Chapter 148
Ella had just been brought home by Heath and the others. Before she could even enter the front gate, the police arrived.
Seeing Ella's blood-covered hands and knowing she had killed someone, the police arrested her on the spot.
"Ms. Garcia, the Thomas family has reported you for intentional homicide. Please come with us!"
Ella knew she had to face legal consequences.
Handing Dorian over to Heath, tears welled up in her eyes.
"Dad, please take care of Dorian for me."
Heath's tears streamed down his face as he took Dorian's hand, unable to hold Ella's hand anymore.
Since Ella had confessed to the crime, all they could do was have a lawyer defend her and see if they could arrange bail later or negotiate with the Thomas family.
Wiping his tears, he nodded and said, "Don't worry, we'll take good care of Dorian. And don't worry about yourself either—no matter what it costs, we'll get you out safely."
Ella didn't know if she would ever get out.
She turned to look at Mason and said, "Zachary is still in the hospital. Go check on him for me. If I can't get out, have him draft divorce papers and send them to the prison for me to sign."
"Tell him I'm sorry. If there really is a next life, let me make it up to him then!"
With her hands cuffed, Ella choked out these words. She took one more reluctant look at Dorian, then steeled herself and walked toward the police car.
"Mommy."
Dorian rushed forward and hugged her legs, crying hard.
"Mommy, don't leave me. I've already lost my sister, I can't lose you too. Mommy, take me with you. I don't want to be separated from you again."
Ella stood frozen, looking down at Dorian clinging to her legs, her heart pierced with pain.
How could she want to make her child an orphan?
But Joshua had gone too far.
If she hadn't killed him with her own hands, she would never have escaped his control in this lifetime.
Ella didn't regret killing Joshua.
She only felt sorry for Dorian—she couldn't stay by his side forever anymore.
Ella crouched down. With her hands cuffed, she couldn't hug Dorian, so she tilted her head to nuzzle him, tears streaming down her face.
"Dorian, be good and stay with your grandparents. Maybe mommy will come back someday."
"When mommy's not here, you have to eat well and take care of yourself. When you miss mommy, you can ask your grandparents to bring you to visit."
She just didn't know if Joshua would die.
If Joshua died, she might be sentenced to death too.
If Joshua didn't die, maybe she'd get out in ten or twenty years.
By then, her Dorian would be grown up. That would be good.
"Mommy, no..."
Dorian still couldn't let go, holding tight around Ella's neck, his face covered in tears.
No one knew when Ella would come back after being taken away.
Heath quickly had a servant call Rhea out.
Rhea rushed out and saw the police in the yard, saw Ella covered in blood and handcuffed.
She felt both heartbroken and scared. She went over and hugged Ella, full of guilt.
"I'm sorry, Ella. It's mom's fault. I didn't watch over Dorian properly. What happened to you? Why are they taking you away?"
Ella looked at her whole family there.
Afraid that once she left she might never see them again, this was a good chance to say goodbye properly.
When they learned Ella had killed Joshua, Rhea was also afraid she wouldn't come back. She held her crying, unwilling to let go.
Heath and Mason beside them couldn't help shedding tears too.
Their family had finally reunited.
If it weren't for Joshua's bullying behavior, how would Ella have ended up like this?
They hated Joshua, yet they also hoped Joshua would live and not press charges against Ella.
It had taken too long. The police were getting impatient and finally took Ella to the police car.
"No, mommy don't go."
Dorian was afraid he'd never see Ella again. Being held by the adults, he cried and struggled for his mother.
Sitting in the police car, Ella watched Dorian needing her, watched her parents crying for her.
She was no less heartbroken than them, tears flowing like a fountain.
Until the police car drove away.
Until her family disappeared from her view.
Ella buried her head and sobbed uncontrollably.
The Lewis family members seemed unusually calm though.
Heath signaled to Mason, "Go to the Thomas Manor right away, find out about Joshua's condition, and keep us updated."
Mason understood and left immediately.
They knew very well that for Ella to be okay, Joshua had to be okay.
If Joshua recovered, only then could they save Ella through Joshua.
Dorian was still crying, calling for Ella.
Rhea held him, trying to comfort him.
Heath put his arms around them and led them inside.
At the Thomas Manor.
When Mason arrived, Samuel had just finished operating on Joshua.
He came out of the operating room and, seeing Jasper, Ava, and Mason at the door, said honestly, "He's not out of danger yet. He lost too much blood, and the injury was to a vital area. How could Ella be so ruthless?"
Mason wanted to defend Ella.
Before he could speak, Ava said in a daze, "Ella wanted him dead. If Joshua dies, no one will fight her for the child."
