Chapter 4 I Wish Vivian Were My Mommy
The sound of Queenie’s phone ringing interrupted Nathan. He glanced at the screen and recognized the caller right away.
Queenie looked at it briefly and declined it without a second thought.
“Not answering?” Nathan asked, taken aback. After all, Queenie had spent the last seven years bending over backwards for the Melendez family, meeting their every demand and catering to them.
In the past, if Linda called, Queenie would have answered immediately. If Linda needed her, Queenie would have rushed home without hesitation.
Queenie chuckled softly. “I don’t need to do that anymore.”
“Yeah, you’re getting divorced. Why bother with them now?” Nathan said, genuinely happy to see Queenie so at ease. “I have dinner plans tonight with a few professors from the N&Q Institute of Medicine.
“Since you’re going back to the institute, why not join me? It will be a great chance to meet everyone.”
“Sure,” Queenie agreed. It had been seven years since she set foot in the lab, aside from working on that headache medicine for Linda. Going back made her a bit anxious.
Noticing her nerves, Nathan gave her shoulder a comforting pat. “You created a special heart medication when you were only eighteen. Just take your time and settle in.”
Queenie nodded, a true smile spreading across her face. When Linda called again, she muted her phone without a thought.
*****
At noon, Nathan took Queenie out for lunch.
For the entire afternoon, Queenie lounged in his office. She didn’t have to cook or give Linda a massage, and she wasn’t obligated to go out of her way to please anyone.
Queenie felt like a huge burden had been lifted. She never realized that letting go of something that wasn’t really hers could make her feel so free, both inside and out. For the past seven years, she had been too tightly wound.
“Let’s go,” Nathan said as he walked in after finishing his work.
Queenie stood up to meet him, and they headed straight to the themed restaurant they had reserved. This place was so exclusive that one needed to book in advance to get a table.
Even though Queenie was the owner’s wife at StarVision Media, she had never been to such a fancy place.
Vincent had never taken her anywhere like this, and everyone knew he had a six-year-old kid, but no one knew who the kid’s mother was.
“Vivian, you’re awesome. You got my favorite fried chicken again,” Archie said.
Hearing his voice, Queenie froze, instinctively looking ahead.
Nathan stopped as well, following her gaze.
Up ahead, Vincent and Vivian were each holding one of Archie’s hands, laughing and chatting. It was such a heartwarming scene.
This was the moment Queenie had always dreamed of. As a family of three, she pictured them holding hands, even if it was just a casual stroll in the park. But that kind of moment had never come true for her.
Queenie felt tears prick at her eyes and quickly looked away. Early that morning, she knew Archie and Vivian had plans in the evening, and Vincent would definitely be with them. But seeing them together like this only deepened her heartache.
“Vivian, I really wish you were my mommy,” Archie said, pouting.
He thought, ‘Mommy always nags me and won’t let me have any fun food. Vivian is way cooler. She always knows what I like and gets it for me.
‘Besides, she’s super pretty and a superstar. If she were my mommy, all my friends would be so jealous.’
Nathan scowled, clearly annoyed. “What nonsense is that kid talking about? He really needs a talking-to.” He clenched his fists, ready to go over.
Queenie stopped him, grabbing his arm. “Nathan.”
“After everything they’ve done to you, you’re still letting them push you around?” he asked, confused.
Queenie whispered, “I don’t want anyone to know who I really am until the divorce is finalized.”
She thought, ‘Even if I confront them now, I will only embarrass myself. Vincent and Archie obviously don’t care about me anymore.’
“Come on. Let’s not keep the professors waiting,” Queenie said, leading him into the private room. ‘I don’t even want custody, so why should I care about it? Whoever Archie decides to call Mommy is up to him,’ she thought.
Vincent’s tone was sharp as he snapped at Archie, “Archie, stop talking nonsense.”
Archie pouted, dropped his head, and leaned into Vivian for comfort.
Vivian stepped in to support him, wrapping her arms around him. “Vincent, he’s a kid. He didn’t mean any harm. Take it easy on him.”
Vincent didn’t respond. He heard a door open behind him and turned, his brows furrowing in confusion as if he were dazed for a moment.
“Vincent, what are you staring at?” Vivian asked, noticing his gaze. “Nathan?”
Vincent looked away and focused back on Vivian. “You know him?”
“He’s the head of the N&Q Institute of Medicine, a genius in drug development, and a legend in traditional medicine. He developed that groundbreaking heart medicine ten years ago. I ran into him once, but I never expected to see him here,” Vivian said, surprised.
After all, it was pretty hard to see someone as legendary as Nathan.
Vivian advised, “By the way, Vincent, maybe we should ask him about Linda’s headaches. If he could take her case, he might actually help her.
“Queenie came up with some folk remedy that helped Linda a lot, but honestly, who knows if it’s really safe or if there are hidden side effects? A proper cure would be much better.”
“I already tried to set up a meeting with him,” Vincent replied coldly. Even though he had never met Nathan, he was familiar with his reputation. When he sought an introduction, Nathan flatly refused to see him.
Vivian’s eyes brightened with an idea. “What if I give it a go? I’ve met him before. He might be more open to me.”
Vincent nodded, giving her the green light.
“Vivian, you’re amazing. You know such an impressive person!” Archie exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with admiration. ‘Mommy is only good at cooking. She doesn’t know anyone special, only some random shopkeepers,’ he thought.
Vivian gently tousled his hair.
Vincent’s eyes drifted back to the door that had just closed.
*****
When Queenie and Nathan walked in, all the senior researchers from the N&Q Institute of Medicine were already there. As soon as they spotted them, everyone stood up.
“Professor Emerson,” they said in unison. Most were older than Nathan, but they all stood up to acknowledge him with respect.
“Let me introduce you. This is Queenie Emerson. She was my assistant, and starting tomorrow, she’ll be joining us at the institute,” Nathan said.
This was a plan that Queenie and Nathan had made together. Since she hadn’t divorced yet, Queenie didn’t want anyone to know her real identity. She had also asked Nathan not to mention her role in developing the heart medication that everyone talked about.
It had been seven years since she last worked in a lab, and she knew she had missed a lot. She wasn’t sure if she could catch up.
The more expectations others had toward her, the more stressed she felt. Playing the role of a former assistant seemed like the safest option for now.
Everyone’s attention turned to Queenie. Anyone who had been Nathan’s assistant had to be talented, but given her youth, most were curious yet reserved, waiting to see what she could really accomplish.
“Hello, everyone. I look forward to learning from you,” Queenie said respectfully. As she reclaimed her true self, a spark of confidence returned to her eyes.
