Chapter 11 #4
She inhaled deeply, then exhaled, forcing a casual smile onto her lips. “I think it’s best we talk over your delicious food, Ma.” Her voice was soft, sweet, an attempt to ease the tension before it could take over.
Trina narrowed her eyes slightly, not entirely convinced but not pushing just yet. She studied her daughter, her intuition telling her there was more to this than Sevyn was letting on. Still, after a beat, she simply nodded. “Alright, then. Let’s eat.”
Sevyn exhaled quietly, knowing she’d only bought herself a little more time.
The storm was still coming—she just had to be ready for it.
Dinner was finally served, and the rich aroma of Trina’s famous gumbo filled the air as they gathered around the large dining table.
Silverware clinked against fine china, the low hum of conversation creating a familiar warmth.
Trina, ever the Southern matriarch, carried the culture of her Louisiana roots with pride, from her cooking to the accent that never faded, even after years in Memphis.
Everyone settled in, the comfort of home wrapping around Sevyn—until her mother’s voice cut through the moment.
“Don’t think I forgot, miss thang. Why have you been dodging my calls?” Trina’s tone was light, but her sharp eyes pinned Sevyn in place.
Sevyn swallowed her food, her throat suddenly tight. She barely had time to gather a response before Steven pushed back from the table with a smile.
“My bad, baby girl. We have another guest joining us for dinner.” Sevyn’s eyes snapped to Dorian, whose expression mirrored her own—confusion laced with suspicion.
The pleased look on her mother’s face only made her warier.
She forced herself to take another bite, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling creeping up her spine.
Then she heard it. A voice she never wanted to hear again. “Mr. Love, always good to see you.”
No. Hell no.
The spoon in Sevyn’s hand went still. Her jaw clenched as slow, deliberate footsteps approached. And then, like a nightmare made real, Braxton stepped into the dining room, a bottle of wine in hand, his p osture relaxed—like he belonged there.
Her entire body tensed, rage bubbling beneath the surface, but she schooled her expression, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Dorian, on the other hand, wasn’t as subtle. She shot him a look so sharp it could cut through glass.
Braxton, unfazed, strode toward Trina with that same easy smile that once had Sevyn fooled. “Hey, Mrs. Love,” he greeted smoothly, handing her the wine.
Sevyn didn’t blink, her gaze locked onto his like a sniper lining up a target. He felt it too. Their eyes met, and there it was—that smile. Smug. Petty.
He knew exactly what he was doing. And that’s what made her blood boil the most.
Braxton moved toward Sevyn, leaning in as if to kiss her forehead, but she tilted her head away before he could make contact.
His smirk faltered for half a second, but he played it off smoothly, taking his seat beside her.
Across the table, her parents beamed, completely oblivious to the silent war waging beneath the surface.
Sevyn could feel the tension radiating off Dorian, her leg bouncing uncontrollably under the table. The only thing stopping her cousin from flipping this entire dinner upside down was the respect she held for Steven and Trina.
“Braxton, I’m so happy you could join us,” Trina gushed, her smile bright with excitement. “I thought you had to work late tonight?”
Sevyn clenched her teeth, her grip on the silverware tightening.
This was supposed to be her moment—to finally tell her parents the truth, to let them know she was done with Braxton, that he had betrayed her in the worst way possible.
But now, here he was, sitting beside her like nothing had changed, playing the perfect son-in-law.
“I was,” Braxton answered smoothly, flashing that same practiced smile. “But I couldn’t miss your delicious cooking… or the chance to see my beautiful woman.”
His gaze slid to Sevyn, lingering with a challenge she refused to acknowledge. She barely managed to suppress the eye roll that threatened to expose just how much she wanted to stab him with the knife beside her plate.
“Aww,” her mother cooed, clearly eating up the lie Braxton was feeding.
But despite the warmth in Trina’s voice, the air was thick with tension.
Dorian still hadn’t looked away from Braxton, her glare sharp enough to slice through bone.
Sevyn, on the other hand, forced herself to focus on her food, reminding herself that this wasn’t the time or place to drag him for filth.
Steven, seemingly unaware, leaned back in his chair, taking a sip of his beer before speaking. “So, how’s the case going, Braxton? ”
Sevyn stilled. The question was innocent enough, but it caught her attention for an entirely different reason. She wasn’t interested in his work, not even in passing. But she knew whatever case he was working on somehow involved Hassan.
