Chapter 11
Chapter XI
Caitlyn can't say she had a bad childhood; quite the opposite. Her parents were devoted to her, perhaps a bit strict on certain issues, but Caitlyn never lacked affection or support. Her greatest rebellion was always refusing to study politics, medicine, or any other career her mother deemed appropriate, and instead, dedicating herself to art.
Growing up as an only child in a family with a long history and hundreds of privileges at its disposal, Caitlyn never had a real need to question much beyond the obvious injustices that occurred in the world, but which always seemed somewhat alien and distant to her. They never affected her directly. She had a strong sense of justice, of what was right and wrong, that was undeniable; but she had never before felt the need to debate with herself about her position in the world with such anguish and unease as she felt now.
And yet, standing here in front of the Kiramman mansion—her childhood home, the haven of so many good times as well as bad—everything she had ever felt for this place, for her family, for her own history, became blurred.
It was her home.
But to what extent?
She let out a long sigh, trying to make the weight she'd felt for days fade into the wind. Her hand gripped the gate's iron bars tightly, but she felt unable to push it all the way through the extensive entrance gardens and into the mansion. It was as if an invisible barrier was holding her in place.
Jayce stood quietly beside her, not pressing her directly, but Caitlyn could sense his concerned gaze on her, silently questioning her hesitancy to enter. The man had asked too many questions when she'd asked him to join her that morning, and though Caitlyn didn't offer too many details, he understood this wasn't a casual visit. Jayce knew her well enough to understand that something was affecting her deeply, that the need to pay a sudden visit to her parents wasn't a light one.
Caitlyn squeezed her eyes impatiently, trying to gather her thoughts.
She'd been standing there too long, and was sure that by now the maintenance staff must have alerted her parents of her and Jayce’s presence. It was only a matter of time before they sent one of their butlers to find them. But the thought of stepping foot in the house that no longer felt like hers made her stomach clench.
Even before she began to take an interest in Zaun, the young artist no longer felt completely a part of this place. Perhaps because she always knew she didn't quite fit in. There was something about those walls, their imposing columns, the perfect windows, the subtle echo of the fountain in the courtyard... something that made her feel small.
Expectations.
Damned expectations.
For as long as she could remember, Cassandra Kiramman had had a plan for her. A structured path, without detours or mistakes. And Caitlyn had followed it for a long time until she dared to break the mold. She chose to see beyond the confines of Piltover, to understand what lay on the other side. She chose to ask, when all her life she'd been taught to accept.
And now… now she knew too much.
She knew what her family had done.
She knew the weight of her last name.
She knew that, at some point, Powder must have screamed her name in the darkness of the night, cursing the blood that ran through her veins over and over again. She knew that the Kirammans' shadow had once enveloped Vi until it suffocated her, forcing her to sleep in a cold, dark cell, devoid of any comfort or support from her family.
But how much of that did her parents know about it? Her mother?
Caitlyn frowned.
Because that was the real problem.
Caitlyn was aware that Cassandra and her grandmother had never had a good relationship. She knew that her mother had always tried to distance herself from the legacy of the former Kiramman matriarch. But how much had Cassandra known about the abominable acts Eloise had committed during her time in power? How much had she allowed?
Because Cassandra Kiramman was many things, but she wasn't naive. Caitlyn couldn't imagine her mother seeing what her predecessor was doing and simply ignoring it. How deeply involved had she been? How guilty was she?
Caitlyn bit the inside of her cheek.
She didn't want to believe it.
She couldn't believe it.
Cassandra wasn't Eloise. Her mother would never be able to participate in things like that. But that thought didn't dispel the fear twisting in Caitlyn's chest. Because if her mother had known what the council did to Vi… If her mother had allowed an eleven-year-old girl to be sentenced to Stillwater…
How could she possible live with that?
Her hand trembled slightly as it closed into a fist for the fear to hear the truth.
Jayce turned his head toward her, watching her with a mixture of concern and patience.
“Are you okay? Do you need anything?” Jayce asked quietly.
Caitlyn didn’t reply immediately.
She stood there, on the threshold of her own childhood, feeling the weight of memories and everything she was about to face. Jayce didn't say anything else, didn't push her. He just stood by her side, waiting. But Caitlyn knew Jayce too well not to notice the way he shifted slightly in place, as if his own patience was beginning to wear thin.
Finally, he let out a long sigh and crossed his arms.
“Okay, Cait, look… I don’t want to sound dramatic or anything, but you’ve got me worried.”
Caitlyn tilted her head, glancing at him.
“Dramatic? You? Never.”
Jayce gave her an annoyed look, but she could see the subtle relief in his eyes that he'd at least gotten an answer.
Because if she could joke, then it meant she wasn't completely blocked in whatever that was consuming her mind.
“I’m serious, Cait,” Jayce insisted, using the concerned older brother tone he rarely let out. “You didn’t bring me all the way here for nothing. Not that I mind coming here for lunch. Chef Jung is amazing, and I’ve been dying to find a good excuse to come for a while. But something’s bothering you, Sprout, and I don’t like seeing you like this.”
Caitlyn exhaled with something resembling a dry laugh. Jayce had the subtlety of a hammer, but his concern was genuine and she really love him for that.
“I don’t even know where to start, Jayce.”
He shrugged.
"Well, I like to start with a drink when things are this bad. In my experience, it helps a lot to calm the nerves."
Caitlyn shook her head, though a small smile appeared on her lips.
“Yes, of course. Because nothing says 'I'm dealing with my problems in a mature way' like drowning yourself in alcohol.”
Jayce gave her a half smile.
“I’m not saying it’s the solution, just that sometimes it helps to talk.”
Caitlyn allowed herself to let out a soft laugh.
