“What do you mean?” Xylia asked, looking at Joshua with a puzzled expression.
Joshua leaned in slightly, his gaze locked on Xylia’s still–beautiful face. His eyes, with that signature flirtatious tilt, were dangerously charming.
“Xylia, you used to be such <b>a </b>goody–two–shoes. Now you’re brave enough to hit up nightclubs?” he teased.
“There he goes again with this <b>tone</b>, Xylia <b>thought</b>. For some reason, every time Joshua spoke like that, Xylia always got this indescribable feeling.
It was like, when those words came out of his mouth, they were wrapped in ayer of <b>flirtation</b>.
And with Joshua’s smooth voice and killer looks, it <b>never </b>came off as sleazy at all.
“How do you know I’ve never been to a nightclub? Xylia shot back, forcing herself to tamp down the weird flutter in her chest.
She really didn’t go to nightclubs much. Before Tessa came back to the Schultz family, Xylia had always been the picture of a good girl.
The only time Xylia had ever set foot in a nightclub was six years <b>ago</b><b>, </b>when she went to pick up a wasted
Connor.
One of Connor’s friends had called her, saying he was totally drunk. She’d braved a downpour just to get him
home.
When they got home, Connor had clung to his wallet like it <b>was </b>his lifeline, crying and ranting. “I’ll give you everything you want. You’re the only one I’ll ever love, he’d slurred.
At the time, Xylia had thought Connor was confessing his love to her, and her heart had melted.
But now, after seeing the photo of him and Tessa tucked inside his wallet, Xylia realized those heartfelt drunken words had been nothing but empty promises meant for someone else.
And Xylia had just been the altar for her husband’s devotion to another woman<b>. </b>
Those memories crept back <b>into </b>her mind, and Xylia found herself lost in them for a moment.
Joshua’s face turned serious as he grabbed her arm, <b>his </b>voice icy. “How did you get these bruises?”
Xylia snapped out of it, finallying back <b>to </b>herself.
Following his gaze, she noticed her delicate skin mottled with a few bluish–purple bruises.
They were from when Sonny chucked some building blocks at herst night; the kid really had quite <b>an </b><b>arm</b>.
“<b>I </b>just bumped into something.” Xylia said, trying to pull her arm away, but Joshua wouldn’t let go.
<b>9:49 </b><b>Fri</b>, <b>Sep </b>12
His palm was almost burning against her skin, making Xylia feel uneasy.
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Joshua looked closely at the bruises on her arm, suspicious thoughts forming in his mind. He knew she was lying, but he didn’t expose her.
He’d make sure the entire Ford family paid for this, sooner orter.
Without another word, he pulled her toward a nearby pharmacy. “You really need to watch out. With all those
still be
bruises already, how can <i>you </i><b>so </b>careless?”
“It’s no big deal. They’ll fade in a few days,” Xylia said, trying to brush it off.
“Even the smallest injuries need medicine,” Joshua insisted.
At the pharmacy. Joshua bought some ointment. As he pulled out his phone to pay, a sleek ck credit card slipped out of his pocket by ident.
Xylia was quick to snatch it up before he could. She stared at Joshua, totally stunned. She asked, “Is the card yours?”
Guys like Joshua weren’t supposed to have something this exclusive.
Xylia couldn’t help but think about thatdy boss from earlier. She looked at Joshua, her eyes disbelief.
wide with
Joshua took the card back and slipped it into his pocket, picked up the ointment, and walked out of the pharmacy with Xylia.
They found a bench by the side of the road and sat down. <b>Joshua </b>pulled Xylia’s arm over and started tending <b>to </b>her bruises with the ointment.
He kept his head lowered, the light above throwing shadows across his sharp features, hiding his good looks in the gloom.
Xylia opened her mouth to say something, then stopped, wrestling with her thoughts before finally speaking up, her tone careful. “Joshua, you do have a steady job, don’t you?” she asked.
Joshua nodded. “Yeah.”
“Do you have any debts?” she asked.
Joshua looked up at her, puzzled. He didn’t pause his movements. “No.”
“Are you short on cash?” she asked..
