The Billionaire's Kept Woman

  Karmina smiled, seeing her husband cooking instant ramen and he also had a rice cooker. He didn't just cook instant ramen but also chicken adobo. She never wanted her husband to cook for her, but it was always a wife's dream to have their husband cooked for them. She put on the shirt that he provided for her as she approached the table. Henry kneels one knee, holds her left hand, and kisses her knuckles. She still wore the rings. 

"I somehow put these rings in a pawn shop and Alessandro managed to retrieve them." 

"I'm sure he did." He smiled. "I am happy that our daughter married him." 

"Me too." 

  Henry stood and pulled a chair for her. Then, she sat down gracefully and he sat just across her as he put rice and chicken on her plate. She reached for the fork and spoon and tasted it first. She smiled and nodded at him. 

"I always make Harvey's favorite breakfast on his birthday. But it won't taste as good as your cooking." 

"Thank you for taking care of our son, my love," Karmina said. 

"I'll do anything for our son and our daughters." 

  Karmina continued eating as Henry joined her. The couple eats happily with the ramen, rice, and chicken. They were once like this. They were saving up money for the surrogate but Karmina always prepared delicious dishes. Even though she bought affordable ingredients from the wet market, she always made sure that he's fed well and would have delicious food. They were in ups and downs in life and instead of spending all of the money that he gave to her, she saved half of it. 

  That's when he also realized that she doesn't use an electric fan or turn on the television during the day until he comes home. It gives them enough money to have a surrogate and his business also grows. But Karmina always says to also give enough health benefits to his employees and so did he. Then, his business grew more as he had given his wife precious things and a good home for their son. Karmina was happy each day and she never ignored him. He owes everything to his wife. She's the reason for the wealth that they have now. 

"My love," Karmina put down her fork and spoons. She's done eating. 

"Yes?" 

"Well, I know we are old, but, are there times that you ever fall out of love with me? With lots of beautiful models, singers… artists, around you…" 

"Love," Henry smiled and put down his spoon and fork. "I will never fall out of love with you. Sure, women were lingering near me. They are tempting, but every time I come home, I see you and our boy and our girl. I chose to be your husband. I won't ruin our harmonious family." 

"But there's~~ a woman who cornered you?" 

  He chuckled nervously and the way she asked was calm, innocent, and casual. It's terrifying somehow. 

"Well, there were lots of young women who tried to seduce me. They wanted more exposure and so, I put less exposure to them and gave it to others who need more of it. Few people who entered the entertainment industry were eager and hungry for exposure… but even though they look alluring, they were never as alluring as you." 

  Karmina giggled and shook her head. 

"You are really something." 

"So, you did try to hire an investigator for me?" He asked with a grin. 

"No. I would eventually know if you are cheating." 

  The couple laughed and that's when he decided to clear the table. 

"We finished the food!" He stood and cleared up the plates. "I'll take care of the dishes, just go and slack off my love." 

  Karmina stood and went to the other corner to watch him wash the dishes. He's manly but seeing him wash the dishes isn't something that she always sees. She finally approached him and hugged him from behind. God knows how she missed him so much. Henry continues with washing the dishes. 

"Don't worry, my Mina. I'll give all of my attention to you after I am done with this." 

"You should." Karmina hugged him tightly, afraid that she might lose him again. "Can we meet again after this night?"

"Yes, Ian and Harvey will set that up for us." 

"I want to be with you, always." 

  Henry didn't respond. He put all of the dishes on the drainer just on the side of the sink. Then, he wiped his hands and forearm. He reached his wife's hand over his stomach and turned around. He lifted her from the floor and took her to the bed. He gently lifted the shirt that she's wearing and stared at her scar. He gently kissed and pressed his ears to her chest where her heart was located. 

"Do you still love me even though your heart has changed?" Henry asked. 

"I still have our memories in my head." She smiled and held the back of his head. His familiar breathing made her finally happy. She's so happy and she doesn't know if her heart could take that euphoria. "I will never forget our love, Henry." 

