Chapter 228

Chapter 228

After Ella's love curse was lifted, the family packed up their things and prepared to leave this isolated place.

Before leaving, Joshua gave Dahlia his contact information. On one hand, it was out of gratitude - if she ever needed any help in the future, she could reach out to him anytime. On the other hand, he was worried that Ella's condition might relapse, so they could communicate quickly if needed.

Dahlia accepted the contact information and arranged for someone to escort them out.

Throughout the entire time, Ella and Dahlia didn't have much direct contact.

Ella only caught glimpses of Dahlia in the crowd, wearing elaborate traditional clothing, standing side by side with Joshua on the platform.

She looked heroic and commanding, with a presence that Ella both admired and envied a little.

Ella just hadn't expected that after marrying Joshua, Dahlia would actually let them go so easily.

It wasn't until the car passed through that long, dark tunnel and they saw sunlight again that Ella finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Aurora, beside her, seemed a bit reluctant to leave. "We only stayed a few days, and now we're leaving. I haven't had enough fun yet. Everyone here was so nice."

Joshua reached over and patted Aurora's head, smiling. "Now that Mom's better, of course, we need to go home. If you still want to have fun, Dad can take you to a resort, okay?"

Aurora immediately nodded hard. "Yes! We still have lots of time before school starts. I don't want to go back so early. I want to go play."

Joshua looked at Ella, asking for her opinion. "What do you think?"

Now back to normal, Ella would naturally put the kids first.

Since she'd promised to take them on vacation, going back after just a few days didn't seem right.

Taking advantage of the break to let them experience a different life in the countryside would be good too.

Ella looked at Joshua and suggested, "Let's go to my hometown."

Joshua was a bit surprised. "Your hometown?"

"Yes, the place where I grew up. The mountains and water there are beautiful. I just don't know if the old house my grandfather left behind is still livable. We can go back and fix it up while we're there."

After her grandfather passed away, she rarely went back. Now would be a good time to take the kids there, let them get to know her grandfather, and pay their respects.

Joshua felt a wave of shame after hearing this. He and Ella had been together for so many years, yet he'd never been to the place where she grew up, didn't even know what kind of environment she was raised in.

He immediately agreed.

The family got in the car. After Ella told the driver the address, the car headed toward their destination.

Aurora and Dorian sat beside Ella, staring at her curiously, throwing out a string of questions. "Mom, are you really better? You won't think about that Uncle Michael anymore, right?"

"Who do you like now?"

"Do you still love us?"

"Will you leave us again to go find him?"

Aurora blinked her innocent big eyes, one question after another.

Hearing these words, Ella's heart filled with guilt and shame.

She couldn't understand at all how her past self could have fallen for someone like Michael.

Sure, Michael had helped her, but he was too abnormal, using violence at the drop of a hat, even hurting himself when he got ruthless.

The days with him, she'd lived in fear almost every day.

She glanced at Joshua beside her, who was also waiting for her answer, then held Aurora's small hand and said sincerely, "Aurora, Dorian, it was Mom's fault before. I set a very bad example for you. I'm sorry. Mom will never be like that again."

Dorian pressed on. "So Mom is really back to normal?"

Ella nodded. "Yes, I'm normal now. Staying here with you and safely delivering the baby in my belly - that's what matters most."

Dorian couldn't help but smile, thinking Joshua did well this time. His opinion of him improved a bit more.

Aurora snuggled against Ella's shoulder affectionately, hugging her arm. "That's great! Mom won't leave us anymore! Mom, I love you so much. Our family will live happily together forever."

Looking at the two children beside her, Ella smiled with relief.

Her gaze unconsciously fell on Joshua in the front seat, recalling how he'd shown her nothing but tolerance before, and how he'd worked tirelessly to bring her here for help.

No matter how unreasonable she'd been, he'd endured it all silently. Without his persistence and patience, their relationship might have completely fallen apart long ago.

In this moment, Ella felt deeply grateful to Joshua.

Sitting in the front seat, Joshua's feelings were complicated.

He clearly remembered what Dahlia had told him - that Ella would eventually leave. He guessed it might be for the children. Could Aurora's problem really be unsolvable, requiring them to seek out Michael?

Joshua didn't know the answer. He pulled out his phone and messaged his people to keep looking for capable experts.

Since he'd found a way to help Ella return to normal, there should be hope for solving Aurora's problem too.

After several hours of driving, Ella's morning sickness started acting up again. They found a flat area near a stream to stop and rest, and grab something to eat.

The two kids got excited as soon as they saw water and wanted to go play. It was summer now, and the stream wasn't deep, so Ella agreed.

