REDEMPTION

TEN

Why do we love love
When love seems to hate us?
_______

"Wow, I can't believe this shit!" Lauren spat with her lip twisted in disgust. She nearly had smoke coming out of her ears as she watched Cassie and Robyn strut into the party with their coordinated outfits, arms linked, waving to the crowd around them like they were the ones who were getting engaged.

Instead of making the same type of grand entrance, Beyoncé had refused to walk in through the front and chose to be more discreet, entering through the building from the back. That was not at all to Lauren's liking. She was never one to bow out of the spotlight, and the fact that Beyoncé was trying to be behind the scenes rather than making a scene, as she preferred, had her pissed to the max. Baby watched as Lauren stomped over to where Beyoncé was babysitting her that she had yet to touch.

"This is what I'm talking about, Beyoncé! You're the boss, not Robyn. Why is she always acting like she runs shit all of a sudden?"

"She will be running shit when I step down. How my niggas make moves isn't your concern," Beyoncé reminded her, an icy glare in her eye that told her to calm down before she took things to a level she didn't want them to go to. Lauren caught her threat and simply huffed out a breath before walking back over to Baby and plopping down in the chair next to her.

Feeling awkward, Baby stirred a little but continued to sway to the music without saying anything to Lauren. When pouting, she knew it was best to give her a moment until she was ready to speak. There was a fire burning slow in the pit of Lauren's stomach as she looked down the bridge of her nose at everyone fawning over Cassie in the same way that they normally did her.

Cassie didn't even deserve it, showing up in an outfit that was probably pulled from the clearance rack of some department store Lauren wouldn't ever step foot in. It was sickening to say the least. She couldn't understand why Beyoncé would want to hand over her power to someone else. It made no sense! Isn't that what everyone worked their whole lives for? Success, money, and power?

Just when Beyoncé had it all, she wanted to give it away, but Lauren wouldn't let that happen.

Under hooded brows, Lauren watched as Cassie finished up her conversations as if she was speaking to her adoring fans before walking up the stairs to where they were sitting. Beyoncé's crew circled Robyn and followed her up as well before finding seats on the other end where Beyoncé had been sitting alone.

"Hey! You must be Baby." Cassie smiled brightly as she pulled off her jacket before walking over to Baby, pulling her into a hug. When she leaned over, the hem of her dress pulled up and showed off the bend of her ass. Seeing it, Lauren sniffed with disgust and rolled her eyes. This was the woman slated to take her place? Please...

This bitch couldn't stand a chance, she thought, still seething.

"I am," Baby replied, instantly liking Cassie's approach. She was beautiful but seemed humble and personable, as if all the glitz and glamour in the world didn't mean a thing to her.

"Lauren has told me a lot about you, but she never told me how gorgeous you are!" Cassie gushed, looking Baby up and down. "Baby, girl, you are stunning!" Baby beamed at the compliment, but her smile dimmed a bit when she heard Lauren snort. Both women glanced in her direction and caught the sour look on her face.

"Girl, what's wrong with you? It's not like you to be all bitchy at a party!" Cassie said and took a seat on the other side of Lauren.

Looking down at her dress, she smoothed it down and quickly inspected it to make sure she hadn't messed it up already. Rob mention filling in for Beyoncé to her and that meant that she would be under a lot of scrutiny, something she wasn't ready for and didn't want. While Lauren seemed to blossom in the position, Cassie couldn't help feeling inadequate, but she knew if she wanted to be with Robyn, she would have to rise to the occasion because this was part of her lifestyle.