Chapter 169:
Mason looked at Ella and sneered coldly, "If I die, you'll get everything from the Lewis family, and I won't be an eyesore to you anymore, right?"
Before Ella could speak, Heath lashed Mason hard with the whip again.
"Even if you don't die, everything in the Lewis family belongs to Ella."
"You rebellious son, can't tell right from wrong. You could have a good life, but insist on causing all this trouble. If you're so capable, then get out of the Lewis family."
"I didn't raise a bastard like you."
Too exhausted from beating him, and seeing that Mason showed no remorse, Heath put away the whip and ordered the butler, "Throw him out. From now on, he's not allowed to step foot in the Lewis family home again."
The butler understood and was about to have someone drag Mason away when Ella called out, "Wait."
She placed the divorce papers in front of Mason and handed him a pen.
"Sign it before you go. Don't delay Vida from starting her new life."
Mason was furious, glaring at her through gritted teeth, "Ella."
Ella glared back at him with an arrogant attitude, "Someone like you doesn't deserve to be anyone's husband or a child's father."
"You love Scarlett so much, go find her after the divorce!"
A brother like this - she was better off without him!
He should disappear quickly before he polluted the air.
Mason gritted his teeth, enduring the pain from his body. As much as he hated Ella right now, there was nothing he could do to her.
He turned to look at Vida, seeing her complex expression, as if she was hesitating.
Thinking about these three years of marriage, it had really been suffocating and painful for him.
Perhaps only divorce could set him free.
Mason picked up the pen and quickly signed his name, then was forcibly dragged out of the villa by people the butler had called over.
Vida stood there frozen, her heart breaking.
She really hadn't expected Mason to sign so readily.
It seemed he had wanted a divorce for a long time.
A man who didn't love her, whose heart was filled only with his first love, a man who had never fulfilled his duties as a husband or father, what was there for her to miss?
Vida stepped forward to pick up the divorce papers, then silently turned to get her child.
Heath and Rhea were truly angry and ordered the butler never to let Mason step foot in the Lewis family home again.
From now on, they would act as if they never had such a son.
Ella sat back down on the sofa, next to Rhea.
For some reason, she felt a bit guilty inside.
It seemed that since she returned to this home, the family hadn't been very peaceful.
She leaned into Rhea's embrace and asked her mother, "Mom, do you blame me?"
Rhea held her and sighed, "How could Mom blame you? You suffered so much out there all those years, all thanks to Scarlett. Mason didn't help you get revenge, but instead kept thinking about that woman."
"Someone like him should be sent out to suffer a bit, to really feel the hardship you endured back then."
Afraid that Ella might overthink, Rhea comforted her again, "Don't think too much about it, and don't feel like you harmed Mason. Even if you hadn't had someone get rid of that child, we wouldn't have allowed its existence."
Heath also came over and said, "Mason has caused us plenty of worry over the years. I've been fed up with him for a long time."
"Ella, you don't need to feel guilty. If anyone's to blame, it's that thing for being worthless. Even without you, I couldn't tolerate him cheating during marriage."
Hearing her parents' words, Ella finally felt at ease.
As long as her parents didn't blame her, that was enough.
Without Mason around in the future, she would be able to support this family and take good care of her parents.
After being thrown out of the Lewis family, Mason was full of grievances.
But he wasn't willing to submit and apologize to his family.
The wounds on his back were really serious, and fearing death, he called Samuel.
Before long, Samuel drove over to pick him up.
Seeing Mason covered in blood, with his back a bloody mess, it was truly shocking.
While driving Mason to the hospital, he asked, "Your dad did this? What did you do to get punished like this?"
Mason didn't dare lean against the seat back, hunching forward and clenching his teeth as he told the truth, "I've been kicked out of the family. My assets will be taken back too. Can you put me up for a while?"
He had been keeping Opal on the side, but hadn't slept with her.
He didn't want to go live with Opal either.
So he could only ask his friend for help.
Samuel laughed, somewhat gleefully, "What happened to you? How did you get kicked out?"
Mason didn't want to admit it was his fault and didn't explain much, pretending he was too hurt to speak.
Seeing he was badly injured, Samuel quickly took him to the hospital and arranged for him to stay in the room next to Joshua's.
