Thaddeus was a smart man. He naturally caught Mona's unspoken words.“You think too much. I told you; I know what I’m doing.” The man’s tone was flat and indifferent.Mona nodded and smiled. “That’s good.”Then, she turned and entered the venue.She might have been flattering herself by saying those words, but it was better to have things clear. She had to make a clean break from the past in order to move forward.Thaddeus sat in the car for a while. After smoking a cigarette, he took out his phone and called Raymond.“I’ve sent her back. Look after her.”Raymond heard the sullenness in Thaddeus’s voice and covered his smile. He teased, “Oh, did Mona give you the cold shoulder?”“Shut up.” A trace of annoyance flashed in the man’s eyes. “What kind of assistants did you arrange for Mona?”“They’re interns. These two young guys are quite good. They just graduated from modeling school. They’ll be able to help Mona quite a lot.”“They’ll be able to help her? Even if you wanted to
Linda enjoyed the food and looked up at Mona. “Who’s Samantha?”“Thaddeus’s fiancee.”“Huh?!” Linda finally put down the crab in her hand and turned to look.“Hey, don’t look. They’ll notice you.”“Look at her, wearing a hat and sitting in such a remote place. There must be something fishy going on. Maybe she’s making Thaddeus a cuckold.”“What’s a cuckold? Are you talking about the cuckoo bird?”Millie, who had gravy all over her mouth, raised her head to ask Linda innocently.Children’s thoughts were very simple.“Hahaha. Our little Millie is so cute.” Linda wiped her hands and pinched Millie’s chubby face. “I’m not talking about the bird, sweetie. You’ll understand when you grow up.”“Don’t teach the kids nonsense, Linda.” Mona stopped Linda. “Perhaps we’re overthinking it. Maybe they’re just ordinary friends having a meal.”“Okay, okay. I was wrong. Oh, what else do you want to eat? The lobster was good. I’ll go get some more.”After Linda stood up, Samantha’s position w
Mona’s hand tapped on the keyboard and asked Linda without raising her head.“How did you know I knew how to hack?”Linda sat across from Mona, placed both hands on her cheeks, and said adoringly, “Did you know? You backed the entire school’s system before because you were dissatisfied with the principal’s embezzlement of educational funds. You published it onto all the school’s office computers and finally got that scumbag principal arrested. It was amazing. Even now, no one knows you were the one behind it.”Mona raised her brows. “Oh? Was I really that amazing?”She lifted her eyes and looked at Linda. “Then how did you know?”“I was your deskmate. I took your USB flash drive by mistake in IT class one day and found out your secret.”“What secret?”“You’re the president of T3.”“T3? What’s that?”“It’s a very mysterious organization. It’s said to be full of computer geeks, and they profit from top-class hacking technology. Occasionally, they act like heroes to expose shady
Mona sat up straight and shifted her attention to the computer screen. Her fingers nimbly tapped out a string of code on the keyboard, and a map with a red dot flashing appeared. It was the approximate area of the anonymous who sent the email.They were in the same city as her but were quite far away. Mona barely went to that district, and she did not have any acquaintances who lived there.“Is it someone you know but forgot? Maybe the person is from before you lost your memory.”“That’s not impossible.” Mona rubbed her throbbing temples, looking slightly tired.“Forget it. It’s late, Linda. Let’s go to bed early. This can wait till tomorrow.”“Sure, and if you can’t handle it, I’m sure you could go to your neighbor for help.”Mona smiled. “Why? Tell me honestly. Are you interested in him?”Linda blushed and hastily denied it. “Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous. I’m just thinking of our safety. After all, it’d be safer with a man around.”“Then you can go knock on his door. It
“They’re your children?” Mona curled her lips and laughed coldly. “Victor Cornwell, do you think you’ve done what a biological father should do?”Victor frowned and looked at Mona in confusion. “What do you mean? Are you angry at me because of this?”“I told you, if you really think of Bobby and Millie as your own children, you should bring them home now and introduce them to your mother and everyone else as your children. Don’t come to me with your fake hypocrisy and acting.”Victor gripped his hair in annoyance.“Don’t lose your temper with me, Suzy. What do you want me to do?”“You don’t need to do anything. Just don’t appear in my life again.”A trace of panic flashed across Victor’s face. His attitude immediately became firm.“What do you mean ‘don’t appear in your life again’? How can I let you go just like that when I finally got you back after so long? Come, I’ll take you home now. We’ll talk about the children.”“How long are you going to lie to me?! Stop bugging me!”
