Chapter 216

Chapter 216

Let Ella go?

Joshua knew very well that such a thought had never crossed his mind.

Even though he had promised Ella previously that he would let her go after she gave birth to the child, that was merely a temporary measure to keep her stable.

He had no intention of letting Ella go so easily.

He believed that Ella had become unrecognizable because ssomething was controlling her.

If he didn't persist in helping her recover, how could he repay the three years she had spent taking care of him?

Joshua pushed Dorian away and gently wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"Dorian, don't be sad. Help me treat my wound before you go keep Aurora company. Otherwise, when she sees me like this later, she'll cry again."

Dorian nodded and continued treating his father's head wound while holding back his emotions.

He reminded Joshua, "Be careful when you shower. Don't get the bandage wet."

"Okay." After watching Dorian leave, Joshua headed back to the study to retrieve his phone and take it to Ella.

Ella had lost her temper again.

Not only did she refuse the meal the servants brought, but she also knocked it all over the floor.

Seeing Joshua enter, she snapped, "Are you going to give me my phone or not? Joshua, do you think that just because you took my phone, I will obey your every command?"

Joshua surveyed the mess on the floor and ordered the servants clean it up before dismissing them.

He stepped forward and handed the phone to Ella, not daring to raise his voice.

"Don't be angry. I noticed your phone was dead, so I charged it for you."

Ella snatched the phone and demanded, "You took my phone without my permission. Do you admit you were wrong?"

Joshua nodded. "Yes, I was wrong."

"If you know you were wrong, then kneel ."

Ella didn't treat him like a human being .

Joshua thought about the humiliation in the office earlier—all witnessed by Mason. Now, Ella was making him kneel again.

What man could endure such humiliation?

A man's dignity would rarely permit him kneel before anyone—especially a woman.

But what if he refused? Ella was his beloved, and she was carrying his child. If he didn't comply, what if she resorted to something extreme again?

If he couldn't even bear this minor grievance, how could he claim to be tolerant and accommodating toward her?

No matter how much it stung, Joshua still knelt down on both knees, resembling a child who had done something wrong—vulnerable and pathetic.

Yet, in Ella's eyes, there was only bitterness.

She leaned against the headboard and started chatting with Michael, her tone brimming with the intimacy and flirtation shared between lovers.

Hearing this, Joshua felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss, his heart pierced by a thousand arrows.

But he couldn't interfere. If he overstepped, Ella would become angry and make a scene.

So, as long as he could bear it, he would endure.

Ava and Jasper deeply missed Joshua, Aurora, and Dorian.

Especially after learning that Ella was pregnant again, they were anxious to know whether their little grandson was growing in in Ella's belly.

That evening, Ava and Jasper arrived with a bounty of gifts. The servants made several trips, helping them carry everything into the house.

Upon entering and seeing neither her son nor Ella, Ava asked the servants, "Where are they?"

The servant bowed and replied, "Aurora and Dorian are in the study, reading and practicing calligraphy. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are in their room."

Ava didn't think much of it. She assumed Ella wasn't feeling well and Joshua was inside taking care of her. As their elder, Ava felt she should check on them.

Jasper, being more tactful, stayed in the living room instead of going upstairs.

Ava made her way to the master bedroom and knocked lightly on the door.

Joshua heard it and was about to get up when Ella glared at him and snapped, "Did I tell you to stand!"

Joshua reluctantly knelt back down, reminding her, "There is someone at the door."

"I can hear that."

Ella hung up the phone and called, "Come in."

Only then did Ava push the door open.

Walking into the room, she saw Joshua kneelingin front of Ella, while Ella sat on the bed with a haughty expression.

Incredulous, Ava stepped forward to demand, "What's going on? Joshua, why are you kneeling on the floor?"

Joshua knew he looked pathetic.

He braced himself , about to stand and usher Ava out of the room.

But Ella threatened him again. "If you dare to stand, I'll go to the hospital right now. Then,, I'll immediately take Aurora and Dorian abroad."

Joshua was truly afraid of her and meekly continued kneeling.

Ava simply couldn't believe that her son—born with a silver spoon, and always respected as the president of the Thomas Group—was now kneeling before Ella.

Joshua could bear it, but Ava couldn't.

Remembering that Ella was pregnant, Ava restrained her anger. Suppressing her rage, she asked, "Ella, what are you doing? Why are you making Joshua kneel here? How can a man kneel so shamelessly?"

Ella looked at Ava. "He hasn't said anything, so why are you interfering?"

Thinking of what Ava had done to her in the past, Ella offered no warmth now either.

"If you came to see Aurora and Dorian, then mind your manners. Other matters are none of your business."

Ava was furious and reached out to pull Joshua up.

"Joshua, have you lost your mind? What does it look like for a grown man to kneel here? Get up immediately."

Joshua remained kneeling and pulled Ava's hand away.

