Chapter 51
Michael acted as if he hadn't heard a thing. His handsome face turned toward Ella with a charming, tender smile.
"Don't be angry, Ella. If you find it stuffy here, let's go home. You won't feel stuffy once we're home."
As he spoke, he called out coldly toward the door. "Someone come. Help Mrs. Johnson check out."
Immediately, caregivers entered the room to help Ella wash up, comb her hair, change clothes, and pack her luggage.
Ella was unwilling. She got up and dodged the caregivers, shouting angrily at Michael, "What are you trying to do? Lock me up in your castle again like when we were kids? Michael, you're an adult now. Do you know this is illegal?"
She absolutely couldn't leave with Michael.
She had to get back to Tranquil Villa, had to see Aurora and Dorian.
She didn't know how much time had passed. Had Aurora and Dorian cried when they couldn't see her?
And Joshua—would he look for her, worry about her when she was gone?
Thinking about how Joshua had Scarlett with him, maybe her presence didn't matter at all!
She should still worry about her Aurora first.
"Are you angry again, Ella? I didn't do anything wrong. I just want to take you home."
Michael pushed the caregivers aside, stepped forward and grabbed Ella's shoulders, emotions surging in his eyes.
"Do you know how much I've missed you these ten years? I dream about you coming back every single day."
"Let's go home, okay? Be good, Ella. Change your clothes and we'll go home. No refusing, or I'll be very upset."
Michael was emotional, gripping her arms tightly without letting go.
Ella watched his refined features twist and become frightening again.
Her arms hurt from his grip. She didn't dare provoke him further and could only plan her next move carefully.
Michael was a devil, a madman.
If she pushed him too far, she might even die right in front of him.
Ella softened her tone and lowered her head.
"Let go first. It hurts."
Michael quickly released her in alarm, his face immediately filled with concern.
"I'm sorry, Ella. I didn't mean to. Please don't be angry, okay?"
Ella gave in and let the caregivers help her get dressed.
It was just a hospital discharge, yet four Rolls-Royces were already waiting at the entrance to the ward, with dozens of black-suited bodyguards lined up in two rows.
As if the area had been cleared in advance, there wasn't a single extra person around.
Ella was led by Michael's hand all the way to the luxury car by the roadside without seeing a single passerby.
This kind of display was something she had never seen even after being Joshua's wife for a year.
It was clear that Michael's family background must be very powerful.
If she had a chance to escape, she wondered whether Joshua would help her and thereby oppose Michael.
Ella knew she was in danger again, and Michael couldn't be provoked.
She had no way to escape and could only obediently follow along.
Tranquil Villa.
Joshua came home from work, listless.
He wanted to check on Dorian, but was stopped by Scarlett coming from the dining room.
"Joshua, you're back. I've made dinner. Come try my cooking."
Joshua stopped in his tracks. His handsome face looked haggard and worn, and he hadn't even shaved because he wasn't paying attention to his appearance.
He looked at Scarlett and spoke lazily.
"You cooked? Where's Karen?"
Scarlett smiled. "Something came up at her home, so she left."
Actually, she had sent her away.
And that Patricia too—she'd been fired.
Anyone who helped Ella, she couldn't keep a single one.
Now in all of Tranquil Villa, there was just her and that slow, simple Dorian.
As for Joshua in front of her, as long as he ate what she made tonight, he would become hers too.
"I'm not hungry. You eat. I'm going to check on Dorian."
Joshua dropped these words and headed straight upstairs.
Scarlett wouldn't have it. She quickly reached out to stop him, putting on a concerned face.
"Joshua, in this month since Ella died, look how thin you've gotten. Can you please stop torturing yourself? After all, you still have to raise Dorian for him."
Hearing Ella's name, Joshua's heart felt like it was being squeezed again.
So Ella had only been gone a month.
It felt like several years to him.
In these days without Ella, he was like a walking corpse every day, each day feeling like a year.
This couldn't go on.
Dorian needed him, the Thomas family needed him.
Ella and Aurora needed him to pay respects to them every year too.
Faced with Scarlett's pleading, Joshua turned and walked toward the dining room.
Scarlett poured him wine and served him food.
"Joshua, you haven't tried my cooking before, have you? Try it. If you like it, I'll cook for you every day from now on."
Joshua looked at the dishes on the table but still had no appetite.
He asked, "Has Dorian eaten? How was he today?"
Scarlett said virtuously, "He's already eaten and went to bed in his room. You know, lately he doesn't like being around people and always locks himself in his room."
Scarlett urged Joshua to eat the food she had drugged.
"Eat something. If you collapse from exhaustion, who'll raise Dorian in the future?"
How could Joshua imagine that Scarlett, who seemed so understanding and gentle in his eyes, would drug him?
He had no defenses up. Even without an appetite, he still ate the food Scarlett put in his bowl.
After dinner, he went upstairs to check on the child.
Scarlett was smart—she didn't dare use too much drug.
Otherwise it would raise suspicion.
After Joshua went upstairs, she got up to clear the dining room.
Then she followed him upstairs to Dorian's room.
Seeing Joshua sitting by the bed watching over Dorian, she walked over quietly to remind him. "Joshua, you've been busy all day. You must be tired. I've run you a bath. Go wash up and rest. Just let the child sleep."
Joshua did feel a bit off.
His body felt hot.
He got up and left.
Scarlett glanced at Dorian, whom she had also given sleeping pills, smiled coldly, and turned to follow.
The countryside.
A forest castle somewhere.
Ella took advantage of an unguarded moment, quietly climbed into a delivery truck's cargo area and hid, successfully escaping the castle.
When the truck reached the city and stopped, she immediately jumped out, hailed a car on the street, and rushed to Tranquil Villa.
She gave the taxi driver the expensive jewelry Michael had given her as fare, then, afraid Michael's people would come after her, quickly entered the password to get into the house.
Fortunately, the villa's password had been changed back.
The moment she walked into the villa, Ella finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She was finally back.
From when she fell into the sea until now, a whole month had passed.
Aurora should have been found by the police by now.
Dorian should be fine too.
Ella tried to calm her heaving emotions, eager to see her two children.
It was only eight in the evening, but she didn't understand why the villa was so quiet with no lights on.
At this hour, the children couldn't all be asleep already.
Ella went upstairs, intending to go to the children's rooms.
But as she passed the master bedroom, through the open door crack came the sounds of a man and woman entangled in intimate gasps.