A Vengeful Ex-Wife
Chapter 290 Her Mother-in-law

Maria's jaw hung open. She understood what James was trying to imply. "I never knew you were here to begin with, so I walked in by myself."

"In any case, the fact remains that you entered this room. Now that you're here, you might as well take a shower. We'd better get to bed early." James took off his coat and loosened his tie.

Maria didn't want to give in so easily, but there wasn't much else she could do. Cooper had effectively sealed her inside with this man, and she knew he wasn't going to open the door anytime soon. She looked at the stain on her clothes and stomped into the bathroom in a huff.

She had slept with James many times before anyway, so it wasn't as if she had anything to be afraid of at this point.

She was in the process of taking off her ruined sweater when the bathroom door suddenly opened and James sauntered inside.

Maria gaped at him with wide, alarmed eyes. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, resisting the urge to throw her sweater at his face.

"I'm taking a shower."

"Can't you see that I'm in here, about to do my own business?" "Of course. Just soak in the bath, and I'll take the shower. It should be fine."

Maria took a deep, fortifying breath. The bathroom was indeed large, accommodating both a bath tub and a shower room on top of other necessary faculties.

Still, James was acting like an incorrigible rascal! She glared at him with contempt. "I don't want to take a bath, I want a shower! Now, get out!" "Well, we can just take a shower together."

Maria sputtered, her eyes wide with outrage. "James Xi, are you forgetting what you said a year ago?" she asked slowly through gritted teeth.

"I say a lot of words; what are you referring to, exactly?"

"Before we broke up, you told me I would have a hard time coming back to you. It seems to me, however, that the total opposite is happening at the present. Why do I feel you're actually trying to cling to me?" James' expression remained unaffected as he discarded the last of his clothing. "Just take it as me clinging to you then!"

Maria had nothing to reply to that. They hadn't seen each other for a considerable amount of time, and it appeared that James' capacity to be shameless had grown exponentially over that period.

He stepped into the shower room and turned on the knob, then unceremoniously pulled her inside. Jets of warm water washed over them, soaking their bodies completely.

"Are you insane?" Maria asked, shivering slightly.

"You can just take that I'm insane, too."

This was getting ridiculous. He was brushing her remarks off so casually, she wanted to beat him to death right there and then.

"You and your brother likely planned this and set me up," she muttered under her breath and flung her now wet clothes aside. All things considered, it was much too suspicious how Cooper had suddenly spilled the wine on her just as James had decided to stay in the villa for the night.

"Oh please," James scoffed. "I'm not that bored." He didn't know if Cooper was that bored, though.

Maria had resigned herself to having to take a shower with him, but she discovered too late that she had thought too highly of the bastard.

She had raised her head to wet her face, but before she could open her eyes, a warm mouth cover her lips.

Her eyes shot wide open then, unheeding of the water streaming down her head, and she gave James a piercing glare.

How many times did this make? Twice! This was the second time he had forced himself on her after her return to town.

Maria became sullen. Even if she was reluctant, she couldn't bring herself to protest. This man had the ability to tame her.

The next morning, Maria woke up to hear that breakfast was ready downstairs. James had personally asked her to dine with him, and handed her a set of new clothes.

Moments later, she was seated for breakfast with her chin cupped in her hands as she stared at the Xi brothers across the table. There was some enjoyment to be derived from watching two handsome men eating well.

Noticing her gaze, James frowned and asked, "Maria, do you have a death wish?" Not that he cared that she ogled him, but her eyes was also glued on Cooper's face from time to time. Maria snorted. "Maybe I do. Why, would you like to give me a ride?"

"Why not? We might as well do it right here, right now." James' tone was thick and heavy with innuendo, causing Cooper to cough in surprise. 'What the hell is this?' he grumbled to himself. He never signed up to be the audience to their lewd displays of affection. "Stop! James, please. I want to eat my meal in peace."

Maria shot James one last glare before concentrating on her own breakfast.

When they finished eating, Cooper walked to Maria and pressed something against her palm. "It's for you. I didn't have a chance to give it to you yesterday."

She looked down to see the sky blue bracelet sitting on her hand. "The turquoise?"

"Yeah. The turquoise represents victory. You can say it's the stone of success." And to him, Maria had indeed gone a long way in succeeding her goals.

Unnoticed by both Maria and Cooper, jealousy hung heavy in the air around them. "Cooper," James interjected with a scowl. "How come I'm not getting any gift?"

Cooper threw up his hands and looked at his brother in exasperation. "You don't wear a bracelet, do you?" He had bought two bracelets and sent them both out already. Even if James asked him for it, he had

none.

James said nothing, no longer in the mood for conversation. Without warning, he grabbed Maria's hand. "Let's go," he muttered in a grumpy voice.

Maria hurriedly waved at Cooper. "I'll call you again when I'm free. We're leaving now, bye."

"Bye, drive safely."

They walked to the Harkim and Maria settled in the passenger seat. She didn't want to talk to James, so she pretended to do something important on her phone throughout the drive.

But when a pharmacy came to view, she suddenly perked up. "Hang on a second!" They hadn't used any contraceptives last night.

James pulled over before turning to her in confusion. "What's wrong?"

Maria ignored him and got out of the car.

When he saw her sprint toward the pharmacy, James realized what she was up to. His face instantly darkened.

When Maria came back, she was holding a box of birth control pills. She opened a bottle of water and swallowed a pill in front of him.

James' hands instinctively clenched around the steering wheel. "Maria Song!"

"Why, what's wrong?" she asked, a curious look on her face.

He gritted his teeth. Without another word, James started the engine and the car was soon speeding into the road.

They separated once they got back downtown. Maria thanked him when he dropped her off. Then she walked into her company without a backward glance.

Unbeknownst to her, he didn't drive away immediately after she disappeared inside.

Instead, he turned off the engine, rolled down the window, and lit a cigarette. James sat there, looking at this tiny, weak business bearing the name DS Group, lost in his thoughts.

He wondered if he should just take over the company and lay his claim on her.

At Miracle Cafe

A lady entered the cafe, and Kent greeted her

cheerfully.

Her long, black hair was coiled on the top of her head, and her face was delicately made up. She wore mauve red on her lips. The woman was sporting a black overcoat and an expensive handbag hanging by her wrist.

Kent approached her and she said lightly, "Please take me to the private room booked by James Xi."

Kent had been in a daze since he had laid eyes on her face, but her voice instantly jolted him back to his senses. "Ah, yes. Of course, Ms. Zhong. This way, please."

"Do you know me?" That piqued Gabriela's interest. After all, she had seldom appeared in public in recent years.

Kent smiled. "I was lucky enough to meet you at the Shen family's banquet two years ago."

Gabriela nodded slightly and said nothing more, and he guided her to a private room.

Kent returned to the bar counter and leaned close to Maria, who was in the middle of making some coffee. "Your mother-in-law is here. Have you seen her yet?"

'My mother-in-law?' Maria was confused. "What is Judy doing here? More importantly, she's not my mother-in-law anymore."

"No, not her. Your real mother-in-law, you're husband's biological mother." Kent's family used to be rich, and he knew a handful of important figures in the society.

Maria looked stunned as well. "You mean Gabriela Zhong is here?" She had never seen her biological mother-in-law before, much less met her. Gabriela hadn't shown up at her and James' wedding either. That woman was quite an enigma.

"That's right, and she ordered a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Why don't you go and bring it to her yourself?"

Maria hesitated for a moment, but she finally prepared a cup of the beverage and walked toward the private room.

She knocked on the door and walked inside.