𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐟 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬

𝐄 𝐈 𝐆 𝐇 𝐓 𝐄 𝐄 𝐍

• Torn Desires •

Onika sat in her penthouse, legs curled beneath her on the couch, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The last few weeks with Beyoncé had been a mix of passion and fear, longing and restraint. Every moment with her had been electrifying, making it nearly impossible for Onika to focus on anything else. She wanted to be with Beyoncé, fully, without reservations. But the risks were daunting, and the stakes higher than she'd ever imagined.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock at the door, followed by Lauren's familiar voice. "Bitch, open up!"

Onika chuckled, shaking off her thoughts as she walked over to the door. She opened it to find Lauren standing there, arms crossed with a playful smirk on her face.

"I missed you!" Onika exclaimed, pulling Lauren into a tight hug.

Lauren laughed. "You saw me two days ago. Chill."

"Shut up," Onika teased, guiding her friend into the living room.

They spent the afternoon cooking, drinking, and catching up. Lauren was one of the few people Onika could truly relax around. They had a bond that was effortless, built on years of friendship and shared experiences. As they ate, Lauren brought up a topic that sent a jolt through Onika's chest.

"So, get this," Lauren began, her tone casual but her eyes sharp. "Normani told me that the other night when she and Robyn were... you know, doing it... Robyn called out Beyoncé's name."

Onika froze, her fork midway to her mouth. The world seemed to tilt for a moment as the words sank in. Robyn called out Beyoncé's name? During sex? The very thought made Onika's blood boil, her stomach churn with a mix of jealousy and anger.

"Are you fucking serious?" Onika finally managed to ask, her voice tight.

"Dead serious," Lauren replied, taking a sip of her drink. "Normani was pissed. But honestly, can you blame her? I'd be mad too."

Onika's hand tightened around the fork, trying to keep her cool. She knew she had no right to be angry—after all, she wasn’t officially with Beyoncé. But hearing that Robyn, who had treated Beyoncé so poorly, still held such power over her name, made Onika's heart race with a dark, possessive fury.

"Why are you so mad?" Lauren asked, noticing Onika's clenched jaw.

"I'm not mad," Onika lied, trying to keep her tone light. "It's just... frustrating. Beyoncé deserves better than Robyn."

Lauren raised an eyebrow. "You're talking about Beyoncé like you’re defending your girlfriend, this is about Normani."

Onika avoided her gaze, focusing on her drink. She didn’t want to admit to Lauren how deep her feelings for Beyoncé ran. Lauren was sharp, though, and she quickly caught on.

"Wait a minute," Lauren said slowly, her eyes narrowing. "Are you and Beyoncé...?"

Onika's silence was all the confirmation Lauren needed. She let out a low whistle, leaning back in her chair. "Holy shit, Onika. You're in deep."

Onika sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's complicated, Lo. She's the CEO, and I'm just an intern. If anyone finds out, I could lose everything I've worked for."

"That’s not all, though, is it?" Lauren asked, her tone softening. "You’re scared because of how much you care about her."

Onika nodded, biting her lip. "Yeah. I just... I don’t know what to do."

"Do you love her?" Lauren’s question was direct, no trace of teasing or judgment.

Onika opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to admit it out loud, not even to herself. Instead, she stared down at her hands, her mind a mess of emotions.