Chapter 69
Seeing Michael was determined to take them away.
After breakfast, Ella returned to her room, took out her phone, and called the police.
She would tell them Michael was holding her and Dorian captive and planning to smuggle them out of the country.
Once the police came, Michael wouldn't be able to take her and Dorian away.
After all, this was a society ruled by law. No matter how capable he was, could he really go against the police?
But before the call went through, a news alert suddenly popped up on her phone screen.
#Emerald City's richest man Aiden passed away in the early hours of last night#
Aiden, passed away in the early hours of last night.
Seeing those words, Ella's heart shook.
Her body went weak, and she collapsed onto the bed in despair, her trembling fingers clicking on the news.
When she confirmed that Aiden had indeed passed away, she couldn't accept it. Her tears broke free.
How could this happen?
She'd only been gone two days, how could Aiden...
He died last night, why didn't anyone from the Thomas family notify her?
Ella suddenly stood up, wiped the tears from her cheeks, and ran toward the door.
Going downstairs, she ran into Michael and Dorian. She rushed over, grabbed Dorian, and cried, "Dorian, come with mommy. Mommy will take you to see your great-grandfather."
Dorian was confused, but seeing Ella cry, his heart ached.
Ella pulled him along, and he obediently followed.
But Michael raised his hand to stop them.
"Ella, where are you going? Did I agree to this?"
Ella looked at him, tears flowing uncontrollably down her face.
"Michael, my grandfather passed away. I have to take Dorian back now."
It couldn't be because of her that Aiden left in grief.
But without her by Aiden's side, how could he just leave?
Ella couldn't delay any longer. She picked up Dorian, determined to leave.
Michael still blocked her.
"He's really dead?"
He didn't know that the grandfather Ella was talking about was Aiden.
He thought it was Finn Garcia, the one who had prevented Ella from being with him.
Thinking he was dead, wouldn't that be even better?
That way, no one could stand in the way of him and Ella being together.
Ella's emotions were nearly collapsing. She shouted, "Do you think I'd joke with you about this? Michael, if you keep blocking me, I'll never forgive you. Even if I stay, all you'll get is my cold, lifeless body."
Ella really couldn't hold on much longer.
It felt like she could faint from heartache at any moment.
Michael could tell Ella wasn't pretending.
He took Dorian from her arms, without a trace of sympathy, smiling coldly. "Fine, you go. But Dorian stays with me."
As long as Dorian was in his hands, why would he worry about Ella not coming back to him obediently?
Ella was furious and tried to grab Dorian back.
Dorian spoke up with concern, "Mommy, if great-grandfather is important, you should go see him first. I'll be fine with daddy, you don't need to worry."
As long as Ella could leave, he'd have plenty of chances to escape later.
He signaled to Ella with his eyes not to worry about him, that he'd take care of himself.
Ella didn't want to leave Dorian behind and still tried to take him back.
Michael held him away and snorted coldly, "I can let you go, but Dorian stays with me. Otherwise, who knows if you'll come back?"
This Dorian really did have healing abilities.
After sleeping near him for a few days, his insomnia was actually cured.
Such a brilliant Dorian, if kept around, would surely be useful.
Seeing his mother still crying uncontrollably, Dorian felt terrible and urged her, "Mommy, hurry and go see great-grandfather. Daddy treats me well, I'll be fine."
Ella couldn't deny that these past few days Dorian had stayed here, he'd actually been doing well.
He'd learned many skills and become much more cheerful and lively.
At least it was better than being ignored by Joshua.
Thinking that if she didn't leave now, Michael might change his mind.
She looked at Dorian and nodded. "Dorian, wait for mommy. Mommy will come back for you."
She really couldn't delay any longer. Ella turned and rushed out the door.
Dorian's concerned voice called after her, "Mommy, be safe. Don't worry about me, I'll take care of myself."
Ella had no strength left to respond. She got into the car and rushed back to Emerald City.
When she arrived at the Thomas Manor gate in Emerald City, it was already evening.
Looking at the Thomas Manor entrance hung with white flowers, Ella was grief-stricken and urgently pressed the doorbell.
Soon, a servant came over and said apologetically, "Mrs. Ella Thomas, I'm sorry. Mr. Jasper Thomas and Mrs. Ava Thomas have ordered that you're not allowed to step foot in the Thomas family."
Ella couldn't help crying out, grabbing the iron gate and asking, "Then answer me, is grandfather really dead?"
The servant also teared up, nodding, "Yes, Mr. Aiden Thomas died last night."
"How could this happen?"
Ella collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down.
But she still struggled to maintain her last bit of consciousness, pleading with the servant, "Please go in and tell them, let me see grandfather one last time, okay?"
That was Aiden, who besides her own grandfather, was the only one in this world who treated her best.