After Mason's wounds were treated, he returned to Joshua's bedside and couldn't help gossiping.
"Mason somehow made his dad angry. Not only was he kicked out, but he was beaten black and blue. He's over thirty years old, and Mr. Lewis still didn't hold back."
After waking up, with the encouragement from having a child and Ella, Joshua's will to live had reached its peak.
In good spirits, he was recovering quickly too.
He could now sit up and lean against the headboard.
Hearing Samuel's words, he casually guessed, "It must be his fault. Mr. Lewis is such a reasonable person, he wouldn't beat someone for no reason."
Samuel thought so too, but when he asked Mason what the reason was, he wouldn't say.
He couldn't press further, so he'd help him heal his wounds first!
Joshua picked up his phone and opened his chat with Ella. He really wanted to call her, but was afraid of disturbing her.
In the end, he decided to send a message instead.
Using the child as an excuse.
[Is Dorian okay? Could you send me a photo of him? I want to see if he's grown taller like Aurora.]
Previously, Ella had brought Aurora over, but not Dorian.
He really did want to see Dorian.
Ella had just finished dinner with her parents and was now in Vida's room, comforting her.
Seeing Joshua's message, she casually sent him a photo of Dorian from her phone album, without adding a single word.
Joshua saw Dorian's photo.
He had indeed grown a lot.
Seeing that Ella had said nothing and the chat had ended, he felt reluctant to continue messaging.
[All these years, you've worked so hard.]
Ella glanced at her phone but didn't respond.
Joshua continued: [When I get better, I'll definitely repay you properly.]
Ella glanced at her phone again, but still didn't reply.
Vida laughed at her, "Just have a proper chat with him."
Ella didn't care, "There's nothing to talk about."
"Then why have you been going to the hospital every day for the past three years, helping him wash and massage? Isn't it because you still have feelings for him?"
That's what Vida believed.
If a woman didn't love a man, she wouldn't even want to see him, so how could she happily do those things every day?
Anyway, she felt that Ella still had feelings for Joshua in her heart.
Ella gave a bitter smile.
"Not only do you think so, but Dad, Mom, Mason, Samuel, and Brian all think so too. But only I know clearly in my heart that I have no feelings for him anymore."
"Why did I keep helping him these three years? You don't know, but I lived at the Thomas family for five years, and during those five years, his grandfather treated me like his own granddaughter."
"I wasn't able to be there when Grandpa passed away, and that's always been a regret in my heart. I wanted to repay that kindness, but since Grandpa is gone, I can only repay the good he showed me through Joshua."
Three years now, and as she cared for Joshua and he gradually improved, she could consider it repaying Aiden's kindness to her back then.
She wouldn't owe the Thomas family anything anymore.
As for her and Joshua, at most, they could co-parent their children.
Anything else, she wouldn't even think about.
This was the first time Vida heard Ella speak from her heart.
So Ella was good to Joshua not because she still had feelings, but to give herself peace of mind.
She asked again, "What if Joshua wants to get back together with you?"
Ella laughed again.
"Just because he wants to remarry means I have to agree? In my world, men stopped being necessities a long time ago. I have a successful career now and a wealthy family. Why would I find a man to make myself miserable?"
She would never remarry in this lifetime.
She was raising a pair of children herself, had a big company waiting for her to run, and had parents who loved her.
Plus endless money, countless villas to live in, and luxury cars to drive.
This kind of life couldn't be better.
Men, when she needed them, she could find young, obedient ones to relieve boredom.
When she didn't need them, she'd toss them aside. Why get entangled with them?
Seeing Ella talk about men with the same attitude as if they were a pile of garbage, Vida sincerely admired her.
She laughed along, "I want to be like you too, living for myself."
"Absolutely." Ella took Vida's hand and encouraged her.
"From now on, we'll work together, take care of the kids together, be good to Mom and Dad together, and Mason can get lost as far away as possible."
Vida nodded in agreement.
With Ella accompanying her, encouraging her, and bringing her into the workplace together.
Divorce didn't seem so painful to her anymore.
She believed that as long as she quickly threw herself into work, she would soon forget Mason.
Without Mason, she could still live well.
The next afternoon.
Ella picked up the two children and prepared to take them to the hospital to visit Joshua again.
