Reine's POV
"Ma'am, we're home."
Mr. Vince's voice gently pulled me from the sleep I hadn't realized I'd fallen into. My body felt like lead—drained, sore, exhausted. I blinked, barely lifting my head, my lashes heavy with the kind of fatigue no coffee could fix.
"Thank you, Mr. Vince," I murmured, stepping out of the car without a purse, without a thought. The staff rushed to collect everything as I made my way up the marble stairs.
"You're welcome, ma," he said softly behind me.
I paused at the top. "Is my baby awake?" I asked no one in particular, my voice hoarse, my heart already aching.
"Yes, ma'am."
Those three words shattered something inside me. I was failing. Not as a lawyer. Not as a billionaire. But as a mother.
I climbed the stairs and entered Rina's room. The sight of her sleeping face—soft, peaceful, unaware—made my chest ache. I sat gently at the edge of the bed, brushing her curls back, letting my fingers memorize her features. So beautiful. So innocent.
I didn't mean to stay. But the weight in my limbs wouldn't let me move. I lay beside her, curling my arms around her small body. My hand tapped her gently, rhythmically, and then... darkness.
---
I woke up to golden sunlight filtering through lavender curtains. Blinking, I scanned the room.
"Rina's room," I whispered, groggy. "What am I—"
It hit me. I'd fallen asleep here.
I tried to move, but my daughter's small arms were wrapped tightly around my waist. Her grip was soft, but her love? It felt like chains I never wanted to break.
Gently, I slipped out from under her arms and checked the time.
6:36 a.m.
Panic. I was late.
Just as I reached the door, her sleepy voice pierced the air.
"Mom… will you get me ready for school? You haven't done that since we moved to London."
My heart clenched. Her face was filled with hope, a rare and delicate thing. But my hesitation was all she needed. Her smile vanished before I could speak.
I asked one of the maids to help her instead and rushed to my room. I showered, dressed, and forced myself to become the version of me the world adored—poised, powerful, polished.
Downstairs, Rina was finishing her breakfast. I greeted her, but she looked through me.
"Baby, please don't be angry with Mommy. I need you to understand. I don't like it when you shut me out."
She looked up with eyes too old for her age.
"Where's my father?"
I froze.
She didn't wait.
"Oh, you're going to lie and say he's dead again?"
She grabbed her bag and stormed out, slamming the car door behind her. I stood there, motionless, my heart collapsing inward. I watched her leave—watched my baby drift further away from me.
I didn't cry. Not a single tear. But my hands tightened around my bag like it could hold the pieces of me together.
The ride to work was silent. Mr. Vince didn't ask questions. I appreciated that.
---
At the office, Kate was already waiting.
"Ma'am, we—"
She stopped mid-sentence. Maybe it was my face. Maybe it was the air around me.
She followed in silence as we walked through the hallway. I didn't acknowledge the greetings. Couldn't. My heart wasn't in the building.
Inside my office, she set my things down and quietly excused herself.
Irene was already there, seated comfortably like she owned the place. She was mid-rant about something when she saw me.
The moment I slumped into my chair, she knew.
She crossed the room instantly.
"Reine… what happened?"
My throat burned. My eyes blurred. And before I could answer, my tears answered for me.
She wrapped her arms around me like she always did—warm, fierce, familiar. "Oh no, don't cry."
I tried to fight it, but Irene didn't let go. She rocked me gently, tapping the back of my head like a mother calming her child. I clung to her, letting the pain melt in her arms.
"Talk to me, Reine," she whispered.
I stayed quiet.
She held me tighter.
And then she said the one thing I'd spent years avoiding.
"You still haven't told me why you left Adrian. And you know what? Rina's right. You're always working. You're a billionaire—you have staff. You don't have to prove anything. Just be her mother."
I looked at her but still didn't speak.
"You miss him," she said softly. "That's why you bury yourself in work. Because you miss him."
Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she added, "You miss his d*** too, don't you?"
We both locked eyes for a second—and burst into laughter. Loud, hysterical laughter. Leave it to Irene to pull sunshine from a storm.
She was more than a best friend. She was my mirror, my anchor, my lifeline.
"I love you," I whispered between breaths.
"I know," she grinned. "Now, get your fine ass up—we're going home. Two weeks. No work."
"What?! Irene—"
"No!" she cut me off. "You're done. Kate, cancel everything."
Kate appeared at the door in full protest mode, but Irene shut her down with a single glare. "Leave your boss alone. She's on a break."
Mr. Vince pulled up, and Irene dragged me to the car before I could object. Through the tinted window, I saw Kate's jaw on the floor—and laughed for the first time in days.
---
Back home, I dismissed the staff politely. Irene and I headed to my room, both of us still laughing. The maids stared, stunned. I was never home this early.
"You're picking Rina from school today," Irene said with a smirk.
"Two weeks in this house doing nothing? Are you trying to kill me?"
"We're going on vacation. You, me, and Rina."
I sighed. "Where to now?"
"DUBAI!" she screamed.
I rolled my eyes. "Again? No. Saudi Arabia."
Irene thought for a moment, then nodded. "Hot. Sacred. Expensive. I love it."
She flopped on my bed as I walked into the closet, slipping out of my suit and into a Gucci jumpsuit and Hermes flats. I admired myself in the mirror. I was exhausted, yes—but ethereal. Always.
---
Knock knock.
"Come in."
"Ma'am, food is ready."
"We're right behind you," I replied. Irene practically skipped behind me. Food was her love language.
"This is amazing!" she moaned mid-bite.
"Don't choke, Your Majesty," I teased.
Pedro was getting ready to leave when I stopped him.
"No need, I'll pick her up today."
He smiled. "She'll be so happy, ma'am."
Irene and I hopped into my Lamborghini. She cranked up the music and filmed everything for her stories. That's Irene for you.
---
The moment we pulled into Rina's school, heads turned. My car alone was a statement. But stepping out beside Irene? That was spectacle.
"OH MY GOD, that's THE Reine!"
"She's my role model!"
"I wish I could get an autograph!"
"What's she doing here?"
"Her daughter, of course."
They weren't even whispering properly.
"Mummy!!"
Rina's voice cut through the noise like music. She ran into my arms, and I scooped her up, kissing her cheeks again and again. Her giggles were pure magic.
"Everyone's staring at me," she whispered. "I hate it… and love it."
We both laughed.
"Oh wow, I'm invisible now?" Irene said, rolling her eyes.
Rina leapt into her godmother's arms next.
We all got into the car, leaving the crowd behind. But my heart?
It stayed there—with that moment. That smile. That hug.
Because that day… I felt like a mother again.