Chapter 144 Joshua's First Time Taking Care of the Child
"What did you say?" Dane's heart suddenly lurched. He seemed to remember something, and his head slowly turned toward the man in front of him.
A name suddenly exploded in his mind—Joshua!
This man was Joshua, the CEO of the Thomas Group!
What had he just done?
What had he done?
Dane dropped to his knees in terror. "You... you're Mr. Thomas?"
"You wanted my wife and children to get out of Silverlight City?" Joshua asked coldly.
"I... no, it was this woman, it was her. She was the one who disrespected Mrs. Thomas. I didn't know anything." Dane quickly pushed Nola forward to take the blame.
Nola stared at Dane in complete shock, then looked at Joshua. "You, you're Mr. Thomas?"
Nola's face turned deathly pale. "I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong. I won't dare again, I really won't dare. Mrs. Thomas, I apologize to you. I'm sorry, it was my fault, I..."
"No need. Didn't you want us to get out of Silverlight City? You get out instead." Ava turned and left after speaking.
"Samuel, you stay and handle this."
"Yes, Mr. Thomas."
Ava walked out of the office and crouched down in front of Finn and Cleo. The children's faces were still streaked with tears.
Ava took out tissues and wiped Finn and Cleo's faces clean while comforting them. "Don't cry, sweethearts. It's okay now. I'll take you home."
Joshua stood to the side, his hands tightening slightly, a deep, dark gleam emerging in his eyes.
Joshua had wanted to take the three of them home, but on the way, Ava discovered that Cleo had a fever. They went to the hospital for an injection, and it was very late by the time they got back to the apartment.
Joshua carried Cleo and placed her in her room. Ava sent Finn to bed, then went to get a thermometer to check Cleo's temperature.
It was common for children's fevers to go up and down at night. Ava looked at the reading—Cleo still had a low fever.
Ava sighed softly, went to the bathroom to get a basin of hot water, wrung out a cloth, folded it into a small square, and placed it on Cleo's forehead.
Cleo had been frail since childhood. Her delicate constitution meant Ava had always been extra careful with her, afraid she might get hurt. When she got sick, it was always a big ordeal. Cleo didn't like injections, and every time she had to take medicine, it took half an hour of coaxing. Ava really felt for the child.
Ava picked up the basin of now-cool water, planning to empty it. As she turned, Joshua took the basin from her hands.
"I'll do it. You go rest."
Ava's brow relaxed slightly. "Never mind. When Cleo's sick, she likes me by her side. If she wakes up and doesn't see me, I'm afraid she'll cry."
"I'll call you when Cleo wakes up." Joshua firmly pulled Ava into the bedroom, pressed her down on the bed without allowing refusal, and ordered, "Sleep."
"But..."
"No buts. I know you feel for the child, but I feel for you too. I can take care of the child. You rest properly. Understand?"
Ava looked at Joshua, ripples stirring faintly in her heart. She spoke in a daze, "Okay. You must call me when Cleo wakes up."
"I know." Joshua leaned down and kissed Ava's eyes. "Sleep."
In the middle of the night, Ava came out of her room. With Cleo's fever, she really didn't dare sleep deeply.
She tiptoed toward Finn and Cleo's room.
In their room, a small night light was still on. Ava could clearly see Joshua's solid silhouette.
Joshua sat in a chair facing the small bed. Next to him was a basin of hot water. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing a section of his strong forearms. His long fingers washed and wrung out the towel, then gently placed it on Cleo's forehead. His movements were clumsy and unpracticed, yet showed the utmost tenderness.
Ava's heart warmed slightly. Perhaps without that incident from years ago, Joshua would have been a good father.
Joshua was so attentive that Ava felt reassured. She turned to go back to her room, but suddenly, not paying attention, her foot hit a nearby chair. Her ankle twisted to the side, and as a dull pain shot through it, her knee bent and hit a sharp corner. The pain made her let out a small sound, and Ava quickly covered her mouth.
Obviously, Joshua had heard the noise. He turned his head just as Ava, holding her knee, looked up at him. Their eyes collided unexpectedly in the silent night.
Ava's body tensed immediately.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Joshua came out with a stern face.
Ava immediately straightened up, her eyes flickering with the awkwardness of being caught peeking. "I was afraid Cleo would cry during the night, so I came to check."
"Why don't you listen at all?" Joshua looked at her, his brow furrowing slightly.
"I'll go to sleep now." Ava forced a smile. The pain in her knee and ankle made her smile somewhat stiff. She felt she needed to deal with her injuries first.
