The Billionaire's Contracted Wife [English]

Naomi had a smug look on her face when she entered the living room. She didn’t think what she had done was wrong, thinking of it merely as a cruel joke. She didn’t even know Tanaga was awake, but boy, was she in for a surprise. She didn’t harm anyone, so she didn’t think she was going to get in trouble.

Well, she thought wrong because Tanaga was already waiting for her. And from the way he was looking at her, she was definitely better off dead.

Naomi was sitting in front of the trio like a queen, with an evil grin procured on her face. She knew she won.

At least she thought she did until Tanaga opened his mouth.

"In regards to your husband’s company that needed financial support, you can tell your people to send proposals, and I will look into it. I will personally look into the matter, and if I see fit to salvage this company, you will get the THJ group support," he started.

Before Naomi could speak, he continued.

"However, no matter what my decision may be, you will never show your face in front of my family ever again. You are no longer my mother, and I am disowning you. " Tanaga was serious while he was speaking.

He was talking to a stranger, not the woman who gave birth to him.

"You must agree and sign the paperwork, or I will send you to jail for kidnapping. So? Which will it be?"

Naomi was at a loss for words and was unable to respond right away. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She was planning to announce her comeback when grandma Hanada passed as she planned to take over her position as the chairwoman of THJ Group, but now that Tanaga had adamantly told her that, how was she to do that? She needed to think of a way. She couldn’t let him get away with it.

What happens if Tanaga dies? Everything will go to his gold digger of a wife, Ashley, and there was no way she was letting that happen.

"I agree as long as you promise to give me your reply within a day, I don’t have much time left. The board of directors asked me to step down as the chairwoman, and they wanted to put someone else in my place. I would never let that happen. This is my husband’s legacy, and I will do everything in my power to save it even if it means I’m not your mother, or I have to stay dead." She said, looking so emotional that tears began to fall on her face.

Ashley was speechless, looking at her mother-in-law, she could tell how much she loved her deceased husband.

Thinking if she’s in Naomi’s shoes, she would probably do the same thing.

Well, maybe not to go as far as kidnapping her grandchildren, but to do everything in her power to save her husband’s legacy too.

Tanaga nodded in agreement with Naomi’s request. The place suddenly turned silent. No one spoke, until suddenly, someone’s cell phone began buzzing, and turns out it was Ashley’s phone. She excused herself and went to the kitchen to answer the call.

"Hello, mom! What’s up? Are you at the airport now?" She asked casually.

"Yes, but how much longer are you going to take to get here? Everyone’s quite hungry, and they were thinking of getting a bite to eat first before boarding. What do you think?"

"Oh, we’re almost done, but if everyone is hungry, that’s fine, you go ahead, have lunch first, and we’ll meet you whichever restaurant you all go to. Bye!"

She then hung up and returned to the living room to inform Tanaga.

The room was still silent, but Ashley decided to break the awkward tension so everyone would get a move on.

"If you’re done, we need to be on our way. Mother just called and wanted to know when we would be there," she announced while looking at Tanaga.

Tanaga got up and straightened the crease on his pants. He cleared his throat before he looked at Tanaka and spoke.

"I made an arrangement for your mother’s flight. If you want, you could always come with us. It’s time you returned to where you belong," said Tanaga calmly.

For a moment, Tanaka was stunned. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Tanaga’s willingness to accept him back to the family was shocking. He thought about it long and hard before answering. He looked at their mother and then Tanaga. After a moment, he made his decision.

"Sure, let me just make an arrangement, and I’ll be ready whenever you are," he announced before getting up to make a call.

At this, Naomi was furious.

"What? What do you mean you’re not coming back with me? I need you in the company. It’s not part of the deal that you will go back to your brother’s side. I need you!" Naomi screamed from the top of her lungs, to no avail.

===

They arrived at the restaurant at the airport an hour later. Tanaka first took Naomi to the airlines’ VIP lounge, where she’d be flying back to Europe. Once he saw her get on the plane, he then made his way to the restaurant where Tanaga and Ashley’s family had lunch.

When he arrived, he saw how everyone was happily chatting and eating together. One would think that they were all one big family. Even their butler and nannies were seated eating with their employer.

He felt a slight pain in his heart, seeing how happy they were. He wished that he was part of that family too.

While he was standing not far away debating how to approach them, Jessie saw him from the corner of his eyes and got up.

"Son, what are you waiting for. Come on, join the family. We already ordered something for you, come!" Urged Jessie as he put his arms to Tanaka’s shoulder and guided him towards where the whole family was seated.

"Everyone! Look who’s here?" Jessie called out.

Tanaga raised his head and nodded to his brother and pulled a chair next to him. A smile appeared on Tanaka’s face, and tears began to form in his eyes. Tanaga felt overwhelming joy seeing the expression on his brother’s face.

"Go!" Jessie then pushed Tanaka towards his twin brother before returning to his seat next to his wife and children.

===

Eight hours later, THJ Group’s private plane landed in George Bush Intl. Airport. Vehicles were already waiting for them to take them back home.

Tiny was with the Gusman family and the twins and their nannies. In another vehicle, Tanaga, Ashley, and Tanaka rode together with their two bodyguards.

Tanaka was given the condo in Galleria to use while everyone else went back home to the villa. Tanaga figured that he needed to have his own space and Tanaka didn’t argue. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Since it was very late and everyone was tired after a long flight, everyone went to bed as soon as they had arrived home. No one said anything about what happened in Orlando and about the kidnapping incident. They all treated it as if it never happened.

Ashley and Tanaga were also exhausted. After dropping Tanaka off at his condominium, they greeted him goodnight and returned to their home.

With the promise that they would pick him up in the morning to take him to the office. On the way back home, Tanaga and Ashley were having a conversation about the new medicine that could hopefully heal Tanaga. They also discussed grandma Hanada’s health and decided that they would stay with her in the same facility while Tanaga was undergoing the trial. After that, Ashley felt so tired that she had fallen asleep on her husband’s lap on the way home.

===

The next day, everyone was up bright and early. Fely was in the kitchen preparing their breakfast with the help of the two temporary helpers. She was in a good mood now that they were back home. She couldn’t wait to prepare the best Filipino breakfast ever.

The smell of her cooking spread all over the kitchen when Ashley came to get her daily dose of coffee.

Fely had overdone herself and had cooked a feast for everyone. She made Filipino fried rice which was topped with pressed stir fried fresh garlic and seasoned with a plethora of seasonings. She also made pork longanisa [Filipinos sausage], smoked fish, eggs, bacon, and Tapa [marinated beef].

Even the two helpers that Fely had couldn’t wait to taste her cooking. Fely was always a talented chef, and she was beyond happy that her two helpers loved her cooking, sneaking a piece of food here and there from time to time. With how much food she made, there was sure to be enough for everyone.

Once the two helpers set everything on the table, Fely gave them some food to the two.

Everyone came to have breakfast. Soon enough the dining room was filled with people eating, chatting and having the time of their lives.

Tanaga just had to express how he felt at the moment. He tapped his drinking glass with his knife. "Everyone! I just wanted to let you all know how happy I am that I’m part of this family. Thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart," he said while he raised his glass.

"Families that eat together, always stay together! Here for our family! Cheers!"

***

Chapter edited by marichat_nettenoir

If you like the edited version of this Chapter, kindly check her novel: ’The maid’s daughter’