"Are you asking me if I cheated on you with someone else, got pregnant, and made you think that Naomi was yours for the last six years?"

As Jack sat on the edge of the bed, he stared into her eyes that were cold, brown, and drained, like coffee stains. He gave her one slow nod that let Selena know that his question wasn't a joke.

"Yeah, that's what I'm asking."

Selena chuckled. "And what if she isn't yours, Jack?" She watched as he sat up straight and his eyes grew wide. "Are you going to treat her differently? Are you going to look for her real father?"

The way Selena was talking made Jack sick to his stomach. The possibility of Naomi not being his made him want to vomit, especially since he loved her more than anything in the world. Blood couldn't make them any closer, but it would be devastating if she wasn't.

Jack was visibly distraught. Not mad or angry, but hurt. He dragged a hand across his face, then let out a huff as he fixed his eyes on the floor. "So, Naomi isn't mine?"

Selena felt Vanessa wake up and begin gently pulling on her hoops earrings. "She's yours, Jack. Chris and Brooke are darker just like my mom, and I'm not. Did you ever think about it like that?"

He inches away a bit, his silk sheets imported from Egypt rustling as he answered shamefully, "I mean yeah, but-"

"But what?" Selena then adjusted Vanessa on her hip. "Do you see her?" She gave a small nod towards the baby who was clinging onto her. "Who's daughter is this?"

"She's mine." He stared at the wall past Selena and his daughter, his hands folded in his lap.

Selena nodded. "Exactly. She's yours, not mine. Don't forget that I'm the loyal one. Don't ever question our family again, do you hear me?"

He opened his mouth to argue back with her since she wasn't the loyal one. She cheated to, but somehow she began to believe the victim role that she forced herself to play as if he was the only one in the wrong.

But he only lifted his head to look into her eyes and nod. "Yeah, I'm sorry." He knew he was an idiot for asking, but he couldn't help it. But even if she wasn't his, he would still raise her like she was his own, because she was.

Eight white. Two black. Two Hispanic. Seven men. Five women. That was the jury. That was the jury who decided if a black man's life mattered over a white man's. And the verdict couldn't be anymore predictable.

A slim girl in a tight black dress stepped forward towards the stand and swore on the Bible to tell her truth. When she took her seat at the stand in front of Jack, Deshawn, and the rest of Quincy's family. Jack's heartbeat echoed through his ears as he watched her coyly smile at the rest of the courtroom.

He finally stopped leaving voicemails just two nights ago when he realized that she wasn't going to answer his phone calls anytime soon. Even sleeping was difficult. Memories of her ran through his brain like blood surged through his veins and in the middle of the nights when he would jolt awake, he'd reach for her then find himself lost. He still didn't know how he was functioning without her.

"State your name into the microphone, ma'am." The judge spoke into the microphone.

She nodded then leaned forward where her pale pink lips nearly touch the microphone. "Reyna Caro."

Jack missed her accent, her voice, her lips, her everything. This trial was the most important thing going on right now, but he could only focus on her even when she began to tell the jury and court what had happened the night of Quincy's murder.

Reyna gave the full story and answered every question that was thrown at her, even the ones that were meant to throw her off. Despite her being an amazing witness, Jack could see her nails scratching at the wood of the witness stand and he knew it was a nervous habit of hers and he only wanted to hold her and tell her that she was doing just fine, but it'd never happen.

After the questioning and cross-examination, Reyna was told that she could leave the stand. Jack silently begged for her to notice him and just at least acknowledge that he was in the same room as her, but she never did. She walked past him like he wasn't even there, like he never existed.

Jack almost didn't hear when he was called to the stand until Candy reached across her mother to tap his leg and give a small nod. He took in a slow breath as he rose to his feet before he received a reassuring smile from Ms. April.

After being sworn in by the the bailiff, Jack sat down in the chair at the stand and realized how many people were in the courtroom. He's been in front of millions of people before and he performed at sold out shows, but they only depended on him to entertain them, but this was a different kind of pressure that he's never felt before.

And watching Reyna push open the door and exit the room didn't make any of this any easier.

"State your name into the microphone, please." The judge said.

Shifting in his seat, he stated his name loud and clear enough into the microphone to avoid leaning forward - almost to nervous to move. "Jack Mercer."

Pushing the court doors open, Jack and Deshawn stepped out into the hallway where pools of sunlight poured through the many windows. His eyes scanned past a number of people before they met with Reyna's, who then pushed herself off the wall and began to make her way down the hallway - obviously avoiding his presence.

Without warning, Jack departed himself from Deshawn, Candy, and Ms. April. It didn't take long to catch up to Reyna, but even when he did, she didn't slow down and broke out into lengthening strides.

"Reyna, I'm sorry for what happened. You have to at least hear me out." He pleaded as he fell into step with her. "Let me just explain, please."

