Chapter 174
Ella had no idea what Joshua was up to, and she didn't want to deal with him. She sent back one word, "Get lost."
But instead of getting angry, he kept sending voicenotes to promote himself.
"Ms. Garcia, for the children's sake, please give me a chance. I really need a job right now. I promise I won't let you down."
"You don't know this, but the treatment this past year wiped out all my savings. I'm barely getting by now. Just give me a job so I can support myself, okay?"
Ella had no idea that Joshua's company shares were under her name.
Over the past year, her assets had multiplied dozens of times. So she didn't believe a word Joshua said—she just thought he was deliberately trying to get close to her.
Not wanting any future entanglement with him, she simply blocked him.
At the club, Joshua watched his sent message suddenly show a red exclamation mark, and his heart clenched.
He had been blocked by Ella again.
Mason and Samuel, sitting nearby, saw it too and couldn't help teasing him with a laugh, "Looks like your pipe dream of making a comeback through Ella should wake up now. Better just find yourself a regular job!"
Joshua felt a pang of sadness and looked at Mason. "You should go back to the Lewis family. With you there, it'll be easier for me to visit the children."
Otherwise, the way he was now, he really didn't have the face to go there.
No money, no status. He felt so inferior that he didn't think he deserved to be the kids' father.
Mason refused. "I'm not going back to be looked down on and treated like dirt every day. I have my dignity too."
But thinking about how he'd worked hard for a year without getting paid a cent, he felt frustrated and looked at Brian. "Hurry up and write me an application for Ms. Garcia to approve my salary, or I'll sue her in court."
Brian felt helpless but still went to prepare the documents.
That evening, Ella had just finished washing up when Megan called.
Megan said, "Ms. Garcia, there's a document from Mr. Scott's side asking you to approve an application. I looked at it—seems to be about Mr. Lewis's salary."
Ella was confused. "Mason's salary? Doesn't he work at the Thomas Group? Why do I need to approve his salary?"
"Apparently, the Thomas Group shares are under your name. you could have to ask Mr. Scott for the details."
Ella still didn't quite understand.
But it was too late, and she didn't want to call Brian. She put down her phone and had just laid down when her bedroom door suddenly opened.
Ella sat up and looked over.
Aurora walked in holding a doll, sobbing as she climbed onto her bed and burrowed into her arms.
"Mommy, I just had a nightmare. I dreamed that Daddy died and would never come back."
"Mommy, I miss Daddy. When can I see him?"
Ella's heart ached. She didn't understand—Aurora and Joshua hadn't spent much time together, and no one had explicitly told her that Joshua was her biological father, so why was she so attached to him?
Why couldn't she live without Joshua?
Ella held Aurora in her arms and asked, "You miss him that much? Can't live without him?"
Aurora blinked, looking innocent.
"I keep dreaming about Daddy. In my dreams, Daddy is so good to me. He bled so much to save me."
"Mommy, I know Daddy hurt you in real life, but somehow, I can't stop thinking about him."
"Without Daddy, my heart hurts. I'm scared I won't have a daddy and won't have a complete family like my classmates."
"Mommy, if you really don't like Daddy, then tell me where he is and let me go see him, okay? I really miss him."
Aurora was seven now, in second grade. She understood everything.
She really wanted to be like her classmates and have a father who could protect them.
Mommy worked so hard every day—it broke her heart.
With Joshua around, maybe Ella wouldn't be so tired.
Ella felt really uncomfortable.
Especially remembering how Aurora had been on the brink of death—if she didn't fulfill this small wish, when she grew up, she'd surely resent her mother.
Aurora had her own consciousness now and the right to choose her father's love.
She had no right to interfere.
Holding Aurora as she lay down, Ella softly coaxed, "Okay, tomorrow I'll send you Daddy's WeChat. From now on, you can contact him yourself."
She didn't want to deal with Joshua.
But Aurora needed him, so let them contact each other directly.
Given what happened before, she couldn't really stop Joshua from seeing the kids anymore.
