𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐬 | 𝟏𝟖 +

𝐓 𝐖 𝐄 𝐍 𝐓 𝐘 - 𝐅 𝐎 𝐔 𝐑

Sevan

I woke up to the soft rise and fall of Dakota's little body on my chest. Her tiny breaths were warm against my neck, and for a second, I just lay there, savoring the moment. The afternoon sun filtered through the living room curtains, casting a soft glow over everything. Marilyn had gone to the company for an important meeting, leaving me and Dakota alone to nap. I didn't mean to fall asleep, but with her snuggled up like this, it was hard not to.

Carefully, I shifted, trying not to wake her as I sat up. Dakota stirred but didn't wake. I looked down at her for a moment, my heart swelling with a mix of love and protectiveness. This little girl had changed my world, and I would do anything to keep her safe.

But as I looked up, my heart dropped. Standing there, watching us, was Olivia. My best friend or at least, she used to be.

I narrowed my eyes at her, my body going stiff. What the hell was she doing here? She hadn't spoken to me, or Marilyn, in years. And now, out of nowhere, she was standing in my living room, staring at Dakota.

"Sevannah!" I called out, my voice low but firm. She came into the living room in seconds, sensing the tension immediately.

"Put Dakota in her cradle." I ordered. She nodded, quickly and carefully taking the still-sleeping toddler from my arms. I watched as Sevannah carried Dakota out of the room, my gaze never leaving Olivia's face. The second the door closed behind them, I turned to Olivia, anger surging through me.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I spat, my voice cold.

Olivia scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's my house too, Sevan. Don't forget that."

I clenched my fists, taking in her appearance. She looked almost the same, blonde hair a little shorter, a fresh tan, but still the same woman I once called my best friend. But now, all I could feel was the sting of betrayal.

She chuckled, a bitter, cold sound that cut through the room like a knife. "Whose child is that?" she asked, her voice dripping with accusation.

I raised an eyebrow, confused and irritated by her angry tone. She had no right to be upset, not after the way she'd ghosted us for years. "If you'd answered your mother's calls, you'd know." I replied sharply. "She's mine and Marilyn's."

For a split second, guilt flickered across Olivia's face. But just as quickly, she masked it, her expression hardening again. "You and my mom are still together?" she asked, her voice rising with barely contained anger.

"Yes." I snapped back. "Marilyn is the love of my life. I'll always be there for her, and I'll always be there for her and Dakota."

Olivia's eyes narrowed, fury still burning behind them. But I wasn't about to let her get away with this. Not after everything she'd put us through.

"You don't get to be angry anymore, Olivia." I said, my voice low but steady, the weight of all the years of silence and rejection pressing down on me. "I reached out so many times, tried to get in touch with you. Marilyn did too. But you blocked us. Ignored us. You don't get to show up here, years later, and pretend you have any right to be pissed off about anything."

Olivia opened her mouth to argue, but I cut her off, stepping forward, my eyes locked on hers. "The only reason you didn't know about Dakota sooner is because of you. Not me. Not Marilyn. You."

I didn't wait for her to respond. My heart was pounding, anger coursing through me, but I had nothing left to say to her. Without another word, I stormed out of the living room, slamming the door behind me.

• • •

I took a deep breath, trying to steady the anger still pulsing through me after the encounter with Olivia. My fists were sore, the adrenaline still running high, but I needed to calm down. I couldn't let it get the best of me. Dakota was upstairs, and I couldn't let her see me like this.

When I finally felt like I had some control over myself, I made my way back downstairs. Just as I stepped into the foyer, the front door opened, and there was Marilyn, walking in with that radiant smile of hers. But as soon as she saw my face, her smile faded.

"Sevan?" she asked softly, concern lacing her voice.

I gave her a quick peck on the lips, but I didn't linger. "Olivia's in the living room." I said, watching the immediate shift in Marilyn's expression. The concern melted away, replaced by a cold, steely anger that flickered behind her eyes, and her jaw tightened. "She's pissed about Dakota... and about us  being back together."

I saw Marilyn's jaw clench tighter, her hands balling into fists. She didn't say a word, just gave a short nod before turning on her heel and marching towards the living room. I followed right behind her, the tension in the air thickening with every step.

But the second we stepped into the living room, my blood boiled all over again. Nathan. He was sitting next to Olivia on the couch, looking just as smug as ever. Seeing him there, beside her like nothing had happened, set me off.

"You." I hissed, my voice low and dangerous.

Before I even realized what I was doing, I stormed across the room, grabbing Nathan by the collar and ripping him off the couch. He barely had time to register what was happening before my fist connected with his face, hard.

Nathan screamed, his hands flying up in defense, but I didn't stop. "Didn't I tell you to stay the fuck away?" I snarled, pulling back for another punch. "This is your fault. Olivia finding out about Marilyn and me, everything. You had to ruin it. Instead of letting us tell her on our own terms three years ago, you had to stick your nose where it didn't belong."

I straddled him, my fists flying. Each punch felt like a release, years of pent-up anger crashing down all at once. I could hear Olivia shouting something in the background, but I didn't care. Nathan had it coming.

Out of nowhere, I felt strong arms wrap around my waist, dragging me off Nathan before I could land another punch. Theodore. He pulled me back, his grip tight as he hauled me away, my breathing ragged, my fists still itching to finish the job.

Nathan lay on the floor, groaning in pain, his nose bleeding profusely. Olivia immediately rushed to him, her hands shaking as she looked at the damage I'd done, his eye already swelling, his nose definitely broken.

Olivia's voice was sharp with anger. "Are you just going to let her get away with this?" she spat at her mother, her eyes burning with fury.

Marilyn stepped forward, her voice calm but laced with cold fury. "He deserves it, Olivia. Trust me, I would've jumped him myself if Sevan hadn't beaten me to it."

I watched Olivia's face twist with frustration, but before she could fire back, Marilyn cut her off. "Why are you here, Olivia? Why now, after all this time?"

Olivia sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly as she helped Nathan back onto the couch. His face was a mess, and I couldn't help but feel a bit of satisfaction at the sight.

"I got a death threat." Olivia muttered, her voice quieter now. "Some random threat, but I knew you'd know something about it."

Marilyn let out a loud sigh, rubbing her temples. "It's not random, Olivia. It's Victor."

Olivia blinked, frowning. "What? That's impossible. My own father wouldn't—"

"Open your damn eyes!" I snapped, unable to hold it in anymore. "Paris Harper is married to the bastard, and you're still acting like this is all a misunderstanding. He's dangerous, Olivia. He's not the man you think he is."

Olivia's face paled, the shock of my words hitting her like a slap. For the first time, I saw doubt flicker in her eyes, her mind trying to process what I'd just said. She opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came out.

I glared at her, my chest heaving with frustration. "You need to wake up. Before it's too late."

"Baby go and calm down, please, I'll explain everything to Olivia." I groaned but listened to Marilyn and pecked her lips before I made my way out of the living room.

Fuck sakes.

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~ R