It had been a week since Nora returned from the hospital. Her recovery had been swift, thanks to the constant love and care of her family. Zayan and the kids never left her side. They had missed her terribly.
This morning, Nora sat on the living room couch, gently braiding Seraphina's hair before she left for school with Lysander.
"All done, love," Nora said, kissing her daughter's cheek.
"Thank you, Mama!" Seraphina beamed and hugged her tightly. Lysander kissed Nora's other cheek.
"Bye-bye, Mama!" they both chimed.
"Bye, darlings," Nora replied, cradling baby Liam in her arms as the twins ran off to school.
Zayan came down the stairs, dressed for work. He walked straight to her, leaned down, and kissed her on the lips.
"Hey, baby," he said warmly. "I'm heading out now. If you need anything—anything—just call me, love. Okay?"
Nora nodded, smiling.
Zayan kissed Liam's chubby cheek, gave Nora a final glance, and left for work.
Once the house quieted, Nora strapped Liam into a baby carrier and picked up a stack of law and library books. She dragged a table to the center of the living room, carefully placed Liam in his cushioned rocker beside her, and began to read. Her notepad quickly filled with scribbles as she flipped through page after page, absorbing every word.
Hours passed. When Liam woke up, she fed him, bathed him, lulled him back to sleep, and returned to her books. She only paused twice for a quick meal, her focus entirely locked onto the pages. The entire center of the house was now filled with open books, notes, and legal texts. She had filled up four notepads and several planning sheets with her handwriting.
Later that evening, Zayan picked up the twins from school. When he stepped inside with the rest of the family, they were stunned to find Nora still on the floor—books surrounding her, muttering law terminologies and scribbling away, completely lost in her own world.
Rhea and Desmon approached her cautiously while Zayan picked up one of the densely written sheets. The front and back were filled with notes. He glanced at an open law book beside her and realized—Nora had rewritten complex legal doctrines in her own words.
"Nora, love?" Zayan said gently.
Nora blinked rapidly, snapping out of her bookworm state. "Hi baby, welcome back! I made dinner."
The twins ran to her.
"Hi Mama!" they said, kissing her cheeks.
She hugged them tightly. "Go take your baths and come eat, okay?"
The kids ran off with the others to their shared jumbo bathtub.
Nora tried to stand, but fell back onto the floor.
Zayan rushed to her aid. She giggled softly as he helped her up.
"Rhea!!" she said, turning and pulling her into a hug. Then she looked at Desmon. "I forgive you," she said, tapping his shoulder.
"Law books, huh?" Rhea said, glancing at the chaotic mess of literature and notes. "Read them all with Desmon. You wanted to be an international lawyer, remember?"
Nora nodded.
"That can still happen," Rhea continued. "I've kept your degree safe all these years."
Nora's eyes welled up with gratitude. She pulled Rhea into another embrace. "Thank you… so much."
"My Nora is smart," Zayan added, kissing her forehead.
Later, they all ate dinner together. Nora sat with Rhea and Desmon, talking about a possible job.
"Mr. Smith has your paperwork," Rhea said. "He knows you're Zayan Kai's wife. He respects you now, too."
"I don't want to be someone who gets favors because of her husband's name," Nora said firmly.
Zayan, sitting close by, heard every word. He smiled silently and said nothing.
The Next Day
Late that night, after everyone had gone to bed, Zayan and Melanin—the family's fashion expert—laid out several new corporate outfits. The next morning, Nora tried one on. When she stepped out, Zayan turned and froze.
"Z? Zayan? Z??" she called, waving her hand.
"Huh? Yes, love," he stammered, eyes locked on her.
"Thank you," she said with a smile. "How much did all this cost?"
He grinned, shifting his eyes. "Uhmm… £800?"
She raised a brow suspiciously. "That's a lie, Z."
"Uhm… nope," Zayan said with a guilty smile, pulling her close and kissing her deeply.
They kissed for minutes. When they pulled apart, he licked his lips and looked at her chest again.
"You're blushing," he teased.
Later That Day – The Interview
Nora walked into the law firm with Zayan, Rhea, and Desmon by her side. Zayan held baby Liam proudly in his arms. They were met by Mr. Smith and the Board.
Nora sat confidently, answering all their questions with poise and precision. She spoke several international languages fluently, stunned the board with her knowledge, and displayed grace and intelligence.
"Congratulations, Mrs. Nora," one board member finally said. "You are now officially an international lawyer. You start Monday. And you're very, very smart."
"Thank you so much," Nora replied, shaking hands warmly.
As they stepped out, she ran into Zayan's arms. "I got the job, Z!"
Rhea grinned. "Isn't that Zayan Kai?" one of the board members whispered behind them.
"Yes," someone answered. "That's her husband. But nobody should stress her. Nora is the smartest person I know," Mr. Smith declared proudly.
Nora hugged everyone again. "I did it, Z!"
Zayan held her close. "Yes, love. You did."