No matter what, she had to see Aiden one last time.
The servant was easy to talk to and agreed, turning back to the house.
In front of Aiden's memorial hall, the servant approached Jasper and Ava to report, "Mrs. Ella Thomas is back, she's at the gate. She wants to come in and see Mr. Aiden Thomas one last time."
Hearing that Ella had come, Ava's face changed dramatically with anger, shouting, "Tell her to get lost. She doesn't deserve to step foot in my Thomas family."
Others chimed in, "She still has the nerve to show up. Why doesn't she go die with those two bastards of hers?"
"That filthy, lowly thing, don't let her defile my Thomas family's gate."
"Tell her to get as far away as possible."
Seeing everyone so angry they seemed ready to tear Ella apart, the servant quickly bowed and retreated.
Joshua, standing in front of Aiden's coffin, also heard.
He stood there stiffly, thinking about how Ella dared to come back.
Wasn't she the one who made Aiden so angry he died?
Now that Aiden was dead, she had no worries and could live happily ever after with Dorian and Michael.
This time, he wouldn't forgive Ella.
At the Thomas Manor gate.
The servant came to Ella, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry Mrs. Ella Thomas, Mrs. Ava Thomas won't let you in. She told you to leave quickly, or they won't be polite."
Ella didn't believe it. She knelt there, grabbing the iron gate and crying out in grief, "Mom, dad, Joshua, please let me in. Let me see grandfather one last time."
"I'm begging you."
No matter how much Ella cried and shouted, the servant couldn't help and turned to leave.
Ella wouldn't give up. She kept crying, kept shouting, and kept kowtowing to the gate.
As she kowtowed, she blamed herself hoarsely, "I'm sorry, I was wrong."
"I shouldn't have hidden the fact that I had Aurora and Dorian from you."
"I shouldn't have confessed to grandfather when he was seriously ill."
"Please let me see grandfather one last time. As long as you let me pay my respects to grandfather, you can do whatever you want with me."
"Please, let me in!"
Night fell, dark clouds rolled.
Soon, heavy rain poured down.
Ella knelt there in the rain, still crying, still kowtowing.
Even when her head was bleeding, blood mixing with rainwater covering her face, no one came out from inside.
Until Ella couldn't hold on any longer and fainted in the puddle, heartbroken.
When Ella woke up again, she was lying on the bed at Tranquil Villa.
Her head was wrapped in several layers of white gauze.
Her thin face looked so pale.
Tears kept rolling from the corners of her eyes.
Ella was calling out, "Grandfather, don't go."
When she opened her eyes, she saw Samuel.
Samuel sat beside her, saying unkindly, "Did you think that by kowtowing a few times at the Thomas family gate, they'd forgive you? Ella, you're so disappointing."
Aiden took care of Ella as his comrade's granddaughter, brought her back to the Thomas family, gave her good food and drink, and even sent her abroad to study.
And she was so careless as to have a child with someone else abroad, then came back and hid it from everyone to marry Joshua.
Did she think Joshua was a fool?
Just thinking about it, Samuel felt it wasn't worth it for Joshua, wasn't worth it for Aiden.
Ella knew that no explanation would help now.
She just wanted to see Aiden.
She dragged her weak, heavy body out of bed, but because she was so weak, she fell to the floor.
Samuel watched without a trace of sympathy and didn't lift a hand to help her.
"Ella, Joshua asked me to tell you not to go to the Thomas family again. Your presence will only make them hate you more."
Ella felt her legs were too weak to stand.
She looked up at Samuel, tears streaming down.
"I know it's my fault. Please tell them to let me see grandfather off one last time, okay?"
"Samuel, I'm begging you."
Aiden was so good to her. If she couldn't even see him off on his final journey.
What would that make her?
Ella wouldn't forgive herself, couldn't forgive herself.
Her life from now on would probably never be peaceful.
Samuel stood up, standing straight before her, looking down.
"Since you already had children with someone else, why did you hide it from everyone and marry Joshua? Do you know how terrible this deception is?"
If it were him, he would never forgive such a woman.
If Ella had been honest from the start and Joshua was willing to marry her, that would be Joshua's business.
But she hid it from everyone from the beginning, which was utterly shameless.
How could such a woman be forgiven?
Ella was stunned, looking at Samuel questioning her without any guilt. She felt confused.
Could it be that he wasn't the man from that night four years ago?
Otherwise, how could he say such things?
Ella realized her previous guess might be wrong. She let down her guard against Samuel and grabbed his pant leg, pleading, "I know I was wrong, Dr. Harris. Please help me beg Joshua. I just want to see grandfather one last time."
Samuel avoided her touch and said, "Joshua won't see you, and I won't plead for you either. If you insist on going to the Thomas family again and get beaten to death by those elders, let's see who'll help you take care of Dorian."