𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ¹

one.

CHAPTER ONE
believe that

Royalty

"Why can't I have studio time today?" Royalty Lyon, the youngest Lyon child, questioned her father, Lucious, over the phone. She sped down a Manhattan sidewalk, phone placed against her ear, muttering hasty apologies as she barreled through the crowd. She wasn't sure why she didn't catch a ride with the family's driver. She assumed it was because she didn't want to rely on anyone.

Her destination was Empire Entertainment, which was why she had requested studio time from Lucious. She wanted to get in the booth and record a new song. Not for her fans, which she didn't have since she wasn't an Empire artist, but for herself. She enjoyed making music as a hobby. However, Lucious had been protesting for a few minutes, and she didn't know why.

"Your brother needs that studio time, Ro," Lucious finally admitted, and that reason wasn't enough for her. He needed to be specific since she had three brothers. When she asked him to elaborate, Lucious' tone became solemn. "You know which brother I'm talking about. Andre doesn't sing, Jamal is in one of his feminine moods today, so which brother is left?"

Now Royalty knew which brother he was referring to. Hakeem. As usual. "Can Hakeem give me an hour? All I need is—"

"No, he cannot!" Lucious yelled, interrupting her mid-sentence. His unexpected harshness made Royalty recoil slightly. "Your brother is making music for me. What are you doing? Nothing."

A sigh escaped her because Lucious had been harboring a grudge against her ever since she told him she didn't want to make songs for Empire. She had said that because she wanted to concentrate on her schoolwork. Just because Hakeem dropped out at sixteen to focus on Empire, didn't mean Royalty wanted to follow in his footsteps. She actually liked learning.

When Hakeem announced that he was dropping out, Royalty, Jamal, and Andre looked at Lucious anxiously, expecting him to kick Hakeem's ass, but he didn't. He gave Hakeem permission, which shocked them. The siblings tried to persuade Hakeem otherwise, but he only listened to Lucious.

Royalty was confident that if their mother had been present, she wouldn't have allowed it to happen. She didn't know Cookie directly, but from what she'd heard about her, she was a savage.

Where had Cookie gone? She'd been incarcerated for seventeen years. Royalty was one years old when Cookie got arrested for drug dealing, so she didn't remember her. Hakeem was two then, but he claimed he had no recollection of her either. Or perhaps he didn't want to remember her.

Royalty didn't know when Cookie would return, but Hakeem didn't want her to return. He resented her for leaving them. He constantly referred to Cookie as a deadbeat, and Royalty blamed Lucious because he had told them Cookie had no business selling drugs. He said she did it because she thought it was cute, so Hakeem believed she had chosen drugs over them.

Royalty didn't believe that. Something told her Lucious wasn't revealing the entire truth. As for what Jamal and Andre thought about Cookie was unclear. They never brought her up.

Finally, Royalty responded to her father. "Just because I don't want to make music for Empire, doesn't mean I don't want to make music at all."

"Then go make some music, but it won't happen in my studio."

"Dad—"

But he hung up in her face. She sucked her teeth and stuffed her phone into her pocket as she hurried down the sidewalk. She arrived at her location, 3353 Madison Ave—Empire Entertainment, a few minutes later. She dashed inside without greeting anyone. She was aiming for the studio, and Hakeem was there. As Royalty leaned in the doorway, he was jamming to one of his old songs. "Well, hello there."