Chapter 12
The next second, Ella saw the call get disconnected.
She tried calling again, but it said the line was busy.
She'd really been blocked.
Did Joshua hate her that much now? Not only refusing to see her, but also separating her from the kids.
She had no idea where Joshua would take Scarlett this late at night.
Ella sat alone on the living room sofa, looking completely devastated.
Her heart felt like needles were piercing into it, the pain spreading and growing.
Karen came to comfort her several times, telling her to go rest, but she didn't move an inch.
Thinking about the contract Joshua wanted her to sign, she realized that if she went to the company, she'd definitely be able to see Joshua.
Early the next morning, Ella got ready and went straight to the company.
During the five years she'd spent with the Thomas family, Aiden had liked Ella and often brought her to the company.
So everyone at the Thomas Group who'd been there for more than four years recognized Ella's fresh and beautiful face.
They thought she was the Thomas family's younger daughter, Joshua's sister.
When Ella arrived at the front desk, the receptionist was very respectful, nodding in greeting, "Hello, are you here to see Mr. Aiden Thomas or Mr. Joshua Thomas?"
Ella knew their respect for her came from all those times Aiden had brought her here.
She replied politely, "I'm here to see Joshua."
"Alright, this way please, I'll take you to the elevator."
No appointment needed - the receptionist led her straight to the VIP elevator.
The elevator went directly to the executive floor.
As soon as Ella stepped out, she ran into Joshua's assistant, Brian.
Remembering that Brian was the one who'd taken her two children away.
In her panic, she lost her composure and rushed over, grabbing Brian and not letting go.
"Brian, where did you take them? Can you please tell me?"
Brian glanced around the secretary's office, where dozens of eyes had turned their way because of Ella's appearance.
He lowered his voice and told Ella, "Come with me into the CEO's office to talk."
Ella knew her situation couldn't be made public.
Otherwise it would have a huge impact on Joshua and the Thomas Group.
She obediently followed him into the office.
But Joshua wasn't in the office.
Looking at Brian, Ella asked urgently again, "Tell me, where did you take my Aurora and Dorian? They're okay, right?"
Brian was only about thirty, dressed in a suit, with decent features.
Looking at Ella, he couldn't help but sigh, "I'm very sorry. I only did that because Mr. Thomas ordered me to, but Mrs. Thomas, you shouldn't have - you absolutely shouldn't have - hidden this from Mr. Thomas."
"Do you know what this kind of behavior means to a man, especially a husband?"
What man could stand his wife hiding from him that she'd had children with someone else?
Especially someone as proud and noble as Joshua.
That he'd compromised enough to marry Ella was already lowering himself considerably.
But Ella had not only had children with someone else, she'd kept hiding it, raising someone else's kids on the side.
Just thinking about it made Brian angry, so naturally Joshua couldn't tolerate it at all.
Ella didn't want to make excuses.
She just wanted her children back.
Ella was getting emotional, exhausted from not sleeping all night, asking desperately, "Just tell me where you sent them. What right do you have to take my children away?"
If she couldn't see Aurora and Dorian, she'd go crazy.
After suffering through the whole night, she didn't want to wait another second.
Brian knew that as a mother suddenly losing her children, she'd naturally be worried and anxious.
He told her the truth, "The kids are safe. The nanny you hired is taking good care of them, but I can't tell you where they are."
"If you want to see them, you need to get Mr. Thomas to forgive you first!"
Ella was on the verge of tears.
"How am I supposed to do that? Joshua won't even give me a chance. He's clearly trying to drive me to my death."
If she'd known Joshua would be this cold and cruel, she never would have gone to get that marriage certificate with him.
Thinking about how Joshua had been with Scarlett last night, her heart felt like it was breaking.
Brian handed her a tablet.
"Mr. Thomas drank too much last night, so he might come in later. Follow the schedule on here and do your job. If you can get Mr. Thomas to stop caring about your past, maybe he'll let you see the kids."
Ella took the tablet, her eyes already filled with tears as she looked at Brian.
"Can't you just quietly tell me where they are? I'll just watch them from a distance, and I won't say you told me, okay?"
Brian shook his head in refusal.
He reminded her, "For Mr. Joshua Thomas's sake, and the Thomas family's, and the company's reputation, you'd better not have contact with the kids for now."
"Especially don't let Mr. Aiden Thomas find out about this, or you know what Mr. Joshua Thomas is capable of."
Brian opened the door and walked out.
He felt no sympathy for Ella's tear-filled eyes.
Ella stumbled back a step, her body so weak she almost fell.
She had to beg Joshua for forgiveness?
How was she supposed to do that?
Get on her knees? Threaten to kill herself? Or stay by his side and be his slave?
Thinking about how Joshua wanted her to sign that employment contract with the company - wasn't that just keeping her by his side as a slave?
To please Joshua, Ella carefully studied the schedule and notes on the tablet.
At ten in the morning, the CEO's office door was pushed open.
Ella instinctively got up from the sofa and saw it was Joshua.
She tried to stay calm, not bringing up the kids first, and quickly went to make him the coffee he liked.
As she brought the coffee over and gently placed it next to Joshua's documents.
Ella clearly saw the kiss marks on his neck.
So bright red, like they'd been made just this morning.
Thinking about how he'd been with Scarlett last night, Ella suddenly felt her chest tighten, making it hard to breathe.
But she still held back that hurt and concern, saying in a hoarse voice, "Joshua, I can stay by your side and do anything, but can you please let me see my children?"
Joshua didn't look at her.
His eyes were fixed on the pile of documents on his desk, pretending to review them.
But he couldn't fool himself. Hearing Ella say "her children," his chest felt like it was being filled with thousands of sharp needles.
That feeling of watching his heart being pierced with unbearable pain really made him feel suffocated.
Finally he couldn't hold back, his bloodshot eyes glaring coldly at Ella.
"Who's the father? Did you get together with him right after you went abroad?"
Ella felt a bit dazed.
She didn't dare recall that night four years ago.
And she didn't dare let anyone know she'd given birth to a rapist's children.
Ella lowered her head, holding back her emotions, her voice choked, "It was my senior. He was good to me, so we..."
Joshua couldn't bear to hear Ella talk about her and another man.
He immediately raised his hand to cut her off, his emotions about to explode, trying hard to hold back and control himself.
"I really want to kill you and those two kids, you know that? How could you be so shameless, having someone else's kids, yet being so into it under me."
Joshua thought Ella was so dirty.
Thinking about every night this past year being intimate with her made him feel disgusted.