Chapter 182
Ella looked at Mason, listening to his words, and found them utterly ridiculous.
People always started reflecting on their mistakes and begging for forgiveness only when they had nothing left.
But did Mason really know he was wrong?
He just couldn't make it out there anymore and suddenly remembered how good family life was, so now he wanted to come back.
If she were let him come back, wouldn't that be letting him off too easily?
Ella asked coldly, "You and that woman who looks so much like Scarlett—did you two break up?"
Mason nodded. "We lost touch a long time ago."
Ever since he could no longer provide that woman with material security, she had left him.
He didn't love her anyway. He was only good to her because she resembled Scarlett.
When she left, she left. He didn't really care.
"How did you suddenly grow a conscience? What made you change?" Ella asked again.
Mason kept his head down, his eyes flickering.
Coming back now was already embarrassing enough, and being interrogated by Ella like this, he didn't know how to answer. He stayed silent, unwilling to speak.
Ella could see he wasn't sincere about wanting to return to the family.
He had no idea what he'd done wrong.
The person he should be looking for wasn't Ella—it was Vida.
Seeing his silence, Ella's voice grew even colder.
"Just go. I think if you had any backbone, you shouldn't have come to me. You know my temper."
Mason looked up at her. "So you're not going to let me come home?"
Ella laughed coldly, unable to hold back from saying more.
"That's your home. You can go back whenever you want—no one's stopping you. But the question is, do you have the nerve to go back?"
"Have you forgotten how determined you were when you left? Forgotten what you did? The person you wronged the most—have you asked her for forgiveness?"
"Mason, can you act like a man for once? The person you should be looking for is Vida, not me."
Mason still didn't think he'd done anything seriously wrong. He looked at Ella with such a pitiful expression.
"Vida listens to everything you say now. If you agreed to let me come back, how could she possibly stop me?"
Ella laughed mockingly, truly feeling that Mason was beyond hope.
She didn't want to waste another word on him. She waved her hand. "Just go. Until you figure out what you did wrong, don't appear in front of me again. You disgust me."
Vida didn't listen to everything she said.
It was because over this past year, Vida had found her own job, was steadily advancing in the company, had discovered her own value, and had formed her own opinions.
If she were to casually forgave Mason and let him come home,
then all the grievances she suffered during those three years of marriage would have been her own fault, self-inflicted.
Seeing Ella's complete coldness, showing no consideration at all, Mason wasn't willing to humble himself any further. He stormed off.
Feeling frustrated, that evening he went to Tranquil Villa to find Joshua, wanting to complain about his unhappiness.
Actually, Joshua's situation wasn't much better.
He'd called Samuel over to reexamine his leg injury. The three men gathered together, looking like three dejected failures.
"They used to say men go bad when they get money. Now women are the same—once they have money and capability, they all get cocky."
Mason couldn't help complaining, thinking back to when Ella was at the Thomas family, how humble she'd been.
Ella wouldn't even dare lift her head when she saw them, she spoke in a soft voice, terrified of offending anyone or making them unhappy.
But look at how proud she was now.
She'd become a CEO, and her whole demeanor and presence had shot up several levels.
"Exactly. Once women become capable, they turn on you. So heartless." Samuel couldn't help but agree.
That Megan—ever since Ella started backing her up, she wouldn't answer his calls or reply to his messages.
When he went to the company to confront her, she actually dared to call the police.
For the sake of his reputation, he didn't dare bother her anymore.
Joshua disagreed, though, and explained, "It's not that women change when they get money—it's that we're still standing in the same place.
Times are changing, women are changing, everyone's developing toward what they want, but what about us? We're still clinging to those self-righteous old ideas, thinking women should depend on us."
"When they realize men can't be relied on, they want to rely on themselves. Eventually, through their own efforts, they achieve what they want, have more choices, and don't choose us anymore—then we think they've changed."
"Actually, we should change too. At least we should learn to respect them, support them, and adapt to them being stronger than us, instead of standing still waiting for them to please us."
