𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ²

fifty four.

CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR
two major bombshells

Tiana

next day

Tiana was sitting in the Empire conference room with her legs up on the chair and a blanket wrapped around her. She was watching the news, hoping to hear some good news on Royalty's condition. She knew those news anchors wouldn't say anything new though. Hakeem had already told her that Royalty was in a coma, and they didn't know if she'd ever wake up.

Ugh. Tiana felt so traumatized. Her best friend had been dying in her arms, and Tiana had her blood all over herself. She was so angry because she knew something bad was going to happen that night, but everyone thought she was crazy.

The fact that she could've also gotten shot had her even more scared. She honestly hadn't slept since that night. She didn't even want to be home because she was scared Blake might pop up again. That was why she came to Empire.

Lucious and Hakeem were around there somewhere, probably trying to distract themselves from everything too.

"Hey," she heard a guy say, and she assumed it was Hakeem.

"Hey bae," she replied.

The guy sounded hype. "Oh shit. I'm bae now?"

Tiana looked at him and saw Gram. Not Hakeem. Now she felt awkward. "Oh, sorry Gram! I thought you were Hakeem!"

"Me and him sound nothing alike."

"I'm delirious," she explained. "I haven't slept in two days."

"Because of the shooting, huh? I'm sorry about your friend."

Tiana frowned. "Yeah, me too. She got shot, and I held her in my arms with her blood all over me." She shook her head in anguish. "I'm so damn traumatized. I can't get that image out of my mind."

Gram sighed as he sat next to her. "Blake really ain't playing with us, huh?"

He wasn't. "Nope. And the fact that he's still a free man is horrifying. It's also a bad look because it's making other people think they can do stuff like this and get away with it too."

"Blake ain't gonna get away with this for long if he keeps moving reckless. They're gonna catch him slipping," Gram stated.

"I'm not gonna be sleeping until they do. I don't even want to go home."

"You can always stay at my place," Gram offered.

She turned him down. "Thanks, but I'm probably gonna stay with my boyfriend."

"Okay. But the offer will always be available to you. I'll be damned if Blake gets to you again."

She gave Gram a faint smile. "I think I'll be safe with Hakeem."

At least she hoped so...

Gram decided to change the topic. "Well, how about I brighten your mood?"

"How?"

"By telling you the fans loved your performance."

That did brighten her mood. "Really?"

"Yeah. Some people are saying it was the best performance you've ever did. And people are shipping you and Jamal."

"What?!"

Gram laughed. "Yup. Your ship name is Tamale."

That made her laugh too. "Tamale? Seriously? Is that the best they can do?"