LYONIC

People were holding their bellies in laughter due to the audacious question Lyon had asked.

"Do you seriously think your family's even worthy of an invitation? Have you done anything that would warrant one?" Peter jeered, his voice mocking.

"Really, keep dreaming! You think your family will ever get an invite?" Ruth joined in, a smirk on her face.

Sommy and her parents looked into each other's faces with resignation.

They were glaring at Lyon as if he was the source of all their misfortunes.

At this, Lyon, as always brazen, gave a jaded, cynical laugh. "This invitation? It belongs to me. I wanted to give it to my wife's family, but I throw it out to you as a pittance."

Have some pride, Lyon!" Mark yelled, his anger boiling over. "Clearly, it was through networks that your cousin Jesse got those invites; what have you got to do with it?"

"Who do you think you are, claiming credit?" Frank's voice was similar to Mark's, growing louder with anger.

Sommy watched the tension rise, her eyes filled with judgment. Her parents were speechless and sat defeated.

Lyon didn't flinch. "I didn't ask for your permission, but I'm giving it to you anyway," he said in a steady tone.

"Would you really act like this, Lyon?" Dera muttered under her breath.

Lyon's stare slackened for a second as his eyes met with Sommy's. She was on the verge of breaking, and he had no intention of letting her get to that point. But before he could respond, Zoey pulled him aside.

"Come with me, Lyon!" she hissed, dragging him through the crowd.

She was crying, her face streaked with tears, and Lyon couldn't ignore the hurt in her voice.

"Why do you always have to make everything worse?" Sommy choked out, each word full of frustration. "I can't stand being humiliated like this."

Lyon wiped his tears off with his handkerchief and held out for her. "Som, you want to attend that dinner or not?"

"Obviously! You must have known how embarrassed Mom and Papa feel?" Trying to shut her pain off, Sommy said with an averted gaze, "But that too, as if one like you would be allowed entry."

Serious were Lyon's eyes, grave as granite, heavy with steely strength and promise, with resolve, pure and simple.

Sommy stared at him, incredulous. "Seriously? How?"

Lyon took a deep breath, exhaling sharply. "You'll see. I'm not going to let you down."

Her anger was slowly melting away, but the doubt still lingered. "You better not. If you fail me, Lyon, we're done."

"Deal," Lyon said with finality.

Sommy sniffled and wiped her face, her pride momentarily forgotten. "Fine. You'd better be good for it, or I swear.

Lyon smiled at her determination. "I'll make it happen."

With a final look at her, he turned away, reaching into his pocket for his phone and dialing a number.

.

"Azure Dragon, it's me. Tell Jesse I'll be attending the banquet tomorrow."

"What? You're agreeing to come? Thank God! The higher-ups were worried sick that you might refuse!

Lyon's voice was sharp and unyielding. "Yes, I am coming. But let me ask you for one favor: ban a few people in that place. I don't want them there."

"Aye aye, sir! Consider it done, sir!"

Lyon closed the call and turned to Sommy, who had been watching him, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Don't worry, I have this under control. You can trust me," he replied calmly.

They walked back into the room where the family banquet was in full swing. Sommy had lifted her chin, the posture proud, almost defiant. It was as if she had already announced that she was going to say something, and each and every pair of eyes within that room seemed focused on Lyon.

"Do you think this punk somehow bought his way in?" Ruth whispered to Peter, venom oozing from her voice.

"Who knows?" Mark added with a sly smirk. "It wouldn't surprise me if he pulled some dirty tricks."

"Those invitations cost over a million each. How could they afford that?" Leo snickered, shaking his head.

"I wonder how they even got in, given they owe the family three million," Peter added.

Lyon didn't bat an eyelid. He looked across at Sommy, who was already full of himself. They were not out of the woods yet, but they were getting somewhere.

Dinner was served, and the family banquet went off with clinking glasses and loud laughter from every end of the room. Lyon noticed his table was quiet, a bit too quiet. Sommy's family had to bear this uncomfortable silence.

Aaron looked at Samuel and then to Lyon, letting out a sigh. "What is the use in envying? It is my lot in life," he grumbled.

Caitlyn's eyes sliced at Lyon. "How much worse can this day get?"

Nobody dared rise until the elder dismissed them, so they all sat and acted as if they were enjoying their food when tension was thick in the air.

Finally, Samuel approached their table, his glass of wine in hand, a smug expression plastered on his face. He stopped before Sommy, grinning.

"I was going to introduce my brother to you, Sommy, but it seems you've made your choice. A pity that your taste in men is questionable," Samuel taunted, his voice thick with amusement.

Sommy's parents exchanged looks, the disappointment clear in their eyes.

"If only Zoey had chosen Chris. we could have had it all," Caitlyn whispered, almost to herself.

But that was all they had left: regrets and dreams of what might have been.

As the evening wore on at the banquet, the divide in the families was as clear as day. It came as no surprise when Harry stepped in, giving his instructions.

"Let's go to my place. I want to talk to my grandson-in-law about the future of the Lopez family. Everyone needs to be there. It'll be good for you," Harry said.

Aaron's eyes sparkled at the mention of future prospects. But his excitement quickly died when Harry added, "Aaron, you stay here. Your son-in-law doesn't need any bad luck from your side."

Aaron looked confused. "But, Dad.

"No buts! You and your wife stay here. I've got enough going on without you two adding to it."

Lyon couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he watched the rest of the family shuffle out, some with invites still in hand, others left in the same miserable state they'd been in since the beginning.

"Well, well, well. We'll see who can't get in tomorrow," Lyon muttered to himself.

Samuel, Melanie, and the others were still waving their invites around as if they had won some great prize.

"I'll be there. You'll see," Lyon said quietly.

As the room emptied, Aaron shot Lyon a long look, one filled with a mixture of hope and skepticism. It was clear the old man didn't believe in Lyon, but Lyon was about to change all of that.

After all the humiliations of the evening, Lyon took Sommy's hand and pulled her from the banquet hall.

Compared to the Garrison family, this felt like home—the place where Sommy had waited for him for years.

Back in their apartment, Lyon made his way onto the floor and prepared to sleep, while Sommy insisted he take the bed. He followed her instruction; the moment hung heavy upon his shoulders.

As Sommy sat at the desk working, drafting plans for her ecological park project, Lyon watched her. But even with everything, she never once complained nor asked him to rush it immediately. He could, however, see the load she bore.

He finally spoke up, his voice soft. "What are you working on?

"A proposal for a park in West City. I'm going all in for it, even if it doesn't have a chance," she said, her smile a little sad. "But I'll try."

Later, as the night stretched on and the reality of the banquet's expectations pressed in on her, Sommy couldn't keep it in anymore.

Lyon," she stammered, her voice shaking. "I trusted you so much. But where is the invitation? How shall I believe you now?"

Aaron and Caitlyn added in increasing desperation, "You promised, Lyon. If you can't fulfill this, we may not hold a place in this family again."

Lyon took a deep breath and checked the time. "It's almost time. Just follow me.

They squeezed into Aaron's car, bound for the Paradise Villa where the banquet was to take place.

"Sommy, I'm going to prove it to you tonight," Lyon said, squeezing her hand. "You'll see.