Victor thought that Mona would give in and compromise, but her next words shocked him.“You’re not Bobby and Millie’s biological father.”Victor’s expression was stunned. He twisted his head to look at Mona’s face.She was calm without a single ripple on her expression. It was as if she was talking about the weather.“Who did you hear that from? Or are you just making it up?”Mona slowed down her speech and said word by word, “I took a strand of your hair and got a paternity test done. The truth is that you’re not related to my children at all.”Victor’s head went blank momentarily. Then, his first reaction was anger.“You didn’t believe me and went behind my back to get a paternity test done?”Mona smiled and said nothing. Her mocking smile made Victor feel ashamed.“Since you went to check, then I’ll be honest.” He rubbed the tip of his nose with his fingertips and softened his tone. “The reason why I kept it from you was that I wanted to be with you. I intended to treat the
Thaddeus rushed to the preschool and was stopped by the gatekeeper outside.“What are you doing? This is a preschool. You can’t just park your car casually. Hurry up and move out of the way. Don’t block the road.”Thaddeus got out of the car and said politely, “I’m here to pick up my children. I’ll only park here for a few minutes and leave.”The guard looked at Thaddeus but was not intimidated by the latter’s 190cm frame and strong aura.“Class is still in session. If you want to pick up your children, you need to register and ask for leave from the teacher. What class are your children in? I’ll call the teacher and ask her to come out and talk to you.”Thaddeus said, “I don’t know. Please help me check. Their names are Bobby and Millie.”The guard immediately became alert. “You don’t even know what class your children are in, and you dare to say that you’re here to pick them up? It’s clear that Bobby and Millie are just nicknames. I bet you can’t even tell me their full names.”
“Yes. Mom, there’s something I have to confess to you. I have children with Susan, so I can’t marry another woman according to your plan. I need to be responsible for these children. They’re your grandchildren too. I hope that you can accept them and Susan.”Eleanor felt like her brain exploded. She staggered back in shock from the sudden news and sat down on the sofa.Bobby and Millie exchanged looks and revealed a helpless and confused expression.Along the way, Victor had asked them if they wanted to see their grandma. He said he would take them back to the home they belonged to.Of course, the children wanted to have a happy and complete home. Thus, they happily followed Victor here.In the end, they found out that their grandma was someone they hated before. Similarly, their grandma did not like them either...Eleanor was silent for a long time. However, she was still a cultured and civilized person. She adjusted her mood and asked a maid to take the children to another hall
The couple was tired after a time of bonding, and they lay on the wicker chair, closing their eyes before slipping into dreamland. Sometime later, Thaddeus felt a chill and opened his eyes. His T-shirt was wet, and Bobby and Millie were spraying water at him with water guns. The youngest child was nearby too in her stroller. She suckled on a pacifier and watched the bustle. “Where’s your mommy?” Thaddeus shuffled his hair and looked around, searching for Mona. “Freeze, Daddy. We have held Mommy captive. Surrender yourself to us.” Acting like the boss, Millie pointed her massive water gun at her daddy. Thaddeus had indulged his eldest daughter so much that the girl would only have things her way. Nevertheless, Thaddeus played along since it was only a game. He knew his children well. Millie took after Mona and was shrewd. Still, Millie would be on her best behavior when in public. “Hurry up and surrender, Daddy. Put your hands up, and we will release Mommy.” Millie poked
It was a cooling breeze for the Summer as flowers bloomed in the garden of Fontaine Residence. Mona rested on a wicker chair under the wine arbor, holding in hand the latest issue of the weekly design magazine, with her face on the cover. In the photo, she held a trophy up on the stage of a design competition, standing out amidst the radiant background. Since the birth of her youngest, Mona took a month off for rest before picking up her passion again and returning to the world of design. Recently, she won first place in an international design competition and found fame. Mona was happy with her life and enjoyed the rich and peaceful state of things. She had time to herself for once during the weekend, so she found a quiet spot to enjoy time alone while the kids had a nap. The sunlight shone over Mona through the leaves, basking her in warmth. She let out a yawn and closed her eyes for a nap. Thaddeus walked out of the house and saw the woman enjoying the moment of bliss. The t
“Mommy, did the baby kick you today?” Millie wobbled her way over and placed her hand on Mona’s belly. She could feel the baby stirring inside her mommy’s stomach. Millie was pleasantly surprised. “The baby kicked me! Mommy, is the baby swimming inside your belly?” “Yeah. The baby is kicking.” Mona affectionately caressed her belly. The fetus had been kicking and rolling a lot more lately, so she could not get much sleep. The tall and strong man drew near and looked tenderly at Mona. His husky voice lingered in Mona’s ear. “Weren’t you craving strawberries? I placed an order, and the fruit is being airlifted here as we speak. It’ll arrive tonight.” “Yay.” Mona was gleeful. Since the beginning of her pregnancy, she had become quite fussy and craved the strangest food. She wanted caviar from Japan, cookies from France, and strawberries from the highlands. Anything she asked for would be transported fresh to the house the next day.The man had taken good care of her during her en