Because Jayce could be clumsy, he could be infuriatingly blunt, but he was always there for her. Always. And as much as this was something she was supposed to face alone; it was a huge relief to have him around.
Finally, she gently nudged him in the arm.
“Thank you for coming with me.” She said, trying to get her emotions in check
Jayce was surprised for a second, but then smiled more softly.
“Always, Cait”
Caitlyn let out a slow breath.
And then, without another word, she pushed open the gate with determination and climbed the steps toward the mansion. Jayce followed her silently, their footsteps echoing softly on the marble entrance.
The doors to the Kiramman mansion opened before Caitlyn could even raise her hand to knock.
“Caitlyn, dear. I’m so happy you call us” her mother's voice, firm but warm, greeted her as soon as she crossed the threshold.
Cassandra Kiramman stood in the foyer, with the elegant demeanor that had always characterized her, wearing her finest clothes, even though she had no specific plans to go out that day. Beside her, Tobias smiled at his daughter with genuine joy, his eyes shining with the unconditional affection he had always offered her.
“Darling, what a pleasant surprise,” Tobias stepped forward, gently placing a hand on Caitlyn’s shoulder to pull her into a hug. “We didn’t expect to see you today.”
“That’s why they’re called surprises, Dad.” Caitlyn tried to smile naturally, though there was a latent tension in her muscles as she hugged her father back.
Jayce, ever the charmer, approached with a big smile and a nod.
“Mrs. Kiramman, Mr. Kiramman. Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.”
Cassandra gave a polite smile, though her eyes flicked subtly toward her daughter, as if trying to decipher what was going on.
“Nonsense, we always have time for Caitlyn.” Her gaze softened as she looked at her. “Let’s go to the dining room. The food has been served for several minutes now”
Caitlyn nodded, feeling the weight of her own plan on her shoulders. This wasn't just a family lunch, but a necessary step in trying to right the wrongs of the past.
One that had to be given carefully.
The main dining room of the Kiramman mansion was as immaculate as ever. An elegant chandelier hung over the large polished wooden table, reflecting its light on the fine china and silverware. The table was set with a variety of dishes, all painstakingly prepared in the Kiramman family kitchen by their personal chef.
It was a familiar, comfortable atmosphere despite everything. The food was as delicious as ever, and the conversation between Jayce and her parents flowed as naturally as ever.
But Caitlyn couldn't relax completely.
“So, Cait, tell me,” Her father began, pouring another glass of wine for himself “How’s the gallery coming along? Is it still what you hoped it would be?”
Caitlyn picked up her fork and twirled it between her fingers for a second before answering.
“It’s going well… although it has been a challenge.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’re handling it well,” Cassandra added confidently, taking a moment to wipe her mouth with a tissue. “You’ve always been determined about what you want.”
Jayce took the opportunity to intervene, with an easy smile.
“Well, at least it’s calmer than my days negotiating with suppliers.” She took a sip from his glass while giving Caitlyn a playful wink. “Trust me, Caitlyn took the least stressful route of all of us.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Tobias placed his napkin on his lap. “Although I would say that my girl has never been one to take the easy way out in anything.”
Caitlyn gave him a fleeting smile, her cheeks slightly tinged with red at his words, though her mind was too busy preparing the ground for what she really wanted to talk about.
“And you?” she asked, in a casual tone. “How have you been?”
“Busy as always,” her mother replied, taking a sip of her wine as she pushed her empty plate aside. “Politics in Piltover aren’t stopping, and at the hospital, we’re still trying to improve community health programs.”
Caitlyn nodded slowly. There was her chance.
“About that…” she began, putting her fork aside. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
Cassandra's eyes fell on her daughter with sharper attention.
“What is it?”
Jayce also set his glass down on the table, watching Caitlyn out of the corner of his eye, his face torn between concern and interest. Caitlyn took a deep breath, preparing herself. She waited a couple of seconds for the waiters to clear the plates from the table and disappear through the adjoining door before she dared to speak.
But the weight in her chest didn’t let her formulate the first words.
“Caitlyn, honey, are you okay?” her father asked with concern, noticing her hesitation.
Cassandra doesn't say it out loud, but her sharp eyes study her daughter carefully, cataloging every movement and action with the same worry.
“I need to know something,” Caitlyn finally says, placing her hands on the table.
Cassandra sat up straight. “About what?”
“About my grandmother”
That had the desired effect. Although her mother was a political expert with the innate ability to maintain composure and keep her face clear of any emotion, Caitlyn could clearly make out how she inhaled slowly, her shoulders tensing. Her father, on the other hand, much more open and sincere in his gestures, frowned slightly.
“Why now?” Tobias asked.
Caitlyn crossed her arms, feeling her pulse quicken slightly.
“Because I found out what she did… about the unfair trials that took place years ago when she was still on the council,” her voice was low, hesitant. “About the abusive actions she took against the people of Zaun.”
Silence.
It hadn't been an easy task for Caitlyn to investigate on her own what had happened in previous years. She spent days in the Piltover public archives, piecing together the pieces as if it were an enormous, endless puzzle. She spoke to old acquaintances in the police force and called in favors to gain access to information that others would find difficult to obtain. Her last name made many processes easier, but the knowledge she ultimately obtained was profoundly overwhelming.
Caitlyn glanced between her parents, trying to read their reactions carefully. Cassandra doesn't ask how she knows, but she also doesn't deny it. She doesn't try to smooth it over. Instead, she shifts her gaze to the side, as if carefully choosing her words, analyzing the situation.
Her father, on the other hand, seemed confused and tense.
“Caitlyn… honey, I don’t think that…” he begins, but his wife interrupts him.
“No,” Cassandra murmurs, closing her eyes for a moment. “She has the right to ask.”
