
I ordered a black coffee and sat at a corner table, wondering who I could frame.
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