“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
“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
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
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
“Mr. Fontaine, I’m in Worchester to promote my new movie. Are you free for a drink tonight?” Mona rubbed her blurry eyes, only to realize she had answered the wrong phone. However, since she had already answered it, it was better for her to say something rather than hang up. “Ms. Colister, Thaddeus is in the shower. Do you need me to pass him a message?” The lady on the other end of the phone went silent before crying out in shock. “How do you know my name?” Mona giggled and said, “Of course I know you are. Ms. Marianne Colister, the famous movie star. The scandal between you and Thaddeus has been in the headline for days now. A new couple in the block, or so they say.” “Who are you? Why do you have Thaddeus’s phone?” Marianne sounded hostile. Mona was amused by Marianne’s tone. It was as though Marianne was the wife questioning the mistress. “I’m in his bed, so it isn’t surprising that I’m able to answer his phone. What’s wrong? Did I upset you, Ms. Colister?” Marian
Thaddeus told her he needed a wife, and if she agreed to be his secret wife for a few years, he would give her a lot of money when the marriage ended. His only condition was to listen to him and never interfere with his life. She agreed without a second thought when she heard ‘a lot of money’. Thaddeus kept her in the mansion and gave her a name— Mona Ortega. She knew very well that she was his mistress, and no man liked a mistress with children. So, she hid the fact that she had given birth before. That night, when she gave him her body, Thaddeus was actually mad that she was not a virgin. The man had severe OCD. He tossed her into the bathtub and washed and scrubbed her countless times until it chafed her skin. In the end, he gave her fifty thousand and left. She was physically in a lot of pain, but she was happy. She could not even make fifty thousand in a year. She used the money to buy her children milk powder and insulin shots. She even got them a caretaker. M
She walked to the balcony to move away from her children. “I’m at dinner with my friends.” “Which friends?” Mona licked her lips. “You don’t know them.” “I want to see you in twenty minutes.” “What’s the matter? I wanted to…” Mona actually wanted to stay home to accompany the kids. The man lost his patience. He added a hint of anger in his tone when he said, “I’ve signed the papers. Come and get them.” “Oh, okay. I’ll be there soon.” There was no excuse for her not to be there now. She hung up the phone and returned to her room to get changed. Bobby knew his mother had dressed for an outing. She even had a beautiful red dress on. The boy squinted and said, “Mommy, are you going out?” “Yes, baby. I’m going to a gathering. I’ll be back later. The babysitter will be here soon.” “Will you be home to tuck us in?” Millie asked with a longing gaze. Mona was aware of her kids’ gaze and did not have the heart to disappoint them. “I will. Be good, Millie.” It woul
Mona looked disheartened. Her eyes slightly flickered before saying, “I… I don’t know.” The man scoffed. He landed a kiss on her lips. “You really are careless.” Mona’s shoulder trembled lightly. All she wanted was for this to end quickly. She tried her best to go along with his pace. After a rough round of sex, she returned to the bedroom and saw him signing his name on the divorce papers. The sharpest pen strokes resembled his personality perfectly— ruthless and decisive. After Thaddeus signed the papers, he tossed them into his drawer. He covered his pen and then looked at her. “We’ll settle the remaining procedures after my grandfather’s birthday.” Mona counted with her fingers. There were two more weeks until Thaddeus's grandfather’s birthday. It would be over before she knew it. “Then I’ll be leaving. These are the keys to the house.” Thaddeus ignored her and headed to the mini bar to get himself a glass of wine. Mona put the keys down quietly and headed d