Chapter 39
His secretary informed him that Alicia hadn't been there. Joshua's expression darkened. Despite the huge scandal, Alice remained remarkably calm. Still, how long could he maintain his composure? "Keep a close eye on her. Don't let anyone assist her," he ordered.
After the call, a car pulled into the driveway. The vehicle hadn't even stopped before he rolled down the window. A middle-aged woman with curly hair smiled warmly and called out, "Joshua." He immediately stepped forward and opened the car door.
"Mother, what brings you here?" he asked.
The woman, Shelia Yates—Joshua's mother—wore an elegant, short-sleeved traditional dress. A slight smile lit up her well-groomed face, giving her a radiant appearance. She held up a bowl of food. "I prepared a nutritious soup for Lilliana."
Joshua maintained a neutral expression. "There's no need to go out of your way. Lilliana and I aren't officially married yet. Besides, the Green family has everything she needs."
"If I'm nice to Lilliana, she'll be nice to you," Shelia replied, looking at him with concern. "You look exhausted, Joshua. Haven't you had a good rest lately?"
Joshua shrugged. "That's just how it is. Nothing unusual."
"This is nothing compared to what you dealt with two years ago," Shelia commented. "Back then, your father underestimated you. You built everything from scratch, working tirelessly day and night. However, I've never seen you so exhausted."
Her words left Joshua momentarily dazed. Two years ago, he had nothing and worked even harder. But every night, Alicia was there to ease his worries and fatigue. Despite the increased value Lilliana brought to his life, Joshua felt no happier. He wondered why he lacked the joy he longed for. Tired thoughts and tangled memories filled his mind, leaving him even more exhausted. He couldn't remember the last time a genuine smile crossed his face.
"Come in, Mom. I have things to do," he said quietly.
Shelia felt a pang of worry. "Come back soon. I've cooked plenty of nutritious soup. You should have some too."
Lilliana was courteous to Shelia, her soon-to-be mother-in-law. However, when she saw the soup, a wave of pregnancy-induced nausea made her wrinkle her nose in disgust.
Shelia watched her strong reaction. "Is something wrong, Lilliana? You don't like it?" she asked.
Forcing a smile, Lilliana replied, "No, I just ate and have no appetite. Leave it here. I'll drink it later."
Shelia insisted, refusing to let the matter drop. She poured the soup into a bowl and handed it to Lilliana. "Lilliana, I've been simmering this for hours. Please try it. It's your first pregnancy and you may not know everything. Don't be picky. Feed your body so the baby grows healthy."
Irritation welled up inside Lilliana. Shelia ignored her earlier words and openly mentioned the baby, treating her as a mere vessel for delivery. With a heavier tone, Lilliana pushed the bowl away. "I said I'll drink it later."
Shelia stopped. She was an experienced woman and sensed Lilliana's anger. Lilliana had a high status, and Shelia had to bear with it, even if she felt wronged. She gently placed the bowl on the ground. "Alright, remember to ask the maid to heat it up later."
Lilliana felt no appreciation for Shelia's concern. Shelia was Joshua's mother, but she came from a humble background. Jerald had had an affair during their marriage, impregnating Shelia and bringing her into the family home. It was rumored that Jerald and Shelia had met at a nightclub.
Lilliana closed her eyes. "I'm tired, Shelia. You should go," she said. Shelia didn't want to bother her anymore.
"If you want something to eat, just tell me. I can make it for you," Shelia offered.
"No need. I have a maid here," Lilliana replied.
Shelia wondered if Lilliana was subtly insulting her, implying that she was nothing more than a servant. Without another word, Shelia turned and left.
Later, Joshua came home. He saw the maid take out the food container and empty its contents into the dog's bowl. He frowned. Looking closer, he realized it was the container Shelia had brought earlier. The maid seemed surprised to see him and greeted him awkwardly: "Mr. Yates."
Joshua kept a stern expression. "Who told you to give this to the dog?" he asked.
The maid, fearing blame, explained, "Miss Green said that she can't eat greasy food. It would spoil if she left it out…"
Anger seized Joshua, and he clenched his fists. During his two years of marriage to Alicia, he had always gone out of his way to cook for Shelia. Shelia never accepted those gestures. Now, Lilliana was refusing Shelia's soup, and the pet dog was eating it. His frustration reached a breaking point, and he kicked the dog away. He pointed to the bowl on the floor. "You drink it," he ordered.
The maid's eyes widened in horror. She shook her head. "Mr. Yates, I can't!"
"Drink it or you can leave," he demanded. "Make your choice."
Feeling humiliated, the maid decided to complain to Lilliana. Lilliana listened but showed no interest. She approached Joshua with a smile. "Is something bothering you? You promised when you proposed that you would love me even if I was unreasonable. I didn't like the soup, so I threw it away. Is there something wrong?"
Joshua dropped a cake onto the floor, struggling to control his anger. "My mother put a lot of effort into making that soup," he said.
“It’s just a bowl of soup,” Lilliana replied dismissively. “If you're so worried, I'll have someone buy another one and return it to her.”
Joshua looked at her, feeling his frustration building. Lilliana's affection for him depended entirely on her mood. When happy, she treated him kindly; when displeased, she considered him disposable. Her arrogance stemmed from this capricious behavior. He reached out and gently touched her cheek.
"Okay," he said evenly. "If you don't want it, I'll ask my mother not to send you anything again."
Lilliana felt happy afterward. Shortly afterward, her agent called with worrying news. "Someone is suppressing the trending topic about Alice," the agent informed her.
"Who's doing this?" Lilliana asked, annoyance in her voice.