“Nope,” Joshua answered honestly. He didn’t notice how Xylia’s frown was getting deeper by the second.
“Honestly, it doesn’t really matter how much money you make in this life, Xylia said, speaking earnestly,
Joshua finished applying ointment to thest bruise <b>on </b>her arm and finally looked up at her.
9:50 Fri, Sep 12
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His signature flirtatious eyes now looked puzzled; he was totally lost about what Xylia meant.
“I know people who are obsessed with material things are everywhere these days, especially in a shy city like Jupiton. It’s easy to get dazzled by all the glitz. Xylia continued.
But you added.
can’t just let your desires take over and make reckless choices. That’s <b>not </b>the way to go, is it?” she
Joshua stared at Xylia, his eyes unreadable. “What are you getting at?” he asked.
Xylia cleared her throat, remembering all the times Joshua had been there for her. He was more than just an acquaintance; he was a real friend.
She just couldn’t sit back <b>and </b>watch him throw his life away like this. ‘Ms. Garcia <b>is </b>not actually your boss, is she? Xylia asked, her tone cautious.
Joshua felt a heaviness settle in his chest, but he didn’t say a word.
To Xylia, that silence was all the answer she needed. Upon realizing the truth, her heart grew even heavier.
After a moment, Xylia steeled herself and said, Joshua, I won 300 thousand at the designer meeting yesterday. I’m nning to use it <b>to </b>open my studio.
“If you help me find clients, I’ll give you a generousmission. But there’s one condition. You have to break things off with Ms. Garcia. You two really don’t suit each other.”
Joshua cocked his head, turning her words over in his mind. It finally hit him that she’d gotten the wrong idea. She’d clearly misunderstood what was going on between him and Yana,
“So, are you trying to be my sugar mama? Joshua teased, a yful glint in his eyes.
“Sugar mama? Please, I’m just giving you a paycheck, Xylia retorted, dead serious.
Joshua let out a softugh at herpletely earnest expression.
“What’s so funny?” Xylia frowned, clearly annoyed.
He pulled out the ck card from his pocket. “You saw this card and thought I was hooking up with Ms. Garcia, didn’t you?” he asked, a smirk tugging at his lips.
“Wait, isn’t that exactly what it looks like? Xylia wondered, her suspicion growing.
Joshua handed her the card with a little smirk. “Go <b>on</b>, and take a good look.”
Xylia, still puzzled, took the card and looked it over carefully. It turned out to be just a in ck bank card, not some exclusive ck card. She’d totally jumped to the wrong <b>conclusion</b>.
<b>“</b>So
you mistook this card for a ck card, figured there’s no way I could own one, and thought I was <b>someone’s </b>kept man?” Joshua <b>teased</b>, raising an eyebrow.
Xylia fidgeted with the card, feeling awkward. An awkward silence settled between them.
9:50 Fri, Sep 12
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Joshua just stared at her, his gaze steady.
Xylia let out a nervousugh and handed the card back to him. “Sorry, I jumped to the wrong conclusion.”
“So, in your eyes, I’m just the <b>kind </b>of guy who’d toss his morals out the window for a little cash?” Jo teased. He let out a dramatic sigh, pretending to be heartbroken as he pocketed the card.
Joshua
Xylia’s guilt spiked even higher. She quickly apologized. “Of course not, I was just worried about you, I swear. I never doubted your integrity.”
Seeing Xylia getting anxious, Joshua stopped teasing her.
Under the warm streetlights, his signature flirtatious eyes seemed to hold a sprinkle of starlight, twinkling with yful warmth.
“I’m just messing with you,” Joshua said with a grin.
He slipped the <b>bank </b>card back into his pocket, his fingers brushing against the actual ck card he hidden there. A sly smile tugged at his lips.
kept
“So, about what you said earlier? Are you really serious about opening your own studio?” he asked, curiosity in his voice.
Xylia nodded. “Of course.”
“When are you nning to open it?” Joshua asked.
Xylia arched an eyebrow. “Now’s just not the right time.”
The inte was still full of gossip about her. She couldn’tunch a studio with all that dirt on her name. At the very least, she had to wait until she could clear her reputation.
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AD
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