  The couple makes love once again. And after that, Henry held his wife tightly while gently caressing her flawless skin. 

"Where did you go these past few years?" 

"Well, at that time. I made Harvey and Ian watch over you and Keira. I have to go to Johanna to make sure that she's safe. I recently found out that she was the Killing Machine that the Charles Empire is after. Her brother was still in that secret facility. I stalked her just to make sure that she's safe and I have to watch her for a month. I thought that they would go after her. But Jeremy Cha was only busy going after you and Keira." 

"Since both of us had already suffered poverty, I managed to raise our daughter and protect her. She didn't get to finish college…" 

"I know." Henry kissed her forehead. 

"The money might have come from you," She smiled. 

"I don't have enough resources at that time. I can't even hold our bank accounts. And just recently, our daughter~~" 

  Karmina nodded her head. 

"I had no idea where she's going. I thought that she'll only take over time from work." 

"I sent Alessandro a message on where she might be through his private investigator." 

  Karmina sighed, as her heartfelt heavy whenever she remembered it. A friend that they both trusted was a scam. 

"Don't worry, I already had someone beat him up." Henry kissed her shoulder. 

"Who? Oliver?" 

"Yes," he grinned. "You think that I'll let someone hurt our daughter like that? That's why that man couldn't come to the office for a week. His face is beaten up, also after embarrassing our daughter in the mall." 

"Oh," She pursed her lips. "You are a bad boy." 

"I will do everything for our children, Mina. It's also a good thing that our Hannah found someone… that isn't an asshole." 

  Karmina chuckled and leaned on his chest. 

"Well, your brother is kind of an asshole to Tracey." 

"I will speak to him later. Don't worry." 

"Do you know everyone in the squad?" 

"Yes, and there's my brother's ex." Henry chuckled. "He still can't get over her. I told him many times how to be a real man. But he ended up sleeping with lots of women. Now, with that girl." 

"Tracey was bitchy probably because of peer pressure but she's a sweet girl." 

"I see that she gets along with Keira. I am not surprised. Everyone around our daughter becomes her protector and friend." Henry said as he remembered how Keira always mentioned Hannah Grace every dinner and before she sleeps. He even heard his daughter calling out Hannah Grace in her dream and every time she woke up. She's just an infant at that time.

  Karmina suddenly turned to him and propped her right elbow, leaning her cheek over her hand.

"Isn't it ironic?" She asked. 

"Hmm?" Henry admired her beauty even though there's that big scar on her chest. 

"That our Hannah was the one that they are searching for somehow, our little girl got in trouble with the Charles Empire. But now, Hannah was protecting our baby?" 

  Karmina sighed as she thought that Johanna might get hurt too even though they knew how capable she is of killing twenty people. 

"I don't want her to get hurt too, Henry." 

"I know." Henry reached Karmina's face. "Jo is also our daughter." 

"Henry," Karmina reached his arm that had a tattoo of her nickname. 'Mina' "I'm scared for our daughters." 

"I know," Henry caressed Karmina's silky hair. "I am their father and so I will protect them." 

  She was still a little anxious about all of these. She only wanted their family to be complete and protected. She wanted a peaceful life with her children and her husband. Their almost perfect life shattered in a snap. 

"Don't be sad, my dear. I may fail but ~~" 

"You didn't fail." Karmina shook her head. "You gave us enough time and it's my time to protect our Keira. You are brave enough not to see us, although you were so lonely. Henry, you sacrificed a lot for this family and I will never blame you for anything." 

  He knew that one thing that she's afraid of is losing someone she loved. Isn't it what everyone was afraid of? But for Karmina, she's afraid of not seeing them anymore. She will sacrifice herself for them. She doesn't wish to see them suffer. 

"Hey," Henry called. "I am here now. And you have to take care of that heart that you have." 

"I will." Henry heard his phone beeping and so, he reached it to check the notification.