“You’re awake, Eleanor.” Eleanor lifted her heavy eyelids open to meet Mona’s captivating face. She got a grip on herself and realized that she had passed out on the street. “Mona, it’s just an old habit. Can you grab my medicine from the car?” Mona pulled out the needle from Eleanor’s pressure points and grabbed her wrist to check on her pulse. Huh? That was strange. Why did Eleanor have a steady pulse as if she had a clean bill of health? “Let’s not rush things, Eleanor. The ambulance will be here any minute. We can get to the hospital for a full body checkup.” “No. Just retrieve my medicine. I don’t feel comfortable not taking it.” “But you’re healthy. You don’t need to take any pills.” Mona was sure about that. Someone in the crowd kneeled and tried to settle Eleanor down. “Take a breather for now, and let this young lady check your pulse. She’s good. You can trust her.” Eleanor shot Mona a skeptical look. It was hard to believe that Mona was proficient in the s
“Why did you drink so much, son?” Victor’s bloodshot eyes were vacant. “Let me out, Mom. I want to see her.” “Are you trying to piss me off, Vic? Mona is your uncle’s ex-wife. It’s morally wrong and embarrassing for you two to get together.” “No! They’re divorced! She’s my Susan.” Eleanor was confused. Susan? The name sounded familiar. What did it have to do with Mona? Before she could wrap her head around it, Victor added, “Mom, she raised our two children too. I need to carry out my duty and marry her. She’s the only one for me.” “What on earth are you talking about? Your uncle will come after you if he catches wind of this.” Eleanor told the butler to bring a basin of lukewarm water. To her, it must be the booze talking. Mona? Children? Impossible. Besides, the statement that her children were Victor’s held no water.“Vic, my silly boy. Stop acting the fool. Why do you put yourself in this position for a woman? How can I trust you to take on bigger responsibilities
The following afternoon, Mona brought along her homemade pastry and went to the Fontaines’ residence to visit Master Fontaine. The Fontaines built an empire from the commercial line. The old building structure held a lot of history in its walls and style. This kind of aged estate in Worchester City was a rare find. Hence, the property was worth a lot. By the time Mona got out of the cab, Master Fontaine had been waiting at the entrance for some time. She took quick strides over and opened a parasol to put over the old man’s head. “The sun is blinding, Grandpa. It’s hot out here. You should’ve waited inside.” “It’s okay, girl. I saw you the moment I came out. I didn’t wait for long.” Master Fontaine finally had a smile on his face when Mona turned up. A maid took the box of pastry from Mona and followed from the back with a smile. “Mrs. Fontaine, Master Fontaine really missed you. He told the kitchen to prepare a feast of your favorite food the moment he knew you were coming
“Thaddeus? He never mentioned you to me.” Samantha bit her lip. The radiance in her eyes dimmed. Did Thaddeus really decide against marrying her? “Grandpa, I have a boyfriend, and we’re dating with the intention to get married, but we hit a tiny snag recently. I’m fretting over it, so I came to see you.”“What brings you here?” Xavier frowned, getting the gist of what this was about. Samantha was not here to visit him. Instead, she was trying to shove marriage down the old man’s throat. It seemed like the girl meant something to Thaddeus since he told her everything.“What is your intention being here, Ms. Mayers?” Xavier pulled a solemn look. “I know about Thaddeus and Mona, Grandpa. Since he’s my boyfriend, I think this matter shouldn’t be kept hidden.” More than anything else, Samantha wanted to walk down the aisle with Thaddeus. To realize that dream, she must do something to change Thaddeus’ mind. Rather than adopting the passive stance, she might as well strike whil
A phone call from Xavier was enough for Thaddeus to put everything on pause and make haste to the Fontaines’ residence. The man entered the family residence and was welcomed by the sight of Samantha and Mona. The ladies sat across the room, giving each other the snub. Furrowing his brows, he made a beeline to Master Fontaine. “What’s the meaning of this, Grandpa?” Xavier took a glance at the two women in the living room. Nothing good was going to come out of his mouth for sure. “You’re one to talk. This is your mess.” It was true that Master Fontaine’s number one favorite was Mona. The old man could not stand for it now that he was sure Mona was the poor victim. “Ten-hut, Thaddeus.” Thaddeus stood still and positioned his arms against the vertical lining of his pants at command. Master Fontaine had been a lieutenant general in the military before starting a business. Hence, the Fontaines based their family principles on military rules, and Thaddeus grew up under strict
Mona watched as Thaddeus entered the study. She stood outside to listen for any commotions from the study before feeling assured that no fight was going on inside. She then grabbed her handbag and got ready to leave. “Mrs. Fontaine.” The maid slapped her own face and corrected herself, “Ms. Ortega, are you going to leave without saying goodbye? Didn’t Master Fontaine ask you to wait for him?” “I have a family emergency. Can you relay the message to Grandpa for me?” It was improper for an outsider like her to be involved in someone’s family affairs. Surely, Thaddeus would not want her to hang around Samantha. It would ruin their relationship. “Are you coming again soon?” the maid reluctantly asked and gave Mona Bambi eyes. “Master Fontaine asks for you daily when you’re not here. He misses you so.” “Of course, I will. Call me whenever Grandpa misses me. Do you have my telephone number?” “Ah. Yes, I do. I never had the guts to call in case I might be bothering you.” “You ca
“Is she dead? That’s a shame. What a poor child.” With his mind wandering back to the past, Xavier sighed emotionally. “I should be on my own if there’s nothing else, Grandpa.” Thaddeus was evasive on the subject. It was something he really did not want to get into. “Hang on. We’re not done here.” Snapping out of his thoughts, Xavier stopped Thaddeus, who was halfway out the door. “Don’t try to play it down. It’s not over until you tell me the reason for the divorce.”Taking a deep breath, Thaddeus calmly turned around and looked at the old man. “Grandpa, I have the right to remain silent about my privacy.” “Don’t talk to me about privacy. I’m your grandfather. I’ve seen you butt naked. Follow my orders and tell me what happened.” With downcast eyes, Thaddeus retaliated with silence. “So, you want to play that game with me, huh?” His disobedient grandson got Master Fontaine fuming. He bent over and opened the safe box before pulling out a handgun. Removing the safety pin
Samantha had always believed that Thaddeus had no feelings for Mona. His marriage to her was merely an excuse to satisfy a man’s physical needs with a partner with a clean bill of health. However, the reality was telling Samantha that this was not the case. Was this the reason why Thaddeus refused to tie the knot with her? Staring at the towering and dashing figure, Samantha grew resolute with her thought. No matter what, she must get the man. Silence befell the vehicle as time went by. Thaddeus sat in silence for a while before starting the engine. He drove away from his family residence and onto a wide road. He lifted his gaze and glanced at Samantha from the rearview mirror. “Was I too blunt? Did I upset you?” Samantha’s eyes lit up. It gave her a glimmer of hope, seeing that Thaddeus cared about her feelings. Alas, the man’s ensuing statement threw her for a loop. “You’d better stay away from Mona if you don’t want to make me mad. I’d prefer if you carry on as
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