Chapter 2

The sound of the elevator open pushed me to move despite of the extreme fatigue that I am feeling. It has been a long and exhausting day. Thankfully I was alone in the elevator. Afterall who else would be there, it was past 1 am. I stepped out of the painful heals. As my bare feet touched the icy metal, I couldn't stop the sigh that left me and lean back getting as comfortable as I can standing in an elevator. It was exactly two minutes later, the lift stopped at the top floor. The hallway was dark, nothing new. I didn't bother using any kind of light, having been living hear for a while now I can walk around without a light easily. At the most end of the hallway was my destination. Entering the passcode, I opened the door and got into the apartment that has been my home for six years now. I took of my coat and along with the bag, put it on the coat hanger. Before anything else, I went towards the white door room beside mine. Quietly as possible, I opened the door to see the sleeping form of my life, my everything, my daughter. She looked so peaceful that all the stress and fatigue from the day just vanished. She is a light sleeper just like me, any movement around her would wake her up. As much as I love her to the max, I am still tired.

I was just closing the door when her soft voice reached my ears, "Mommy?". I opened the door again to see that she was sitting up.

"Go to sleep baby, Mommy will be right with you." I replied to her call gently. Giving a slight nod she laid back down. I couldn't stop the smile that curved on to my lips. I am so glad that she listens. As I told, I freshened up and went back to her room. Slowly, I lifted the blanket half way and got under it bringing her close to me. As soon as I did that, she snuggled closer. "I missed you today Mommy." I looked down at her to see that she was saying in her sleep. It pains me that I am not able to be with her much. "I missed you too Alina." I whispered and gave a gentle kiss on her hair. I am so thankful that I have her. Because she really is my everything. She is the reason why I got through every struggle I had to face on the path to where we are now. Without thoughts lingering in my head, I don't know when I dozed of into a hopefully dreamless sleep.

Just like always, I woke up with tears staining my cheeks. That's not the only thing I noticed. I realized that Alina was not next to me. Panicked, I looked at the time before jumping from the bed. It was just 6 am. Where is… before I could complete my thought, I saw the room door push open and walk in the reason of my panic. She was coming with a glass filled with water in her hand. She was so focused in holding the glass properly that, she didn't realize I was awake even when she reached me. Before she could bump into me and fall, I sat down on my knees and called her name getting her attention. As soon as she looked at me, a big beautiful smile formed on her face. That smile just makes me forget all the bad things that happened.

"What are you doing sweety?" I asked chuckling. She was extremely cute as she struggled with the glass.

"Here, Mommy." She handed me the glass. I quickly took it from her hand and looked inside. The glass was filled to the top.

"Drink up mommy." She said taking a step closer. As she asked, I drank the water. Was a bit hard to finish the whole glass but I drank it. Once I was done, I showed her the empty glass which she smiled widely to.

"Come here." I lifted her up and sat her up on the bed. I kept the empty glass on the bed side table and sat next her.

"So, tell me sweety, what are you doing awake so early?" I asked lovingly.

"You were crying." That gave me the answer.

"Then the water?" I asked.

"You always give me water after I cry." She said so quietly. My heart swelled hearing her words. My vision start to get blurry.

"Don't cry mommy." Her voice pulled me out of my thoughts. She stood up on the bed and came to me giving me a big hug with her hands tightly wrapped around my neck. I hugged back wrapping my hands around the small form of my baby.

"I won't cry again." I told her. She pulled out from the hug and looked at me with that big forest green eyes of her and made me promise that I will never cry again and of course I promised.

After that, I took her and bathed her before going to make breakfast. I realized that I didn't have much time to do everything relaxingly, I had a only a hour before I have to leave for work and I have yet to take a shower. I made scrambled eggs and a cup of chocolate milk for Alina and a sandwich and a cup of tea for myself. I sat beside her to have the breakfast. If nobody sits with her when eating, just like any other kid she will play with it and not eat it. While feeding myself, I fed her. I was almost done when I heard my phone ring.

Who could that be?

"Finish the milk, I will be back." Giving a gentle pat on her head I went to Alina's room where the phone was ringing from. When I took the phone in hand, I saw that it was the maid, aka Alina's caretaker when I am at work. Wondering why she is calling, I answered wishing her a good morning. When she responded, I could barely hear her voice.

"What's wrong?" I asked a bit worried.

"I don't think I will be able to make it today." She answered.

"Are you okay?" I asked again worried.

"I have a terrible fever and my voice is not coming out properly." When she spoke it really felt like she was forcing herself.

"It's alright. Take rest and comeback when you are feeling well again, Okay?" I advised her.

"Thank you very much and I am really sorry." I could literally hear how apologetic she was feeling from her voice.

"It's okay. Just take rest, take medication and get well soon." I advised her one more time.

"Thank you once again. Have a good day."

"You too. Bye. " i said back. When she also said bye, I hung up.

