𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ²

twenty six.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
another death

Hakeem

Jamal's voice was full of confusion and pain. "What the hell do you mean Rhonda's dead?"

"What Jamal said!" Cookie inserted.

"She died earlier from blunt force trauma. She fell over the stair railing apparently," Lucious informed them.

Royalty knew something was off. "How does she mysteriously fall over the railing?"

"That's my question. Was Andre home?" Hakeem asked.

Andre gave him a peeved look. "No, I wasn't home. I came home and found her dead."

Hakeem interrogated him. "Where were you coming from? Because it sure wasn't here, and it sure wasn't Empire."

Andre got defensive. "Why are you grilling me, Hakeem?!"

"Isn't it obvious? He suspects you," Jamal said.

Cookie didn't like that at all. "Are you serious, Hakeem? I know you're not accusing Andre of killing his own wife. Yeah, he did some shady shit, but he ain't a killer."

Andre appreciated that. "Thank you, Ma."

Hakeem believe that at all. You'd think someone would be devastated after their spouse died, but Andre was completely fine. There were no tears in his eyes or anything. He killed her.

Lucious also defended Andre. "Andre isn't a killer. Rhonda must've killed herself."

"Killed herself? But she was just here yesterday, and she seemed fine," Cookie pointed out.

Jamal's ears perked up. "She was here? Why?"

"She wanted me to give Andre some divorce papers."

Hakeem's ears perked up. "Divorce papers? Wow, this is starting to make sense."

Andre huffed loudly. "What are you talking about?"

"She wanted a divorce, and then she ended up dead. Tell me that ain't suspicious?"

Royalty and Jamal thought about it, and Lucious was pissed. "Are y'all serious right now? Your brother ain't a killer, like your mother said!"

"How do you know? You weren't there!" Hakeem argued.

"That's enough, Hakeem. If your brother is telling me he had nothing to do with it, then I believe him and you should too."

Royalty was devastated. "I can't believe my sister in law is dead. I actually liked Rhonda."

Jamal frowned too. "Yeah...may she rest in peace."

Everyone was heartbroken now, but Hakeem looked at Andre because he still didn't look sad. He wasn't saying anything at all. That man was a killer, and Hakeem didn't want to see his face anymore. He stood up. "I'm going to my room."

Royalty stood up too. "Yeah, I might need a nap after that info."

"Might have a damn nightmare," Jamal told her.