Mona looked down and suddenly thought of her mother. “Is my mother’s name Miranda Flocken?” “Yeah. Why do you ask?” Oliver reacted strongly to the name. “I haven’t heard from her ever since she left with Thaddeus’ father. I have no idea where she is or how she is doing now. Let’s just hope she’s doing well.” “You’ve never looked for her?” “Your mother left, you fell into the sea, and my business was in a mess. The loan sharks were at my door, so all I could care about was fleeing for my life. I did try looking for her, but I got nothing at all…” “Then, how did you end up here? What does Thaddeus have to do with this?” “Thaddeus got to me and helped me pay off my debt. As an exchange, I have to stay here as a patient for life.” Oliver looked around the room. Despite the luxury he was enjoying, it felt like a prison to him. “Thaddeus isn’t a philanthropist. If he paid your debt and kept you here as a prisoner, he must have a use for you. It’s just that the time isn’t righ
After leaving the psychiatric hospital, Mona drove Thaddeus’ car to the kindergarten. It was time to pick the children up. Her thoughts worried her on the way. She thought about the things her father had told her, and the more she thought about it, the more she realized how much Thaddeus had been hiding from her. Samantha was right. Only by entering the Fontaines’ lives could she learn the truth about what happened back then. It was as though she had fallen into a maze. Her current position prevented her from learning the truth, and the things she saw and heard were all fabricated lies that the man showed her, an illusion to deceive her. She gripped the wheel tightly. No matter what happened or what she learned, she had to be patient and strengthen her foundation so that she could equip herself for what was to come. A while later, Mona arrived at the kindergarten entrance in Thaddeus’ Bentley. The kids came out from the gate and saw Mona driving the expensive car. “Mommy,
Aunt May pursed her lips and then explained, “This is the rule set by Madam Fontaine. The unfinished dishes are to be thrown out on that day. Every meal has to be cooked with fresh ingredients and overnight leftovers cannot be served on the table. Otherwise, the nitrates in the leftovers will cause cancer.” Mona shook her head in disapproval. “If you know leftovers are wasteful, why did you even cook so much in the first place?” Aunt May was aggrieved. She grumbled, “That’s because the chef wants to know Millie and Bobby’s preferences.” Mona rolled her eyes and facepalmed. Her head started to hurt and if the argument continued, she would be caught in a vicious cycle. She looked at the spread of dishes. Knowing that the unfinished food would be thrown out, her heart bled. She hated wasteful behavior and there was no excuse to waste food. Making it a habit or justifying it would only affect the kids’ thoughts and set a wrong example. Mona told the kids to sit down and eat. Sh
“Why aren’t you guys eating? Is it because of me?” Mona asked. Aunt May had a feeling that Mona might get angry, so she quickly stepped in and said to the other servants, “Since Madam has given us permission, let’s eat. Make yourself comfortable.” The other servants exchanged hesitant glances as Aunt May was the first of the servants to begin eating. With her leading the way, the others lowered their guard and started to eat. Mona was happy that the servants listened to her. She looked at her kids who were eating happily. They were not affected by the crowd or angry because they were eating with the servants. Mona was relieved. The extra dishes were not wasted, and she was able to use the opportunity to educate her kids and also set a good reputation in front of the servants. She killed three birds with one stone. After dinner, Mona brought the kids upstairs to tuck them in. It was almost 10 o’clock at night. She walked into the room that she shared with Thaddeus and realiz
Mona wanted to decline the call, but she accidentally swiped to answer. No one spoke after she answered the phone, so she tossed the phone aside and slept. The man on the other end of the call did not hear the sweet voice that he expected, so he waited. However, there was still no sound from the other end. Thaddeus had a look at the screen of his phone to check if the call had connected. Mona would always say something before him, and whatever she said would depend on her mood and feelings. Sometimes she was happy, sometimes she was moody, and he was able to capture her feelings the moment he listened to her voice. He always waited for her to speak when he called her, but the woman did not speak today. “Mona?” the man spoke in his deep voice. Still no answer. A hint of nervousness sprouted in his heart. The woman had met Oliver at the psychiatric hospital earlier today. Could she have heard something that shocked her to the point that she refused to speak to him? Or w
“Thaddeus, you jerk.” Mona pouted and called Thaddeus a jerk when she looked at the phone. She thought she was dreaming. She had some wine, got drunk, and dreamt about the man who always bullied her. Thaddeus did not expect this at all. He stared at the drunken Mona on the screen with his eyes wide open. To be honest, it was his first time seeing her drunk, and it was adorable. He was more than happy to be scolded just to see her. The man stayed quiet and stared at the woman. His lips curled and his handsome face looked relaxed and happy. Mona saw Thaddeus’ smile through the phone, and it surprised her. She was even more convinced that she was dreaming. Why would the man smirk when she called him a jerk? Believing that she was dreaming, Mona got the confidence to confront Thaddeus. She put her hands on her waist and pouted as if she was a grumpy little girl. “Thaddeus, you are a jerk. You locked my father up in a psychiatric hospital for life and killed my mother. Tell me
Aunt May returned to the room with a glass of water, but Mona was already curled up like a cooked shrimp on the bed. She put the glass of water by the bed and pulled the blanket over the sleeping woman. Aunt May then grabbed the phone and left the room. “Keep an eye on her. Don’t let her simply wander around. Be mindful of her emotional changes, but let her do what she likes.” “I understand, Second Young Master. You know how Madam can be at times. I might not be able to hold her back always. When are you coming back?” “In three days.” Thaddeus then hung up the call. His trip to France was not only business-related but also for a crucial private affair. He had once promised Mona something important about the Ortegas, but it was not the same Mona at home. …Mona woke up the next morning. She sat up from the bed and stretched, feeling much more energetic than yesterday. Her mood was also lifted after a good night's sleep. The dream of her scolding Thaddeus and crying at
“Hello? What is it?” Tim’s voice entered her ear. “Are you free to meet today? I have something that I need your help on.” “Of course. Anything for you.” Even though it was through the phone, Mona could already imagine the smile on Tim’s face when he said that. “Thank you,” Mona replied politely, attempting to draw distance from the man. “I’ll tell you about it when we see each other later.” “Later? Then, you can come and find me at the hotel. I’m working here for the day,” Tim said. “Alright. I’ll call you when I reach the hotel.” Mona hung up the call and sighed a breath of relief. After a brief preparation, she grabbed her purse and went downstairs. Millie and Bobby had their school bags on and were holding hands at the entrance, waiting for Mona to come down. Mona strode to her adorable kids and held each of their hands. “Why don’t I send you two to school today?” “Yay!” Millie mimicked Mona driving the car and said, “Mommy, drive the big car, the big car!”