Chapter 197
After dropping the kids and Ella off at the Lewis family's place, Joshua didn't leave.
He was with Aurora in the study, helping her with homework and practicing calligraphy.
Dorian was pretty smart and never had to bring homework home.
He had no interest in practicing calligraphy either, he just liked holed up in his room on his computer.
Ella called Vida to join her, and the two of them practiced yoga together in the gym.
Everyone reconvened for dinner.
At this moment, the Lewis household was full of life.
For Heath and Rhea, watching the children laughing and playing around them, seeing the whole family happy and united—this was the simplest form of happiness.
But they kept Ella's marriage on their minds.
That evening, Rhea called Ella back to her room and asked, "What are you and Joshua planning now? Are you getting married, or just having the baby out of wedlock?"
Naturally, they hoped Ella could stay close to home.
But if Ella had a child for Joshua without getting married, it would tarnish her reputation.
After all, Ella was now the CEO of the Lewis Group - everything she did could potentially affect the company's interests.
They didn't want to hear anyone gossiping about Ella behind her back.
Ella sat on the sofa in the sitting room, with her head down, lost in thought.
Actually, from the beginning, she had ruled out a future with Joshua.
Even agreeing to date him was just taking things one step at a time.
But she never anticipated actually getting pregnant.
That child meant everything to her.
She couldn’t bring herself to give up the baby because she didn't want to be with Joshua.
But if she was having this baby, she owed it to the child to provide a warm, happy home.
After thinking it over, Ella looked up at Rhea, still hesitant.
"Actually, I feel pretty insecure inside. I'm afraid of marriage, afraid the marriage won't last, afraid Joshua will revert to his old ways."
"Mom, what do you think I should do?"
Rhea took Ella's hand and held it, patiently explaining, "Since you can still be with Joshua, that shows you’ve moved past what happened and are starting to accept him again in your heart."
"Since you're having a baby now, why not give it another shot!"
"Even if you lose in the end, you still have Mom and Dad behind you, and Mason supporting you. You're the CEO of the Lewis Group - with that status, even a bad marriage won't be the end of the world."
Their Ella didn't depend on Joshua to survive.
They were on equal footing now. If Joshua still didn't know how to cherish her, they had the ability to raise the child and live an even better life.
Ella seemed to understand what Rhea meant.
Did Rhea hope she would marry Joshua?
She was wavering.
"Ella, Mom just hopes you can follow your heart and do what you want to do, don't fret over anything else."
"Even with the baby, if you really don't like Joshua and don't want to be with him, we'll just have the baby and raise it ourselves. Look at Aurora and Dorian - they turned out fine without Joshua around, didn't they?"
When Rhea mentioned Aurora, Ella suddenly remembered what Joshua had confided in her.
About Aurora's body not developing normally, and the special medicine being in Michael’s possession.
She suddenly felt that if she didn't give Joshua marriage but made him give everything for the children, it would be a bit unfair to him.
Since they now had another baby, why not give marriage another go and see how this time would be different from last time?
"Think it over yourself. Whatever you decide in the end, the whole family supports you." Knowing Ella was pregnant and needed rest, Rhea stood up, patted her, and left the room.
Heading downstairs, she found Joshua still there.
Rhea had the maids take the children to rest first, then pulled Joshua aside to ask, "What are your plans now?"
Joshua knew what Rhea meant.
He didn't want to hide it and told the truth, "After Ella's pregnancy stabilizes, I want to take her and the kids to live somewhere else. I hope you and Dad can agree."
He had already prepared a place for them—a sprawling estate with a serene atmosphere and fresh air, perfect not only for rest but also with enough space for the kids to play freely.
It's just that Ella's condition wasn't quite stable yet. He was afraid that if he took Ella there now, she might feel overwhelmed.
Seeing Joshua had a plan, Rhea didn't want to ask too much. "Since you have your arrangements, I won't say much. Ella doesn't feel very secure, so before you do anything, you'd better think it through carefully."
Joshua nodded. "I understand."
"Then I'll leave Ella in your care from now on. Of course, if you don't take good care of her, I can bring her back anytime to care for her myself. We the Lewis family don't have to marry Ella off. If she's willing, we could find a husband who'll move in - there are plenty of men lining up for that."
Rhea’s words served as a clear warning.
If Joshua treated Ella badly again, they could bring her back anytime.
It wasn't like before, when they hadn't recognized Ella yet and let him bully her all the time.
Joshua wasn't stupid - he knew Rhea was giving him a chance to prove himself.
How could he dare complain? He quickly nodded and said, "Don't worry, Mom. This time I absolutely won't disappoint you. So if Ella is willing, can I take her away soon?"
Rhea agreed.
If Ella was willing to go with Joshua, as her parents, they would of course respect her choice.
