A Vengeful Ex-Wife
Chapter 39 Give Me Your Hand

Maria looked at him. "I just want to have something hot like porridge." Was it too much to ask? Of course it was.

In fact, the problem wasn't that she wanted to have lotus-seed porridge, but that she insisted on having it from Blooming Restaurant. As for now, they were in the east H City, while the Blooming Restaurant was located in the west. Therefore, it would take Lorenzo at least an hour to drive from the hotel to the restaurant.

Obviously, what Maria really wanted was to torture Lorenzo.

Now it all depended on whether James would care to protect his special assistant or not. The man was in the middle of a hidden competition between his most trusted employee and his ex-wife.

After receiving expecting glances from both sides, James ordered, his voice unchanged, "Call Blooming Restaurant and ask them to send the porridge here."

His decision solved the case perfectly. Lorenzo wouldn't have to drive all the way to the other side of the city, and Maria could still have lotus- seed porridge as she required.

When James was about to close the door, the woman demanded one more time, "I'd also like to have some pan-fried buns with shrimp from West Way."

James conceded again. After all, he didn't have to buy anything himself. "Call them and ask them to send it over," he ordered Lorenzo.

"Yes, Mr. Xi. I got it." Aware of what Maria's purpose with this was, Lorenzo hated her even more.

He didn't want to do anything for this woman at all, especially after she led him to that private room at Miracle Cafe, where he was tied up and beaten by five men. He would never forget the humiliation she brought him that day.

Finally, James closed the door and turned on the lights, brightening up the room.

He then pulled a chair and sat down next to the bed. Looking into Maria's eyes, he asked, "You seem to have a grudge against the Tang family. Why?"

If possible, James wanted to figure out what Maria wanted before his engagement to Alina. Perhaps he could give her what she required and cut ties with her completely.

However, Maria didn't answer his question. Instead, she struggled to move to the edge of the bed and reached out to him. "Give me your hand."

The man didn't move.

Maria snorted, "Then I won't tell you."

He warned her coldly, "Maria Song, don't push your luck."

"I'm not. I was even merciful. For your sake, I haven't asked Lorenzo to buy me some night snacks from P County."

James scoffed, "If it weren't for me, would Lorenzo even listen to you?"

Maria knew he wouldn't. All in all, she took advantage of James' presence to make things more difficult for Lorenzo.

Unconsciously, Maria stretched out her hand and began to draw circles on the bed. Without looking at the man beside her, she lowered her head slightly and muttered as if she was talking to herself, "James Xi I won't make the same mistake again unless it is about you."

Although she knew she couldn't help falling in love with a man as wonderful as James, she was aware that this feeling was also the reason why she was heartbroken in the first place.

Years ago, she had been grateful to James for taking her out of the ever so indifferent and cold Song family. It didn't matter that he didn't love her. She thought that as long as she worked hard, she would be able to impress him one day.

The result only proved her wrong.

James could sense her sadness, which only made him feel more confused about her. This woman was sometimes so mature, yet at other times she was childish, irritable, and even sorrowful. The more he tried to figure her out, the less he succeeded.

Nonetheless, he had to make something clear to her. "I'm telling you this for the last time, Alina and I will get married. We'll be engaged in two months at the Tang Group's anniversary event. Stop wasting your time. We'll never be together again."

He would never forgive her for Arthur's death.

The little patience he still had for her was due to his own heavy conscience. Just as Maria told him, she was still an innocent lady when they got married. In order to give birth to his child, she became unhealthy He could come and take care of her this once, but it was impossible to keep doing this for the rest of his days.

He had his own life plans to carry out. And Maria wasn't in them.

'Wow! James Xi, you're really insensitive!' Looking at the man, Maria chuckled.

Suddenly, a crazy idea crossed her mind. What if James lost everything and fell from grace? Maybe instead of the arrogant and proud man he was now, he would be the most humble and pitiful being on the face of the Earth.

As James stared silently at the smiling woman, his phone rang. Pulling the device out, he slid his finger on the screen and answered the call, "Yes?'1

Alina's voice came on the other side of the line. "James, I bought you some snacks. I'm here downstairs at the HL Group. Shall I bring them to you upstairs?"

"I'm not in the company now. You may go home."

Guessing who was on the other end of the line, Maria's eyes flashed wickedly. She then got out of the bed under James' gaze.

Before Maria could take a step forward, however, her legs weakened, and she fell on her knees. "Ouch!" she screamed, while the other woman on the line with James immediately went quiet. With the phone in one hand, James supported the falling woman with the other.

As soon as he noticed the complacency in Maria's eyes, he knew he had been hasty to act.

It sure didn't take long for Alina to ask, "Who is there with you, James?"

"I'm sorry for disturbing your call." Maria's voice was so sweet it sickened her. Still, she wished she could stick her ear to the phone and hear Alina's reaction.

James narrowed his eyes at her. He didn't see any trace of regret on her face.

"Please, go on. I promise I won't make another noise!"

At first, Alina might not have been able to recognize whose voice it was on the other end of the line with James, but after hearing a few more words, she knew precisely to whom it belonged.

Alina twisted the diamond on her purse hard. It turned out that the reason why James left in a hurry was to see Maria! After taking a deep breath, she tried to sound as normal as she could. "James, why are you with Maria now?"

He didn't answer her question. "I have to go now. I'll call you later."

He quickly hung up the phone and let go of Maria.

Maria smiled apologetically and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you any trouble. I just wanted to go to the bathroom. Is your girlfriend angry? If she is, go on and pacify her!"

Without saying anything, the man simply stood listening to her hypocritical words.

Although James hated the sensation of being set up, he couldn't lose his temper with this woman when she was so vulnerable.

So he just stared at her coldly. Not even her illness was able to stop her from getting back at Alina.

In the face of such a deadly gaze, Maria dropped the act. After all, she had already achieved her goal. Raising her hands in surrender, she confessed, "Okay, I admit that I did it on purpose."

James observed the woman's serenity, and after a while, he stated, "Maria Song, it's a shame that you're not an actress."

"I think so, too!" Then Maria asked innocently, "Mr. Xi, if I get into the entertainment business, will you be my sponsor? This will prompt me to every lead role in any project."

James sneered, "You don't need a sugar daddy for that. Your acting skills can take you there on their own."

Maria opened her mouth to say something else, but all of a sudden, a sharp pain came over her as a stream of liquid gushed out of her body. She screamed inwardly and hurried to the bathroom with her hands on her belly.

Her period was so fierce that it stained her pajama bottoms. Sitting on the toilet, Maria covered her stomach. She felt so much pain that she thought she would black out again.

'Geez! If there's another life, I don't want to be a woman anymore. It's so painful!' she thought with beads of sweat on her forehead. 'I want to be a playboy instead!'