The unwanted wife’s unexpected comeback
Chapter 39

Chapter 39:

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His secretary informed him that Alicia had not been there. Joshua's expression darkened.

Despite the huge scandal, Alice remained remarkably calm.

Still, how long could he maintain his composure?

"Keep a close eye on her. Don't let anyone assist her," Joshua ordered.

After the call, a car drove into the driveway.

The vehicle hadn't even stopped when he rolled down its window. A middle-aged woman with curly hair smiled warmly and called out, "Joshua."

Joshua immediately stepped forward and opened the car door.

"Mother, what do you bring here?" I have asked.

The woman, Shelia Yates – Joshua’s mother – was wearing an elegant, short-sleeved traditional dress. A slight smile lit up her well-groomed face, giving her a radiant appearance.

She held up a bowl of food. “I myself have prepared a nutritious soup for Lilliana.”

Joshua kept a neutral expression. “There's no need for you to go out of your way. Lilliana and I aren't officially married yet. Besides, the Green family has everything she needs.”

He didn't seem bothered by it.

“If I'm nice to Lilliana, she'll be nice to you. “I have nothing to lose.” She looked at him with concern. “You look exhausted, Joshua. Haven’t you had a good rest lately?”

Joshua shrugged it off. “That's just the way it is. Nothing unusual.”

“This is nothing compared to what you had to deal with two years ago,” Shelia commented. “Back then, your father underestimated you. You built everything from scratch, working tirelessly day and night. However, I have never seen you so exhausted.”

Her words left Joshua momentarily dazed.

Two years ago, he had nothing and worked even harder than he does now. But every night he came home, Alicia was there to ease his worries and fatigue.

Despite the increased value Lilliana brought to his life, Joshua did not feel any happier.

He wondered why he lacked the joy he had longed for.

Tired thoughts and tangled memories filled his mind, leaving him even more exhausted.

Joshua couldn't remember the last time a genuine smile crossed his face.

“Come in, Mom. “I have things to do,” he said quietly.

Shelia felt a pang of worry. “Come back soon. I’ve cooked plenty of nutritious soup. “You should have some too.”

Lilliana was courteous to Shelia, her soon-to-be mother-in-law.

However, when she saw the soup, a wave of pregnancy-induced nausea made her wrinkle her nose in disgust.

Shelia watched her strong reaction. “Is something wrong, Lilliana? You don’t like it?” she asked.

Forcing a smile, Lilliana replied, “No, I just ate and I have no appetite. Leave it here. “I’ll drink it later.”

Shelia continued to insist, refusing to let the matter drop. She poured the soup into a bowl and handed it to Lilliana. “Lilliana, I’ve been simmering this for hours. Please try it. It's your first pregnancy and you may not know everything. Don't be picky. Feed your body so the baby grows healthy.”

Irritation welled up inside Lilliana.

Shelia ignored her earlier words and openly mentioned the baby, treating her as a mere vessel for delivery. With a heavier tone, Lilliana pushed the bowl away. “I said I’ll drink it later.”

Shelia stopped dead in her tracks. She was an experienced woman and could tell that Lilliana was angry.

Lilliana had a high status, and Shelia had to bear with it, even if she felt wronged. She gently placed the bowl on the ground. “Alright, remember to ask the maid to heat it up later.”

Lilliana felt no appreciation for Shelia's concern.

Shelia was Joshua's mother, but she came from a humble background. Jerald had an affair during their marriage, impregnating Shelia and bringing her into the family home. It was rumored that Jerald and Shelia had met at a nightclub.

Lilliana closed her eyes. “I'm tired, Shelia. You should go,” she said.

Shelia didn't want to bother her anymore.

"If you want something to eat, just tell me. I can make it for you," I offered.

"No need. I have a maid here," Lilliana replied.

Shelia wondered if Lilliana was subtly insulting her, implying that she was nothing more than a servant. Without another word, Shelia turned around and left.

Later, Joshua came home. He saw the maid take out the food container and empty its contents into the dog's bowl.

I have frowned.

Looking closer, he realized that it was the container Shelia had brought earlier.

The maid seemed surprised to see him and greeted him awkwardly: "Mr. Yates."

Joshua kept a stern expression. “Who told you to give this to the dog?” I have asked.

The maid was afraid that she would blame her. She explained, “Miss Green said that she can't eat greasy food. It would spoil if she left it out…”

Anger took hold of Joshua and he clenched his fists. During the two years of his marriage to Alicia, he had always gone out of his way to cook for Shelia.

Shelia never accepted those gestures, not even once. Now, Lilliana was refusing Shelia's soup, and the pet dog was eating it.

His frustration reached a breaking point and he kicked the dog away.

He pointed to the bowl on the floor. “You drink it,” he ordered.

The maid's eyes widened in horror. She shook her head frankly. "Mr. Yates, I can't!"

“Drink it or you can leave,” he demanded. “Make your choice.”

Feeling humiliated by the treatment she received, the maid decided to complain directly to Lilliana.

Lilliana listened, but showed no interest in the maid's concerns.

She approached Joshua with a smile. “Is something bothering you? You promised when you proposed that you would love me even if I was unreasonable. I didn't like the soup, so I threw it away. Is there something wrong?”

Joshua dropped the cake onto the floor, struggling to control his growing anger.

"My mother put a lot of effort into making that soup," she said.

“It’s just a bowl of soup,” Lilliana replied dismissively. “If you're so worried, I'll have someone buy another one and return it to him.”

Joshua looked at her, feeling his frustration building.

Lilliana's affection for Joshua depends entirely on her mood. When she was happy, she treated him kindly; when she was displeased, she considered him disposable. Her arrogance stemmed from this capricious behavior.

Joshua stared at her, fighting to control the anger rising within him. He reached out and gently touched her cheek.

“Okay,” he said evenly. “If you don't want it, I'll ask my mother not to send you anything again.”

Lilliana felt happy after that.

Shortly afterward, her agent called with some worrying news. “Someone is suppressing the trending topic about Alice,” the agent informed her.

“Who's doing this?” Lilliana asked, annoyance in her voice.

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