Joshua prepared some food and handed it to Ella, sitting down beside her to watch the two children playing in the water. "Hang in there a bit longer. I checked the GPS - we should reach your hometown before dark."

Ella took the food and nodded. "It's fine. Dorian just checked me and said the baby is very healthy. We'll head out after a short rest."

Her reasonable and understanding manner warmed Joshua's heart. He couldn't help but reach up and ruffle her hair.

He felt so grateful that he hadn't given up back then, hadn't let her go to Michael. Thank goodness he'd held on. Otherwise, if Ella had returned to normal only after reaching Michael's side, she would have hated him forever.

"Why are you staring at me like that? You should eat too." Ella held a piece of food up to his mouth.

Joshua took a bite, but still asked uncertainly once more, "Ella, do you love me?"

Ella stared at him, thinking he was being a bit strange. His eyes were deep with a hint of melancholy, full of insecurity, like a child desperately needing confirmation of love.

Ella avoided his gaze and ate her food casually. "Don't be childish. We're both adults - what's this talk about love or not?"

She found it hard to say out loud. Even though she knew Joshua had done so much for her, and remembered agreeing to his proposal before, and was now carrying his child, actually saying the words "I love you" still felt incredibly awkward.

"Look at me and tell me - do you love me? You won't think about that man anymore, right?" Joshua wouldn't let it go, insisting she turn to face him and say she loved him.

He needed this confirmation to heal all the hurt and humiliation she'd caused him before.

Ella still felt embarrassed. "Stop it. Isn't how I am now enough proof? Eat your food - we still need to get going."

She stuffed a piece of bread in his mouth and deliberately put on a stern face, glaring at him.

Joshua felt a bit disappointed. She still wouldn't say it. He chewed the bread bitterly and lowered himself to plead, "Then give me a kiss."

Ella awkwardly pushed him away, wanting to stand up and walk off.

The driver and the two kids were right there - how could she kiss him? How was this man getting less mature with age, acting like an immature young person, always wanting hugs and kisses and to hear "I love you"?

Ella felt helpless. But just as she stood up, Joshua got up too, pulled her over, kissed her lips, lingering for a moment before letting go, satisfied.

Ella froze, her eyes wide with shock.

In the stream, the two children shyly covered their eyes with their hands, shouting loudly, "Mom and Dad have no shame, kissing right in front of us!"

"This isn't appropriate for kids to watch!"

"You're going to corrupt us!"

Ella snapped out of it and kicked Joshua in annoyance. "Don't go too far! Listen to what the kids are saying!"

Joshua laughed and explained to them, "Aurora and Dorian, it's nothing. Mom and Dad are married - kissing is perfectly normal."

Dorian sighed. "Even if it's normal, you should be more aware of your surroundings. I won't copy you, but I can't say the same for Aurora."

Aurora laughed along. "When I grow up, I want to find a boyfriend as handsome as Dad and kiss him every day!"

At those words, Joshua's expression changed instantly. He immediately walked over to educate his daughter. "Aurora, no! You're still young - you can't think about boyfriends, and you can't think about them when you grow up either!"

He cursed himself for being careless and doing that in front of the kids.

Kids this age were curious about everything, and the more precocious ones might already understand what it meant to like someone.

He'd have to be more careful next time and not set a bad example for the children.

Dorian clicked his tongue twice. "Aurora, you're definitely going to be boy-crazy when you grow up."

He didn't want to be like Aurora, with his head full of romance.

He wanted to be like Joshua - focused on career, technology, and medicine, building his own empire, and then finding that girl who could make his heart skip a beat.

Aurora ignored Joshua's lecture and continued playing in the water.

Ella had already gone back to the car, too embarrassed to stay. Joshua called out to them, "Play a bit longer, then come eat something. We need to get going once we've rested."

Then he followed Ella into the car, apologizing guiltily. "My fault. I won't do that in front of the kids again."

Ella didn't care as much anymore. She still had no appetite, so she leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes to rest. "I'll sleep for a bit. You watch those two."

Joshua could see she wasn't feeling well and reached over to massage her temples. "Is it pregnancy symptoms? If you're really uncomfortable, we can camp here tonight and not rush."

Ella shook her head. "It's fine. I want to get back and see the place as soon as possible."

Only in familiar surroundings would she feel truly settled. Roughing it outside gave her no sense of security.

Joshua worried she'd be uncomfortable leaning like that, so he simply pulled her into his arms, letting her lean against him, and couldn't help kissing her forehead again.

Neither of them noticed that in the grass by the stream where the children were playing, a pair of eyes seemed to be watching those two kids intently, like a predator stalking its prey.