The more Mona was herself, the more Tim liked her. Was he stooping too low? Mona returned home and went into her bedroom to focus on studying the digital thumbprint lock. She looked at the blueprint. After some calculations and simulation experiments, she figured out a way to open the lock. When she tried it, the digital thumbprint lock opened indeed. Mona secretly cheered for herself and felt a great sense of achievement. Susan was probably a genius. How many treasures were hidden in her brain and body that even she had not uncovered? This time, Mona was not as impulsive as the last time by rushing things. Since she found the way to open the lock, why would she need to worry about rushing in? Now that she had aroused Thaddeus’ vigilance, it would be better for her to slow down the pace for the time being. As such, Mona closed the door and lay on the bed. She closed her eyes sleepily. Being in an empty room, her heart felt empty, and she remembered the dream from last night a
Mona froze, but the woman on the other end of the phone seemed more anxious than her. Without waiting for Mona to answer, the woman asked her another question. “Hi, I saw the caller ID on Thaddeus' phone and have a question for you. Is your name Mona Ortega?” Mona pursed her lips and answered casually, “Yes, that’s me.” The woman let out a confused cry when she heard Mona’s response. “Eh, that’s strange. What a coincidence. We both have the same name—-Mona Ortega.” “So, you’re Mona?” Feeling surprised, Mona suddenly felt insignificant and wanted to retreat. She felt as though she was a ghost that only existed at night, a puppet that would never be brought to light, or a substitute that was left as an alternative. Now that the real Mona Ortega appeared, her existence seemed to have become redundant and cumbersome. “Thaddeus said my name is Mona Ortega, so that’s who I am. I believe whatever he says—whatever he says.” The woman, on the other hand, spoke without a beginnin
Thaddeus shook his head helplessly and asked the woman, “Mona, don’t you remember? What exactly have you encountered all these years?” “Didn’t we come to France together? With my brother, my daddy, and my mommy? What do you mean by all these years?” After finishing, the woman looked Thaddeus in the eye. “Didn’t we just get off the plane yesterday? You wanted me to wait for you at 743 Rose Avenue while you go and pick up my brother, my daddy, and my mommy…?” Thaddeus frowned. When he heard her talking about that, he immediately pursued the matter. “Yes. What happened after? Tell me what happened after you went to Rose Avenue.” The woman was puzzled. “Then I slept all night, and you’re here to pick me up today.”“That’s strange.” She suddenly recalled something and asked, “By the way, which room is my brother in now? He still has my suitcase.” The woman let go and was about to leave the room when she was pulled back by Thaddeus. “Mona, listen to me. We’re not on vacation, an
If Mona wanted to leave, Aunt May and the butler could not stop her. She took the car keys and carried a long tube that contained the artwork. With her head held high and her chest stuck out, Mona strutted to the Bentley. Looking back, she saw Aunt May standing at the door waving at her. “Mrs. Fontaine, drive slowly and come home early.” Mona put her hand on the side of her forehead and raised it outward. She was playful yet cool at the same time. “I got it. I’ll leave it to the driver to pick up my children. I’ll be busy with work and might have to work overtime.” Aunt May, unable to do anything about it, could only stomp her feet anxiously. Not only was Mona going out, but she was also going to be home late. She could not be controlled at all. Mona drove to the studio. The opening ceremony was just around the corner, so she only wanted to focus on working. As for where Thaddeus was and who he was with at the moment, she could not be bothered to think about it. Nothing was m
Instead, Tim was like a violent bow, fully drawn and ready to attack. He was prepared to shoot in Ben’s direction at any time. “What does this have to do with you? Ben, listen, if you come across something you love but don’t dare fight for it, that’s cowardice.” Ben was startled. He was surprised to find that the familiar man in front of him had unknowingly become emotional and extreme. It seemed Tim was not as simple and pure as he once thought and had become incomprehensible. Did he change for a beloved woman? Tim was simply a fool stupidly in love. “I hope you can think and see things clearly.” Ben smiled, feeling that he had probably cared too much. He mocked himself, saying, “I don’t have a good family background like yours, but I know there are many things you can’t fight for or force just because you try. For instance, the fate between people. If you force it when you don’t have that kind of chemistry with someone, you won’t end up well.” After finishing, Ben let go
That night, Mona treated everyone to hotpot. She initially thought that Tim would not join them. After all, the noble and cool son from a rich family despised the hustle and bustle of the city. Who knew that after work, Tim still followed everyone else into the hotpot restaurant while joking and laughing with them. Mona and Tim sat across each other with hot steam between them. Mona put meatballs and vegetables into the hotpot while putting lamb and beef slices into Tim’s bowl. “I’m a woman of my word. Since you did me a great favor, I’ll treat you to a nice meal. Consider the hotpot today an appetizer. I know you might not be used to this kind of food and probably prefer steaks and wines from high-end restaurants, so I’ll treat you properly next time.” Tim held his bowl and enjoyed the food. He hurriedly shook his head in denial. “How can I not be used to this? While I was studying, I often got meals from food trucks with Ben and others.” “That’s good.” Mona smiled and l
“No idea. Who’s Mona’s husband?” The model asked Julie. “How can you not know? It’s Thaddeus Fontaine.” “What?!” The lady was shocked. “Do you mean the extremely handsome Thaddeus Fontaine?” “The CEO of Timez Entertainment and the master of Fontaine Group. Which other Thaddeus Fontaine can you think of? Is there another Thaddeus Fontaine in Worchester City?” “Oh my god. I didn’t expect Mona to be Thaddeus' wife. Is Thaddeus married? I didn’t see it on the news.” “What do you think? I heard they even have two kids.” The model was even more surprised. She opened her mouth slightly and looked at Mona, who was eating quietly. “They have kids too? I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t told me. I would’ve thought she was together with the young man across from her.” “Right? I would’ve thought the same if I didn’t know. Look at how close they are. He saved her from getting hit by the advertisement board and is even secretly looking at her with affection. I’ve been watching them
“Just what are you doing?” Marianne was quick to notice the model’s action. She put down her chopsticks and walked over to the model to snatch her phone away. “What are you secretly recording with your phone?” Marianne was the leader of the modeling team. She usually disliked how lazy Julie and her friend were. They normally argued a lot, so it just so happened to be time for her to vent her dissatisfaction. “Hey, why are you so rude? That’s my phone. Who are you to take my phone away?” “I suspect that you were secretly filming others.” Marianne looked down and glanced at the phone. Sure enough, there was a video of Mona and Tim talking and laughing while eating. She looked at the model and questioned coldly, “Is this not it? Why did you record this?” “That’s not true. I was only taking a short video to post on my social media.” “Then why did you only record the two of them? Do you think it’s fun? You’re violating their privacy.” “Nonsense. We’re in public. What privacy
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