Chapter 127
When Joshua walked into the office, he didn't expect to see Ella there too.
What a coincidence.
With a gentle expression, he walked over and sat down across from them, his gaze naturally falling on Ella, "Congratulations on finally being reunited with your family."
Joshua was genuinely happy for Ella.
Over the years, he knew how much Heath and Rhea had missed the Lewis family's biological daughter who had gone missing.
Rhea had even been bedridden multiple times from missing her daughter too much.
It seemed that with Ella back home, she would be well taken care of.
Otherwise, the Lewis family wouldn't have thrown a three-day celebration for her return.
Ella met Joshua's gaze.
She hated Joshua for his cold-heartedness back then, but she needed support to take over the company, or there'd be no way to convince the Lewis Group's board members.
To achieve her goal, she couldn't cut ties with Joshua just yet.
Ella smiled politely, "Thank you. Are you here to see Mason?"
Joshua didn't deny it, "Yes, there's some work I need to discuss with him."
Actually, he was here to see Heath, wanting to talk about the marriage alliance between the two families.
When he arrived at the company and heard that Heath had brought his biological daughter in, he searched for a while before finally finding Ella in Mason's office.
After a few days, Ella looked much better than before.
Clearly, these past days at the Lewis family, she'd been doing well.
"Then you guys talk. I won't interrupt."
Ella tactfully prepared to leave.
But Mason stopped her, "Ella, since the company will be handed over to you sooner or later, you should get familiar with the Thomas Group collaboration project as soon as possible. Stay, consider it part of your learning."
Then he looked at Joshua, "From now on, discuss work matters with Ella. In the future, Ella will inherit everything from my dad, including the CEO position."
He would step away from the Lewis Group and start fresh with Scarlett.
Of course, if Ella needed him, he'd be there to back her up anytime.
Joshua was somewhat stunned, unable to believe that Heath would just hand over such a large company to Ella.
Ella didn't know anything.
Wasn't he afraid she'd ruin it?
But then Joshua thought about it—with him around, as long as Ella needed it, he could support her anytime.
"Alright, I believe Ella has the ability to take over this company."
Joshua was actually more than happy about this.
This way, wouldn't he and Ella have even more work-related contact?
Ella sat back down, being extremely polite to Joshua, "Then I'll have to ask Mr. Thomas to look after me from now on."
This attitude from Ella felt so distant that Joshua felt like they'd never had any feelings for each other.
As if they weren't even friends.
This couldn't help but make his heart feel bitter.
Joshua looked at Ella, his eyes deep, "You don't need to be so formal with me. Whenever you need me in the future, I'll be there, no questions asked."
Ella smiled and didn't respond.
Men are all so cheap.
When she needed Joshua, he was dismissive, his heart cold without a trace of warmth.
Now that she didn't need him, he was shamelessly pushing forward.
This behavior was truly disgusting.
But no matter how disgusted Ella felt, she had to endure working with him for the sake of business.
The whole morning, Ella studied carefully between Mason and Joshua.
At noon, they even went out for a meal together.
Before they finished eating, Mason got a call from Scarlett.
Whatever was said on the other end, Mason hurriedly left.
Only the two of them remained at the table.
Joshua served Ella food, his words full of concern, "You look much better. Are you getting used to living at the Lewis family?"
Ella didn't even want to look at him, keeping her head down eating her own food, forcing a smile, "Of course I'm used to it. Why wouldn't I be comfortable in my own home?"
"Is your father really going to hand over the Lewis Group to you?"
Joshua was a bit skeptical.
No matter how much they loved Ella, the company was so large, with tens of thousands of people to manage. Ella was so young, she simply couldn't handle it.
They couldn't possibly let such a huge company be Ella's playground.
Ella continued smiling, "Well, that's what my dad and Mason said. I'll learn from them first. Who knows what'll happen in the future."
Joshua was about to say something when a phone nearby rang.
It was Ella's phone.
Ella picked it up and saw it was a video call from Zachary.
She glanced at Joshua, answered the video call, and then right in front of Joshua, smiled and asked Zachary in a sweet voice, "Have you finished handling your matters?"
Zachary's pleasant voice came through the video, "Almost done. Once I get my long-term residence permit sorted out, I'll come be with you and Dorian. How about you, are things going well at the Lewis family?"
Ella was as shy as a young girl, her voice carrying a hint of playfulness, "Very well. My dad and Mason even said they're going to hand the company over to me. After you come over, will you teach me how to manage the company?"
Hearing Ella's tender voice, Zachary felt so sweet inside.
He responded gently, "Sure, I'll be your assistant in the future and teach you how to run the company. Where are you now? Where's Dorian? Do you guys miss me?"
Ella glanced at Joshua across from her.
She could see he was about to explode.
She was about to say something more when Joshua couldn't hold back anymore and snatched the phone, cutting off the call.
Ella pretended to be angry, "What are you doing?"
Joshua stared at her with cold eyes, "Are you dating Zachary?"
If they weren't dating, why would they talk so intimately and ambiguously?
Joshua had thought he still had a chance, but he'd overlooked Zachary being in Ella's life.
At this moment, Joshua felt like the jealousy in his chest was about to explode.
Ella denied it, "We're not dating, but he's Dorian's father. I've always talked to him like this. Is there a problem?"
Was Joshua angry because he cared?
A man who was going to marry Scarlett and left Aurora to die.
How could he care about her and any other man?
Between them, it was best not to have any emotional entanglement.
Once she successfully used Joshua to secure the CEO position, Ella would push him away coldly, just like he had pushed her away back then.
"Didn't you tell me before that he wasn't Dorian's father?"
Joshua couldn't contain his anger, raising his voice, "If you're not dating him, why are you acting all sweet with him? Ella, I won't allow you to talk to other men like that."
Joshua had thought he could reconnect with Ella and start over.
But seeing her care about another man so sweetly, he couldn't stand it.
Ella could only be his.
No other man should even think about taking her from him.
Ella sat there, her expression unchanged.
She stared at Joshua's loss of composure, finding it both laughable and revolting.
She asked him, "What right do you have to control me? We're divorced, completely done. I've paid back all the money I owed you."
Joshua's face was tense as he shamelessly said, "You lived with the Thomas family for five years. How can you repay that debt? Besides, I have feelings for you. I don't want you being ambiguous with any other man."