A Vengeful Ex-Wife
Chapter 446 Chase The Fugitive

The police soon got in touch with Maria. As she spoke to them, she learned that something from her bag was left back in Edith's apartment, making her the biggest suspect. She vividly recalled how things from her bag had been scattered on the floor. Even though she tried to pick them all up, there was something that remained.

When she went through the contents of her purse, she realized the pendant on the key chain James had given her as a gift was missing. She just picked up her bag and keys, leaving the pendant as an evidence.

Now it dawned upon her it was the pendant that had gotten her into trouble.

The policeman spoke in a very persuasive manner. "Ms. Song, I hope you can cooperate with us and come to the police station. After all, you are the top suspect. If there is any misunderstanding, this is your opportunity to clear it."

Maria remembered the strict orders James had given. Firmly, she said, "I haven't killed anyone nor have I got something to hide from you. But for further questions, please contact my lawyer or driver. I am sorry but I don't think I can come."

After hanging up the phone, she took a deep breath. Life had taken a rather annoying turn.

James asked his lawyer to take over her case. She could sit back and relax as the driver and lawyer dealt with the issue.

Within a week, this news had reached almost everyone through the Internet. One fine day, Lawrence appeared in James' office.

"James, the evidence seems to say it was Maria." Lawrence, who was sitting opposite to James, came straight to the point.

James' cold gaze remained glued to his friend's face. "No one can take Maria away," he spat out angrily. He meant every word he had uttered. Even his good friend couldn't do that!

His sole goal in life was to safeguard Maria from all kinds of harm. He couldn't allow them to take her into such a wretched place.

As long as he was alive, he wouldn't allow anyone to lay a finger on her.

Lawrence had no choice but to nod his head. He understood James was determined to do anything to protect Maria. In spite of this, he tried again. "Nobody is going to harm her. They will only ask her a couple of questions. Don't you believe me?" If the police hadn't asked him to persuade James, he wouldn't have attempted to persuade his friend. After all, this was none of his business.

"I don't believe you! Didn't you cooperate with her and deceive me?"

James' words rendered Lawrence speechless. He didn't know how to react to this accusation. After remaining silent for a while, he found his voice and said, "These are two different matters." Public matters were different from private matters. He wouldn't dare to make jokes about business.

James gazed at his friend with his scrutinizing eyes and said, "I know they asked you to come and persuade me. Now prove your friendship by returning to the crime scene. Go over there and prove Maria's innocence. You are wasting your time here. You can never persuade me into allowing them to take Maria away."

Lawrence cleared his throat and said, "I've already gone there to check the crime scene. There is a pendant with Maria's name on it. The dagger that was used to commit the crime hasn't been found yet. On the door of the victim's apartment, there are the fingerprints of Maria and her driver. No other finger prints have been detected. Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that the perpetrator was wearing gloves when they carried out this gruesome murder."

The neighbor, who lived in the apartment opposite to Edith's, was the first to have found about Edith's death. He noticed the door of her house was slightly ajar, so he entered to see what was going on. His eyes soon met the sight of Edith lying in a pool of blood. He instantly dialed the police's number.

James nodded and said, "Then you can send someone to replace Rosa, Colby's wife."

"Colby's wife?" Lawrence was a little startled. He was oblivious to everything that had happened between Maria and Rosa.

"Yes." James passed him a cigarette. Taking out a lighter, he lit his own first and then did the same for his companion. "Don't let the news out as it might alert the enemy. When you replace her, ask someone to bring her here. We still have some accounts to settle."

Lawrence took a deep drag of his cigarette and said, "Why haven't you asked about your son?"

"Why do I have to ask about him? Is something the matter? Isn't he fine?" James raised his eyebrows. From what he knew, Bob was as happy as a clam at Lawrence's place. Without his parents around, his life was much laxer.

James wouldn't mind having Bob stay in Lawrence's place for a few more days.

Finally, Lawrence stood up and stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray. "Looks like I need to help you solve this problem as soon as possible. And then, I can send your son back. Otherwise, my wife won't remember me at all."

James's mouth curved into a smile. "We are buddies. It won't hurt if you lend your wife to my son for a few more days."

Lawrence threw him a punch. "If he gets too close to my wife, I will make him run five kilometers!"

"Go ahead, make him do that. After all, he can definitely make small sacrifices for a woman."

Lawrence was shocked at this response. An idea popped into his mind. "I'll try to have a daughter with my wife. When she grows up, she can marry your son. That way, my daughter can achieve at least half of the company that you have worked so hard to develop, right?"

Now it was James' turn to be shocked. Was it really appropriate to be thinking about future so early? "You'd better have a daughter first. And then, we can continue this discussion."

"Okay! Now I have to have a daughter for the sake of HL Group!" After saying that, Lawrence walked towards the door and left.

"I will wait forthat good news," James uttered.

It was a hot summer day. At about nine o'clock in the evening, James arrived back home. When he opened the door of his bedroom, he saw that Maria was lying on the bed and having a video chat with Meagan. Bob's little face appeared on the screen. When he caught sight of James, he took the initiative to call

him. "Daddy!"

"Didn't you run five kilometers?" James asked, a smile playing on his lips.

"You did!"

Bob declared. James looked at his child quizzically.

Noticing the confusion this had caused, Maria turned to him and explained, "Your son isn't capable of distinguishing 'you' and T these days."

Meagan, hearing this, chimed in, "That's right. He makes us laugh because of this. He was craving for snacks today. He came up to us and said, 'You are hungry.' It was hilarious."

"You little fool." James shook his head.

"Daddy, you are not a fool! I am a fool," Bob protested.

Both the ladies burst into peals of laughter. Even James couldn't help but smile at his son's innocence.

Bob, having had a fun day, was tired and began to yawn. Maria asked him to go to bet.

Once they ended the video call, James pulled her into an embrace. He ran his hand over her soft hair and placed a kiss on her head.

Maria pushed him away and said sternly, "I gained three pounds after staying home. I have turned into a couch potato." Lately, her routine mostly consisted of eating and sleeping. Occasionally, she went to the study to do her work. But even that didn't require any exercise. She simply sat there.

She had no heart to go to the gym alone, nor was she in the mood to swim.

Looking her up and down, James said, "In fact, I think you look perfect." This wasn't bad. He thought it would be more comfortable to hold her now that she had gained some weight.

"I want to go back to the company," Maria grumbled.

"It won't be long before you can return. Lawrence has found some new clues."

"What clues?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

James answered, "Rosa is hiding at Mr. Huang's place. Her whereabouts of the night when Edith was killed were suspicious."

"I have suspected Rosa's hand was behind everything. But I thought she must have hired someone to do the job." James' words made her look at Rosa with a new perspective. Was it possible that Rosa had killed Edith with her own hands? That would be too dangerous.

"Whether she paid a killer or she did it by herself, we can't know for sure. But this murder surely has something to do with her," James said, sounding very convinced.

Maria nodded in agreement. "Isn't Mr. Huang on good terms with Colby? Why would he be willing to help Rosa?"

"Because Rosa has some evidence of Colby's crime. She used that evidence and threatened Colby. He had no choice but to persuade Mr. Huang into helping her."

Until now, Maria hadn't understood this. James' words enlightened her.

In less than two days, another piece of news spread in the H City. Several crimes committed by Colby came out in the open. He was accused of insider trading, illegal lending, false donation and so on.

But when the police went to arrest him, Colby wasn't home. He had escaped and they were trying to chase the fugitive.

Soon after, Clayton was arrested for bribery. He was taken in for holding a huge amount of property with unidentified sources, fraudulent fund-raising and other charges.