A Vengeful Ex-Wife

After hanging up the phone, James squatted down and addressed his son. "You go back to the urban area and stop worrying about your mother. I promise you she won't abandon you."

"Great!"

As soon as Gary came, he took Coy back to the downtown.

James was busily working in the yard. Every now and then, people came to check if he was okay, offering tea.

Maria didn't show up before him until it was too dark.

On seeing her, James stood up and strode over. She quickened her pace but he was faster than her. Blocking her way, he said in a soft voice, "Don't be angry. Coy hasn't made an unforgivable mistake."

Maria wouldn't look at him in the eye. "If you think there is something wrong with my parenting, you are free to take him away and do what you think is right. Just leave me alone and don't ever come here again."

"Maria, I haven't found any fault in your parenting. It's just that I want to make up for the time I missed."

"It's possible to do that without spending an exorbitant amount of money. I know Coy better than you. If today he dares to ask you for something worth one million dollars, tomorrow he won't shy away from asking you for something worth ten million dollars."

"If he does, what's the problem? Do you think I can't afford it? Or are you under the impression my son doesn't deserve something worth ten million dollars?" Maria was rendered speechless by his arrogant words. She didn't know how to respond to someone who had so much pride.

Since talking to him would be pretty useless, she ignored him and walked past him.

"Wait!" James said, raising his voice.

Maria ignored him and continued to walk.

He followed her wherever she went. She reached her room door and was about to open it.

To her utter shock, James squeezed in and entered along with her.

She was becoming increasingly exasperated with his behavior. She threw the key at him and demanded, "James, what on earth do you want from me?" He had once compelled her to break the rule of asceticism. He had made her edgy recently.

James fetched something from his pocket and handed it to her. "I want nothing. In fact, I came here to give you something. Please take it. If you refuse it, I won't leave from here tonight."

It was a string of Buddha beads made out of the shell of red giant clams. The color of this beautiful string was a combination of brown red and white. It had a translucent and smooth texture. It was one of the holy treasures of Buddhism.

James wouldn't entertain the thought of buying her a cheap gift. Maria knew this probably cost him a fortune. The one she presently used was a very ordinary string of Buddha beads. It looked very basic when compared to what James was offering her.

In spite of this, she shook her head. "I won't accept it. If you want to stay, then stay. It's none of my business whether you leave or not." No matter how hard he insisted, she was determined to not accept the string of Buddha beads given by him.

Maria handed it back to him, but he wouldn't take it back.

Having no choice, she resorted to stuffing the string beads into his pocket. Then she bent down and picked up the key from the floor. Pretending like he wasn't there, she busied herself with work.

Neither of them uttered a word and silence ensued in the room. After a few minutes, James turned around and sat on her bed. In a casual tone, he said, "Like you said, you don't have to care about me. Just carry on with your business."

Maria was aghast. She chose to not respond to him.

Maria went to clean herself up and when she returned, James was still there. A few minutes later, he also went to get himself cleaned. Then he took off his shirt in front of her, ready to wear his pajamas.

Just then, he seemed to remember something. He gazed at Maria, who was busy with her phone. "I asked someone to drive a caravan here today." He had bought a caravan so that they could have sex in it. It was both spacious and bright inside.

Maria gave no response to this comment.

"If you want it, let me know. We don't have to go to the wilderness this time. We can go to any place in the caravan."

"James Xi!" Maria exclaimed and looked at him coldly.

"I want it!" he said, making it no secret.

His unconcealed way of speaking made her further annoyed. "Shame on you! Can't you see I have been ignoring you? Didn't I make it clear I don't want to be with you?"

She thought her words would bring shame to James. She expected a shift in his demeanor.

Instead, he said, "I don't blame you for not wanting to be with me. After all, it's my fault. If you don't want it, I won't force you. Go on with your business. I'll change my clothes." The more he spoke, the more stunned she became.

'Calm down, calm down. Maria, you have already seen through the mortal world. You are no longer the old Maria. Find peace and extinguish every other desire!' she chanted in her mind. Thankfully, nothing happened that night. However, Maria, who had wanted to stay up all night, was forced to lie in the bed and sleep next to James.

All in all, the night passed very peacefully.

James left at the crack of the dawn. Maria, on the other hand, spent the whole day in the prayer room.

Soon, it was Ethan and Viola's wedding day. Ethan's identity as the heir of Mu family was unveiled. Everyone in the financial circle spoke about nothing but this piece of news.

In the past, people respected him only because he shared a good relationship with James. They thought it would get them into his good books. They had never predicted Ethan's real identity would be a powerful one.

Maria was a bit late. As soon as she reached the gate of the nunnery, she noticed that a car was waiting for her.

She caught a glimpse of Summer sitting inside.

Maria stood outside the car and smiled at Summer. The two of them went ahead and pulled each other into an embrace.

"Why didn't you come in?" Maria asked, wondering if she had been waiting here for long.

Reading her thoughts, Summer said, "I didn't want to disturb you. Anyway, I haven't been here for long. Let's go!" "Okay."

As soon as Maria left, two people entered the nunnery and took hers and Coy's belongings with them.

When they were about to reach the downtown area, Summer said, "Maria, a lot of things have happened in the past two years when you were absent. After the wedding of Mr. Nan, oh, no, Mr. Mu...I am going to take you out for dinner. It will be my treat. There we can have a hearty conversation."

Maria found herself in a dilemma. She had to be back in the nunnery this afternoon. "I don't think it's possible. But don't worry, you can come to the nunnery to find me when you are free!"

Summer forced a smile and nodded her head.

The wedding of Ethan and Viola was quite grand. It was held in a grand hotel in H City.

When Maria arrived, she was guided to a private room.

When the door of the private room was pushed open, she looked around and noticed it was brimming with people.

After scanning the crowd, she realized almost all of them were her acquaintances.

There were Lawrence and Meagan, Cooper and Sandra, Carolina and her husband, Norman and Mildred, as well as James. James sat in a leisurely manner, leaning his back against the chair. There were several vacant seats next to him. The children who were playing noticed her arrival and went running towards her.

Her presence made the bustling room even livelier.

Coy and Boston, who were clad in suits, ran over to her. Mona, on the other hand, was wearing a princess gown. She also ran along with the boys. Standing in front of Maria, she eyed her curiosity. The brothers referred to her as their mom. "Auntie," Mona said in a gentle voice.

Maria touched the little girl's head lovingly. "You've grown taller. Have you forgotten me?"

Meagan walked over and answered on her daughter's behalf. "It's almost been half a year since she saw you. I guess she doesn't remember meeting you."

Maria held Mona in her arms and said, "Do you remember seeing me in the nunnery?" Half a year ago, Lawrence had taken Meagan and Mona to the nunnery to pay her a visit.

Mona indeed had no recollection of that meeting. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

Maria chuckled and said, "No worries, sweetheart." She had often envied Meagan for having a lovely and sensible daughter.

Mona wasn't like Coy and Bob. She was a well-behaved girl. Bob could be good when he wanted to. Coy, on the other hand, made it a point to piss her off almost all the time. She frequently had an overwhelming urge to vent her anger on him.