Xylia filled Joshua in on everything that had just happened.
Joshua was clearly annoyed. Seriously? Why would he call her sister?
“Sister? He really called you ‘sister?” Joshua blurted out.
Xylia couldn’t help but roll her eyes at Joshua’s odd reaction. ‘Is that really what he’s hung up on right now?
Xylia rolled her eyes at him. “Seriously, that’s what you’re focusing on right now?”
“Why wouldn’t it be? You’re supposed to be my sister–and only mine!” Joshua retorted, sounding both possessive and childish.
He was being so bossy and immature.
Xylia just gave him a look, totally speechless.
After sulking for a while, Xylia finally deted with a sigh. “What are we supposed to do about this? I can’t just take someone else’s stuff for free… I really need to pay him back somehow, don’t I?”
Except… she didn’t even know who the guy actually was.
Joshua took the box from her and opened it. Inside was a pink diamond.
Its color was absolutely gorgeous, and it looked exceptionally rare.
He snapped the box shut and grabbed Xylia’s hand, pulling her back into the auction hall.
They found a staff member and headed straight to the security room to check the surveince footage. <fn008a> ???? ????s? ???????s ?? fι?dnοvel</fn008a>
“That’s Ethan Hayes, the youngest in the Hayes family,” Joshua said.
Xylia turned to him, surprised. “You know him?”
Joshua nodded. “Yeah–the guy I was just talking to? He’s Ethan’s uncle.”
‘Figures, it’s all people we know, Xylia thought.
Xylia squeezed Joshua’s hand, sounding anxious. “Hurry up and get in touch with his uncle–let’s pay him
back.”
No way was she returning the diamond. Since Ethan didn’t want it anymore, she’d just buy it off him. At least this way it wouldn’t end up getting thrown away.
Joshua nodded, agreeing with her n.
Xylia’s eyes suddenly lit up with an idea, and she tugged on Joshua’s sleeve.
必
“I’m tapped out, so you’ll have to handle the payment. Just send Ethan fifty million,” she said.
Joshua raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. “Wait, even with the auction markup, this diamond isn’t worth that much, is it?”
“He went all in for love and jacked up the price, trying to surprise his girlfriend–only for her to break up with him as soon as the auction ended. So now he’s selling it to me instead, Xylia exined.
‘Girlfriend?‘ Joshua thought, even more confused.
Rumor had it. Ethan wasn’t even into women.
But honestly, Joshua couldn’t care less about other people’s private lives.
Still, he couldn’t help but suspect Ethan had seen how badly Xylia wanted that pink diamond and deliberately hiked up the price–just to have some fun at her expense.
Still, he agreed to Xylia’s request.
As he watched her struggling with a huge bag full of stuff, he couldn’t help but ask. “What did you even buy?”
“Gifts for my brothers,” Xylia replied.
Xylia thought about it–she’d never really gotten gifts for her brothers when she moved back in with the Sadler family. This was her chance to make up for it.
She’d spotted some goodies at the auction that just felt right, so she grabbed them as a little something for her brothers–just her way of showing she cared.
Joshua eyed the pile of shopping bags with a slight frown.
“So where’s mine?” he pouted.
‘Seriously, she’s got gifts for everyone but me?‘ Joshua thought, feeling a bit left out.
Xylia caught him throwing a mini tantrum and couldn’t help but chuckle. ‘He’s way too adorable like this. So she decided to mess with him a little, just for fun.
“Nope, nothing for you! These are just for my brothers,” Xylia said with a mischievous grin, purposely teasing
him.
Joshua’s pout deepened, clearly not amused.
‘So she buys something for everyone but me? Guess I’m not even on her mind… he grumbled inwardly, feeling that ssic boyfriend–left–out frustration.
But then Joshua remembered that Xylia had personally made clothes for him–none of her brothers had gotten something like that. That made him feel a whole lot better.
‘Hah! My gift was made by Xylia herself. Her brothers just got stuff she bought with money. Honestly, a handmade gift shows way more love than something you just pick up at the store,‘ he thought, feeling secretly
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proud.
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‘No need to evenpare–something crafted with heart trumps anything bought with cash, hands down Joshua told himself, smug satisfaction blooming in his chest.
With that thought, his mood instantly flipped from cloudy to sunny.
Joshua was totally capable of hyping himself up–no help needed.
Xylia nced at him, watching his face go from sulky, to pale, to bright red, and finally settling on a look of breezy self–satisfaction.
She wasn’t sure what was running through his head, <b>but </b>judging by his grin, he’d clearly moved on and wanne bothered anymore.
Xylia hid a knowing smile, choosing not to let on just yet that the pink diamond was actually meant <i>for </i>him. ‘Let him stew a while longer–it’ll be fun to see his reaction, she thought.
She’d hold onto the secret for now and blow his mindter–handing him both the diamond and the custom clothes she made, all in one epic moment.
After leaving the auction, they headed straight for Garcia Vi.
