Joseph took a solid punch from Thaddeus and staggered back, almost falling to the ground.Mona hurriedly went over to help him up.Thaddeus grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him.“Why are you always causing trouble for me?” The man’s tone mixed with anger as he looked at Mona coldly.Mona’s lips moved as if to say something, but her words choked in her throat before she swallowed them back.This man simply did not have the patience to hear an explanation. He only thought she was causing trouble for him.After all, they had no feelings for each other. He had already done his best by traveling to another city overnight and taking the situation seriously. So how could she ask him to sympathize with her emotions too?It was too forceful to let a person who disliked her consider the problem from her position. To her, that was also unreasonable.Joseph stood across them and watched the conversation between the two. When he saw the disappointment and embarrassment on Mona’s face
Mona leaned back against the seat wearily and closed her eyes.She was tired...Her hand touched the wooly blanket beside her, smelling the faint scent of a ladies’ perfume.Opening her eyes, she picked up the blanket and looked at it. The logo of the golf course was embroidered on the corner of the blanket.It belonged to Ms. Kimball.Mona pursed her lips as Ginny’s beautiful and young face emerged in her mind. For a moment, she felt inferiority grow inside her.Ginny was a great girl. She was a good match for Thaddeus and deserved the status of Mrs. Fontaine.Mona put down the blanket and looked out the window. As dawn broke, her head became clearer and clearer.Meanwhile, the police learned what happened in the kidnapping case.The kidnapping had just been a false alarm. The bigwigs in the entertainment industry got together and directed a big show to reenact the July 21 kidnapping case.However, this time, the conclusion of the police was overturned, and the truth reveale
In fact, her heart had become cold and hard like stone.Thaddeus saw Mona swiftly avoiding him as if she were avoiding an insect or snake.He withdrew his hand, a layer of ice on his face. Then, he ignored her, thinking she was just throwing a tantrum.The man rubbed his brows. This whole farce had given him a headache. It was true that he was a little fierce to the woman earlier, but anyone else would have had the same reaction.Since she was dissatisfied, he would put away his concern for her and let her reflect on herself.So the man closed his eyes and said nothing.Mona tilted her head and looked at the scenery outside the window. Her heart was unusually calm. After all, she had tempered her heart a long time ago. No matter how bad the situation was, whether she was misunderstood, treated badly, humiliated, or had her dignity trampled on, she would not be affected.The car drove on the expressway for three hours. By the time they arrived at Fontaine Residence, it was alread
Jennifer was furious. Why could the vixen just not die outside? What else did she know besides causing trouble all day?Ginny also stood up and greeted Mona politely. “Hello, Mrs. Fontaine. Welcome home.”Although she called Mona ‘Mrs. Fontaine’, she looked as if she was the lady in charge of the house.Mona knew very well that since Ginny could now sit at the table to eat, it would not be long before she replaced Mona’s position as Mrs. Fontaine.“Thank you.” Mona responded politely and said to Maria, “I want some hot oatmeal. Please tell the kitchen to bring a bowl to my room and take the children’s meal up as well.”After saying that, she took the two children’s hands and went upstairs.“Mommy, why didn’t you come home last night and ask Auntie Ginny to take care of me and Bobby?”Millie asked Mona with an innocent face.“Mommy didn’t mean to stay out all night. Mommy had to go out to do something. Did Auntie Ginny tell you a bedtime story last night?”Millie nodded. “Uh-hu
The man stalked toward Mona with a dangerous and predatory aura.“Are you saying I can’t do it?”Thaddeus narrowed his eyes. There was a hint of anger in his seemingly casual tone.After all, this was related to a man’s dignity. No man liked to be suggested to go to the hospital to check his ability to procreate.Even if his equipment did not work, it could not be said out loud!Mona gulped. Her desire to win was replaced by fear.“I was just joking. There’s nothing wrong with you.”Thaddeus’ eyes were deep. He thought of how his second personality borrowed his own flesh and intertwined with Mona, resulting in two children.Once a person begins to have feelings, their greed and desire would spring out. That was especially true for men. It was an unchanging truth since ancient times that men were weak to beauty.Thaddeus looked at Mona’s face in disdain. Few men would be able to resist her appearance. However, it was thanks to her body and schemes that she obtained what she had
“Help me to lift the bed.”Mona pointed to the bed. There was a hidden compartment under it.“I have something for you.”Thaddeus’ brows raised in surprise. Lift the bed?Mona rolled up her sleeves, bent down, and struggled to lift it. Although Thaddeus was puzzled, he stretched out his hand and lifted the bed effortlessly.Mona clapped her hands, took a small safe from the hidden compartment under the bed, and keyed in the password. Then, she opened the box and took out a check.It was the check Thaddeus had given her after Jennifer swore at her last time. He honored his promise and told her to write any amount of money she wanted.She carefully locked up her belongings and put them back into the hidden compartment before passing the check to Thaddeus.“Here. This check is my compensation to you. Fill in any amount you like and withdraw the cash from any bank.”The man was between laughter and tears. He suddenly did not know whether or not to accept this check.“This is my s
Jennifer genuinely liked Ginny. At first, it was only because she thought the girl was a right match for the Fontaine family. However, after getting to know Ginny, she found that besides Ginny’s family, she was also exceptional both inside and outside. Jennifer knew she would never find another girl she approved more than Ginny, and it would be a huge loss if they missed their chance.Thus, Jennifer naturally had to put in as many good words as possible to Thaddeus. All she wanted to do now was make that shameless woman Mona divorce Thaddeus and leave.Thaddeus looked to the side and glanced at Jennifer. His tired look showed displeasure.“I won’t divorce Mona.”“What?” Jennifer’s eyes widened. She was so anxious that she almost jumped. “Why not? Did you forget what you promised me? If you won’t get divorced, why did you get closer to Ginny?”Thaddeus’ face was very cold as he said decisively, “That’s why you shouldn’t let Ms. Kimball come again in the future. I will also refuse t
The sound of the assistant walking and knocking on a door came through the phone, and there was the voice of someone giving a briefing in the background. He most likely entered the conference room.“Mr. Fontaine, the madam called and is asking for you.”“I’m in a meeting,” the man’s magnetic voice rang out from the other end of the phone. Even though he was annoyed, he still took the assistant’s phone.“What?”“Do you have time tonight to have dinner with a friend?”“No. I’ll wire you the money. Have fun.”After saying that, he passed the phone back to the assistant.Mona wanted to say something else, but the assistant was driven out of the conference room by Thaddeus’ displeased eyes.“Madam, Mr. Fontaine doesn’t like to take personal calls while he’s in a meeting, so...”“I understand. I won’t bother your work, then.”Mona hung up the phone. A minute later, she received a notification about a bank transfer.Thaddeus transferred her fifty thousand.Mona was exasperated but
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