𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐬 | 𝟏𝟖 +

𝐓 𝐖 𝐄 𝐍 𝐓 𝐘 - 𝐒 𝐄 𝐕 𝐄 𝐍

Sevan

It was early afternoon when I walked into Clifford's Exotic Gems, the familiar buzz of creativity and the hum of precision tools filling the air. The store had never looked better, everything gleaming, the finest pieces of jewelry on display for all the world to see. Business had been booming, and I was damn proud of what we had built here. But today wasn't about work. Today was about something far more personal.

I made my way past the main floor and headed straight to Winston's workstation, tucked away in the back where he liked to work on his designs in peace. He was hunched over a sketchpad, carefully drawing out the intricate details of what looked like a pendant. I leaned against the doorframe for a moment, watching him work, before stepping into the room.

"Winston." I called out, my voice light but with purpose.

He glanced up, his brow furrowed for a split second before relaxing when he saw me. "Sevan, what brings you back here? You're not usually down in my dungeon." he joked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

I smirked and crossed my arms, giving him a pointed look. "I need a favor. A big one."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "What kind of favor?"

I took a breath and stepped closer, lowering my voice. "I need you to design the most beautiful engagement ring you've ever created."

Winston blinked, his pencil stopping mid-sketch. "An engagement ring?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he studied my face. "Who's the lucky person, if I may ask?"

I couldn't help the smirk that tugged at my lips. "It's for Marilyn."

Winston's eyes widened in shock, his pencil dropping to the desk as he stared at me. "Wait, hold on—Marilyn? You two... got back together?"

I nodded, feeling a warmth spread through me just at the thought of her. "Yeah, we did. That's where I was the whole time when I took the week off. We're back together, Winston."

For a moment, he just stared at me, processing what I had said. Then, his face broke out into a huge grin, and before I could react, he had jumped up and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Sevan, that's amazing!" he exclaimed, pulling back to look at me with excitement. "I didn't see that coming, but I'm really happy for you."

I chuckled, feeling the weight of the moment settle in. "Thanks. I can't wait to see what you come up with for the ring. It needs to be perfect, Winston. The most beautiful thing you've ever made."

Winston nodded, his grin never fading. "You know I've got you covered. I'll make it stunning, something fit for Marilyn. She deserves the best." He paused for a second, then added with a chuckle, "And I've seen your taste, nothing but the finest for you."

I hummed, amused by his comment. "Exactly. It also needs to have something engraved on the back, S & M.' You think you can handle that?"

He gave me a mock salute, his expression turning playful. "Aye aye, boss. S & M, most beautiful ring ever. Got it." He grabbed his pencil again, already sketching ideas as his mind started turning. "I'll get to work on this right away, and I'll show you some of my designs once I've got a few things on paper."

I smiled, genuinely excited to see what he would come up with. "I can't wait. And once you've got the engagement ring sorted, I'll send you the details for the wedding bands. One step at a time, though."

Winston chuckled, shaking his head. "You're really going all in, huh?"

"Damn right I am." I said, feeling a surge of pride and love as I thought about Marilyn. "She's it for me, Winston. There's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with."