Chapter 72: How Many Months Pregnant?
Ava looked at Joshua beside her with confused and nervous eyes.
Joshua frowned tightly.
"How should I know? Hayden already told me everything. What else are you trying to hide? What's wrong? Did me finding out ruin your plans?"
Ava's smooth brow furrowed tightly. At this moment, her hands were clenched, terrified that Ursa would tell her to send Finn and Cleo back to the Thomas Villa.
Ava was so nervous she even held her breath.
Ursa angrily fixed her gaze on Ava's belly and asked, "How many months along are you? Why isn't your belly showing yet?"
"......"
"......"
"?"
Pregnant?
Intense shock flashed through Ava's nervous eyes. She instinctively raised her hand to cover her lower abdomen. "Are you saying... I'm pregnant?"
"Still trying to pretend?" Ursa said irritably.
Ava blinked. Apart from the shock in her eyes, her nervous emotions quietly eased a bit.
As long as she hadn't discovered Finn and Cleo, that was good.
As for being pregnant.
Ava had no idea where she'd heard that from.
So she was this angry because she thought Ava was pregnant and wanted to use a child to force the Thomas family to accept her again?
Ava smiled slightly. She was more wrongly accused than Dou E.
Joshua's deep dark eyebrows raised slightly, and the same shocked expression on Ava's face flashed through his eyes.
At that moment, his gaze extended further and he noticed Hayden hiding in the back, only daring to peek out with half his head.
His gaze darkened with understanding.
Noticing Joshua's eyes sweeping toward him, their eyes met directly. Hayden was so scared he almost knelt down on the spot to apologize.
It's over, it's over. Joshua must have realized he'd let something slip.
Joshua calmly withdrew his gaze, a layer of anger hidden between his brows. He said coldly, "Come out."
Hayden felt very sad.
He obediently steeled himself and came out from the corner. He would die miserably, but if he didn't come out and got caught, he would die even more miserably.
Hayden rushed in one swift motion to Ava's right side, using Ava to separate himself from Joshua, but this still couldn't block the constant chill coming his way.
Ava, save me!
Joshua glanced at him coolly. That ice-cold, bone-chilling look clearly said, I'll deal with you later.
"Explain."
Ava seemed to have figured something out too, shifting her puzzled gaze to Hayden beside her.
That questioning look immediately put tremendous pressure on Hayden.
"What are you asking Hayden to say? I'm asking you two what's going on with this pregnancy." Ursa saw all three of them staying silent, with that look of "you explain," "I don't know what to say," waiting anxiously.
"I'm not pregnant. As for where you heard that I was pregnant, you should ask that person." Ava sighed helplessly and said directly.
"What do you mean?" Ursa turned her gaze to Hayden. "Is she pregnant or not?"
"...Mom, I was just joking with you earlier. I didn't expect you to actually believe it..." Hayden's voice got smaller and smaller. He felt so guilty. If Ursa asked more questions, how should he answer?
"So you're saying she's not pregnant at all?"
Hayden kept his head down tightly, nodding repeatedly. Ursa was furious, but really had no way to deal with Hayden.
"I think you're trying to make me die of anger."
Mia, who had been standing to the side listening anxiously for a long time, finally let her heart settle back in her chest when she heard this result. She composed her expression and walked gently and considerately to Ursa's side, lightly patting Ursa's back to help her calm down. "Mrs. Thomas, don't be angry. Hayden was just joking with you. It's not good to get so upset it hurts your health."
Mia's words made Ursa feel even more guilty toward her.
She had indeed thought just now that if Ava's pregnancy were real, if things really came to that point... she could only apologize to Mia and reluctantly accept Ava back into the Thomas family.
No matter how angry she was at Ava for scheming, it was Joshua who couldn't resist temptation and got her pregnant. She couldn't possibly not make Joshua take responsibility.
As a woman herself, she couldn't be heartless enough to let a young woman carry a child alone outside.
Of course, most importantly, the Thomas family's child, Joshua's son, could never be left outside no matter what.
Now hearing there was no child, Ursa actually felt relieved. Looking at Mia, she felt even more sympathetic.
"Mia, sorry you had to see that. Don't misunderstand, they were just joking..."
Mia silently shook her head. That silent and magnanimous appearance conveyed helplessness and grievance vividly.
After a moment of silence, she finally spoke. "It's okay, Mrs. Thomas. This was just a misunderstanding. It's good that it's cleared up... I know what kind of person Joshua is. I won't misunderstand Joshua."
Ursa patted Mia's hand that was holding her arm with affection, her eyes full of emotion.
Mia paused, sighed with some struggle, but still spoke up. "But after all, Ms. Davis, you and Joshua have been divorced for so many years. Always looking for Joshua, clinging around Joshua... I don't think it's appropriate..."
Ursa nodded, her gaze full of agreement. She thought what Mia said was absolutely right.
A cold glint passed through Ava's eyes. She could clearly hear that Mia was implying she was clinging to Joshua.
Mia pursed her lips and continued, "So Ms. Davis, to avoid such misunderstandings happening again, please show some self-respect and keep your distance from Joshua, okay?"
"Mia!" Joshua's cold, low voice rang out. His gaze swept over Mia coldly, full of warning and displeasure.
Mia's smile stiffened, but she continued, "Sorry Joshua, I didn't mean anything by it. I was just kindly reminding..."
"Not needed." Joshua said coldly. "She has never looked for me or clung to me. If anyone has, it's me looking for her and clinging to her."