Bobby received a message from Mr. Q the next day. Through the comparison with the DNA system, Mona’s true identity could be confirmed. Nonetheless, before giving the details of Mona’s biological parents, Mr. Q asked Bobby for a favor. Bobby typed on his keyboard and asked: [What is it?] Q: [Do you remember the question I asked you the last time?] [Uh… Is it the one about whether my mom has someone she likes?] [That’s right.] [But that’s very strange of you, uncle. That concern’s someone’s privacy. Don’t you think it’s kinda disrespectful to my mom?] [Be reasonable. I helped your mom find out information about her biological parents, which is also private. A secret for a secret—it’s an equal trade.] Bobby scratched his head and thought about it. ‘That’s true, but why is Mr. Q always curious about who Mommy likes? Is he Mommy’s friend? Or does he like Mommy’s friend?’ Last night, Bobby checked his dad’s computer and did not find any trace of Mr. Q. ‘Could it be Uncle
Bobby typed: [I went to ask my mom. The person she likes is my daddy. They love each other very much, so don’t have any thoughts about her, ok?] Mr. Q sent over the details of Mona’s biological parents after a while. He went offline without saying anything. Bobby could not think about anything else. He hurriedly clicked on the document and skimmed through the content. “Baxter Ortega and Kendra Sunfield? Are these Mommy’s real parents?” Bobby touched his chin and looked at the home address that was clearly written on the back. It seemed like he needed to go and find out what was going on. He wanted to strike while the iron was hot. If he were to go to the address now, he would be able to come back in time for dinner in the evening. With that, Bobby put the document sent by Mr. Q into his bag. He put on a peaked cap and was ready to leave. “Bobby, where are you going?” Millie heard the movements and ran out from the inner room. Seeing as Bobby was going out, she asked, “Are
Bobby and Millie looked at the man in front of them. He seemed to have visited their house before, so he was probably their dad’s friend. When Bobby heard the security guard address the man as Mr. Ortega, he was moved. He walked to Alex’s side and tugged at the hem of his suit. “Uncle, is your last name Ortega?” Alex curled his lips into a smile. He looked closely at Bobby’s small face, which seemed to be carved out of the same mold from when Thaddeus was a child. He squatted down and pinched Bobby’s little nose. “Where’re your daddy and mommy?” “Bobby and I secretly came here. Don’t tell our daddy and mommy, okay?” Millie walked up to Alex and covered his mouth with her small hand. Alex smiled with his eyes and placed his finger on his mouth. He shushed and assured Millie, “I won’t tell your daddy and mommy, but how did you find your way here?” “Uncle, do you know Baxter Ortega and Kendra Sunfield?” Alex raised his eyebrow and asked Bobby, “Of course, they’re my parent
“Bobby, where did you get this?”“It’s a comparison of my mommy’s DNA and the information in the DNA database. A very powerful man helped me check it out.”Alex was dubious. “A very powerful man? Do you know him?”Bobby shook his head. To be honest, he was also unsure. That was why he thought of coming here to have a look.It was possible that Mr. Q was a liar and had given him a fake report.“It’s not that difficult. I can take this to the police station and ask the police to check it for me, but I’m too young. The officer asked me to call my parents, but I don’t want to tell Mommy and Daddy. If the results are negative, then Mommy will be disappointed...”“Since I know about this now, leave it to me. I’ll verify this matter in a low-profile manner. Your mommy and daddy won’t find out.”Alex attached great importance to this matter. If Mona really was his family, it was a good thing. However, he never knew that his mother had given birth to another younger sister besides his si
Thaddeus looked down at the woman who fell to the ground without any pity on his cold face. He could not care about her since she tried to hurt his children.“Daddy, Daddy...” As soon as Millie saw Thaddeus, she felt that her strongest supporter had come. She let go of Bobby’s hand to run toward Thaddeus.Thaddeus picked Millie up, holding her small body with one arm. He looked down at her dirty little face and wiped the tears in his eyes with his hand.It was like a knight protecting his princess.“Don’t be scared. Daddy is here.”Alex helped his little sister up and was angry at Thaddeus’ indifferent attitude. “Thaddeus, I know that you don’t like her, so don’t appear in our house. My sister’s condition will get worse since you’re here.”“I’m here to pick up the children. Sorry for the bother. We’ll be leaving now.”Alex looked at his sister who burst into tears and felt at a loss. He also felt disappointed.“He already has a family and children. Is a man like that worth cryi
“I was just asking. You don’t have to answer.”Daddy did not love Bobby. That was what Bobby concluded.Thaddeus looked at Bobby with a heavy gaze and said nothing. His expression was so deep and complex that Bobby could not read it.Bobby hung his head and was dejected for a while. When Thaddeus carried him to the car and placed him in the children’s seat, he looked at the majestic figure sitting in the driver’s seat and had an epiphany.“Boys don’t need love. It’s enough if I love Mommy and Millie.”Thaddeus did not turn around. He was silent for a few minutes before starting the car, and simply said, “Good that you know.”Bobby pursed his beautiful lips. Joy ignited in his heart after receiving the man’s affirmation.“Bobby, I want cookies.”Bobby’s thoughts were pulled back by the packet of Koala’s March cookies in front of him. Millie waved the cookies in her hand, her large eyes sparkling as she spoke.Bobby smiled, took the packet, and tore it open for her.“Thank you,
Mona was instantly speechless, but she did not get angry. Jennifer did not like her and was used to blaming her indiscriminately. She did not expect to hear anything nice from Jennifer.“Please come in, Ms. Kimball. Thank you for bringing a gift to my mom.” Mona smiled politely. She would naturally do what the lady in charge of the Fontaine Residence should do.Ginny nodded at Mona and thanked her before pulling Jennifer’s hand. “Auntie, you’ve misunderstood. Mrs. Fontaine wasn’t making things hard for me. She welcomed me at the door and said that I shouldn’t have gone through the trouble of bringing these here. You blamed the wrong person.”Jennifer glanced at Mona disdainfully. “In that case, go in.”Ginny covered her mouth and smiled. “That’s why you shouldn’t be angry with Mrs. Fontaine, or I’ll be uneasy that I made the trip here.”“Of course not. I like you very much and want you to be here. You’re always welcome at the Fontaines’. Don’t just stand outside. Come in with me.”
Thaddeus thought that the woman was jealous. Her indifference was her trying to get his attention by throwing a temper.What a troublesome creature. If she really cared about him, then just say so. Why did she want him to guess her mind? Ugh, women.Just as Thaddeus raised his hand to knock on the door, Jennifer came.“Thaddeus, Ginny is here. Aren’t you going down to see her?”Thaddeus turned around and looked at his mother in exasperation. He knew what she was thinking and already expressed his attitude, but her forcefulness had not changed at all.“I know you don’t want to come down, but you can’t disrespect the Kimballs. After all, Ginny is their little princess. I’m afraid they’ll be unhappy if you don’t see her.”Thaddeus let out a sigh, feeling annoyed.“Enough. I’ll go, okay?” Thaddeus spoke in a sullen voice. He put his hands into his pocket and went downstairs.Ginny was sitting in the living room. When Thaddeus appeared, she stood up and nodded with a smile. “Hello,
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