Anyway, they were Ella's support. If Joshua dared to bully Ella again, the Lewises wouldn’t let it slide.
After getting permission from Rhea and Heath, Joshua gained confidence.
That very night, he sent a crew to get the new house ready.
On the weekend, he came early in the morning to pick up Ella and the kids.
Aurora put on a pretty dress and stayed by Ella's side watching her skincare routine, couldn't help smiling and saying, "Mommy, Daddy's here already. Where do you think he's taking us today?"
Ella didn't know why Joshua had been so free lately.
During work hours, he worked primarily out of her office.
After work, he’d accompany her to pick up the kids and come to the Lewis family home.
Anyway, this became the daily routine.
He spent almost all his time on her and the kids. She really didn't know if his company would go under because of it.
She also didn't know where Joshua was taking them today. After her morning routine and changing into a dress, she took Aurora's hand downstairs.
It was the weekend, and Vida’s family had already taken the children out.
Heath and Rhea had their own plans.
So there were just the two children and Ella in the house, along with the household staff.
Taking Aurora downstairs, she saw the father and son sitting on the sofa, neither saying anything, as if a certain coldness still remained between them.
Ella spoke up, "Dorian, do you want to come with us? If you don't want to go, you can stay home."
She had no intention of pressuring Dorian to do something he didn't want to do.
Before Dorian could answer, Joshua said, "No, Dorian has to come with us too. If he doesn't like it when we get there, I'll personally bring him back."
"Exactly! We finally have the weekend off. Dorian definitely needs to get out and get some fresh air. He can't stay home all day hugging a computer - that’s terrible for his eyesight." Aurora chimed in.
Dorian didn't want to be a killjoy.
In the end, he had to go along.
The the family of four piled into the car, with Joshua driving.
The car made its way toward the suburbs.
Aurora sat in the back seat, babbling away non-stop.
"Daddy, are we camping today?"
"Daddy, the weather is so nice today, perfect for a date. You're bringing me and Dorian - won't we be third wheels on your date with Mommy?"
"Don't worry, Daddy. When we get there, I'll take Dorian to play by ourselves. we promise not to get in the way of your date with Mommy."
The two adults exchanged glances, thinking Aurora was really a little chatterbox, always having so much to talk about.
"Ahem, it's fine. Daddy and Mommy are already very happy having you with us. How could we say you're interrupting?" Joshua looked at Aurora through the rearview mirror.
Seeing her so lively, her round, delicate little face bright as a flower, easily warming people's hearts.
He smiled contentedly.
But he was always worried about her condition.
He hoped Samuel would finish the special medicine soon!
"Where exactly are you taking us? if it's a long drive, I'd rather stay. I feel like I'll get tired."
Seeing the car heading to the suburbs, Ella felt a bit uncomfortable, probably because of the pregnancy - she was getting carsick.
Joshua clearly noticed Ella's discomfort and handed her a fresh bottle of water. "We'll be there soon. Are you okay?"
Ella took the water and drank a sip. "I'm fine. Opening the window for some air will help."
She opened the car window, and the natural breeze made her feel much better.
Dorian was worried about Ella. He leaned forward and held her hand to check her condition.
Feeling her pulse was a bit fast, he quickly reminded her, "Mommy, take deep breaths and try to relax."
Watching Dorian's actions, Ella smiled. She asked him, "You really did study health knowledge. Just a quick check and you know Mommy's condition."
"I can tell without checking. Mommy, don't be nervous. You need to rest and don't overthink things. Everything will develop in a good direction."
He knew pregnancy takes a toll on a woman's body.
See! Ella just got pregnant and was already showing signs of depression.
This wasn't a good thing.
"Mm, Mommy knows."
"We're here." Joshua reminded them as the car slowly entered the estate.
The surrounding greenery was especially nice, and the grounds were perfectly manicured.
The car drove through the estate for a few more minutes before stopping in front of a European-style castle.
Aurora looked at the building ahead, her eyes wide, asking excitedly, "Where is this? It's so beautiful! This house looks like a place where a fairytale princess would live. I want to go see!"
As soon as the car stopped, she couldn't wait to get out and look.
Even Dorian was impressed by the place.
There was a castle, a lake, fountains, and lawns.
Just looking at it made one feel happy.
Seeing Joshua helping Ella out of the car, he jumped out too.
In front of the castle, several staff members in uniform were waiting.
The leading middle-aged woman in a professional suit walked over and bowed respectfully to Joshua and Ella.
"Mr. Thomas, Mrs. Thomas, everything is ready. Welcome to your new home."
at this, the children’s eyes widened with excitement.
But Ella was a bit puzzled, looking at Joshua, "Wait, what do you mean 'our new home?"