Fated To Not Just One But Three novel Chapter 683

Chapter 683: The Plan

Levi’s POV

​I sat in the darkness of my room, the curtains drawn tight. The silence felt heavy, a reminder of the four years I had lost and the family that felt like sand slipping through my fingers. My legs throbbed with a dull ache, but the pain in my chest was sharper. I felt useless.

​I stared at my hands—thin, scarred, and trembling. I didn’t want to see Olivia. I didn’t want to see Lennox or Louis. I didn’t want to see the pity in their eyes or the guilt on their faces.

​A soft knock echoed through the room. I didn’t respond. I didn’t have the energy to pretend I was okay.

​"Daddy?" A small, steady voice came from the other side. "It’s Liam. And Leon and Leo. Can we come in?"

​My heart squeezed. I couldn’t say no to the boys. They were the only ones who looked at me without that complicated layer of shame or forced politeness.

​"Come in," I rasped, clearing my throat.

​The door creaked open, and the three of them filed in. They approached my bed with a strange kind of solemnity.

​"You didn’t come for lunch," Liam said, crossing his arms. He was the eldest, already exhibiting the character of Lennox.

​"I... I was feeling a bit weak today," I lied, looking away.

​"You’re lying," Leo said bluntly, hopping onto the edge of my bed. "You’re sad because of the girls. And because of the deal Daddy Louis made."

​I flinched. Even the children knew. "It doesn’t matter, Leo."

​"It does," Leon added, sitting on a chair nearby. "They don’t hate you. They’re just... they’re mad. They’re mad because you weren’t there to watch them grow."

​"I didn’t choose it," I whispered, the bitterness leaking into my voice.

​"We know that," Liam said, stepping closer. "But they’re girls. They’re dramatic. And they’ve been the center of the world for four years. They think they can punish you because everyone else lets them."

​I looked at him, surprised by the wisdom in his young face. These boys weren’t just kids; they were sharp. They saw the cracks in this house better than the adults did.

​"We have a game," Liam continued, a mischievous glint appearing in his eyes. "We use it on them when they get too bossy. It works every time."

​"What game?" I asked, curious.

​"The Ghost Game," Leo chirped. "You start ignoring them. You don’t look at them. You don’t answer them. You act like they don’t even exist in the room."

​I stared at them, horrified. "I can’t do that. They’re my daughters. I just got them back."

​"You don’t have them back yet," Liam countered firmly. "Right now, they think you’re a puppy waiting for a scrap of bread. They like the attention. They like that you’re sad for them. If you stop giving it to them, they’ll go crazy. They’ll start begging for your attention."

​"It’s the only way, Father," Leon said. "You have to do it... trust us... this will work."

​I looked at the three of them. They were barely nine, yet they talked with a calculated intelligence that reminded me so much of the power the Trinity used to hold.

​"I’ll... I’ll think about it," I said softly.

​"Don’t think too long," Liam said, standing up and heading for the door. "We’re going down to the pits to train. You should join us. Daddy Louis is there, and he feels bad. But you should come and show the girls what a real warrior looks like, even if you’re just watching."

​I watched them leave, their small shoulders held high. They were right. I had been playing the victim, waiting for love to be handed to me.

​I stood up, my legs shaking, and reached for the cane by my bed.

​I made it to the edge of the field, leaning heavily on my cane. Louis was there, helping Leon with his footwork. He looked up, his face filled with immediate relief and a deep, aching regret.

​"Levi," Louis breathed, taking a step toward me. "I’m so sorry about the deal. I just wanted—"

​I held up a hand, cutting him off. I didn’t look at him. My eyes stayed on the boys. "Not now, Louis."

​A few yards away, Lyra and Lana were sitting on a bench, holding their dolls. They saw me. I saw Lyra nudge Lana, her expression shifting into that practiced, "polite" mask. They waited for me to look at them, to wave, to offer a sad smile.

​I didn’t.

​I turned my back to them, focusing entirely on Liam’s form as he swung a practice sword.

​"Good follow-through, Liam," I called out, my voice stronger than it had been in years. "Keep your weight on your back foot."

​I could hear the soft thump, thump, thump of small footsteps on the grass. They were coming closer. They weren’t used to being ignored; they were used to being the center of every room they entered. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

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