Caitlyn couldn't take much longer.
“How much did you know about what she did?” she asked directly.
Cassandra didn't answer immediately, but Caitlyn could see the slight pallor in her cheeks. The previously pleasant and relaxed atmosphere seemed to take on a suffocating air that plunged them all into tension.
Jayce suddenly cleared his throat, abruptly standing up. The chair legs squeaked as they scraped against the tiled floor.
“Well, this is awkward, so…” the man approached the counter with the minibar sitting next to it. “Anyone want more wine? Whiskey? Maybe something stronger?”
Both Cassandra and Caitlyn looked at him with exasperation, but Tobias raised his hand without much thought.
“A shot of whiskey wouldn't hurt. Neat, please.”
Jayce freezes in place for a second.
“Oh… I was joking, but okay.” He agrees, taking a couple of glasses.
Caitlyn glared at him. “Really, Jayce?”
“What? This feels like the kind of conversation that needs alcohol,” the man exclaimed.
Caitlyn's father nodded seriously.
"I agree."
Caitlyn brought a hand to her face, mentally counting to ten, as Jayce poured a glass for his father and himself. Cassandra took advantage of the moment of silence to clear her throat, drawing everyone's attention back to her.
“At the time, I learned a few things,” she admitted, her voice low, laden with something Caitlyn couldn’t place. “But not enough. Not at first, at least.”
Caitlyn felt a knot tighten in her stomach. Her mother wasn't looking directly at her; her gaze was fixed on the wine glass in her hands, swirling the liquid with slow, measured movements.
“What does that mean?” Caitlyn asked, her voice more strained than she would have liked.
Cassandra sighed, as if gathering her strength before continuing.
“My mother… was a woman of firm principles,” she began, choosing her words carefully. “She believed that Zaun should be handled with a firm hand, that any attempt at rebellion should be quashed before it became a real problem.”
Caitlyn clenched her jaw. It wasn't anything she hadn't expected, but hearing it from her mother made it even harder to swallow.
“I know,” she replied coldly, “But you didn’t answer my question.”
Cassandra finally looked at her.
“At first, long before everything escalated, I didn’t get involved in her decisions,” she continued. “I was young when I joined the council as an aide, newly married, with a lot to prove. My mother still had the most influence in the family, and in Piltover politics. She didn’t tell me everything. I didn’t need to. Then you came along, and my main focus was making sure you had everything you needed to grow happy and safe. External politics weren’t my priority.”
Caitlyn felt a chill run down her spine.
"And when did you know? When did you realize what she was really doing?"
The silence at the table stretched. Jayce took a long sip of his whiskey, clearly uncomfortable, but with no intention of interrupting this time. Tobias, for his part, seemed as tense as his wife, his eyes locked on her.
“When it was too late,” Cassandra whispered.
The answer hit Caitlyn like a punch to the chest.
“Too late for whom or what?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Her mother didn't reply immediately. She looked at her husband for a moment, as if seeking support, then returned her gaze to Caitlyn.
“I'd heard rumors, of course. About the mass arrests, about the trials without due process… but I never had any proof. My mother left no stone unturned. Everything seemed… legal. Justifiable,” Cassandra explained. “After the mysterious illness that struck both cities, the relations were strained. Zaun bore the brunt of it all, to my chagrin and that of many others…”
“It was a difficult time,” Tobias added, giving Cassandra a little time “From the hospital, we tried to get as many resources as possible to Zaun, but there were different factions and internal rebellions inside. Our efforts were in vain, and many people died that year because of it.”
“And one day, my mother decided to take a firm stand against the… offenders” Cassandra said.
“And you believed it was the right decision?” Caitlyn felt her own tone sharpen.
“I wanted to believe it,” Cassandra corrected herself. “Because admitting otherwise meant acknowledging that the entire system we defended was rotten. That our family, my own mother, was using the power she had to impose inhumane punishments.”
Caitlyn felt the rage burning in her chest.
“They weren't just inhuman punishments. They were lives.”
Cassandra closed her eyes for a moment.
"I know."
Caitlyn shook her head.
“You say it was too late, but for whom?” she insisted, her heart pounding.
Cassandra hesitated. It was only a second, a small pause, but Caitlyn caught it. And in that instant, she knew the truth before her mother spoke.
"For a girl from Zaun," she finally confessed. "For a girl who should never have been in prison. Who paid dearly for our negligence, just like so many others."
The air in Caitlyn's lungs was knocked out.
No.
No, it couldn't be...
Cassandra looked at her with regret, but her eyes were distant.
“I know this is hard to hear, but I need you to pay close attention to what I need to say”
Caitlyn could barely hear her mother's words over the deafening roar of her own mind. Her heart pounded in her chest, her breathing quickening beyond her control. Jayce immediately approached her, abandoning his glass, and putting an arm around her shoulders in an attempt to reassure her.
Caitlyn felt a wave of nausea and cold anger run down her spine. Vi was there because her grandmother allowed it. Because her entire family allowed it...
“Caitlyn, please…” Cassandra’s voice brought her back, sounding lower, more tense. “There’s more you need to know. To understand.”
Caitlyn clenched her fists in her lap, feeling the fabric of her pants strain under the pressure.
"Speak."
Cassandra nodded, her gaze lowering for a moment before taking a deep breath.
“I didn’t know everything right away,” she admitted. “When the arrests happened, I wasn’t in Piltover. I was at a diplomatic summit in Shurima and then on tour in Ionia, representing the council at the time. When I returned, I made sure to review all the reports to catch up. There were hundreds of rulings, but none of them caught my attention; everything seemed correct… at first.”
Caitlyn didn't take her eyes off her mother.
“When did you notice her?”
