In A World Where Loyalty's As Rare Find, & Backstabbin' Is The Norm, The Real Ones Are The Ones Who Step Up When Shit Hits The Fan. Sometimes, It's The Ones You Least Expect Who Show You What True Support Really Means.
- 𝒥uan Collins
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𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐂 𝐈 | VOLUME ONE. ❝ JERSEY WILL BE OURS. ❞ [ HARLEM, NY ]
How beautiful could the moon really be? She remembered the childhood wonder of thinking the moon followed her as the car drove away, only to realize it remained fixed in the sky. She missed that feeling—the simplicity and innocence of staring at the moon from the backseat. But then, she questioned if she ever truly had a peaceful childhood. In moments of reflection, she realized she had learned to hide her true self. It had been months since she'd been to school or seen her friends. Her life had spun out of control so quickly. She wondered if things had gone wrong when she met Juan—was he scheming or working for someone else? She grew to resent everyone in her life, those she had once let in. Now, she was determined to escape, planning to move far away to Europe, somewhere no one could reach her.
The car pulled into a driveway, but not just any driveway—this one led to a beautiful house. Wayne had unexpectedly invited Emauni to accompany him to a meeting, something that had never happened before, leaving her wondering what he was up to. Emauni had grown so accustomed to staying silent around everyone that she no longer felt the need to speak, her silence becoming permanent. The driver parked in front of the house, and Wayne stepped out, walking over to open Emauni's door. She met his gaze with a look of clear dislike before following him out of the car. Wayne knew exactly how she felt, and while there was nothing he could do to change it, he accepted her attitude, knowing it was his fault. He offered his arm for her to hold, but she merely glanced at it before walking past him up the stairs, leaving him hanging. He chuckled quietly, following her and ringing the doorbell.
"I want you to understand one thing," Wayne whispered, his voice cold and stern, eyes fixed on the door. "No matter how angry you get or how silent you choose to be, disrespect is something I will not tolerate. Consider this your warning." His words were sharp, and Emauni felt a crushing pain in her chest, a desperate urge to scream or cry. The emotional damage from her life had taken its toll, making her feel like a terrible person. She stared down at her heels, trying to hold back the tears. Just then, the door opened swiftly. She sniffed quietly, composing herself as a man in his mid-40s appeared, dressed in a sharp, luxurious suit, exuding the same opulence as Wayne.
"Wayne—Anthony." The two men greeted each other with a firm handshake, like old friends reunited after a long time apart. Anthony's gaze then shifted to Emauni, noticing Wayne had brought his niece along. "Glad you could make it. My daughter's inside, and my wife cooked a wonderful dinner, so this meeting won't take long." He extended his hand to Emauni, who returned the gesture with a polite but forced smile. She fought the urge to roll her eyes, knowing she couldn't afford to stir any trouble with Wayne. Wayne, too, kept a close watch on her, pleased so far with how she was conducting herself. Anthony welcomed them into the house, and Emauni's eyes wandered over the luxurious, all-white interior, elegant and pristine. As they entered the living room, she spotted a familiar face—Jade.