“No. I won’t let myself go.” The man huffed heavily after finishing his sit-ups. Then, he rolled out of bed and got changed in the walk-in closet. Mona stared at the man’s well-toned back, gasping at his body upkeep. People would probably have a hard time believing he was a father of three. With that in mind, Mona became aware of a potential threat. She got up and drew close to the man. “You’re responsible for taking care of the baby once the child is born.” Thaddeus straightened his tie. “Alright. I can do that. I want to be present in the baby’s life and your pregnancy. You should rest at home once your belly gets bigger. I’ll handle Bobby and Millie’s school run, okay?” The man pinched Mona’s face dotingly. “Now you’re talking. Are you heading out?” Mona got up on her tiptoes to brush off the dust from his shoulders. “Yeah. I need to sort out a lot of paperwork.” “I wrote down notes of the meeting I attended on your behalf a few days ago.” Mona walked out to retrieve a
Thaddeus was in the hospital for a week before he was discharged. The election day for the successor of the Fontaine Group was two weeks later, but Thaddeus had not made a full recovery in his legs. He remained in a wheelchair and persisted in his daily physiotherapy. Mona had a room freed up in Fontaine Residence for Thaddeus’ rehabilitation. A specialized doctor would come around the house every day to help Thaddeus with his recovery. Thaddeus was a strong man to fight through the pain in his physiotherapy sessions. That day, Mona watched as the workers hung a decorative painting on the wall in the hallway. She ordered paintings of her preference and had them shipped from abroad. Mona instructed the workers to put it up, not paying attention to the wobbly painting that had been hung behind her. The painting was about to hit her from the back. Thaddeus was exiting the rehabilitation room when he caught sight of the danger. Getting up from his wheelchair, Thaddeus took large stri
The few pictures of Mona and Victor at the height of a tussle gave the impression that they were having an intimate moment. Thaddeus went through the photos with a look of disdain. “So you stood there and pretended to take pictures of me to show me these? You set my wife up with another man to tell me she was cheating on me?” It was not hard to guess the game the paparazzi were playing, but who was he trying to fool? The man was dumbstruck, as it never occurred to him that Thaddeus could see through him. It had taken the three of them to come up with the idea. However, it had not taken much for Thaddeus to foil their plan. Mona let out a relieved smile. She thought that Thaddeus would be furious at the look of the pictures and had prepared herself to give a long explanation. She was surprised that Thaddeus quickly saw through the attempt to drive them apart. Their relationship was solid, and no one could come between them. Mona thought to herself with glee when she took
Mona stood in front of Thaddeus, blocking his face as she confronted the paparazzi who took their picture. “Hand over the camera!” “There’s nothing in the camera. Besides, it’s my personal property. Why should I give it to you?” “You clearly took a picture of my husband. You have some nerve to say there’s nothing.” Mona grabbed the man by the wrist and lifted her foot to kick. Thaddeus grabbed her wrist to stop her. “You’re pregnant. Think about the child.” Thaddeus pulled Mona back, leaving himself exposed to the paparazzi. “Why do you want to photograph me? Do you want to see me in a wheelchair? Take a picture then.” Thaddeus pulled a straight face. His nonchalant gaze spoke of intimidation. Dumbstruck, the paparazzi looked at Thaddeus’ legs and smiled dryly. “What happened to your legs, Mr. Fontaine?” Thaddeus did not answer. However, his dark eyes flicked chillingly as he looked murderously at the paparazzi. Even in a wheelchair, Thaddeus did not have to say anythi
With the help of the two caretakers, Thaddeus sat in the wheelchair. He had overcome his emotions and pulled himself together. His mind was clear as he sorted out what he should do next. Thaddeus called the assistant into the room and laid out the following plan. “I won’t attend any media interviews before the election, but I won’t disappear from the public eye either. I don’t want to give the press something to talk about. My wife will represent me. Going forward, whatever she says or does will be considered my own. She has the authority to attend all corporate conferences, big or small.” Mona dropped her jaw in shock. She was to attend company meetings and speak on his behalf. It was trying to make the impossible happen. On second thought, Thaddeus must have his reasons to do so. She had the confidence to do a good job anyway. The assistant took note of everything Thaddeus said. The Fontaine Group was about to choose its next leader, and with Thaddeus still in recovery, the
“It’s okay. That’s normal after surgery. The doctor gave me a heads-up. Since it’s a brain operation, you might have damage to the motor nerve. With the help of physiotherapy, you’ll be back to running in no time.” Mona consoled Thaddeus. Thaddeus lifted his hands and gave Mona a gentle push. “Leave.” Mona froze. She looked at the man who was fine a second ago, not knowing what to do. “Can you leave? I need some time alone,” Fixing his gaze on Mona, Thaddeus spoke callously. “Okay. I’ll be right outside if you need me.” It dawned on Mona why the man was persistent in driving her away. He did not want her to see him at his worst. In a way, he was trying to protect his pride and dignity as a man. However, they were a married couple. Mona would never turn her back on him. Mona could understand the man’s vulnerability and his feelings at the moment. Hence, she said nothing and quietly left the ward to give Thaddeus the time and space to sort his emotions. Instead of doing n