“I didn’t poison any food. That was all your doing.” Mona rose to her feet in pain while her chilling gaze brushed past Jennifer. Her piercing eyes drew a crawling sensation under Jennifer’s skin. Jennifer got a grip of herself and righteously claimed, “I have proof. The proof, the witness, and my status as Old Mrs. Fontaine should be enough to lock you up for a few years.” Mona was trembling at the tip of her fingers. It was only now that she could see it all. Jennifer was wicked and shrewd. The old woman was the queen of patience, using Ginny as a pawn to get rid of everybody she hated. Jennifer had her ways to force Mona into the game despite the latter’s disinterest. Moreover, Jennifer had always been the manipulator of the game and rules. She even kept Thaddeus on a tight leash. Ha… The sad thing was that Mona lost herself in the supposed love when her husband and mother-in-law turned against her. She was left out in the cold with nothing to fend for herself. Mona’s he
Mona’s head was buzzing. So, all of that was over a room? Mona said, “Ms. Kimball is free to stay in any room she wants at Fontaine Residence. I have no issues so long as she likes it.” Rising to her feet, Jennifer patted Mona. At least, the woman was wise in that respect. “You wouldn’t have to suffer if you had been cooperative from the start.” “What are you after by doing so, ma’am?” It was hard to believe that a mother could be so cold-blooded and selfish as to ruin her son’s marriage because of the hatred she had. Mona could not wrap her head around it. “It’s so I can feel better.”Jennifer smiled victoriously. She enjoyed Mona’s suffering. As long as Mona had an unhappy marriage and a rough life, Jennifer would get what she wanted. “You’re paying for your adoptive mother’s sins. Of course, you will be gaining resources for your children in return. Don’t you want them to get a head start in life and climb socially higher than their aunt? I don’t suppose you wa
Mona endured the bursts of pain coming from her knees, sucked in a cold breath, and said what she wanted.“I agreed with everything, but Thaddeus, no matter what happens in the future or what dilemmas you encounter, the last thing you should give up is Bobby and Millie when weighing the pros and cons. Even if we break off relations, you can’t separate me from the children. You have to give them the best conditions and life. If you can’t do that, I’ll die with you!”Mona vented all the anger in her heart.Her greatest regret was trusting this man. She should not have been moved by him. She was simply a fool to have thought she could change such a cold-blooded and rational man.Thaddeus looked at Mona silently. There was no expression on his face.Mona curled her lips in a mocking smile.Coward!Step by step, she limped and went back to her room. How could she turn around the battle and win with her damaged body? She had to take good care of her heart and body and strive to become
Mona had just finished treating her wounds when a knock sounded at the door.She could hear Millie babbling at the door for her, so Mona told the maid who bandaged her to quickly pack the first aid kit and leave.The maid opened the door to find the pair of twins standing at the door, holding hands and looking adorable.“Mommy, are you still asleep?”Millie peeked her head into the room. When she saw Mona, she spread her arms and pounced, burrowing into her mother’s arms and nuzzling her like a little cat.“Millie.” Mona’s wound hurt as Millie was sitting on her leg. “Millie, be a good girl. Mommy can’t carry you today, okay?”Bobby noticed something off with Mona and looked at the first aid kit the maid carried. He frowned and asked, “Mommy, are you hurt?”Mona gave the maid a look to leave quickly and beckoned toward Bobby. “Come here. Mommy has something to tell you.”Bobby walked up to Mona. His sharp eyes found a trace of blood on her knee.“What happened? Who bullied you
“Okay, Mommy has to go downstairs now. Bobby, look after your sister and stay here. Don’t go anywhere.”“Okay.” Bobby nodded obediently.Mona settled the two children before she got up and left the room.Walking downstairs, she saw the servants collectively heading outside, lining up neatly by the door to await Ginny’s arrival.Even Mona, as Mrs. Fontaine, had never received such a grand reception before.Mona could not help but feel amused. Now, Jennifer was gleeful at turning the tides against her, and Ginny could stand tall because she had Jennifer’s support. Were the two women planning to join hands to suppress her?Mona could only say that Jennifer played her hand well. She had won this round.“Why are you so slow?” Jennifer came out of the hall with a maid and looked back at the servants behind her. “Give the brazier to the madam.”Mona looked at the golden brazier in the maid’s hand. Jennifer was superstitious and liked to practice sketchy rituals at home to ward off evi
Ginny secretly felt smug when she realized how important her position in Fontaine Residence was now.In fact, this ploy was her masterpiece.Her revenge began to brew from the moment Mona kicked her out of the bedroom. She had played her cards at the right time and place by telling her father to take the initiative to approach Jennifer under the pretext of solidifying Jennifer’s status in the family and agreed to play this scene together. After all, the enemy of an enemy was a friend. They should naturally work together. The facts proved that the more ruthless a person was, the more stable their position would be. She used half her life to exchange for the favor and pursuit she was receiving now. It was worthwhile.Ginny looked at Mona, who was left out in the cold. She assumed Mona had completely fallen out of favor now, with Thaddeus not even on her side. It seemed their feelings did not amount to much after all.Ginny sneered in her heart but took Jennifer’s hand affectionately,
Mona let out a sigh and remembered the scene when Jennifer approached her earlier.Jennifer had told her to give Ginny a massage because the latter had a stiff neck.Her tone was as if she was bossing around a servant.Mona agreed without thinking. It was not her style to retreat into her shell to hide when she had been insulted and had her dignity stepped on.“My mom said you have a stiff neck.”Mona went to the bed, sat down, and raised her hands to prepare to touch Ginny’s neck.Ginny was startled by Mona’s sudden change and obedience. Just as Mona’s hands were about to land on her neck, she immediately shifted to the side to avoid it.A mocking curl emerged from the corner of Mona’s lips. “What’s wrong? Are you scared?”She thought, ‘The battle hasn’t even started, but you’re already ready to run. Ginny, you’re nothing much after all.’Ginny swallowed and put away the panic on her face. “You’re too close to me. Sit further away.”Mona shrugged, feeling genuinely helpless.
Ginny curled her lips and snorted coldly, not caring the least that Mona had revealing photos of her.“If you dare to upload those photos to the Internet, I’ll spread the word that you poisoned me. After all, anyone with a mouth can spread rumors.”She did not believe Mona would discard her identity as Mrs. Fontaine to do such a thing. It was just a trick to scare her. Back then, she was scared because she had no backing.However, it was different now. With Jennifer on her side, what did she have to worry about?Mona was completely calm. “Ms. Kimball, you almost lost your life just for a room. What else are you going to use to obtain a man’s heart? On your body, is there anything more important than your life? Or...”She curled her lips into a smile full of mockery and contempt.“Or maybe your life has less value than dirt. What a failure it is for a person to live like this. It’s completely worthless. Tsk, tsk. I pity you, Ms. Kimball.”“You—” Ginny was so angry that she was at
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