Chapter 37
After dinner.
Seeing Joshua head upstairs, Ella quickly followed to run his bath and brought the change of clothes she had prepared earlier.
Then she came to Joshua's side and saw him undressing.
She stood nearby and asked cautiously, "Do you need my help?"
Joshua didn't look at her, just turned around sullenly and went into the bathroom.
Clearly he didn't want her help.
Ella pouted but didn't think much of it, placing the clothes on the sofa in the living room.
Just as she was about to leave, his phone on the table rang.
She tilted her head to look - it was Scarlett.
Although Ella still cared about Joshua and Scarlett's relationship, she thought about how Joshua had compromised for her.
She should know how to return the favor.
Ella took the phone to the bathroom door and called out, "Scarlett's calling. Do you want to answer? I can hand it to you."
No response from inside.
Ella opened the door a crack, reached the phone in and said again, "Joshua, it's Scarlett calling."
Joshua was already sitting in the bathtub, ignoring her.
Ella had no choice but to push the door open and bring it in to him.
She saw Joshua naked in the bathtub, his solid chest muscles exposed in the air, his tan skin sexy and tempting.
Plus his broad shoulders and narrow waist, and that perfectly handsome face.
Just one glance and Ella couldn't look away.
Especially seeing him lazily leaning against the edge of the tub, eyes closed, features intense, looking completely exhausted.
It inexplicably gave her a guilty feeling of wanting to tease him.
Ella didn't deny it - she really liked Joshua's body.
A year of married life had completely hooked her.
"Have you looked enough?"
Joshua still didn't open his eyes, completely ignoring the still-ringing phone, and ordered, "If you've looked enough, come help me."
Ella snapped back to reality, her face flushing red.
"That's not appropriate!"
Even when their married life was harmonious before, she had never bathed Joshua.
Whether before or after sex, they always took care of themselves separately.
Now asking her to help him, Ella felt really embarrassed.
"If you don't want to, then leave."
Joshua wasn't forcing her.
During his three-day business trip, he had thought a lot.
He felt there were some things he could tolerate and accept.
So he was willing to give himself, or give Ella, another chance.
Ella saw the phone had stopped ringing and wanted to leave.
But thinking it over, if she left, would Joshua get angry and change his mind again?
He had finally become so reasonable, accepting her two children - she should perform well.
With this thought, Ella put down the phone, took a towel and came to the edge of the tub, carefully helping him wash.
Joshua never opened his eyes the whole time.
Maybe he didn't want to see Ella.
Anyway, from Ella's perspective, no matter where she washed him, Joshua kept an expression she couldn't read.
Of course, because of her touch, Joshua, being a man, did experience certain physical changes.
She also inexplicably felt heated, finding it hard to breathe.
Finally finishing washing him, Ella handed him a bath towel and quickly fled the bathroom.
If she didn't leave, she was afraid she'd lose control.
She stayed downstairs alone for a long time, calming herself down before going back upstairs.
She went to the master bedroom but didn't see Joshua, so she looked in the study.
She saw the man in high-quality silk pajamas, sitting properly at the computer, working intently.
Ella walked over quietly. "I want to ask you a question."
Joshua wasn't as cold as before.
Perhaps after convincing himself to give her a chance, he also wanted to be more tolerant and accommodating.
Now he wasn't as indifferent as before. "Just say what you need to say."
Ella lowered her head, holding her breath.
"I'm picking up Aurora and Dorian tomorrow. You said to treat them as if we adopted them together, so if they call me mom, what should they call you?"
She needed to ask clearly so she could teach the children properly.
Otherwise it would be bad if they were exposed in front of others.
Joshua thought about how those two children's father was already dead, so why should he care.
Adopting someone else's children was still raising them.
Besides, they were Ella's biological children - being a stepfather wasn't anything to be ashamed of.
Joshua didn't want to admit that he was willing to accept those two children, and replied casually, "They can call me whatever they want."
Ella noticed his tone wasn't as cold as before.
Her heart felt warm.
So what had made Joshua change his mind during these three days?
Or was it that she had confessed she couldn't have children and had no choice but to keep Aurora and Dorian back then, and he understood?
Whatever the reason, Ella still wanted to work hard to seize this opportunity.
As she turned to leave, she asked one more question, "So are we still sleeping in separate beds?"
Joshua looked at Ella, his expression much softer.
"If we don't sleep together, how will I know if you're lying to me?"
In other words, he wanted to try for himself whether Ella could still have children or not.
Ella naturally understood what Joshua meant, her face reddening as she quickly left.
She returned to the master bedroom, changed into pajamas, and obediently waited on the bed.
Joshua didn't come to bed until midnight.
Knowing Ella wasn't asleep, he wanted her but didn't want to make the first move, saying proudly, "Please me."
Ella's whole body tensed up.
Even before, when they were husband and wife in that aspect, things had happened naturally.
But after going through some conflicts, performing marital duties again felt somewhat awkward.
Ella's nerves were taut, not knowing how to begin for a moment.
Joshua thought she didn't want to make love.
So he didn't force her.
But sleeping together with Ella, he couldn't help his desires.
He got up to leave and sleep in another room.
Ella thought Joshua was angry and leaving, so she quickly hugged him from behind, forcefully pushed him back onto the bed, wrapped her arms around his neck and took the initiative to kiss him.
She didn't know why Joshua had suddenly changed his mind and accepted her two children.
Maybe it was because of Aiden.
Even though Joshua had once said he would divorce and marry Scarlett.
Then during the time he was still willing to live peacefully with her and the children, she would work hard to be a good wife.
At least to have a clear conscience.
Joshua granted Ella's wish.
After a night of intimacy, the couple's relationship finally eased.
When Ella woke up in the morning, she found herself sleeping on Joshua's arm.
He was lying on his side facing her, with one hand still around her waist.
Ella looked at Joshua's handsome face while he was still asleep, feeling ripples in her chest.
Just then, the phone on the nightstand rang.
Ella was afraid of waking Joshua and quickly grabbed it to reject the call.
But then she saw it was Scarlett calling.
She was hesitating whether to wake Joshua when he had already woken up, took the phone from her hand, got up and answered.
Scarlett said something, and Joshua's expression changed slightly. While getting dressed, he comforted her, "Okay, I'll come right away. Don't be afraid, just wait for me where you are."