Page 128 of I See You

And that silence? Hurt worse than any truth.

“You gone regret doin’ this shit,” he muttered, not to Hendrix— but to Helen.

Their eyesmet,andshesawitinhisface.Thebetrayal.Thefury.

The pain.

Then he looked back at Hendrix.

“See you soon, my nigga,” he said coldly before walking out, leaving the room drenched in silence and the promise of a storm still coming.

Hassan walked out of the hospice and immediately spotted Harper sitting in her car, tears streaking her face, her head leaned against the window. As he got closer, he heard a familiar voice coming through the speakers—smooth, calm, and grounding.

Sevyn.

“Breathe, Harp,” she said gently, her tone steady but firm. Hassan watched as Harper closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to steady herself even though the tears still fell.

“I can’t go back in there, Sev. He… he in there…” Harper panicked, her voice shaky as she reached down and rolled her window lower when she noticed Hassan approaching.

“You don’t have to,” Sevyn replied calmly. “If you’re not ready to face him, then don’t. Go home. I’m going to come check on you later.”

Harper nodded even though Sevyn couldn’t see her. “Okay… I’m gonna call you back. Love you.”

“Love you too,” Sevyn said before the line disconnected.

Harper looked at Hassan, eyes red and glassy, and he just stood there silently, waiting, steady.

“You good?” he asked, his voice calm, but laced with something deeper.

Harper nodded, wiping at her face. “Why is he here?” she asked, her voice cracking like glass under pressure. It made Hassan’s jaw tense.

He should’ve killed Hendrix in that room. Right then and there. “Sheinvitedhim,”Hassansaidlow,emotionstrippedfromhis tone.

Harper’seyeswidenedindisbelief.“Madea?Whywouldshedo that?Why would she blindside me like that?”

“Because she thinks she can fix us,” Hassan replied coldly, watching the heartbreak ripple across her face as she started to cry again.

“I hate that man, San. I thought maybe I could sit down with him… maybe I could try. But seeing that nigga? My blood boils. I can’t do it.” Hassandidn’tsayanything.Hewalkedtoherdoor,openedit, and reached for her hand. She gave him a confused look but let him pullheroutofthecar.Beforeshecouldaskwhathewasdoing,he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him.

Harper’s body tensed—Hassan had never hugged her like this. Ever. But the second his arms tightened, she melted into him, her tears soaking his shirt, her hands clinging to his back like she needed something to hold her together.

Hassan didn’t know what the hell he was doing. All he knew was his cousin was hurting, and he couldn’t fix it. Couldn’t make it go away. But maybe… he could be there.

He did what Sevyn had done for him—held her the same way she held him. Let his presence say what his words couldn’t.

“You don’t gotta do shit you don’t want to do,” he said low, his voice deep against her ear. “Fuck that nigga, cuh.”

His hand rubbed her back slowly, something he didn’t even realize he was doing until it was already happening.

“You hear me?”

She nodded beneath him, silent.

He knew she was shocked—hell, he was shocked.

Sevyn was making him soft. And he didn’t like that one bit. But right now… he wouldn’t change it for the world.

They pulled away from the hug slowly, and Harper looked up at him. Her eyes were still red and puffy, but the tension in her body had eased. There was a calm over her now, one Hassan had seen Sevyn work into him too many times to ignore.

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