Cassandra placed the glass of wine on the table, with a delicacy that contrasted with the seriousness of the conversation.
“Months later,” her voice lowered, heavy with guilt. “It was during a council meeting. A document detailing the rulings was reviewed during a discussion about security at Piltover and the Stillwater prison. One of the councilors made a casual comment about how Zaun’s criminality was occurring at increasingly younger ages.”
Caitlyn felt a chill run down her spine.
"And then?"
Cassandra closed her eyes for a second before opening them again, her gaze more determined.
“I requested access to the complete files and spent entire nights reviewing names, background checks, sentences. And there she was. A girl, barely eleven years old, sentenced to Stillwater for petty theft.”
Caitlyn bit her lip hard.
“Why didn’t you do anything?” her voice came out more broken than she expected.
“I tried,” Cassandra confessed. “You can’t imagine how hard I tried.”
For the first time, her mother seemed to lose her composure. She ran a hand over her face, visibly shaken by the memory.
“I went straight to my mother, demanding an explanation. Do you know what she told me? That Zaun needed to learn, that if we let these crimes go unpunished, her people would never understand their place.”
Caitlyn felt bile rise in her throat. She suddenly remembered Powder's words, as they sat together in Vi's small kitchen. She remembered the tears on the woman's face as she recounted what had happened, the pain in her eyes, and the hatred as she spoke about Caitlyn’s grandmother.
“She did it on purpose. She wanted to make them suffer,” Caitlyn whispered.
“Yes.” Cassandra took a breath, trying to control her own emotions.
Caitlyn and Cassandra stared at each other, mother and daughter exchanging silent glances and feelings, heavy with guilt, horror, and rediscovery. It felt as if something was about to break between them at any moment…
Until Jayce opened his mouth at the worst possible moment.
“Hey, but looking at it from another angle… wasn’t your grandmother basically a dictator?” he said.
Caitlyn let out an impatient groan, dropping her head into her hands in frustration. Cassandra raised an eyebrow in amazement at his audacity, while Tobias opted to down his whiskey in one gulp.
It took a couple of long seconds under Cassandra Kiramman's intimidating gaze for Jayce to finally realize what he had just said.
“Well, I didn’t mean to say it like that. I mean, yeah, but no…” He waved his hands in the air, trying to explain himself better. “I mean, didn’t anyone think of rebelling? Like… I don’t know, stabbing her or something?”
“Jayce!” Caitlyn glared at him.
“What?!” the man exclaimed. “Are you going to tell me that no one thought of that?”
Tobias sighed heavily, getting up hesitantly to pour himself another drink. Cassandra, on the other hand, just crossed her arms, giving Jayce a stern look.
“Many options were considered,” the woman said. “But, as I’m sure you can understand, not all of them were viable.”
Jayce nodded slowly.
“Ah… yeah, that makes sense.” He muttered, shifting in his seat. “But still, I’m just saying… dictators die for a reason.”
Caitlyn elbowed him in the side, not even bothering to hide it.
“Jayce, do you want to help me or do you want me to kick you out of the house?” Caitlyn said with a sharp look.
Jayce raises his hands in surrender.
“Okay, okay. I was just trying to ease the tension.”
Cassandra rolls her eyes, but her husband lets out a quiet laugh from the minibar.
“At least he tries” he said.
Caitlyn could feel the beginnings of a headache in the back of her neck.
Cassandra then decided to get up, going around the table to sit closer to Caitlyn, taking her daughter's hands in hers and squeezing.
“Darling, I want you to understand that what happened wasn't easy,” she began, resuming the conversation. “But, like many others, I didn't stand idly by. I tried to overturn the sentence, to remove the name of that poor child from the prisoner list. But by then, Stillwater already had her in its system. You can't get someone out of there without a strong enough political or legal justification.”
“What more justification is there than the fact that she was a minor?” Caitlyn exclaimed indignantly. “What more justification is there than to prevent them from physically abusing her with beatings and uncalled punishments?”
“I didn’t make the rules… I could only adhere to them,” Cassandra replied sternly “And tried to work around them”
Caitlyn took a breath. “So… what did you do?”
“I pulled strings from my position. I began challenging every one of my mother’s decisions on the council, using every mistake she’d made against her. Until I managed to get her removed from office.” Her mother looked out the large dining room window, her eyes fixed on the sky with melancholy. “By then, I had managed to garner a good amount of support from many who wanted a change in the system, who wanted to bring peace and harmony between both cities.”
Caitlyn blinked. She'd never fully realized how her mother had gotten on the council until now.
“You kicked grandmother off the board…because of her? Because of that child?” she asked incredulously.
Cassandra held her gaze.
“For her. And for all those who came before her. To try to right every single injustice my mother and those who ruled with her committed against the innocent people of Zaun.”
Caitlyn felt like she was gasping for air. Because she understood that her mother had tried to do something. But not enough. Not in time. No matter what, Vi had paid the price for everything.
“That’s not enough”
“I know,” Cassandra’s voice is firm, but with a hint of guilt. “But I’ve tried. I’ve spent all these years trying to make amends.”
Tobias finally intervened, sitting across from them.
“We’ve tried to make real changes, Caitlyn,” he explains in a calmer tone. “I’ve worked to improve Zaun’s healthcare system myself, but we can’t force people to trust us after everything we’ve done to them.”
Caitlyn tenses.
“It's not 'us.' It was Grandma. It was her council. It was them who allowed it,” she exclaimed.
Cassandra nodded slowly.
“I know. But tell me, Caitlyn… what do you want me to do? Do you want me to resign? Do you want me to publicly blame myself? Do you want me to tear down all of Piltover because of what my mother did?”
Caitlyn paused, practically frozen in place.