"Really?" Aurora immediately brightened up, poking her head out from under the covers, her eyes sparkling as she stared at Ella, "Mommy, is Daddy back already? Is he healthy? Are his legs better?"
Ella thought about seeing Joshua during the day.
He should be better, right?
She nodded and smiled, "You can arrange to meet him yourself and see for yourself."
"Okay, Mommy, I love you!" Aurora was so happy that she planted a big kiss on Ella and quickly fell asleep, hugging her arm.
The next morning at breakfast.
Seeing that Ella hadn't sent her Joshua's WeChat, Aurora couldn't help reminding her, "Mommy, remember to give me Daddy's contact info. I want to see Daddy after school today."
Hearing this, Dorian frowned and looked at Ella too.
"He's not dead yet?"
Dorian was also seven, but being smart, he was more mature than his peers and always spoke bluntly.
The elders at the table all coughed lightly at his words. Rhea touched Dorian's head and gently corrected him, "Dorian, no matter what happened, he's still your biological father."
"You don't have to like him, but you can't say things like that, okay?"
Aurora chimed in, "Exactly! Dorian, you're so mean, always wishing Daddy would die. What good does it do you if Daddy dies?"
Joshua had been so badly hurt because of her.
In her eyes, Joshua was a good person.
She believed that if anything happened to her in the future, Joshua would still risk his life to save her without hesitation.
So she needed Joshua.
Dorian pursed his lips, "Fine, I won't curse him to die. But remember, don't let him appear in front of me. That kind of person—I don't even want to look at him."
Ignoring the adults, he buried his head in his food.
The elders didn't know what to do with him.
Heath and Rhea had only learned last night that Joshua was back and his legs had recovered.
They just didn't know what Ella thought about him now.
Heath and Rhea's eyes both fell on Ella.
Ella appeared extremely calm, stroking Aurora's head and replying, "Eat first. I'll send it to you when I have his contact info."
After blocking and deleting Joshua last night, he hadn't added her again, so she didn't have his contact information now either.
But if he truly cared about the kids, he would definitely come to the Lewis family to see them.
Just as she thought this, the housekeeper came in to report, "Mr. Lewis, Mrs. Lewis, Mr. Thomas is here. Should we let him in?"
Hearing this, Aurora's eyes lit up. She immediately jumped down from her chair and ran toward the door.
"It must be Daddy coming to see me."
Dorian felt helpless and couldn't help muttering, "I don't know what's so great about him. You girls just never learn your lesson."
The adults didn't know what to say to Dorian anymore.
Heath and Rhea looked at Ella, seeking her opinion. "Ella, what do you think?"
Ella thought that since Aurora liked Joshua so much, keeping him outside wouldn't be appropriate. Aurora would blame her later.
She looked at the housekeeper and instructed, "Let him in."
At the villa entrance, Aurora saw it really was Joshua. He was dressed well, looking handsome, standing tall outside the courtyard gate, quite striking.
She ran toward him calling, "Daddy, Daddy, you're finally back from treatment! Daddy, I missed you so much!"
The automatic gate slowly slid open to both sides, and Aurora threw herself at Joshua.
Joshua hadn't expected Aurora to be so enthusiastic toward him. He bent down and scooped her up, a wave of emotion suddenly surging in his heart.
After everything that had happened with Ella, to still receive Aurora's acceptance and affection—he was so moved.
This past year, he had thought about the two children every single day.
To give them a better life and the fatherly love they deserved, he'd trained desperately, and as soon as he could stand, he had rushed back.
Holding Aurora in his arms now, Joshua reflected on this past year's efforts—it was all worth it.
Aurora was happy at first.
But being held by Joshua, feeling his warmth, truly experiencing him by her side, she couldn't help crying.
"Daddy, why did you take so long to come back?" she complained grievously. "You don't know how much I missed you. I dreamed about you every night. In my dreams, you were covered in blood. I was so scared I'd never see you again."
"Daddy, promise me you'll never leave again, okay?"
Joshua's eyes also reddened, his throat choked up, "Okay, Daddy promises you everything."
He held Aurora in his arms, helping to smooth her bangs that were wet with tears.
