<b>Chapter </b><b>203 </b>
<b>94 </b>
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Xylia asked Joshua what he had in mind, but Joshua just shrank back and kept his mouth shut, clearly too scared to say a word.
As they walked out, they ran into Connor and Tessa at the door.
Xylia was holding Joshua’s hand, and they were so close it was almost like they were glued together. Joshua would lean down and whisper something in her ear every now and then, and Xylia would lean in, listening intently. Whatever he said made her blush, and she leaned in to kiss his cheek. Joshua looked like he was on cloud nine.
But to Connor, who was standing at the door, it was like a punch in the gut.
Without even thinking, he started walking toward them.
His face was thunderous, simmering with rage, his eyes practically shooting daggers.
“What the hell are you doing?” Connor roared, like he’d just busted his wife cheating. A few passersby stopped
to stare<b>. </b>
Connor looked like he was about to reach for Xylia.
Joshua brushed off his hand with icy indifference.
It seemed like such a light gesture, but suddenly Connor’s hand was mottled with red, proof of just how much force was behind it.
“Mr. Ford, what are you trying to do?” Joshua’s voice was cold.
Just then, Tessa caught up to them. “Con-”
But before she could finish, Connor cut her off.
“Xylia is mine. Who do you think you are, letting her hang around with this crowd?” Connor snapped, his voice low and dangerous.
‘Connor saw it like this: Whether Xylia was cozying up to Kaden or getting caught up in those rumors about her and Mr. Garcia, it all traced back to Joshua pulling the strings.’
Joshua was just some guy–a mere driver for the Garcia family–but he knew how to use a beauty like Xylia to push his own agenda.
‘Of course he’de up with ways to make her meet Mr. Sadler and Mr. Garcia, all so he could cash in on her looks for his own benefit.’
‘And look at him now–barely a few days and Joshua was already strutting around, dressed up and acting like he was someone important.
He was dressed to the nines, his clothes made from the finest fabrics and tailored so well you could tell he
<b>7:37 </b>Fri, <b>Sep </b><b>19 </b>
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wasn’t just some regr guy anymore.
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As Connor spat out those words, he burned Xylia with a scathing re, seething with resentment. It was like he believed she’d tossed her self–respect aside, all for money and for other men.
Behind him, Tessa stood frozen, her face drained of color.
Xylia scoffed, “Yours? Seriously?” Her words hung in the air like a p.
Joshua’s jaw clenched, his anger spreading like wildfire through his body.
“Did you forget you’re divorced, Mr. Ford? She’s got nothing to do with you anymore.”
Connor wasn’t backing down either.
“So what if we’re divorced? We’ve still got a child together. You can’t just cut off blood ties with a signature,” he fired back, his tone loaded with possessiveness.
He turned to Xylia, standing at Joshua’s side. “Sonny’s been missing you. You’re still his mother. Officially, I’ve got custody, but I’m not about to keep you from seeing him.”
He made it pretty clear–if Xylia wanted to see Sonny, she could, anytime. There was no way to hide the threat and invitation mixed into his words.
If Xylia still had a shred of pride, she’d take the hint, step away from Joshua, and y right into Connor’s hands.
But Xylia just frowned, shooting him a look like he’d lost his mind. ‘Does he actually think I’d fall for that?‘ she thought, impatience flickering in her eyes.
“I’ve cut off the Ford family for good. Do you seriously not get what ‘cut off” means?” Xylia retorted, her voice cold and biting.
Far from being grateful for the so–called olive branch, she was fed up with his endless attempts to push his <b>way </b>back into her life.
Connor had never experienced this kind of humiliation from Xylia before–even she dared to turn him down so harshly.
She’d actually rather let herself be used by a mere driver like Joshua than ever choose him again.
‘Is she really that low?‘ Connor scorned inwardly, unable to believe what he was seeing.
Joshua kept hold of Xylia’s hand, raising his eyes and giving Connor a look so cold and sharp it could cut.
“Wow, Mr. Ford, I never figured you for someone so pathetic. Already moving on with someone new, yet you can’t stop acting like Xylia’s still your property?” Joshua’s tone was icy, his wordsced with mockery.
That was when Connor finally noticed Tessa standing beside him.
He turned and caught sight of Tessa’s red–rimmed eyes.
7:37 <b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>19 </b>
Guilt hit him, but he still didn’t want to see Xylia fall into a trap.
