A Vengeful Ex-Wife
Chapter 113 No Business

Nestling in James' chest, Maria played with his tie for a while, running her fingers along its length. Then she said softly, in a coaxing tone, "I started a company." James stuck to his guns. "No business, please."

He never mixed business with private affairs. He could give her anything, as long as it had nothing to do with business.

Maria didn't seem to hear him. She continued, "Would you like to acquire Qin Group with me or invest in my company? That's what I want."

It was the unstoppable force against the immovable object. Neither of them would give in. She wanted his investment money.

"I'll let you move into Fairview Villa," the man said, hoping that would prompt her to be more reasonable.

Maria's hand paused in mid-stroke. She said, "I don't need your charity." He couldn't figure out how she felt about that. She would definitely take Fairview Villa away from him, but it shouldn't be his choice. He shouldn't be using it as a bargaining chip, particularly where another woman was involved.

"Don't try my patience!" James never talked a woman into anything before, and he figured he shouldn't have to.

But Maria had been testing his boundaries this whole time. She moved onto his lap, not caring about the driver up front. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, "James..." She stroked his neck gently. "If you give me what I'm asking for, you not only get the tanzanite bracelet, but me, too!"

James closed his eyes. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. But the next second, he grabbed her hand and guided it away from his tie. "Get off me!"

"No way!" She broke free from his grip and pulled him closer, their foreheads touching. "Give me what I want and I promise I won't bother you so much. What do you say?"

Her suggestion was the way too tempting for James, as he found himself losing ground more and more when he was around her.

He opened his sharp eyes and stared at her. Maria knew he was thinking seriously about her suggestion.

So there was a chance. She smiled more brightly and said in a flirty voice, "Of course, I'm just a phone call away. I mean, I have to keep my word and not bug you, right? And it's all for you..."

Maria coaxed him in a soft voice and played at being cute. The man's hard, cold face softened in spite of himself.

"James..." She grabbed his hands and put them on her body. If that didn't work, Maria was ready to give up. The man was unflappable. He was so horrible! He could resist everything she threw at him. When his hands touched her slender waist, James yanked them away and uttered, "I'll invest."

"Great! This is your reward! Muah!" Maria kissed him happily.

James' breath mingled with hers.

Lorenzo sat behind the wheel, alternating between embarrassment and boredom. James finally let go of Maria, and said, "Fifty percent of the shares. I won't interfere with anything else." His voice was thick with lust.

Fifty percent? He was such a jerk! She'd have to create smaller shares to sell. Maria tried to regain her composure. She said, gasping, "I'll manage the company. Twenty percent for you, fifty percent for me, and thirty percent for other shareholders."

"No deal." His cold thin lips fell on her left collarbone.

"Thirty percent." Maria tried to lean away from him.

His silence showed he was unwilling to compromise.

"Thirty-five." Maria offered a new number. She felt she couldn't go any higher.

James kept his silence.

"James!" She was about to blow up.

"It depends on your performance," he finally said.

Maria didn't get it. What did he mean by depending on her performance? What kind of performance?

At last, the black Harkim rolled to a stop at the entrance of Maria's hotel. The man had to carry her out of the car. Her legs were like jelly.

After he got out, he put her on the ground. The woman couldn't even stand up. She was overcome with pleasure.

The man ordered calmly, "Stand up."

Maria wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him, "Let's go in."

James looked down at her. He made a noncommittal noise, and took her arm.

Maria stood up and walked into the hotel arm in arm with James.

After they went inside, Lorenzo waited for James to come out. After half an hour, he was still waiting. He figured what was going on in Maria's suite, so he started the car and took off. Lorenzo's guess was accurate.

Since Maria had worked so hard to reach her dreams, she wouldn't let James off the hook so easily.

The moment they got into her suite, she threw herself into his arms and kissed him.

While sitting in the car, she had teased James almost to the point of release. Now that they were alone, both of them took what they needed from each other.

At half past six the next morning, the sun rose, bathing the world in a pale light. Summer rang Maria's doorbell, two bodyguards flanking her. James opened the door. He just had taken a shower and was wrapped in a bath towel. Summer nodded in greeting. "Good morning, Mr. Xi."

Instead of stepping aside to let them in, he reached out his hand to the bodyguards behind her. "Give them to me."

Summer was startled a second and then got what he meant. She quickly took the clothes from the bodyguards and handed them to James. "Here are your clothes, Mr. Xi."

"Thank you!" He shut the door after saying that. He didn't open the door very far anyway. And Summer had no chance to see how Maria was doing.

Summer decided not to wait round. She walked into the elevator and pressed the button to go downstairs. She would wait for James in his car.

'Maria's been here less than three months. And she got him in bed that quickly? She moves fast! Good job!' She was overjoyed.

Standing in the middle of the room, James looked at the mess on the floor and frowned. There was no cloakroom in Maria's suite, just a closet and dresser. Glancing at the sleeping woman, he wondered how she could stand to stay here this long.

He threw the bath towel aside and could only change his clothes while standing in the room.

Maria had been half-asleep and half-awake all the time. She knew that Summer had been here and that James was changing clothes next to her bed.

Noticing she was awake, James talked to her before he left. "I never changed the passcode to Fairview Villa. If you want it, it's yours."

It was much better than staying in a dinky hotel room like this. No wonder she spent a lot of time in his office or the coffee shop.

He couldn't understand why a person who could afford a coffee shop in the central business district didn't even have a house in the city. It was okay if she chose to stay in a hotel, but why this one? It seemed so cheap and shabby.

That was what prompted him to offer her Fairview Villa.

Maria didn't reply. She smiled with her eyes closed and turned away from him listlessly.

She wasn't that much of a pushover, regardless of what he thought.

The thin quilt slipped from her body, and James saw her snow-white back. His breath caught in his throat, and he fought down his desire. When he regained control, he walked out of the room.

After James got in the car, Summer started the engine and drove towards HL Group. She gave him a status report on the way there.

The car rolled to a stop at the entrance. James took something from his pocket and handed it to Summer. "Give this to Alina when you are free."

Summer took the bracelet from him. "Yes, Mr. Xi."

Initially, she was going to give it to another secretary. She had precious little time, and had at least a couple meetings to attend. But after thinking it over, she decided to take it to her personally. Alina was thinking about calling James about the bracelet. To her surprise, Summer came to her office.

S.