𝔽𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕪 𝔸𝕗𝕗𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕤 | Empire X Black Fem! Oc

Dazed and Grieving

PREVIOUSLY ON 𝔽𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕪 𝔸𝕗𝕗𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕤...

I got to the stairs, hearing my name being called by my family, but it was one voice that stood out.

I turned my head back to see...

"Bunkie?"

CURRENTLY ON 𝔽𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕪 𝔸𝕗𝕗𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕤...

But it wasn't Bunkie it wasn't even a person it was fucking coat rack!

I stopped dead in my tracks as I felt a sob rack through my body. I was becoming hysterical, seeing things that weren't there.

I'm going crazy. I'm having a manic episode.

I felt arms wrap around me as my knees gave out. By the smell of the cologne it was Jamal

"Shh, it's okay I've got you" he whispered carrying me back to my room where I cried until I fell asleep in his arms.

I was woken up to the evening sun casting long shadows across the room, turning everything a muted shade of gold. I stood by the window, staring out at the city, but my mind was far away, tangled in the memories of a time that felt like it belonged to someone else.

I couldn't shake the feeling that everything had changed in an instant. Bunkie's death had been like a stone thrown into a still pond, sending ripples through every part of my life. But it wasn't just his death that haunted me—it was the silence that followed, the way everyone tiptoed around the truth, as if speaking it aloud would make it real.

The sound of footsteps behind me broke my reverie, and I turned to see Jamal entering the room. He looked tired, his usual spark dulled by the weight we were all carrying.

"Heiress," he said softly, coming to stand beside me. "Are you okay?"

I laughed bitterly, the sound harsh even to my own ears. "Okay? No, Jamal, I'm not okay. Nothing is okay."

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I know. I just... I don't know what to do anymore. We're all trying to hold it together, but it feels like everything's falling apart."

I looked at him, really looked at him, and saw the same pain in his eyes that I felt in my own heart. Jamal had always been the strong one, the one who could smile through anything, but even he was struggling now.

"Why won't anyone talk about it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why are we all pretending like this isn't tearing us apart?"

"Because it's easier," Jamal replied after a moment. "It's easier to pretend everything's fine than to face the truth. But you're right. We can't keep doing this."

I turned back to the window, watching as the city moved on without us, oblivious to the storm brewing inside our family. "I don't know how to move on from this, Jamal. Bunkie was like a father to me. He was always there, you know? And now he's just... gone."

Jamal placed a hand on my shoulder, offering what little comfort he could. "I miss him too, Heiress. We all do. But we can't let this destroy us."

I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. "I feel like I'm drowning, Jamal. Like I'm trapped in this nightmare and I can't wake up."

He pulled me into a hug, and I clung to him, desperate for something solid to hold onto. "You're not alone," he murmured against my hair. "We'll get through this together, okay?"