Mona opened the cabinet containing the man’s perfumes and scanned the dazzling array.She had studied perfumes for a long time and had a photographic memory. She practiced to the point where as long as she knew the brand and name, she could recall its scent and list of ingredients.After looking around, her eyes fixed on the bottle in the corner of the bottommost grid.She curled her lips as a dark light flashed in her eyes.She took out the bottle of perfume and blew on the dust on the bottle.“Here. This one is suitable for you.”Thaddeus took the perfume bottle and glanced at the brand.It was a very niche perfume brand. When he opened the bottle, a clear and heavy woody aroma wafted to his nose. The base note of the fragrance was very special. He quite liked it.Mona knew his tastes and could always catch his inner wants.“Okay. I’ll use this.”Thaddeus sprayed the perfume and watched Mona’s reaction.Mona looked calm as if nothing had happened. She even helped him strai
“Weren’t you just having fun earlier? What? Did you have another fight?”“No. Thanks for your concern, but you should worry about yourself more.”Mona glanced at Jennifer in disdain. Ever since she eavesdropped on the truth last night, her impression of this woman had worsened.Jennifer’s self-righteousness was simply ridiculous. She would push herself into the abyss sooner or later.Jennifer crossed her arms and sneered. “Did you know? Thaddeus isn’t going to the hospital. He’s going to see Ginny.”Jennifer thought saying that could provoke Mona.Unbeknownst to her, Mona already knew in advance.“Oh? He went to see Ms. Kimball?” Mona pretended to be surprised.“Yes. I heard it clearly. He took out his phone to call Ginny and asked her out.”Jennifer was very smug. Wanting to make Mona uncomfortable, she completely forgot how abusive Ginny was toward her yesterday.“Then, have you ever wondered why he’s going to Ms. Kimball?” Mona smiled meaningfully. “Aren’t you scared? Ms.
As soon as Mona and Linda sat down, Ginny became unhappy.There were so many empty seats, yet they insisted on sitting beside Thaddeus and her. Furthermore, they had been sitting somewhere else originally. So it was clear that they were doing this deliberately.“You two really are uneducated,” Ginny said coldly as she looked at Mona in ridicule.She was puzzled when she received the call from Thaddeus today. However, when they met, Thaddeus softened his attitude toward her. He held the door for her to get into the car, helped her open a canned drink, and asked how she was doing recently. His gentlemanly actions reignited her originally dead heart and gave birth to surging love again.Mona turned to glance at Ginny, and her gaze fell on Thaddeus’ face. The man looked calm, as if nothing had happened.She turned back, a little angry.There was a high chance that the man was just acting. Even though she knew this in her heart, she was still upset.What decent man would do such a th
Mona was drinking fruit juice. Although she was simply sitting at the side and watching the show, she bit the straw and curled her lips up when she heard Thaddeus say that. She was secretly happy.Ginny laughed angrily when she heard Thaddeus’ words. He was clearly trying to distance himself from her.In that case, there was nothing else to say. As a man and woman, there was nothing to talk about except for that.“So, you called me out just to tell me this, Mr. Fontaine?”Was it only to show their love off in front of her? To make her give up on him?“That’s just one of the reasons.” Thaddeus’ handsome face was suddenly covered with a layer of coldness as he looked at Ginny gloomily. “There’s one other thing. It’s time to end it.”When Ginny heard this, her heart sank bit by bit and fell to the bottom.“What is it?”“Your three requests,” Thaddeus said coldly. He took out a document from his briefcase and left it on the table. “You should also stop your self-directed farce.”G
The man narrowed his eyes and cupped her chin to force her to look at him. “It’s true that beneficial actions often go unappreciated.”Mona snorted a laugh.She had won this tug of war!In fact, she was just sulking earlier. However, now that this man made a clear stance and flatly rejected Ginny, it gave Mona a sense of security.Thaddeus gritted his teeth. “I chose this place because I wanted to reassure you. There’s no need for you to doubt me in your heart. I’ll always be on your side. You don’t need to be angry with me or get involved with some other men to make me feel a sense of crisis.”Honestly, just the thought of Mona and Tim getting close made his possessiveness explode.Mona smiled silently. It turned out this man really did care. She thought he had not.The two showed off their affection as if no one was watching. To the side, Linda watched their PDA with her chin in her palm.However, this harmonious scene was soon broken by Ginny’s scream.“Ah! Oh, God… Somethi
Ginny dried her tears, stood up, and said to Tim with a pleading face, “Help me. Take me to the hospital. My hands are shaking so badly that I can’t drive.”“I’ll help you.” Tim put his hands in his pocket, looking like a person in power from up high. “But I have a condition.”Ginny looked at Tim with a confused face. “What do you want?”Tim curled his lips. “What I want is also what you want, so let’s work together.”Ginny thought about it and suddenly understood.While she was studying abroad, she occasionally paid attention to media gossip about her home country. The young master of the Graves family in front of her seemed to have had a scandal with Mona before.Was he still thinking of another man’s wife? Then again, Mona was a woman who had given birth to two children. How could she make these men so spellbound for her?Could it really be as Jennifer said? Did Mona have the ability to hook a man’s soul away?“Take me to the hospital and heal my face first.” Ginny took a sm
“Ginny’s face is too ugly. How did she end up like that? It looks like she’s going to be disfigured. Hmph. That’s called karma. The heavens must have finally decided to give her punishment.”“Yes, the heavens have a good heart.”Mona avoided Linda’s gaze and glanced at Thaddeus, feeling guilty.Although she used this little trick for Xavier and to vent her anger, she ended up using Thaddeus as a tool. It was not an honorable thing to admit.The man met her gaze and seemed to read something from her expression.“Was it the heavens, or a woman possessing remarkable ability?” Thaddeus reached out and pinched Mona’s delicate nose. “Was it you?”Mona frowned. Subconsciously, her tone sounded spoiled. “So what if it was? Are you going to hit me?”The man was exasperated and amused.“How would I dare hit you?”Mona smiled and pointed to the man’s suit jacket.“It’s your perfume. There’s a problem with Ginny’s immune system due to the poisoning incident back then, and there’s a speci
“Do you feel anything yourself?”Thaddeus held Mona’s hand as they sat in the hall of the OB-GYN department, waiting to get the results.“I don’t feel anything.” Mona looked at how upright and still he was sitting and bumped his shoulder. “Hey, don’t tell me you took Linda’s words seriously.”“Why not?” The man looked down at her abdomen. “If you’re really pregnant, it’s a major matter. There will be many things that need to be prepared in advance.”Mona touched her lower abdomen. So, it was just because of Linda’s words. However, Mona did not believe it. She already made sure to take protective measures. Furthermore, she had a physical examination before, and the doctor told her it would be extremely difficult for her to conceive another child.“Well, let’s wait for the results.”Mona leaned her head on Thaddeus’ shoulder and looked at the people coming and going. Her eyes were unfocused, and her thoughts were in chaos.A picture flashed in her mind. Thaddeus’ face enlarged in
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