LYONIC

"Everybody knows why you're back. You think you could take advantage of the Lanka family. You only want our money, right?" Ruth spat out noxiously, her voice shearing through like a blade in the tension-needle air.

"You are absolutely a disaster to the name Lanka, Sommy! You have been gone all these years and then dare to come here!" he added, his eyes drawing up in distaste.

What had once been such a closely knit family, the Lanka family, was barely recognizable from the one that welcomed her as one of them. The unbelievable change in their attitudes since she had left was only gnawing at Sommy's heart as she stood in the midst of them. She had hoped that time would have mellowed their bitterness, but it had hardened instead.

Her brother, Mark, frowned at her, his arms folded as he leaned against the doorframe. "We don't want anything from you. If you think you can just waltz in here and we'll all be happy to give you money or whatever, then you are sadly mistaken.

She could hardly believe what she was hearing. She'd been through so much; her whole world turned upside down after these years of hardship, to return to this. Made to carry the heavy burden of their rejection yet still so hell-bent on pushing her away.

Standing just behind her, Lyon Obi could feel the weight of the room pressing in on him. Commanding, his presence was, but even he couldn't suppress the tension. He was not only her protector but the one person who had always had her back, despite everything that had transpired.

"Sommy does not need any of you," Lyon's voice boomed, firm and only with a hint of fury. "What you did to her-how you left her in the streets-is inexcusable. You think this is about money? It's about respect."

A low murmur of disbelieving amazement rose from the assembled guests in the room, all watching the drama unfold. The most vocal of the family, Ruth threw up her hands in exasperation. "Respect? Lyon, you're talking about a woman who abandoned us without a second thought. And now you come in here, acting like you know everything? You're just as bad as she is!"

Lyon didn't budge. "I know exactly who you all are, Ruth. The truth isn't pretty, but you all have a way of twisting it to suit yourselves. She's not the problem here."

Peter snorted. "What? You expect us to believe you're the knight in shining armor? Came back to reclaim some lost glory? You're both fools."

Lyon's jaw clenched, and for one silent moment, the air was thick with tension. Then he moved toward Peter, his heavy footsteps announcing his approach. The shift in atmosphere was undeniable; all could feel the power radiating off him.

"Do you think you can speak to me like that without consequence?" Lyon's voice dropped to a dangerous level.

Before Peter could respond, Lyon grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the ground with ease. "Remember this," Lyon warned, his gaze cold and unwavering. "You'll regret every word you've said today."

Peter's face turned pale, and he quickly nodded, no longer daring to speak.

Sommy watched Lyon, her heart swelling with both gratitude and guilt. She had known Lyon was a force to be reckoned with, but this side of him, she hadn't seen before-ferocious yet protective. Always her anchor, she finally grasped a part of his loyalty that was really far from shallowness.

The moment Lyon released Peter and turned back to Sommy, she finally found her voice, though it was tinged with bitterness. "Lyon, you shouldn't have done that. They may hate me, but you don't need to fight my battles."

Lyon's expression softened, but there was fire in his eyes. "They don't get to treat you like this. I won't stand by and watch you suffer."

Just as the tension was about to break, there was a voice from the back of the room that said, "Enough!" It was Frank, not one of the more loudmouthed family members, but his authority was clear.

Sommy turned, relieved, and watched him step forward. Frank was more level-headed than the rest, and his words had always carried weight. "We don't need any more violence. We all understand what's going on. Let's talk like grownups."

Lyon's eyes narrowed, and he exchanged a brief glance with Sommy. There was no mistaking the way he stood protectively beside her, yet he knew Frank had a point. "Fine. We'll talk," Lyon muttered, though the tension in his posture didn't ease.

He walked to a quieter part of the room and, with his arms still crossed, stood by the door. "You think it's that easy? You think we can just forgive everything and move on like nothing happened?"

Sommy hedged. "No, I don't. I don't expect forgiveness. I don't even expect you to understand. But what I do expect is for you to stop treating me like I'm the enemy. I have been through hell these last couple of years, and I'm here because I want to make things right, not for me, but for all of us.

Frank raised an eyebrow. "You really think this is gonna fix everything? You think you can just waltz in, demand some things, and it will all work out?

This time, Lyon stepped forward, cool. "Sommy's right. She didn't come back to ask for your forgiveness or your charity. But you need to understand one thing-she's not the same person who left. And neither is the world we live in now."

The silence in the room hung thick. Everyone listened, but nobody knew exactly how to respond. Mark scoffed, but Ruth's expression turned more contemplative, her eyes narrowing while she weighed Lyon's words.

"Fine," she said after a long silence. "But don't think you can just waltz back into our lives without consequences. The Lanka name carries weight, and you're going to have to prove yourself worthy."

Sommy looked at Lyon, who nodded subtly, as if preparing for the battle ahead. "I'm not here for your approval," Sommy finally said. "But I'm here to make things right. For all of us."

As the night wore on, they found their way to the quiet part of the house where their minds would clear. Sommy was no longer the girl who fled so many years ago; life's bitter whips molded her into an altogether different, stronger girl, and Lyon had been there every step of the way.

The journey ahead wasn't going to be easy, but she knew with Lyon by her side that whatever came next, they would face it together.

"Are you okay?" Lyon softly asked, his eyes searching hers for some sign of upset.

Sommy smiled faintly, though the weight of the day still hung heavy on her shoulders. "I will be," she said quietly. "But we've just started, Lyon. And I think they've only seen the beginning."

Lyon's lips curled into a smirk. "Good. Because we're not done yet."