As much as I was worried for the maid, I could stop myself from thinking about what to do about my daughter. I can't leave her here all alone when I go to work. And I cannot not go to work either. I guess there is only one option. Keeping back the phone on the bed, I went back to the dining table. I noticed that she had finished her chocolate milk. "Good girl" Saying that I pecked the top of her head. I sat down and finished my sandwich and tea. I washed the dishes and put them back into there places. Once I was done cleaning everything up, I went back to my daughter telling her that today she will be going with me to my office. Of course, she jumped in joy and ran into her room when I asked her to pack whatever she wanted to take; I already knew what she would be packing. Leaving her busy, I went to take as shower. I tried my best to not take too much time in the bathroom. With a towel wrapped around me, I stepped out of the bathroom and in my room. I don't even know what i am going to wear. I opened my closet and rummaged through the clothes till i found what I felt like wearing. I took out the outfit. I quickly got dressed and stood Infront of the mirror to get ready. I put some powder on my face and chose a dark pink color for the lips. As I combed my hair, I took a look at myself. I loved it. It took me some time to love myself after what I went through but I did it.

Shaking all the bad thoughts away, I took out a bag that matched the outfit and filled it with all the things that I take to work. With heels in my hand, I went to Alina's room. I saw that she was trying to push something in the bag. She was struggling a lot. I could help but chuckle at how cute she was looking.

"Honey what are you doing?" I asked going closer to her.

"I am trying to put one more book." She said cutely.

"How about you let Mommy do this and you go pick out what you want to wear?" I suggested. She instantly gave me her bag and the book before running to her closet. I couldn't help but chuckle more. I took the things out of her bag and as expected, half of the things was books. I took another bag of hers and put everything in it, along with her water bottle, some of her favorite snacks and her small blanket. Once I was done packing her things, I started to get her ready. I changed her clothes and made her hair. I braided her long wavy hair from the top. She loves it and is always asking me to braid her hair that way. When I was finally done making her look like a princess, I helped her put on her shoes and left the room. With her bag and my bag in one hand, I put on my shoes. I had twenty minutes left before I have to be at work and it takes 15 minutes with traffic. Praying that there is less traffic today, we left the house.

Usually on the way, I always keep the car's top down to get the natural wind of the morning. It always awakens me fully. These days the weather has been getting cold. If it was me alone, I really don't mind. But with Alina in the car no chance. She is weak to cold; I don't want her catching a cold. I hate seeing her sick. Then again which mother would not hate seeing their kid sick. No one.

As I parked my black convertible, I checked the time. I still had five minutes, wonderful. Grabbing the bags from the back seat, I got out of the car. I went to the other side and opened the door for her to get out. Holding both the bags in one hand, and holding Alina's hand from the other, I walked inside the compay coming face to face with familiar faces. This was the first time I have brought my daughter to the company. I don't talk about my private life and no one hear knows anything about my private life. So, I wasn't surprised when I saw heads turn to look in confusion and the sound of whispers go around. Ringing my card, I passed through security and into the elevator.

The elevator stopped at the 9th floor. As the door of the elevator opened, I felt a sudden nervousness wash over me. It's the first time in five years, they are going to know something about me. It's the first time I have brought my daughter out into a place filled with strangers excluding the school she goes to.

"Are you ready to meet new peoples sweety?" I asked looking at her who was looking up at me. Instead of answering in words, she gave me a nod. "Okay. Here we go." Taking a deep breathe, I stepped out of the elevator and in to my department holding her hand tightly. Without saying a word, I walked ahead to my office through the many peoples as they stared at me and Alina in confusion. If I was anyone else, they would be surrounding me and asking me questions by now, but who would dare do that to the head of the department. It has been two years since I have been promoted as the head of marketing in the marketing team, my dream job.

As soon as I entered the office, I felt my self let go of the breathe I didn't know i was holding. I put Alina's bag on the couch and hung my bag on the coat hanger along with the jacket Alina was wearing and what I was wearing leaving me with no color attracting color on me.

"Let's get you introduced to everyone." I took her hand in mine once again and got out of the office. Even before I got out of the office, through the glass walls I saw everyone looking. I cleared my throat catching everyone's attention.

"I will now answer the question you all have been wanting to ask since I walked in with her. Everyone, meet my daughter Alina. And Alina, meet everyone. Say hi dear." I said looking at her. Shyly she said hi to everyone and everyone said hi to her.

"Okay now everyone get back to work. I want the articles on my table by in three hours. I am hoping that the past three days was enough to finish everything. The due date is just three days away, we need to submit everything for printing by tomorrow." I talked in a calm voice. For a good whole minute nobody moved from where they were standing when I introduced Alina.

"What are you peoples still doing standing like that? Chop chop! Start moving." Saying that I turned around and went back inside.

Letting Alina sit with her bag, I dialed to my PA telling her to come in. I fell on my chair waiting for her to come in.

Today is going to be another stressful day. But at least I have her to keep me a little bit stress free, I thought as I looked at Alina who was completely lost in the book she was reading.