"Then she can marry another man with the child without any worries."
Mason couldn't help saying, "The child has always been with Ella. Joshua never fulfilled any fatherly duties. What right does he have to take the child away?"
Ava argued back, "That's because we didn't know the child was from the Thomas family. If we'd known earlier that the child was from the Thomas family, we definitely would have taken good care of them."
If Joshua recovered, she could drop the criminal charges against Ella for the sake of the child.
If Joshua died, she wouldn't let Ella off.
Ava was still worried about Joshua and walked past Samuel into the operating room.
Mason looked at Samuel, "Can he survive?"
Samuel stepped forward, pulled off his gloves and tossed them in the trash, seeming quite calm.
"The injury is very serious, but I'll do my best. He should pull through."
Mason breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he could live, that was enough.
He told Samuel, "Then get Joshua better as soon as possible. Ella has already been taken by the police. Only if Joshua lives can she get out of the police station."
Samuel naturally understood this.
The Lewis family was probably waiting for Joshua to wake up and sign a settlement agreement.
Joshua was a lovesick fool—he would definitely forgive Ella.
He told Mason to go home without worry. Joshua wouldn't die.
Mason went home and told Heath and Rhea the news.
Now all they could do was wait for Joshua to wake up.
Samuel's medical skills were excellent. Under his treatment, Joshua woke up in just three days.
But his body was still very weak.
He lay in bed, his thin handsome face pale and bloodless. When he opened his eyes, it took him a long time to turn and look at the person by the bed.
Samuel smiled and asked, "How does it feel to be stabbed by the woman you love? Heartbroken, right?"
At these words, Joshua's mind involuntarily recalled what happened that day.
Being stabbed by the woman he loved—his heart was indeed broken.
But it still hurt, so he probably wasn't dead.
But after this incident, he also knew clearly that he and Ella seemed impossible now.
Thinking of Dorian, Joshua used all his strength, taking a long time to squeeze out a small voice.
"Where's Dorian?"
Samuel told him, "He's with the Lewis family. You were reckless too. Even if that's your son, you can't just snatch him away like that."
"If I were Ella, I'd really want to kill you too."
Thinking about it from her perspective, if someone suddenly snatched away a child you'd desperately given birth to, as a mother, how could you not hate them?
Samuel could now somewhat understand why Ella had been so ruthless.
Joshua thought it was probably better that Dorian went back.
He really didn't deserve to be a father.
He really didn't have the strength to say another word. Lying there, he slowly closed his eyes again.
At noon, Rhea brought Dorian to the hospital to see Zachary.
Now, to save Ella, they had to reconcile with the Thomas family.
But they knew very well that Joshua had snatched Dorian because Ella had married Zachary.
So Rhea wanted to ask Zachary to divorce Ella.
Zachary leaned against the headboard. His hand, injured by Joshua, still hadn't healed from the fracture.
He'd had an ominous feeling all along. Mason had come to see him before, telling him that Ella had killed Joshua and been taken by the police.
But stuck in the hospital, he couldn't do anything.
Now seeing Rhea bringing Dorian over, Zachary thought there might be news about Ella and quickly asked, "Mom, is Ella okay? She's alright, isn't she?"
Rhea had Dorian play nearby. She looked at Zachary apologetically.
"Ella is actually fine, but I heard that Joshua has woken up. Zachary, can I ask you for a favor?"
Zachary didn't hesitate, "Yes, please tell me. As long as it's something I can do, I'll do my best."
"Divorce Ella. Maybe only then will Joshua let Ella go."
Mason had gone to the Thomas family again later.
Knowing Joshua still had feelings for Ella, to get Ella out, they definitely had to give Joshua some hope.
However, Zachary's face darkened. Without thinking, he refused, "Mom, divorce won't get Ella out. I think I should be discharged too. I'll find a lawyer to fight this case with the Thomas family. I'll save Ella myself."
Divorce was impossible.
He'd finally married Ella. They hadn't even spent a day as husband and wife before Ella went to jail.
Now Rhea was asking him to divorce.
How could he accept that?
Rhea didn't push it.
Maybe there were other ways.
They'd wait first for the Thomas family's attitude.
Two days later, Mason went to the Thomas family again.
He met with Joshua, who could now speak normally.
He sat by the bed, his voice low, "Joshua, for the sake of our years of friendship, please sign this settlement agreement. And you know, my parents finally got their daughter back. If Ella isn't with them, they won't be able to go on."
Joshua took the settlement agreement.
With just one glance, he tossed it aside.
He told Mason, "I can sign the settlement agreement, but first have Ella divorce Zachary, and send Dorian over first."