The truth is, she didn't have a clear answer. She had gone that day with a firm resolve to find answers and a solution to the problems affecting Vi and the rest of her family, to find a way to repay them for all the pain the Kirammans had caused them.
But now she felt more confused than ever. Her mother wasn't part of the problem, not entirely, but still…
Tobias cleared his throat a little, placing the glass carefully on the table and leaning forward with curious, sad eyes.
“My dear girl, this isn’t for your grandma, right?” he asked.
Caitlyn's heart skipped a beat in her chest.
"What?"
“What I mean is,” her father continued, “that you came here today, asking all these questions, it’s not just because of your grandmother, is it?”
Caitlyn felt her stomach tighten.
The way her father looked at her, with that mixture of tenderness and understanding, made her feel more exposed than she liked. He knew it. Or at least, he sensed something else was up. And if her father knew it, her mother wouldn't take long to realize it either.
“I don’t understand what you mean,” she tried to evade, sitting up straighter.
Jayce, sitting next to her, sipped his drink with exaggerated interest in the sudden turn the conversation had taken.
Tobias exchanged a quick glance with Cassandra before turning his attention back to his daughter.
“Caitlyn,” her mother spoke softly then, but with the same firmness as always, “What is this really about?”
Caitlyn felt a chill run down her spine. She wasn't stupid. She knew that as soon as she mentioned Vi’s name, everything would change. Vi would cease to be just a distant story of injustice and become something real. Someone real.
She clasped her hands in her lap.
"I…"
She felt childish, suddenly small in the presence of her parents, as if she were four again and confessing to a prank.
“Cait,” Jayce’s voice snapped her out of her reverie. “Just say it. I think you and I recognize they deserve to know after everything we’ve heard.”
Cassandra looked at her intensely, as if she already knew the answer.
“I met someone,” Caitlyn finally said, almost in a whisper.
A heavy silence fell over the dining room.
Tobias narrowed his eyes in curiosity.
"Someone?"
“Someone who…” Caitlyn swallowed. “Someone who was directly affected by what Grandma did.”
Cassandra sat up straight, almost anticipating the answer. “Who?”
Caitlyn felt her throat close. She'd said it, but not completely yet. Her parents deserved to know. And Vi… Vi deserved to be acknowledged.
She forced herself to look up.
“Her name is Violet”
The name hung in the air like a bomb about to explode.
Cassandra blinked; her expression instantly rigid. Tobias, on the other hand, frowned, as if trying to remember where he'd heard that name before.
“I don’t think I understand” her father said cautiously.
“Violet is,” Caitlyn hesitated “She is the girl Grandma sent to Stillwater. The one who spent a year there until she almost died.”
Her parents' reaction wasn't immediate. It was a slow process, like watching a structure crumble brick by brick. Tobias brought a hand to his mouth, his eyes wide with belated understanding. Cassandra simply exhaled a long, measured breath, looking down at the table with a tormented expression.
“So, you know her,” she murmured, more to herself than to Caitlyn.
"Yes, I do"
“And you didn’t just meet her,” his father added cautiously. “You care for her, don’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.”
Caitlyn felt a heat rise to her face.
“It’s not just that,” she replied, though the lie felt clumsy on her tongue. “Violet, Vi… she’s been through so much. Even now, years after she got out, she’s still reeling. And if there’s anything we can do for her…”
Cassandra finally looked at her again, her expression unreadable.
“How long have you been seeing her?”
Caitlyn hesitated.
"A few weeks."
Jayce let out a low sigh, as if grateful that Caitlyn had finally admitted it out loud.
“More than a few weeks, actually,” he added in a slightly mocking tone.
Caitlyn kicked him under the table. Jayce looked at her, offended.
“Oh, come on,” he muttered. “It’s not a lie.”
Caitlyn glared at him, but her father interrupted her before she could say anything.
“Does she know who you are?”
“Yes.” Caitlyn nodded hesitantly.
“And yet she still lets you be with her?”
“Well, her sister isn’t too happy about it…” Jayce chimed in before Caitlyn covered her mouth with a hand.
Caitlyn met her father's gaze with determination.
"Yes"
Cassandra closed her eyes for a moment, processing the information.
“That girl… Vi. How is she now?”
Caitlyn felt her chest tighten with the unexpected emotion of hearing Vi's name in her mother's voice.
“She’s… surviving,” she said sincerely. “She’s strong, stronger than anyone I’ve ever met. But she’s not well. I’ve seen it. I’ve been there to see her still suffering from the aftereffects of her time in Stillwater.”
“I see…” her father began, but cut himself off when Caitlyn began to shake her head insistently.
“No, I don’t think either of you really understands,” she exclaimed more forcefully than she intended.
Cassandra watched her daughter as she spoke. It was strange to see her like this. Not because Caitlyn wasn't passionate when standing up for something she believed was right—she had done so all her life—but because there was something different about the way she spoke this time.
It was more than passion.
“You don’t understand what this means to her or her family.” Caitlyn placed both hands on the table, leaning forward, her tone firm, her eyes blazing with determination. “Vi spent a year locked away, receiving inappropriate punishments, tortures I can’t even begin to imagine. And she’s never received proper medical care. Ever. Not when they took her out of Stillwater after nearly killing her, not when her problems started to worsen over the years. All she’s had are home remedies, makeshift solutions… and yet she’s still standing. Keeping going. It’s shocking and painful to watch in equal measure.”
Cassandra folded her hands in her lap and watched her silently.
“If my grandmother hadn’t intervened, if she hadn’t sentenced an eleven-year-old girl to that living hell, her life wouldn’t be what it is today,” Caitlyn continued. “She wouldn’t be suffering the way she is now, she wouldn’t have lost her vision, she wouldn’t…”
Caitlyn paused for a moment, exhaling sharply. Something flashed in her eyes. It was anger. But also, pain. Someone else's pain, but one she felt as if it were her own, as if it were branded into her skin.
