The storekeeper nodded and went to take what he asked for. A while later, she returned with two boxes of morning-after pills. โWe have two brands. Which one do you want?โ Thaddeus glanced at the names on the boxes, but his brows furrowed. โIโm not looking for morning-after pills.โ The storekeeper was confused. โYou said pills for women after s*x. This is it. If not, what else do you want?โ Thaddeus said with a blank look, โPainkillers. Those that can ease swelling.โ The storekeeper was surprised. If it were not for the dim lighting, Thaddeus would have seen the blush on her face. โOh, I got it. Hold on.โ The storekeeper came back with a tube of cream. She was too embarrassed to look Thaddeus in the eye. She said softly, โWill this work?โ Thaddeus looked through the contents before he nodded and paid for it. He then drove back to the house. He changed into the house slippers but did not bother to take off his jacket and quickly strode back to Monaโs room. The bathr
Mona pulled the blanket over her face. โGo away. I want to sleep.โ Thaddeus put the cream beside the bed. He then pocketed his hands but did not leave. He stood by the bed and stared at the woman hiding under the blanket who refused to talk to him. โMona Ortega,โ the man called her full name in a rather strict tone. His tone calmed the woman down. She was all ears to what he had to say. โIโm sorry.โ His apology sounded soft. So soft that Mona thought she had heard him wrongly. It quickly disappeared into the air as if he had not spoken a word. The man wore a stiff expression. His eyes narrowed, fixating on the bulging blanket. โMona, listen closely. Iโm apologizing to you with my deepest sincerity. Iโm sorry for what I have done in the past to hurt you and ruin our relationship. Iโm sorry.โ The man finally raised his voice loud enough to blast every word into her ears, even though she was under the blanket. The atmosphere in the room became strangely quiet. Thadde
Mona glared fiercely at Thaddeus. He was right. In the past, she was never affected by whatever he did. No matter how many headlines his name was on or scandals he had with women, she was never really attached to him emotionally. Hence, the flat reaction. Now, she did not even know what caused her to react to everything he did. She was so bothered by his deceptive and elusive side. Even though she knew he must have a solid reason behind it and was capable enough to make the best arrangement for everything, she could not accept him for being dishonest with her. After a broken marriage, the trust between them shattered like a mirror. How could she trust him anymore? Liking each other was easy, but building trust was difficult. It was even more so when trying to repair broken trust. โThaddeus, you donโt understand. You always see things from your perspective, high up in that kingdom of yours. You always look at me from a condescending angle, and that sincerity and guilt of y
Stunned, Monaโs eyes widened at the man. What did he just call her? Precious? How cringy! It sounded amusing when something so cringy came out of the manโs mouth. She looked at the man on his knees and said, โGet up.โ Thaddeus asked, โWhy? Are you feeling better already?โ Mona bit her lip in frustration. She sat down on the carpet and looked into his eyes.โYouโre not mad?โ โAs I said, if it makes you feel better, Iโll do anything,โ Thaddeus said as his eyes fixated on her delicate face, trying to capture every expression on her. To be honest, the man did everything he could think of to make the woman feel better. The slap was actually his last resort. If he still could not make her feel better, he was out of ideas. โYeah. I feel better,โ Mona looked down at the hand she used to slap Thaddeus. Slapping Thaddeus in the face might be the proudest achievement in her life.โGreat. Now get some rest. Weโll talk tomorrow morning.โThaddeus got up and carried Mona onto th
Mona exercised her arm to exert dominance. Slapping the man earlier granted her a boost of confidence. Thaddeus smiled. He nodded as he tried to hold his laughter back. โYes, madam.โ โSleep!โ Mona covered her mouth and yawned. Then, she returned to the bed, crashed onto her pillow, and fell asleep. Thaddeus could hear her breathing calming down. Through the moonโs brilliance, he looked at the womanโs back, and a strange feeling aroused in his heart. If he could stop time, this would be the perfect moment for him to do so. He could watch her sleep, accompany her, and protect her without her resistance. The moon shed its brilliance into his eyes, adding a glint of glimmer to that deep gaze. She was the only woman for him, and he swore never to hurt her again. โฆThe alarm clock rang at 7 am sharp. Mona instinctively reached out to turn the alarm off but instead touched something that felt like human skin. She opened her eyes. To her surprise, she and Thaddeus were h
Millie tilted her head, seemingly confused. โThen, what is bias?โ Mona freed herself from Thaddeusโ embrace and took the comb and scrunchies away from him. โYouโd better explain it properly,โ she said. The girl was at the most curious stage in her life. The urge to know more was at its strongest. She opened her eyes every day and tried to answer every question that popped into her mind. Thaddeus patted the girlโs head affectionately. He explained patiently, โBias means that Daddy only loves Mommy and will only think about her, not anyone else.โ Monaโs eyes flickered. She glanced at Thaddeus and found it difficult to believe what he said. After braiding the girlโs hair, Mona carried the girl off the bed and went into the bathroom. The father and daughter conversation continued outside. Mona started up her electric toothbrush and listened to the girlโs meek voice outside the bathroom door. โDaddy, what is pamper?โ Thaddeus pondered. He answered, โPamper is the way I l
