𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ²

four.

"What I did was messed up, and I regret it deeply. It will never happen again, Ma. But Pop holds grudges. You know that better than anyone."

Yes he did. "So what exactly do you want me to do, Andre?"

"I want you to convince him not to fire me."

She sighed. "Andre-"

He pleaded. "Come on, Ma. I can't see myself working anywhere other than at Empire, and I want to prove that I can be trusted again. I'm important to the company, you know that. I've helped a lot."

He wasn't lying. "Yes you have. And even though you messed up, your last name is still Lyon, so I will make sure you don't lose your job, baby."

Andre was relieved. "Thank you. Does this mean you forgive me?"

She wasn't sure yet. "How about you prove you can be trusted, and then we'll talk about that."

"I will. I swear."

He better.

Jamal

"Apparently, your song Born To Love U is about Tory now," Mateo told Jamal as he walked in.

Jamal looked at him confused. "What are you talking about?"

"That's what Twitter is saying." Mateo handed Jamal his phone, and he was trending on Twitter once again. Everyone assumed the song he had performed was about Tory since they had ended their fake relationship. But that was a damn lie. It was about Mateo. Jamal wished he could say that.

"Don't listen to what they're saying, Mateo. You know it was about you. Even Tory told you that."

"Really? I think she's starting to believe the rumors too."

Now Jamal was really confused. "What?"

Mateo showed him someone tweeting Tory, telling her to respond to his performance. Tory did respond. She said, "I was born to love him too ❤️" Jamal gawked down at the screen because what the hell was she doing?

Mateo grabbed his phone back and spoke bitterly. "So much for being friends, huh?"

"Don't even start. She's keeping up the act, that's all."

"Or maybe she caught feelings for you after you had sex with her."

Jamal was annoyed now. "You can't be serious. She knows I'm gay, so why would she catch feelings?"

"Are you gay?" Mateo doubted.

Jamal had to pause after that because he knew Mateo did not just ask that. "Okay, wow. Now you don't think I'm gay?"

Mateo crossed his arms. "I do believe you like men, but I think you're starting to like women too."

"Because I had sex with one?"

"That's exactly why, Jamal! What gay man is out here having sex with women? None!"

Jamal let out an annoyed breath and explained the situation once again. "Tory and I had sex to distract ourselves. I felt nothing afterwards because I don't like women."

"You're right. You don't like women; you like Tory. She's the exception, and I think she likes you too."

Jamal stood up angrily. "Okay, I'mma go because you're getting on my nerves."

"Why are you leaving unless it's true?" Mateo accused.

"If Tory liked me, she wouldn't have ended our fake relationship! But she did because it was just an act, Mateo! On both ends! You need to understand that!" Jamal shouted back. "Plus, what are you even worried about? Tory and I haven't spoken since the break up, and I don't think we ever will."

"I think you will. She said to call her whenever you need a shoulder to lean on, remember? And knowing you, you're gonna need a shoulder to lean on," Mateo retorted.

Jamal rolled his eyes and walked out because he didn't feel like arguing with him about this. He didn't feel like arguing with him period because they had just started dating. He argued enough with his family.

Jamal also wasn't arguing with him because he was 100% into men, and Tory knew that. So the fact that Mateo thought they liked each other was crazy. Yeah they had sex, but there was no emotional connection. That was just something to do when there was nothing to do. And it was never happening again.

Mateo needed to get that through his head, because he was the only one still tripping about it. He was threatened by a woman and it was getting embarrassing.

Extremely embarrassing.