  &quot;Thank you for this wonderful dinner,&quot; Michael said to Cristina before turning to thank Stephen.
  Cristina smiled and waved his thanks off. She stood up to clear the dishes while Michael and Stephen moved to the living room to continue their business talk. After a while, Cristina joined them.
  &quot;Michael, she called. How are the ladies?&quot;
  &quot;They are fine,&quot;
  &quot;You have taken a break from the news since Anabel.&quot; 
  &quot;Been busy,&quot; Michael said smiling. There hasn t been news of him and any mistresses since Anabel. But it was because he had been busy with work.
  &quot;Hmmm. So, is there any particular one I should know of?&quot;
  Michael opened his mouth as if to say something, then shut it abruptly. He had been about to say, Mitchell.
  &quot;None.&quot; He finally said
  &quot;None?&quot; Cristina asked, narrowing her look. &quot;Why do I

  In a few seconds, he was back with a first aid box in hand.
  &quot;Let me see,&quot; He ordered. 
  The housekeeper shakily extended her hand to him. For the next few minutes, Michael busies himself tending to her cut and bruises
  &quot;All done now,&quot; he said standing up. You should be careful next time.
  &quot;Thank you, sir,&quot; she said, not looking at him. She hurriedly leaves to sweep up the glasses.
  Michael picked up the first aid box and left the room. The housekeeper had been scared of him, that she was willing to ignore her bleeding cut and continue with her work. On a normal day, Michael could have yelled at her, regardless of the fear she d shown but he hadn t.
   &quot;He had stopped.&quot; He corrected
  Something had stopped him right before the angry words left his mouth, even though his first reaction had been to chastise her, scowl at her, and he was alread

  But his mother had. She had given him up at birth, never looking back.
  Never coming back.
  Michael knew he had done well for himself, perhaps he couldn t have done this better if he had both parents. 
  He looked into Bryan smiling brown eyes and a knot tightened inside of him. He felt something missing inside of him, like a void waiting to be filled but he had decided a long time ago never to have children of his own because he can t stand it if their mother chooses to leave.
   Just like his mother had...
  That was why he made sure he used protection always with his mistresses, no matter how safe they d insisted they were. He always did. He can t stand the thought of unknowingly fathering a child and abandoning him or her or not knowing about the child. Soon he d be going for a vasectomy, that way he d be certain he can t father a child. 
  Ever.
   	&quot;Look at how cozy he is 

&quot;Thank you for this wonderful dinner,&quot; Michael said to Cristina before turning to thank Stephen.
  Cristina smiled and waved his thanks off. She stood up to clear the dishes while Michael and Stephen moved to the living room to continue their business talk. After a while, Cristina joined them.
  &quot;Michael, she called. How are the ladies?&quot;
  &quot;They are fine,&quot;
  &quot;You have taken a break from the news since Anabel.&quot; 
  &quot;Been busy,&quot; Michael said smiling. There hasn t been news of him and any mistresses since Anabel. But it was because he had been busy with work.
  &quot;Hmmm. So, is there any particular one I should know of?&quot;
  Michael opened his mouth as if to say something, then shut it abruptly. He had been about to say, Mitchell.
  &quot;None.&quot; He finally said
  &quot;None?&quot; Cristina asked, narrowing her look. &quot;Why do I get the impression that you just lied?&quot;
  &quot;I don t know,&quot; Michael said, joki

Chapter 34