Chapter 11

The familiar words silenced Mona. She choked on her words for a moment before swallowing them. In the end, she hung up the phone without saying a word. It was getting late, and she had to send the kids to kindergarten tomorrow morning. So she put the phone aside and decided to leave the problem for tomorrow. She fell asleep swiftly, having no idea what the man on another continent did for her. The next day, Mona woke up and prepared breakfast for her kids as usual before sending them to kindergarten. After leaving the twins with their teacher, she wandered the street aimlessly. She hesitated whether or not she should call Thaddeus when her phone rang. It was the modeling agency that treated her like the plague last night. “Mona, my dear. Please come over to the office right now. We just booked an advertisement job for you, and you’re required to sign a contract with the advertisers.” Mona could not believe her ears and was stunned for a moment. She remained in disbelief until she arrived at the office, where her agent passed her the contract with her name written on it. Only then could she confirm that she was not dreaming. Why her, though? Based on her knowledge, the advertiser’s brand was well known to only sign celebrities as ambassadors. Why would they choose her, a freelance model? Her agent, Luke, grinned widely and excitedly. “The agency will focus on you from now on. You, my dear, have your parents to thank for giving you such a beautiful face. You’ve got the attention of some rich boss!” Mona found it amusing. “What are you talking about? Is this a joke? What rich boss?” Luke only gestured his hands to shush her. He winked at her before saying softly, “Don’t worry, my dear. I won’t speak a word of this. “From today on, I will be your manager and take care of all your schedules and jobs. If you do well, the agency will invest in a studio for you. So get going, girl!” Mona was even more baffled than before. “I thought you were afraid of me because I offended that lady.” Luke sighed exasperatedly. “Didn’t you hear? The second most powerful person in the city was arrested last night for some crimes. That b*tchy wife of his who abused her position should be hanged to death!” Mona chuckled. “I guess that’s karma.” After signing the contract, Luke sent her home for a two-day break to adjust herself for the upcoming commercial shoot. Mona left the building in a delightful mood. Just when she was about to cross the road, a Porsche stopped right in front of her. A man in a black suit came out of the car and respectfully said, “Ms. Susan Mayers, Mr. Cornwell wishes to see you. Please follow us.” Mona was shocked. She instinctively took a step back and looked at the man cautiously. “I’m not Susan Mayers. You must have the wrong person. I don’t know any Mr. Cornwell, either.” The man noticed her intention to flee. He bowed apologetically and said, “Please excuse me, Ms. Mayers.” Before Mona could wrap her head around the situation, the man lifted her and tossed her into the car. She had been abducted in broad daylight! “Let me go! I’m calling the police!” “Ms. Mayers, I’m so sorry. You will see Mr. Cornwell in a short while.” Mona guessed that this was retribution from that lady she offended yesterday, but the man who grabbed her had respectfully called her Ms. Mayers, which confused her. He had probably grabbed the wrong person. The thought somehow calmed her down. She would meet Mr. Cornwell and explain the situation to him. The man drove her to a high-end club and left her in a VIP room. She tried to leave, but the door was locked. Just when Mona wanted to call the police, the door opened. A man she was unfamiliar with came in. He was tall, handsome, and had charming eyes that could melt a girl’s heart. The man walked closer to her and hugged her into his arms. He whispered in her ears with gritted teeth, “Susan, you’ve really done it this time. How could you abandon your husband and children like that? I’ve never seen a woman as ruthless as you. Where have you been all these years?” The hug almost suffocated her then and there. She mustered all her strength to push the man away. “Sir, you’ve got the wrong person! I’m not Susan Mayers!” The man released her and sized up her face carefully. He continued with gritted teeth, “When are you going to stop hiding? I’d recognize that face of yours even if you turned into ashes!”