“What are you two doing?” Connor barked, his face dark with anger as he walked over, reaching out to <b>grab </b>Xylia
Joshua’s eyes went cold. He released Xylia and stepped between them. “Xylia almost fell. I was just helping her, is <b>that </b>a problem?”
Connor red at Joshua, furious that Xylia had brought him to their home. “Xylia, you really are something! Bringing a man home while still married? Are you out of your mind?”
Xylia frowned. “Connor, watch your mouth. He’s my friend. Not everyone is like you!”
It was the harshest thing Xylia <b>had </b>said to Connor. His face darkened. “Say that again.”
Joshua smiled at Connor. “Mr. Ford, instead of ndering your wife here, maybe you should focus on yourpany. The Sadler family won’t be helping you anymore. If you can’t get any more contracts from East Gonsia. Ford Group won’tst much longer<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Connor stiffened, his mind racing. Joshua knew about Ford Group’s troubles so well.
Xylia was too angry to pay much attention to Joshua’s words.
Joshua turned to Xylia. “Xylia, we’re just having a meal, and he already thinks the worst. I guess for him. having dinner with another woman is the same as being in an affair.”
Connor clenched his fists tightly.
“I’ll leave.” Joshua said, turning toward the car.
“Alright, let me know when you get home,” Xylia said.
Joshua paused, ncing back at her with a soft smile. “Sure.”
As the car pulled away, Xylia didn’t spare Connor a nce and walked toward Ford Mansion.
Connor was fuming, desperate to stop her and get some answers.
Xylia stepped aside to avoid him. Whenever he got angry and tried to grab her, his hand wouldnd exactly on her injured right wrist.
“Xylia, did you tell your lover about Ford Group’s situation?” Connor demanded.
“He’s not my lover,” Xylia shot back, ring at him. “And I’ve never been involved with yourpany. How could I know anything about it?”
Connor always thought of Xylia as a woman with no real abilities, just someone who cared about the family He assumed she <b>wouldn’t </b>understand anything about the business side.
But his <b>anger </b>was clouding his judgment. “I don’t care <b>whether </b>you told him or not. I’m warning you,
if you
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bring someone like <b>him </b>home again, I <b>won’t </b>let it slide.”
Xylia <b>scoffed</b>. “Connor, how many times have I talked about divorce? Do you think I’m joking?”
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“Nylia, you better not push me,” Connor growled, his teeth clenched. “Do you think because those rumors about you are gone, everything is <b>fine</b>? You’ve already hurt Ford Group. A woman like you, what can you do after you divorce me?”
Xylia met his gaze, her voice cold. “You know I didn’t cause the hit–and–run, but you keep bringing it up to attack me.”
Connor hesitated, his expression faltering. “Even so, you spent three months in prison. Can you really say you didn’t learn anything bad in there?”
Xylia sneered. “<b>Connor</b>, I’ll find out who framed me. And I’ll be divorced from you by the end of this month.” With that, she turned and walked into the mansion.
Connor stood there, watching her retreating figure. A wave of unease surged within him. He had never seen Xylia like this before. Beneath her usual softness, there was now a strength he couldn’t ignore. This time, she seemed serious.
But he couldn’t let Tessa’s reputation be tarnished, so he couldn’t take any risks.
He pulled out his phone and called his assistant. “Double–check the hit–and–run case. We can’t let anything suspicious get out.”
Joshua sat in the backseat of his car, reying the events from earlier in his mind. Xylia had even asked him to let her know once he was home. It seemed like they were growing closer.
“Mr. Garcia, the task you assigned is going smoothly,” his assistant said, speaking formally now that he <b>was </b>of his role as a rideshare driver.
Joshua’s gaze sharpened. “Keep watching”
sout
The next few days, Xylia took extra care of her injured wrist. Whenever she wasn’t working on designs, she went <b>out</b>. She had hired a private investigator to quietly look into the hit–and–run case.
After meeting with the investigator, she received a call from Ford Mansion. “Mrs. Ford, you need toe back quickly. Your son is sick.”
Xylia froze. After thinking it over, she decided to go back. Sonny was her son, after all.
When she arrived <b>home</b>, she ran into Tessa, who was hurrying in. Seeing Xylia, Tessa didn’t hide her disdain. “Xylia, what’s the point of rushing back? Sonny only <b>wants </b>me.
“Even when he’s sick, all he talks about is <b>me</b>. If not, Connor wouldn’t <b>have </b>called me toe. You really are a failure as a mother.”
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Tessa said this with a smug look, leading the way into the mansion.
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Xylia followed, her mind racing. Sonny was the youngest and most favored child in the Ford family. When he fell ill, everyone was worried. Even Mnie had rushed back to check on him.
Sonny was lying in bed, his small face flushed with fever. The family doctor ced a cooling patch on his forehead. “The fever isn’t too high. Once it breaks, he’ll be fine.”
“Mom… Mom…” Sonny mumbled in his sleep, his voice soft and full of longing.
Xylia’s heart softened. She remembered how, when he was little, he always wanted her to hold him and make him his favorite foods when he was sick. She was about to move <b>closer</b>.
But Tessa was already there, gently stroking Sonny’s face. “Sonny, I’m here.”
Sonny slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Tessa, then turned to see Xylia. His face immediately darkened, his eyes full of disgust. “Get out! I don’t want to see you. I <b>only </b>want Tessa, not you.”
Mnie shot Xylia a fierce re. “Get out of here! What are you doing here?”