A scoff leaves her lips and her eye roll was hard to miss. "I already know what happened." She countered as they walked down the first flight of steps towards the courthouse doors. "You're still in love with Selena - no surprise there - and you're sorry you got caught in the act."

"What?" Jack said in disbelief, although she had every reason to think that, even when it wasn't true. "Selena means nothing to me. She's the mother of my kids, but that's it. Her and Alana could be best friends and go kick rocks together for all I care."

Reyna then suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned to face him, her eyes were stern and cold. "That's the problem, Jack." Her accent thick. "You slept with Alana while you were married to Selena and you did the same to me. Love is just a game to you, isn't it?"

"No, it's not-"

"More like a broken record then, yes?"

Before he could find a way to respond to what seemed to be the truth, Reyna turned on her heels and walked out the courthouse doors, leaving him completely devastated knowing that he wasn't getting her back.

And he knew he didn't deserve her. Reyna was the woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life and he meant it this time. But, she wasn't weak minded or dependent. Even when she knew about the cheating on Selena, she still decided to give him a chance, but he fucked up one time and she was gone.

Jack pushed the courthouse doors forward and was soon reminded how significant this trial was, especially with a celebrity as a witness. Half of Los Angeles was there.

Police stood between the Black Lives Matter and All Lives Matters protestors to prevent any harm being done. News reporters were rushing to Officer Greco, the prosecutors, the defense attorneys, and even Ms. April and Candy. Then, Jack caught the eyes of his least favorite people.

Before he knew it, there were cameras pointed like guns in his face. Fire-breathing paparazzi fought over who was going to get Jack's first statement and who was going to be able to sell the first photo of him leaving the courthouse. But why would they want to see him? There was nothing left to see except guilt and shame.

Flashes of lights began to blind him and to many cameras were shoved at his face with a crowd that he couldn't get pass - making it difficult to walk down the stairs.

Just when he was ready to snap, he felt a warm hand gently grab his shoulder and pull him forward as he shielded eyes. He put one foot in front of the other and made his way down the stairs until his helper gave him a gentle push towards the SUV where he could finally open his eyes to see Candy take a seat next to him.

"Thanks." He said, pulling out his cellphone as Manny quickly slid the door shut before the paparazzi could invade their space even more and prevent them from leaving.

"It's crazy out there. I didn't think the shooting or trial would have this much impact." Deshawn speculated as Jack's eyes remained on his phone, responding to Liam's text.

Liam: Watched the trial on the news. People are protesting on the highways and all throughout the city. It's definitely bigger than we thought. Any thoughts on the verdict yet?

Jack thought back to the trial and watching the jurors faces. None of them showed any emotion the whole time, they were unreadable. He did find it funny and suspicious how the jury selected were a majority of white people when a young black man had been shot. Only two black people. That didn't sit right with him.

- Not sure. I think we did ok testifying and so did Kendra. I didn't think she'd talk about him touching her, but hopefully he gets convicted of sexual assault too.

"I heard Greco's attorney say that he might get off with self defense or maybe only get charged with manslaughter." Candy voiced, making everyone's head turn towards her.

"This is some bullshit." Deshawn fumed, his hands clenching so tight that his knuckles were turning white.

"Watch your mouth." Ms. April scolded, giving him a small pluck on the ear that made him jump and rub the spot.

"Sorry." He apologized. "But, it's messed up. This makes no sense. It was four of us who said everything about what happened and told them everything they needed to know."

Ms. April set a hand on top of Deshawn's. "I know, baby, but we just have to pray that my baby gets justice."

Candy then added her input as she rested her head on Jack's shoulder. "But let's not forget why all these people are out here protesting in the first place...We've seen black people gunned down like dogs and they don't get justice even when we have everything on dash-cams or cell phones. This won't be the first time if a black man doesn't get justice and it won't be the last."

Tossing and turning for hours, Jack attempted to sleep Reyna out of his skin, but just like any other night, his sleeps were strained and cut short - except this time, it was due to a late night phone call.

Lifting his face off his pillow, Jack reached over to his nightstand and turned his phone over to put an end to the ringing until he noticed it was from the one person he wanted it to be from.

Jack sat up instantly and didn't hesitate to answer the call. "Hello?" He did his best not to sound needy or excited, but he wasn't sure if it came out that way or not.

Small sniffles came from the other side of the phone. "Jack..." Reyna managed to get out through her sobbing.

"Reyna, baby, what's wrong?" He questioned as he slipped out of bed and grabbed his jeans that were thrown across the floor.

Jack didn't know what was going on, but she was crying her heart out on the phone and could barely speak. He wanted to be there for and wasn't going to let her suffer alone.

"I need to talk to you, to see you." She choked up. "Kendra committed suicide."