“The perfume smell on you stinks.” Mona pushed Thaddeus away. “Get off. Stay away from me.” She could not be more in touch with her innermost feelings. Mona rejected the man, be it physically or mentally, and it had reached the point of no return. Thaddeus restlessly ran his fingers along his hair, taking Mona’s rejection as her feeling sick. Pregnant women had their little tantrums anyway. “Have a little lie-down. I’ll go get the doctor.” Thaddeus walked out of the ward and proceeded to the doctor’s office. He asked about Mona’s health condition before taking strides back to the ward with the doctor. “Huh? Where is Mrs. Fontaine?” Mona was missing. All that was left was the IV bag with two-thirds of its content remaining. Anxious, Thaddeus rushed into the toilet for a look, but she was nowhere to be found. With a bad feeling sinking in, he harked back to Mona’s disdainful eyes and gesture. She said that the perfume smell on him stank. Was the woman angry over the
“What happened to you?” Linda pulled out her phone to order some ginger for immediate delivery while nagging, “Why are you getting chills in the summer? In the worst-case scenario, we should go to the hospital.” Mona curled up under the duvet and closed her eyes before listlessly uttering, “No hospital. I came straight from the hospital to you. It’s not a huge problem. I know medicine and my body.” Linda let out a long sigh. “What’s going on? What happened to you? Does Thaddeus know about it?” Mona was filled with apprehension every time the man came to mind. He was a cold-blooded demon without emotions. Mona was disappointed with the man and refused to be associated with him ever again. “What’s the matter? Did you and Mr. Fontaine fight?” “I don’t want to talk about him.” Mona looked at Linda. “I wanted to ask you. Are you psychic or something? You said I looked pregnant during our last get-together, so I went to the hospital for a medical examination on the same day.
“Suzy, no matter what decision you make, I will support it unconditionally. As you said, it’s your body. You have the right to decide whether or not to keep it.”While the two people were talking, the delivery man sent the ginger to the house. Linda opened the door, took the package, and quickly went to the kitchen to prepare ginger tea for Mona.“Suzy, your tea is ready. Get up and drink it while it’s still hot.”Linda took the mug into the bedroom and helped Mona up.Mona propped herself up. She picked up the mug and drank the tea in one go, finally feeling her body warm.Now that she had some strength, she pulled up the quilt to cover her body and leaned against the bed to look out the window.From Linda’s point of view, Mona’s three-dimensional features were quiet and serene. She was like a quiet kitten living in her own world.In Linda’s impression, Mona always had a quiet nature. While her features were stunning, her quiet temperament accentuated her beauty and made her mo
“You’re putting yourself down. Suzy, you’re not just a tool for giving birth to children. Besides, if he doesn’t like you, why would he let you stay in Fontaine residence as Mrs. Fontaine? He must have married you because you’re a good woman.”Mona suddenly felt like laughing when she heard the title Mrs. Fontaine.“It’s better to rely on oneself.”She thought that Thaddeus was a person who was willing to live by her side for the rest of his life. However, she was disappointed time and time again...“You still have me.”Linda hugged Mona’s hand. “No matter what, I’ll be by your side.”“Thank you, Linda.”Mona smiled. “You’re the best.”“Geez, don’t be so polite. I’ll make you some more ginger tea to warm your body up.”...On the other side, Thaddeus was frantically fishing for a certain person and finally remembered that Mona had a friend called Linda.He told his assistant to investigate Linda’s address. Sure enough, Mona took a cab from the hospital and went in that direc
Thaddeus raised his brows slightly. He looked into the house and stepped inside.As soon as he walked into the living room, the pungent smell of ginger wafted to his nose. Thaddeus felt a little choked and covered his nose with his hand to suppress the smell.Linda curled her lips, thinking, ‘Does he dislike the smell? Well, I also dislike it when he does things that make people despise him.’“Suzy is still sleeping in the bedroom. Wait until she wakes up.”Linda poured Thaddeus a cup of ginger tea and placed it on the table. “Help yourself.”Thaddeus looked at the closed door of the bedroom. He got up and said, “I want to see her first.”Linda quickly walked over and raised her arms to stop him. “Mr. Fontaine, that’s a lady’s bedroom. How can you barge in like this?”Thaddeus was speechless. He put his hands into his pockets and stood at the door without leaving. “My wife is inside. I want to go in and see her.”Linda was deliberately making things hard for him. Did she think
Thaddeus looked at the bright red apple on the fruit plate. It was Mona’s favorite.He sat down and rolled up his sleeves, revealing a beautiful arm.Pulling out a wet paper towel, he wiped his hands, picked up the fruit knife and the red apple, and began to peel it.Mona and Linda were both surprised when they saw how familiar the man’s action of peeling the fruit was. It was unexpected that someone like Thaddeus, who always had people serving him, would do something like this.Thaddeus’ long and good-looking fingers held the fruit knife and peeled off the skin of the apple. Then, he cut the apple into several pieces, put it on the fruit plate, skewered it, and handed it to Mona.“Eat the apple. Come home with me when you’re finished.”The man was originally angry. However, when he saw Mona looking at him pitifully and speaking in such a soft and sweet voice, he simply could not get angry anymore.Sometimes, he was that easy to coax. As long as she stayed by his side obediently
Thaddeus' expression froze, and his brows furrowed slightly. “Why do you keep asking that question?”“Because you haven't given me a definite answer.”“I'll explain it to you some other time, but not now.”Mona curled her lips up in a playful smile. “If you won't tell me, I won't go back with you. You should leave.”Thaddeus' expression changed. “What can't you understand, Mona?”When Mona saw him getting angry, a fire rose in her.She was angry too. In fact, she was even angrier than him.“How am I supposed to understand? I can't understand!”She could not understand. He stayed out late for two nights, and both times he was staying with the same woman. The important point was not that Mona saw it with her own eyes. It was that he was being evasive!Thaddeus was so furious that his chest heaved in anger. If not for the fact that this was someone else's home, he would have pinned this woman on the bed and spanked her hard.“Fine. If that's what you want, you can stay here with
Mona had figured it out. Earlier, Sophie said that the light had gone from her eyes, and she had lost herself. It was true. She always devoted her energy and time to her family instead of caring about what she wanted. It would be stranger if she were not unhappy living like that.“I'm just worried that the children miss you. What if Thaddeus brings Ginny home while you're not around? Would you be able to stand it if he tells your children to call her mom?”“I'm focusing on myself right now. So let's put those things aside for the time being.”Mona lay comfortably on the bed. Sometimes, it was better not to worry so much. She would be much happier if she only cared about herself.“Sure. Let's sleep, then.”Linda hummed happily and went to the cupboard to get a pillow. “By the way, how long are you planning to stay?”Mona raised her hands behind her head and tapped her finger on her head. “Until that man begs me to come home.”“Awesome!” Linda threw the pillow next to Mona and lay
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