“Piltover is supposed to be better than this.” Caitlyn’s voice trembled slightly, but Cassandra noticed. “We’re supposed to be better than this. We Kiramman are supposed to be better than this.”
Cassandra and her husband exchanged a look.
Because they saw it clearly now.
This wasn't just justice.
It wasn't just remorse.
It was something much more personal.
“And you think helping her with… what exactly? Her health?” Tobias asked gently, to which she nodded. “You think that will help solve everything?”
“No, but at least… at least it would be a start.” Caitlyn looked at them both, her eyes shining with suppressed emotion. “Isn’t this the least we can do after everything we did to her?”
Cassandra felt her throat tighten. Not out of guilt. Not out of remorse. But because she recognized that tone of voice. Cassandra had seen her daughter champion causes before, had seen her tenacity, her desire for justice. But she'd never seen her talk about someone as if her life depended on it.
As if the suffering of this girl, Vi, hurt her more than it should.
As if she was in love.
Cassandra leaned an elbow on the table and interlaced her fingers.
“Caitlyn.” Her voice was calm, without reproach, without judgment. “Who is Vi to you?”
Her daughter blinked, confused by the question.
“I told you; she’s someone who…”
“No.” Cassandra interrupted her gently. “Who is Vi to you? Why is she so important?”
Caitlyn hesitated for a moment.
“Because it’s the right thing to do. She needs help”
“Yes, but… why her specifically?”
Caitlyn feels her chest tighten. “Because she shouldn't have to carry this alone. Because she deserves better than what the world has given her.”
His father nodded slowly, thoughtfully.
“You care a lot about her, don’t you?” he asked
Caitlyn swallowed uncomfortably.
"Yes."
"How much?"
Caitlyn opened her mouth, but no words came out.
She didn't know how to answer that.
Because the truth was that she couldn't measure it. She couldn't calculate how much she cared about Vi.
Vi was in her skin, in her thoughts, in every breath she held when they met. She was in the beat of her heart when she saw her smile, in the warmth that ran through her body when she heard her sing, in the way her chest tightened when she remembered everything she'd been through. Vi was a part of her now. And she didn't know when it had happened. She didn't know at what point in all the moments they shared; but she had become something more than just a girl Caitlyn wanted to help.
But she did know that if Vi needed her, she'd be there. That if Vi fell, she'd hold her up. That if Vi let her stay, she'd never leave.
Cassandra exhaled slowly, as if she had already understood the answer without Caitlyn needing to say it.
“My girl, my beautiful, precious girl…” her father spoke first, in that gentle tone he used when trying to understand something he was missing. “If you want to help her, we will. I’ll approach every one of my contacts at the hospital; I’ll do whatever I can for her health. But I want you to be honest with us right now…”
Caitlyn felt her throat close.
“It’s not just about helping her, is it?”
Cassandra placed both hands on the table, leaning slightly toward her daughter. Her expression wasn't judgmental or reproachful. It was understanding.
“Caitlyn,” she called softly, “Do you love this girl?”
Caitlyn felt the air escape from her lungs.
Jayce shifted uncomfortably in his seat, as if the conversation had suddenly become too personal for him.
Caitlyn, however, didn't take her eyes off her mother.
Her heart was pounding, as if she were on the edge of a cliff, about to take the final step. She had never said those words out loud, never even admitted the possibility. But now, here, sitting in front of her parents, she knew for sure.
She took a breath, her pulse racing.
“Yes” she whispered.
Her parents didn't say anything immediately.
Cassandra closed her eyes for a moment before nodding slowly, her expression remaining neutral, though her gaze glittered with something Caitlyn couldn't quite place.
Tobias sighed and ran a hand over his face.
Jayce cleared his throat. “Well… that explains a lot.”
Caitlyn gave her a sharp look, but deep down, she welcomed the interruption.
Tobias leaned forward slightly, his face reflecting a mixture of surprise and concern.
“We don't know anything about her, Caitlyn. We don't know who she is, what her life is like, what she wants…”
“I do.” Caitlyn interrupted firmly. “And I know there is no one in this world more deserving of being loved than her.”
His father remained silent, silently worried but also proud. Cassandra, for her part, looked at her closely, as if seeing her daughter in a new light. She let out a small sigh before nodding slowly.
“Then I must meet her.”
Caitlyn tensed.
"Mother…"
“Not because she’s your partner…”
Caitlyn felt her face heat up. “By the gods, no. We’re not that…” she quickly clarified. “She is my friend, nothing more.”
“For now,” Jayce added under his breath.
Cassandra raised her eyebrows in disbelief, but nodded.
“Regardless of your relationship with her, which, of course, is important to define soon,” she insisted, to Caitlyn’s further embarrassment. “I think it’s right and necessary for me to meet her. I need to see her firsthand, know who the girl my mother condemned is, and ask for her forgiveness. Maybe it’s something I should have done a long time ago.”
Tobias didn't say anything, but his brow furrowed in a mixture of discomfort and thoughtfulness. Jayce looked away, rising once more to the minibar to given then a little space.
Caitlyn felt a knot form in her chest.
“I don’t know if that’s…” she breathed out slowly, choosing her words carefully. “I don’t know if Vi’s ready for that.”
If Powder is ready for that.
Cassandra frowned slightly.
"Why?"
“For her family… her sister in particular,” Caitlyn looked at her mother firmly, “the Kiramman are the symbol of everything that hurt her.”
Cassandra didn't look away.
“But not all of them.”
Caitlyn denied.