Braxton took his time, picking up his spoon and stirring his gumbo before finally answering. “It’s still ongoing,” he said, his tone casual, but his eyes flickered toward Sevyn with something unspoken. “Not much I can share, but it’s a big case. It requires a lot of my attention.”
That look. That smug, knowing look.
Sevyn’s jaw clenched as she forced herself to stare straight ahead, refusing to meet his gaze. Because if she did, she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from throwing this entire pot of gumbo in his face.
The tension in the room snapped like a live wire.
"So, Braxton, when are you going to pop the question?" Trina asked excitedly, her voice light, completely unaware of the storm brewing beside her. Sevyn’s head snapped in her mother’s direction, her patience evaporating like water on hot pavement.
“Nah, we not doing that.” Sevyn’s voice cut through the room, sharp and final.
Her parents turned to her, confusion etched into their faces.
“Not doing what, Miracle? You two aren’t happy?
” Trina asked, concern laced in her voice.
Steven remained silent, his gaze flicking between Sevyn and Braxton, but the tight set of his jaw told her that he was already putting the pieces together.
Across the table, Dorian looked ready to combust.
“Sevyn… not now,” Braxton warned, his voice low and controlled, but Sevyn wasn’t about to let him dictate the moment. She turned to him, her glare scorching.
“Nigga, please.”
Then, she faced her parents. “Ma. Pops. Me and Braxton are not together anymore.”
The words hit the room like a bomb. Trina’s eyes widened in shock, while Steven’s jaw ticked as he shifted his gaze to Braxton, a silent but deadly warning flashing across his face.
“Why?” Trina asked, her voice tinged with worry.
But before Sevyn could respond, her phone buzzed against the table.
She glanced down, her heart stumbling in her chest when she saw Hassan calling.
Now was not the time. She declined the call and looked back up— only to find Braxton staring directly at her, his eyes darkening as he caught the name on her screen.
And then, like a man unraveling, he blurted out, “She left me for a cold-blooded killer.”
The room fell into stunned silence .
Sevyn’s stomach flipped, her mind racing as she turned to him, barely able to believe the words that just left his mouth. But before she could speak, Dorian was already moving, her eyes filled with pure rage.
“Fuck no.” Dorian stood so fast her chair screeched against the floor. “Sorry for my language, Auntie, but this nigga is lying.”
Braxton let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. “Of course, you’re gonna defend her. You fucking with his right-hand man.” He turned back to Sevyn, his face twisted with anger. “Both of y’all involving yourselves with dangerous ass niggas. That shit is gonna get you killed.”
Before anyone could process what was happening, Dorian snapped.
She lunged, a blur of movement, grabbing a knife from the table and charging at Braxton full speed, murder in her eyes.
Steven moved just in time, catching her midair like she weighed nothing, lifting her effortlessly as she kicked and fought against his grip.
“WOAH! SOMEBODY NEED TO EXPLAIN—NOW!” Trina screamed, her voice filled with panic as she tried to make sense of the chaos unraveling in front of her.
Sevyn barely had time to process before her phone vibrated again.
Hassan. Again.
Her hands clenched into fists as she hit decline for the second time, ignoring the way her stomach twisted. She had way bigger problems to deal with than whatever he wanted.
The moment Sevyn’s voice cracked, yelling through her tears, the entire room froze.
"Ma, Braxton cheated on me with Ariel."
Her confession hit the room like a grenade. The air shifted, thick and suffocating. Steven, who was still holding back a seething Dorian, turned his sharp gaze to Braxton. The sheer disappointment in his eyes was lethal enough to make a grown man crumble.
Sevyn’s breath came in shallow bursts, her chest rising and falling as she continued, her voice breaking under the weight of betrayal.
"That’s why I’ve been dodging your calls! I’ve been trying to pick up the fucking pieces of my heart that this nigga broke!"
Trina’s face twisted in disbelief as her wide eyes darted between her daughter and Braxton. And she didn’t even need Braxton to confirm it—the guilt swimming in his eyes said enough.
Steven’s voice cut through the tension, low, calm… deadly. "Braxton, get the fuck out of my house before whoever these ‘dangerous ass niggas’ you were talking about become the least of your worries. "
The words slithered from his lips like a promise. One that Braxton should’ve taken seriously.
But instead of leaving, he had the audacity to try and stand his ground. To fight for something that was long past saving.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt—"