Lifting his hand to touch her little face that looked so much like Ella's, he asked in a hoarse voice, "Does Aurora really like Daddy? Really want Daddy to stay by your side?"
Aurora sobbed, her voice still as sweet as when she was little. "Of course it's true! My love for Daddy is absolutely real!"
Worried Joshua wouldn't believe her, she even raised her hand to swear like in TV dramas.
Joshua was amused by her.
The housekeeper came over to call them inside.
Joshua carried Aurora in, with Brian moving things behind them.
As the father and daughter crossed the villa threshold, they ran into Dorian heading out with his little backpack.
Joshua saw him and took the initiative to greet him, "Dorian."
But Dorian acted as if he hadn't heard, coldly walking around him without even glancing his way.
Ella followed behind, telling Joshua, "You take Aurora to school. I'll take Dorian first."
Vida also needed to take her child to kindergarten and went with Ella.
Joshua felt quite upset.
He knew Ella didn't want to see him, but he hadn't expected Dorian to be unwilling to see him, either, not even speaking a word to him.
Watching the mother and son walk away, his heart began to ache again.
Remembering there were elders inside, Joshua had no choice but to carry Aurora in and greet them first.
No matter how much Heath and Rhea disliked Joshua, given the relationship between the two families, plus the fact that he was the children's father.
Heath and Rhea were reasonable people and treated him courteously, even inviting him to stay for breakfast.
On the way to take the kids to school, Vida couldn't help asking, "Aurora likes Joshua, so you'll inevitably have to interact with him often. Have you really not thought about having a future with him again?"
Mason had contacted her last night.
Said he missed the child and wanted to video chat to see him.
Somehow, her heart still stirred.
She still hoped Mason would have a change of heart and come home to be with the child properly.
Vida knew she was the type to forget the pain once the wound healed, never learning her lesson, having no backbone.
But thinking about how her son would grow up without his father's company made her sad.
"He can be with them—it has nothing to do with me." Ella said without changing expression, her heart completely calm.
"Even if I interact with him now, it's like dealing with an ordinary friend. His presence or absence has no impact on me."
Aurora liked Joshua, and she couldn't deprive Aurora of the fatherly love she needed.
She would inevitably have contact with Joshua in the future, but only occasional meetings.
Nothing else could happen.
"Ella, do you really have no feelings for him at all?" Vida was still uncertain, not understanding how Ella could let go. She wanted to learn.
Ella smiled.
"What else?"
"Did you ever truly love him?"
If two people who truly loved each other separated, how could they still be friends?
At least she didn't think she could do it.
Ella guessed Vida's doubts and smiled bitterly.
"Love? What's the use of having loved deeply once? Time changes many things. When you're disappointed again and again, heartbroken to the point of despair, you lose the ability to love someone."
"After enough time, when you've let go, even if that person appears again, they won't stir any waves in your heart."
Anyway, in this lifetime, she probably wouldn't fall in love with anyone again.
Work kept her so busy every day—she didn't have the energy for it.
Vida fell silent.
Was the reason she still held some hope for Mason because she wasn't disappointed enough?
Because they hadn't been apart long enough?
Maybe!
Watching Ella's carefree and comfortable manner, she felt envious.
She really hoped that in the future, she could be like her—able to pick things up and put them down.
"Mom, I support you. Nature is hard to change. If he hurt you once, there could be a second time.
If sister likes him, let her like him herself. I'll never accept him or forgive him anyway." Dorian, sitting beside them, couldn't help expressing his own view.
Ella didn't know if Dorian was right to do this.
But she had always supported her children doing what they wanted, as long as they didn't hurt others.
After breakfast at the Lewis family, Joshua took the opportunity to put in a good word for Mason.
Asking Heath and Rhea to forgive Mason.
Heath and Rhea didn't budge, and told Joshua that if Mason wanted to come home, he should need Ella's consent.
Ella was the one in charge of the family now.
Joshua understood.
After taking Aurora to school, he went straight to the company to find Ella.
He had to stay by Ella's side with a job, so he could build their relationship.