"Who is she?" one of the staff members muttered quietly.
"How can she speak to Madam like that?"
Butler Dime stepped forward, his tone controlled but firm.
"Miss, please mind your language."
He looked directly at Liya.
"I was the driver. I did not speed or change lanes recklessly. The collision happened because your vehicle suddenly merged into our lane. We have dashcam footage to support that."
Liya scoffed immediately.
"Dashcam? So what?" she snapped. "Do you know who you're talking to? She's just a fallen heiress nobody cares about anymore."
Her eyes shifted toward Reina in the back seat.
"And you—Reina—what, you found someone rich to support you now?"
Her tone was deliberately insulting.
Assistant Odette's expression remained steady.
"I've already reported the incident to the authorities," she said calmly. "There are cameras at this intersection. The investigation will determine responsibility."
She glanced at the nearby traffic camera.
Liya's expression tightened slightly when she heard that, but she quickly forced herself to stay composed.
Not long after, police sirens approached.
A patrol car arrived and officers stepped out, immediately beginning to assess the situation and request footage from the traffic system.
"I'll have my husband handle this," Liya said quickly, trying to take control of the situation. She pointed at Reina. "She's the one causing trouble. She deliberately interfered in our wedding day."
One of the officers frowned slightly but did not respond yet.
Tosyiba arrived shortly after in a BMW.
Liya immediately walked toward him and grabbed his arm.
"Hubby, you're finally here. Look—your car is damaged. It was them."
Tosyiba looked at the two vehicles, then at the police officers already reviewing footage.
His expression remained neutral, but his eyes were more cautious now.
He noticed the Bentley's license plate.
GXX II
His gaze paused for a fraction of a second.
That was not an ordinary plate.
Inside the Bentley, Reina sat quietly. When she looked up and met Tosyiba's eyes, there was no emotion on her face—only distance.
That was new.
He remembered her differently.
More open. More emotional.
Now there was nothing.
Just cold detachment.
Tosyiba broke eye contact first.
He turned to the officers.
"What happened exactly?" he asked calmly.
Liya immediately interrupted.
"They hit us! That driver did it on purpose! He must be working for her!"
Butler Dime responded evenly.
"Our car was proceeding straight. Their vehicle suddenly changed lanes without signaling. We have video evidence from our dashcam and surrounding surveillance."
One of the officers raised a hand.
"We'll verify everything. Please stay calm."
Liya frowned.
"This is wasting our time. Today is an important day for us."
She leaned closer to Tosyiba.
"They're doing this on purpose. Reina must have planned it. She's always been like this."
Tosyiba did not answer immediately.
His attention was still divided between the Bentley and Reina inside it.
Finally, Reina spoke for the first time.
"Odette."
"Yes, Madam," Odette replied immediately.
"Proceed with the report," Reina said calmly. "Let the insurance and police handle it properly."
Her voice was steady. No anger, no emotion.
That calmness made the situation feel heavier, not lighter.
Liya's expression tightened.
"What are you trying to do?" she demanded. "You want to escalate this?"
Odette replied professionally.
"If you refuse to settle this through mediation, we will fully cooperate with the police investigation. If liability is confirmed on your side, compensation will be required for damages."
She paused briefly.
"This includes repair costs for a high-value armored vehicle."
The officers exchanged subtle glances.
They now understood this was not a simple traffic dispute.
Tosyiba finally stepped forward slightly, his voice quieter.
"Reina. Are you okay?"
The question was simple, but it carried hesitation.
Reina looked at him for a moment.
Then answered flatly.
"I'm fine."
Nothing more.
No warmth. No familiarity.
Just distance.
Tosyiba frowned slightly.
"I tried contacting your old apartment. You weren't there."
Reina didn't respond.
That apartment had been sold months ago to cover medical expenses for her aunt.
He continued, softer now.
"If you're going through difficulties, you can talk to me. For your grandmother's sake—"
"Don't mention her," Reina interrupted immediately.
Her voice was calm, but firm enough that it stopped him.
A brief silence followed.
Tosyiba looked at her, slightly taken aback.
Reina checked the time on her phone.
"Dime," she said. "Continue with the procedure. We are not settling privately."
"Yes, Madam," Butler Dime replied.
Liya immediately became agitated.
