Joshua and Xylia spent the whole day being all lovey–dovey together.


    The next day.


    <b>58 </b>


    20 vouchers


    After Joshua dropped Xylia off at her studio, he made a rare appearance at Garcia Group himself.


    Aaron barely looked up when his son walked into the office, his expression calm and indifferent.


    “Did you dismiss Noelle?”


    Joshua stepped up to the desk, meeting his father’s gaze.


    “You couldn’t do it yourself, so I took care of it for you. Is that an issue?”


    “Not at all.”


    He pulled up a chair and sat down across from Aaron, leaning backzily.


    Joshua lounged in the seat, his roguishly handsome face and trademarkzy, flirtatious gaze making him look utterly unconcerned.


    “I just didn’t expect you to handle it like that. Aren’t you worried Eliza will be upset?”


    Aaron didn’t look up from the papers on his desk as he replied.


    “What about you? Are you upset?”


    Joshua replied, “Why would I be?“-though inside, he couldn’t help but wonder what his father was getting at.


    “She’s Nelson’s sister.”


    Joshua fell silent, his thoughts spinning.


    The curve of his lips stayed the same, but theughter in his eyes quietly faded–he thought, ‘No matter what, I can’t really me her


    Nelson had literally traded his life for Joshua’s. Just for that, Joshua knew he couldn’t ever really lose his patience with Noelle.


    “If Nelson found out his little sister tried to frame someone out of jealousy, he’d be the first to give her a beating,” Joshua remarked, finally getting serious.


    After saying that, he dropped his usual carefree act and sat up straight.


    “Anyway, let’s not talk about this. I’ve got something important to discuss.”


    “I already know about Dexter,” Aaron said, still buried in his documents.


    <b>13:04 </b>Mon, Sep 22


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    <b>20 </b>vouchers


    Joshua often thought, ‘Dad may look like he’s just living it up behind the scenes, but really, he’s like some emperor from the old days–nothing ever gets past him.‘”


    “That’s all you need to know,” Joshua shrugged.


    He’d really juste by for a quick heads–up. “Taking care of Dexter is gonna take a while. After that, I’m gonna spend some serious time trying to steal your future daughter–inw back home. Thepany’s all yours for the next couple of years.”


    Aaron’s brow twitched in surprise, and he finally looked up from his paperwork to actually meet Joshua’s


    gaze.


    “Your mother and I were nning on traveling abroad next year,” he mentioned.


    “Push it to three yearster. So, do you want that vacation, or do you want your son actually hitched?” Joshua teased, totally unfazed.


    Joshua never felt he was asking too much from his parents–heid it out like it was the most normal thing


    ever.


    Aaron clenched the paperwork so hard, it looked like he was about to shred it into confetti.


    Joshua shot his dad a nonchnt look, then got up and strolled toward the door.


    “I’m gonna check in with Eliza and see which one she thinks matters more,” he said with an easy shrug.


    Joshua was just about to reach the doorway.


    Aaron closed his eyes for a moment, as if silently telling himself, ‘Can’t smack my own kid…‘


    Just as Joshua was about to reach the door, Aaron called after him.


    “Hold up,” he said.


    Joshua stopped and nced back, his eyes shing that unmistakable ‘I knew it‘ look.


    Joshua thought, ‘Knew it. Dad never lets me off that easy!‘


    “One year. That’s all I’m willing to give you. You’reing back to work after that,” Aaron said, his voice firm.


    “Two years. Not a day less,” Joshua shot back, just as stubborn.


    Aaron frowned. “One and a half years.”


    “Two years,” Joshua repeated, his tone unwavering.


    One was sitting, the other standing–neither willing to back down.


    An awkward chill hung in the air between them.


    After a silent battle of wills, Aaron finally admitted defeat.


    13:04 Mon<b>, </b>Sep <b>22 </b>


    He could only pinch the bridge of his nose, helplessly.


    (58)!


    EX 20 vouchers


    “Fine, I’ll keep an eye on Garcia Group for two years. But you can’t just ghost everyone–you’ve gotta show up for the key executive meetings, or else no one’s going to remember your face when youe back,” Aaron relented, half resigned, half stern.


    “Dad, you dumped the wholepany on me when I was eighteen. I’ve been holding it down for nine years. Two years off isn’t enough for them to forget who I am,” Joshua shot back, grinning.


    Aaron saw just how determined Joshua was to ditch all responsibility, and honestly, his hands were itching to give his kid a smack or two.


