Chapter 59
Ella looked at Aiden, so thin and frail, lying unconscious.
With a cold expression on her little face, she asked again, "How is Grandpa doing?"
Samuel snapped back to reality and told her, "He's barely hanging on, could pass away at any moment. Since you're back, stay with him. He ended up like this because of you."
Although Aiden's health hadn't been great before either.
At least under his treatment, he could have lasted another two or three years.
Now bedridden and unable to recover, it was all because he learned of Ella's death.
Hopefully Ella's arrival could bring Aiden back from the brink!
Ella's heart ached as she held Aiden's hand, tears streaming down uncontrollably.
Samuel stood beside them, about to say more, when he saw Joshua enter. He pulled Joshua outside and asked quietly, "What's going on? How did you find her? If she's not dead, why couldn't we find her? Why is she only coming back now?"
Joshua couldn't very well tell the truth.
The truth would make him, a grown man, lose every shred of dignity.
He brushed it off casually, "After someone rescued her, she was unconscious for a long time too. She came as soon as she woke up."
Samuel believed him and asked again, "What about Aurora? Did she come back too?"
Joshua really wasn't clear about Aurora's situation and didn't answer.
Feeling his leg still hurt a bit, he indicated, "Check my leg for me, see if the wound is poisoned."
Only then did Samuel notice Joshua's leg was injured. He had him go to the next room and take off his pants to treat it.
All night long, Ella kept watch by Aiden's bedside.
Worried about Aiden on one hand, afraid of what Joshua might do to Dorian on the other, and concerned about Aurora too.
Anyway, her heart was full of worries.
After treating his leg wound, Joshua pushed the door open and came in.
Seeing Ella lying by Aiden's bed, he really wanted to get closer to her, even closer.
Only by truly feeling her presence would he feel at ease.
After all, during the month Ella was gone, he had suffered terribly.
But thinking about what she said to him at the castle gate during the day.
Thinking about how the children's father wasn't dead, and that Ella being alive but not coming back meant she was with the children's father.
Joshua couldn't just pretend nothing happened and interact with her like a normal married couple.
In the end, he still said coldly with a stern face, "If Grandpa doesn't wake up, you'll keep watch here."
This was what Ella owed the Thomas family.
Not letting her pay it back, divorcing her and letting her go so she could live happily with the kids and Michael - things weren't that easy.
Ella looked at him, still worried about her child.
"I can stay and keep Grandpa company, but you send my Dorian back to me."
Thinking about how they had given Dorian so many sleeping pills before, she couldn't let Dorian leave her side alone again.
Who knows what Scarlett would do to Dorian if Joshua sent him back to Tranquil Villa.
Only by keeping Dorian by her side would she feel at ease.
"When you've taken good care of Grandpa, that's when I'll let you see Dorian."
Joshua still couldn't face this Ella who was full of lies.
Every look at her made his heart ache unbearably.
He turned to leave.
Ella called out to him, "Joshua, what gives you the right to keep me from seeing my child again? If you hate me, come at me, don't go after my child."
Those kidnappers who had abducted Aurora before said she had offended someone she shouldn't have, which was why they wanted to kill her and Aurora.
Ella had thought it over and over but couldn't figure out what powerful person she had offended.
So those people who hurt her and Aurora were either arranged by Joshua or by Scarlett.
They were so vicious. They'd better not let her find evidence.
Otherwise, she would fight them to the death.
Joshua stopped in his tracks but didn't turn around, leaving these words, "I wouldn't stoop to going after a child."
"Then why did you feed him sleeping pills before?"
During the time she was gone, she didn't know how these people had treated Dorian.
Ella could sense that Dorian was different from before.
He was completely unlike his former smart and clever self. She didn't know if it was caused by excessive use of sleeping pills.
This was the second time Joshua heard Ella mention Dorian taking sleeping pills.
He turned back to her side, his expression grave and serious, "Who told you I gave the child sleeping pills?"
Ella confronted him.
"Isn't it true? To have sex with Scarlett in your room, afraid Dorian would disturb you, you didn't hesitate to give him sleeping pills. When I carried him away, I couldn't wake him up no matter what. If the doctor hadn't said it was a large dose of sleeping pills, would I wrongly accuse you?"
Aurora's situation had better not be arranged by him.
Otherwise, she would definitely be at odds with Joshua forever.
Joshua fell silent.
He didn't argue further.
During this time, it had been Scarlett taking care of Dorian all along.
Joshua didn't know what Scarlett had done to Dorian.
Maybe he could only find out what really happened by asking Scarlett.
In the end, Joshua said nothing and slammed the door as he left.
He returned to Tranquil Villa.
When he arrived, he only saw Brian keeping Dorian company in the living room.
Dorian sat on the sofa, still looking dazed and out of it, not crying or making noise. Brian was holding toys trying to amuse him, but he showed no reaction.
Joshua walked over, sat down next to Dorian, and instructed Brian, "Go get Scarlett for me. And where are Karen and Patricia? Why haven't I seen them around lately?"
Brian shook his head, "I'm not really sure either. I'll call and ask right now."
He pulled out his phone and turned to leave. Joshua's gaze fell on the child, looking at him coldly and asking, "Is that person the police took away today really your dad?"
Dorian looked at Joshua.
Remembering that when he called Michael "Dad," Ella hadn't stopped him.
Maybe that really was his dad?
Dorian frowned and nodded his little head.
Getting Dorian's answer, Joshua felt a surge of nameless jealousy rise in his chest, making him feel even worse.
With a dark expression, he asked Dorian again, "Do your dad and mom have a good relationship? Do you know your dad well?"
Dorian shook his head, only wanting to see Ella.
He pouted, his big eyes suddenly becoming watery, and he started crying softly.
"I want Mommy. Can you let me go back to Mommy?"
He was so afraid of losing Ella.
Scared that once separated from Ella, he'd never see her again.
Joshua couldn't stand seeing Dorian cry. He looked away, saying with a heart of stone, "Your mom did something wrong. When she admits her mistake and apologizes, then I'll let her come back. You be good here, eat and sleep. I won't do anything to you."
"What did my mom do wrong? Can I apologize to you for her?"
Dorian grabbed Joshua's hand, his big eyes blinking as tears fell in big drops.
"I'm sorry. Can you forgive my mom? Please don't separate Mommy and me. I miss Mommy."