Page 7 of I See You

Shaking off the thought, he pushed himself to his feet and followed his grandmother out the door.

He just needed to get this appointment over with.

Then he could go back to business. Back to what really mattered.

Chapter 2

Sevyn grabbed her black Hermès bag, slipping out of her office to meet her cousin Dorian and her best friend Ariel for lunch.

Another busy day—like every day.

At just 25, Sevyn Love had already built a name for herself as one of the best Cognitive Behavioral Therapists in Memphis. She had worked her way to the top, helping people all over the world navigate their mental health struggles with real, tangible solutions. Not just prescriptions that numbed the pain without addressing the root cause.

Sevyn wasn’t like most therapists.

She didn’t sit across from her clients with a clipboard and a robotic checklist of questions, pushing pills that often did more harm than good. She cared. Genuinely. She gave her clients real methods to cope— ones that actually worked.

Mindfulness. Herbal healing. Meditation. Physical movement. Nutrition. Finding something—a hobby, a passion, an outlet—to ground them when the weight of their struggles became too much.

Even if that outlet was weed.

She didn’t judge. If it helped them cope in a healthy way, she encouragedit,evenguidingthemtowardresponsibleherbaluse. She had seen firsthand how natural remedies could heal when used correctly, and she was determined to offer people more than the cold, clinical approach the industry so often relied on.

But it wasn’t just her unconventional methods that made Sevyn stand out.

It was her.

Her smooth brown skin was flawless, a natural glow that turned heads, but what made her even more striking was the intricate tattoo sleeve decorating her right arm—a blend of art and meaning that only made her more real to the people she helped.

At 5’4, she wasn’t the tallest woman in the room, but she stood out. Her figure—toned abs, a tiny waist, and curves that stopped traffic— was sculpted by none other than Harper Gaines, her long-time trainer and other best friend. They had gone to school together, and from the momentSevyndecidedtotakeherhealthseriously,shehadtrusted Harper with the process.

And it paid off.

Her beauty was effortless. The kind that drew people in without her trying.

Men wanted her. Women wanted to be her. But Sevyn’s heart belonged to only one man. And aside from her father, there was no one else who mattered more.

Braxton.

The sharp buzz of her phone pulled Sevyn from her thoughts just as she grabbed her keys, preparing to head out. A glance at the screen told her exactly what she already knew—Dorian.

Sevyn sighed, knowing her cousin was about to cuss her out for being late. She answered anyway, putting the phone to her ear.

“I’m coming, Dorian.” Sevyn rushed out before she could even get a word in. “My last session ran over.”

“Hurry up, girl. You know I can’t deal with your friend for long,” Dorian shot back, unimpressed.

Sevyn playfully rolled her eyes. “Please behave, Dorian. I’m literally down the street.”

Dorian let out a dramatic sigh before the call ended.

Sevyn already knew exactly who she was talking about—Ariel.

Ariel had been Sevyn’s best friend since high school, a bond built over years of loyalty and sisterhood. She was a powerhouse in her own right, working as a top banker at one of the most prestigious banks in Memphis. Sevyn never understood why Dorian didn’t like her, but if there was one thing she did know, it was that her cousin didn’t dislike people for no reason.

Dorian was brutally honest. Real. Blunt to the point of no return. If she had a problem with Ariel, there was a reason—even if Sevyn didn’t know what it was. Still, Ariel had never given Sevyn a reason to question her loyalty, so the friendship remained.

With that in mind, she put some extra pep in her step, knowing if she left Dorian and Ariel alone for too long, things could go left quickly. Shesaidhergoodbyestohercolleaguesandherboss,Hannah Baker, before heading out.

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