Thaddeus saw that Mona was uncomfortable and waved his large palm in the air. He opened the sunroof of the car for better ventilation.Only then did Mona feel better. She looked at the man’s naked upper body. He had not even changed his shirt, and his worried expression filled her with a sense of security.“How are you? Do you want to go to the hospital for a checkup?”Thaddeus leaned over. His deep eyes were dark, and his expression was concerned.Mona shook her head and wrapped her arms around the man’s neck.Thaddeus paused and leaned forward to make Mona more comfortable.“What’s wrong?” He touched her head and asked in a heavy voice.“Let me hold you for a moment.” Mona felt his naked skin and wanted to find some familiar feelings from the contact. Maybe they were intimate four and a half weeks ago?Thaddeus tightened his arms and held Mona in his embrace. The fresh smell of her hair wafted under his nose, incredibly fragrant. He took a deep breath. The car was quiet, and
It was simply outrageous.A passionate rendezvous downtown in the car? Thaddeus had only taken off his shirt and tossed it to the ground, but the paparazzi exaggerated and said it was evidence of the ‘fierce battle’ inside the car. Mona was simply hugging him. How could the paparazzi exaggerate so far?It was simply appalling. They did not care about morals as long as they could get views.“The paparazzi have been buzzing like flies all day. They make up gimmicks to attract clicks at the slightest chance and don’t care about reporting the truth. I’m sorry you had to make this trip for nothing, officer. My wife and I were just hugging earlier. As for the illegal parking, I was at fault, so I’ll deal with it.”It was rare for Thaddeus to show such patience as he explained the situation to the police. After all, as the heir of Fontaine Group, he had to be careful about his public image. The statement released by the police would be the best response to these scandals, so he naturally
Thaddeus’ heart must be bothered, and she was quite concerned about that.Mona took out the cake and stuffed it into her mouth. The originally sweet and sour cake tasted bitter in her mouth.It was as if she were chewing wax. After swallowing the piece in her mouth, she did not take a second bite.The car drove back to Fontaine Residence, and both the husband and wife were tired. As they changed their shoes at the entrance, they were greeted by Jennifer’s unhappy face.“Didn’t you two say you were visiting Master Fontaine in the hospital? Why was there news about you guys going to the commercial district?”Thaddeus leaned over and took out Mona’s slippers from the shoe cabinet. He glanced at Jennifer and said in dissatisfaction, “We went to buy something after seeing Grandpa. It’s nothing to make a fuss about.”When Jennifer saw how Thaddeus played down the situation, she immediately became agitated. “Photos of you two messing around in the car are going viral online, and you hav
As Mona spoke, her nose suddenly felt slightly sour. She naturally had nothing to say about Thaddeus as a husband and father, but as a son, he was really pitiful!Thaddeus’ eyes slowly turned to Mona’s stubborn and angry face. He was surprised by her words, but more than that, he was touched by her protectiveness toward him.She understood and empathized with him from the bottom of her heart. That was why she said those words.Jennifer was struck speechless by Mona. Her eyes swept to Mona and then fell on Thaddeus. “Well, are you going to say anything? Your rotten wife is scolding your mother. Do you even care?!”Thaddeus was a little overwhelmed and whispered to Mona, “You go upstairs first. I’ll talk to my mother.”“No!” Jennifer screamed. “If she leaves, I’ll die in front of you right now!”She lunged toward Mona as she spoke. Her appearance was terrifying.Mona hid behind Thaddeus, so Jennifer could not touch her. The woman was furious, “You really want me to die, huh? Fine!
With that in her mind, Thaddeus called her. She picked it up immediately. “How’s your mother?” “We got to the hospital just in time, and she’s in the ER. I think she’s going to make it.” The man’s voice sounded tired. Mona then realized the man had been dealing with his family affairs since the morning. Now, he had to stay in the hospital to look out for Madam Fontaine. She started to feel bad for him. “Alright. If you need me there…” “Don’t come.” the man said resolutely. “Just stay home and take care of yourself and the kids.” "Mhmm." Mona nodded. A slight hesitation later, she decided to tell him about the separation once his mother's condition had stabilized. "Take care of yourself." “Okay.” The man then hung up the phone. After the phone call, a car's engine noise came from the front door. Mona was annoyed by the noise. Who could it be at this hour? She went out of the living room to see who it was. The car on the front porch felt familiar and made her think.
The more Mona tried to push Victor away, the more he teased her. He curled his lips into a wicked smile and stared at Mona with an invasive gaze. Although Eleanor saw, she turned a blind eye to it, encouraging her son to harass Mona with his perverted gaze. She smiled and put Mona’s hand on her lap. In fact, it was not only her son. She liked Mona a lot too, and since Mona was having a conflict with Jennifer, it would be an ideal outcome if she could just get her to her side. “Mona, I heard from Victor that you two knew each other a long time ago, but because of some mistakes and what happened to your family, you lost your memories and got together with his uncle. Am I right?” Mona was surprised that Eleanor was speaking of her past with Victor. After all, she had settled with Thaddeus and formed a family with him. She even had two adorable kids with him. As Thaddeus’ sister, Eleanor should not be saying something like that.“Eleanor, that’s history. There’s no point in brin
Eleanor whispered the secret into Mona’s ear. It was about Jennifer having an affair with her husband’s brother. She told Mona everything about the incestuous relationship. Jennifer had two years of an incestuous relationship with her brother-in-law. Eleanor heard it from someone else herself. Coupled with the clues and inkling she spotted in Jennifer in the past few years, it was almost certain that it was true. Mona took a couple of minutes to calm herself down from the shock. She asked Eleanor, “Eleanor, how did you find out about this?” “Ginny told me.” Mona pondered. If it was Ginny, it might have a certain level of authenticity. She knew Ginny held a great secret about Jennifer that Jennifer refused to even speak about it. So, it might be about this incestuous relationship. However, Mona could not be a hundred percent sure and decided to probe for more. She feigned surprise and raised a brow. She asked, “Ginny? She’s not one of us. Why would she tell you something l
Mona turned a deaf ear and walked away. “If I win this competition against Thaddeus and helm the company, will you consider being with me again?” Mona turned around when she reached the higher point of the stairs and looked down at Victor from a condescending angle. She said coldly, “No. Never.” Victor looked at her frosty but delicate face. He scoffed. “Don’t speak too early.” Mona ignored him and returned to the living room. She sat down on the couch to calm herself down. A lot had happened in one night, and she needed time to comb through her thoughts. Her priority would be going to the hospital tomorrow to talk to Thaddeus about the separation. She could not delay it anymore. Now that Jennifer had gotten out of control, the woman had to be sent away as soon as possible. It would be up to Thaddeus to decide whether his mother or she and the children would move out of the house. With that in mind, Mona barely got any sleep. She went to the hospital the next day. After
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