“I just want to know what you think.”“What do you mean?”“You’ve changed.” Mona pursed her lips and spoke subtly.She thought of Jennifer’s past actions. Jennifer always hated her guts. It was as if she wanted to eat her alive.“I’ve gotten over it.” Jennifer took Mona’s hand. “I almost died after attempting suicide. That time, you said you know what shameful things I’ve done, and you said you’d solve them for me. On the contrary, Ginny used the same matter to threaten me and my life. I figured it out completely in the few days I was hospitalized and reflected on what I did to you before. To be honest, I feel guilty.”Mona felt conflicted as she listened to Jennifer’s words. If a person wanted to change for real, they had to think and reflect from the bottom of their heart. Getting over it and changing was something that happened instantaneously.It seemed Jennifer had really gotten over it.“Mom, let bygones be bygones. Harmony in a family brings about success.”Mona looked a
Anna pursed her lips. It turned out to be true.The whole of Worchester City paved the way for the princess of the Beacon family. It was as if she was born with the ability to attract attention to herself.It had been like that since her childhood. She always got everyone’s privileges, while Anna was the ugly duckling covered by her shadow.Anna’s heart felt empty. When she remembered the clerk saying that Alex would be proposing to Vivian tonight, it made her vaguely uncomfortable.Even though her career as a psychologist was first-class in the country, she was still fragile when it came to the problem of feelings.“Is this the only sample of the new model?” Mona saw the disappointed expression on Anna’s face and wondered if there was any possibility of communication.“This is the only sample in our store, but there’s another one in the high-tech district branch. It’s possible to transfer the model here.”“That’s a good solution. Let us try this one first. Ms. Beacon hasn’t com
Sure enough, Italian designers were on a different level. The price was really expensive!However, Alex would be proposing to Vivian tonight, and everyone would witness the blooming of their long love while seeing the fruitless years of Anna’s crush. Anna did not want to lose too badly.“Didn’t you say Ms. Beacon would be wearing this tonight?” Mona suddenly thought of something and reminded Anna, “Wouldn’t you two clash if you chose this dress too?”Anna thought about it and agreed. She planned on wearing the current clothes on her back. She only wanted to try this new model because she thought it looked nice while she was shopping.It was the clerk who set the mood and gave her the illusion that she had to buy the dress.“Yes, we just want to try it out.” Anna smiled politely at the clerk. “Thank you, but I won’t be buying it. Leave the dress for Ms. Beacon.”“Then you can look at the other models.” The clerk led Anna and Mona to the other clothes. “Oh, Ms. Beacon is here. Hurr
The evening party was held at a clubhouse by the river. Mona and Anna were a little late, and many people had gathered when they arrived. Since it was a party, everyone was relaxed and casual. The atmosphere was also very cordial and comfortable.Mona and Anna found seats near the riverside and sat down. Not long after, the main man of today’s party showed up.Alex appeared in everyone’s line of sight and instantly attracted everyone’s attention. He was dressed very formally in a silver-gray suit with bright crystal embellishments that dazzled in the light.Undoubtedly, today was the day he would be proposing to Vivian.“He’s really handsome.” Mona propped her chin up and looked at the man not far away. She was used to Thaddeus’ face, so it was quite refreshing to see another handsome man.Anna’s gaze fixed on the man’s body before lowering her head to drink. She stirred her cup with the straw silently. Mona did not know what she was thinking.Mona sensed the strong aura of loss
Mona could not help but feel sympathy for Anna. How lowly was Anna’s love for Alex for her to say something like that?“No, your youth is precious! It’s a loss that you gave it to a one-sided crush that ended up unrequited. Now, what you need to do is stop. Listen to me. From now on, you’re not allowed to think about Alex. Just think of him as rubbish. People who can’t throw away rubbish are rubbish themselves.”Anna looked fixedly at Mona and was surprised at her evaluation of Alex. “No, Alex isn’t garbage. He’s a great man. It was my own fault.”“You must be under a spell!” Mona went to the side of the dining table, picked up a bottle of wine, opened it with a bottle opener, and pulled Anna to the beach.“How could Alex not have known you’ve liked him for so many years? However, he didn’t reject you and strung you along instead. What is he if not garbage? We should still respect and love ourselves even if others don’t treat us well. Let’s go and drink. Tonight, we’ll throw all th
Anna picked up the clothes scattered on the ground and put them on. She only had one thought in her mind at the moment.Run!Although she had no idea what had happened last night and how she got on the cruise ship, the scene in front of her was a giveaway.She had slept with Alex last night...She slept with someone else’s fiance!When that thought popped into her mind, she only had one thought in her heart: Run away!If others found out, she would be labeled as the other woman who ruined a relationship.“Vivi, you’re awake.”The man’s magnetic voice sounded behind her, startling Anna. She froze on the spot and looked back at the man awakening.Fortunately, his eyes were still closed.Without saying a word, Anna crept out with her bag and quickly closed the door.A waiter bowed respectfully to greet her. “Good morning, Ms. Beacon.”Anna did not dare to say anything. She avoided the waiter’s gaze and quickly strode away from the cruise ship.She walked out of the ship and t
“No one is allowed to say anything about this matter or be prepared to suffer the consequences.”After Alex warned the staff, he got off the cruise ship and looked for a quiet place. He felt guilty toward his fiancee because of his betrayal.He had to conceal this matter no matter what. As for Anna, he had to deal with that troublemaker this instant!The man took out his phone and dialed Anna’s number. As soon as the line was connected, he said coldly, “Where are you now?”“Why?” Anna pretended to be calm as if nothing had happened.In fact, she hoped nothing had happened. Last night was just a dream, right? The past was in the past. However, there was no way Alex and she could be friends anymore.“What do you mean, why? Don’t you know what you did last night?”“What are you talking about? I went home after attending your engagement party with your fiancee last night. What did I do?”Anna’s throat choked as she spoke. It was as if cotton was stuck in her throat, making her unab
Alex drove to Anna’s residence. When he waited at the red light, he remembered that he did not even have her specific address.Even though he had known her for so long, it seemed he knew too little about her. He knew nothing except her career and bits and pieces of news he heard in passing.When the light turned green, the man pulled up to the curb and held the steering wheel. He then called his assistant and told him to find Anna’s address.In just five minutes, the assistant sent Anna’s full address to Alex. The man narrowed his eyes at the neighborhood.Palmer Heights. It was a high-end residential area in the city. As far as he knew, that woman’s family was from the working class, and she became independent early. It must not have been easy for her to buy a house there.The man started the car, drove to Palmer Heights, found Anna’s house, and stood at the door. He raised his hand to knock.However, there was no response even after knocking for a long time. He took out his 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