I'M AN ILLEGITIMATE CHILD

"Mom, am I an illegitimate child?"

Kartika was silent, she stopped the movement of her hand that was applying medicine to the Princess's wound.

"Who said that? Your friends again, Dania?"asked Kartika.

Dania nodded with a tearful face. Oh, My God ... Kartika really can't speak anymore. SHe didn't know how to explain everything to her little daughter. Since Dania was born, she has worked hard. There was nothing she could do but work for Sania.

Never does he try to work normally. But, the condition forced her back again to Sania.

"I'm Sorry, Dania. Don't listen to your friends anymore, yeah. Go back to school and don't play anymore. You better just study so you get good grades, okay?"

"Got It, Mom."

"Good, now take a shower and change clothes and then eat first."

The little girl nodded, with a limped step she stepped towards the bathroom. Kartika is still in her place.

She put one hand to her chest. It was very painful, there was a wound holding up there.

'If only you never sold me, Mom. I'm certainly a useful person now. Not to be a prostitute, ' batin Kartika.

The woman looked at her face in the mirror. She still looks pretty. She just turned 28 years old. Kartika sighed deeply and exhaled slowly. 'Maybe it's time for me to look for Rivan and say about Dania's existence,' batin Kartika.

***

It was not difficult for Sania to bring Rivan and Kartika together. Hearing that the woman he had been looking for was not far from him, Rivan immediately met Kartika.

"Where is my daughter, Kartika? How dare you leave without saying goodbye to our daughter!" said Rivan.

"That's because I don't want to make Miss. Salsa disappointed. Anyway, I'm just an escape, Sir."

"Why do you want to meet now?"Rivan asked with a sparkling eye.

"Dania wants to meet her father," Kartika replied briefly while embracing Dania.

"Dania, this is Daddy," Rivan said without hesitation. Seeing Dania's face that closely resembled her made Rivan firmly believe that Dania was indeed her flesh and blood.

Dania who had just met with Rivan certainly felt confused.

"Mom, who is that? Why claim to be Dania's father?" she asked.

Kartika shook her head slowly.

"Kartika, please tell her that I am his daddy," Rivan pleaded.

"Yes, Dania. That's your dad, " Kartika replied softly.

Dania immediately burst into Rivan's arms. Seeing that Kartika felt moved. For ten years, she has been raising Dania without a husband.

"I'm sorry Dania. I never came to see you, Dania, " Rivan said, hugging Dania tightly

"The important thing is now that you have come. Dania is so glad you want to come here."

Rivan hugged Dania tightly and kissed her daughter longingly.

**

"Why are you leaving me?" asked Rivan. Currently, he and Kartika are in a luxury restaurant in the Lembang area. Rivan deliberately brought Kartika and Dania there because he wanted to give attention to the child he had never met for ten years.

"I don't want you to force me to lose my body. I might have been desperate at the time, but I was sure that what I was doing was the best. I love you. So, how can I lose the fruit of my love that is in my womb? And I never regretted giving birth to Dania. She can grow up and also be a good and diligent child."

Rivan let out a deep breath, he smiled when he saw his daughter eating voraciously without a sound. How to eat was so neat, Kartika educated her daughter well.

"Is your report Good?"Rivan asked Dania.

Dania hurriedly emptied her mouth full of food before answering Rivan's question. "Yes, Dad. I ranked third. But, now it's not the school holidays. Because you still have to take additional lessons."

"Who taught you to learn?"

"Dania taught herself, Dad. But, if anyone does not understand Dania asked Mom. It's usually the mother who teaches Dania."

Rivan held the tightness in his chest. Kartika, who works hard to slam bones, can still teach Dania to learn. It is much different with Salsa, even though all the needs he has met.

"I'm going to buy a small house near here. You don't have to work nights anymore. I'll talk to Mrs. Sania. I'll send money every month to you and Dania. Every two weeks I will come. For a while, I'll marry you, Siri, how?"

Kartika let out a deep breath.

"I'm not an actor. I don't want to be the third person in your household and Ms. Salsa."

