A Vengeful Ex-Wife novel Chapter 29

Summer shut up immediately. She lowered her head and stayed still. She wouldn't look James in the eye.

"That was your last chance. I'm sending you to L Country one month before the project starts!" James had been waiting for her to admit her mistake, but she didn't. Instead she still tried to defend that hateful woman. Summer had brought this on herself.

As long as she still wanted to work for HL Group, Summer should start packing her bags and stop making waves. Just accept the assignment to L Country. But how could she help Maria then? The woman wanted to remarry James, and there were few people who could help her with that goal.

Keeping this in mind, Summer took a deep breath and said, I'm sorry I butted in, Mr. Xi. I should have stayed out of it. But Maria's my good friend. When I hit rock bottom, you guys helped me out. So I need to help her when she's in trouble."

Six years ago, Summer was only a low-level assistant. She couldn't help Maria much when she got booted from the Xi family.

She was helpless as she watched Maria suffer and exile herself from H City. And she felt so guilty about that. She had the chance to help Maria now. Maybe she went a little too far, but she wanted to help her however she could.

"And you still can help her. Did I stop you? No. Your friendship isn't any business of mine," James said in an even tone. He ran his fingers through his hair. "But that's when you don't interfere in my business. I don't pay you that much a year to make me unhappy."

Summer knew she was in the wrong, but she still had an ace up her sleeve. "I know you won't accept failure, Mr. Xi, from your ex-wife or me. And I know I let you down. I don't want to disappoint you any further, so I'm tendering my resignation."

She put her career on the line for Maria. She wanted to stick around and help her win James' heart.

A ghost of a smile spread across the man's face, his eyes still cold. "Are you threatening me?"

Summer shook her head and answered quickly, "Not at all. You know I was born here. My parents live here. So do my in-laws. My husband and I are trying to have a kid. If I took on this project, I'd be gone for five years. We can't put our plans on hold that long. My marriage wouldn't survive it, either."

"This project won't delay your pregnancy." He didn't ask her to do manual labor or anything. "Mr. Xi, it's not like that." She steeled herself, and let James in on some inside information. Maria could never reveal this to him, so Summer decided to do it for her.

After thinking for a while, Summer continued, "When Maria was pregnant, you were traveling to the US and France. You never returned to H City. You don't know how hard it is for a woman to go through pregnancy. I went with her to the prenatal checkups every month. When she was in her first trimester, she couldn't keep anything down. Just the smell sent her running to the bathroom. It was so hard for her then. She really needed you with her."

But he couldn't—or wouldn't—see her. He was so busy he never called Maria at all. Someone had to tell him how Maria was doing.

Arthur was already three days old when James hopped a plane from Australia to see Maria.

Sitting in his chair, James didn't say a word. She gave him something to think about.

He didn't look good, so Summer decided to wrap it up. "Look, I can't stop you from punishing me. I deserve it. But I don't want to leave my family. Ball's in your court. You'll have my formal resignation on your desk first thing tomorrow."

Silence returned to the office after Summer left and closed the door behind her.

James remembered everything. Summer was right. When Maria was pregnant with Arthur, James was so focused on his work he forgot all about his wife.

So he never asked how hard the pregnancy was, or whether she got along with his family.

He knew Judy slapped her, but he didn't say anything. She was his stepmother, and Maria didn't want to rock the boat.