Chapter 149 Envy and the Desire to Destroy
Ava had originally wanted to tease Joshua, but unexpectedly found herself blushing at his sweet words instead.
Joshua was getting better and better at flirting.
Isabella pressed her lips together and looked down at the two children who were watching their parents' affection with complete indifference.
What was with these two kids looking at Joshua with that "he did the right thing" expression?
"Finn, Cleo, how are you feeling right now?"
"You get used to it." Finn looked totally calm, and Cleo nodded with a smile.
"Want to keep shopping?" Joshua raised his hand and swept Ava's hair that had fallen forward back over her shoulder.
Ava shook her head gently, "No more shopping, let's head home."
"Okay, then we'll have dinner at the Thomas Villa tonight."
"Good, it's time for Grandpa's treatment anyway." Ava said lightly.
"Joshua." Thea, who had been standing nearby, slowly walked forward, her voice gentle and gracious. "I was planning to visit Grandpa too, but I didn't drive today. Could I catch a ride with you?"
Thea looked at Joshua expectantly, confident he wouldn't refuse.
Ava's delicate eyebrows arched up slightly.
Hearing this, Joshua glanced at her coolly and said flatly, "There's no seat for you."
Simple and clear, a straightforward rejection.
Thea bit her lip, looking at Joshua with increasingly pitiful eyes, pleading.
She thought that having grown up with Joshua, she must mean something different to him. Unwilling to give up, she said, "Joshua, I..."
Before Thea could finish, Joshua had already turned away, ignoring her.
Joshua opened the passenger door for Ava. After Ava got in and the two children climbed in on their own, Joshua walked around to the driver's seat.
The car drove straight out of the mall.
Thea's eyes filled with deep resentment.
Shortly after Ava and Joshua returned to the Thomas Villa with the two children, Thea arrived.
Just because no one gave her a ride didn't mean she couldn't come.
A mocking smile flashed in Ava's eyes.
"Grandpa." Thea sat down next to Victor, gentle and gracious.
Victor was in a good mood. "Your timing is perfect, we're just about to eat."
"Of course, I followed the smell here." Thea laughed.
"Following the smell? Are you a puppy?"
Finn, munching on a cookie in his hand, looked up at Thea with bright, innocent eyes.
Thea paused, her lips twitching, unable to respond for a moment.
Finn was deliberately going against her, wasn't he?
How annoying.
Ava's lips curved into a slow smile.
After dinner, Ava went upstairs with her medical kit to give Victor acupuncture. "Grandpa is recovering very well. Let's schedule the surgery in a few days."
"When Grandpa's in a good mood, his health naturally improves. You and Finn and Cleo deserve a lot of credit for that." Joshua gently ruffled Ava's hair.
After Victor fell asleep, Ava and Joshua went downstairs together. Thea was still there, sitting in the living room chatting and laughing with Ursa.
Thea had her ways of pleasing Victor and Ursa, which was why they liked her so much.
Her methods were far more sophisticated than Mia's—she could trip people up without making a sound.
"Ava, are you leaving?"
Ava called Finn and Cleo over and gave a light acknowledgment.
"Then let me go out with you." As she spoke, Thea had already stood up and walked to Ava's side, linking arms with her intimately.
A flash of coldness crossed Ava's eyes as she calmly withdrew her arm.
"Are Ms. Ellis and I that close?"
Thea kept smiling. "I think of Ava as my own sister."
Disgusting.
Her eyes were full of disgust, yet she could say such things.
Joshua wanted to see Ava off, but Ava refused. She took the two children and headed out. A dark, unclear smile flashed in Thea's eyes as she followed closely.
"Ava, wait for me."
"Does Ms. Ellis need something else?" Ava turned back and glanced at her.
"Ava, I really envy you." Thea changed the subject, smiling at Ava.
"Is that so?"
"Ava has two such adorable children, and Joshua's love and care. It's truly enviable."
"Okay." Ava responded lightly, with no intention of talking more with Thea. She opened the car door to let the children in, then walked around to the driver's seat.
What Ava didn't hear was Thea behind her, taking a photo of her license plate with her phone, murmuring darkly, "So envious I want to destroy it."
"Mommy, how many points does Daddy get in your heart today?" Finn suddenly asked from the back seat.
Through the rearview mirror, Ava saw the two children looking at her expectantly.
"How many points?"
"Today Daddy gets a hundred points in our hearts." When those fifty cases of jewelry were carried in, we thought Daddy was so cool.
Thinking about those mean women today, both Finn and Cleo couldn't help but laugh.
Ava chatted with the two children as the car slowly pulled into the parking area below the apartment building. Ava parked the car and was about to tell the children to get out when she saw a car heading straight for her vehicle.
Its target was crystal clear—it was coming for her.
With a loud crash, the front of her car was violently hit.
A group of burly men quickly got out of the vehicle, each holding clubs, looking fierce and menacing.
"This is the car. The client said to break an arm of whoever's inside, and we get a million dollars. Everyone, let's go!"