Chapter 146 Who''s The Traitor


    The moment Alina sat down next to James, Maria picked up her chopsticks and said, "For the two


    of you to be assured, I will try each dish first."


    James and Alina just kept silent. Alina thought that it was the best thing to do. She was really afraid


    that Maria would drug them.


    James also felt the same. After all, Maria was a little strange today. She even took the initiative to


    invite them to lunch.


    "This is roastedmb chops with ck sesame paste." As she spoke, Maria picked up a piece of


    lamb chop, dipped it into the sauce, and put it in her mouth.


    She then picked up a piece of egg. Before she put it into her mouth, she said, "This is the stir-fried


    egg with ck fungus. The ck fungus and the eggs are organic food. They taste great. And this


    one is..."


    Maria really tried every dish as she said, including the pork bone soup.


    James quietly took a sip of his wine. He somewhat felt that something was wrong. But Maria was


    acting so naturally that he couldn''t find any ws.


    So although he was still suspicious of her, he finally picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.


    When she saw that James was already eating, Alina also picked up her chopsticks and ate.


    Eventually, the three of them had lunch quietly. None of them took the initiative to start a


    conversation.


    However, Alina wanted to deliberately show off her affection to James in front of Maria, so she


    picked food for him and put it on his te. "James, the ck fungus tastes good. Try it.


    This sweet potato ball is also yummy. Have a bite."


    Maria looked up to nce at them, then lowered her head again and focused on her food.


    But it seemed that James suddenly went nuts. He picked up a piece of leopard coral grouper, put it


    into Maria''s bowl, and said, "Thank you for your hard work."


    Maria was stunned for a moment. Then she smiled at him gracefully. "Thank you." She then picked


    up the piece of steamed leopard coral grouper he gave to her and ate it.


    James'' gesture made Alina lost her appetite. He didn''t pick any food for her, but he served Maria in


    front of her.


    She stole a sideways nce at him, who was now drinking soup, andplex emotions surged up


    in her heart. It wasn''t Maria who made her unhappy today. It was he who made her feel upset.


    But in the end, Alinaforted herself inwardly, ''Calm down, Alina. Don''t panic. You have nothing


    to worry about. Tomorrow, you will be engaged to James.''


    What James and Alina didn''t see was that Maria''s eyes were already full of tears. It was only hidden


    under her drooping eyelids.


    If James served her food and thanked her for her hard work when they were still married,


    maybe she would devote all her life to him.


    But he never did. Never.


    After they finished eating, Maria waved at James and Alina. "You may go ahead. I''ll just clean up


    everything here. After all, I am more familiar with this ce."


    Although it was James who bought Fairview Vi, he rarely came back here. Maria had moved in


    here with Arthur and lived here for a few months. Hence, she was the one who was familiar with the


    entire vi, and James was only like a guest.


    Upon hearing what Maria had said, Alina held James'' arm and said with a smile, "Thanks for the


    lunch, Maria." She then turned to James. "James, let''s go."


    James turned around and walked out of the dining room with Alina.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    When she was alone, Maria tossed the dishes into the dishwasher and took out her phone. She


    sent a message to John, asking him to send a servant to clean up the vi. She then picked up her


    handbag and went out.


    There were two cars parked in the garage. One was her newly-repaired BMW, and the other was


    James'' Harkim.


    James, who Maria thought had already left, was standing by the Harkim. He was leaning against


    the car door with a stick of cigarette between his fingers. A few buttons of his white shirt were


    unbuttoned, exposing his strong and muscr chest a little. In a casual posture, hezily took a puff


    on his cigarette. He looked less meticulous than usual.


    Obviously, James was waiting for her.


    Maria nced at his car and asked, "Where is Alina?"


    James didn''t answer her question. Instead, he exhaled a mouthful of smoke and asked, "What is


    your purpose?"


    She had exerted so much effort in preparing and cooking today''s lunch, so he knew that something


    must be wrong.


    Every time Maria encountered Alina, she would either piss Alina off or make Alina believe they were


    having an affair. But today, she didn''t do any of those. She had even cooked delicious dishes


    forthem.


    With a faint smile, Maria replied, "I don''t have any purpose. I just thought that since I will be


    marrying Lawrence soon, we will also be friends and we will see each other from time to time.


    I just want to help him maintain his friendship with you guys.''1


    "Such a well-made story," James said indifferently.


    Maria was rendered speechless, her mouth agape. The meaningful look in his eyes made her feel a


    little guilty, so she stopped making up stories. She couldn''t help wondering if he had seen through


    her n.


    James flicked some ash off his cigarette and took another drag before he said, "Maria, you haven''t


    given up at all."


    "What do you mean?"


    James didn''t answer. He lowered his head and looked at his shoes for quite a while.


    Since there were only the two of them in Fairview Vi now, the surroundings were very quiet. After


    a long time of silence, Maria heard him say, "You and Lawrence were obviously acting. You said


    that you had given up. But the truth is, you haven''t yet. Maria, you won''t ever give up taking revenge


    on everyone."


    He didn''t say that Maria was taking revenge on him. But he knew that she was taking her


    vengeance on everyone, including him.


    Maria stared at him silently. But inwardly, she thought, ''Who''s the traitor?


    Is it Lawrence? Can it be Norman?


    No, neither of them will do it to me.''


    Eventually, she set her doubts on Lawrence and


    Norman aside. It had to be James. He was just too smart, no, cunning, actually.


    The smile in her eyes disappeared. She looked into his sharp eyes and said, "What good will it do to


    me? You don''t love me at all, and you won''t be jealous. So why do I have to bother?" Of course,


    Maria would never admit it.


    James realized that what she said made sense. Even if she and Lawrence were really working


    together to y a trick on him, it was meaningless. He wouldn''t be jealous or care.


    But then, he still countered, "Because you want some help from me."


    Maria thought that she failed in fooling James. So she asked tentatively, "If I make a request, will


    you grant it?"


    James looked at the vi in front of him and answered, "Sure. But, it has to be thest."


    He would be engaged to Alina tomorrow. Thus, he had to control himself and never see her again.


    Maria took two steps forward to get closer to him and raised her red lips. "I''ll buy you a drink


    tonight."


    There was a hint of provocation in her eyes. James noticed it, so he had to think it over.


    "Don''t worry. I will avoid arousing suspicion, and I won''t do anything to you. Otherwise, it will be a


    disgrace to Lawrence. I won''t do that to him."


    James saw the mockery in her eyes, and he hated it. He said in a low voice, "Leopard Club.”


    "It''s a deal. I''ll leave you alone now. See youter."


    Maria then got in her car. This time, she drove out of Fairview Vi without hitting his car again.


    James and Alina''s engagement day was also the founding anniversary of Tang Group. The nning


    department of thepany had started preparing for this event three months ago.


    Since the engagement party would be tomorrow, many people were extremely busy. But Alina was


    an exception. All she needed to do was make sure that she would be the most beautiful at her big


    event.


    She had already tried her dress one week ago, and there was no problem with it. She had also


    chosen the set of jewelry she would wear. She went to the salon for her manicure and facial care.


    Alina finished with her facial treatmentte in the evening, and she suddenly felt sick. Actually, she


    started feeling a little sick this afternoon, but she didn''t pay much attention to it. She just thought


    that she was hungry as she didn''t have her afternoon tea.


    Alina turned to her assistant and asked casually, "Is James still in thepany?"