Chapter 98
Looking at Ella, she seemed to have lost a lot of weight. Her eyes looked haggard, her small face was pale, and the rain had soaked through her thin plain clothes.
Joshua couldn't bring himself to push her away, so he raised his hand and pulled her into his arms.
Facing the deceased Aurora, he didn't know what to say.
Joshua always felt somewhat guilty, and wanted to make it up to Ella.
"Joshua, Aurora really liked you when she was alive. Will you go see her?"
Ella controlled her emotions and pulled away from Joshua's embrace.
No one knew how much she hated Joshua right now.
She hated his heartlessness and coldness.
She hated that he could watch Aurora die without showing any mercy, unwilling to stay even one more second with Aurora.
Once she used him to get her revenge and sent Scarlett to prison, Ella would leave with Dorian.
For the rest of her life, she never wanted anything to do with him again.
Joshua agreed, "Okay."
He followed Ella to Aurora's gravestone and knelt down.
Even though he knew Aurora had nothing to do with him, looking at the child's photo on the gravestone, Joshua still felt a stabbing pain in his chest.
His hands trembled as he tore the paper money.
He didn't know why he felt so much grief. Maybe it was because he had feelings for Ella, and Aurora was Ella's child, so he cared about what she cared about?
Ella still didn't want Joshua to defile Aurora's grave.
If she didn't want him to feel some guilt, she wouldn't have allowed him to appear before Aurora's grave.
She didn't want him to stay even for a moment. Standing beside him, she reminded him, "Joshua, can you take me back? I'm a bit cold."
Joshua stood up and quickly took off the suit jacket he'd worn from the engagement party, draping it over Ella's shoulders, then unconsciously pulled her into his arms again.
"Okay, I'll take you back."
Feeling Ella was so weak she could barely walk, swaying as if she might fall, Joshua simply picked her up in his arms and carried her back to the car.
He told Brian to drive to Tranquil Villa.
Although Ella had left the marriage with nothing, he still gave her the house at Tranquil Villa.
He thought Ella had been staying at Tranquil Villa these past few days.
Actually, she hadn't.
After Zachary came, he bought property here and took Ella and Dorian to live elsewhere.
But for the sake of revenge, Ella had no choice but to return to Tranquil Villa with Joshua.
In the car, to manipulate Joshua's heart, Ella weakly leaned into his arms.
Her voice carried a crying tone when she spoke.
"Joshua, Aurora has left me. What am I going to do? I don't know what meaning there is to living anymore. I really want to go be with my Aurora, so she won't be scared alone over there."
Joshua knew that losing a child was a huge blow to a mother.
But hearing her say she couldn't go on living, he was really afraid Ella would disappear from this world again like last time.
Joshua held her tighter in his arms, lowering his head to nuzzle her.
"Don't do anything foolish. You still have Dorian, and Zachary too."
Joshua knew he wasn't worthy of saying Ella still had him.
Because he was engaged to Scarlett.
And he would marry Scarlett in the future.
His behavior toward Ella now was just the guilt he felt after the divorce, the care a man should show his ex-wife.
Ella shook her head. "I don't like Zachary. I only like you. But you don't love me. Are you about to marry Scarlett?"
She deliberately pretended not to know about his engagement to Scarlett.
Thinking about their engagement today, if she kept Joshua overnight, would Scarlett be furious?
However Scarlett had interfered in their marriage back then, she would now pay her back the same way.
She wanted Scarlett to show her true colors, wanted Scarlett to personally admit like last time that she had ordered someone to kidnap and kill.
Faced with Ella's question, Joshua chose silence.
But his heart was inexplicably moved.
Joshua really felt that what Ella said was true, that she had feelings for him.
And what had he done to her?
"Joshua, if you really love Scarlett and are going to marry her, then let me out of the car! I want to go be with Aurora."
Ella deliberately made a scene, acting upset and trying to push the door open to get out.
Joshua quickly stopped her, holding her tight in his arms to comfort her, "Even if I do marry Scarlett, I won't abandon you. Don't do anything foolish. I have an obligation to take care of you."
"But..."
"Be good. It's hard to get a taxi here. Let me take you back to Tranquil Villa first."
Ella knew when to stop and didn't insist on getting out. Even though she couldn't forgive Joshua's coldness back then.
But at this moment, she could only act as if she really needed him, leaning in his arms unwilling to leave.
Joshua couldn't bear to push her away either.
When they arrived at Tranquil Villa, afraid Ella couldn't walk, he carried her out of the car and into the house.
Karen came to the door to get their shoes.
Joshua instructed, "Go run a bath. Ella needs a hot bath."
The way she was soaking wet all over, if she didn't change out of her clothes quickly, she'd catch a cold.
Karen hurried upstairs to get busy.
Ella got down from Joshua's arms, pretending to be strong. "Joshua, I can walk myself. I'm fine."
Joshua was still a bit worried and raised his hand to support her.
After Karen ran the bath, he helped her into the bathroom.
Ella didn't refuse. She wanted to see how far he would go in front of her, even though he was engaged to Scarlett.
But after taking her to the bathroom, he turned and left.
He still knew to keep his distance from her.
Ella snorted coldly. When he was her husband, he didn't show such restraint.
Now he knew to stay away from women for Scarlett's sake.
He really did love Scarlett.
After Ella removed her clothes, as she stepped into the bathtub, she submerged herself completely underwater.
Joshua told Karen to make ginger water for Ella, then went to the closet to get clothes for her.
It was already very late, and Scarlett called.
Joshua answered. Scarlett's voice wasn't as gentle as before, but carried more of a questioning tone, "Joshua, where did you go? Why aren't you home yet?"
Joshua felt inexplicably disgusted by Scarlett's assertiveness after gaining her position.
They were only engaged, not married.
Yet she really thought she was his wife, acting like she could control him.
Joshua said unhappily, "I'll come back when I finish what I'm doing."
"Then I'll wait for you to come back. Is an hour enough?"
Joshua didn't respond and hung up.
He came to the bathroom door. Knowing Ella was inside, and since they were already divorced, he couldn't just push the door open.
So he said to the inside, "Ella, I've put the clothes you need to change into by the door. Come out and get them yourself. Also, if you need anything, tell Karen to do it. I'm going to head back now."
From inside the bathroom, there was no sound.
Joshua, about to leave, felt a bit uneasy and called into the bathroom again, "Ella."
Still no response. Joshua suddenly panicked and pushed the door open directly.
When he saw Ella completely submerged in the bathtub water with no movement at all, he rushed over in alarm to pull her out, extremely worried.
"Ella, Ella, wake up."