Chapter 117 The Birthday Protagonist
Ava pressed her lips together speechlessly and didn't respond to him.
Watching the interaction between Ava and Joshua, although Ava was being perfunctory, she showed a kind of accommodation toward Joshua's requests that even she herself hadn't noticed.
And Joshua could tell Ava was being perfunctory, but even this extremely half-hearted smile still managed to lift his spirits.
Gilbert's eyes darkened imperceptibly. Joshua had always been an important presence to Ava, but as an observer, he could see clearly what she, being in the thick of it, hadn't realized.
Gilbert's hands hanging at his sides clenched tightly.
He liked Ava, really liked her. He had never liked a girl this way before. This much he knew crystal clear. He wanted to be with Ava, not just as friends.
At this moment, he realized that if he didn't make a move now, the girl he liked would be taken back by this man.
Gilbert looked at Ava and parted his lips slightly. "Ava, I need to talk to you."
Ava's gaze, which had been on Joshua, returned to Gilbert. Though puzzled, she still nodded. "Okay." She took a step forward.
But... the hand around her waist didn't let go. Instead, it tightened, pulling her back to his side.
Ava frowned.
Seeing this, Gilbert's eyes darkened a bit. Joshua's expression grew even more somber. The air between the two men instantly filled with tension.
"Let her go," Gilbert said in a low voice.
"She's mine."
"You're divorced."
Joshua's face was expressionless. "We can remarry."
Gilbert frowned. "That depends on whether she's willing."
"None of your business."
Gilbert: "I like her."
Joshua said in a low voice, "She doesn't like you."
Gilbert: "None of your business."
Joshua's coldness intensified. "She's mine."
Isabella, who was drinking water nearby, couldn't help but choke.
She looked at Ava: Do something quick, they're about to fight.
Ava blinked, her mouth twitching as her gaze bounced between the two men.
"What exactly are you two trying to do?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm pursuing you, he likes you, he wants to compete with me for you." Joshua shot Gilbert a cold glance. "Completely overestimating himself."
"Joshua, I told you, I won't remarry you. Gilbert, stop joking around."
"I'm not joking." Gilbert said with complete seriousness.
Joshua's brow moved slightly. "I told you, you can stick to your position, and I won't give up either. You can keep refusing, but in the end, you're destined to be mine. You can't escape."
Ava's delicate brows furrowed slightly. Hearing these words made her heart very tense, a surge of complex emotions welling up that were hard to describe.
Just then, Mia finished dealing with Lyra's matter, and the two of them came forward as if nothing had happened.
"Joshua." Mia timidly called out to Joshua. Clearly, the warning from last time still made her extremely afraid of Joshua, but even so, it couldn't stop her determination to have him. She jumped out at every opportunity.
Joshua was in a bad mood right now. He gave Mia a cold glance and had no intention of acknowledging her.
The expression on Mia's face froze awkwardly. She could only make small talk to ease the embarrassment. "Ms. Davis, I'm sorry about earlier. Lyra didn't mean what she said."
Ava pressed her lips together. "Ms. Wilson is quite generous. She was just called a bitch by her, and now she's here speaking up for her. Ms. Wilson is truly noble and righteous toward her friends."
Ava smiled and shifted her gaze to Lyra, who was standing behind Mia and didn't dare speak anymore, dropping a mocking look. "Right, Ms. Cole? You should learn from Ms. Wilson's smooth ways, so next time when you're doing someone else's dirty work, you won't be the one who suffers. How worthless would that be?"
How could Mia not hear Ava's sarcasm?
But she still forced herself to control her expression, though inside she was so angry she could grind her teeth to dust.
Samuel saw it was time to bring out the cake and came forward to ask Joshua.
Joshua nodded.
The cake was wheeled in by several pastry chefs and four bodyguards escorting it.
Everyone looked at this exquisite, lifelike cake tower and couldn't help but take out their phones.
The cake consisted of twelve tiers, standing three meters tall. Every decorative ornament on each layer was incredibly delicate, simply lifelike, magnificent and beautiful, like an exquisite work of art.
Everyone gathered around.
Their eyes fixed on this priceless cake tower, everyone envious.
"...It's simply too beautiful. This completely changes my understanding of cakes."
"Ms. Wilson, you're so lucky. This cake is simply a work of art. It must cost at least eight figures."
"Right! Ms. Wilson, don't just stand there. Go stand next to Mr. Thomas. You're the birthday girl today. You should stand with Mr. Thomas."
Hearing this, Mia's face instantly turned very ugly. She hurriedly waved her hands repeatedly, signaling them to stop talking.
"Ms. Wilson, don't be shy. You're the birthday girl today. How can you let another woman stand next to Mr. Thomas? If you ask me, Ms. Wilson, you're just too nice."
"Exactly, exactly."
These voices weren't quiet. Joshua and Ava, standing in front, heard everything clearly.
Mia now felt like dying.
Ava raised her eyebrows and looked at Mia.
Her birthday?
Joshua turned to look at the person speaking, his gaze extremely cold.
"What did you say?"
The person speaking froze, frightened by those cold, oppressive eyes and couldn't help but take a step back.
After half a second, she realized she hadn't said anything wrong and continued stammering, "Isn't today Ms. Wilson's birthday? I think she's the main character and shouldn't be standing in the corner. She should stand more forward, together with you."
The speaker felt she hadn't done anything wrong, but Joshua's gaze became even colder, cold enough to freeze someone to death.
Fortunately, he quickly looked away.
At this moment, Mia wished she could escape the scene immediately, but she was surrounded by people with nowhere to run. She kept her head down, but could still feel Joshua's gaze on her.
She didn't dare look up, yet couldn't not look up. Her eyes trembled frantically in their sockets.
"Today is your birthday?" Joshua looked at her with a cold expression.
"I..."
His sharp, deep eyes carried an overwhelming presence.
Mia's hands hanging at her sides clenched tightly. For a moment, her heart almost stopped from fear.
"I... I never said that." At this point, Mia could only deny it. She used all her strength to squeeze out a smile. "Today is Ms. Davis's birthday. How could it be my birthday? Everyone must be mistaken."
As soon as Mia finished speaking, people around started whispering.
Someone immediately said, "Ms. Wilson, you must be joking with us. Just now you clearly..."
"I clearly what? I never said today was my birthday..."
The woman speaking was amused and couldn't help but raise her voice. "But Ms. Wilson, when so many of us wished you happy birthday just now, you accepted it without hesitation."
Mia's body went cold, her fingers trembling. She could only continue stubbornly, "You got it wrong. I... I didn't know..."