There He Is Again, My Ex-Husband (Julian and Amelia)

David left for his hometown the next morning and he called Maisie before he left.

"Steven told me you've known he's established a company in Riverside City. He had an appointment with me at lunch break today for some consultations. But I've asked for a leave now. Can you please help him for me?" David told Maisie on the phone.

"OK. I'll meet him," said Maisie.

David had to be out of town for family issues and Maisie just couldn't refuse to help Steven, though she had tried hard to keep her distance from him.

David groaned after they finished talking business, "Are you in a team with Ezra now, or does teamwork makes it work? How could you tell him to stop me?"

David was annoyed when he talked about it. He knew Ezra called him for nothing good last night. But he didn't expect that Ezra just called to stop him and Maisie must have told him to do so.

David was pissed that Maisie turned to Ezra for help, which made him think they were of one mind.

Maisie pretended she didn't hear his words and said, "I was worried about you."

"I don't worry that you take a plane in the middle of the night. But you have a long way to go after you land. I am just too worried."

Their hometown was remote and isolated. David had to hail a taxi after he landed. It was fine in the daytime. But it would be too dangerous to hail a taxi and wind the mountain road in the middle of the night. Maisie just couldn't watch David take the risk and did nothing. "I've asked for one day off only. I'll head back in the afternoon," said David.

He was pretty sure that nothing was wrong with Susan. He just wanted to go back home to take a look at them and make himself clear. Then, he would leave.

He used to be very filial and obedient to his parents, and Maisie acted the same. Even though her parents had always valued boys more than girls and were careless to her, she still loved them and respected them.

When she and David first settled down in Riverside City, they often told their parents to come to live with them for a short while or come for a visit. And they even thought of bringing them here to support them when they got older.

But they had been way out of line these years and he was totally disappointed in them, especially his mother Susan.

Maisie was heartbroken, too. She used to go back to her hometown to visit them on every holiday and festival. Then she just gave them money but did not go back again. In the end, she cut all the relations with them since Susan had hurt Ezio this time.

David felt his love for Susan was almost gone. He had no other choice but to turn his back to her if she kept acting unreasonably or fussing over and over again.

Maisie knew clearly what situation David would be in when he got back to their hometown. She tried to tell him something on the phone but she just choked back the words. Instead, she just said, "Safe trip."

In fact, she went to see a psychologist for this unhealthy family relationship long ago when she was still a college student. She didn't tell anyone about it, not even David.

She had been living in such a partial family and she had got some psychological problems. She was agonizing every day for being ignored and unfairly treated by her parents. But she had been blackmailed morally and simply couldn't argue with them or leave without supporting them.

Things went wrong as time passed by.

Fortunately, she was a problem solver herself. She realized something was wrong with her and went to see the psychologist instantly and secretly.

The psychologist told her this, "Blood relation without love is nothing. You can literally stay away from the parents like this. Support their old ages with money but don't get attached to them."

So, she just sent them money but stopped going back to visit them.

She had stopped guilt-tripping herself and finally got herself out of it as Susan declared to disown her.

But David was still stuck in it. She wanted to tell David exactly what the psychologist had told her. But she thought it over and choked back the words.

Anyway, they treated David differently. Her agony wasn't necessarily David's agony. If their parents stopped making trouble for the sake of David, they were still David's parents.

Maisie had breakfast and dressed herself up. Then she left for work after hugging little Ezio.

However, she saw Ezra as soon as she went downstairs. He was standing and speaking on the phone beside his car. It seemed he was talking about business and he looked serious. She had to admit that it was eye candy that Ezra stood there in the morning sunlight, so tall and straight. The young girls passed by and couldn't help to take a second look at him. Maisie was surprised to see him there, for she didn't know what he wanted in the early morning.

Then she thought of it and frowned lightly. "Is he here to drive me to the office?" thought Maisie.

Ezra hung up the phone and put on a smile when he saw her, "Morning."

"Morning. What's the matter?" said Maisie, alertly.

"I'll drive you to the office," Ezra said and smiled.

"No need. It's not far and I can walk over," said Maisie, annoyed.

"That's not my concern. But I am here to pick you up and drive you to the office." Ezra said it and opened the door for her.

Maisie didn't want to be surrounded by the onlookers and she had no choice but to get in his car.

She thought she would just drop her by the gate of the Hughes Group. But he just drove into the underground parking lot and was gonna ride the elevator with her. Maisie was freaking out. What the hell! Was he going to escort her to the office?

That was total nonsense!

Maybe he had realized it and explained instantly, "I've got an appointment with Julian today. Let's go up for him together."

Maisie found it a bearable excuse but she still said, "Probably, he's not here yet."

"Never mind. I can wait." Ezra said and pressed the elevator button.

Maisie didn't say anything more. They arrived at the top floor together.

Maisie saw a bouquet of red roses on the table aside when she entered the office area. She didn't relate it to herself and went straight to her office.

A young secretary ran over joyfully to stop her, "Someone gave you flowers just now, Maisie. We've signed it for you."

The young secretary glanced at Ezra beside her and greeted him immediately, "Good morning, Mr. Cantillo."

Then she came closer to Maisie and whispered with a giggle, "Mr. Cantillo is so romantic. He drove you to work and bought you reed roses, too!"

But she just heard Ezra snort coldly right after she finished talking and saw him walk over to the roses and pick up the card idly.

The young secretary covered her mouth and cried out of surprise, "Oh God! Maisie, don't tell me Mr. Cantillo didn't buy you roses." How embarrassing it was!

Ezra happened to see Maisie receive roses from other guys. Would he be jealous?