Page 94 of The Billionaire's Timed Wife

“No one between us. No one but us,” I declare, taking her mouth.

Chapter 43

Three Weeks Later

It’s been about ten days since my mother started her chemotherapy sessions.

She and the German specialist seem to get along very well—perhaps a little too well, though I don’t want to speculate.

“How are you feeling today, Mom?”

“The day after is always worse, but Konrad said I’m responding well to the treatment. We’ll only know for sure after the next exams.”

Konrad, notDoctorKonrad.

I suppress a smile, remembering how protective he’s been with her.

She told him about the scorpion incident, though I’m not sure if she mentioned her troubles with my father. Either way, the German doctor has become her shadow, following her everywhere through the palace.

“When will you have your exam?” she asks.

“It’s scheduled for next week. Jazmina will come with me.”

“Promise me you’ll always take your health seriously. I’ll pray every day that you never have to go through this, but we can’t ignore that breast cancer carries a hereditary risk.”

I nod, though the topic makes me uneasy.

“Please, don’t make that face. Every woman feels uncomfortable getting a mammogram. It’s like living with a sword hanging over your head until the results come out.”

“It was such luck that your tumor was found early. I mean, you didn’t have health insurance, and Kaled explained how bad things are in the U.S. if you can’t afford one.”

“They are, indeed. Practically a death sentence. If you don’t die from the illness, you die after seeing the hospital bill.”

Once again, I’m amazed at how she manages to handle something so serious with such lightness.

“There was a businessman whose wife died of breast cancer,” she continues. “Once a year, he would set up a mobile clinic in his company’s parking lot for preliminary screenings. If anything suspicious was found, he paid for the mammogram. There were only a limited number of slots, but I never skipped a year. I would almost sleep in line to make sure I got examined.”

“That man must be extraordinary. I mean, he couldn’t pay for everyone’s treatment, of course, but in your case, the early diagnosis saved your life.”

“My life was saved by your husband, dear. A diagnosis without proper treatment wouldn’t have helped much. You have a good man in your home.”

Ten days later

“Are you sure about this? If it’s only because the course you want doesn’t exist in our country yet, you should know your brother is planning to build at least five universities in the next two years.”

“I know. He told me that too,” she says thoughtfully. “I just thought you’d support me.”

“You know I will, as long as you’re not trying to hurt yourself, which you’re not. I just worry about you living alone in England.”

“You’ve always known this was my plan,” Jazmina replies.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t believe your brother will let you go without setting a dozen rules first.”

“You know him too well,” she laughs. “Of course, he’ll assign bodyguards and probably get daily reports, but that’s still better than feeling trapped here forever.”

“Is that how you feel? Trapped?”

“Yes. We’ve always been different, and you know that. Don’t get me wrong, I love my country, but there’s an entire world out there waiting to be discovered.”