The man was saying something about being impressed, but I was pulling out my phone to check my messages.
Nai: Jasmine has the burner.
Good. Everything was moving like it should.
“How’s everyone feeling tonight?” The MC said over the mic.
On stage now was a middle-aged Black man in a crisp black tuxedo, mic in hand. He flashed a polished politician’s smile as the room turned its attention to him.
“Hope y’all are enjoying yourselves so far,” he continued, his voice rising above the quiet clatter of silverware.
Slim’s voice crackled through the earpiece. “Ten minutes.”
I swirled the ice in my glass as I looked over at Jelani. He’d just wrapped up his conversation with the investor and gave me a sharp nod. He’d gotten the message, too.
The MC adjusted his tie. “Tonight, we’re honoring some of the best and brightest folks of our great borough. Before we begin, let’s give a big thanks to Councilman Dorsey’s office for hosting this annual event.” The room broke out into applause.
He smiled and waited for the applause to die down before he continued. “As many of you know, a portion of the proceeds from tonight’s ticket sales goes toward funding STEM and creative arts programs for public school students here in Queens. So, give it up for yourselves!”
A light round of applause rippled through the room.
“And we’re incredibly fortunate to have the beautiful 2022 Miss Manhattan, Hannah Brockman, here to present our first award.”
The spotlight shone on a blonde woman on stage in a navy blue evening gown. She definitely had the whole pageant queen thing down pat—a dazzling, megawatt smile with bleach white veneers that I was sure came straight from Türkiye. She air-kissed the MC and took the mic.
“Good evening, everyone,” she beamed. “It’s truly an honor to be here amongst such distinguished guests and to celebrate some remarkable individuals.”
I tuned her out, spotting Marcus’s and Jasmine’s table near the stage. Marcus had his arm slung possessively over Jasmine’s chair, focused on his phone instead of the woman who was set to present him with his award. Jasmine’s shoulders looked tense as she tried to keep herself from physically touching Marcus.
“…and it is my honor to present the Entrepreneur of the Year Award to Mr. Marcus Stokes,” Hannah announced.
“Three minutes,” Slim said as applause filled the room.
Marcus stood and straightened his suit jacket with a forced smile. He bent to kiss Jasmine, but she turned her head, subtly nudging him toward the stage. His face twisted for a split second, but he quickly recovered as he plastered on a fake-ass smile.
Hannah handed him the glass plaque, and they posed for a quick photo before he turned to the mic. You would’ve thought the nigga just won an Oscar the way he was cheesing.
“Thank you, thank you,” he started. “This award isn’t just for me— it’s for everyone who’s made mistakes and worked hard enough to find their redemption.”
The room quieted down. Everyone was ready to eat up his bullshit.
“My journey hasn’t been the easiest,” he went on. “I come from a broken home, and like so many kids in my position, I found solace in the streets. I made a lot of mistakes—ones that could’ve cost me everything, including my life. My incarceration was a wake-up call to do things differently, so when I was exonerated, that’s what I did. I clawed my way out of a hopeless situation because I realized my past didn’t have to define my future. And now I’m standing before you all not only as a self-made businessman, but as a testament that second chances are real.”
“Man, shut the fuck up,” Jelani muttered under his breath.
I coughed to cover my laugh.
“There’s someone special I want to thank tonight,” Marcus continued, turning his gaze to Jasmine. The spotlight followed and landed on her. My hand gripped the edge of the table so hard that I felt the muscles in my forearm strain. The sound of my glass hitting the table snapped me out of it—I’d slammed it down without realizing, earning me a few curious glances from nearby tables. Marcus didn’t even notice—his ass was too busy soaking up this moment.
“Jasmine, mywife, my rock,” he said, pausing dramatically. “Baby, you’ve been the light for me when things were dark. This award is yours as much as it is mine.”
My chest tightened.Baby? His rock?My leg started bouncing under the table, two seconds away from seeing red. How was Jas his lifeline? Like he hadn’t just swooped in and taken her from a life she was building,wewere building. There was no honor in controlling someone you claimed to love.
I was more than ready to put this nigga down.
Marcus stared at Jasmine. She made no move to acknowledge anything he said. She just sat there with her back straight, the silence stretching longer than it should.
He cleared his throat, trying to pick up where he left off, but I didn’t hear any of it.
