After dinner, Mona recited her lines on the living room sofa, while Anna fell into deep thought. In the end, she decided to disappear for a month and stop contacting Alex before she sorted out her thoughts.In this era, feelings were like fast food; one night of passion was no big deal. However, Anna was not a casual person, and neither was Alex. That was why he was in a hurry to meet with her and talk.Anna gripped her hair. Her heart was a mess. ‘Forget it, forget it. Stop thinking about it. Let’s just leave it be...’Standing up, Anna went to the bathroom to take a bath. When she changed into her pajamas and looked in the mirror to see the traces left on her body, her face suddenly burst into flames.It was her first time experiencing the deed between man and woman. Although last night was a mess, she still had some feelings in her memories. In that crazy scene, the only name that man uttered was of his beloved woman.Anna shook her head and smiled wryly. She walked into the ba
“Why wouldn’t you keep it?” Anna immediately regretted it after asking the question.‘Why wouldn’t she keep it? Of course, it’s because Thaddeus didn’t give Mona enough security. The two must be quite unhappy. Otherwise, Mona would not run away and stay alone in a hotel.’Anna did not continue asking. As a woman, she fully understood Mona’s feelings.“We women have the right to give birth. Our womb is ours, so your choice whether or not to keep it. I’ll support you.”Mona smiled. “We share the same view.”“Actually, I quite admire you. You’re brave and wise. It’s Thaddeus’ loss that he doesn’t cherish you. You’re right to put your faith in yourself. As for those rotten people, you can just throw them away like garbage!”Anna said that to both herself and Mona.Mona nodded and hummed softly.She thought of the scene when she went to the airport this morning and argued with Thaddeus. Jennifer went to find Ginny, and the two broke out in conflict at a restaurant. Jennifer was so a
Mona lifted the quilt, pressed the mute button, and angrily threw it aside.“No. I won’t be contacting him during this period.”Since she decided to be firm, she could not go back. She would only make video calls with the children. As for everything else, she would put them aside for the time being.Anna shrugged. “Okay. You have a lot of guts.”As soon as she spoke, Anna’s phone also rang. She looked at the caller ID on the screen and could not help but laugh.“Thaddeus is really persistent. He’s calling me this time.”Mona made a gesture at Anna, bringing her forefinger to her mouth to tell Anna not to say too much about her.Anna made an OK hand sign. “Don’t worry.”She answered the call and said with a smile, “Good evening, Mr. Fontaine. What can I do for you?”“Where’s Mona?” Thaddeus went straight to the point and concluded that Mona was with Anna without even asking.“I’m not sure. Shouldn’t you know where Mrs. Fontaine is?”“Stop acting. I asked the front desk of the
“Mom, this is my job. I signed the contract long ago. If I break the contract, I’ll have to pay a lot of money. I can’t take care of you at home during this time. In fact, I’ll have to trouble you to take care of Bobby and Millie for me. I’m sorry.”“No, it’s no trouble. I’m very happy to see the two little ones. I don’t feel as bored when they’re accompanying me as well. I just want you to come home soon.”Mona pursed her lips. For some reason, when she heard Jennifer’s words, she felt somewhat touched.“Mom, did you go find Ginny?”‘Yes, I went to talk to her about you. I warned her not to ruin your relationship with Thaddeus or else, but she acted all righteous. I was furious.”“Mom, thank you for taking my anger out for me, but don’t get angry because of this. It’s bad for your health. It isn’t worth it. Just leave them be.”“No can do. Don’t worry, Mona. I’ll keep an eye on them for you so you can work in peace.”“Don’t be silly, Mom. It’s not what you think at all.” Thadde
Anna stared at the post for a long time. Her heart felt faintly bitter.She devoted several years of her youth to loving him. How could she let go that easily?Mona noticed Anna’s depressed mood and turned over, propping her head up. She glanced at Anna’s phone screen and instantly understood why the latter was in such a bad mood.She plucked the phone from Anna’s hand, placed it to the side, and spoke softly.“Do you feel sad seeing this?”Anna lay on her side and hugged Mona, burying her face in Mona’s arms. How could she not feel sad? She was heartbroken.Mona patted Anna’s back and touched her face to find out that Anna was crying. Her face was wet.“Go on and cry. It’s time to let it all out.”When Anna heard Mona say this, she suddenly burst into tears.That night, Anna cried for a long time, and Mona stayed quietly by her side until past midnight.The next morning, Mona planned to take Anna out for some fresh air. This city was a tourist city with several attractions.
The man searched for a high-end restaurant on his mobile phone, followed the navigation, and arrived at his destination after driving for about twenty minutes.When the car parked in the parking space, Alex’s phone rang. Anna glanced at the caller ID on the screen: Vivi.“You go in first and wait for me.” Alex threw Anna a glance. Anna very wisely got out of the car. When she closed the car door, Alex answered his call. His expression when he spoke to Vivian became much softer and indulgent.Anna’s heart felt vaguely disappointed, but then she remembered that this man never belonged to her. What qualification did she have to ask him for anything?She turned around and went into the restaurant alone.In the car, Alex brought the phone to his ear. As Vivian’s reproachful voice questioned him, he glanced to the side at Anna’s figure. His heart felt a little upset.“Alex, where did you go last night? Don’t lie to me, saying you were at home and didn’t get my call. I waited at your ho
Anna put the check in her bag, picked up the teacup in front of her, and took a slow sip.She could guess what was on Alex’s mind. He was worried she would make a fuss and destroy his relationship with Vivian. However, Alex did not know her well and underestimated her too much.“You don’t have to be so nervous, Mr. Ortega.” Anna smiled. “I accept your money as compensation for my mental damages, but not under your conditions. I’m not an object. I’m not something you can measure and calculate with money.”Alex’s eyes flashed with a dark light as he gazed at Anna’s palm-sized face.“No matter what you think, since you’ve accepted this check, you have to keep your promise. Don’t let a third person find out about what happened between us. Understand?”Anna curled her lips. Sure enough, this man was too selfish. He did not care one bit about what she said. All he cared about was the relationship between him and his fiancee.“Don’t worry, Mr. Ortega. I won’t say anything, but please sh
Anna suddenly realized that they were too close and how inappropriate it was. She hurriedly pushed Alex’s shoulder and deliberately created a distance between them.It was only after pushing him away did she realize that his arm was bleeding. It looked quite serious. “Hey, you’re injured. Let’s go to the hospital to deal with the wound.”Alex looked sideways at the wound on his arm. It was only when sharp pain came in bursts he realized he was indeed hurt quite badly. He gave the car keys to Anna and said in a low voice, “You drive. Take me to the hospital.”Anna took the keys and hurriedly headed over to Alex’s car. She unlocked the door to sit in the driver’s seat, set the navigation on her phone to the nearest hospital, and drove to her destination.Along the way, she noticed how badly injured Alex was. It was hard for him to even lift his arm.When they arrived at the hospital, Anna helped Alex to the orthopedic department. After some tests, it was finally confirmed that he ha
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