In the gritty streets of Harlem, where loyalty is everything and danger lurks around every corner, two seemingly perfect couples, Krystal and Shakur, live a life of wealth and allure. Married for two years, they present a polished image to the world...
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CHAPTER FIVE
Three Weeks Later
Krystal sat back in the plush leather chair of her new club's office, admiring the view from the floor to ceiling windows. Down below, her team was setting up for the grand opening of Kryptonite, her latest venture.
Owning boutiques all over the city had given her power, but this nightclub would bring in a new type of clientele, the kind that didn't just want designer clothes but craved the rush of nightlife.
Just as she was about to head downstairs, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and couldn't help but smile. Big Bro flashed across it. Her brother, Khalil, was always busy with his deployments, so his calls were rare.
"Yo, where you at?" she answered, already grinning.
Khalil's laugh boomed through the phone. "Girl, I'm in Afghanistan, where you think I'm at?"
"Man, they still got you out there dodging bullets?" She laughed. "Tell 'em to send you home already. I miss my big brother."
"Miss you too, little sis," he said, a warmth in his voice. "But don't get soft on me now. I hear you out there runnin' shit, got yourself a club now?"
Krystal rolled her eyes, laughing. "You know it. Kryptonite bout to be the hottest spot in the city. You better be ready to pull up when you get back."
"You know I'ma be there, front row," he teased. "You got a dance floor big enough for my moves?"
"Oh, lawd," she groaned, laughing. "Yo two left feet gon clear the whole floor out. But yeah, you know I got you. I'm keepin' the drinks stocked too, so don't come embarrassin' me sober!"
They both laughed. Talking to Khalil always felt like home, a comfort she couldn't get anywhere else.
Then his tone shifted. "But, for real, Krys... what's up with you and Pops?"
She exhaled, irritation flaring. "Man, why you gotta bring him up right now? We were havin' a good time."
"Come on, sis. Just... talk to me. He's callin' me talkin' 'bout you bein' out of control, somethin' serious. What's goin' on?"
Krystal rolled her eyes, her fingers tapping restlessly on the desk. "He's just... tryna tell me how to live my life like he always does. Thinks he can play puppet master with me. Like I'm a child he can just push around."
Khalil chuckled, a little too dismissive. "That's just how Pops is. You know he's old school, Krys. Got that whole 'man of the family' mentality. I swear he thinks he's still livin' in the '80s."
"Yeah, that 'old school mentality' the same reason you got shipped out to the damn army," she snapped. "All 'cause his son bein' who he is was too much for his image."
