Mona winked mischievously and smiled cheerfully at Tim. That smiling face was as beautiful as the spring breeze.Tim was mesmerized for a moment but quickly snapped back to his senses and shook his head, saying, “No, of course, it’s on me. This hotel is mine. Who would dare ask you to pay?”The dinner started at 7 p.m. Because of the short notice, Mona did not have a formal dress prepared. Fortunately, there was still an hour left, so she asked Linda for help to get a suitable dress for the grand occasion.Linda had a spare key to her house and could enter whenever she wanted. To Mona, Linda was basically family. Although they did not meet often, their relationship would not fade with distance. She was willing to leave everything to Linda.Naturally, Linda was willing to help and went to Galaxy Bay in a hurry after getting Mona’s call. She picked out a dress in Mona’s closet that was very much to her liking.Within half an hour, Linda arrived at the banquet hall with the dress.M
“It’s hard to say.” Linda tilted her head and thought about it. “Well, these bosses are shrewd and have deep thoughts. However, I also feel strange seeing people that I would usually only see on TV. The atmosphere feels a little off too, but hey, it doesn’t matter. You have me with you, so you’ll be absolutely safe.”Linda patted her chest and assured Mona with certainty.Mona snickered. “You’re amazing.”Linda tidied up her messy hair and said confidently, “Of course. With me as your bodyguard, your safety is guaranteed. Don’t forget what I do. My reputation as a martial arts master isn’t just for show.”Mona laughed gently and took Linda’s hand, saying gratefully, “I’m really fortunate to have a sincere friend like you. I’ll rely on you to help me chase away the bad guys later.”“Leave it to me.” Linda was very forthright and pulled Mona out of the dressing room. “Let’s go. Everyone outside is waiting for you. It sounds quite lively. Let’s go get a five-star meal from the banque
Tim curled his lips coldly. He was confident, and he already had an expectation of what would happen. All he needed to do was wait for the show to start quietly...The banquet officially began at 7 p.m.People from high society dressed in gorgeous clothes weaved in and out under the bright chandelier. Gentlemen and young ladies mingled together, making a dazzling scene.Amidst the conversation, a man with a powerful aura appeared at the entrance. All eyes were drawn to him.Linda instantly saw Thaddeus standing in the doorway and quickly poked Mona beside her. She lowered her voice and asked in slight excitement, “Did you tell Thaddeus about the banquet?”Mona followed Linda’s line of sight and saw the man slowly walking over from the entrance.Unlike other male guests, he only wore a simple white shirt and a vest. It was a very simple everyday attire without any accessories, but with his height of nearly two meters and a perfect inverted triangle figure, he stood out among the g
Nodding her head, Linda responded, “That’s right. I’m only here to live off you; the catfights don’t involve me. Well, the most involved I’d be is a spectator but, Suzy, you must protect yourself, okay? You’re the star of the show today. Don’t give anybody a chance to make a fool out of you.” Linda nagged on and on. The last thing she wanted was for her best friend to get hurt. Mona looked over at Tim who was mingling around with the guests as her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. Getting an idea of what was going on in Mona’s mind, Linda nudged Mona. “Hey, what are you thinking? Be happy. You’re the star today. You’re the host of the party, so don’t let anybody show you otherwise.” Mona raised her brow and smiled faintly. It was hard to tell if she was replying to Linda or just mumbling to herself. “Am I a host today? I’m just a puppet.” That was not the point though. Most importantly, Tim baffled Mona with his course of action. Mona would simply accept her loss if sh
Mona wondered in what capacity Samantha was invited to the party. The latter was probably Victor’s plus one. Talking about Victor, he had not been staying in line after his engagement with Isabel. Victor was now a frequent face on the tabloids, and his philandering ways were the talk of the town. There was no telling what the relationship was between Victor and Samantha, but one thing was for sure – Isabel’s pregnancy proved that Victor was an expert at emotional manipulation. He influenced another man to seduce Isabel and made her abort the child of her free will. It then gave Victor the leverage to hold sway over the Grahams. Only a manipulative sc*mbag could pull off such a game plan, and that was why he got off scot-free. Mona’s mind harked back to Isabel bawling her eyes out at the hospital. Despite people trying to take some sense into her, Isabel refused to cut ties with Victor. She was willing to jump into Victor’s trap. Isabel had no one to blame but herself for puttin
That was right. The deepest secret mattered the most to Mona, and it was not something she wanted to talk about with anybody. It hurt to have that information brought to light. The pain only reminded her that she was a replacement for the real Mona. She had never met the real Mona. However, Mona was most curious about the woman who left an unerasable memory in Thaddeus. Despite her agitation, Mona would not show the emotions on her face. Her poker face revealed no weakness for the enemy to make use of. With a faint smile, Mona acted as if nothing concerned her. Displeased that she had accomplished nothing, Samantha fired up to say something more, but Linda could not stand by and watch anymore. Linda was livid as she could not stand Samantha talking down to Mona. She pulled Mona behind her and engaged with Samantha in a stand-off. Linda ran her eyes up and down Samantha as if the latter was not worth her time. The invasive staring did not sit well with Samantha. Furrowing
The last thing Mona wanted to do was face the couple. It was not as though she had anything to talk about with them anyway. Mona was better off staying away. Out of sight, out of mind. While Mona turned away to leave, Samantha grabbed Mona by the wrist. Surprised, Mona looked at her apprehended hand in dismay. “Suzy,” Samantha suddenly cried out her name. Mona was baffled. “Don’t you think we’re sisters?” The question came as a bolt out of the blue for Mona. Although she did not want to answer Samantha, Mona was curious as to what she had up her sleeve. Hence, Mona carried on with the conversation. “Sisters? I don’t know about that, but if there’s one thing I know, we’re not on good terms.” As frustration flickered in Samantha’s eyes, she looked hurt. “You hold a grudge against me, but I’ve always seen you as a sister. We’re a family after all. I was petty and did things that hurt you in the past, but I hope you won’t take those to heart,” Samantha sincerely said as h
There were some nosy people who dug up Mona’s past relationship with Thaddeus. Some said that she was his kept woman while others made her out to be a plaything in exchange for favors. There was a lot of guessing and ideas going on about Mona. Nevertheless, these chatters did not hurt Mona. She was strong enough to face public criticism. It was ugly to let anger and defensiveness get the best of her. That was not how she rolled. Nevertheless, Linda was not having it. How could she sit by and not do anything about the cocky Samantha? Raising her hand, Linda crooked her finger up at Samantha’s nose and angrily chided, “Do you think you’re all that, Samantha? You make up all the rumors in the world. You have no right to judge the person Suzy is. Watch your mouth. Don’t think for a second I don’t see through your plans, and it’s an ugly color on you.” Samantha opened her mouth and blinked her eyes. Her eyes welled up, adding to the innocent look on her face. “What are you saying,
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