"You can't just decide that! Do you know how much trouble you're causing?"
Reina didn't look at her.
Instead, Odette stepped in calmly.
"All further communication will be handled through legal channels."
The tension lingered, but the situation had already shifted.
The police began reviewing footage.
The truth, one way or another, was about to be confirmed.
Inside the Bentley, Reina leaned back slightly.
Outside, Tosyiba stood still—watching her through the tinted glass.
For the first time, he realized something uncomfortable.
She wasn't reacting like someone trying to get his attention.
She was reacting like someone who no longer saw him as important at all.
And that silence felt heavier than anger.
The officers finished reviewing the nearby traffic camera footage.
One of them exhaled slightly.
"Alright. We've got the initial recording."
He turned toward both parties.
"The footage shows the Mercedes changing lanes abruptly without signaling. The Bentley maintained its lane and speed."
Liya's expression stiffened instantly.
"That's impossible," she said quickly. "You didn't even check properly—"
"Ma'am," the officer interrupted, more firmly now, "this is recorded evidence. We cannot alter it."
Silence settled for a moment.
The atmosphere shifted.
What had started as accusation was now leaning the other way.
Tosyiba's gaze lowered slightly. His jaw tightened, but he said nothing immediately.
Liya turned to him in panic.
"Hubby, they're lying. You know I wouldn't—"
"Enough," Tosyiba said quietly.
Not loud. Not angry.
Just final.
That alone made Liya freeze.
Reina, still inside the Bentley, didn't react.
She simply waited.
Calm. Detached. Impatient only with time, not with people.
The officer continued.
"Based on preliminary findings, the Mercedes appears to be at fault. We'll proceed with formal documentation. Insurance and liability will follow standard procedure."
Liya's face turned pale.
"This is ridiculous… it's just a scratch—"
"It is not just a scratch," Odette cut in politely but firmly. "That vehicle is armored and custom-built. Damage assessment will be conducted officially."
That sentence changed the tone again.
Now it was no longer about pride.
It was about cost.
And consequences.
Tosyiba finally spoke again, but this time he wasn't addressing the officers.
He was looking at Reina.
"Do you really want to take this all the way legally?"
Reina looked at him through the tinted glass.
Her expression didn't change.
"I already have."
A simple answer.
No emotion behind it.
That made it worse.
Because it meant this wasn't impulsive.
It was deliberate.
Tosyiba's eyes narrowed slightly.
For a brief second, something conflicted passed through his expression—but it was gone quickly.
He nodded once.
"Alright."
He turned slightly toward Liya.
"Apologize."
Liya blinked.
"What?"
"I said," his voice dropped colder, "apologize."
That single word made her realize something had shifted.
Not in the situation.
In him.
Her grip on his arm loosened slightly.
"…Hubby, why are you taking their side?"
Tosyiba didn't answer that.
He just waited.
The officers also stayed silent now, observing.
Reina, inside the car, finally leaned forward slightly.
Not because she cared about the apology.
But because she wanted to see what kind of person he was now.
Liya's pride and panic clashed for a moment.
Then she forced out a breath.
"I… I didn't mean it like that," she said stiffly, not looking at Reina. "It was just an accident."
It wasn't a real apology.
Everyone could tell.
But it was enough for the situation to move forward.
The officer nodded.
"Since both parties are present, we'll proceed with formal reporting and insurance claims. You are free to leave once documentation is complete."
The tension began to loosen slightly.
But emotionally, nothing resolved.
Reina finally spoke again.
"Odette. Arrange transport."
"Yes, Madam."
As the Bentley prepared to leave, Tosyiba took one step forward.
"Reina."
She paused—not because she wanted to, but because he said her name.
He hesitated.
For once, he didn't sound confident.
"If you needed help… you could've—"
Reina cut him off without looking at him.
"I don't need anything from you."
Quiet.
Clear.
Final.
The Bentley doors closed.
The car moved forward slowly, leaving the scene behind.
Through the tinted window, Tosyiba stood still on the roadside.
He didn't move.
Liya stood beside him, visibly shaken and humiliated.
But Tosyiba wasn't looking at her anymore.
He was still looking at the car that had already left.
And for the first time, he realized something simple but uncomfortable:
Reina wasn't trying to win him back.
She had already moved on emotionally.
And he had only just started noticing.