Over these years, his relationship with Ella had made him realize that as a man, if he didn't change certain things, he'd be stuck in place forever.
He'd never get Ella and the children's forgiveness.
Ella's status had changed. She didn't need to listen to him like before to get security in life.
Why would she still stand in place waiting for his handouts?
Joshua felt that in this era, there was true gender equality, and women had the right to pursue freedom.
Men no longer needed to struggle alone outside to support the family.
So he felt the problem was with them, not with women, as they claimed.
Mason and Samuel's eyes both fixed on Joshua. They could hardly believe that this man who used to be the most chauvinistic, was now teaching them how to get along with women.
Mason laughed. "How badly did Ella hurt you to make you give up your dignity like this?"
Samuel kicked him. "What Joshua's saying makes sense. If we keep clinging to that bit of dignity, we'll just die alone."
Mason realized belatedly that this was true.
Over this past year, he'd been out there.
Life outside really wasn't as comfortable as at home.
He remembered when they first got married—coming home every day to hot meals, a cute son, and a gentle wife.
In the morning, Vida would lay out his clothes, squeeze toothpaste for him, prepare his wash water, and see him off.
What kind of life was he living now?
Thinking about it, he really shouldn't have abandoned a good life to go looking for other women.
Mason regretted it deeply now. "So what should we do now? They won't listen to our explanations, won't hear us out, let alone give us a chance."
Samuel had no experience. He was really stressed about it, not knowing what to do to get Megan to pay attention to him.
So he stayed quiet.
Joshua had experience, though, and told them, "What else can we do? Go admit our mistakes, apologize, make amends, keep showing up in front of them."
Mason immediately objected. "I can't do that. I have my pride."
"Then keep fooling around out there. Your wife and kid will naturally find someone else to care for them."
Hearing this, Mason got upset. "If I find out anyone dares to covet them, I'll break his legs."
Joshua laughed at him.
"What right do you have to lecture others? Mason, I'm telling you from experience—go apologize to Vida as soon as possible. Vida has a good personality and feelings for you. There might still be a chance."
Unlike Ella with him, she had no feelings left at all.
Sometimes her change toward him was just that bit of gratitude she couldn't hide.
Or possibly because of Aurora.
If Aurora didn't exist, Ella probably would never want to see him again for the rest of her life.
Thinking about Ella's current attitude toward him, and then thinking about how he used to treat Ella, Joshua's guts were twisted with regret.
Mason also realized he couldn't be so stubborn anymore.
If he wanted to have a warm home like before, with hot meals waiting, then he had to admit his mistakes and apologize to Vida.
Mason stopped talking and lowered his head to drink silently.
Samuel, who had been quiet this whole time, quietly pulled out his phone to message Megan, asking to meet.
Joshua leaned back on the sofa, his mind full of Ella.
For a moment, all three men in the living room chose silence, and the air became exceptionally quiet.
After a long while, Mason finally spoke, "I went to the company today and learned something—Ella seems to be going abroad, to Eldoria."
He looked at Joshua.
"Zachary's in Eldoria. If Ella goes there, they might run into each other. If old feelings resurface, you might have even less of a chance."
Joshua's heart clenched. He stared at Mason. "Are you sure about this?"
"I wouldn't say it if I wasn't certain."
Joshua made a mental note of this.
Thinking about how the Baker family had connections with the Johnson family, if Ella went there, could she fall into Michael's hands again?
In Eldoria, Michael was lawless—he could use guns freely, kidnap people, kill people.
He had to keep track of Ella's movements at all times. She couldn't be caught by Michael again.
The next morning, Joshua showed up at the Lewis Group.
Megan pushed open the office door and reported to Ella, who was working, "Ms. Garcia, Mr. Thomas is here. He says he has a project to discuss with you."
Ella glanced at the work in front of her. This project was a joint venture with the Thomas Group and needed Joshua's signature anyway.
