A Vengeful Ex-Wife
Chapter 282 Kindness

Squatting by the bed, Maria peeled James' socks off his feet and helped him put on his slippers. Then, she sat down next to him and looked at him sternly. "James XI, go take a shower! No shower, no bed." After a pause, she changed her mind. "Fine. Don't shower. But you will have to sleep in the other bedroom."

The woman stood up, deciding she'd make the bed in the other bedroom. However, before she could take one step, James grabbed her wrist and yanked her back. In one swift movement, he had pulled her onto the bed.

Before Maria could protest, James was already on top her, pressing his lips roughly against hers.

Everything had happened so fast.

Maria found herself unable to utter a sound at all.

She helplessly watched the man on top of her ravish her body, wondering if this had all been an act. How could a drunk man act so quickly?

His breath reeked of alcohol, causing Maria to suffocate. Finally, she found an opportunity to break away from his grip and gasped for air. Glaring at the man, she shouted, "James Xi, get out and take a shower right this instant!"

"Run some water for me." His voice was surprisingly gentle.

Maria shivered, pushed him away once more and scuttled off to the bathroom.

As she ran hot water in the bathtub, Maria reflected on what just happened. Gritting her teeth, she seethed with rage. What had she done to deserve this?

She rolled her eyes in exasperation. There was nothing she could do about it now, except deal with it. She turned around to fetch James, only to replace him standing behind her. She screamed in surprise. Apparently, James had quietly entered the bathroom without her noticing.

Clutching her chest in shock, Maria tried to calm herself down. "James Xi, leave! Hurry up!" If he was going to stay longer, she would lose her temper and beat him up.

However, the man remained motionless. After a while, he slowly staggered towards her.

Maybe he really was drunk. His eyes shone as he approached her, and there was even a smile on his face.

Once he'd finally come close enough, he loomed over Maria, breathing heavily.

Maria stepped back and looked at him warily. "What do you want? Are you trying to hit on me?"

He took another step forward in response. Maria took another step back and felt the cool surface of the tiled wall behind her. She was cornered, sandwiched between the wall and the tall man in front of her. He raised his hand to touch her, but he accidentally brushed the switch to the showerhead.

The cold water instantly spurted forth, drenching his suit jacket.

Maria reached out to turn off the shower and frowned at his wet clothes in disdain. "Look at you, you've wet all your clothes! I don't have any of your clothes here. I guess you're going to have to leave here naked!"

Maria helped him remove his sopping wet coat and placed it on the bathroom counter. Then, her slender fingers reached up to loosen his tie as though it was second nature to her.

"Stop squirming," she hissed. "If you keep moving, I'll leave you to unbutton your shirt yourself!"

Heedless of her warning, James slipped his arms around the woman's waist and pulled her close to him, resting his chin on her shoulder.

Just as she was about to snap at him, the man whispered her name into her ear. "Maria..."

Maria's heart began to race.

This man had only been this affectionate with her in bed.

Maria sighed. Even if he was drunk, he still managed to make her heart flutter.

A hush had fallen over the bathroom, save for the sound of running water.

James moved his head slightly, only to plant his lips on her neck. "Did you miss me?" he asked.

Maria closed her eyes slowly, allowing her to feel the warmth of his lips against her skin. "Hmm..." It was true. She had missed him.

The sound she made reminded James of the child in his grandparents' home. He started to chuckle. "You sound just like the fish, Bob!"

'Bob?' At the mention of her son's name, Maria snapped to her senses. Her eyes popped wide open and she shoved the man away. "James Xi, if you want to sleep with me, then dream on!" The sensual atmosphere in the bathroom evaporated in an instant.

Frustrated, James leaned against the wall and looked at the woman who was glaring at him.

"I'll drive you home once you're done showering." After saying that, she went and turned off the tap above the bathtub, then hurried out of the bathroom.

This time, James didn't follow her out. He finally obeyed her and took a shower.

When he came out, Maria had already changed into proper clothes, ready to take him home. She stood in the center of the bedroom and looked at him expressionlessly. "Okay, let's go." James looked down at his stark naked body, save for a bath towel wrapped around his waist. "I can't go out like this."

"Don't worry, it'll be fine. It's late at night, I can guarantee no one will see you."

His expression darkened. "You really want me to go out like this?" The bath towel was dangerously low, clinging to his wet body for dear life.

"Yes, I've made up my mind. Mr. Xi, since you are so hell-bent on taking down an insignificant company, I don't want to have anything to do with you. If the worse comes to worst, the company will be shut down and I'll quit." If that did happen, Maria was determined to open another company, and another, and another, until James lost interest in her completely.

She was determined to become completely independent, relying only on herself. After she became rich and powerful, she might be able to defeat James.

""Shut down'?" The man turned over these two words in his mind.

"Yes!"

James' jaw clenched. 'This woman needs to be taught a lesson.'

He strode over to her and pulled her into his arms. Ignoring her struggle, he allowed the bath towel around his waist to drop to the floor, then he took her to the bed. "James Xi, how dare you?"

"I'm already here. There's no use resisting." He looked down at the woman who was burning with anger. However, he was even angrier.

What grinded his gears was that she kept pushing him away.

"Stop it!" She was angry at the thought that he had snatched her company's projects. Why should she let him sleep with her?

She already had plans. She was going to take Bob away and remarry another man, letting James' son call another man his father.

"It's not up to you!" A year ago, James had agreed to part with her temporarily, not forever. Now Maria was right in front of him. If he didn't sleep with her, wouldn't he fail Summer's kindness?

Maria glared at the man on top of her, at a loss for words. It never occurred to her that James would force her. 'Jackass!'

The moon hung low in the sky, shrouded in clouds. The two spent the night tangled in bed, doing anything but sleep.

The following morning, the apartment's doorbell rang. James got up and answered the door. He was wearing only the bath towel from the night before around his waist. The assistant, who had come to pick up James and deliver some clothes, was extremely flustered to see his boss's chiseled physique.

Stammering, he handed some bags to James. "Good morning, Mr. Xi. Here are your clothes and breakfast." "Okay, I'll be downstairs right away."

"Okay, Mr. Xi."

He then closed the door. Maria was still sound asleep in the bedroom.

Without waking her up, James got dressed, set up breakfast in the kitchen, then left.

Later that morning, Maria woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. She answered the phone in a daze. "Yes, Peggy?"

"Maria, did you just wake up? Everyone is waiting for you to start the meeting!"

"What time is it now?" Maria bolted out of bed with disheveled hair.