Chapter 25 The Dog That Bit Ava Is So Fierce
"She has another man?"
An inexplicable anger surged in Joshua's chest. Even he didn't know what was going on - it just annoyed him.
Ava thought for a moment before finally realizing that she had thought her two kids were coming home and wanted to call out to them...
But!
"What's it to you?"
Ava muttered casually, and Joshua's already cold expression now seemed ready to freeze everything, radiating an icy chill.
"Darling? Your man?"
Joshua's words seemed to squeeze through his teeth, carrying a biting coldness.
A man?
Ava was confused. What was he talking about? What man? Was he out of his mind? Did he think the "darling" she mentioned was her man?
Ava sneered inwardly. What was with this interrogating tone, like he'd caught her cheating?
Besides, they were divorced. Even if she really had another man, he'd be her boyfriend or husband.
"Cat got your tongue?" Joshua was clearly dissatisfied with her silence. He moved closer to Ava, his cold voice coming again.
Ava instinctively stepped back a few paces, speechless, and couldn't help rolling her eyes.
Not backing down at all, she stubbornly lifted her face, glaring at Joshua, and said clearly and seriously, "None of your business!"
"And please watch your words, Mr. Thomas. We're divorced. Even if I have another man, he'd be my boyfriend or husband. Don't interrogate me like you caught me cheating!" Ava raised her eyebrows, her voice rising at the end.
Joshua was so angry he had a headache. He took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress the overwhelming rage inside.
Ava's ability to infuriate people was truly remarkable. That mouth of hers really needed to be taught a lesson.
"If Mr. Thomas has nothing else, please leave my home. I... hey..."
Joshua suddenly pinned Ava against the wall. His domineering presence overwhelmed every cell in Ava's body. She stared wide-eyed in panic, looking up at Joshua.
The dim light carved out Joshua's incredibly handsome features. He curved his lips wickedly, his gaze burning intensely as he stared at her.
Ava nervously pressed herself tightly against the wall. Their eyes met at such close distance that no detail could escape the other's eyes.
Somehow, an ambiguous atmosphere suddenly rose between them.
"Let me go!"
"You're asking for it!"
"I..."
With that, Joshua lowered his head and sealed her chattering lips.
Before Ava could cry out, he took away her breath. He kissed her fiercely, almost as if he wanted to swallow her whole. Ava was completely dazed, her heart feeling like it would jump out of her chest.
Her small hands pressed against his solid chest, trying hard to push him away, but then Joshua pinned both her hands above her head.
Ava's whole face flushed red with anger. She looked up and glared at him. "Joshua, you jerk, pervert, creep, lunatic - let me go!"
Joshua smiled instead of getting angry. One hand braced against the wall behind Ava, his lips curving into a faint arc, his low, magnetic voice seductively saying, "Go on, curse me again."
Ava glared at him, clenching her jaw... and shut up!
"Not happy about it?"
Ava was almost furious. She stared at Joshua, and after a long pause, sneered lightly, "I'm happy." Furious, she silently added in her mind.
...
Isabella was driving with Finn and Cleo and had just arrived downstairs at the apartment when she saw a tall, slender figure coming out of the building.
Joshua?
Isabella's body reacted faster than her brain - she grabbed both kids and pulled them back into the car.
After these two encounters with Joshua, Isabella had developed a deep fear of him. Just seeing him made her tremble.
"Isabella, what are you doing?" Finn and Cleo looked at Isabella acting all sneaky and asked in confusion.
"Shh." Isabella was worried sick.
Only after Joshua completely left their sight did Isabella quickly take the kids upstairs.
"Ava, I just saw Joshua downstairs!" Isabella said anxiously.
What was Joshua doing here? If Ava was here, there was only one possibility - he came to see Ava.
"Yes."
Ava's expression was calm. No! This response somehow sounded like she was gritting her teeth with determination, and her seemingly calm face had eyes filled with fury, as if she wanted to tear someone apart.
Isabella shuddered. Ava's cold, murderous look was just as terrifying as Joshua's.
"What did he come for?"
Ava pressed her still red and swollen lips hard. "Being a jerk."
"Mommy, why is your mouth so red? Did you secretly eat chili peppers?" Finn asked while handing Ava some water.
Isabella, who was drinking water, couldn't help but spit it out. Only then did she notice Ava's lips... there were still some teeth marks that hadn't faded. Based on the current situation, Joshua must have come here and something indescribable happened between him and Ava.
"Your mommy didn't eat chili peppers, she clearly..."
"Got bitten by a dog." Ava took a deep breath, completely serious.
"What kind of dog would bite Mommy's mouth? Does it hurt, Mommy? Why are there teeth marks? That dog must be really mean." Cleo bit her fingertip, her little face full of confusion as she looked at Ava.
Ava looked embarrassed. "Cleo, please stop asking, okay?" Give me some privacy, please!
"Okay." Cleo hugged her toy and nodded obediently. Suddenly, her little brain thought of something. She climbed onto Ava's lap and wrapped her arms around Ava's neck. "Then does Mommy need Cleo to blow on it for you? It must hurt a lot to be bitten by a dog."
Finn brought over the medicine box, his little mouth chattering, "Cleo, if Mommy was bitten by a dog, blowing on it won't help. It needs to be disinfected and the wound cleaned, and then Mommy needs to go to the hospital for a rabies shot."
"Hahaha!" Isabella slapped her thigh, unable to hold back her laughter.
Ava leaned back weakly against the sofa, completely broken inside.
...
Over the next few days, besides going to work, Ava worked on developing a new treatment plan for Victor's illness. The medicine she left at the Thomas Villa before she left should be running out by now, based on the timeline. She didn't know how Victor was doing.
Without knowing Victor's current condition, she couldn't determine the dosage. She had to go to the Thomas Villa to examine Victor to find out.
But what gave Ava the biggest headache was that she couldn't get into the Thomas Villa now. The Thomas family members were very resistant to her getting close to Victor.
Ava lowered her eyes and bit her fingertip, lost in thought.
"Ava?" Isabella saw Ava looking anxious, brought over a plate of fruit, and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Ava sighed and told Isabella the whole story. Isabella knew about Ava's past and couldn't help but worry for her after hearing this.
"So Ava, you want to go to the Thomas Villa?"
"Yes." Ava nodded.
She had to go.
Besides, Victor's illness required long-term treatment and regular checkups.
Isabella knew Ava was soft-hearted and sentimental. She wanted to persuade her but didn't know what to say.
But she was worried. Five years ago, Ava left without saying goodbye to protect her children. How could the Thomas family be easy to talk to? Her departure back then must have completely offended the Thomas family.
Victor, who loved her, had been seriously ill for a long time. Going to the Thomas Villa would be like a sheep walking into a tiger's den. Who would protect her?
And the more contact she had with the Thomas family, the easier it would be to expose Finn and Cleo's existence, and the more dangerous it would become.
Isabella frowned, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Ava, have you thought this through?"