Joshua looked down at her, keenly noticing something was wrong.
Ava turned around, trying to walk as naturally as possible.
The next second, her legs left the ground as Joshua suddenly picked her up. She felt weightless. "You?"
Joshua said nothing, his face stern.
He carried her to the sofa and asked coldly, "Where's the medicine kit?"
Ava's gaze fell on his face, then shifted to a cabinet.
Joshua understood. He went and took out the medical kit. His clean, large hands rummaged through it and pulled out a bottle of bruise medicine.
"Thank you, I can do it myself." Ava reached out to take the medicine from him, but Joshua didn't give it to her.
"Foot. Lift it up." His tone was cold, seemingly mixed with a trace of anger.
Ava looked at his cold expression. For some reason, like a child who had done something wrong, she obediently lifted her injured leg.
Seeing her rare obedience, Joshua's expression softened a bit. He knelt on one knee and rolled up her pant leg. Her smooth calf was exposed before him. Ava's skin was so smooth that the bruise on her knee stood out all the more starkly.
Her ankle was even more swollen and red.
Joshua's deep eyes stared at the injury, his handsome face showing no expression.
Without a word, he poured the medicinal liquid into his palm and rubbed it until it warmed, then placed his palm over Ava's knee, gently massaging.
Joshua kept his handsome face tense, his brow containing a hint of coldness, but his movements unconsciously became even gentler.
"Joshua?" Ava called his name tentatively. She really couldn't stand this awkward atmosphere. She wanted to make conversation, but Joshua kept his head down and completely ignored her.
Ava pressed her lips together, somewhat at a loss.
After treating her wound, Joshua continued in silence as he carried her back to the bedroom.
Ava wasn't stupid. His whole aura of low pressure was telling her he was angry.
As Joshua placed Ava on the bed and straightened up, Ava couldn't help but suddenly reach out and grab his hand to stop him from leaving. "Why won't you talk?"
This man had spoken a total of two sentences to her through the whole process. So cold.
Joshua's brow moved slightly, and only then did he lift his eyes to look at her.
Under Joshua's gaze, Ava didn't know what else to say.
"Are you blind? Couldn't see the chair? Had to run right into it?" Joshua suddenly spoke coldly.
"That was an accident."
"You hurt yourself and now you're making excuses." Joshua let out a cold laugh.
Ava tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Well, yeah. Anyway, thanks for taking care of Cleo today, and also..." Ava glanced at her knee and ankle, rubbing her forehead helplessly. "Me!"
"Then you should thank me properly..."
The next moment, Ava's lips were kissed. The warm touch sent a tingling sensation through her whole body.
Completely caught off guard.
Ava quickly pushed Joshua away, her small face fierce.
"Why do you keep kissing me all the time?" Ava huffed, covering her mouth, looking at Joshua with wariness and caution.
After all, there was that incident at the Thomas Villa—the two of them in bed, almost...
Joshua chuckled softly.
"Didn't you want to thank me? I'm just collecting my thanks. Is that wrong?"
"..." How could this man be so shameless? Saying it like it was so natural.
"Still playing stubborn?" Joshua grabbed the back of Ava's neck and kissed her lips lightly, lingering and tender.
Ava was completely speechless.
That night was destined to be sleepless. Ava and Joshua took turns caring for Cleo. In the end, Ava was still forcibly pressed onto the bed by Joshua, made to sleep. By the time Joshua had cared for Cleo until dawn, her fever had completely subsided.
They both breathed a long sigh of relief. Ava had originally wanted to get up early to make breakfast for the three of them.
But as soon as her foot touched the ground, a dull pain shot through her ankle, and she fell to the floor.
Fortunately, she braced herself with her hands and protected her face.
Ava felt utterly miserable at that moment.
She struggled to sit up. The bruise on her knee had faded, but her ankle still hurt badly. The ankle injury was probably more serious.
"What happened?" Outside, Joshua heard the noise and immediately opened the door. He saw Ava sitting pitifully on the floor alone, rubbing her leg.
Ava blinked at him. "It's nothing, just accidentally fell."
Joshua didn't let her say more. He bent down, his gaze falling on her ankle, his brow furrowing deeply. "I'm taking you to the hospital."
"No need, I'll just put more medicine on it. Where are Finn and Cleo?"
"They're awake." Joshua gave a very brief answer.
"I'm planning to let them rest at home today and not send them to school. If Grandpa misses Finn and Cleo, you can take them to the Thomas Villa."
