“Maybe it’s because I didn’t rest well last night,” Thaddeus said to Mona. He looked at Mona’s exquisite figure. If it was not for her seducing him, he would not have been tossing and turning last night without being able to sleep. Mona noticed him looking at her. She was secretly pleased but pretended as if nothing happened and responded, “Then, rest early today. Go and have dinner first.” Mona sat up and took Thaddeus’ hand. She smiled warmly at him and said, “I asked the maids to make some of your favorite food. There’s a new dish. Go and try it.” Thaddeus looked at Mona and suddenly noticed something different about her. The change made him feel warm. He had heard other men talk over dinner during social events about how gentle and considerate their wives were. He could not understand the look of happiness on their faces at that time. Thaddeus had never been interested in relationships between men and women. Every time he was drunk, he would go home and sleep in his bed.
“Mom, where have you been?” Thaddeus asked Jennifer. Thaddeus put down his phone and walked up to Jennifer. Given such a big incident happened, as a daughter-in-law, Jennifer should not be absent. “I went out this afternoon and went shopping.” Jennifer looked at the tightly closed door of the emergency room and had a strange look on her face. Mona observed Jennifer from afar. She noticed Jennifer clenching her fists and avoiding eye contact with Thaddeus as she spoke. It was strange, to say the least. Thaddeus also noticed Jennifer’s abnormality, but it was fleeting, so much so that he failed to capture it as Eleanor arrived with Victor. The mother and son were in a hurry. Eleanor took Jennifer’s hand and asked anxiously, “Mom, how’s Grandpa doing now?” “He’s still inside,” Jennifer cried sorrowfully and worriedly. She even covered her face as she wept. Mona only found it funny. Jennifer was just bossing Master Fontaine around this morning and could not wait for him to
Time passed slowly. Everyone waited quietly in the hospital corridor. The wind blew late at night, making Mona’s dress flutter. She was sleepy and cold, so she leaned on Thaddeus’ shoulder while her eyes were about to close. “Are you cold?” Thaddeus squeezed her cold hand and rubbed his chin against the side of her face. “A little.” Mona’s eyes were red. She was worried about Master Fontaine and cried for a long time. Moreover, she looked exhausted and had no spirit at all. She must look very unflattering at the moment. Mona buried her face into Thaddeus’ arm, not wanting him to see her like that. Thaddeus noticed her small action but did not quite understand her intention. He only thought that she was relying on him as she was fragile and upset at the moment. As such, Thaddeus became protective of her. He pulled her into his arms and whispered into her ear, “I’m still here even if the sky is falling. Lean on me and take a nap.” Mona shifted her body and went further into
Sarah was a maid Eleanor had placed in the Fontaine Residence, so she knew exactly what happened wherever there was any movement in the residence. “Was Grandpa’s accident an accident or a deliberate scheme?” Victor held his arms and no longer looked frivolous. He looked meticulous and scheming instead, which was something outsiders would rarely see. “Who knows? We’ll have to wait for him to wake up and tell us.” Eleanor frowned and analyzed. “But Jennifer seemed quite agitated earlier. It’ll be strange if she isn’t guilty at all.” Victor said after some thought, “Mom, you shouldn’t be too obvious. The more aggressive you are, the more she’ll hide things.” “I was just probing her just now.” Eleanor was calm. “I hope Master Fontaine is fine. Now, we can just wait to see what he does when he comes out and wakes up. If Jennifer is behind this, we can make a big deal out of it.” Victor nodded in agreement. “I support you in snatching Mona over.” Eleanor suddenly changed the su
Victor recognized Joan and immediately became wary of her. For some reason, Eleanor would become very agitated whenever she saw Joan. It was as though Joan was possessed by a ghost and was causing Jennifer to act like that. “The resting lounge is occupied.” Victor blocked the doorway and stopped Joan from entering. “Well, there are two beds here. What’s wrong with me going in and sleeping on one of them?” Joan had a rebellious nature. The more she was asked not to do something, the more she wanted to do it, and she must do it. “My mom isn’t sleeping well. You’ll disturb her if you go in,” Victor refused impolitely, causing Joan to be enraged. “This is a hospital, and the resting lounge doesn’t belong to you. I need to rest and sleep now, so I’ll go in and sleep in the bed next to your mom!” The noise woke Eleanor up in the resting lounge. When she walked to the door and saw Joan, she was enveloped by immense fear and went straight to hide behind Victor. “Don’t come near m
“But, Mom, nobody choked you. You choked yourself with your hands.” Victor was very sure because he saw Eleanor choking herself when she had a nightmare, only to wake up and say she had encountered a ghost. “Mom, I’m very confused as to why you did it.” “What? I strangled myself?” Eleanor was in disbelief. How could it be? She had such a real nightmare, and those hands that were choking her wanted to strangle her to death. Who knew that the owner of those hands would be herself?! This was a secret she did not dare to reveal, and not even her son would tell others about it. They would bury the secret… “Mom, you’re ill indeed. You can’t even remember what you did, and your mind is confused.” Victor rubbed the spot between his eyebrows and looked exhausted. “You should rest first. I’ll watch Joan for you.” Eleanor grabbed Victor’s hands as though she was grabbing a lifeline. Her son was finally understanding. He knew to bear things for her and share her sorrow. She was rel
Mona could not wake Master Fontaine up no matter what. Seeing how there were many tubes on his body and his eyes were tightly shut, she was worried sick and could not help but cry. “The patient just had brain surgery and needs to be monitored in the ICU for a week. It won’t be a big problem if he’s out of danger, but as his family, please don’t get emotional. He needs a stable and quiet space to rest.” Thaddeus pulled Mona to his side. He was secretly relieved as he looked down at the old man on the hospital bed. Thank God that Master Fontaine was rescued. Mona had been praying by Thaddeus’ side all night. She was close to holding a cross and kneeling down to recite the Bible. “The driver is outside. You should go back to rest now. I’ll handle the rest.” Thaddeus was calm. He thoughtfully arranged everything that would come next. “But Grandpa just came out. What if he wakes up and can’t see me?” “No, he won’t wake up for the time being.” Thaddeus fixed Mona’s hair in fron
“Give me back my phone,” Mona said to Victor. “Let me take you home.” Victor put the phone into his pocket. It would be awkward for Mona to try to reach for it. Mona gritted her teeth. She looked up and glared at Victor. Victor spread his hands and shrugged, expressing that he was helpless. ‘Scumbag!’ Mona cursed internally. A cab happened to be here at this time, thus she lifted her hand to stall it and went in, leaving Victor on the spot. Victor stood in place. He watched the cab drive away until it slowly disappeared from his line of sight. His playful look froze a little as he slowly looked down with disappointment and regret in his eyes… He stood in the wind for a long time and did not know what he was thinking. He only felt that he looked slightly ugly as he put his ego down for someone else to step on just now. Nonetheless, given his and Mona’s status at the moment, he did not know how else he could have approached her. While Victor’s thoughts drifted away, the pho
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