𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐦 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

“ Secrets & Confrontations ”

The cool morning air hit her skin as she jogged through the park, but it did little to calm the storm inside her. She replayed the events of the night before, trying to figure out how to handle the complicated situation with Onika and the inevitable fallout now that Michael knew. Her thoughts were tangled, a mess of emotions and regrets, but one thing was clear: this wasn’t sustainable. Something had to give.

After an hour, her breath was ragged, her heart pounding more from the anxiety than the exertion. She slowed down as she approached her apartment building, wiping the sweat from her brow. The sight of someone leaning against her door made her pause. As she got closer, she recognized the confident figure of Victoria Monét, her arms crossed, an unreadable expression on her face.

Beyoncé pulled out her earphones, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Victoria, what are you doing here?”

Victoria stepped forward, her gaze intense. “This usually happens when you ghost someone,” she said, a slight edge in her voice.

“Oh, that,” Beyoncé muttered, already feeling the fatigue from the inevitable confrontation. She really didn’t have the energy for this right now.

“You seemed pretty interested,” Victoria continued, a smirk playing on her lips. “I don’t know why you—”

“I’m not interested,” Beyoncé cut her off, her tone firm but lacking conviction.

Victoria laughed, shaking her head. “Sure. When can I take you out?”

“You can’t. I’m married,” Beyoncé snapped, her voice harder than she intended. She was desperate to end this conversation.

Victoria’s eyes drifted to Beyoncé’s left hand. “I don’t see a ring.”

Beyoncé sighed, her frustration growing. “Look, V, I need you to leave.”

“Why?” Victoria challenged, stepping closer. Her hands found their way to Beyoncé’s hips, and her lips brushed against Beyoncé’s neck. “You know you want this.”

Beyoncé’s hands shot up, pushing Victoria away with more force than necessary. “Please, just—”

Before she could finish, the door behind her swung open. Beyoncé turned to see Onika standing in the doorway, her eyes dark and dangerous.

“You heard her,” Onika said coldly, her voice low and threatening. “Leave.”

Victoria’s eyes widened in surprise. “Madam President?” she whispered, clearly taken aback by the unexpected appearance.

Beyoncé rubbed her temples, feeling the tension rise. This was the last thing she needed.

Victoria’s surprise quickly turned into a smug grin. “You’re fucking the president?” she asked, her voice dripping with disbelief and amusement.

“Can you lower your voice?” Beyoncé hissed, panic rising in her chest. The situation was spiraling out of control.

“Yeah, she is,” Onika interjected, stepping closer to Victoria, her presence radiating power and authority. “And if you don’t leave her alone, I’ll make sure you regret it.”

Victoria’s face paled slightly as she realized the seriousness of Onika’s threat. “Are you threatening me?”

Onika’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t make threats, Victoria. I make promises.”

The air was thick with tension, the three women locked in a silent standoff. Beyoncé felt her heart race, her mind scrambling for a way to defuse the situation.