Thaddeus brought a female companion to every business event, but they were always different people, such as models, actresses, and celebrities.Mona finished reading the news calmly and exited the app.“Linda, don’t let the children watch TV later. Thaddeus walked down the red carpet with the daughter of Neuffield’s wealthiest family today. The media is sure to cover it on the news.”When Linda heard that, she immediately picked up the remote to turn off the TV and went to Mona’s side.“Hey, did you argue with Thaddeus?”“It wasn’t an argument. We just expressed our views and fell out due to conflicts of interest.”Mona picked up a small basket with balls of yarn and knitting needles inside and began to knit hats.“What are you talking about? What conflict? Didn’t Mr. Fontaine say he wanted to get back together with you? He’s too insincere. It’s only been a few days, but he gave up on pursuing you.”“He wants to get back together, but I refused. So he got angry.”Linda gave he
“Heh. She was quite open minded to ask you to send the invitation. Isn’t she afraid of not being able to control her feelings and say something ridiculous if you met Suzy?”Victor sighed helplessly. “Linda, your temper never changes. I’m just sending an invitation. Why are you so worked up? Pass on the message for me. I’ll be waiting for her at Nine Coasts with the invitation.”Linda looked at Mona and saw her nod, agreeing to Victor.“Are you really going?”“Well, he’s already waiting at the cafe, so I have to go. Come with me. We’ll take the children as well, and go shopping together when we’re done. I’m running out of wool.”“Sure. I’ll get the kids changed.”The group went out, with Linda taking the children to the mall first. The cafe was outside, and Victor had been sitting there for a while when Mona arrived.He had been chain-smoking. The ashtray was filled with countless crushed cigarette butts.Mona sat down across from Victor and choked on the strong smell of smoke.
Victor said, “Would you believe me if I said that Thaddeus has your biological mother now?”Mona was slightly stunned. She looked at Victor warily, feeling suspicious.“How would you know that?”“Samantha told me. Her parents have been looking for your real mother, so she naturally knows some stuff.”Mona kept a straight face, but in her heart, something felt strange.She was not skeptical about this matter. However, it was peculiar how there were always people telling her that her mother was in Thaddeus’s hands.“I knew about this. A man told me.”Mona threw out this information to Victor, trying to gauge his reaction.Victor was stunned, seemingly unaware of the mysterious man.“What man? Who is he?”Mona shook her head. While she did not know who he was, it was very suspicious.“Let me meet with him someday. I can protect you.”Victor pretended to be casual and tried to close his distance with Mona. Naturally, Mona sensed what he was doing.“That’s not the point.” She k
“The last time I met Isabel was when I went to get my pay. She snubbed and provoked me, so I got annoyed and told her I would attend their engagement party with a generous gift. I was obviously being sarcastic, but I guess she took it seriously.”“I think Isabel has an ulterior motive. You should be careful.” Linda stroked her chin and thought, “Thaddeus will definitely attend Victor’s engagement party. He’ll protect you, for sure.”“We’ll see.”She and Thaddeus were ignoring each other now. He most likely would not even look at her, so she did not bother to ask him for anything.After taking the children to play in the playground for a while, Mona and Linda took them home after dinner.It was ten at night when she put the children to sleep. Mona walked to the living room with her phone and tapped on the screen with her fingers. She originally wanted to call Thaddeus but thought he might be holding a beautiful woman in his arms right now. It was better not to disturb him.She sen
“Who is this?” The man’s hoarse voice sounded and was thick with a nasal sound.Mona was just about to speak when there was a sudden thud, followed by the beeping of a busy tone.She hung up and tried to call again, but no one picked up.Mona was a little worried. What was going on with Thaddeus? Why was he unable to answer the phone?She remembered Marcus’s comment about how Thaddeus had been working while sick. His body had been overworked for a long time now.Was he so sick that he did not even have the strength to answer his phone and dropped it to the ground?The more Mona thought about it, the more worried she got. An image of Thaddeus lying alone in a large bed in his hotel room without anyone to care for him appeared in her mind.“Marcus, which hotel is Mr. Fontaine staying at?”“He’s at a hotel on Central Street. What’s wrong, Ms. Ortega?”“Got it. Send a car to take me there now.”Not long after, Marcus drove Mona to the hotel Thaddeus was staying in. The suite belo
Marcus saw her like this and could not help but feel sympathy and distress.He took off his coat to drape it on her and drove the car to Galaxy Bay....When Sherry walked into Thaddeus’s room, the lights were off. The darkness made the atmosphere very depressing.She turned the hallway light on and saw the man lying on the bed through the dim light.Thaddeus had his arm on his forehead, and several buttons on his shirt were undone. The wild and handsome feeling he gave off was almost fatal.Sherry walked over and felt the man’s temperature. She did not realize how high his temperature was until she touched him.“Thaddeus, you have a fever.”She took out her phone and was just about to call for a doctor when Thaddeus grabbed her wrist.Sherry’s gaze turned to his hand and trailed up to look at his face. She felt incredulous.He was very repulsive to her approach before.“I’m here, Thaddeus. You have a fever. I’ll take care of you.”Sherry gently patted Thaddeus’s hand and h
Sure enough, the scandal of Thaddeus and Sherry staying in the same hotel hit the headlines the next day.Mona coldly watched the news report and the high-definition photos. The reporters spun Thaddeus’s reason for being transported to the hospital as him hurting his back due to strenuous exercise.As for what exercise could be done in the middle of the night to cause that kind of injury was very thought-provoking.Mona ignored the news. The media must have exaggerated their writing, so she did not pay too much attention to this matter.It was better to save the energy for things that mattered to her. After breakfast, she sent the two children to preschool.She planned to go to the hospital to visit Grandpa Gray, but she got a call from Marcus along the way.“Ms. Ortega, are you free now? I have a favor to ask of you.”“What is it?”“Could you cook a meal for Mr. Fontaine? He’s refusing to eat anything, and I’m worried.”“Why? He doesn’t want to eat, but he’d eat my cooking?”
Due to the sound of water splashing in the bathroom, Thaddeus was unaware of the knock at the door outside.Sherry waited outside for a while, but since there was no response, she pushed open the door and walked straight in.“Thaddeus, I bought some food and snacks for you.”Sherry walked through the living room, carrying the packed food to the bedroom.She found the bed empty and unoccupied. Hearing the sound of running water from the bathroom, she called out to him.“Thaddeus, are you inside?”Sherry put down the food in her hand and walked to the bathroom door. She directly pushed the door open without knocking.“Get out!”Thaddeus’s furious yell resounded. Fortunately, he pulled a towel to cover himself up in time before Sherry entered.Sherry had never been yelled at like that before and said in displeasure, “I was just worried you might encounter something you can’t handle alone. Why are you yelling at me?”“Why didn’t you knock?”Thaddeus frowned and questioned Sherry
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