Forever ✔️

Chapter Twenty Eight

Jay:

Scrutinisingly, I observed my workers as they got to work getting the club ready for reopening. I finally got it back and it was important that we let New York know we were back on the streets.

"Hey baby,"Eva wrapped her tiny arms around me from behind and rested her head on my back. I grabbed her hands and turned around to face her.

"Wassup ma?"I pecked her lips.

"It looks good from up here. We'll definitely be good to go by Saturday. Good job everyone!"she applauded all our staff as we stood on the balcony.

"All we need to do is the sound check for all the artists playing on Saturday but...we can...shift it all to..."I trailed off and my voice quietened as I noticed Anna Wintour enter the club with her PA and bodyguard.

"Baby let's go, it's Anna again,"I grabbed her hand and made our way down the stairs to greet her.

"Anna! It's good to see you again,"we shook hands. "You've met Eva before, right?"I gestured to Eva.

"I don't think I have..I'm sorry who are you?"Anna removed her sunglasses with a cold frown.

"I'm..Eva,"Eva apprehensively looked at me. "I'm co-owner of the club,"she introduced herself presenting her hand for Anna to shake but Anna ignored her.

"What can I do for you Anna?"I changed the topic.

"Shawn I wanted to say this in person but we cannot proceed to making a contract as business partners. With all the...crime that's been happening in this club I cannot afford to have my reputation damaged by working with you. I was looking forward to the deal but what's done is done,"I sighed forgetting all about Anna's deal that Bey managed to make.

"Anna that was one mishap that won't happen again. It was just a few people trying to take advantage...it's nothing big because the whole thing has been cleared up. You know the club will still have the same numbers when we reopen and with the deal we've written out, I know there's nowhere else you'll find a deal that we've sorted out,"I tried to persuade her. She took her glasses off and sighed.

"Shawn, I have a business to run too. I don't want to have any sticky labels attached to me. This club will do us both good but I'll have to try and find a deal as good as this one because my reputation is on the line,"she folded her arms.

"You know you won't find another deal Anna. Let me handle the 'sticky labels'. I've been there all my life, believe me. I've got an interview coming up that will clear everything so if you still don't agree to the deal then it's settled. How about that?"I waited for Anna's response as she tapped her foot on the luminous, transparent floor.

"Okay. We'll see how this interview goes but the minute I don't see a change in what people are saying then I'm leaving,"she smoothly placed her glasses back on. "I'll see you soon Shawn. I liked your wife better,"she wagged her finger at Eva looking at me. I glanced over at Eva and she was grinning from ear to ear leaning on my arm. "This one doesn't talk enough,"she frowned at Eva and she pulled away from my arm placing her hand on her hip. "I don't know where you got this one from but say hello to your wife, Beyoncé, I'm hoping to see her soon,"she turned around and walked out of the club with her bodyguards at her heel.

Eva stepped away from my side and stood in front of me with a deep scowl.

"'This one'? 'Your wife, Beyoncé'? Are you for real?!"she raised her voice and I looked around at the workers.

"Office,"I blankly walked around her and went back upstairs to my office. I could hear her heels quickly tapping behind me but I knew she was going to have another tantrum and fit about the B word. This was way back when Bey and I were messing around but that was old news so it didn't really matter.

Eva slammed my door and stomped over to my desk while I calmly sat down in my seat.

"Are you sleeping with her?"she breathed deeply.

"Of course not!"

"So why did Anna think I was 'this one' and Beyoncé is 'your wife'? Do you know how that makes me feel?"tears began to trickle down and I huffed; I saw no point in her tears. All because Anna mistook Beyoncé for my wife? Deano thought that we were married but does that mean anything? Absolutely not.

"That's not fair Shawn, I don't deserve that,"she embraced herself walking around the office as her voice trembled. "I'm your fiancée but now Beyoncé's your wife? After all the sweat I put into contributing to the club's uprise and I'm barely recognised in it. It's like she's taking my place in my own place,"she looked at me with glossy eyes.

"Eva, Bey was a prominent figure in the club when she was here. Everybody saw a difference in the club when she was manager because Bey likes to perfect her work and be known for her work. When Anna came to the club last month, she saw how Bey managed the
club and it was actually Bey who managed to make a deal with Anna before she left. She's not taking your place, she was just doing her job as manager,"I defended Bey. She was the mother of my child and it wasn't as if Bey called herself Mrs Carter.

"I just feel like I'm always competing with her in everything. Since she came to New York I've been having to fight for everybody's attention,"Eva sighed.

"She's the mother of my child. We have a child between us Eva and if Bey's not good then I know Shaq won't be good so I do have to make sure that she's okay. You are my fiancée and you are a priority but Shaq is my main priority and however Bey feels will affect him. That's why we're going to dinner on Friday because I need to sort things out and make sure we're cool. If you don't trust me then you can come too but you know how Bey is,"I knew she'd decline the offer because Eva didn't like being around Bey without Shaq being there because Shaq maintained a platonic, neutral tone for all of us. If Shaq wasn't there then Bey would dive head first into making Eva feel bad.

"I'd rather not...I trust you,"she nodded wiping her tears.