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He said to Tessa, “You don’t want to see your sister set up as bait by that Garcia family driver, right?”
Joshua’s eyes darkened, his expression turning stormy.
‘What does that even mean?‘ he wondered.
Xylia was just as lost.
Tessa knew exactly what Connor meant–he couldn’t stand the thought of Xylia getting hurt, and he was itching to step in and take care of her again.
She scoffed, “There’s gossip everywhere about Xylia and Mr. Garcia, and on the side she’s messing around with this driver. Even Mr. Garcia doesn’t care, and Xylia herself seems happy with how things are–so why do you think she needs you to y savior?”
Tessa had always assumed Connor cared for Xylia simply out of a husband’s sense of duty.
But now, she could see his feelings for Xylia ran much deeper than mere responsibility.
He was in love with her.
That realization soaked Tessa’s heart in jealousy and ache–it hurt<b>, </b>sharp and sour, like she’d swallowed a mouthful of vinegar.
‘Why her? Why not me?‘ Tessa thought, jealousy gnawing at her.
Tessa had worked so hard to finally get Connor to marry her, yet Xylia just kept haunting their rtionship- never backing off, always in the way.
Connor cut in, “She’s got no choice in this.”
He turned to face Xylia, no more beating around the bush–just straight up. “Xylia, I’m asking you again—are youing with me or not?”
Xylia just stared back, at aplete loss for words. ‘Is he for real? Does he think I’ll cave?‘ she thought, annoyed.
Joshua was so pissed he looked like he might blow a fuse. He gave a mocking chuckle, his eyes icy and fixed right on Connor.
“You seriously don’t quit, huh? Gotta smash into a wall before you give up?” Joshua jabbed.
Then Joshua turned to Xylia, a faint, knowing smile tugging at his lips, his eyes glinting with sly charm.
He brushed a quick, possessive kiss to her lips, his voice rumbling low and intimate as he spoke.
“Baby, you gonna go with him?”
Xylia caught the dangerous glint in his eyes–this wasn’t joking anymore. She fell silent.
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‘When did this turn into a damn multiple choice question?‘ she grumbled to herself, feeling boxed in.
The answer was pretty damn obvious.
She shot Connor a cold look and said tly, “Connor, I’ve been keeping my distance. Stay out of my life.”
“Listen, if he’s forcing you or something, just say the word–I’ll help you!” Connor blurted, his desperation in to see.
Connor couldn’t contain himself anymore; he was practically bursting to intervene.
Xylia was getting fed up with how clueless he was. “I’m not being threatened. I’m with him now<i>, </i>okay? Seriously, how many times do I have to say it?”
Hearing Xylia say that so directly, Connor was hit with an even sharper wave of disbelief–it was like he’d just been pped by reality.
Deep down, it felt as if something inside him had split wide open, raw and aching straight to the core.
He’d known there was something going on between her and that driver, but he never expected her to admit it outright–and with such obvious happiness.
Earlier, Joshua had kissed her in front of everyone and she didn’t even react, didn’t shy away.
To anyone watching, they just looked like a couple head–over–heels for each other, totally caught up in their own world.
Joshua was instantly pleased.
He kept hold of Xylia’s hand and gave Connor a look of pure contempt.
“I’ve finally figured you out, Mr. Ford,” Joshua sneered. “You’re shameless to the bone. You don’t care about being a husband–your eyes are always glued to every woman except your own.”
When Xylia was his wife, he only had eyes for Tessa,pletely ignoring the woman he’d actually married.
And now that he’s about to put a ring on Tessa<b>, </b>suddenly he’s back to lusting after Xylia again.
Seriously, this guy is shameless to the core.
Joshua didn’t bother with Connor’s furious re, just held Xylia’s hand and started walking out.
As they neared Connor, Joshua paused, as if something had just crossed his mind.
“Oh, right–I’m not some Garcia family driver. Turns out, I’m the Mr. Garcia you keep talking about.”
Joshua said it coolly, then headed out with Xylia, not sparing a nce at Connor.
Connor and Tessa just stood there like statues, totally dumbstruck as they watched the two walk away.
“Mr. Garcia?” Tessa blurted out, her voice full of shock as she shot a look at Connor,pletely stunned.
7:38 Fri, Sep 19
“No way… he was Mr. Garcia this whole time?” she gasped, still reeling.
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