Chapter 62
Joshua didn't take Ella's words to heart.
He had sent Samuel to check on Dorian.
No matter how uncomfortable Dorian was, Samuel should be able to handle it.
Thinking about Ella's stubborn temper. He had let go of everything she'd done in the past, taken the initiative to make peace, wanting to keep their marriage going.
Yet she still didn't appreciate it and insisted on divorce.
The more Joshua thought about it, the more suffocated he felt. He lost his appetite for breakfast and headed straight to the office.
When Ella came downstairs, she tried to leave.
The bodyguards at the door blocked her, not letting her step outside at all.
After breakfast, she had no choice but to return to Aiden's room, talking to him even though he couldn't respond.
But no matter what Ella said, Aiden on the bed showed no signs of waking up.
All day long, Ella sat by Aiden's side, constantly worried about Dorian.
Finally, she waited until Joshua came home from work and hurried downstairs to see him.
Before Joshua could even enter, she went out to meet him, her tone softening, "I want to go back to Tranquil Villa."
Joshua glanced at her, his classic black suit looking steady and reserved. He walked past her into the house. "Has Grandpa woken up?"
Ella followed beside him. "No."
"Then you have no right to leave."
Joshua unbuttoned his suit jacket and tossed it to a waiting servant, then headed upstairs in his vest and shirt.
Ella continued following him.
Looking at Joshua ahead - tall with long legs and outstanding presence.
Ella didn't deny that he had impressive looks, a distinguished background, and exceptional abilities.
Any woman would love such an excellent man.
But she just couldn't anymore.
Now she only had Dorian.
Ella was truly afraid that Dorian would be kidnapped like Aurora and taken from her.
To protect Dorian, she had to keep him by her side at all times.
She jogged forward and blocked Joshua's path on the stairs.
"I don't know when Grandpa will wake up. Let me go back to Tranquil Villa to see Dorian, or bring him here, and I'll stay here waiting for Grandpa to wake up."
Joshua stared at her. "Why should I listen to you?"
She wouldn't listen to him, so why should he give in to whatever Ella said?
This ungrateful woman - sometimes if he didn't teach her a lesson, she really wouldn't know who she'd offended.
"Joshua, my Aurora is already gone. I'm begging you, can you please bring Dorian here?"
With Dorian not by her side, she really couldn't rest easy.
Thinking about being separated from Dorian for another day and night, Ella felt anxious.
Joshua couldn't stand seeing her looking so pitiful. He walked past her to his room.
"If you weren't making a fuss about divorce, I'd naturally give you everything you want."
He was still giving Ella a chance.
This was already his greatest tolerance and accommodation as an older husband to his wife.
If she didn't comply, she couldn't blame him for being too cold-hearted.
Ella stood frozen, not following.
If she didn't divorce, Joshua would bring Dorian to her?
Then she'd be like before, swallowing her frustration, watching him get tangled up with Scarlett?
She really didn't want to endure that kind of marriage for even a moment longer.
But Dorian couldn't leave her.
For Dorian to come back to her, Ella gathered her courage and entered Joshua's room.
Seeing Joshua changing clothes with his back to the door, his perfect physique on display, looking so imposing and attractive.
Ella looked away and spoke, "Promise me one more thing, and I won't divorce you."
Joshua paused slightly while changing, turning his head.
But he didn't look at her. After a moment, he continued dressing. "Go ahead."
"Help me find Aurora. As long as my Aurora comes back, I'll agree not to divorce you."
This request wasn't unreasonable.
After all, Joshua had been sending people to look for that child all along.
Joshua finished dressing and buttoned his shirt, telling her, "Finding Aurora takes time. You need to give me time."
Seeing him agree, Ella nodded. "Okay, I'll give you three months. If you can't find my Aurora, you let me go."
Joshua thought, if a child couldn't be found in three months, they probably never would be.
If he really couldn't keep Ella, he'd let her go when the time came.
Joshua agreed, but didn't want to satisfy her right away.
Otherwise she'd push for more and become increasingly uncontrollable.
"You stay with Grandpa for now. This week, depending on how you behave, if you do well, I'll have someone bring Dorian over."
When Ella heard she'd have to wait a whole week to see Dorian, she panicked.
"No, I need to see him now."
"Not negotiable."
Joshua walked up to her, standing tall and proud, his handsome face dark.
"Ella, don't forget you're my wife, but those two children aren't mine. My accepting them is already my greatest compromise."
"If you can't even hold on for one week, I don't think we have anything to discuss."
Joshua moved to leave.
Ella thought about how Joshua was willing to help find her daughter, and as long as Dorian was okay, she could bear not seeing him for a week.
Turning to look at Joshua's back, she agreed, "Then you have to promise me you absolutely won't let anything happen to Dorian. You have to take good care of him."