Mona patted Bobbyโs head and intentionally avoided the question. Bobby looked annoyed. He tidied his hair that his mother had tousled, and grumbled, โMommy, you messed up my hair!โ Mona squinted. She looked at her sonโs gelled hair and his handsome jacket. He looked like a tiny fashion model, which surprised her. Knowing something was off, she asked, โYouโve been looking strange lately. Since when do you care so much about your looks?โ Bobby shoved two pieces of bread into his mouth, causing his cheeks to puff up. There was a dash of embarrassment on his expression. He answered vaguely, โNothing in particular. I just want to change my usual image.โ He then concentrated on eating his sandwich. Mona did not delve into the question as she knew the boy would not answer her. Pressing on the topic would only annoy him, so it was important to not startle him now. Thaddeus then came down with Millie to have breakfast. Seeing that Bobby had completed his tasks, he patted the boy
Mona recollected her thoughts. She went back to the table to clean up. A while later, the helper came to clean the house. Mona then prepared to leave for the hospital to visit Grandpa Gray. Right before she left, the helper came running with a piece of paper in her hand. โMadam, you have a note in your pants pocket. Thereโs something written on it. Is it important?โ Mona took it. The piece of note had an address of a hospital on it. She had gotten this note from the mysterious man who claimed to be her fatherโs old friend. He wanted her to search for her mother at this particular hospital in case she found something. โOh, thank you. Iโll take that.โ Mona took the note and stuffed it into her purse before she left the house. She hesitated whether to go or not as she walked out, but when she arrived at the front gate, she decided to go and have a look since there was nothing to lose. She got into a taxi and told the driver the address of the hospital. The taxi brought
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. โWhereโs your mommy?โ Thaddeus shuffled his hair and looked around, searching for Mona. โFreeze, Daddy. We have held Mommy captive. Surrender yourself to us.โ 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. โHurry up and surrender, Daddy. Put your hands up, and we will release Mommy.โ 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
โMommy, did the baby kick you today?โ Millie wobbled her way over and placed her hand on Monaโs belly. She could feel the baby stirring inside her mommyโs stomach. Millie was pleasantly surprised. โThe baby kicked me! Mommy, is the baby swimming inside your belly?โ โYeah. The baby is kicking.โ 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 Monaโs ear. โWerenโt you craving strawberries? I placed an order, and the fruit is being airlifted here as we speak. Itโll arrive tonight.โ โYay.โ 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
โNo. I wonโt let myself go.โ 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 manโs 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. โYouโre responsible for taking care of the baby once the child is born.โ Thaddeus straightened his tie. โAlright. I can do that. I want to be present in the babyโs life and your pregnancy. You should rest at home once your belly gets bigger. Iโll handle Bobby and Millieโs school run, okay?โ The man pinched Monaโs face dotingly. โNow youโre talking. Are you heading out?โ Mona got up on her tiptoes to brush off the dust from his shoulders. โYeah. I need to sort out a lot of paperwork.โ โI wrote down notes of the meeting I attended on your behalf a few days ago.โ 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 Thaddeusโ 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. โSo 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?โ 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. โHand over the camera!โ โThereโs nothing in the camera. Besides, itโs my personal property. Why should I give it to you?โ โYou clearly took a picture of my husband. You have some nerve to say thereโs nothing.โ Mona grabbed the man by the wrist and lifted her foot to kick. Thaddeus grabbed her wrist to stop her. โYouโre pregnant. Think about the child.โ Thaddeus pulled Mona back, leaving himself exposed to the paparazzi. โWhy do you want to photograph me? Do you want to see me in a wheelchair? Take a picture then.โ Thaddeus pulled a straight face. His nonchalant gaze spoke of intimidation. Dumbstruck, the paparazzi looked at Thaddeusโ legs and smiled dryly. โWhat happened to your legs, Mr. Fontaine?โ 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. โI wonโt attend any media interviews before the election, but I wonโt disappear from the public eye either. I donโt 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.โ 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
โItโs okay. Thatโs normal after surgery. The doctor gave me a heads-up. Since itโs a brain operation, you might have damage to the motor nerve. With the help of physiotherapy, youโll be back to running in no time.โ Mona consoled Thaddeus. Thaddeus lifted his hands and gave Mona a gentle push. โLeave.โ Mona froze. She looked at the man who was fine a second ago, not knowing what to do. โCan you leave? I need some time alone,โ Fixing his gaze on Mona, Thaddeus spoke callously. โOkay. Iโll be right outside if you need me.โ 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 manโs 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