“I saw you aiming the hairpin at Suzy’s back…” “Linda, stop it.” Mona pulled Linda away. There were times when a straightforward personality would cause more problems than it solved. Even if Stella wanted to hurt Mona, it was unwise to expose her without solid evidence, or else they would lose the initiative and control of the situation. Mona stepped forward and confronted Stella. “Stella, I know it’s Linda’s fault for hurting you. How about I pay for your medical fees and compensate you for whatever losses you experience today? Or if there are any other requests, just name them, and I’ll do my best to fulfill them.” Stella scoffed. She waved her injured hand in front of Mona and said, “My hands are used to write novels. They are my livelihood. Now that she has suddenly injured me, if I lodge a report, this will be wounding with intent.” “Ms. Stella.” Mona switched to a colder tone and looked into Stella’s creepy eyes. “If you want to make a fuss out of this, I’m all in. But
Linda listened to Mona’s meaningful words and pondered. The more she thought, the more sense it made, and she got scared. She was scared of Stella getting revenge on her behind her back. “Okay, let’s put it aside first. This is a modern society that is governed by law, and we are on a movie set, not her horror fantasy world where she can do whatever she wants. Don’t make it so creepy.” "Come to think of it, I acted rashly, too." “But you did it because you wanted to protect me, so it’s fine. Just keep an eye out and be careful. You have to protect yourself first before you can protect others, agree?” Mona dragged Linda out of the room and went to the set. The crew and cameras were ready, and they were all waiting for Mona. When the assistant director saw Mona, he informed the crew to get ready while he returned to his director’s seat. Sophie and Stella were not around, and Mona knew no one on set. Fortunately, she was an experienced actress, and shooting a movie and a d
“Ms. Stella, if that’s the case, I’ll discuss it with Mona and see what’s her opinion on this.” “Okay. I’m not trying to give anyone a hard time, but this is on the contract and it must be followed. Am I right?” Sophie clenched her sweaty hands and nodded in agreement. “Of course.” Stella's hand bones were broken, but fortunately, it was not too severe. She would be fully recovered and back to her normal routine in a few weeks. Being the professional that she was, Stella returned to the set after she got her hand treated instead of staying in the hospital. Sophie followed her back to the set. Then, she went into the lounge and reported everything that happened to Thaddeus. “Where are you?” Thaddeus asked. If the man was asking where she was, it must mean that he was on set. Sophie said, “I’m in the first lounge on the left.” A while later, Thaddeus brought the kids in. If he had not considered the kids’ condition after having traveled last night and wanting them to ge
“Daddy is bringing you to a zoo in the mountains where you can see squirrels and monkeys.” Bobby and Millie were excited when they heard about it. As children living in a modern city, visiting a zoo in the mountains was exciting and tempting. “Daddy! Daddy! Monkey! Squirrels!” Thaddeus was surrounded by the kids. He looked at Mona, the one who started it. “There are no monkeys and squirrels in the mountains.” “Yes, there are.” Mona pointed at the mountains further away. “There's a zoo there. You can bring them there.” “Mona, I am not joking.” Thaddeus’ expression turned grim. “Come with me, now.” “No. I still have work to do later!” Thaddeus was being sandwiched by his kids who were clamoring to go to a zoo and Mona who refused to listen to him. He found himself in an irritating situation. Neither his wife nor his kids could give him peace of mind. Sophie quickly came over to save Thaddeus. “Bobby, Millie, the zoo is fun. There are a lot of animals there, but the mo
“Miss, your a*s!” Mona bellowed with gritted teeth. She searched for a soft spot on Thaddeus’ shoulder and pinched him. “Why would I miss you while you are having fun with other women?” Thaddeus laughed and inhaled deeply. “Jealousy.” Based on her tone, it seemed like her heart had been empty while living without him for the past month. Mona was furious. She kicked the man, but it was still not enough, she pinched his shoulders and cursed, “Die, Thaddeus Fontaine!” “Really?” Thaddeus was somewhat delighted. He carried Mona into the car and gently put her into the passenger seat. After the seat belt was fastened, he said, “Wait for me here. I have to deal with something important and will be back soon.” “Hey!” Mona grabbed his sleeve. “This is the movie set. What else could you possibly do here?” She was worried that the man would cause trouble for herself. “Eat something first. Watch a show or whatever. Give me twenty minutes, and I’ll be back.” Thaddeus took the tabl
The man glanced at his watch. He had promised the woman to return in twenty minutes but only took ten minutes to settle the issue with Stella. He no longer wanted to talk to Stella and left Sophie in charge of the compensation. He just wanted to bring Mona away. Thaddeus went back to the car and sat in the driver’s seat. He then shook his watch in front of Mona and said proudly, “I only took ten minutes. Ain’t I great?” Mona looked at him, disgusted. She called the man childish inwardly. “Let’s go back to the hotel first.” Thaddeus then drove away from the set. “What did you say to Stella?” “Your work is over. You can go home now.” “What?” Mona got angry. “Why? Why are you making that decision for me?” “It’s for your own good. I’ll bear the responsibilities, okay?” The man tried to persuade her and calm her down. Mona was not in a good mood. She threw a tantrum and said, “I’ve prepared a lot for this movie, and you simply quit without asking me? This isn’t about t
Mona did not want to answer him. She increased the TV volume to pretend she did not hear him. She was not his servant. Why must he treat her with a condescending attitude? When he was unhappy, he would mock her; when he was in the mood, he would use her like a servant. It felt like he came all the way here just to be her boss. Thaddeus noticed the silence. He grabbed his laptop and walked out of the room. He had a pair of golden-framed glasses on that made him look elegant. “I said I want a glass of water. Why didn’t you answer me?” The man sat down beside Mona and leaned over. His nose was millimeters away from hers, and she could feel his breath assaulting her face. For some reason, Mona felt disgusted by the sudden intimacy. Yes, disgusted. She could not help but picture him and Ginny being excessively intimate. She could not accept it. She turned around and threw up in the trash can. Thaddeus’ strong palm tapped on her back softly and consoled her, “Are you feelin
Thaddeus kept his laptop and went into the bedroom to get his jacket. Angrily, the man walked to the door, and when he opened it, he saw Anna waiting outside. She seemed to be surprised. Anna smiled awkwardly and said, “Mr. Fontaine, you’re here as well? Are you here for Mona? I’ll give you the room. I don’t want to disturb you two.” Thaddeus was shrouded in frostiness. He said in a deep voice, “It’s okay. Take care of her. She’s feeling nauseous. Get some citrus and put it in the room. It will make her feel better.” Anna smiled and said, “Mr. Fontaine, why are you telling me this? Since you are here, shouldn’t you be doing it for her?” Thaddeus was annoyed. “You talk a lot. Just do what I told you.” Anna pursed her lips. It seemed like the man just had an argument with Mona and was lashing out at her. She strode into the room, held the door knob, and waved at Thaddeus’ back. “Okay, Mr. Fontaine, I will do exactly what you tell me to do.” Anna only closed the door when Thad
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