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
Mona had always adopted a pessimistic attitude toward Ginny. The only thing she could do was protect herself and her children and firmly entrench herself as the lady of the house. “Let’s hope so.” “Don’t think too much about it. At least now I know how you feel.” Thaddeus took Mona’s hand within his grasp. Her hand was small and soft but warm. It was as though she could transfer him some energy, and he was driven with motivation when he was with her. Mona lowered her head and looked at their hand-holding moment, her heart filled with tenderness.“So you know how I feel?” “Our hearts are one.” Thaddeus expressed his love subtly. These were the most romantic words that could come out of his mouth. Mona pressed her lips together and hung her head low to hide her shyness and sneak a laugh. The pair held hands without a word. After a brief silence, Mona caught sight of Tony. He had come rather quickly and before Thaddeus had even informed him. How did he find out? Mon
Tony blew up at Thaddeus in the hospital. This was Ginny’s second visit to the hospital, and the Fontaines were once again the cause for her medical attention. Besides, Ginny seemed to be in a worse state than before. Furious, Tony let out his grievance and took his anger out on Thaddeus. Tony could only do so at times like this. The boy was cocky, and people had to suck up to him. Tony was not going to say no to the opportunity to unleash his fury. Thaddeus looked askance at Tony, taking him like a deranged man flipping out. Without a word, Thaddeus watched Tony make a fuss until the latter ran out of breath and had nothing else to say. Thaddeus put his drink down and unhurriedly said, “First of all, your daughter wanted to stay at my family residence. No one held a knife to her neck and made her move.” “Don’t try to change the subject, Thaddeus. She’s a guest at your place and got food poisoning on the second day. It’s clear someone is trying to drive her out of Fontaine Resi
Thaddeus knew his mother too well. He, as her son, was subjected to his mother’s extreme mood swings, much less the supposed daughter of her mortal enemy. Jennifer scoffed. “Adoptive mother? So, Mona is related to the vixen, then. The homewrecker definitely raised her daughter to be the same b*tch. I’m telling you, Thaddeus. You can stay married, but I will never accept Mona. Not now, not ever.” Thaddeus was furious at his mother’s snarky comments. Alas, he felt defeated and helpless that he could not change his mother’s mindset to treat Mona with kindness like him. “You’ll regret it sooner or later, Mom.” Thaddeus said before turning on his heel to leave. Jennifer coldly smirked. Regret? All she wanted was to watch Mona suffer. Why would she regret it? With Thaddeus moving to a corner to call home and speak with Mona tenderly, Jennifer was filled with bitter resentment. Jennifer turned her head away and entered Ginny’s ward. Seeing that Jennifer was there, Tony pulle
Mona wiggled to avoid his touch and murmured blushingly, “Stop it, Thaddeus. Many people are looking...” Thaddeus stared at the shy woman. Mona was determined and stood on her own in matters that meant the most, but last night, she showed a different side to her. Her many faces overwhelmed Thaddeus with admiration and respect. The woman was like an eventful book. Thaddeus could get enough of the book as there was always something new. It was a good thing Mona’s name was soon broadcast. She threw the waiting number to Thaddeus. “Go and retrieve the test results.” “Sure.” Thaddeus grabbed the number and entered a room. It did not take long before he returned with a report in hand. “So? What does it say?” Mona drew close and clung close to Thaddeus to read the report in his hand. “There was something added to Ginny’s food. Two types of herbs…” Thaddeus furrowed his brows. Mona was dumbstruck as these two ingredients were poisonous in nature, and an overdose would be fatal.
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