"Mom, this is between Ella and me. I did something wrong, so it's only fair that she punishes me."

"What do you mean by 'fair'? You're a man, you're the pride of the Thomas family. Even if you love her—even if she's carrying your child—you don't need to debase yourself like this!"

"Get up. How can a man of the Thomas family kneel before a woman?"

Joshua looked at Ella. He noticed that her face was sullen; she was already very unhappy. He knew that when she was upset, she would act recklessly.

Joshua shook off Ava's hand and raised his voice. "Mom, can you please not interfere? Just leave and let me keep what's left of my dignity, okay?"

He was already debased, with no dignity left.

With Ava making such a scene, how could he face anyone afterward?

Ava saw that Joshua had completely lost his former pride, kneeling on the ground, afraid of Ella like a cur cowering before its master.

She was livid as she glared at Ella.

"Ella, don't you think you're going too far? He's your husband. How can you make him kneel like a dog?"

Ella laughed scornfully, "He likes being my dog. If you can't stand it, you can take him and leave. No one's stopping you."

She would actually love for Joshua to leave. If he left, no one would stop her from going abroad. She was eager to go abroad and see Michael.

"You're absolutely outrageous."

Ava was so angry that her complexion flushed red, and she reached out to pull Joshua again.

"Joshua, get up. Don't kneel for a woman like this. How can I ever show my face if you do this!"

But Joshua refused. He pulled her hand away, his voice turning frigid "Mom, can you please leave and stop interfering in our business?"

"Joshua—"

"I told you to leave!" Joshua bellowed.

Ava saw that Joshua was completely beyond help. He was actually willing to be Ella's dog. She slammed the door in a rage and left.

But the anger in Ava's heart was truly impossible to suppress. She pulled out her phone and called Rhea.

Rhea answered to find Ava's face was twisted with anger.

"Are you going to help me deal with Ella or not? Look at how she's bullying Joshua. Just because she's pregnant—what's so impressive about that?"

Rhea was confused. "Say what you have to say properly. What did Ella do to Joshua?"

"Come see for yourself what happened. It's too much. Joshua has never endured such humiliation in his entire life."

Rhea was intrigued. After hanging up, she summoned the whole family together to rush to the Garcia Manor.

If Ella was being bullied, they would back her up while they were at it.

So the Lewis family descended upon to the manor in full force.

Ava went downstairs and recounted Joshua's humiliation to Jasper.

But Jasper dismissed her concerns and comforted her.

"Matters between husband and wife are hard for outsiders to judge. If Joshua is willing to lower himself and let Ella bully him, that's their business as a couple. Why should we, the elders, interfere?"

"What are you saying? You don't know what Ella is like—all high and mighty, treating Joshua like he's a dog!" Ava was still fuming, her face ashen.

"If the Lewis family doesn't give me an explanation, don't blame me for being rude to Ella."

Jasper thought Ava was making a mountain out of a molehill.

He took her hand and continued reasoning with her. "As long as Joshua doesn't mind, why should we interfere?"

"I don't care. Joshua has always been a proud man. Why should he be so subservient when it comes to Ella?"

Ava was still unwilling. If she didn't stand up for Joshua today, she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep for days.

In the bedroom, Ella lifted her slender, fair foot and used her toes to gently tilt Joshua's chin, raising her eyebrows with a mocking smile.

"Your mom came to back you up. Are you sure you don't want to go complain to her? Tell her how I've been treating you lately?"

Joshua was still kneeling by the bed, his legs tense, his back straight.

Looking at Ella's seductive eyes and proud, haughty appearance, he suppressed his humiliation and said in a deep voice, "This is between the two of us. Others can't interfere—not even my mom."

"So you're saying you're on my side?"

Joshua didn't deny it. "You're my wife. Naturally, I'll always stand by your side."

"But I don't think that's enough. I want you to go kneel outside." Ellla looked out the window; the wind had picked up. It was probably going to rain.

She smiled and said to Joshua, "If you go out now and kneel in the courtyard all night, I'll forgive you for taking my phone without permission. In exchange, I promise I'll behave and give birth to the child. How about that?"

Joshua involuntarily clenched his fists, meeting Ella's gaze with a grim expression. "Really? If I kneel for one night, you won't make trouble anymore? You'll obediently give birth to the child?"

Ella nodded. "Yes, so it depends on your performance. If you're obedient now but disobedient later, naturally, I'll change my mind."

"Fine." Joshua agreed. "I'll go kneel outside right now. Ella, you need to remember—I love you and care for you, which is why I listen to you and am willing to do anything."

"I also hope you can keep your word and take good care of yourself and the child."

He stood up and turned to leave, fully aware that the servants, children, and his parents at home would see him kneeling outside.

He would lose all his dignity, but he didn't care at all.

As long as Ella was okay, he would willingly die.

What did kneeling matter?