Chapter 9 Cleo Recognized by Joshua?
Her eyes went wide!
She was filled with fear!
She saw a man in a suit helping a little girl up from the ground.
And that man was Joshua, and who else could the little girl be but Cleo!
Cleo pushed away Joshua's touch, her round eyes staring at Joshua.
In Cleo's eyes, Joshua was the bad guy who took Ava away and made Ava sad. She could get up by herself - she didn't need his help.
Seeing Joshua pushed away, Mia beside him crouched down in front of Cleo and said unhappily, "Little girl, Joshua helped you up, how could you push him away? You should say thank you, understand?"
Cleo looked up at Joshua, then at Mia, confirming without a doubt - this was the bad woman Finn mentioned who was with Joshua!
"Who are you? Why are you telling me what to do?" Cleo burst into tears.
Seeing Cleo cry, Mia pulled at the corner of her mouth, "Little girl, why are you crying? I..."
"...You're bullying me! You're yelling at me..." For kids this age, throwing tantrums was definitely their killer move, especially for adorable children like Cleo.
Cleo cried very loudly. Seeing her cry like this, people around couldn't bear it and came over to help.
Ava stood not far away. Hearing Cleo cry, her heart tightened, wanting to rush over immediately.
She clenched her fists tightly, but she couldn't.
If she went over, she'd be exposed.
"What's wrong with the child? Why is she crying so pitifully? Who bullied you?" a passerby couldn't help asking.
"Don't cry, little one. You're breaking our hearts. Tell me, who bullied you?"
More and more onlookers gathered.
Cleo pitifully wiped her tears, hiding in a woman's arms, looking fearfully at Mia and Joshua.
Mia received accusatory looks from those around who didn't know the full story. Feeling awkward, she reached out to pull Cleo, her voice rising from panic, "Little girl, you can't make things up. How did I bully you?"
When Mia pulled her, Cleo stumbled forward two steps and fell to the ground, looking up and crying loudly. Her little face turned red from crying, tears falling like they cost nothing.
"How can you be like this? If you want to talk, just talk - why are you getting physical?" The old woman nearby picked up Cleo lovingly and questioned Mia sternly.
"Exactly, what kind of person does this to such a small child? Shameless."
"She looks pretty, but who knew she'd be so mean."
Joshua frowned, watching Cleo cry her heart out. He was a bit at a loss seeing her cry like this.
"I, I didn't do anything. I just wanted to pull her a bit. I didn't expect this to happen."
Mia tried to explain, but the more she explained, the more she couldn't defend herself. Who knew this child would cry like this from just a touch?
Meanwhile, Cleo, resting her head on the old woman's shoulder and crying loudly, saw Ava behind them and playfully winked at her.
This was the consequence of bullying Ava.
Ava couldn't help but smile slightly. She didn't know who Cleo took after, but her acting skills even fooled Ava, let alone others.
"Enough." Joshua lifted Cleo from the old woman's arms into his own.
Ava's heart caught in her throat. She stared intently at Joshua's expression, afraid he would recognize Cleo.
Cleo kicked her little legs, struggling in Joshua's arms.
"What's your name?" Joshua stared at Cleo. From the first glance, he felt this child's features resembled Ava's. Just now when her little face scrunched up fiercely, she looked even more like her.
And she had just come out of the bathroom, and that woman had also just gone to the bathroom. It was too much of a coincidence.
"Let me go! I don't know you! Let go, let me go! I don't know you, I won't tell you." Cleo struggled in Joshua's arms.
Passersby wanted to step forward to help, but Joshua's imposing aura made them back off.
Ava was very nervous, infinite fear welling up in her heart.
Did he recognize her?
Did he recognize her?
"Ava." Joshua called her. "Come here."
Ava snapped back to her senses at Joshua's voice. Looking up, she saw Joshua's eyes, deep as a dark pool, fixed on her.
She squinted, unable to read Joshua's emotions. His commanding voice forced Ava to steel herself and walk forward.
Ava forced herself to calm down, walking steadily to the man, meeting Joshua's cold, deep eyes directly. "What is it?"
"What are you standing there for?" Joshua's voice was as usual, revealing nothing unusual, but his eyes on Ava constantly watched her emotions.
Seeing Ava approach, Cleo's eyes couldn't help but light up.
This subtle reaction from Cleo didn't escape Joshua's eyes.
Ava's breathing tightened. Her hands at her sides clenched and loosened, loosened and clenched. She smiled and spoke, "Joshua, are you guys even human? Bullying such a small child."
"Why are your eyes red? Are you feeling sorry for her?"
"Mr. Thomas, that's an interesting thing to say." Ava scoffed. "She's not my child - what do I have to feel sorry about? I just can't stand watching this."
After speaking, Ava casually glanced at Cleo, acting like she didn't care at all.
Actually, Ava was very nervous. Under Joshua's scrutinizing gaze, Ava felt transparent, like nothing could escape him.
Playing tricks in front of him was as dangerous as pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth. She didn't know if he believed her or not.
"Cleo." At that moment, a well-dressed woman hurried over from not far away.
It was Isabella.
No, it was a savior!
Isabella walked past Ava as if she didn't know her, quickly approaching Joshua and looking at Cleo. "Cleo, how did you end up here? I was worried sick."