Thaddeus told her he needed a wife, and if she agreed to be his secret wife for a few years, he would give her a lot of money when the marriage ended. His only condition was to listen to him and never interfere with his life. She agreed without a second thought when she heard ‘a lot of money’. Thaddeus kept her in the mansion and gave her a name— Mona Ortega. She knew very well that she was his mistress, and no man liked a mistress with children. So, she hid the fact that she had given birth before. That night, when she gave him her body, Thaddeus was actually mad that she was not a virgin. The man had severe OCD. He tossed her into the bathtub and washed and scrubbed her countless times until it chafed her skin. In the end, he gave her fifty thousand and left. She was physically in a lot of pain, but she was happy. She could not even make fifty thousand in a year. She used the money to buy her children milk powder and insulin shots. She even got them a caretaker. M
She walked to the balcony to move away from her children. “I’m at dinner with my friends.” “Which friends?” Mona licked her lips. “You don’t know them.” “I want to see you in twenty minutes.” “What’s the matter? I wanted to…” Mona actually wanted to stay home to accompany the kids. The man lost his patience. He added a hint of anger in his tone when he said, “I’ve signed the papers. Come and get them.” “Oh, okay. I’ll be there soon.” There was no excuse for her not to be there now. She hung up the phone and returned to her room to get changed. Bobby knew his mother had dressed for an outing. She even had a beautiful red dress on. The boy squinted and said, “Mommy, are you going out?” “Yes, baby. I’m going to a gathering. I’ll be back later. The babysitter will be here soon.” “Will you be home to tuck us in?” Millie asked with a longing gaze. Mona was aware of her kids’ gaze and did not have the heart to disappoint them. “I will. Be good, Millie.” It woul
Mona looked disheartened. Her eyes slightly flickered before saying, “I… I don’t know.” The man scoffed. He landed a kiss on her lips. “You really are careless.” Mona’s shoulder trembled lightly. All she wanted was for this to end quickly. She tried her best to go along with his pace. After a rough round of sex, she returned to the bedroom and saw him signing his name on the divorce papers. The sharpest pen strokes resembled his personality perfectly— ruthless and decisive. After Thaddeus signed the papers, he tossed them into his drawer. He covered his pen and then looked at her. “We’ll settle the remaining procedures after my grandfather’s birthday.” Mona counted with her fingers. There were two more weeks until Thaddeus's grandfather’s birthday. It would be over before she knew it. “Then I’ll be leaving. These are the keys to the house.” Thaddeus ignored her and headed to the mini bar to get himself a glass of wine. Mona put the keys down quietly and headed d
While Mona was trying to suppress her nervousness, the agent came over. “The ambassador is here. Girls, please prepare backstage. The show will start soon.” Mona and the girls went out of the resting area and headed backstage. Marianne was fixing her makeup backstage. When the group of models came in, she pointed at Mona and whispered to her assistant. The assistant nodded and went to Mona. “Ms. Colister has something to talk to you about. Please come over here.” Mona gulped nervously. There were many other girls in the same outfit and face paint yet Marianne picked her out of the bunch? “Do you know Thaddeus?” Marianne sized Mona up from top to bottom with brazen hostility. Mona shook her head. “I don’t.” “Then why was he looking at you?” Mona wanted to ridicule her, but she held back the urge. Why would Marianne question her when it was Thaddeus who looked at her with his own eyes and free will? She innocently shook her head and said, “Mr. Fontaine look at me?
Mona could not grasp the man’s thoughts at the moment. Did he just offer her to be his mistress or sex partner after the divorce? She looked down and kept her emotions at bay. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. After all, you’re busy and can’t possibly have sex with me every day.” Thaddeus was slightly taken aback by her answer. The layer of frost in his eyes grew thicker. He spew a single word out of his gritted teeth. “Disgraceful.” Disgraceful? Was it not disgraceful being his mistress or sex partner? Mona was not in an arguing mood. She had to pick up her kids from kindergarten. She stared at her feet in silence for a while, and when she looked up once more, the man had already left. She walked into the toilet to wash the paint off her face. She then glanced at her watch and noticed there was half an hour left before her kids finished kindergarten. When she returned to the venue, she was startled by a sudden scream. There were a large number of fans at the entra
There was no warmth in the man’s narrowed eyes. His lips curled into a ridiculing arc and said, “What do you think?” Mona smiled gently. “I couldn’t have possibly guessed your thoughts, Mr. Thaddeus Fontaine.” She had no idea what drove her to ask the question. Maybe she was afraid that he would delay the divorce and the alimony, and kept her as his free sex toy. The man coldly glanced at Mona. His eyes were as deep as the abyss. He left without answering her question. Mona sighed a breath of relief. It seemed like she was overthinking. She was not the only one who wanted to end this relationship. Thaddeus got into the elevator. When it reached the first floor, he bumped into a girl. The girl, Millie, immediately hid behind her brother and popped her head over his shoulder, staring at the man with a horrified gaze. Bobby stood in front of Millie and looked up at the man boldly. “I’m sorry that my sister bumped into you, Mister.” Thaddeus smiled at them. “Where are y
Thaddeus did not expect to see the little girl again after meeting her at the hospital yesterday. He squatted down and explained patiently, “This is a vending machine. You have to put coins or notes inside to get the candy.” Millie’s eyes glistened. She reached toward the bunny purse in her pocket. “Mister, I have money! Mommy makes a lot of money for me!” The girl’s adorable voice instantly cheered him up, putting a smile on his face. Her facial features resembled Mona, especially when she smiled. Millie reached into her purse and grabbed two one-dollar coins. “Mister, how many candies do you think I can get with this?” Thaddeus looked at the vending machine. “You can get two lollipops with two dollars.” “Great. I’ll get one for Bobby and one for myself.” Then, Millie turned around and tried to put the coin into the slot. However, she was too short to reach it, even when she tiptoed and stretched her arm. She got so anxious that her eyes started to water. Thadd
Mona’s heart clenched. She was afraid that the man would go in to speak with Peter, and the secret about her twins would be exposed. Fortunately, Thaddeus did not go in. He simply looked at her indifferently and said, “Found yourself a man already? You’re quite the favorable choice, I see.” Mona secretly sighed a breath of relief when she learned that Thaddeus did not suspect anything else other than a date. She immediately switched the topic and asked, “Mr. Fontaine, your girlfriend would be unhappy you left her in the car all alone for so long.” Thaddeus turned to the car and casually glanced over at Marianne in the passenger seat. The woman was watching with gritted teeth, as if she was going to hunt Mona down and eat her alive. The man retracted his gaze and said to Mona, “I’m going on a business trip for two weeks. Call me if anything.” “I understand. I’ll try my best not to bother you or cause any trouble.” Mona then fled the scene as quickly as possible. Thadde
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