A Vengeful Ex-Wife
Chapter 354 The Civil Affairs Bureau

"Mrs. Zheng has no idea that Sean is our man. He has successfully joined the foundation," said Gary.

"Well, tell him to investigate Mrs. Zheng's fraudulent donations. It would benefit us greatly if he manages to replace some evidence," James instructed. "Understood, sir."

James ended the call and was about to put away his phone when Maria's hand shot out to stop him.

He looked down at her, his eyes clouded with confusion.

Maria took his phone and pressed a button. The screen lit up, revealing the photo on the screen.

In the photo, she was holding the Starry Roses in her arms and smiling smugly.

She didn't expect James to use her selfie as his phone wallpaper. 'So, he wasn't indifferent when he saw that photo, after all,' Maria thought smugly.

When James realized that he had been caught, he immediately made a grab for his phone.

However, Maria refused to surrender the device. Instead, she laid her head on the man's lap and studied his uncomfortable expression. "Mr. Xi, did you replace it beautiful?"

He knew exactly what she meant. "Yes."

"So, without my permission, you used my photo as your wallpaper. That is in violation of my portraiture rights. Now, you have two choices. Apologize to me in public or buy my portraiture rights for this photo with a huge sum of money!"

James' eyes twinkled in merriment. "I'm going with the third option."

"There is no third option."

"There is."

"What then, pray tell, is the third choice?"

He lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "I could make you my wife, so everything you own will be mine."

Maria blurted out, "Keep dreaming! In that case, I can take half of your properties!"

"Okay," he agreed readily.

Maria didn't believe his answer. "Don't lie to me. The only thing you capitalists care about is your properties."

"Tom!" James called out.

The driver answered instantly, "Yes, Mr. Xi?"

"We're not going back to the villa. Let's go to the Civil Affairs Bureau."

"Yes, Mr. Xi."

"Why are we going to the Civil Affairs Bureau?" Maria asked in confusion.

"To apply for the restoration of our marriage. After our remarriage becomes official, you will own half of what I have. If you want all of my properties, I agree." He would transfer everything he owned to her name if that was what it took to get her to marry him again.

Maria immediately exclaimed, "Tom, don't listen to him! Go back to the villa. I won't go to the Civil Affairs Bureau!"

Tom was caught between a rock and a hard place. "Well..." He knew that this would affect the future remarriage of these two people, so he wasn't sure whether he should listen to one or the other.

Anxious, Maria patted James's hand and said, "Stop being troublesome. Let's go back to the villa! I'm not recovered yet." Remarriage is no small matter. How could he speak about going to the Civil Affair Bureau so casually?' she thought to herself.

"Let's go back to the villa," James said with a sigh.

"Yes, sir." Tom shifted gears and made a U-turn in accordance with James' order.

Maria rolled her eyes at the man. "Old man, I was just kidding."

"Old man?" His eyes flashed dangerously.

Maria knew better than anyone else what was hiding behind those dark eyes. It occurred to her that he didn't want to be called old, especially by her. She quickly covered her belly with her hands and leaned against his shoulder, acting like a spoiled child. "Ah, my tummy still hurts.

Don't piss me about." When did I ever do that?' he wondered.

In the next moment, Maria became serious. "Can we trust Sean?"

"Yes." He had never employed questionable people, and he placed his absolute trust on everyone he had ever worked with.

"How are you going to set a trap for Rosa?"

"Didn't she always make fraudulent donations? We will catch her red-handed." Once she made another fraudulent donation, she would be giving herself away.

"How can you be sure that she will fall for it?"

"I'm not a hundred percent sure."

Maria stared at him. 'How could he plan something like this when he's even not sure of the results?' she wondered.

"It's worth a try. Greed kills people." Greedy people would always be tempted.

James reassured her, "Don't worry. All of the people I've selected to participate in this have worked with her before. She will drop her guard for sure."

With a nod, Maria commented, "I had no idea that a mastermind was with me."

"Even so, I'm still a small fry compared to you, Ms. Song." She had the uncanny ability of making him bend to her will.

"You do have a sense of fun, don't you?" How could she compare to him?

"Don't be so sarcastic!" James warned in a low voice.

Stifling her laughter, Maria commented, "Mr. Xi, you misunderstood me." Of course, she could not admit it.

"Get up." He spared no expense in helping her, but she still mocked him like this. James feigned displeasure.

Instead of getting up, Maria slipped her arms around his waist and cuddled against his abs. "I like being close to you like this. I don't want to get up!"

Not only did she keep her pose, she snuggled even closer against James.

It was incredibly nice to be held against him. He had an awesome physique, and he smelled incredible.

Looking down dotingly at her, James grabbed her hand and leaned down to whisper, "When we get home, you can touch me anywhere and in any which way you like. You're the boss."

The deep blush that suffused her face amused him endlessly. She quickly pulled back her hand and raised it in front of his face. "Is my hand beautiful? Would you like a print of it on your face?" Without missing a beat, he grabbed the upraised hand and pressed a kiss on the back of it. "It's better for your hand to hold my...'

Before he could finish his sentence, her other hand flew up to cover his mouth. Blushing even more furiously, Maria hissed, "Are you crazy? Tom is still here!" "He's absolutely shameless!' With a faint smile, James calmly teased her, "Isn't that more exciting?"

She said nothing after that remark.

Maria ended up not going to the company for the next two days. James required her to rest at home for at least three days before she was allowed to go out.

On her third day in the villa, a hot topic suddenly dropped on the Internet. "A woman used her real name to expose sexual assault done by Colby Zheng, chairman of the HM Group." "Colby Cheng seen dating a mysterious woman."

The news appeared out of nowhere and was spreading like wildfire. HM Group's PR department was having a hard time containing the scandal.

Out of curiosity, Maria clicked on one of the news links. Sitting up against the headboard, she browsed the article, and her eyes widened like saucers when she saw the woman's face.

It was not hidden under mosaic. With tearful eyes, she cried in front of the camera, "I'm thankful that he saved my life, but I didn't expect... He raped me and threatened me to not to tell anyone.

I'm just a powerless woman. After everything that happened, I don't know what to do. I can only reach out to the public for help..."

Before the video was over, Maria called up a certain number, but the other person's phone was powered off. She tried dialing it a few more times, but to no avail.

Maria walked into the walk-in closet and called her secretary.

Fortunately, she answered right away. "Ms. Song."

"Where is Peggy?"

"She didn't come to work today. I don't know where she is."

Maria's heart sank. "Okay, I see." She quickly changed her clothes and left the villa.

Her first stop was Peggy's apartment. Apparently, she was too late-the door of the apartment was

wide open, but the woman was nowhere in sight.

With a sinking feeling, Maria realized that something was wrong.