“Mona, your kids are worried about you. Just get over it.” Mona looked up but avoided the man's lustful gaze. His gaze was like laser beams that burned her skin, making her feel embarrassed. “Joan, don’t encourage him.” “Silly girl, I’m helping you.” Joan grinned mischievously. “The kids are still here!” Mona got anxious. She glared at Thaddeus and said, “Be careful of what you say!” The calm Bobby suddenly jumped off his chair and declared, “Daddy, Mommy, I’m done. I’m going to bring Millie to play.” Bobby went over to Millie. Millie was still covering her ears when her brother came over to her. She looked up at her father innocently, not knowing what happened. “Daddy, is it okay now?” Thaddeus nodded. The girl put her hands down and followed her brother away. The man also patted the boy’s shoulder, expressing his gratitude for the boy’s beautiful assist. Bobby brought Millie away. Thaddeus then switched his attention from the kids back to Mona’s face, and hi
That night, Thaddeus went over to Mona’s room, but he sat stiffly on the couch. Without Mona’s permission, he would never sit on her bed. The man with the intimidating and frosty attitude finally understood the saying that he once despised. If a man loved a woman from the bottom of his heart, every move he made would be cautious. Even though the man was tactful, he could not use any of his methods in front of the woman he loved. He was like a clumsy boy, and all he wanted was for the woman to be happy, but he was worried that his methods were wrong and would make her unhappy instead. Out of respect, he felt that the woman was out of this world, and he wanted to give her the best. This was true love. Mona sensed it as well. She was treated unfairly in the past, but now, she clearly felt the man’s raging love for her. Even she herself felt astonished at how things had developed over time. A while back, they were arguing for a divorce and threatened to sue each other in court.
“I’m okay. I dropped the phone on my face.” With a smile on his face, the man put his arm around Mona and rested his head on his other arm, drawing the distance between them closer. “Were you asleep just now?” Mona asked. “Yeah.” “Sorry to wake you.” Mona scooched over to the side and away from his embrace. “Go back to sleep.” Thaddeus recoiled his arm, pulling her back and trapping her in his hold. Feeling embarrassed, she buried her head against his head and sighed heavily. Nevertheless, it was a hug that made her feel cozy and safe. Now that Mona stopped putting up a fight, Thaddeus swallowed hard. For some reason, Mona took a gulp too. The pair were like inexperienced adults who knew what was to come, but like newlyweds, they could not let their anxieties go. As the man here, Thaddeus was aware he should be pushing forward. Only, he had never been with a woman and was rather raw around the edges when it came to intimacy. Thaddeus fretted over what to do as his
Thaddeus got out of bed and grabbed his dressing gown on the sofa to drape around himself loosely. He approached Mona and pulled her into his arms. “You’re up.” The man tucked her loose strands behind her ear. “Yeah. Get more sleep. Ms. Kimball is sick. I need to check on her.” “What’s wrong with her?” “The maid said she has a fever. It must be pretty bad.” The man fell into thought for a moment before making his way to the wardrobe to change. “I’ll go with you.” “You should stay here. Didn’t we agree that I’ll manage the household affairs?” Mona leaned against the door frame of the wardrobe. “I said that, but Ginny goes beyond the household affairs. Leave the matter to me.” Thaddeus changed into a polo shirt and casual pants, appearing youthful and smart.Mona was worried. Thaddeus was a man. He was decisive and unyielding in business, but it was difficult to show no mercy and compromise when it came to womanly issues. A good example was Thaddeus’ promise to grant
Mona wandered to the living room and sat on the sofa in a daze. She looked at the closed door of Ginny’s room from afar, not knowing what Thaddeus was talking and doing to Ginny in there. Of course, she was furious that the man turned her away. It was her turn to kick up a fuss when Thaddeus was done dealing with the matter. By the looks of Ginny, she was pretty sick. Mona picked up the phone and dialed the family doctor’s number to urge him to hurry to the residence. In the bedroom, Thaddeus stood by the bed and looked callously at Ginny. He looked cold and impatient. “Tell me. What are you up to?” Ginny raised her hand and struggled to grab the hem of Thaddeus’ shirt. Feeling feeble, she could barely finish her sentence. “I’m really sick… If you don’t believe me…you can…you can ask Mrs. Fontaine to check my pulse… I need a doctor now…” Thaddeus held his shirt firmly and pulled away to shake Ginny’s hand off without physical contact. “That’s not happening. You should k
Despite asking around, Thaddeus still could not locate Mona. She would not pick up her phone either. Did she throw a fit and leave home? Thaddeus was about to ask security when Mona showed up. She carried a basket of freshly picked dewy flowers. Mona’s white linen dress and the rim of her canvas shoes were stained with mud. Mona was in the garden, probably shielded by the thick bushes, hence Thaddeus must not have noticed her when passing by. Thaddeus drew close and pulled her to him. Noticing her sweaty face, he furrowed his brows and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me that you were out?” Mona held the basket and smiled at the man. “I only went to pick flowers in the yard. I didn’t leave the house. Do I need to report that to you?” She smiled rather calmly. Mona did not seem to mind Thaddeus’ behavior toward her in Ginny’s room, and it left Thaddeus bewildered. Thaddeus was expecting to receive hell from her, so it never occurred to him that she would be so open-hearted.
The family doctor emerged from Ginny’s room with his medical kit. Not looking relaxed, the doctor said, “Mr. Fontaine, I need a moment with you. Is this a convenient time?” Thaddeus wiped all emotions off his face and led the way to the study. “Mr. Fontaine, Ms. Kimball doesn’t have a normal fever. The likely cause is food poisoning. I can only give her a little something for the fever, but she needs urgent treatment in a medical facility.” With the doctor reporting on Ginny’s condition, Thaddeus furrowed his brows, and something did not seem right to him. Food poisoning? It was not a trivial matter. Ginny was in the Fontaine family’s care since she moved into the residence. The Fontaines’ kitchen prepared her food and delivered the meals directly to her room. In other words, someone in the residence was trying to harm Ginny. “Alright. I got it. You may leave.” The man dismissed the doctor and walked out of the study to Ginny’s room. Things were not looking good for G
Mona followed behind Thaddeus’ vehicle and arrived at the hospital soon after him. The emergency physician had been waiting at the emergency lane with a stretcher on standby. Thaddeus handed Ginny to the medical personnel before turning back to look for Mona. Sitting behind the wheel, Mona watched the approaching man. She thought Thaddeus was oblivious that she was tailing his vehicle, but it turned out he knew. Only, was he here to drive her away? The man always wanted to keep her out of any matter related to Ginny. Thaddeus opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat. With his long legs occupying most of the space in the front seat, the man gave off an oppressive vibe. “The family doctor said Ginny has food poisoning.” The man spoke with a scowl while looking out the window. Judging by his tone of voice, he seemed to be seeking Mona’s opinion. Mona was taken by surprise. However, the shocker was Ginny’s food poisoning. “Since moving in yesterday, Ginny only had
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