chapter1356

Joshua wanted to see what game Leonard was playing, so he didn't refuse the invitation.

Since Leonard's car was wrecked, he and Aurora rode with Joshua and Stella to the restaurant. Stella sat in the passenger seat, occasionally glancing at the two in the rearview mirror. The absurdity of sharing a car with her sworn enemies on the way to lunch was not lost on her.

Neither Leonard nor Aurora were talkative, and the ride was mostly silent, broken only by a few brief exchanges. The presence of the other two made Stella uncomfortable, so she didn't speak either.

The restaurant, a suggestion from Aurora, was perched on a cliffside, offering an elegant atmosphere and a panoramic view of the city. Given the company, the quality of the food was hardly a priority. No one ed, so they began the drive up the mountain.

Halfway there, the sky opened up and a heavy rain began to fall. The road to the cliffside restaurant was poorly maintained and the ride became increasingly bumpy. After a while, the car came to a sudden, lurching stop.

"What's wrong?" Stella asked Joshua.

"I think we have a flat tire," he said.

The rain was pouring down now, and a chill had crept into the air from the surrounding forest. Joshua took off his jacket and draped it over Stella's shoulders. "Wait here. I'll go check."

"The rain is too heavy," Stella said. "We should just call for someone to come get us."

"We're in a remote area, and with this storm, it could take hours for anyone to arrive," Joshua replied. "If it's just a flat, I can change it in ten minutes." He glanced at her thin clothes. "Stay in the car. I don't want you catching a cold."

Among the four of them, only Joshua was the "bodyguard," so naturally, the dirty work fell to him. He grabbed a folding umbrella from the glove compartment, opened it, and stepped out into the downpour.

From the back seat, Aurora watched with a thoughtful expression. Many people in her circle knew that

Joshua was the head of the Gardner family yet Stella seemed completely oblivious. It wasn't that Stellawas unobservant; Joshua was just that good at playing his part He had no trouble shedding the pride and arrogance of a family patriarch. He was, without a doubt, a competent bodyguard, fulfilling his duties without complaint even in a torrential downpour.

Joshua's figure was quickly swallowed by the rain. After confirming the tire was indeed flat he was about to get the spare from the trunk when a car door opened behind him. Stella emerged, bolding a large black umbrella. Even with it, the relentless rain spattered her face and clothes, carrying a biting chill.

Joshua frowned. "Star, what are you doing out here?"

"It's hard to change a tire by yourself. I'll hold the umbrella for you," she said. "Don't worry about it. We're not far from the restaurant. I'll just take a hot shower and change when we get there. Go back to the car before you get sick."

But Stella didn't listen. She walked to his side. "Come on, let's get the spare tire." Through the rain-streaked window, Leonard watched them.

The storm muffled their voices, but he didn't need to hear the words to know what they were saying. A cold, sarcastic smile touched his lips. He thought Stella was being foolish. Changing a tire was a man's job; what could she possibly do besides hold an umbrella?

And yet, his mind drifted back to a similar rainy day, long before he became the family head. He had come across Aurora, stranded with a broken-down car.

He'd offered her a ride, but she had refused. They didn't know each other well then, and he understood her caution. So, instead of insisting, he got out and started fixing her car. It took him about half an hour in the pouring, cold rain. He remembered getting sick afterward, but at the time, he had been happy. He was thrilled to have helped the woman he admired and never once thought it was wrong for her to wait comfortably in her car. But now, watching Stella hold an umbrella for Joshua, he couldn't help but wonder: couldn't Aurora have done the same for him?