“But you won’t be by my side all the time.”“I’ll arrange for bodyguards in plain clothes to travel with you and protect you and the children.” As Thaddeus spoke, he took out his phone and tapped on the screen to give orders to his men.“They’re on their way now and will arrive early tomorrow morning. As for the tracking device you mentioned, that’s something that you’ll have to eat. What if the ingredients of the pill aren’t good for Timmy?”Thaddeus’ large palm covered Mona’s lower abdomen. It was his seed that he had to wait nine months to meet. It was wonderful just thinking about it.“You’re very clever and obedient today.” Thaddeus lay on the bed and pulled Mona to lie on his side. He rubbed his chin against her head like he was teasing a cute pet cat. “I like you like this.”Mona yawned, feeling a little tired. The past two days had been very long, and she felt that too many things had happened. It was like everything was flashing past her mind. She even felt like she was i
Anna took out her phone, typed some things that needed to be prepared, and sent it to Thaddeus. “These are all available in hospitals. Call room service while I pour her some water. She must be thirsty.”Mona lazily cracked open an eye and watched as Anna and Thaddeus took care of her and served her. Although she was uncomfortable, her heart was quite happy.Anna came over with a glass of water and was surprised to see Mona with her eyes open. “Mona, you’re awake. Do you want some water?”Mona nodded heavily. Anna knew her best. Her throat was burning, and she urgently needed a drink to relieve it.Anna moved a pillow behind Mona’s back to make it more comfortable for her.“Here’s the water. Be careful. Don’t spill it.”Mona took the water and gulped it down. The discomfort in her throat instantly eased.“I’m sweating a lot. Do I have a fever?”“Yes. You had a bad fever in the afternoon while you were sleeping. We tried to get you to sweat it out, so you got better.”“I feel m
“It seems she’s all better now.” Thaddeus looked like an old father with a doting smile on his lips. “If you like it, I’ll tell them to deliver it to you every day.”“No need. I can drink it on occasion, but watermelon is a cooling fruit. It’s not good for the body.”“As you wish.” Thaddeus looked back at Anna. “Thank you, Dr. Faith. You can rest now. The consultation fee will be wired to your private account tomorrow.”Anna narrowed her eyes in a smile when she heard there was money involved. “This trip was quite worthwhile. I had to suffer PDA from you two but earned some extra money.”Thaddeus raised his brows. “Smart*ss.”Anna stuck her tongue out. “Well, I won’t disturb your rest anymore. Good night.”“Sleep more and think less. Everything will pass. If you need anything, call me.” Anna made a calling gesture with her hand to Mona before leaving.Thaddeus touched Mona’s forehead to confirm that the fever had really gone down. Only then was he relieved.“Now that your fever
Oh, it’s time. I should go.” Linda looked at the time on her phone, packed her stuff, and hurriedly said goodbye to Mona. “I’ll be leaving now. Have fun with the kids.”Linda was about to leave after speaking, but Mona grabbed her arm and hurriedly asked, “Hey, where are you going? Don’t leave me again.”“I’m going somewhere fun. Why don’t you come with me?” Linda grinned. It was a heartless smile. She broke free from Mona’s grip and started to run.“Hey! Linda, don’t go! Where are you going? I’m coming with you!”Mona stood up. The children were being watched by two guards and the driver, so there was no problem for her to go after Linda. She picked up her bag and chased after Linda.“Linda! Where are you going? Wait for me.”Linda ran all the way to the top of the mall. In the blink of an eye, she stood on the edge of the roof. She would fall if she took another step forward.Mona screamed in fright. “Linda! Linda, don’t jump! Please don’t jump.”Linda turned around and looke
“Go to hell!”Mona felt her body suspend mid-air. Linda pushed her from behind, but another force pulled her back. Two forces fought against her body, causing her to float in mid-air, unable to fall or get down.Then, when her body could no longer endure being pressed against the platform, the two forces suddenly disappeared. She came down from the platform and sat on the ground, and a shooting pain snapped her back to her senses.She looked around again. There was no sign of Linda. There were only two guards, panting with exhaustion.Mona was puzzled. “How did we get here? Also, where’s Linda?”One of the guards answered her question. “We saw you suddenly run out of the playground alone and go to the roof. You even tried to jump off. We couldn’t stop you, and you also cut your hand with broken glass.”The guard pointed to Mona’s hand. The wound was still bleeding.“Madam, we have to hurry and dress the wound. It’d be bad if it got infected.”The guards pulled Mona for fear she
Mona was also very embarrassed and could only come up with a random excuse, saying that she was acting out a performance. The reason was so ridiculous that the guard could not help but laugh.Mona glanced at the guard and gave him a fierce look. It was only then that the guard stood upright and resumed his expressionless indifference. It was quite cute.When the two came out of the control room, Mona got a call from Thaddeus. He had finished handling the affairs at the police station and was ready to head to her.Mona hung up the phone and turned back to the guard following her. “When Thaddeus comes, you’d better keep this hidden from him, understand? Otherwise, I won’t introduce a pretty lady to you.”The guard nodded. “Yes, Madam!”“Good.”Mona nodded in appreciation, very satisfied with the two guards Thaddeus arranged for her. Marco and Polo. They were both named so interestingly.When she returned to the playground, Bobby and Millie were still immersed in the joy of playing
Mona looked at Marco’s figure running away. She walked to Thaddeus and bumped his shoulder. “Why did you tell him to run?”Thaddeus lowered his eyes and rested his gaze on Mona’s face. Only he was allowed to look at this beautiful little face and she to smile at him. Was Marco not even aware of this? Making him run was letting him off easy.The man’s long arm wrapped around Mona’s shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. “He did something wrong, so he should be punished.”Mona understood immediately and knew what Thaddeus meant by ‘something wrong’. This man was overbearing and possessive, and he got jealous so easily. All she did was talk to Marco. Was there a need to go this far?“Did you go to the police station? How is Linda’s case? Is there any progress?”“It’s determined now that the hallucinogens triggered her brain to produce hallucinations, which led her to go up the mountain and fall off the cliff. In addition, Linda’s bag was found at the scene of the accident, and th
“Am I such a person in your heart?” Thaddeus frowned. “Am I that irresponsible? If you think of your husband like that, you’re also questioning your vision. You’re not only belittling me but also insulting yourself.”“What?” Mona was startled by the man’s forceful words and actions. “You’re so fierce.”Thaddeus choked. This woman had clearly told him to speak up if he had something on his mind, but now she was calling him fierce.“I’ll continue to examine what kind of person you are, but I personally saw you and Ginny go in and out of the resort. Did you know I was watching not far away when you two were making out? I watched you two get onto the sightseeing tour bus together and go to the top of the mountain.”“Make out?” Thaddeus felt ridiculous. “Shouldn’t you know my attitude toward women? Even if you didn’t, hasn’t Anna told you that my body will never want to be close to a woman that’s not you? And Millie, of course.”“That’s...” Mona thought for a moment. “Then my feeling i
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