𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ¹

thirteen.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
getting the advantage

Andre

next day

It'd been a day since they had found out about Lucious' condition, and Andre wasn't feeling too hot. Lucious only had three years to live, and that may seem like a long time, but three years went by fast. Look at how fast seventeen years went by.

Then there was the CEO thing. That part was bugging Andre the most because Lucious was considering his siblings for the job too. He was basing his decision off of an album; an album Andre couldn't give him. And everyone knew that Lucious loved the music way more than the business side of things.

In other words, Andre was at a disadvantage. He hated it.

He sat on the edge of the bed and put his face in his hands. Rhonda entered the room. "Everything okay?"

"No."

She sighed. "Why do I feel like there's been something wrong with you every day this week?"

"Because there has been." He looked up at her. "After Pop told me I'm not losing my job, I was better. But then he told us he's dying, and I'm a mess again."

"He's dying?!"

"He was diagnosed with ALS. He only has three years to live, Rhonda." Andre shook his head sadly. "Pop's gonna die and there's nothing we can do about it."

Rhonda sat down next to him and held him. "Oh Andre, I'm so sorry. I know how much Lucious means to you."

"Yeah, but him dying isn't the worst part."

Rhonda was puzzled. "What could be worst than that?"

"This competition he has us doing," he said. "He wants all of us to prove why we deserve to be the next CEO of Empire."

Rhonda rubbed his back. "Well, you're gonna win. You have the most experience."

Andre tilted his head at her. "You know Pop cares more about the music than the business side of things. He wants my siblings to make an album to impress him, but I'm not an artist. I'm at a disadvantage, Rhonda!" He let out a long sigh and confessed something. "That's why I'm sometimes jealous of my brothers. They're talented, and they get Lucious' attention because of that. But I'm not talented, so I have to work ten times harder."

"It makes me angry that Pop's even considering them. If it wasnt for me, Empire wouldn't have gone through going public so well!" Andre finished.

"Then tell Lucious that."

"I want to, but I already talked to him about my position once. He made it clear he doesn't want us begging."

Rhonda gave him some advice. "Well, look, if you're so sure that you're at a major disadvantage compared to your siblings, then you have to put yourself in the advantage."

"How?"

"Make Lucious realize your siblings are unqualified for the job," Rhonda said.

"How do I do that?"

Rhonda shrugged. "I don't know. Stir up some trouble. Make them act out, and then Lucious will realize they're not mature enough to run a company.  You'll win."

Andre started thinking about it. Maybe he should start some drama between his siblings. It shouldn't be hard since Hakeem was already hotheaded, and Jamal was too, when it came to his sexuality. It should be real easy to get them to fight each other.