A Vengeful Ex-Wife

Chapter 115 Cooperation

As he heard her voice and felt her touch, Lawrence shivered. He looked at Maria as if wondering whether she was in her right mind. But Lawrence wasn't stupid. He quickly understood what she was up to. Smiling back at her, he pulled the stool beside him. "I've been waiting for you for half an hour. Come and sit down!"

The women surrounding Lawrence thought Maria was his date, so they walked away to find another target.

Once everything quieted down, Maria moved away from Lawrence and said, "It's not easy for you to get time off. Why aren't you on an actual date with a girl? Why did you ask me out for a drink?" As much as Maria thought he needed a girlfriend, he had his reasons not to date.

Lawrence signaled to a bartender and let Maria order a cocktail before answering, "I'm not interested in women." If he had time to waste on that, he would rather spend it catching more criminals.

Maria shook her head helplessly. "What are you talking about? Am I not a woman?" she asked, pretending to be angry.

"Yes, you are, but..." Lawrence was still searching for the right words to say as he gave her a look that said "you know what I mean."

Maria rolled her eyes at him and patted on his hand to stop him from trying. "I get it. Now, come on, dude! Let's change the subject!" She had long known how Lawrence regarded her. If he had ever seen her as a datable woman, he wouldn't have asked her out to drink in the first place.

Lawrence chuckled before he asked, "How's everything going between you and James?"

"Can we change the subject again?" Maria wasn't really in the mood to discuss James with him.

"I guess things aren't going well then. Since I have time now, tell me, what can I do for you?" He recalled that Maria asked him for help the other morning.

Maria didn't refrain from asking, "I do need your help, but it will cost you. Mr. Lu, how much are you willing to sacrifice your reputation for my plan?"

Lawrence was a single man with a good reputation. If he were caught associated with a divorced woman, pretty soon, the town would be spreading rumors about them, which might have a negative impact on his overall image.

At this time, the bartender put a glass of Bloody Mary in front of Maria. "Excuse, ma'am. Here's your cocktail."

"Thank you!"

After they clinked glasses and took sips of their own drinks, Lawrence put down his glass and looked at Maria. "Tell me your plan."

"Are you looking for a wife?"

"Not yet." He might need a wife in the future, but definitely not right now.

Maria scratched her head. "Would you at least consider having one now?"

Lawrence laughed lightly. Her intentions became obvious. "So, you want me to marry you?"

"Exactly!" Maria was sure Lawrence would agree to her plan. He was a smart man. He had made friends with her and become close to her. She must be useful for him as well. Still, Lawrence joked, "I need some time to think it over."

He understood what Maria's plan was. It wasn't that she wanted to marry him, she just wanted to provoke James by doing so.

Maria chuckled and gave him a light kick on the leg. "What do you have to think about? Am I not charming enough? Forget it. I don't want to marry you anymore!"

The man was about to respond when he suddenly felt something strange behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he scanned the bar.

It turned out that there was someone taking photos of them secretly. Soon, Lawrence identified their paparazzo to be Ethan.

Pretending not to see him, he looked away and went on to say, "It's not impossible. But there is James."

Maria finished her cocktail and ordered a glass of strong liquor. Bringing a hand to her chin, she answered thoughtfully, "Oh, you're worried about James. Well, he's the reason I changed my original plan! It's useless to seduce him. Your friend is such a scumbag, unlike any other that I met before." After sleeping with her, James could pretend nothing had happened between them with mastery.

"I've thought about it for a while. I think you're a good man. Although you're not as rich as James, you have a handsome face, a good shape, and an excellent family background!" Maria paused for a second and then finally asked, "How about we be together?"

Had Lawrence not known that this woman was interested in his close friend, he would have been lured by her. No wonder Ethan called her an enchantress. "Fine, I agree!"

Maria stretched out her hand and said, "May our cooperation be successful!"

Lawrence smiled, holding her hand. As he let it go, he said, "May our cooperation be successful!"

The two carried on with their pleasant conversation while Ethan watched them from afar and texted someone via WeChat.

The young man hid at a corner, leaning back against the wall. He sent the photos he had secretly taken to James and wrote, "James, that enchantress Maria is drinking with a man!"

When he took the photos, he deliberately chose an angle where Lawrence's face couldn't be seen.

In less than a minute, he got a reply from James. "Aren't you supposed to join them?"

Ethan was confused.

Somehow, James seemed to know it was Lawrence with Maria in the pictures. Did he know that Lawrence asked them to have a drink with him?

Ethan was a little disappointed. James was really a party pooper. He could at least play along and pretend he didn't know anything. Instead, he ruined his fun!

"Then, why is Maria so close to Lawrence?" He sent James another message.

"I don't know." James didn't care about it at all.

"How does Maria know Mr. Shen?"

"I don't know."

Ethan had no idea why, but he felt strangely uncomfortable seeing James so indifferent to Maria. With a snort, he texted again, "Alright, forget I asked!" Pretending that he had just arrived, he put his phone away and rushed to the man and woman sitting next to each other. "Good evening, Enchant..." Maria and Lawrence!" Ethan stopped and corrected himself before almost blurting out the nickname he had given to Maria.

Lawrence glanced at him indifferently and asked, "So you came?"

"Yes, I've just arrived! I came as soon as I could." With the same lively expression he wore every day on his face, Ethan sat down next to Lawrence and ordered himself a cocktail.

Lawrence did not expose that he had seen him hiding and taking photos of them. Ethan was young, and it was expected that he would resort to such childish tricks. Besides, Lawrence had figured that he must have sent those photos to James. Why else would he take them if not with that end in mind?

The bar was so noisy that Maria couldn't hear what they were saying.

Soon the bartender brought Ethan his cocktail, but Maria robbed the glass for herself before he could react. Raising her voice, she challenged the young man, who was now glaring at her, "Let's play a drinking game, shall we?"

Lawrence had his own habit of drinking, and he wouldn't break it to play with her and get drunk. Therefore, Ethan was her only target.

Ethan leaned closer to her and mocked, "Have you forgotten why you were at the hospital last time?" Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

The woman smiled. "Just tell me, are you in or not?"

"No way! Your stomach is too fragile for that. Don't even think about drinking that much again!" Ethan refused firmly, taking back his cocktail. Maria sighed heavily and complained, "You guys are so lame!"

"James has returned to H City." Lawrence took the time they were discussing to check his phone and told them the news.

As she heard that, Maria's eyes flashed with interest. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah," Lawrence nodded, looking at her.

"Will he come over?" Maria was already scheming in her head.

Seeing a glint of malice in her eyes, Lawrence gave up what he was going to say and reminded her instead, "You should think twice before you act, Maria."

Maria rolled her eyes at him but didn't say anything.

Hating to feel ignored, Ethan walked around Maria with his glass in his hand and complained, "Excuse me, you two! In case you forgot about me, I'm still here!"

Lawrence looked at him and warned, "I advise you to stay away from her from now on." He knew this woman was capable of doing anything in order to achieve her goals. She wouldn't spare anyone she could make use of.

Ophelia