Thaddeus made a wry face under the umbrella. He thought Mona had returned to Fontaine Residence, but she was not at home. Flustered, Thaddeus grabbed the umbrella and rushed out. The last thing he wanted was for her to hurt herself because she could not see a way out of it. However, all he saw was Mona coming home with someone’s jacket draped over her. Despite his rage, the man did not dare throw a fit. He was the one who had done her wrong and had no right to be angry. Mona callously glanced at Thaddeus before brushing past him without a word. The man turned around, keeping his eyes on her. He could feel her fury, but it was the silence in the anger that was scary. Thaddeus took strides to keep up with her, holding an umbrella up for her while removing the jacket over her shoulders to toss it at the lawn. The jacket was an eyesore. “Have you lost your mind? Someone lent me that jacket so I didn’t have to get drenched in the rain. Do you have any ounce of respect for othe
“Okay.” Millie answered and drew a deep breath, gathering strength in her lungs before letting it all out in a wail. “Waaahhh! Mommy! Mommy! Open the door! I don’t feel good. Sob… Am I going to die? Wahhhhh! Mommy! Open the door, please…” With Millie’s cries throwing Mona into a fluster, the latter opened the bedroom door right away. “What’s the matter, Millie?” Mona picked Millie up and nervously examined her from head to toe. “Where does it hurt? Tell me.” Millie rubbed her nose and jumped into Mona’s arms before crying louder. “Mommy… Mommy, don’t be sad. It hurts here…” Millie put her hand over her heart as her face turned red from weeping. Daddy told her to turn on the waterworks, but the girl was honestly sad because she felt sorry for Mommy. “Now, now, Millie. Don’t cry. Come with me to the room.” While pacifying her daughter, Mona was about to close the door when Thaddeus tried to enter the room. However, she kept him out with a threatening look. Helpless,
Mona was having an afternoon nap when there was a knock on her bedroom door. With her eyes closed, she listened to the noise outside. It was Thaddeus talking. “Open the door, Mona, or I’ll burst my way through.”Paying him no mind, she turned and looked outside the window. Like a doll with no feelings, Mona was unaffected by anything around her. The man outside the door was true to his word and kicked the door open. Startled, Mona turned to the man who had broken into the room. She propped herself up. Thaddeus took the lunch from the maid, walking to Mona’s bed before putting the food on the bedside table. He was about to sit when Mona yelled, “Get out!” The man looked at her like she was a kid throwing a tantrum. “That’s enough. Eat.” Mona kept her head down and said nothing. With her mind all over the place after what had happened, she was at loss for what to say to the man. Thaddeus understood that no reason could get past her rage at this point. Hence, he was wil
Mona could not wrap her head around the reason why Thaddeus would say such a thing. Though, one thing was for sure. It was not something she wanted to hear. “Don’t say that. Nothing will happen to you. You’ll live to be a hundred.” Thaddeus curled his lips into a faint smile. The woman did care about him. “Silly girl.” The man took the opportunity to sit beside Mona. After a pause, he said, “Don’t be scared. I will make sure you and the kids are covered before I leave the world. I will do everything in my power to have everything laid out for you.” Mona gave Thaddeus a cold look. “What’s with the downbeat attitude? I think you’re playing the sympathy card. Don’t try to change the topic.” “I told my people to take Ginny to the hospital for a check-up. We will know once the medical report is out.” Then came the phone call from Thaddeus’ assistant. Under Thaddeus’ orders, Marcus checked the surveillance cameras last night. Thaddeus went to Ginny’s hotel room on his own
“The most likely mole among the domestic help is the butler.” Mona was certain as Maria told her that Sebastian and Jennifer were close. During Ginny’s stay at the residence, the three of them were involved in setting Mona up. “Ha. Of course it was that sly man.” Thaddeus narrowed his eyes. The butler had control over the household staff, so it would be easy for him to cover anything up. “Are you sure?” “Yes. I don’t say things I’m not sure about.” Mona was firm on that note. Thaddeus nodded his head and picked up the internal phone to call downstairs. “Tell the butler to come to my study.” No sooner that Thaddeus left did Anna enter Mona’s room. “How was the party last night?” “I don’t want to talk about it.” Mona looked dispirited. “Thaddeus and Ginny spent a night together yesterday.” Anna’s jaw dropped in surprise. “Did you see it yourself?” “I went to the hotel to catch him red-handed. I found hair belonging to a woman on the bed. He admitted that the wo
Thaddeus’ hand awkwardly suspended midair before he withdrew it. “I need to explain about last night.” Mona turned her head and stared at Thaddeus’ face for a while before moving her gaze back to the window. Judging by her nonchalance, clarification must not matter to her anymore. Feeling down, Thaddeus sat on the sofa and met Mona face-to-face. The distance between them seemed wider than ever. “Sebastian messed with my medication. He told the cleaning maid to switch my medicine for vitamins, giving my secondary personality control over my body. He acted upon Ginny’s instructions.” “Okay,” Mona callously answered.So what? It did not change the fact that he slept with Ginny. Her response did not sit well with Thaddeus. It was not what he expected. “That means it was all a setup. How long are you going to hold this against me?” “I’m not holding it against you.” Mona calmly looked at Thaddeus. “Let’s drop the subject. I don’t need your explanation.” Thaddeus stared
“They won’t divorce.” Holding Millie in his arms, Bobby gently patted her back. “With us around, trust me, Millie. They won’t.” Relieved, Millie heavily nodded her head. “Yeah. I trust you, Bobby!” Bobby planted a kiss on Millie’s forehead and tenderly soothed her. “Come on. Get some rest. There’s nothing to fear. I’m here.” “You’re the best, Bobby.” Millie snuggled up against Bobby before closing her eyes to fall asleep. Bobby cuddled his sister while staring at the shadows of trees outside, lost in his thoughts. Daddy did not come home tonight, and Mommy was not in the best of moods. Something bad must have happened between them. It was high time to figure out a way to get through it. Mona woke up bright early in the morning. Before she could get out of bed, Bobby brought a breakfast tray into her room. “Breakfast time, Mommy.” Her son knew the way to her heart, always perceptive of her down days. The boy would do all he could to make her feel better. “Mommy, I
Thaddeus then hung up the call. “Alright.” Bobby was in distress as Daddy and Mommy had an argument, and it was something big that they could not set right. “Bobby, is your mommy around?” With a voice calling out to him, Bobby turned around and saw Mommy’s agent – Sophie. “Mommy is having breakfast in the room.” Flashing a smile at Sophie, Bobby drew close and took her hand. “Sophie, are you here to talk about work with Mommy?” “Yeah.” Sophie smacked a copy of the script in her hand. “See this? It is your mommy’s homework. Don’t tell me that your mommy is still lying in bed.” “No. She’s having her breakfast.” Bobby pulled Sophie downstairs. “Come downstairs. I have something to tell you.” “Um, but…” Sophie cocked her head back and glanced at Mona’s shut bedroom door as Bobby dragged her down the stairs. Bobby took the script from Sophie and put it on the table. “Sophie, there’s something I need to talk to you about.” Sophie narrowed her eyes at Bobby, who seem
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