Chapter 378 Happy New Year


    Rubbing his eyebrows with one hand, phone in the other, Norman said, "What else could he do? He


    took action on some of mypany''s projects."


    "Sorry, I just found out," Maria apologized.


    "Although he did us some damage, it''s not that big a deal," Norman said lightly. "He probably


    thought that I was being too idle and found something for me to deal with. I didn''t know James could


    get so jealous!"


    Since Norman was in the mood for poking fun at her, things probably weren''t as serious as she''d


    thought. "Well, in that case, happy new year!"


    "Thanks, Maria. Don''t worry about me. I''ll be happy if make trouble for James as much as possible."


    Whenever James was unhappy, he felt doubly happy.


    Maria thought of something and said, "I might have offended your mother just now because of


    James. Please keep herpany if you''re free."


    Norman''s eyebrows shot up. "You offended her yet you''re asking me to keep herpany? Why


    don''t you apany her, instead?" In his eyes, Gabri would probably be very happy to spend


    some time with her daughter-inw.


    "She is your mother," she reminded him seriously.


    "Anyway, how did you offend her? Tell me everything." Norman''s curiosity was piqued.


    At first, Maria didn''t want to tell him. After all, his rtionship with James was very strained. But


    after a while, she hesitantly answered, "Well, I ran into your mother and got upset when she refused


    to even say


    James'' name..."


    Normanpsed into a thoughtful silence. Finally, he said, "You must''ve found out she was the one


    who bought the cake at five million dors. Am I right?"


    "Yeah."


    "Do you think she was supporting you or James?"


    Maria didn''t answer right away. Of course, Gabri was supporting James. Maria and Gabri had


    practically been strangers to each other.


    Norman said in a lighter tone, "She''s just not good at expressing herself. After all, she''s been a little


    isted these years. But there are a lot of things that remind her of James and Cooper in her


    study." Now, it was Maria''s turn topse into thoughtful silence.


    She didn''t know what to say. Norman told her something that she had no idea about. "Then I really


    have offended your mother," she said slowly.


    "Well, whatever happened, it has nothing to do with me," Norman said dismissively. He knew his


    mother. Gabri wouldn''t hold grudge against Maria because of this. After all, she was just


    defending James.


    Maria sighed. "All right. It was my fault. I acted rashly. But please spend more time with her this


    Spring Festival!"


    "Got it." Before dropping the call, Norman posed a question. "If you quarrel with my mother, who do


    you think James will side with?" Although he knew that the two women wouldn''t quarrel, he was just


    curious.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    However, his question took her aback. She didn''t take Norman to be a gossip.


    After hanging up the phone, Maria asked the driver to send her to James'' office.


    When she got to the CEO''s lounge, Maria almost tripped on the many gifts littered across the floor.


    Seeing here in, James greeted her warmly. "You came just in time. Go to the room next door


    and pick out what you want. Then ask the driver to send them to the vi. I will ask them to dispose


    of the things that you don''t want."


    But Maria ignored his words. Instead, she walked over to him and leaned against the desk with her


    back to him. "James," she said seriously.


    "What?" Sensing the seriousness in her tone, he put down the pen in his hand and held her in his


    arms.


    "Why do you let the past haunt you? Why do you still make things difficult for Norman?" Her tone


    wasn''t angry. She was just genuinely concerned.


    He stared at her and asked, "Was he the one who told you?"


    "No, I heard about it from someone else." She hadn''t made up her mind yet about whether she


    should let him know that she ran into Gabri.


    "Well, he wasn''t doing anything, so I found something for him to do." If he kept Norman busy, the


    latter wouldn''t have the energy to think about his wife.


    Maria wrapped her arms around his neck. "You should be focusing on dealing with HM Group and


    Tang Group, not Norman. For my sake, don''t inconvenience him, okay?"


    Because it was Maria who asked him, James saw no reason to refuse her. But he added a


    disimer. "I''ll do what you say, but you can''t work for him in the future."


    Maria knew what he meant. "I haven''t in a while. I have Bob now, and I don''t want to get into


    trouble."


    "Okay." He kissed her on the lips.


    This year''s Valentine''s Day fell on the ninth day of the lunar New Year. Early that morning, Cooper''s


    doorbell rang. When he opened the door, he found Sandra standing there.


    Sandra''s heart started to race and she stammered, "I. ..I want... Cooper, I want to..." She was so


    nervous that tears started welling up in her eyes.


    Cooper chuckled softly. "I''m only human. Why are you so nervous?"


    Sandra immediately found her footing and retorted, "You''re no human, you''re Prince Charming!" So


    that was why she was nervous.


    Cooper chuckled again and leaned against his door frame. "Miss Shen, what brings you here?"


    "Well..." Sandra revealed what she was hiding behind her back. "This is some cranberry toast I


    made for you, and there''s also pizza and milk." She had heard from Maria that Cooper was staying.


    She was so excited that she didn''t sleep the previous night.


    In order to keep his word to his brother, Cooper epted her gift. "Why, thank you!"


    "You''re wee. I won''t bother you anymore. Goodbye!" Sandra smiled brightly and waved at him.


    "Wait!" Cooper stopped her.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Maria told me that you''re going to take the postgraduate entrance exam."


    "Yeah?" Sandra was under the impression she didn''t deserve to be with a man like Cooper, so she


    wanted to better herself.


    And she wanted to start by broadening her knowledge.


    "I''m not that busy these days. You cane over if you have any questions as you study."


    Sandra was so moved that she wanted to cry. Her Prince Charming was so kind to her. "Okay, thank


    you! " She clenched her fists in determination. She wanted to study hard and learn from him.


    "You''re wee."


    "Well!" Just as Cooper was closing the door, Sandra piped up shyly. "Happy Valentine''s Day!"


    Secretly, she thought of today as their first Valentine''s Day. The first of many, she hoped.


    "Same to you!"


    As Cooper closed the door of the apartment, Sandra hopped into the elevator.


    As soon as the elevator doors slid to a close, she started jumping up and down with joy. But when


    she remembered she was in an elevator, she stopped jumping and sighed contentedly.


    ''Come on, Sandra! Get yourself together!''


    The second she got out of the elevator, she gave Maria a call. "Maria, you''re my goddess of luck! I


    love you so much!"


    Sandra''s joy was contagious. Mariaughed heartily and said, "It''s no big deal. Just seize this as an


    opportunity. You should cherish the present and not worry about the future so much."


    "Okay, you''re right. I will."


    Just then, the door to her office swung open. In waltzed a man carrying a huge bouquet of flowers.


    She hung up the phone in a hurry and looked at the person in front of her with wide eyes. "What


    brings you here?"


    "The wind of love," James answered cheekily, holding up the gigantic bouquet of Juliet Roses.


    There were at least ny-nine roses in his arms!


    The Juliet Rose was the most noble among the roses. It was expensive, elegant, light, and


    symbolized passion.


    Smelling the faint fragrance of flowers, Maria couldn''t help but smile. "Do you want to turn my ce


    into a garden?"