chapter1496

He even waved over a waiter and casually ordered a few dishes.

Seeing Stella and Joshua still watching him, Leonard raised an eyebrow. "Is there anything else?"

Stella was the first to look away.

Joshua stopped paying attention to him as well and sat down opposite Stella.

His gaze was locked on Stella. "Star, what did Leonard say to you?"

Although Joshua's expression was as calm as usual, Stella had known him long enough to sense an undercurrent of tension.

Stella said, "Apparently Aurora was beaten up. Leonard thinks I did it and probably came to settle the score."

Joshua's dark eyes narrowed slightly. "Star, he came all this way to find you... just to say that?"

Leonard was acting strange today, but now Joshua... seemed a bit strange too.

Stella nodded lightly and asked, "Joshua, what's wrong with you? Is something amiss?"

Joshua lowered his gaze, his voice soft. "No."

But Stella was no longer as easily fooled as she once was. She asked quietly, "Joshua, are you hiding something from me?"

Joshua replied in a playful tone, "Plenty of things. Which one would you like to know?"

Stella smiled and played along. "If I ask, will you really tell me?"

Joshua said, "Yes. If you ask, I'll tell you everything without reservation."

Stella knew that Joshua's identity was complex and that he had many secrets. She opened her mouth, but in the end, she didn't ask. If he hadn't told her, it was because he didn't want to. Why force someone to say something they weren't ready to? C ntent

Stella smiled. "The food is here. Let's eat first."

Joshua seemed to want to say more, but he ultimately remained silent.

The meal was not a relaxing one. Leonard was sitting just a short distance away, and although Joshua was there as a buffer, Stella couldn't shake the feeling that Leonard might suddenly stand up and starto shooting at

em. He and Aurora had suffered such a major defeat at their hands; he must have hated

shooting at them ont

them to the bone by now.

After leaving the restaurant, Joshua suddenly said, "Star, don't you think... Leonard has been very strange lately?"

Stella glanced back toward the restaurant. "He has been a bit strange... but I can't quite put my finger on it. Then again, he's always been a bit crazy and weird."

Joshua said thoughtfully, "If he really

wanted to get revenge for Aurora,

would he have come to you and

asked if you'd beaten her up? With Leonard's personality, it would be more direct to just kidnap you. Besides, by coming to you and asking you outright, he's just putting you on your guard. It makes it harder for him to make a move."

After Joshua's analysis, Stella realized he had a point.

"Then what on earth did Leonard come here for?" she asked.

Joshua's gaze was deep and cold. "He was either making pointless small talk or he was trying to find something out."

Stella said, "But I don't think I have anything worth finding out, do I?"

As she said this, her voice trailed off. A thought suddenly struck her: she might not have anything worth investigating, but what about Joshua?

Joshua's identity was a mystery; even the Williams family couldn't find any information on him. Could Leonard be trying to get something out of her?

At this thought, Stella stole a glance at Joshua out of the corner of her eye. He didn't notice her gaze; he was lost in thought.