Aaliyah is the youngest child of Samuel and Mala Gupta. Growing up, despite her intelligence, she was constantly compared to her older brother, Samuel, who seemingly could do no wrong. Although she was accepted to Yale, Aaliyah chose to attend Sampson University instead, much to her mother’s chagrin. There, she quickly befriended Tanner and Lynn Lockhart, Elijah Barker, Tommy Covington, and Lorenzo Vidal.

 

She began seeing Lorenzo despite Mala’s disapproval, as her mother felt he did not value education. Although Aaliyah remained firm in her relationship with him, it soon became apparent that her parents were getting divorced—a revelation she did not take well. During a dinner with her mother, her boyfriend, and Daniel Covington, she revealed that her father was now seeing Louise Saunders Lockhart. Over time, however, Aaliyah came to accept her parents moving on with their romantic lives.

 

After overhearing that Lorenzo could not afford his remaining tuition at Sampson, Aaliyah asked her father to write a check to cover the balance. Lorenzo refused the money and later dropped out of Sampson, though the two eventually reconciled. They later grew apart when Lorenzo accepted a job working in social media for Murray Hirsch. Not long after, Aaliyah discovered that Sean and Louise had kissed during her father’s engagement. She exposed the affair by playing a video at their engagement party, an act that led to the collapse of her friendships with Lenny and Tanner.

 

Despite graduating at the top of her class at Sampson University, Aaliyah struggled to find work in her chosen field of fashion design. Eventually, her mother helped her secure a position as Jacques Laurent’s executive assistant. The two grew close and ultimately crossed a line by kissing, despite Jacques being married. Unable to stop thinking about him, Aaliyah later found herself in Miami on business. After consoling Jacques following a disastrous deal, the two became involved, beginning an affair—despite warnings from family friend Jes Choudhury, advice Aaliyah chose to ignore.