Chapter 133 Giving Birth
Joshua sat helplessly on the bed, looking at the small lump under the covers, then at the doorway, feeling utterly frustrated.
The next day, Finn and Cleo got up bright and early. Ursa, who was used to rising early, felt her mood lift the moment she saw the two children coming downstairs.
She now had two grandchildren all at once. She had been worried about the family lineage, but it turned out the problem had already been solved.
Looking at the two adorable children, Ursa couldn't help but adore them more and more.
"Finn, Cleo, my darlings." Ursa beamed as she pulled the two children close. "Finn, Cleo, where's your mommy? Why are only you two down here?"
Finn pouted his little mouth. "Last night Mommy and Daddy were fighting on the bed, and Daddy said Mommy was tired."
"Fighting?"
"Yeah." Finn nodded. "Then Daddy kicked us out. He said he was going to make us a little brother."
Hayden, who was passing by, spat out his water.
Ursa blinked, understanding immediately. "What's wrong with Joshua, telling the children everything."
"Hayden, come here." Ursa called out to Hayden.
"Yes?" Hayden came over with a smile.
"Go get Joshua down here. What kind of things is he teaching the children all day? No shame at all."
Hayden smiled meaningfully. "Mom, isn't that just how it is between men and women? Otherwise how would we continue the family line?"
Ursa said, "But you can't talk about it in front of the children. Go call him down."
"Mom, didn't Finn just say? They're busy making a baby, probably tired and need rest."
Ursa frowned, her mouth twitching as she tried to speak but couldn't get anything out for a long while.
Finally, she called out helplessly, "Indigo."
"Mrs. Thomas, what can I do for you?"
"Go make some nutritious soup. After a whole night of that, we don't want Ava getting worn out."
If Ava heard this, she'd probably regret not digging a hole last night to hide in.
Ava came out of her room and ran right into Joshua coming out of the room next door.
Ava's face darkened, and she turned to leave in a flash, but Joshua caught up in two steps.
"Why are you running?"
Images of last night's chaotic scenes inexplicably floated through Ava's mind. She desperately tried not to recall them.
But the human brain works that way—the more you don't want to think about something, the more it jumps out demanding attention.
Since she couldn't avoid it, she'd just grit her teeth and face it.
Ava turned around and forced a smile. "Morning."
Joshua lowered his head and planted a kiss on Ava's upturned lips. "Morning."
A servant working nearby quickly turned away. "Mr. Joshua Thomas, Mrs. Ava Thomas, I didn't see anything."
Ava ground her teeth and fled downstairs as if escaping for her life, silently chanting: as long as I'm not embarrassed, someone else will be.
"Mommy." Seeing Ava, Finn and Cleo rushed into her arms without a care.
"You babies are up so early."
"Yes, to welcome the little brother."
Ava said, "What?"
"Didn't you and Daddy go make a little brother last night? Where's the little brother? Bring the little brother out quick." Finn looked at Ava with great anticipation.
"Hahahahahaha..." Hayden slapped his thigh laughing.
Ava's eyelids twitched as she faced the various amused looks around her, and she realized... she was done for!
"Where's the little brother? Where's the little brother?"
Ava clenched her teeth and asked in as natural a tone as possible, "Finn, Cleo, who promised you a little brother?"
"Daddy." Finn shouted, with Cleo nodding in agreement.
"Right." Ava said pleasantly. "Then go ask him for it. He's the one who promised you."
Ava's reasoning was perfectly sound.
Joshua came downstairs just then, and Finn and Cleo rushed over, one on each side, grabbing his pant legs, tilting their little heads up, eyes looking at Joshua expectantly.
Joshua looked at the little ones hanging on his legs, his brow twitching. "What are you doing?"
"Want a brother, want a little brother." Finn smiled happily. "Where's the little brother Daddy promised last night? Is he too shy to come out?"
"..." Joshua's brow twitched twice.
