Chapter 116 Jealousy
Isabella, who had just arrived to see Mia and Lyra arguing, couldn't help but laugh out loud. She walked over to Ava's side, casually sipping a glass of wine, and said with a smile, "Ava, how did you manage to turn those two against each other?"
Ava shrugged slightly and smiled, "Just giving them a taste of their own medicine."
Mia pulled Lyra aside and said something to her. Lyra's eyes suddenly widened, and she instantly calmed down, standing obediently behind Mia without daring to cause any more trouble.
Ava caught this scene and frowned, thinking carefully.
"Ava."
A magnetic, gentle voice rang out. A man's tall, straight figure slowly approached. His crisp, light-colored suit was more formal than his usual attire, which further highlighted his naturally refined and gentle temperament.
Ava looked at Gilbert approaching and smiled gently, "Wenxian."
Gilbert's narrow eyes fell on Ava as he handed her a gift he'd prepared in advance. "Happy birthday."
Ava politely accepted it with both hands. "Thank you."
"Ava, open it and see what it is!"
Isabella smiled knowingly, naturally seeing through Gilbert's feelings for Ava. Since Ava herself was oblivious, she naturally had to keep an eye out for good men around her and play matchmaker when appropriate.
She thought this Gilbert was pretty good—his eyes and heart were full of Ava, he seemed gentle and emotionally intelligent.
Most importantly, he was really handsome!
Gilbert looked at Ava expectantly. Ava pulled the ribbon and opened the box to find a thick medical book. From the cover's appearance, it looked quite old.
"A book?" Isabella's lips twitched.
Fine! She took back that comment about high emotional intelligence.
Isabella pressed her lips together tightly, standing to the side, feeling a bit worried.
Giving a girl a book as a gift—who thinks of that? Why not add a workbook too and make it a complete set?
"How did you find this book?" Ava held the book and couldn't help flipping through a few pages, asking excitedly.
Gilbert smiled gently. "By chance at an auction. I knew you liked studying medicine, so I bought it, thinking that one day I'd have a reason to give it to you."
Okay! Isabella was about to take back her earlier assessment of him.
That was well said.
Knowing she liked it so he bought it—that was his way of telling Ava that he was always thinking about her and remembered what she liked.
Isabella tugged at Ava's sleeve. Gilbert's being so obvious—you should respond! Gilbert's been staring at you forever, waiting for you to praise him.
Ava was completely immersed in the ocean of knowledge and couldn't pull herself away.
She had been looking for this book for a long time when she was in Astoria. She never expected Gilbert to have it.
"Thank you, I really love it."
Isabella's mouth twitched.
Gilbert smiled gently. "As long as you like it."
Isabella pressed her lips together, speechless.
Fine, one won't say it directly, the other can't read the signs. You two just stay like this. As long as you're both happy.
"Isabella, do you have a cold?" Ava heard Isabella cough and asked with concern.
Isabella waved her hand. "I'm fine."
Just a bit heartbroken.
Whatever.
You two just let things happen naturally.
"But Ava, this is quite the setup. Having your birthday party at Veridian Heights' top banquet hall—tell me, which man did all this to win a beauty's smile?" Isabella casually teased, trying to liven up the atmosphere.
"A man?" Gilbert, standing nearby looking handsome and extraordinary, frowned slightly. "Ava, do you have a boyfriend?"
Gilbert stared at Ava nervously.
At these words, Ava's expression changed. She didn't know how to explain the current situation, since she was quite surprised herself.
Seeing Ava's silence, Gilbert felt his guess was confirmed. His eyes grew colder, showing some disappointment. His somewhat heavy gaze fixed on Ava's eyes, his voice still gentle as always but with added urgency. "Really?"
Ava: "...No, I don't know how to explain this to you guys. I also thought it was just a private room, but when I got here, I found out it wasn't an ordinary birthday party."
She only found out when she arrived...
Just then, there was a commotion at the entrance.
The newcomer wore a crisp, elegant black suit, its perfect, flowing lines highlighting his tall, straight figure.
The bright lights shone on his incredibly handsome face. His thin lips were slightly pressed together, his deep eyes like a bottomless pool.
That naturally noble temperament, that strong, cold sense of pressure.
It was Joshua!
Seeing him arrive, everyone naturally gathered around to flatter him. He responded indifferently, his gaze sweeping around as if searching for someone. Finally, his eyes landed on a corner.
In an instant, his gaze darkened.
In the bright light, Gilbert was looking down gently at the woman before him, and the woman—who else could it be but Ava? They seemed to say something, and Gilbert relaxed, straightening up with a slight smile. Ava also smiled just as gently.
Joshua's handsome brow quickly covered with a cold frost, the chill around him instantly spreading, his powerful presence scaring people away.
Joshua stepped forward. Wherever he went, people naturally made way for him.
Ava was chatting and laughing with Gilbert and Isabella when suddenly her waist tightened—a strong arm wrapped around her waist.
Ava was caught off guard.
Before she could turn around, the familiar, domineering presence already gave her the answer.
She instinctively looked up, and her clear gaze unexpectedly met Joshua's.
Though she had expected it, the moment she saw Joshua, her heart still skipped a beat.
Joshua's tense, handsome face showed his displeasure. Seeing Ava's surprised look and the smile disappearing from her face made Joshua even angrier.
"What? Not happy to see me either?"
"Where am I unhappy?" Ava instinctively retorted at his words. As soon as she said it, she realized the problem.
"So you're happy to see me? Then why aren't you smiling?" Joshua asked with a dark expression.
Ava was speechless.
Ava's bright, beautiful eyes moved, and she turned up the corners of her mouth at Joshua. "Are you satisfied now?"
"Half-hearted." But as he said this, the coldness around Joshua actually lessened a bit.