Joshua stopped and agreed, "Don't worry, Patricia and Karen will take good care of him."
He turned back to face her, his gaze much softer than a moment before.
Joshua even reached out to take her hand. "Let's go downstairs for dinner."
Ella didn't want contact with him.
Thinking about him and Scarlett made her feel sick.
But for her child's sake, she could endure it.
In the end, Ella placed her hand in his palm, and like a normal couple, they went downstairs together affectionately.
In the dining room, Jasper and Ava were already seated.
Regarding Ella's return from the dead, Ava's attitude toward her was much better than before.
Seeing her being led by Joshua to sit down, Ava even initiated conversation, "You've been watching over your grandpa all day, you must be tired. You don't need to watch tonight - your dad and I will do it."
It wasn't easy for Ella to come back alive.
Aiden was already near the end. Since Joshua had married Ella, they should make it work.
It would be best if they could have a few more children for the Thomas family, so the Thomas Manor wouldn't seem so empty.
Thinking of children, Ava looked at Ella and reminded her, "Get your health back up as soon as possible. You can't delay trying for a baby."
Hearing this, Ella lowered her head awkwardly, opening her mouth to confess that she couldn't have children anymore.
But then her hand was grasped by Joshua beside her.
Joshua looked at the elders and took over. "Mom, Ella just got back. Can we not talk about children?"
Ella couldn't have children anymore.
Every time it was mentioned, she must feel terrible.
If Ella got pushed too far, she might impulsively blurt out about having children with someone else abroad.
If Jasper and Ava found out Ella had given birth to someone else's children, they'd definitely force him to divorce.
So the fact that Ella couldn't have children couldn't be revealed to Jasper and Ava yet.
Ava realized she was being too hasty. Considering Ella's physical condition, she didn't say more.
Jasper had always been afraid of his wife.
Seeing Ava quiet down, he didn't dare say more either, silently serving her food.
Joshua copied him, also serving Ella food and reminding her, "You're too thin. Eat more."
Ella was distracted.
Aurora's fate was unknown, Dorian wasn't by her side, and her beloved grandpa was still unconscious.
She had no appetite at all.
After just a few bites, she put down her utensils and got up to leave.
Joshua got up and followed, somewhat unhappily blocking her.
"What's wrong now? The elders haven't finished eating. Why are you leaving?"
After getting away from the elders, Ella turned to him and asked, "I won't go see Dorian, but can you let him video call with me?"
"Only by seeing him healthy and safe will I feel at ease."
Otherwise she'd always be very worried.
Joshua found Ella's constant worrying really uncomfortable.
"Ella, during the month you were gone, I gave Dorian good food and care. Do you think now that you're back, I'd do something to him?"
"Can't you trust me even a little?"
Acting as if he would abuse Dorian.
Even though Dorian wasn't his biological child, since he'd chosen to accept them, Joshua would naturally treat him as his own.
Seeing he wouldn't agree, and that pushing further would only backfire, Ella returned to her room.
As Joshua was about to follow, his phone rang.
It was Brian calling.
He answered, and Brian reported, "Mr. Thomas, Michael was diagnosed with a mental illness and released."
Joshua hadn't expected Michael to actually have some skills.
Despite what he'd arranged, he'd managed to get out of the detention center unscathed.
Thinking that as long as Michael was around, Ella would never stay peacefully by his side.
Joshua ordered, "Get him out of Silverlight City. I don't want to see him again."
After hanging up, he called Samuel to ask about Dorian's condition.
Samuel's tone was somewhat heavy. "There's nothing wrong with Dorian's body, but he keeps saying his stomach hurts."
"I think he just misses his mom and is pretending. Why don't you let Ella come see him?"
But Samuel was also surprised - how could a two-year-old have such good acting skills?
He couldn't see through the act at all.
If he weren't a doctor who'd done a complete examination showing Dorian had no problems, he'd almost suspect Dorian had some illness.
Joshua didn't want to let Ella see Dorian yet, so he said, "Didn't he used to like you a lot? Just comfort him properly. If you can't even comfort a child, what kind of doctor are you?"
He hung up.
Joshua really thought Dorian was faking and didn't care at all.
Returning to the room, he saw Ella had already gone to bed.
Joshua took a shower and got into bed.
He hugged Ella from behind, nuzzling into her neck, wanting to be intimate.
But Ella avoided him, pulling the blanket over herself protectively, saying coldly, "Joshua, give me some time. I'm not in the mood right now."
Joshua saw Ella's disgusted expression.
A sharp pain suddenly surged in his heart.
Especially thinking about Michael being released again made him even more upset.
Joshua asked jealously, "Do you really find me too old, not as good-looking as your children's father?"