She invested a lot in the man, even her life. The man admired her confident and timid self. The smile on her face as she sipped on the glass of wine melted his heart. Dinner was at its end when both of them were full. Mona took the glass and drained the wine inside. Her cheeks, blush-stained; her eyes narrowed as she stared at the man opposite her. There were three of him in front of her. She must be drunk. When Thaddeus noticed Mona’s concentration fading, he took his jacket off and put it on her shoulder. He whispered softly into her ear, “You’re drunk. Let’s go home.” Mona felt tipsy. She grabbed her purse from the side and reached inside for a card. She waved it in front of Thaddeus and said, “Pay with my card.” Mona might be generous with dinner, but her heart was bleeding knowing that the dinner would cost her at least four figures. Thaddeus stroked her pink cheeks, looking worried. “Keep the card. How much did you drink? Why are you so drunk?” Mona shov
“How did my mother die?” Thaddeus was not surprised by the question at all. The woman had broken into his study room a while ago. It was almost impossible for her not to see the death certificate. Since he simply put the death certificate in the drawer, he never planned to keep it a secret forever. He knew she would ask or find out sooner or later and just did not want her to face the problem herself. His disheartened gaze veiled his feelings from her. He explained, “It was an accident. I told you you need not know so much about that woman.” Mona was disappointed by the man’s frosty reply. The man was cold-hearted. How could she not ask about her own biological mother? Mona stood up from the swing and stood in front of Thaddeus. “That’s my mother you’re talking about. As her daughter, do I not have the right to know the details? At least tell me the truth.” Thaddeus scoffed. “Your mother never cared about you since she gave birth to you. Her marriage with your fathe
The man’s intimidating aura drowned Mona. She shuddered and leaned back against the door. “Yes, I met Victor, but I don’t know about the thumb drive you’re talking about.” Why must she explain herself? There was nothing between her and Victor or Tim. “That is why I’m reminding you to stay away from the two of them! Once is more than enough. If you do it again, you will have to be responsible for what you have done.” Thaddeus found the woman unreasonable. She had always been careless and naive, and her stubbornness was the worst. He suppressed his anger after that last sentence and continued driving home. He stepped on the acceleration pedal and sped faster than usual. Mona side-eyed the man. Her mood was ruined by the man’s crazy outburst of anger. Fortunately, it was not her problem if the man’s anger ruined his health. Mona retracted her gaze and leaned backward. She had drunk a lot tonight. Her head was heavy, and she was troubled by many scattered thoughts. She wo
Mona sighed a breath of relief. She tiptoed to the bed and laid down beside him. She switched off the lamp next to the bed and turned away from Thaddeus, showing her back to him. Then, a strong and warm palm was placed on her waist, holding her in with just the right strength. A deep and soft voice tickled her ear. “Mona…” Chills ran down Mona’s spine. She had never felt so strange hearing her own name. Not only her name but even the man’s tone was unusual. It was like he was calling someone else with the same name. She opened her eyes in the dark. The anger in her boiled, and she could no longer hold it back. She bolted up all of a sudden. Thaddeus was half asleep when Mona sat up. The thoughts in his mind scattered as he rubbed his head and sat up. He switched on the lamp and saw the angry look on the woman’s face. She was like a startled kitten. “What’s wrong?” The man hugged her waist and wanted to hold her in his arms. “Is it because of what I said just now
“I have never cheated on you or betrayed you as you claim,” Thaddeus stared into Mona’s eyes and said seriously. He sounded firm and assuring. Mona bit her lips and said, “What about the woman you visited at the hospital, then? Is she staying at Dragon’s Bay? Is she the real Mona Ortega?” Thaddeus got up and walked to the window. The moon’s brilliance highlighted his towering figure. He was a man constantly troubled by thoughts and did not know how to express them to the people around him. However, he looked extremely fragile and soft on this particular night as he decided to open up to the woman he loved. He turned around and looked at Mona with probably the most sincere eyes. “Mona Ortega and I were friends from college, and our families have been close for generations. The Ortegas once helped the Fontaines overcome a financial crisis, hence the close relationship. Mona was always a sister to me, and since we used to study together, I took good care of her. That is all I wa
“So, how did you find her?” Thaddeus walked to her side of the bed and lifted the blanket. He stroked her tender cheeks and looked into her eyes affectionately. “She’s been through a lot in France, both physically and mentally. She was sold to an estate owner’s disabled son, who is abusive. She was tortured and forced to take drugs. She lived through hell. “I went to France because I got news of her and brought her back. She’s still mentally unstable and is currently going through treatment to cure her addiction. That’s why I have to go see her often.” Mona nodded. She finally got an answer to Thaddeus’ recent impromptu schedule. “Is that why you’re always in the white sports jersey lately? For her?” The moment the words escaped her mouth, Mona regretted it. It was obvious. Asking it would only embarrass herself. Thaddeus rarely changed for anyone. She once told him to dress more casually after work because his formal attire made him look like a stoic boss. It gave her
The next day, Mona woke up early. It was a Saturday. The day she would return to Fontaine Residence with the children. After cleaning up, she went downstairs and found Thaddeus sitting at the dining table, which was rare. He was having a video conference while taking bites of his breakfast. Maria came over and held her hand, looking heavy. “Child, I’m going to miss you and the kids. I woke up this morning feeling empty. I’ve gotten used to the kids running around. Now that things are going back to the way they were, I can’t help but feel lonely.” Mona tapped Maria’s hand and consoled her, “Maria, why don’t you come to Fontaine Residence with us? With either of us gone, there’s nothing left here for you to do. So why don’t you follow us there? You can help me take care of the kids.” Maria’s eyes gleamed upon hearing Mona’s offer. “Can I really come with you?” Mona noticed the glint of hope in Maria’s eyes. She nodded and said, “Of course. Why not?” Then, she looked at
“Dr. Huer, AB blood is running low at the bank. What should we do?” “Do a broadcast and see if there’s a donor around the hospital.” “Right away.” Mona held the doctor’s arm and asked, “Doctor, how is my father? Please save him.” The doctor had a quick glance at Mona and said in a rather heavy tone. “We’ll do our best.” He then returned to the operating room. The door swung shut before the noises from inside sounded again. Mona’s heart clenched tightly. Fear rose in her. She was afraid it might be the last time she would see her father. Thaddeus was not in a good mood either. He went over and put his hand on her shoulder to offer some comfort. “It’s going to be okay.” Mona pushed his hand away and bellowed with teary eyes, “If my father doesn’t make it, I will never forgive you.” Thaddeus frowned. “He’s more important than me?” Mona scoffed and found the question ridiculously amusing. The man was too arrogant. What made him think he was more important than her f