Chapter 73: In the Dead of Night, with the Moon Dark and the Wind High, It Is His Time to Die
Ava's smooth forehead trembled slightly at Joshua's words.
Ursa looked shocked, then her face turned ugly.
Mia was left speechless, her expression crumbling.
The room fell silent for a few seconds.
Ursa spoke coldly, "That's enough, stop talking. The more you say, the more ridiculous it gets."
Furious, Ursa grabbed Mia to leave. Before leaving, Ursa glared hard at Joshua, full of displeasure and warning, saying he should be ashamed - the head of the Thomas family admitting to clinging to a woman.
Ava raised her eyebrows slightly and turned to look at Joshua, noticing the red, swollen fingerprint on his cheek from Ursa's slap. She took out a small bottle of ointment from the medicine box and handed it to him.
Joshua looked up, "For me?"
"Yes, put some on. It'll heal faster."
After all, he had taken that slap for her. Ava's heart had trembled along with that slap.
"Ava, I think I need some too." Hayden clung tightly behind Ava, unwilling to let go for even a moment.
"You? Where are you hurt?" Ava turned her head and asked, puzzled.
"Not yet, but soon." Hayden had a look of facing death on his face. A beating was definitely coming today.
"But I'm out. If you need some, you can ask Joshua. I have to go now." Ava didn't dare stay too long - Finn and Cleo were still waiting for her at home.
"I'll take you." Joshua grabbed Ava's wrist.
"No, Ava, can I go home with you tonight?" Hayden quickly grabbed Ava's clothes.
"...I'll just take a cab home. And you can't come home with me." Ava was somewhat helpless.
Hayden's handsome face showed extreme pain.
Ursa didn't care about him anymore, and Ava was leaving too. Late at night, in the darkness - this was his death sentence.
Joshua's face could only be described as sinister.
Too scary.
Ava's mouth twitched, "What's wrong with you?"
"He's fine, just asking for a beating." Joshua said coldly.
"Ava, you can't just watch me die! I'm your two kids' uncle! For the kids' sake... help!" Hayden screamed desperately, resisting with all his might.
Ava was being pulled by her clothes and felt extremely helpless seeing him like this.
Joshua's blade-like gaze swept over him, and Hayden immediately let go of Ava's clothes, but his eyes were full of pleading as he looked at her.
Ava sighed, feeling extremely helpless. She turned to look at Joshua, "How about... you give me a ride?"
Before she finished speaking, the cold atmosphere suddenly warmed up considerably.
Joshua nodded, "Okay."
Ava and Joshua left one after the other. Hayden felt a spring-like warmth spreading through his heart. At this moment, Ava was like his savior.
The car stopped smoothly in front of Ava's apartment.
Ava politely thanked Joshua, picked up her medicine box, and prepared to get out.
As Ava turned to open the car door, Joshua grabbed her hand.
Ava paused, turned back, and looked at Joshua with clear, surprised eyes.
"You... need something else?"
"I didn't know about the engagement beforehand, and I have no intention of getting engaged."
His voice was deep and magnetic. Ava's heart trembled slightly.
She blinked and asked, "Are you explaining this to me?"
"I don't want you to misunderstand."
Ava pressed her lips together, "There's no misunderstanding. What happens between you and her doesn't involve any misunderstanding on my part."
As an ex-wife, there was nothing for her to misunderstand. Mia had always been the person Joshua liked. Even if he didn't intend to get engaged now, he would later. It made no difference.
Five years ago, he divorced her because he wanted to marry Mia, didn't he? This was decided long ago, so she should have made peace with it already.
Having said what needed to be said, she should get out. Ava moved her hand, trying to pull it back.
Joshua didn't let go of her hand, but held it tighter, his eyes showing a hint of coldness.
"Because you don't care at all, right?"
"This is between you and her. Do I need to care?" Ava asked lightly.
"Yes." Joshua let go of Ava's hand and laughed self-mockingly, "You don't care about these things because you have someone else in your heart - Gilbert."
"Why are we talking about him again?" Ava frowned slightly. Joshua had been acting strange since he saw Gilbert and wanted to fight him.
As for what was strange, Ava couldn't quite say. Some subtle changes and feelings - anyway, he was different from before.
"He likes you. You smiled happily when you saw him. He put his jacket on you and you didn't refuse. I have reason to believe you like him too, right?"
Ava opened her mouth, her clear eyes filled with deep helplessness.
"Can't defend yourself?"
Joshua stared at her, his dark eyes suddenly filling with intense coldness at her silence.
Ava helplessly touched her smooth forehead and said, "He has someone he likes, and it's not me..."
"So you're disappointed."
Ava licked her lips, pulled at the corner of her mouth, and laughed in exasperation, "Which eye of yours saw me disappointed? And when I see people and talk to them, should I keep a straight face like they owe me a million dollars?"
Joshua glanced at her lightly.
"Isn't that how you are with me?"
Ava almost choked on her own saliva, "You're comparing yourself to him?"
"..."
"He wouldn't treat me with cold disgust like you do." Ava muttered quietly.
Friendliness between people is mutual. Gilbert was her classmate and had always taken good care of her. When someone treats her kindly, she couldn't possibly be cold to them. Conversely, Joshua was cold and dismissive toward her, so she couldn't possibly try to please him.
She wasn't sick.
"What did you say?" Joshua frowned, not catching the last sentence.
"Nothing." Ava had no intention of saying more and got out of the car.
She had been delayed at the Thomas Villa for so long that the two kids at home must be anxious. Ava wanted to hurry home to comfort them. Just as she reached the door, the two children ran over and threw themselves into her arms, giving her a big hug.
"Mommy."
"Mommy."
"My babies, why aren't you sleeping so late?"
"We were waiting for Mommy. You were gone so long, we were so worried." Finn and Cleo wrinkled their little faces, showing their unhappiness.
Ava held each child's hand, "I was delayed by something. Sorry for making you wait so long."
"Did Daddy bring Mommy home?" Finn's sharp eyes spotted the car still parked at the door that hadn't left yet. That license plate belonged to the Thomas family's car.
Finn's eyes turned, and he looked up at Ava and asked, "Mommy, I have something I want to say to Daddy."