Mona could not tell how the dinner started and ended.From beginning to end, she felt as if she was in an ice cave as she sat beside Thaddeus. The children were singing the birthday song, and Thaddeus blew out the candles and made a wish. While everyone laughed and celebrated Thaddeus’ birthday, the feeling of being left out sank into her stomach. She did not know where her heart ran off to.She only knew that the sincerity she offered up was silently thrown to the ground by Thaddeus, tossed away like garbage along with her dignity.All of Thaddeus’ words and actions tonight made her sad. She even doubted herself for a moment. Was she so bad that her carefully prepared birthday gift was no match for a measly wristband from Ginny?“Mona Ortega, did you hear what I said?”All the people in the dining hall left, but Mona was still sitting there. Jennifer had called her name thrice, telling her to clear the plates on the table.When Mona returned to her senses, what she saw was Jenni
Mona saw Millie opening her arms at Ginny, asking for a hug. The girl’s obedient and adorable look gave Mona, the real mother, heartbreak. She turned around and dragged herself upstairs. Suddenly, a woman’s cry came from downstairs, followed by Millie’s. Mona’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately went downstairs and saw a piece of gum on Ginny’s hair, which messed it up terribly. “Millie, how could you stick gum on Aunt Ginny’s hair? You’re so young and already so naughty! I must punish you!” Jennifer grabbed Millie’s hand. She knew the girl was as vicious as her mother. The girl had pretended to hug Ginny but actually wanted to prank her and mess up her hair. How atrocious! “Mother, don’t you lay a finger on Millie!” Thaddeus was a slave to his daughter. With the girl crying her lungs out, he did not care if she did it on purpose. He carried the girl in his arms and protected her from his mother. “Thaddeus, you’re spoiling the girl! Look at Ginny’s hair. It’s rui
Mona stood on the spot for a long time. Her head lowered, and her mind filled with many messy thoughts which eventually exhausted her mentally. She no longer wanted to waste her energy in maintaining her relationship with the man. She had done what she had to do and could live up to her conscience. Now, all she wanted was to rest for the night. Mona had a strong heart and mentality. Even if she was treated unfairly, all she needed was a good night's sleep to wash away the terrible mood and thoughts to welcome a brand new day with a fresh start. As for the relationship with Thaddeus, she decided to just let it be for now. After Mona washed her face, her phone on the table rang. She picked it up and saw Tim’s name on the screen. Speaking of Tim, Mona had a strange feeling about the man. He had sounded utterly urgent when he asked her to help him choose a bracelet for the name engraving, as if the girl he was chasing was running away. However, once she was done with it, the
Mona then went downstairs, turning her back on the man. Thaddeus’ anger fueled as he looked at Mona’s figure walking away. He sharply noticed the bag in her hand, and his expression turned cold. Inside the bag was a pair of couple bracelets. He had seen it before and knew the words ‘True Love’ were engraved on it. The man narrowed his eyes dangerously. Was she heading out so early in the morning with the bracelets to see another man? Thaddeus called Maria over and told her to take care of the kids. The man headed to the window at the end of the corridor and looked outside. By then, Mona had driven the car out of the gate. Thaddeus was left with a gloomy expression. His eyes narrowed like a hawk aiming at its prey, and the anger in his eyes could melt the window glass. “Mona, you’ve really done it this time!” He thought the bracelet was a birthday present she had prepared for him. However, now it seemed he was overthinking and was not even a qualified partner to the
“George, you speak too much.” Thaddeus removed his sunglasses and glared at the driver. “Back to the office.” “Yes, sir.” George nodded and started the car. He sighed inwardly, feeling bad for Mona. As the Fontaines’ driver, George was a loyal and hardworking man who could view matters from a clearer perspective. Although Mona’s character was highly rated among the servants, Madam Fontaine somehow disliked her. She gave Mona a hard time and always sided with outsiders rather than her own daughter-in-law. People like George and Maria could not understand the complicated love-hate relationship of the wealthy. Though, they knew sincerity must be cherished and valued. Losing someone as kind as Mona would be a great loss to the family. When the car drove past the restaurant, Thaddeus saw through the floor-to-ceiling window that Mona sat opposite Tim, giggling at something Tim said. He had never seen Mona giggle like that. It felt pure, beautiful, and so strong that it blinded
When she entered the living room, she saw Jennifer scolding Millie loudly and whipping her with a cane. It broke Mona’s heart to hear Millie cry horribly. “Millie! Millie!” Mona ran over to Millie and carried the girl into her arms. The girl cried even louder when her mother arrived. “Mommy, it hurts! So much!” Mona anxiously checked the girl’s body and found multiple whiplashes on her. The shock instantly made her tear up. Jennifer was vicious. She had not held back in beating Millie with the cane. Even when Mona was angry with Millie, she would only slap her backside softly, and that had already hurt her a lot. Jennifer had been merciless with the whipping. Millie would have died if Jennifer had whipped her any harder. Mona was infuriated. She shouted at Jennifer, “Why are you hitting her?” Jennifer was surprised by Mona’s wrath. She shuddered but remained righteous as she said, “Why are you shouting at me? Millie is a naughty girl, and it’s all because of you. Yo
How could she not feel bad about it? Mona resented Jennifer for hitting her daughter. Millie was wrong, but Jennifer used the chance to lash out on the girl. Blinded by grudge and hatred, not even blood and family mattered to Jennifer. How could Mona allow her children to grow up in such a toxic environment?”“Millie, it’s okay now. Don’t cry. Let’s go in. Mommy has something to tell you guys.” Mona carried Millie in her right arm and held Bobby with her left. After they went inside the room, Mona looked at them seriously and said, “Millie, if something like this happens again, don’t cry. Run. Don’t give anyone the chance to hit you. You need to run; if you can’t outrun them, try to get to me or someone that can protect you and ask them for help. Do you understand?” Millie snorted and hugged Mona tightly. She buried her face in her mother’s arms and nodded. “Okay, Mommy. I know what to do next time.” “Grandma should not have hit you, and I don’t want you to take it to hear
Friend? Based on what he knew, Tim Graves viewed Mona more than just a friend and had been eyeing her brazenly. Besides, what friend would give one another a pair of couple bracelets? “If you don’t believe me, then forget it. I’m calling you not because I want to argue with you. I want to talk to you about something serious.” “What is it?” “Madam Fontaine, your mother, whipped Millie with a cane!” “My mother whipped Millie?” Thaddeus immediately sounded anxious. “Was she hurt?” “She’s covered with lashes and cried until she lost her voice. What do you think?” “Do you need me at home?” Sometimes, at critical moments like these, the man was able to be a supportive parent. That somehow moved Mona. “I can handle things here. I’m not trying to disturb your work. I just want you to talk to your mother when you get home. She was angry about Millie messing with Ginny’s hair and lashed out at the girl.” “Mhmm…” Thaddeus hummed a reply before he asked, “Who did you eat with