"You two are really just too... too much." Ursa was too embarrassed to say it. "Whatever you two want to do, at least close the door, right? This... being seen by the children... and the key thing is you, you even told the children you were... making a little brother. No shame at all."
Ava was startled by Ursa's words, her ears instantly turning red.
Joshua, whose mood was still cold from being interrupted last night, walked over to Ava, raised his hand and gently patted her back, saying coldly, "Got it, we'll lock the door next time."
Ava hung her head, coughing even harder.
"Alright, Ava, I made you some soup, go drink it quickly. You two carrying on all night, must be exhausting. Don't wear yourself out."
Ava was speechless!
Hayden suppressed his laughter. "Joshua, Ava, Grandpa wants to see you."
Ava felt like she'd found an escape from the awkwardness and responded, "I'll go right away."
Great, Victor had saved her last shred of dignity...
Ava was so moved she could cry!
"Grandpa, you wanted to see us?"
"...Joshua, Ava, you're here. Sit down, I have something to discuss with you." Victor gave a dry laugh, gesturing for the butler to leave and close the door.
Seeing Victor so serious, Ava's face tensed up, worried something major had happened. She looked at Victor intently, listening carefully.
"Please go ahead, Grandpa."
Victor took a sip of water and cleared his throat with a light cough. "...Joshua, Ava, about today's matter, I'm definitely not against you young people having a little fun and all that. But the children are still young, right? Just remember to lock the door next time."
"..."
Ava lowered her head, extremely embarrassed.
"Okay, Grandpa's right, we'll be more careful next time." Joshua agreed readily.
Ava raised her hand to cover her face.
Ava really didn't know how he could be so shameless.
"Finn and Cleo are still young, you don't need to rush into having a second child. Take time to remarry first, and I'll definitely arrange the grandest wedding for you to welcome Ava back to the Thomas family."
At this moment, Ava only knew her face was burning red. Hearing Victor's words were directed at her, she quickly responded, "I understand."
I understand, really taken it to heart!
I've really taken it to heart!
Victor, can you leave me some dignity? Please?
A flash of surprise crossed Joshua's eyes, a dark gleam surging as he looked at Ava beside him, pulled her into his arms, and said cheerfully, "Don't worry Grandpa, we'll go remarry right now."
"Let's go, let's go." Ava hadn't really heard what they were talking about. Hiding in Joshua's embrace, she tugged at his clothes, wanting to escape quickly.
Joshua went along with her, taking Ava out of Victor's study.
"Joshua, this is all your fault. Now the whole family knows we were doing..." Ava pushed Joshua away.
"Doing what?" Joshua raised an eyebrow, teasing her.
"Doing that without locking the door, and getting caught by Finn and Cleo."
And now everyone knew.
Ava was dying of embarrassment.
Joshua sighed softly, disagreeing. "We didn't finish. How about we continue?"
"Get out."
"..."
Ava let out a small cry as she was suddenly swept up in his arms. "What are you doing?"
"What did you just promise Grandpa?" His dark eyes stared at her intently.
Ava was slightly stunned, but her mind had already started replaying the conversation.
"Finn and Cleo are still young, you don't need to rush into having a second child. Take time to remarry first, and I'll definitely arrange the grandest wedding for you to welcome Ava back to the Thomas family."
"I understand."
"Don't worry Grandpa, we'll go remarry right now."
"..."
At the time, Ava had been so focused on finding a hole to crawl into that she'd agreed without thinking.
"Wait a minute." Ava gripped the door frame tightly.
Joshua stopped and looked at her. "You want to back out?"
Ava was helpless. "Who said I'd remarry you?"
Joshua frowned, looking aggrieved. "You're backing out!"
Ava didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I didn't hear clearly just now."
"Good excuse, but it won't work."
Having finally gotten her to slip up, Joshua wasn't about to let this opportunity pass.
"...I'm not going."
"You have to go."