What Lucious Doesn't Understand

Chapter Nine

N I N E

"Why is she staying with Lucious? We can take her in ourselves, Mal. I told you I have no problems with helping you with Lola," Shy stressed as she pulled on a loose fitting dress that felt so tight after she zipped it up.

The pregnancy weight made her hips wider, breasts two cup size bigger, and feet swell like crazy. It didn't look too bad but the feet part hurt like hell especially when she tried to keep heels on for most of the day.

And Jamal calling her just before she went into a meeting had to be the worst timing ever for her to stress and worry.

"I can't have you stressed with the baby on the way. Michael's here and I'm running frantic-"

"Wait, hold up. Hold up!"

"It's not that-"

"Michael's there. Your ex is there and you just happen to mention it two seconds after you drop a bomb on me. This just keeps getting better and better. What next? What else is the drama filled Empire up to?"

"Um...."

"Spit it out, Mal."

The huff from Jamal let Shia know to things. She needed to sit down and that this had to be the biggest punch to her gut. But she would take it for the sake of her marriage and her mind which she'd probably lose now that she was an official Lyon.

"Michael outed me as gay and sold old photos to the press to make it seem as if we were still in a relationship. They want to interview me on the outcome of being publicly gay and my parents being comfortable with it. I don't know what I'm going to do but I have to tell the truth."

"No!", Shy yelled rubbing her belly in comforting circles as the gears in her brain whirred to life. "This smells like the work of a tired, disease ridden Lyon."

"My dad wouldn't want the world to know what I was," Jamal defended Lucious because he knew how much his father wanted to keep him liking guys a secret.

"It's a publicity stunt, Mal. He's seeing if you can find a life jacket while the boat is sinking. I'll hand everything and Michael. You stay away from him."

Shy had never liked Michael from the jump but she couldn't quite knock him from trying to stay relevant now that Jamal was actually creating some buzz around his name and the Empire brand.

But she'd shut that down.

As well as get Lucious to give her and Jamal temporary guardianship of Lola while they looked for her mother.

And if anyone stepped in her way, she'd check them as well.