Chapter 22

Tara knocked on Blake’s office door. “There is someone here to see you,” she said.

“Who?” Blake asked.

“Me,” a tall, middle-aged woman said as she walked into her office. The woman wore a navy blue dress and beautiful expensive jewelry. She looked so elegant and beautiful.

“Good afternoon, ma’am,” Blake greeted her. She nodded at Tara. The receptionist smiled and walked out of the office. “Would you like to have a seat?”

“Yes.” The woman sat down at Blake’s desk. Blake didn’t recognize her but didn’t want to be rude to her since she was older. So she didn’t ask who she was.

“How may I help you today?” she asked her.

“I’m Bassem’s mother.”

Blake gasped loudly. She quickly sprung up to her feet. “Your majesty.” She bowed her head.

“Have a seat,” the queen said to her. Blake nodded and sat down. “I wanted to see the woman that made my son lose his mind.”

“I don’t follow.”

“He told us that he wishes to marry you. A Westerner.” She didn’t look pleased at all. Bassem had gone to Al Huddah after he proposed to her but when he returned, he just told her that he broke it off with Keira and had told his parents that he wanted to marry Blake.

“Yes, the sheikh and I have been talking about marriage.” Blake had told her parents and Aunt Moira that the sheikh wanted to marry her. Her mother and aunt were happy about it. They had fallen for Bassem from the first time they had met him.

“This marriage cannot happen,” said the queen.

“Why not?”

“My son needs to marry an Arabic woman.”

It broke Blake’s heart to know that his mother didn’t want her to marry Bassem just because she wasn’t Arabic. “I know that I’m not Arabic but I will do whatever it takes to be a good wife. I really love Bassem,” she said.

“Love means nothing. My son is willing to give up the throne for you,” said the queen. Blake gasped.

“He never told me that.”

The queen raised an eyebrow. “You’re telling me that you didn’t know about this?” she asked.

“No.”

“You didn’t put him up to this?”

“No, I’d never do such a thing.”

“I’ve been watching you. I know that you are a good girl and you’ve never been with many men,” she said. Blake raised her eyebrows. The queen had looked into her.

“You’ve looked into me?” she asked.

“Of course. I need to know about the people my son associates with.”

“I see.”

“I have nothing against you. It’s just that you’re not Arabic.”

That didn’t make Blake feel better. She couldn’t change herself and be Arabic. “That shouldn’t matter,” she said.

“He is not an ordinary man. He is the crown prince of Al Huddah, of course it matters.”

“If you need me to learn the language and the culture, I am willing to do so.” She was willing to learn all she needed but she was nervous about becoming a queen. That came with so much responsibility. It scared her but as long as Bassem was at her side, she could do anything.

“What if you come to live at the palace and serve my son in private?”

Blake’s eyes widened. “Like a concubine?” she asked.

“Yes.” The queen nodded. She was suggesting something so absurd but managed to still look and sound elegant.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t do that,” said Blake. “If he is willing to marry someone else, then I would have to let him go. I can’t be his concubine. I’m not with him for money, power or sex. I genuinely love him.”

The queen was silent for a moment. “Can you come with me?” she said to Blake as she rose to her feet.

“Where are we going?” Blake stood up.

“To see my son.”

“Okay.”

Blake and the queen headed out of Blake’s office. “If Michaela looks for me, tell her I’m out with Sheikh Sedarous’s mother,” she said to Tara.

“Okay.” Tara smiled and nodded.