The air in Solomon's office was suffocating, thick with tension as Tisha sat across from him, her heart pounding in her chest. She had been summoned here alone, no one else in the room except for Solomon, who sat behind his desk, his fingers steepled, eyes cold and calculating. The familiar shadows stretched across the walls, but today they felt more like a noose tightening around her neck.

Tisha had known this moment was coming, had felt the walls closing in for days. Solomon had been watching her, testing her, waiting to see where her loyalties truly lay. And now, as she sat in front of him, the weight of his gaze pressing down on her, she knew this was it. This was the moment where everything came crashing down.

"You've been quiet lately," Solomon said, his voice low but sharp. "That's not like you."

Tisha forced herself to meet his gaze, keeping her expression neutral, even though her pulse was racing. "Just been handling business."

Solomon's eyes narrowed slightly, his fingers tapping against the desk. "Business, huh? Funny, because from where I'm sitting, it looks like you've been distracted. Like your head's not in the game anymore."

Tisha didn't respond. She knew where this was going. Solomon was circling her, tightening the trap he had laid. She just had to keep her cool, even though every instinct in her body was screaming at her to run.

Solomon leaned forward, his eyes locking onto hers, cold and unflinching. "You know why I called you here?"

Tisha swallowed hard but kept her face calm. "I figured you wanted to talk about the East Side situation."

Solomon let out a low chuckle, but there was no humor in it. "The East Side? That's not what this is about, and you know it. This is about you, Tish. About whether or not I can trust you."

Her chest tightened. The words hung in the air, heavy and final. Solomon wasn't here to talk about business—he was here to test her, to make her prove where her loyalty lay. And the weight of that realization pressed down on her like a crushing wave.

"I've always been loyal," Tisha said quietly, though even she could hear the strain in her voice. "You know that."

"Do I?" Solomon's eyes flashed with something dangerous, something dark. "Because I've been hearing things. Carlos has been watching. People are talking. And right now, I'm not sure where you stand."

Tisha clenched her fists under the table, her mind racing. Carlos. Of course, he was behind this. He had been sniffing around, waiting for a chance to undermine her, to paint her as a threat. And now, he had Solomon's ear. She had to be careful. One wrong move, and it was over.

"I'm still here," Tisha said, her voice steady, though her heart was pounding. "I'm still handling things for you."

Solomon's gaze didn't waver. He leaned back slightly, his fingers drumming on the desk. "Then explain this to me—Imani."

Tisha's breath hitched, but she kept her expression blank. "What about her?"

Solomon's eyes darkened. "Don't play games with me, Tish. Imani showed up out of nowhere, and ever since she's been around, you've changed. You're distracted. You're not handling business the way you used to. I know there's something going on between you two. And I need to know if I can trust you."

Tisha's heart raced, panic clawing at her. Solomon knew. Maybe not everything, but he knew enough to be dangerous. If he pushed any further, if he found out the truth about Imani being undercover, it wouldn't just be her life on the line—it would be Imani's too.

She couldn't let that happen. But she also couldn't lie to Solomon. Not when the stakes were this high.

"Imani's just part of the crew," Tisha said, her voice tight. "She's been handling deliveries, moving product. That's it."

Solomon's eyes narrowed. "That's not it. You're hiding something. And I don't tolerate secrets in my crew."

Tisha's pulse quickened. She could feel the trap closing around her, feel the weight of Solomon's suspicion pressing down. He wasn't going to let this go. Not unless she gave him something.

Solomon stood up slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. "I'm going to make this simple, Tish. I need to know if you're loyal to me, or if you're loyal to her."

Tisha's breath caught in her throat, her mind spinning. This was it—the moment where everything would either fall apart or hold together. Solomon wasn't going to play games anymore. He needed proof. He needed her to make a choice.

"If you're loyal," Solomon said, his voice cold, "you'll prove it. You'll bring Imani to me. Tonight."

Tisha's chest tightened, her heart pounding so loud she thought Solomon might hear it. She stared at him, the weight of his ultimatum settling over her like a lead blanket. She had known this was coming, but hearing the words—hearing Solomon demand Imani's life as proof of her loyalty—hit her harder than she expected.

"And if I don't?" Tisha asked quietly, though she already knew the answer.

Solomon's eyes darkened. "Then I'll handle it myself. And you'll pay the price."

The threat hung heavy in the air, cold and final. Solomon wasn't giving her a choice. If she didn't bring Imani to him, it would be over for both of them. Solomon would find her, and Tisha would be marked as a traitor.

But if she brought Imani to Solomon, if she betrayed the one person she still cared about, she would be destroying everything that was left of herself.

Tisha's mind raced, torn between survival and love, loyalty and betrayal. She had spent years proving herself to Solomon, fighting her way to the top, making sure that no one questioned her commitment to the crew. But now, with everything on the line, she wasn't sure she could make this choice.

Solomon stared at her, waiting for an answer, the weight of his demand pressing down on her like a crushing wave.

"I'll handle it," Tisha said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

Solomon didn't move, didn't show any sign of relief or approval. He just nodded once, a slow, deliberate gesture. "Good. I expect to hear from you tonight."

Tisha stood up, her legs shaky beneath her. She could barely breathe as she walked toward the door, the weight of Solomon's ultimatum following her with every step. She had little time to make a decision, and whichever path she chose, there would be no going back.

The door closed behind her, and Tisha stood in the hallway, her heart racing. She had known this moment was coming, but now that it was here, it felt like the ground was crumbling beneath her feet.

Betraying Imani would save her life. But it would also destroy everything she had left.

And deep down, Tisha wasn't sure if she could live with that.