Jamal Lyon Leaves Kai for His Family in Emotional Empire Sneak Peek

Jamal Lyon (Jussie Smollett) could probably use a hug right now. This week's Empire finds him again setting his happiness aside in order to tend to his family's needs.

In an exclusive sneak peek at Wednesday's episode, the overwhelmed musician is just processing the disorienting news of Andre's (Trai Byers) stage 4 lymphoma diagnosis, and he isn't handling it well. To be fair, he's had a lot on his plate lately. With Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) and Lucious (Terrence Howard) at odds and his relationship with Kai (Toby Onwumere) not faring so well, his life has been one big mess. Things were looking up, though, after he and Kai decided to work things out and give their relationship a second try.

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However, that all progress might have been in vain. Rather than lean on his supportive boyfriend, Jamal pushes Kai away and subsequently breaks up with him.

"Kai, I loved seeing you and being with you last night. It's day one , though, and I can't even find time for us," he said in the clip. "This just makes me feel horrible. That on top of everything else would be unbearable. So I just think that you were right all along and being a Lyon comes first."

The episode, titled "Without All Remedy," finds the rest of the family coming together to support Andre while also continuing their work on the cross-country tour. Meanwhile, Maya (Rhyon Nicole Brown) comes to an understanding about Blake (Chet Hanks) and the Empire staff continues the difficult work of keeping the record label afloat.

Empire airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on Fox.