Chapter 247 Hospitalized


    However, as soon as Summer got into the car, James called. He seemed to have known that she


    was about to leave, because his order was, "Wait right there."


    That certainly took her aback for a moment. "Yes, Mr. Xi, " was all she said. ''Isn''t he going to keep


    Mariapany?'' she wondered.


    He came over shortly and let himself into the passenger seat.


    "Drive back to thepany."


    "Very well, Mr. XI."


    Maria, on the other hand, had known that James would not stay, so she didn''t bother asking him.


    Sure enough, he stormed out of her apartment as soon as he set her down.


    She didn''t see him again in the days that followed, and they didn''t have any contact with each other.


    Carolina was not aware that Maria had already been released, and when she ran into James on


    one of the social gatherings, she tried to arrange for a visitation using his help. He refused her


    request on the spot.


    She had no choice but to give up.


    Mariater learned from Summer that Norman and James had a fight. Shocked at this unexpected


    incident, she immediately gave Norman a call.


    "You fought with James? Why?"


    Norman smiled, "If you have any conscience to speak of, why don''t youe over to the hospital to


    visit me?"


    "You''re in the hospital?"


    "I''m afraid so."


    Maria hurriedly ended the call and grabbed her purse. She was in the hospital grounds in less than


    an hour.


    She sent James a message on her way: "If you''re angry, James Xi, thene directly at me. Our


    problems are between us two, Norman has nothing to do with any of it. No matter what happens, he


    is still your younger brother. Show him some mercy, please."


    James sneered as he read her text. Then he replied, "My younger brother? When did I ever


    acknowledge him as such?"


    A feeling of helplessness came over Maria. She had never wanted to get involved in his family


    affairs, but it looked like she was doing just that. "Regardless, you shouldn''t have beaten him to the


    point that he needed to be admitted to the hospital."


    ''Norman is in the hospital? Seriously?'' James couldn''t believe his ears. Yes, they had a fight, but


    they were evenly matched. Howe Normal was in the hospital?


    James scowled and he didn''t reply to Maria''s messages again.


    Inside one of the VIP wards of the hospital


    Maria gazed down at the man sitting on the bed. He was in the middle of receiving an infusion.


    "Where did you get hurt, Mr. Shen?" Except for some faint bruises on his face, she couldn''t find any


    other visible injuries.


    "Oh, my stomach hasn''t been feeling very good. The doctor said it was acute gastroenteritis."


    Maria gaped. "Weren''t you admitted because of your injuries from the fight?"


    Norman pretended to be confused. "Is there some sort of misunderstanding here? What made you


    think that James Xi was capable of beating me up?" It was pretty embarrassing enough to be


    wearing bruises on his face. If he was in the hospital because of James, how could Norman have


    the face to stay in H City?


    Maria was at a loss. Norman had purposely misled her during their previous conversation; it wasn''t


    her fault for misunderstanding, was it?


    As she thought of the messages she sent to James, her mood instantly turned glum. ''Maria Song,


    why are you so impulsive?''


    But before either person could say anything more, James appeared at the door of the ward.


    She looked at him with wide eyes, speechless.


    Norman put on a smile. "What brings you here, Mr. Xi?"


    "I want to find out how hard I hit you that you had to be hospitalized?"


    James mocked.


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    "Don''t worry. I don''t think you have the capacity to beat me up."


    James shot a cold nce at the woman standing by the bed, then looked at Norman again. "Well,


    Mr. Shen, if you feel inclined to see for yourself whether I have the capacity, I''ll be much obliged to


    provide you the opportunity."


    "Sounds good. Shall we make an appointment?"


    "Oh I wouldn''t want to take advantage of your current situation. Let us revisit this conversation once


    you''ve recovered."


    Norman nodded. "No problem at all."


    Maria stepped forward and came between them, facing James. "Juste to me if you have any


    comints, James Xi. Whatever grudges you may bear against me,


    Mr. Shen has nothing to do with it."


    James narrowed his eyes, his expression darkening. "Maria Song." His voice held an undercurrent


    of danger and warning.