    ‘Man, I could really go for punching this brat in the face,‘ Aaron thought to himself.


    “Whatever, have it your way. Next month, I’m out on a business trip, so the whole Jennings family birthday celebration is yours to handle,” Aaron said, sending a pointed look at Joshua. “Don’t tell me you’re gonna ke on that too?”


    He kept his face nk, but his eyes made it crystal clear–Joshua refused, Aaron was definitely ready to dish out some fatherly discipline.


    Joshua didn’t reply. He just turned, waved a hand at Aaron, and headed for the door.


    “Thepany’s all yours for the next two years,” Joshua said with a grin.


    Once Joshua waspletely out of the office, Aaron let out a long, exasperated sigh.


    “That little brat,” he muttered under his breath.


    Meanwhile, Xylia ran her first draft by Beatrice for approval.


    Beatrice loved it, so Xylia got straight to work on the final version.


    She was still in the middle of a work talk with Josie when her phone rang.


    Spotting an unfamiliar number, Xylia instantly assumed it was someone calling about a new order.


    She answered, and Noelle’s voice immediately came through on the other end.


    “Xylia, you won,” Noelle said.


    It took Xylia a moment to realize whose voice it was.


    She frowned. “Noelle?”


    “Xylia, don’t get toofortable just because Joshua’s with you now. The way he treated me—just wait, someday he’ll do it to you too,” Noelle said, her voice shaky with barely hidden jealousy.


    Xylia honestly had no clue what Joshua had actually done to Noelle.


    <b>20 </b>vouchers


    But Noelle didn’t sound truly hurt–just kind of shaky–so Xylia figured, ‘She must be fine physically, at least.


    “What did he do to you?” Xylia asked.


    “You wanna know?” Noelle sneered. “Thene see me–I’ll send you the address<b>.</b><b>” </b>


    “I’m busy,” Xylia replied, her tone cool.


    She really didn’t have the time or patience to deal with Noelle’s drama.


    Noelle, catching on that Xylia was about to hang up, hurriedly blurted out, “Xylia, my brother died for Joshua already. What, you want me to do the same? If I die, he’ll remember me forever. Hahaha…”


    By the end, Noelle just soundedpletely out of it—like she’d totally lost her mind.


    Xylia’s brows knitted together even tighter.


    Noelle seemed really shaken up, like something had seriously messed with her head. Her whole vibe was just off.


    ‘If she actually does something crazy, it’ll be a disaster for Joshua,’ Xylia thought, worry gnawing at her.


    “Alright, send me the address. I’lle see you soon,” Xylia said, keeping her voice steady.


    As soon as Xylia finished speaking, the line went dead.


    Less than two secondster, she got a text with an address.


    Seeing the serious look on Xylia’s face, Josie asked with concern, “Is something wrong?”


    “It’s urgent. Can you take care of the rest for me? I need to head out,” Xylia said, already scooping up her things in a hurry.


    Before Josie could even reply, Xylia was already out the door.


    Noticing the worry etched all over Xylia’s face, Josie hesitated, then decided to shoot Joshua a quick text–just in <b>case</b>.


    She had no idea what was going down, but that Noelle girl? Yeah, Josie had definitely heard her name before.


    Ten minutester, Xylia arrived at the address Noelle had sent her.


    It was <b>a </b>coffee shop.


    When Xylia walked in, Noelle was nowhere to be seen.


    Just as Xylia was about to call Noelle, her phone buzzed with a text.


    [Come upstairs.]


    13.04 Mon, Sep <b>22 </b>


    Looks like she really might do something crazy, Xylia thought, anxiety tightening in her chest.


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    Xylia didn’t hesitate–she asked the barista for directions to the rooftop, and once she knew the way, headed straight for the stairs.


    But as soon as she stepped onto the stairs, she stopped in her tracks.


    ‘This doesn’t feel right, she thought.


    If Noelle wanted to hurt herself just because of Joshua, why get Xylia involved? Wouldn’t she just try to threaten Joshua directly?


    ‘Or is Noelle really nning to end it all—and trying to set me up for it?‘ Xylia thought, suspicion rising.


    When she’d asked about the rooftop, the barista pointed her straight there without missing a beat.


    His tone waspletely nonchnt, and he spoke fast, not seeming to care at all.


    Almost like he’d been waiting for her to ask.


    Xylia stopped in her tracks, suddenly on high alert.


    Xylia shot a look at the barista, then at the customers scattered around the shop.


    All of them were staring back at her, with that glint in their eyes like they’d just trapped their


    prey.


    AD