“That doesn’t matter. It’s not rational. It’s visceral. It’s not something I can separate with logic.” Caitlyn tried to explain as best she could, but doing so without introducing Powder’s overprotective figure and her immense but justified resentment was complicated. “To them… we were the ones who took away the life Vi could have had.”
Silence.
Tobias exhaled heavily, clasping his hands on the table.
“I understand your point, but if this girl’s problem is medical and you want us to help, it’s somewhat inevitable that we’ll have to meet her at some point,” he spoke softly. “I can’t help anyone from a distance or over the phone, my girl.”
Caitlyn frowned, leaning forward to him.
“Can you really help her?” she wanted to clarify.
Tobias nodded with a small smile.
“Of course, there are a thousand reasons why I have to do this, not just because it’s important to you,” he said. “But to do so, I must first understand the severity of her condition. Did you mention something about her vision earlier?”
The young woman nodded, biting her lip and feeling her stomach sink slightly.
Vi meeting her parents…
She didn't know if she ready for that. She didn't know if Vi was ready for that. Powder would probably scream the hell out of her as soon as she found out. Caitlyn couldn't even begin to imagine how to broach the subject with any of them.
But at the same time, she couldn't help thinking that maybe, this was the next step to improving Vi's life.
“Dad…” she began, cutting herself off after she couldn’t find the right words.
Tobias smiled in understanding.
“If her health problems were caused by what she suffered in Stillwater, there may still be something we can do. I can't promise miracles, but I'll do what I can,” he assured “Talk to her, suggest coming to the hospital for a checkup. Any day is fine by me”
Caitlyn nodded, feeling genuine relief.
Her mother approached her then, placing a loving hand on her arm and looking at her with interest.
“And if you want to talk more about this another time… I’m here,” she said “No matter the time, Caitlyn. You just have to call”
Jayce, who had remained silent until now, raised his hands with exhaustion.
“Well, that was a lot more intense than I expected for a family lunch,” he exclaimed.
Caitlyn rolled her eyes, but couldn't stop a small smile from easing the tension in her shoulders. Cassandra let out a soft sigh and looked at her daughter again.
“When it’s time, when she’s ready… when you’re ready,” her mother held her gaze. “Tell her we’ll be waiting here.”
Caitlyn swallowed, understanding what her mother was saying.
But the day had already been too long. Too much information. Too many emotions. Too much of everything. She needed air. She stood up from the table with a sigh, ready to leave before the weight of the conversation overwhelmed her. But before she could take a single step, her mother did something unexpected.
She stood up too.
And then hugged her.
It wasn't a brusque or sudden gesture. It was slow, as if Cassandra were hesitating until the last second. Caitlyn stiffened. Her mother had never been a particularly affectionate person. Her affection manifested itself in other ways: in advice, in teachings, in firm but understanding words.
But never like this.
“You don’t have to carry all of this alone,” Cassandra whispered, her tone so soft that Caitlyn felt a lump form in her throat. “I’m not going to let you do this alone”
Caitlyn couldn't help herself and hugged her back. Not awkwardly, not hesitantly, but with the same intensity she'd been suppressing throughout the conversation. Her father cleared his throat, and before Caitlyn could pull away, she felt him put an arm around her as well.
They were both hugging him.
It was so unusual, so strange, that Caitlyn felt like if she thought about it too much, she would completely break down.
Instead, she just closed her eyes and allowed it.
She allowed herself to be a daughter in that moment.
By the time Jayce and she left the mansion, almost an hour later, the sky was taking on a reddish hue, bathing the streets of Piltover with a deceptive warmth. The air smelled of burning wood in the distance, as if some merchant had lit an early fire, and the lanterns were slowly beginning to come on.
Jayce walked with his hands in his pockets, his expression more relaxed compared to Caitlyn's, who still seemed immersed in conversation with her parents.
“Well, that was intense,” Jayce commented.
Caitlyn snorted.
“Don’t even say it”
Jayce looked at her out of the corner of his eye and, after a few seconds of silence, nudged her lightly in the side.
“Hey, how about we do something to clear your head?”
Caitlyn raised an eyebrow.
“What kind of something?”
Jayce smiled with a touch of mystery.
"That would be a surprise."
Caitlyn narrowed her eyes suspiciously, but there was a glimmer of amusement in them.
“I don’t know if I should trust your surprises.”
“Oh, come on.” Jayce confidently put an arm around her shoulders. “You need a distraction. Whatever you’re processing inside your head isn’t going to go away just by thinking harder.”
Caitlyn sighed.
"You're right."
Jayce smiled triumphantly.
“Let’s go, then.”
Caitlyn nodded, and they started walking toward Jayce's car, still feeling like the weight of the conversation with her parents wouldn't completely go away. But the distraction certainly wouldn't hurt.
However, just as they were about to reach the vehicle, something made her stop for a second.
A few feet from the mansion's entrance, almost hidden in the shadows of a streetlight, a man was leaning against the wall of a closed shop. He had a cigar between his lips, the smoke rising in lazy spirals, and his posture seemed carefree, almost casual.
But what made Caitlyn's stomach turn wasn't his presence itself, but the fact that he wasn't looking at the street or the people walking by.
he looking at her.
Jayce noticed her stillness and followed her line of sight.
"What's happening?"
Caitlyn didn't respond immediately. Her heart gave a small, alert leap.
The man didn't make any sudden movements, didn't come closer, and didn't change his expression. He simply calmly let out the smoke and, seeing that Caitlyn had noticed, tilted his head with a half-smile.
“Miss Kiramman, what a lovely evening, isn’t it?” his voice was raspy and deep, with a mocking tone that made her hair stand on end.