Knowing they were going to the hospital, Dorian was very reluctant and sat to the side sulking.
"Mommy, you and Aurora go by yourselves. I don't want to go."
He had never liked Joshua.
Even with Joshua seriously injured and hospitalized, he hadn't been moved at all.
He didn't want to go visit just because Joshua had woken up and he was supposed to as his son.
Joshua had never taken care of him and Aurora, never given them a penny, so he didn't need to show filial piety, right?
Ella always went with the children's wishes.
Seeing that Dorian really didn't want to appear in front of Joshua, she agreed.
She told Megan, who was driving, "Take Dorian home. I'll take Aurora and catch a cab."
After getting out with Aurora in her arms, Ella gave Dorian a few more instructions before hailing a cab to the hospital.
When she arrived, passing by the next-door room, Ella saw Mason inside.
Samuel was helping Mason treat his wounds.
She really hadn't expected that Mason didn't go find Opal, didn't have Opal help him treat his wounds, and even coming to the hospital, didn't have Opal accompany him.
Didn't he love Opal so much?
For Opal's sake, he didn't hesitate to break with his family.
Why didn't he rush to find that woman to be together after getting out?
Ignoring him, Ella led Aurora into Joshua's room.
Aurora looked up and asked her, "Mommy, what happened to Uncle? He looks badly hurt."
"Don't worry about him. He doesn't need us to worry about him."
Walking into the room and seeing that Joshua was already sitting up, it seemed he was recovering well.
Before Ella could speak, Aurora sweetly called out "Daddy" and immediately rushed toward him.
"Daddy, I missed you so much. I was thinking about you even during class. Did you miss me?"
Joshua raised his hand to touch Aurora's head, smiling with a gentle voice, "Of course I missed you. Daddy dreams about Aurora."
Not seeing Dorian, his gaze fell on Ella.
"Dorian didn't come with you again today?"
Before Ella could speak, Aurora blinked her big eyes innocently, "Dorian doesn't like Daddy and doesn't want to come see Daddy. But that's okay, it's enough that I like Daddy. Daddy won't be sad, right?"
Aurora's words made Joshua feel a hidden ache in his heart.
So in Dorian's heart, he still hadn't been forgiven.
It seemed he needed to get better quickly so he could go to Dorian's side to take care of him and ask for his forgiveness.
"You look much better today." Ella changed the subject, not wanting him to overthink.
After all, during recovery, mood could affect the body.
Joshua smiled lightly, forcing a cheerful expression, "Right? Seeing you two, mother and daughter, makes me happy, and when I'm happy, naturally I look better."
She gestured to Aurora, "Aurora, come up and sit next to Daddy."
"Okay!" Aurora took off her shoes and climbed onto the bed, leaning into Joshua's arms.
Ella didn't pay attention to them and turned to get a towel and basin to fetch water, continuing to help Joshua wash up as before.
However, in Joshua's eyes, her actions meant Ella still had feelings for him.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be so attentive in helping him.
So the probability of him getting back together with Ella should be quite high.
But in Ella's eyes, taking care of Joshua was like taking care of her own son, with no romantic thoughts at all.
She only hoped Joshua would get better quickly, and after they were even, they could each be well.
Just as she was bent over massaging the man's legs, Joshua remembered Mason's situation and asked curiously, "What did Mason do wrong to be kicked out by your dad and beaten like that?"
Ella's hands paused.
She glanced at Joshua and smiled lightly, "Same as what you did before."
Mason was right next door, and these brothers didn't know what he had done.
Wouldn't they ask Mason themselves?
Or did Mason also feel what he did was wrong and found it hard to talk about?
Joshua frowned, not quite understanding Ella's words, "Same as what I did before? What did I do before?"
Ella didn't avoid the topic and said frankly, "Cheating during marriage, keeping a woman on the side. I've discovered you three brothers really do flock together."
Samuel wasn't any good either, being with Megan for so many years, but never making it public and never willing to break up.
These three men really disgusted her.
Joshua's heart jumped, realizing Ella still cared about what he had done before. He hurried to explain, "I didn't actually before..."
"Enough." Ella cut him off.
"The person is dead, no need to bring it up again. Anyway, Mason is following in your footsteps, and I don't think he'll have a good ending either."