𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ¹

seven.

CHAPTER SEVEN
not looking too good

Royalty

Royalty heard a familiar girl singing in one of the studios. Tiana. It was perfect because she wanted to surprise her.

Tiana might cry when she saw her because she had told her she was done with Empire. Tiana was devastated since they had plans to collaborate. Royalty had crushed those dreams, but she was back now, and she was there to stay. Lucious wasn't going to get in between her and her money.

She knocked on the door while opening it. "Tianaaaa?"

Tiana saw her and covered her mouth in shock. "Ro!" She rushed out of the booth and hugged her tight. "Oh my god! What are you doing here?!"

"I signed my contract!"

Tiana was shocked. "What? But yesterday you were saying you were done with Empire!"

"That was before my mom came around and convinced me to join."

"Cookie, right?" Tiana said. "Yeah, I saw her strolling around here." Then Tiana lowered her voice. "Is it weird seeing her? Because it's weird to me."

Ro chuckled. "No. What's weird is the fact that it's starting to feel like she was never gone."

Tiana gave her a small smile. "Well, I'm glad you two are getting along."

"Yeah. Lucious is a different story though. He's a liar, and I hate him."

Tiana sat down while flicking her wrist. "Girl, I don't pay Lucious any mind. Most of us don't. We just make our money and go."

"He's that awful, huh?" Royalty huffed. "I can't believe I'm just now realizing it."

"Yeah, but I don't think you can do anything about it. He's your father, so you kinda have to deal with it."

"Yeah..." Then she changed the topic. "Anyway, Cookie's right. Empire isn't about Lucious; it's about the music. So I need to start writing something."

Tiana rubbed her hands together excitedly. "Ooo! This is where I come in, right?"

Ro laughed. "Yes."

Tiana started laying everything out for her. "Okay! This is your first song, which means there's a lot of pressure on you because no one ever forgets an artist's first song. Like, ever. You have to wow everyone, or you're gonna be a one hit wonder."

"I'm not worried about that. Lyon's aren't capable of being one hit wonders."

Tiana giggled. "True. Your family is talented. Especially that brother of yours."

"Uh, which one?"

"Hakeem, duh!" Tiana chirped. "Anyway, do you know what you want the message of the song to be?"

"I don't know a damn thing, Tiana."

Tiana huffed. "Okay, we have a lot of work to do then. But what ever you end up making, I wanna be featured on it."

Royalty nodded. "Yeah, we can add you in one way or another."

Tiana clapped. "K! Wanna hear some beats?"

Royalty said yeah, and Tiana started playing some instrumentals to help her out. They were interrupted by Hakeem. "Oooh! My little sister's getting busy with it!"

She gave him an annoyed look. "Do you really have to do this right now?"

Hakeem chuckled. "Chill. I'm a part of the welcome wagon." A guy entered the room, and Hakeem introduced him. "This is the homie Blake. He raps too."