Caitlyn felt Jayce tense beside her, but the woman took his arm to force him to continue walking. It wasn't the first time someone she didn't know had recognized her on the street and said hello. But something about the man's expression left a bad taste in her mouth. They both turned their backs on him, hurrying toward Jayce's car.
But then the man spoke again, his voice loud and clear, carrying through the air.
“Give my regards to Violet,” he exclaimed with a smile. “Greetings from an old and dear friend…”
Caitlyn felt a chill run down her spine, stopping dead in her tracks.
The air suddenly felt heavier. The noise of the city around them faded, as if everything else had ceased to matter for a moment.
He had said Violet.
That name was not common in Piltover.
That name shouldn't be on anyone's lips in this city.
Jayce frowned then, turning around and standing between Caitlyn and the man with a protective gesture. All traces of amusement had vanished from his face.
“Who the hell are you? HEY!”
But before he could say anything else, the man dropped his cigarette to the ground, crushed it out with the toe of his shoe, and turned, walking leisurely through the streets.
Caitlyn stared at his disappearing silhouette, her mind racing. She felt her breathing quicken slightly, her pulse hammering at her temples as she watched the man's silhouette retreat with an almost mocking calm. He didn't turn, didn't run, just simply melted into the shadows of the city as if he'd never been there.
Her instinct told her she had to do something, that she couldn't just stand there while the man disappeared. But what exactly could she do? Chase him? Call the police? Say what?
She had no proof of anything.
But she felt like something was very wrong.
She had felt the latent threat in his words.
“Cait…” Jayce’s voice snapped her out of her momentary paralysis. She turned to him, and her friend was frowning at her, studying her face with concern. “Are you okay?”
Caitlyn opened her mouth to answer, then stopped. She wasn't okay. But she wasn't hurt, either, and nothing concrete had happened.
But that man knew her. And more importantly, he knew Vi and their connection.
“This… wasn’t a coincidence,” she finally whispered, her voice lower than she intended.
Jayce exhaled tiredly, running a hand through his hair.
“Cait, it could be anything. Maybe a crazy person who knows who you are because of your last name. Maybe someone from Zaun who just wants to scare you because they know you’re involved with… you know,” he said carefully, not mentioning Vi directly.
Caitlyn shook her head.
“No. It wasn’t just that.”
Jayce looked at her seriously.
“How can you be sure?”
Caitlyn swallowed.
“Because I felt it.”
Jayce sighed, rubbing his face with both hands.
“Look, if this really worries you, we can go to the police station right now, file a report, see if we can find him…”
“It won’t do any good,” Caitlyn interrupted, clenching her fists. “I have no proof he did anything wrong. He just… talked.”
Jayce couldn't argue with that, but his jaw tightened.
“Do you want us to let it go then?”
Caitlyn took a breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm the turmoil in her chest.
"No"
She couldn't ignore what had just happened. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
Did Vi have any idea who this man was? Did she really know him?
Caitlyn felt scared at that very moment, but it wasn't for herself. It didn't matter if someone was following her, if someone was watching her from the shadows. She was confident she could defend herself, or, worst-case scenario, she'd have to talk to her parents about hiring temporary protection. It wouldn't be the first time she'd dealt with bodyguards.
What truly terrified her was that this man knew Vi. And he had made it clear, intentionally and threateningly.
What was she supposed to do with that?
Caitlyn looked back down the street one last time, her chest tight with a mixture of fear and determination.
“Your surprise will have to wait, Jayce,” she said.
The man twisted his face into a grimace, placing a hand on the back of his neck.
“Okay, do you want to go home? Maybe watch a movie?” he offered, but Caitlyn just shook her head.
“No, take me to Zaun,” she asked instead.
Jayce looked at her blankly.
“To Zaun?” he repeated, frowning. “What for?”
Caitlyn crossed her arms.
“I want to talk to Powder. Maybe she knows who that man is,” she explained.
Jayce blinked a couple of times. And then, without warning, he burst out laughing.
Caitlyn looked at him indignantly. “What are you laughing at now?”
Jayce tried to contain himself, raising a hand in a signal of truce.
“No, it’s nothing, just…” he ran a hand over his face, still smiling “I can’t believe how ironic this is.”
"Ironic?"
Jayce nodded, still amused.
“Yes. Because even if you hadn’t said anything, we were still going to Zaun.”
Caitlyn narrowed her eyes.
"For what?"
“That was the surprise”
Caitlyn blinked in confusion.
“Your surprise was to take me to Zaun?” she said again.
“Well, yes.”
"Because….?"
Jayce looked at her with some disbelief, as if the answer was obvious.
“Cait… it’s Wednesday.”
The woman frowned.
“And what does that have to do with anything?”
Jayce snorted.
“Come on, Sprout. You’re the one who spends all your free time in Zaun and you don’t even remember what day it is.”
Caitlyn opened her mouth to reply, but as soon as she processed his words, her expression changed. Wednesday. The day Vi was performing at The Last Drop.
Oh.
“So, you were going to take me to see Vi,” she muttered, crossing her arms in some sort of defensive way but feeling a little warm in her chest for Jayce caring
Jayce smirked.
“Yes. Because I know that if I left it up to you, you’d stay locked up in your house, overthinking everything we talked about instead of doing anything about it.” The man shrugged. “Besides, shouldn’t you be talking to Vi about what just happened instead of her sister anyway?”
Caitlyn sighed tiredly, but couldn't stop a small smile from tugging at the corner of her lips.
“You are unbearable,” she muttered. “But maybe you’re right.”
The woman shook her head in resignation and looked back out at the street on last time before getting in the car, her mind still reeling from what had happened.
Maybe seeing Vi was exactly what she needed.
If only to calm her irrational side and make sure she was okay for the time being.