    "Look, I take responsibility for the misunderstanding. That was totally my fault. It turns out that Mr.


    Shen is here for acute gastroenteritis. If you still want to hurt him, you''ll have to go through me first."


    ''Go through her?'' James'' lips curled into a sneer.


    It was Norman''s turn to look between the other two, and he did so with glee. He was having fun


    watching them act like this, and he chuckled smugly to himself.


    He had spent a long time training Maria, and he could now see the fruits of hisbor for himself.


    She truly had the talents to piss James off, and Norman felt pretty damn good about the fact.


    But James turned the tables in the blink of an eye.


    He grabbed Maria''s hand, and threw her forcefully on the bed. It was fortunate that Norman was


    sitting on the bed, and they didn''t hit each other when Maria fell on the mattress.


    Then James leaned over and put his arms on either side of her head, blocking any escape. "Have


    you forgotten exactly whose woman you are now? Have you forgotten who''s been fucking you day


    and night?"


    Norman''s jaw dropped, his eyes popping out.


    Maria choked on air at the words slung at her. She tried to push James back, but he never moved


    an inch despite her best efforts.


    He wasn''t done yet, though. "Since you seem to enjoy a good show, Mr. Shen, I''ll provide you with


    as much entertainment as you want."


    He gripped Maria''s wrists and pulled them to his belt


    buckle.


    Maria''s face flushed after realizing what he was nning to do. She struggled against his hold.


    "Stop being so shameless, James Xi!"


    "Mr. Shen likes to watch the show, so we''d better give him something good, hmm? As his elder


    brother, I might as well teach him some excellent positions in bed.”


    Norman pressed his lips together at that, wanting to kick the other man to the floor.


    "Get the hell of me right now!" Maria screamed, furious and mortified at the same time. "If you don''t,


    I swear I''m


    "What? What are you going to do, hmm? Beg me for mercy? Just like that one time, when you


    admitted that you were wrong and pleaded for me to be gentler?"


    Maria was thinking about killing herself at this point.


    The smile on Norman''s face had long disappeared. "Enough!" he yelled in a chilly voice.


    James cocked his head at the other man and smiled mockingly. Tm a few years older than you. If


    you want to pick a fight with me, you should acknowledge that first. Then maybe I''ll consider


    teaching you some additional techniques."


    Norman scowled. "Sure, you''re my elder brother, happy? Now can you give me Maria?"


    It seemed that Norman still wanted to make use of Maria.


    James had grown tired of this worthless talk, but that didn''t mean he was letting the woman go. In


    one fluid motion, he tore Maria''s coat open and sent buttons flying into the air.


    She opened her mouth, probably to scream, but he immediately covered it with his before she could


    even get a single sound out. He ravaged her there and then, his hands roaming ruthlessly over her


    body.


    The atmosphere in the ward becameplicated.


    Norman was so shocked he could only gape speechlessly for the first few moments. Then he lifted


    his foot from beneath the quilt and aimed a kick at James.


    The other man was quick with his reflexes, and he managed to deflect the attack. He had been


    holding Maria in his arms when it happened, and he was still holding her when he flipped them over


    andnded with their positions switched. She was now the one on top.


    Maria felt so humiliated, she pounced on James and bit his shoulder.


    James just snorted and ruffled her hair. "Baby, you know I like it when you''re rough. Come on, the


    harder you bite, the more it entices me."


    She finally gave up, loosening her jaw and lying on top of his chest in resignation. ''He is so


    shameless!'' How she wished that a bolt of lightning struck him to instant death.


    Maria took a deep breath and pulled away, looking him in the eye with a serious expression. "James


    Xi, if you keep doing this, I''ll leave."


    James thought it was time to put an end to the show as well, and he pulled them both back to their


    feet.


    Maria tried to smooth her clothes before turning to Norman awkwardly. "I apologize, Mr. Shen. If


    there''s nothing else, I''d like to take my leave now."


    "Fuck off right this minute!" Even though it was Maria who had addressed him, Norman was ring


    at the arrogant jerk who was acting as though nothing had happened. His words were for James,


    too.