"Okay, don't worry." Joshua lifted Ava back onto the bed, then got the medicine and applied it for her, taking very good care of her.
Ava looked at Joshua, unable to help smiling.
Joshua took the two children to eat breakfast. The two children gulped down their porridge in big mouthfuls.
Cleo was probably eating too intently. Her small bowl moved to the edge of the table without her noticing, and she knocked it over, spilling it on her clothes.
Seeing this, Finn immediately tried to help Cleo, but ended up... pressing his hand right into the bowl in front of him, and the bowl tipped onto his pants.
Finn and Cleo simultaneously looked up at Joshua helplessly, their two pairs of eyes bright and turning anxiously in their sockets.
Joshua's brow twitched, a shadow falling over his eyes. He put down what he was doing, his tall figure standing up. He walked behind the two little ones and picked them both up, one in each hand.
To avoid choking their necks, he lifted them by the backs of their shirts.
Finn and Cleo's little arms and legs flailed in the air a couple of times. Unable to get down, they simply let Joshua carry them.
Joshua walked toward the bathroom.
Hearing the commotion, Ava came out of her room and saw an extremely surreal scene.
She froze slightly, looking at Joshua strangely.
Joshua had Cleo in his left hand and Finn in his right hand... carrying them!
That's right!
Carrying them by the backs of their shirts, one in each hand, suspended in the air.
Ava's brow jumped hard. "Joshua, what are you doing?"
Ava quickly "rescued" the two children, holding them in her arms and looking at Joshua warily.
Joshua's expression paused slightly.
Finn and Cleo seemed quite happy being carried like that, even laughing.
"What are you all up to?" Ava frowned.
Finn pointed at the table. "The porridge spilled, got on our clothes. Daddy was taking us to the bathroom."
So that's what happened.
Only then did Ava notice the wet, sticky patches on both children's chests.
"Cleo, who did your hair?"
Cleo pointed at Joshua with a smile.
Ava's mouth twitched. She looked up at Joshua, then at the single lonely braid tied right on top of Cleo's head. The hair at the back of her head hadn't been tied up and had fallen down in a mess. The bangs Ava had left in front had been half tied up on each side.
Finn also had something on his face—cream from the bread was still stuck there. His hair had some too.
He'd gotten his food in his hair.
Ava really couldn't help but laugh helplessly.
So when dads watch kids, keeping them alive is enough!
Ava now completely agreed with that saying.
Ava's gaze fell on Joshua. He wasn't much better off. The man who was usually impeccable in his suits was now wearing only a white shirt on top, sleeves rolled up, revealing a section of his strong forearms. There was a wet patch on the white shirt, and his handsome face looked somewhat gloomy. He looked rather disheveled at the moment.
"Alright, you guys stop this. Finn and Cleo, go change your clothes."
Ava looked at Joshua like that and really couldn't hold back—she burst out laughing.
Seeing Ava laugh at him, Joshua's face grew even darker.
Ava looked up at him, even more delighted.
Joshua took a deep breath, stepped forward, and pressed Ava down on the sofa. "What are you laughing at?"
"How does it feel taking care of kids for the first time?"
Joshua sighed, feeling an indescribable frustration. He couldn't hit them, couldn't scold them, and had to watch them constantly, afraid they'd get hurt. Those two kids might look well-behaved, but they really knew how to cause trouble for him.
Walking on flat ground and falling.
Knocking over bowls while eating.
Everyone said taking care of kids was hard. Joshua had gotten a taste of it today.
"I'll stop teasing you. Let me tell you something serious. I'm planning to keep Cleo at home for now. Cleo still won't talk, and I've thought it over—going to school isn't convenient."
Ava was afraid this kind of terrible incident would happen again. It would also hurt Cleo's young heart. Ava was afraid Cleo would develop an inferiority complex.
"Whatever you think is best."
Joshua lowered his head to kiss Ava. Ava pushed his face away and continued talking.
"I'll ask Finn what he thinks. If he wants to keep going to school, he can continue. If not, he can just wait and go straight to elementary school."
"Okay, whatever you think."
Joshua's warm lips fell on hers. Ava was both embarrassed and annoyed.
"...Joshua, I'm asking for your opinion. Don't do this. Finn and Cleo will come out any minute. You're being..."
Ava was picked up by Joshua. "Then let's go back to the room."
"In broad daylight, are you going to be this shameless?"
"I've always been this shameless."
The door closed.