Right at that moment, her phone started ringing.
Maria looked up in a hurry and accidentally bumped into James’s forehead.
“Ow.” James let out a quiet sound, but Maria didn’t have time to care—she scrambled to answer the call.
“I’m downstairs.
Come down,” came David’s voice from the other end.
“Uh, I…” Maria glanced at James, unsure how to reply.
Though the ringtone hadn’t been loud, in the quiet office, even whispers felt amplified.
James grabbed the phone straight from her hand.
“She’s working overtime.
Can’t leave.
I’ll drop her off later.”
There was a beat of silence before David said, “Mr.
Bennett, Maria just started and already she’s swamped with overtime?
Doesn’t your company believe in humane hours?”
James couldn’t be bothered to argue.
He handed the phone back to Maria and said coldly, “Tell him to leave.”
Caught in the middle, Maria hesitated.
But since her work wasn’t done—and well, she had just accidentally hit James’s head—she said to David, “Sorry, I really need to stay and finish up.
You go ahead.”
When the call ended and Maria looked up, she found James staring at her.
She blinked, confused.
“You talk to your husband that politely?”
Something about it didn’t sit right with him.
Were she and David even a real couple?
“You used to be my husband too.
When was I ever nice to you?” Maria shot back quickly, thinking she made a solid point.
Given all the lies from her parents back then, her relationship with James wasn’t exactly built on pleasant conversations either.
So it made perfect sense she spoke to David a bit distant too.
“There’s way too much to unpack between us, and I don’t owe you an explanation,” she added.
“Let’s just focus on work.
This is overtime hours, after all.”
She didn’t finish her sentence, but James caught enough to imagine a whole story—one that clearly didn’t include him.
Five years of her life, he hadn’t been in it.
Someone else had.
And he was just some irrelevant stranger now.
His fists clenched quietly.
They went back to work.
Maria’s ideas weren’t just solid—they were creative and worth trying.
Even James found himself impressed.
For the first time, he thought making her his assistant might’ve actually been the smartest move he made in a while.
She’d really changed.
Five years had turned her into someone sharper, better than before. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Before they knew it, four hours had passed.
The sky outside darkened.
Just then, Maria’s stomach growled, loud and awkward.
She pressed a hand to her belly, embarrassed.
James didn’t even look up.
He simply checked the time, stood up and said, “I’ll take you home.”
“No, thanks.” Maria stepped back, clearly not interested.
“I drove.”
Who knew what else he was thinking?
Acting all nice didn’t mean she could let her guard down.
She’d already gotten a taste of his tricks when she signed that contract.
James looked at her, paused and said with a lower voice, “I already told David I’d drive you.
As for your car, pick it up tomorrow.
You can expense the ride.”
Maria gave a slight smile and mumbled, “Didn’t think you cared about what people say.”
James’s expression shifted slightly.
He stepped closer and asked in a tone laced with something unreadable, “You still remember how I used to be?”
Maria realized too late she’d said the wrong thing and quickly backtracked.
“It’s getting late.
Weren’t you giving me a ride?
Let’s go—Ella’s still waiting for me at home.”
She dropped Ella’s name deliberately, just to get a rise out of James.
It worked—his eyes dimmed instantly.
In the car, after Maria gave the address, neither of them spoke.
James had a million questions for her, but he held back, afraid he wouldn’t like the answers.
Maria’s place wasn’t far from the company.
As they neared it, James slowed the car down noticeably, and Maria picked up on it.
She didn’t comment though.
“Funny coincidence,” James suddenly said.
“I’ve got an apartment in this complex too.”
He threw that out there on purpose, clearly implying he could start commuting with her.
Maria didn’t catch his hidden meaning.
All she heard was that he lived in the same complex, and her heart sank.
That was risky—what if he found out about the kid?
Her mind went into overdrive.
She needed to move, ASAP.
No way could she let him run into Ethan.
Seeing her pale like that, James misunderstood, thinking she really couldn’t stand him.
His face turned stiff and cold.
Maria insisted he stop right at the gate.
She was doing everything to keep him from knowing exactly where she lived.
Watching her refuse to let him drive her all the way in, James figured she hated even being anywhere near him. Find the original chapter at g.com.
Clenching his jaw, he parked at the entrance.
Just as the car stopped, James’s phone started ringing.
He checked—caller ID said “Amelia.”
He looked at Maria instinctively, right as she glanced at his screen.
Something in his chest tightened.
The tiny bit of warmth between them was probably gone now.
He’d actually felt pretty good during the few hours they’d managed to get along.
“Mr.
Bennett, thanks for the ride,” Maria said coolly as she got out.
“No need in the future.
Wouldn’t want your fiancée getting the wrong idea.”
Without waiting for a response, she slammed the door shut and walked off.
James rubbed his forehead, suddenly annoyed for no reason.
He hung up on Amelia without hesitation.
A moment later, his phone rang again—it was his mom.
This time, he couldn’t ignore it.
He took the call.
“James, weren’t you coming home for dinner tonight?” she asked gently, trying not to upset him.
“I was working late.”
“But you can’t skip meals.
Want Amelia to bring something over?
I made all your favorites, and your stomach isn’t great as it is.”
Hearing Amelia’s name again only ticked him off more.
He really didn’t want to see her.
His tone was clipped: “No need.
I’m heading back now.”
He hung up, glanced once more at the complex, then drove off.
Back at the Bennett house, Amelia stepped out of the kitchen like she owned the place, smiling bright.
“James, perfect timing!
Wash up and sit down.
Your mom made all your favorite dishes!”
If she hadn’t been there, James might’ve eaten a bit.
But seeing her made his skin crawl.
She was like a cockroach to him.
“I’ve still got work to finish.
You two go ahead,” he said coldly.
“That won’t do!” his mom came out and scolded.
“You finally came home—can’t even eat dinner with your mom?
When Amelia said you were coming, I started cooking this afternoon!
Don’t tell me that was for nothing…”
James knew his mom way too well—if he kept saying no, she’d nag him to death.
Just to get some peace and quiet later, he gave in and sat down at the dining table.