𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ¹

six.

CHAPTER SIX
got your back

Cookie

next day

After she talked to evil ass Lucious, Cookie went to her sister Candace's house because she didn't have anywhere else to stay. Thankfully, Candace had welcomed her with open arms. Her other sister Carol was there too, and they were happy to see her. Unlike Hakeem.

Cookie walked down the stairs and saw her sister's sitting at the kitchen counter. Carol chirped. "Hey, sis! Want some coffee?"

"Sure, Carol."

Carol quickly went to make her coffee. Cookie waited for it, and there was nothing but an awkward silence between them. "Okay, you bitches are being awkward," Cookie said.

Candace spoke. "It's just...we're still in shock."

"But we're so happy you're free. You didn't deserve to be in there," Carol added.

"I sold drugs, Carol. Yes I did."

"Yeah, but you didn't have to take the fall for that trash they call a man," Carol countered. "He should've went to jail, not you."

"Or they both should've went. We could've taken care of the kids," Candace said.

Cookie just sighed. "Look, it was an in the moment decision based on emotions. I loved Lucious with all of my heart, and if he had left for seventeen years, I would've lost my mind. So yeah, I wanted it to be me, and not him."

Candace questioned her. "Do you still love him?"

Carol handed Cookie her coffee as she thought about that question. Did she still love Lucious? She didn't think so. How could she love someone who had abandoned her after she'd been so loyal to him since the day they had met? And Lucious had made it clear that he didn't love her anymore, so she didn't either.

"The only thing I love is my kids."

Carol nodded. "That's good. Leave that man alone."

"I can't leave him alone, Carol."

"Why not?"

"Because I deserve my company," Cookie declared. "My money helped Lucious build Empire, so I want my 50%!"

They just laughed.

"What's funny?"

Candace laughed some more. "You know that man isn't going to let a woman help him run a damn thing."

"He doesn't have a choice. I deserve my half."

Carol agreed. "Yes you do, sis, but maybe you should focus on your kids first. You need to catch up with them."

She was right about that. "Yeah I do. My baby Hakeem despises me because Lucious wanted to lie and say I was selling drugs for no reason."

Carol was disgusted. "I can't stand that trash they call a man."

"I sure can't either," Cookie said. "And Hakeem's just like him, so you see the issue. The other three seemed welcoming though. Especially my little princess!" She smiled at the thought of her baby girl. "I'm so glad she turned out okay. It must've been hard being surrounded by men 24/7."

Candace spoke. "We would've been around, but Lucious cut off contact with us. He didn't want any Holloway's near his kids."

Cookie responded to her. "Well, us Holloway's are back together and we're a force to be reckoned with. Lucious isn't going to stop a damn thing anymore."