She instructed Megan, "Let him in."
Megan left, and soon Joshua came in.
Seeing Ella looking busy at her computer, he didn't disturb her and quietly went to sit on the sofa.
Megan brought coffee and left, closing the office door behind her.
Joshua sipped his coffee while watching Ella work. Over these years, she must have put in so much effort.
How could a woman in her twenties convince people?
But she'd held this position steadily for four years.
Clearly, Ella had real ability.
Joshua admired her from the bottom of his heart.
He could never have imagined that the introverted, quiet little girl who lived with the Thomas family for five years, who was timid about everything,
would become so capable now, stronger than so many men.
Even if such a woman's final choice wasn't him, he still loved and admired her.
After finishing her work, Ella saw Joshua waiting for her.
She picked up the project and walked over to him. "Good timing. There's some paperwork that needs your signature."
Joshua reached out to take it, glanced at it, saw no problems, and signed readily.
Then he looked at Ella and asked directly, "I heard you're flying to Eldoria?"
Ella didn't deny it.
Joshua looked worried. "I know I have no right to control where you go or who you contact, but Michael has connections with the Baker family in Eldoria. After you go, you'd better not expose your whereabouts."
"And don't go looking for Zachary. I'm afraid if Michael finds out you've gone abroad, he'll do whatever it takes to capture you."
He and Michael had a blood feud.
If the man weren't in Eldoria, he would definitely make sure Michael died without a burial place.
Ella was worried about this too.
But Zachary shouldn't harm her.
She admitted, "Zachary and I haven't seen each other in many years. If I go, naturally, I'll meet with him. But don't worry, he shouldn't put me in danger."
Hearing this, Joshua's heart wrenched painfully.
So she was going because of Zachary after all.
She was still thinking about Zachary.
Thinking about Michael—that man could do anything.
And he had some real capabilities. Maybe he was monitoring Zachary at all times.
Plus they had guns.
For Ella's safety, Joshua advised again, "Ella, can you please listen to me—don't go."
Ella thought about how it was TK Group's invitation. Not going wouldn't look good.
She rejected Joshua's suggestion. "I've already decided. This can't be changed, and I won't change it."
"You trust Zachary that much?" Joshua was getting angry.
He didn't deny that Zachary used to be a good man who truly loved Ella.
But after the divorce, Zachary went back and ruthlessly took control of the entire Baker family. Who knew if four years had changed him into a different person?
A man who could sit at the top of a conglomerate couldn't be simple.
Joshua felt uneasy and unsettled.
"I trust Zachary." Ella answered very firmly.
This attitude made Joshua give up hope.
He stopped trying to persuade her and nodded. "Fine, go ahead. Take care of yourself. If anything happens, notify me immediately."
"Okay. While I'm gone, if you have time, go pick them up. Your image in Dorian's mind is pretty terrible."
Didn't Joshua always want her to give him a chance?
Now the opportunity was right in front of him.
Let's see how he performed in front of the kids!
If he could satisfy Dorian,
that would be his own achievement.
Joshua agreed.
Before leaving, he advised Ella again to think it over carefully before going to Eldoria, and if she had to go, to bring more bodyguards.
Ella agreed to that too.
Seeing he still couldn't change Ella's mind, Joshua didn't push further and drove alone to pick up the kids from school.
Ella called Zachary again.
Only after confirming it was safe there did she decide to go.
At least Zachary promised her he would send her home without a hair on her head harmed.
He also guaranteed the Johnson family's obsessive, crazy young master wouldn't find out.
So when the time came, Ella still went with Megan.
Joshua was very uneasy.
Especially these past few nights, he couldn't sleep soundly.
He kept worrying that something would happen to Ella in Eldoria. It wasn't so much that he worried she and Zachary would rekindle their romance.
He was afraid Zachary had changed and was in cahoots with Michael.
A man's sixth sense was never wrong.
To ensure Ella's safety,
Joshua didn't tell Ella, but quietly followed behind.