"It's all for Dania, Kartika. It's been enough of your stubbornness for these ten years," Rivan said.

"How good it is then, Sir. I don't have a choice, do I?"

"I'll find a house then. My men will help you as well as keep your whereabouts a secret from my family."

Ah, Kartika's chest felt cramped for a moment. But, so be it, it would be better if her whereabouts were kept secret from everyone. What is important, Dania can be happy to meet her father.

**

Kartika and Rivan finally got married witnessed by the closest people. Rivan bought a house not too far from Dania's school. sHe gave Kartika capital to open a grocery store in front of the House. Kartika's reason for her to have activities is that Rivan forbade her to work as a lady's escort again.

For almost two weeks Rivan was at Kartika's House. Rivan told his wife that he had business out of town.

"In two weeks I will come. You and Dania are fine, yeah."

"Oke. Be careful on the road, do not speed."

"Later, I'll buy Dania a new phone so we can communicate."

"No, Honey. The price is expensive, " Kartika refused. However, Rivan only smiled while stroking Kartika's hair.

"You, Dania, are my daughter, too."

Rivan kissed Kartika's forehead and hugged Dania tightly.

"I have to go to work first, oke. In two weeks, I will be home. Studying hard, yes. Don't forget to help Mom."

"Yes, Dad. Dania will remember your's message."

Don't ask how Salsa looks when Rivan comes home. But, Rivan didn't care at all. He walked past his first wife and went straight into her room.

"You've been away for two weeks. And your phone's dead. No news at all. You're really out of line!"

"Why? Are you worried or are you out of money?"Rivan quipped.

Salsa was silent, all this time where ever she worried and worried about Rivan. She never asked if her husband had eaten or not. All she knew was asking for money.

Rivan only snorted looking at Salsa's flushed face. But, he was satisfied. Sometimes his wife should be taught a lesson.

"Saskia needs new shoes and school bags. She also needs to buy new books and school equipment."

"The bag is still good, after all, yesterday's values were not satisfactory. No need to buy new!"

Salsa looked at Rivan sharply. She has been upset to see her husband's attitude over the past few months.

"Why Are you? These few months are stingy. I suspect you have other women out there," Salsa said with her eyes twitching and piercing gaze.

Rivan who was sitting reading the newspaper immediately slammed the newspaper he was holding onto the table with indignation.

"I'm not stingy! But, I'm educating my family so that you and your spoiled child know how to value money and also want to fight!"

"You Mean?"

"Teach Saskia, if she wants something fight first. Want a new bag and shoes, which means that he must be able to get good grades so that he can get what he wants! Do not get used to spoiled!" stressed Rivan.

Salsa was surprised to hear her husband's words.

"All this time, every new school year, we always buy Saskia new items, what will her friends say?"

Rivan was inflamed instantly when he heard Salsa's answer.

"No matter what people say, Salsa! Did they feed you all this time? I said No Yes No! Do not try to buy with your money also by asking your parents or my parents!"

Rivan immediately grabbed the keys to his car and immediately got out of the House. He doesn't feel at home anymore with this condition. Although it is not yet time for him to visit Kartika and Dania, Rivan decides to go home to Kartika. He missed his second wife and daughter.

Kartika who was busy cooking for dinner was shocked when she heard Dania exclaim happily welcoming Rivan's arrival. He hurried off the stove and walked into the vestibule.

"Hai, Honey. How come? Isn't it still a few days?"Kartika asked in amazement while kissing the back of Rivan's hand.

Rivan only smiled, while kissing Kartika's forehead gently. Whenever he was around his daughter and his second wife, he always felt comfortable and happy. If only he had never married Salsa.

"Do you stay overnight, right?" asked Dania. The girl was most happy when her father came. Rivan himself felt happy every time he came. No spoiled whining asks for such and such. There were no strange requests or shouts.

Kartika always served Rivan well as a wife. It is different from Salsa and Saskia. Every time he came home they would be busy asking for this and that without giving him a break to rest.

"Are you hungry? Soon my cooking is ready, better take a bath first, after the bath we eat together. Do I have warm water?