Chapter 51: Had a Good Chat with My Boyfriend
"What's wrong?"
At those words, Gilbert's face stiffened, a flash of tension crossing his usually composed eyes.
Ava pressed her lips together, lowered her gaze to straighten the medical records in her hands, and let out a sigh.
"Can't you feel the rage of thousands of girls about to explode? They're practically ready to rush over here and kill me to vent their anger."
Ava's tone was joking as she made a throat-slitting gesture. Gilbert smiled helplessly. "Don't overthink it. Even if that happened, I'd protect you."
"..." Ava blinked, momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
"Dr. Harvey, there's a post-op consultation in a bit. The director wants you there to give your input."
"Okay, I'll head over right away." Gilbert nodded.
"You should go. Don't keep the patient waiting."
"Make sure you apply the medicine." Gilbert reminded her.
Ava tucked the medicinal wine into her pocket and breathed a sigh of relief. Noticing a few issues on the case form, she pulled out a pen to make some corrections when she heard several gasps that couldn't be suppressed even in the hospital.
"...so handsome..."
"Look at that man, he's walking this way. Oh my god, he's so gorgeous."
"I thought Dr. Harvey was already really handsome, but this man is so stunning my heart's trembling."
"It's not just his looks—it's his presence, that aura. He's not even looking at me, but somehow I feel like my legs are going weak under that powerful pressure."
Hearing these exclamations, Ava let out a low chuckle and shook her head. So dramatic.
Just as she was about to see what this man being called god-like looked like, she looked up and saw Joshua's face, meeting his unfathomably deep eyes.
Ava's hand holding the pen froze right there. For a moment, all the sounds around her faded away, leaving only dead silence and Joshua walking toward her.
Joshua wore a pure black custom-tailored suit. The light fell on him, outlining his strong, upright figure—refined dark brows, a high-bridged nose, noble thin lips pressed together, and black eyes as deep as a pool with no visible bottom.
His cold, distant aura carried a powerful pressure that made people afraid to disrespect him, yet his dazzlingly handsome face made it impossible to look away.
Ava snapped back to her senses. She couldn't deny that Joshua was indeed handsome, and that innate noble air about him radiated a captivating oppressive force—enough to make women flock to him willingly, accepting it all sweetly.
That's how Ava had been back then.
Ava gave a slight tug at the corner of her cool lips, closed the medical records in her hand, and turned to leave.
Why Joshua appeared at the hospital, she knew all too well. Mia was hospitalized, and naturally he had to personally take care of her. But at this hour, he should be at his busiest at the company. Before, when she was sick and called him, he was always too busy, only sending Samuel to check on her briefly with a few words of concern. But now... sure enough, when it came to Mia, everything was different.
Ava exhaled heavily, something pressing on her heart, suddenly making it hard to breathe.
Enough already. Thinking about these things still touched Ava's sore spot.
Ava harshly blamed herself for her weakness.
She was about to head back to her office when two bodyguards in Thomas family uniforms suddenly appeared in front of her.
Ava's body jerked to a halt.
"Ms. Davis, stop. Mr. Thomas requests your presence."
Ava's breathing tightened. She had no intention of complying, but the bodyguards had no intention of letting her go either.
"Please." The bodyguard's face was expressionless as he gestured with his hand.
Ava pulled at the corner of her mouth wordlessly. The Thomas family people were just like Joshua—consistently cold and domineering.
Ava tugged at the corner of her mouth and turned around.
They weren't far apart, just a few feet, close enough to see each other's expressions clearly. Ava's hand in her pocket unconsciously clenched. His cold, scrutinizing gaze fell on her as if he wanted to see through her entire being, right down to her soul.
She took a deep breath, walked up to the man, and lifted her eyes to look at this man who was a head taller than her. With an impeccable smile on her delicate face and a relaxed tone, she asked, "Mr. Thomas, what a coincidence. Here to see Mia? Her condition..."
"Not a coincidence. I'm here for you!"
"For me? What for?" Ava raised an eyebrow.
His low voice sounded again.
"Come with me."
Ava frowned in refusal. "I'm busy."
"You're busy?"
His voice carried disdainful mockery.
Suddenly Joshua raised his hand and pulled Ava into his arms.
The unexpected physical contact made Ava's whole body tremble. Her brows furrowed tightly. Panicking for two seconds, the gasps around her and her body's instinct made her struggle to push Joshua away.
But this resistance seemed utterly insignificant to Joshua.
His arm tightened, and Ava's body pressed even more inseparably close to his.
Ava gritted her teeth in anger.
"Joshua, I'm really finding you have a problem. What's the meaning of this? Hugging and holding your ex-wife in public—aren't you afraid word will get back to Mia?"
Ava stared at Joshua.
The corner of Joshua's lips curved up, his eyes like a deep pool without a trace of smile.
Joshua's icy voice sounded again, as if to freeze everything. "I don't see where you're so busy. Seemed like you were having a nice chat with your boyfriend."