They’d promised Noelle they’d be home for dinner, but Xylia had no idea what kind of antics the Garcia family’s resident troublemaker had nned for them.
Still, Xylia was in a good mood, and now she was actually looking forward to it.
An hourter, they pulled up to Garcia Vi.
Noelle heard the car engine outside and immediately knew Joshua was back.
She quickly set down thest dish on the table and practically skipped over to the door.
But the moment she caught sight of Joshua crouching down to swap out Xylia’s slippers, her grin froze- straight–up jealous vibes radiating off her.
‘Damn it, Xylia!‘ Noelle cursed silently.
Xylia caught Noelle staring from the living room out of the corner of her eye.
She got a mischievous idea.
As Joshua finished helping her change into slippers and started to get up, Xylia suddenly leaned in, grabbed his cheeks, and stole a kiss right on his lips.
“Now, isn’t my Joshua just the best hubby material!” she gushed,ying it on thick.
Joshua blinked, not sure what had gotten into Xylia–this kind of bold move totally threw him off. But hey, he was loving every second of it.
<b>8:10 </b><b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>30 </b>
<b>“</b>You know it<b>!</b>” Joshua shot back, all smug.
Then, not missing a beat, he took Xylia’s hand and leaned in, determined to steal a kiss right back.
Xylia didn’t shy away–not even a little.
But Noelle jumped in, unable to hold back any longer. She called out loudly, ying her angle, “Joshua, you guys just got back?”
Joshua was about to kiss Xylia, lips barely an inch away, but Noelle’s shout interrupted him mid–move, leaving him hanging.
His face justpletely copsed.
Xylia watched Joshua’s instant meltdown–his expression did a total 180–and honestly, she couldn’t help bur find it hrious.
Xylia lowered her head with augh and squeezed Joshua’s hand.
“Come on, let’s see what our troublemaking chef has cooked up for us,” Xylia said, purposely teasing since she knew Noelle could hear them.
As soon as Xylia stepped inside the vi, the delicious smell of dinner hit her.
Between Noelle’s cheery phone invitation and the apron she was wearing, it was pretty obvious she’d made the whole meal herself.
Joshua still couldn’t quite get used to Xylia calling Noelle “little sister,” but he bit his tongue and let her lead him into the dining room.
He didn’t say a word, just let Xylia pull him along to the dining room.
The table was piled high with dishes–meats, greens, you name it. Everything looked mouthwatering and smelled incredible.
“Well, who knew our little troublemaker could cook up a spread like this?” Xylia teased, throwing Noelle a yfulpliment.
Xylia threw Noelle a yfulpliment.
Too bad Noelle found all this “little sister” talk utterly gross.
She shot Xylia a pointed look and muttered, “You and Joshua aren’t even married yet, so quit calling me that,”
“Well, we’re definitely tying the knot sooner orter–better get used to it now,” Xylia replied,pletely unfazed.
Xylia didn’t care whether Noelle was annoyed or not; she just grabbed Joshua and sat down <b>with </b>him.
Xyliadled out a bowl of soup for Joshua, shing Noelle a sugary smile, <b>“</b><b>Here</b><b>, </b>have some<b>–</b><b>this </b>chicken broth looks absolutely delicious. Who knows how long our sweet little <b>sister </b>ved <b>away </b>at <b>it</b><b>? </b>She <b>really </b>went
8:10 Tue, Sep <b>30 </b>
all out for us!” she chirped, making sure Noelle heard every word.
(100)
50 <b>vouchers </b>
Noelle felt like she was one little sister‘ away frompletely losing it. ‘If she calls me that one more time. I’m going to lose my mind, she fumed inwardly.
She clenched her fists and swallowed her frustration, then spun around and marched straight to the wine cab. ‘Better get a drink before I say something I’ll regret.
Joshua turned to Xylia with a grin.
“Are you getting revenge for me?” he teased, voice low.
She’d promised to help him get even before, and clearly she’d remembered.
Joshua was genuinely touched–and over the moon.
Xylia just shook her head, grinning. “Nope. I just thought it’d be funny, that’s all.”
Joshua’s smile went stiff. He shot her some real betrayed puppy eyes.
Xylia acted like she didn’t see it, stifling a giggle as she just grabbed a chunk of slow–braised BBQ pork belly and dug in.
Not gonna lie, Noelle actually knew her way around the kitchen.
Noelle swept back in with two bottles of wine in hand.
By the time she returned to Joshua and Xylia, she looked like she’d gotten her emotions under control–her smile was sweeter than ever, and there wasn’t a hint of her earlier irritation left.
“Joshua, Xylia, since I’m leaving tomorrow, how about a farewell toast?” she called out brightly.
Xylia blinked, genuinely puzzled. “You’re just heading to Norhill. We’ll be going over there ourselves soon too, so what’s with the drama?”
Noelle seriously wanted to shut Xylia up right then and there.
AD
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8:10 Tue, <b>Sep </b>30