A Vengeful Ex-Wife novel Chapter 239

"When the police took me that night, they told me that it was for killing my own son. I went down to the station and made a statement. Then I asked them who was suing me. Can you guess the answer?

They said that it was none other than my ex-husband who had filed a case against me, and that I was sentenced to five years in prison."

Maria's expression remained neutral, and her gaze was steady as she looked up at James. Then she smiled. "At that time, I felt like a barrage of arrows went through my body all at once."

He said nothing, but a muscle ticked at his jaw.

"I'd never expected you to hate me to that extend. You had practically killed me back then, you know."

James opened his mouth to speak, but he ended up closing it again without uttering a single sound.

"To make matters worse, I had the so-called special treatment inside the prison. For the first three months, not a day passed when I wasn't bloody or black and blue. All I'd ever eaten in there was sloppy leftover. I've tried to kill myself, too, a lot of times. So many times. But I always failed. I eventually realized that it wasn't my time to die just yet, so I stopped courting death and face torment head-on instead."

She had only known salvation when Norman had appeared.

"I'm telling you all these things now, but not for you to pity me. I don't want your pity. But then, I guess you won't pity a woman anyway. You've always been cold like that. I just want you to know that I got this far thanks to the hatred burning inside me. It gave me the strength and courage to survive, to live every day as it comes."

And it was true. Hatred brought her here.

Hatred for him.

James knew this, too.

"You say that you had nothing to do with it, but that won't make me hate you any less. Why should it, when during my lowest, you were on their side?"

"Why did you still come to me then?" he asked, his voice hoarse. He knew why, but he still wanted to hear it come out of her lips.

"To use you, of course. After all, you have the power to make my revenge hurt twice as much with half the effort on my part." And the perfect examples would be Stella, Ronald, and Jonathan.

In spite of it all, Maria recognized the deep affection for James that lingered in her. It was just that she refused to acknowledge its existence. She had always turned a blind eye to the truth it presented.

"I know you are aware of my intentions, so why are you asking me? When we are together, you devour me for my beauty, and in return, I bask in the power you wield on my behalf. I'm sure your purpose runs deeper than it looks, doesn't it?

I will never let Alina or Judy get away with what they did to me. So if you plan to protect them, I suggest you find someone to dispose of me as soon as possible."

They stood under the streetlights, both unmoving forces of nature, and locked gazes for a moment.

Then Maria turned away and made to get inside her car.

"Let's get you to the hospital first."

She opened her car door and paused to look at him.

"Thank you, but no."

Then she slid into the driver's seat and started the engine, and drove away without sparing him another glance.

In the Leopard Club

Ethan put a few bottles of liquor on the table. "Come on! Let's get hammered."

James was slouched on the couch with his eyes closed. He ignored the other man and said nothing. Ethan took the initiative to pop a bottle open and handed it to him. "Given your current mood, I think it's better for you to drink straight from the bottle."

James glared at him silently. But he accepted the bottle and clinked it with Ethan's glass.

"Okay, so let me hazard a guess. Your being like this must have something to do with a woman, and the only women in your life worth noting are Maria and Alina. Only Maria has the power to reduce you too such a state."

Ethan was feeling smug about his smart deduction, but then he remembered one crucial thing. The smile instantly disappeared from his face. "James, I heard that she was put to jail in the past. Is this true?"

He had heard what had happened in the banquet. The news shocked him greatly.

"Mm." James never kept anything from Ethan. "She thinks I was behind all of it."