Mona was dazed for some time before she understood Thaddeus’ words. However, she was also shocked. The woman looked very young and did not seem to be about Mrs. Fontaine’s age. Who knew they were of the same generation? “What year was your aunt born? She looks only about 28 years old.” Mona looked up at Thaddeus and asked in surprise. “Hahaha.” The woman who was praised could not stop laughing. She stood up and walked toward Mona. “I didn’t expect you’d be quite good at complimenting people. Well, take a closer look at my face, and guess when I was born.” Mona politely curled her lips into a smile and scanned the woman’s face carefully. Although the woman took quite good care of herself, as Mona looked closer, there were indeed many fine lines and wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. Those were signs of aging that could not be concealed by makeup. Even so, the woman’s physique and figure were extremely good. Mona could not help but admire her. That alone was enough to show
Joan shifted her gaze to Millie again and asked with a smile, “So, how old are you, Millie?” Millie crossed her legs. While enjoying being fed by Thaddeus, who was next to her, she wiggled four fingers at Joan. “I’m four years old this year.” Joan lowered her eyes and looked slightly upset. She mumbled softly, “If Sunny were here…” Smack.Jennifer slammed her cutleries on the table. She had kept quiet the whole time, holding back her anger from the time Joan spoke to Mona to when she talked about the children. Now that Joan brought up her deceased child, Jennifer could not stand it anymore. “Joan, can you just have your breakfast? If you can’t, you should go home.” Joan realized she had forgotten her manners. She returned to her senses and smiled embarrassedly at Jennifer. “I’ll stop talking, okay? Sis, do you have to be so angry?” “It’s just so annoying.” Jennifer glanced at the family of four sitting in a row and felt a fire burning in her heart. Thaddeus was bec
“Is Mona home?” Just after breakfast, when Mona had sent Thaddeus away, Eleanor came. She was eager to see Mona as soon as she got out of the car. Mona looked back and saw that Eleanor looked better and had a better complexion than before. “Sis, how have you been lately?” Mona welcomed Eleanor and held her hand as they walked into the villa. “I’ve been eating the medicine you prescribed. The effects are getting better day by day. I was able to sleep through the whole of last night and didn’t have that nightmare, so I hurried over to find you. Please take my pulse and check my condition.” After hearing that, Mona quickly asked Eleanor to sit down. She held her wrist to carefully feel her pulse. Indeed, Eleanor’s pulse was no longer as chaotic as it was a while ago. It seemed like the medicine was working. “Sis, sit down first while I write you a new prescription. I’ll add two more herbs to stabilize your condition.” “Okay.” Eleanor sighed a breath of relief. She picked
“Something about my secret!” Bobby answered. Mona narrowed her eyes. “Secret? What is it? You’re being so mysterious.” A charming smile that resembled Thaddeus’ could be seen on Bobby’s face. “Don’t get up to no good, okay?” Mona warned him. “I’m very reliable, okay?” Bobby looked serious. “It’s not anything bad, so don’t worry.” The little handsome body’s eyes were bright and shining with a nice glow. ‘For all I know, it could be a good thing,’ he thought to himself. Bobby had plucked Mona’s hair and posted it to the paternity testing lab to obtain his mother’s DNA. Next, he would go to the police station and get them to help find a DNA match from their DNA matching system. That way, Mona would soon be able to find her relatives. Bobby touched his chin and felt that he was doing something great. He thought that his mother would be especially happy to find her biological parents! Mona caressed Bobby’s head. She knew he had a sense of propriety and would not act rashly
The incident of Eleanor’s suicide attempt shocked everyone in the living room except for Thaddeus and Jennifer. Mona even noticed a faint glimpse of unexpected calmness on Jennifer’s face. She subconsciously sensed that Jennifer was aware of the hidden agenda. In fact, she was even more like the mastermind behind this, silently observing everything that was happening from the dark. Thaddeus glanced at Victor and then looked at Joan. He asked coldly, “Aunt Joan, what’s going on?” Joan was wronged. She had stayed at the Fontaines’ and did not do anything at all. In the morning, she did not mind that Eleanor reacted as if she saw a ghost when she saw her. Joan only thought that Eleanor went crazy. After all, she had never seen Eleanor normal in all the years she was there. However, tonight, Eleanor’s son and daughter-in-law wanted to send her to the police station as though she were a murderer. She had never suffered such aggravation in her life! Joan walked to Thaddeus' sid
“Did you say I’m crazy?” Isabel was like a raging cat. She and Mona had always been incompatible, so how could she stand being oppressed by Mona? “My husband’s heart has been stolen. Am I not allowed to be mad?” Mona looked indifferent. “You’re incompetent to have not kept an eye on your husband.” “Yes, and you, on the other hand, are truly capable.” Isabel sneered. “You’re hooking up with another man in front of your husband, yet he doesn’t want to control you.” Mona kept quiet because what Isabel said was true. She turned around and walked upstairs. Did this mess have anything to do with her? Why was she burned in the end? “Coward. I was right, wasn’t I? Hahaha.” Isabel looked at Mona from behind and laughed loudly. Nevertheless, her laugh did not last for long before she was deterred by Thaddeus’ murderous and cruel glare. Even if Thaddeus did not say anything, his sharp look could kill people. Isabel’s back broke out in a cold sweat, and she had goosebumps. She was ab
The farce ended with Isabel calling for an ambulance for her and Victor to go to the hospital. Bobby and Millie were guided back to their rooms by the maid with their eyes covered. Thaddeus and Mona were very in sync in this regard where they would not let their children come into contact with the grudges of the rich and powerful families. Flowers that grew up in the shadow were destined to be deformed. Thaddeus’ dual personality was one of the examples. With that, the Fontaine Residence’s living room returned to silence. Jennifer and Joan sat on the sofa and looked at each other, confirming that they were thinking about the same thing at the moment. “Joan, do you think that Eleanor broke down when she saw you today because of the incident with Sunny five years ago?” Jennifer took a nail file to file her nails as she asked casually. Joan looked sorrowful the moment Sunny was brought up. She thought about her poor daughter, who would have been so precious to her if she were stil
“A-choo, a-choo…” In the bedroom, Mona, who was scolded and called a b*tch by Jennifer downstairs, sneezed several times in a row. She took a tissue and wiped her nose, and then she plopped down on the bed and crossed her legs as she flipped through an album. What happened tonight was too painful to think about. She wanted to live well and focus on things that concern herself and her children. She would not waste even a second of time on things that would consume her energy. A sound was heard coming from the bedroom door as Thaddeus pushed the door open. Mona turned to look and shifted her gaze from his gloomy face to his blood-stained hand. Mona frowned and propped herself up to get off the bed. She approached him and asked, “What happened to your hand? Did you get into a fight?” “This is the second time.” Thaddeus was expressionless. “What second time?” Mona was bewildered. “I’ll get the first aid kid to treat your wound.” As soon as she took a step, Thaddeus tugged a
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