Chapter 414 Pay Back Double


    Bob took the opportunity to crawl around the bed happily. He even got down from the bed on his


    own and tottered forward to hug his father''s thigh. "Daddy, " he called out, looking up.


    James smiled down at him before picking him up with one arm. "Let''s go. I''ll take you outside to see


    the night view."


    When Maria stepped out of the bathroom after finishing her shower, she found the bedroom empty.


    Bob''s giggles came from the balcony from time to time.


    She walked over curiously and saw that James was half-lying on the couch, with Bob sitting in his


    arms. The two of them seemed to be enjoying the night view of the brightly-lit H City.


    Later, when they all went to bed, Maria was so exhausted that she kicked James away. She didn''t


    want to take the risk of letting him hold her while sleeping. In fact, she would have preferred if he


    hadn''te back from abroad. She was sure that if he didn''t let her rest tonight, her body would be


    damaged by him.


    Thinking of that, she vowed to cherish her life and stay away from him from now on.


    The three of them fell asleep. At four o''clock in the morning, however, James suddenly stirred from


    his sleep.


    He hadn''t been having a nightmare, and no one had called his name, so he couldn''t figure out why


    he had woken up.


    He nced around. Maria was sleeping soundly by his side. Then he turned to the crib.


    Where was Bob?


    James'' heart leapt to his throat as he abruptly sat up. The crib, where Bob had been sleeping, was


    empty now.


    He didn''t wake up Maria right away. Instead, he turned on the bedsidemp and got out of bed. He


    walked around the bed, looking carefully at the floor, but Bob was nowhere to be seen. The doors of


    the bedroom and the bathroom were also both closed.


    The security system that James had installed at the vi was very powerful. Logically speaking, Bob


    could not be in any danger. In fact, he had to still be in the bedroom.


    Thinking of that, James frowned and opened the closet door a crack. He popped his head inside


    and nced around, but there was no sign of Bob there, either.


    Then, he opened all the cupboard doors, but there was still no trace of Bob.


    James stood in the center of the bedroom, lost in thought. His heart was pounding wildly against his


    chest, and his palms were sweating.


    Just when he decided to wake Maria up so that they could go downstairs to look for Bob together,


    he spotted a movement out of the corner of his eye. The curtain in the balcony was swaying.


    Instantly bing alert, he quietly tiptoed towards the balcony.


    When the curtain moved again, he stretched his hand out and pulled it aside in one swift movement.


    It was only then that his shoulders rxed. He didn''t know whether tough or cry at the scene in


    front of him. While he had been desperately searching around the room for several minutes, the


    little boy wearing a diaper was sitting behind the curtain, staring at the night view outside.


    Hearing the rustle of the curtain behind him, Bob turned around to take a look at James, and then


    turned back and continued to look at the scenery calmly.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    James, who had been on the verge of copse just moments ago, raised his hand to his forehead


    and took a few deep breaths. Then, he squatted down and asked in a low voice, "Boston, it''ste at


    night. Why aren''t you sleeping? Are you sitting here to n your life? Or maybe the future of H


    City?"


    "Mommy," Bob replied simply.


    Mommy? James turned around and found that Maria was still lying in the bed, fast asleep. He held


    out his hand with a helpless sigh and said, "Let''s go. I will take you to your mommy."


    Bob obediently grabbed onto one of his fingers. James picked him up and locked the door of the


    balcony with his other hand.


    After making sure that the door was locked, he drew the curtain.


    Then, he put the baby onto the bed and gave him a pat on the butt. "Go ahead! You are allowed to


    sleep next to your mommy tonight."


    A happy smile spread across Bob''s face as he crawled to Maria. Then, hey prone by her side and


    closed his eyes.


    James watched the child with furrowed eyebrows. Why would his son lie prone?


    He turned Bob over to let him sleepfortably, but Bob opened his eyes and nced at him.


    Then, he looked at Maria and snuggled into her arms.


    James was rendered speechless. This little fish was really insatiable! How could he cuddle with


    Maria when James himself wasn''t allowed to?


    Maria, who knew nothing about all this, didn''t wake up until dawn. The giggling of her son pulled her


    out of her dream. When she groggily cracked open one of her eyes, she saw James passing the


    milk bottle to the child.


    Since her son had something to eat, she rxed and drifted back to sleep.


    The next time she woke up, which was a few hourster, it was to an empty bedroom.


    James had already boarded the ne to T Country, and Bob had been sent back to Augustine''s


    house by John.


    After washing her face and brushing her teeth, Maria applied a thinyer of foundation on her face.


    While she was putting on the rest of her make-up, her phone rang. Seeing Carolina''s name on the


    caller ID, she slid the answer key. "What''s up?"


    "Maria, Dad and Mom got divorced."


    It was just as Maria had expected. She smiled and said, "That''s great."


    "Maria..." Carolina sighed, knowing that Maria must have intervened. "No matter what, she is our


    mother."


    "She might be your mother, but she has nothing to do with me!" Maria corrected her.


    Carolina could tell how cold her tone was, but she continued, "She''s used to living like a richdy.


    Now, she doesn''t have a job, and she has no employable skills-" "What does that have to do with


    me? Carolina, I don''t want to hear anything about her anymore," Maria interrupted coldly.


    After a moment of silence, Carolina said, "I see. Maria, I know you''re trying your best to win the H


    Brocade project. Dad and I discussed it, and we''ve decided to quit the bidding war."


    "That has nothing to do with me, either. Whether you quit or not, I''m confident that DS Group will


    win this project," Maria said confidently.


    Carolina stayed silent, feeling helpless. Maria had always been overbearing, but now, with James''


    backing, she had a good reason to be confident.


    "Well, I have a meeting soon. I''ll talk to you another day,"


    Maria added before hanging up the phone.


    The news of Chandler and ine''s divorce spread like wildfire through the financial circle of H City.


    It was rumored that Maria had personally broken up her parents'' marriage. Some of them already


    knew that Maria had long severed her rtionship with the Song family. But even so, they didn''t


    think it was right of her to break up her parents'' marriage.


    Rumors about Maria flew left and right, but there was no response from her.


    The woman at the center of attention had her full focus on the H Brocade project, and didn''t bother


    herself with anything else.


    One day, Colby''s secretary and their son were hurt. Needless to say, Colby was furious. No matter


    what, he couldn''t allow anyone to harm his son.


    In fact, the first person he suspected was Maria, but after investigating the traces provided by his


    secretary, he found that all the evidence pointed to Rosa.


    It was inevitable for the Zheng couple to have a big fight. These past few weeks, Rosa had been


    under great pressure, both mentally and physically, because of the things that Maria had done to


    her. Now that even Colby was ming her for something she didn''t do, she couldn''t take it


    anymore. Teetering on the verge of breaking down, she lost her temper and smashed everything in


    the living room.


    By the time she calmed down, it was already midnight. She dialed a number and said in a cold


    voice, "Find a professional killer for me. I need someone to disappear."


    On the third day after James went to T Country on a business trip, Summer sent Maria the evidence


    of the fake ounts of HM Group that she had gathered.


    ncing through all of them, Maria couldn''t help but admire James for his ability. She could always


    depend on him to get things like this done.


    Even though she had all the evidence in her hands, she didn''t take action immediately. Instead, she


    patiently waited for the right time.


    She had also found out that Mr. Xu''s little finger had been cut off, and guessed that James was the


    one behind this.


    Since she already knew who the mastermind behind her drugging mishap was, there was no need


    for her to see Mr. Xu anymore.


    She was just waiting for an opportunity to pay Rosa back double for what she had suffered.