Chapter 76: The Cat is Out of the Bag
Outside the main gate of Silver Oak Manor, a car was parked under the shade of trees.
Mia sat in the car. She'd rushed out in such a hurry that she was only wearing pajama bottoms, and the cold crept up from her feet.
Her hands trembling, she turned the car heater to maximum, but it couldn't drive away the chill in her body.
Not long ago, she'd chased James from home to the garage, but he'd already driven off.
She'd grabbed a random car and followed him. She wanted to know if James had really arranged for Amelia to work at his company.
But halfway there, James's car suddenly changed direction and drove to this upscale neighborhood called Silver Oak Manor.
His car went straight in without needing to register.
This meant James wasn't here for the first time.
Either he'd come so many times that the security guard recognized his car.
Or he was an owner here himself, or close enough to an owner to come and go freely.
Didn't he say he was going to the office? What was he doing here?
Mia's confusion was quickly answered.
The black Bentley had barely been inside before it came back out through the main gate.
When it went in, James was alone in the car.
When it came out, there was a woman in his passenger seat.
When Mia saw who it was, her eyes instantly reddened.
Amelia!!
It was Amelia.
So this was where Amelia lived!
No wonder he could come and go so freely!
She should have guessed—who else but Amelia would James make a special trip to pick up!
Yesterday at the hospital, they must have been putting on an act.
One deliberately saying her leg wasn't well so he'd drive her, the other pretending to refuse in front of Mia to make her believe them.
In the stairwell, she'd been secretly pleased that he'd left Amelia behind and chased after her to comfort her.
But it turned out he was one way to her face and another behind her back.
Behind her back, he was still fooling around with Amelia...
In front of her, at least they didn't hug or hold each other, acting like he'd really kept his promise.
But coming to pick up Amelia with her injured leg—didn't that mean going into her home and carrying her out the door?
James, how can you bully me like this just because I love you!
Mia's eyes were red as she watched James's car slowly approach.
The distance grew closer, letting her clearly see Amelia in the passenger seat, her face turned slightly toward James with a bright smile, saying something.
The two looked incredibly sweet together.
The sweeter Amelia's smile, the more Mia's heart ached.
Near the turn, Amelia suddenly leaned toward James.
From Mia's angle, it looked like Amelia was caught up in the moment and couldn't help but lean in to kiss James.
When she sat in his passenger seat, she too had felt her heart flutter for him countless times.
She'd also been so moved by his occasional flirting that she couldn't help but kiss him.
This was too much!
It wasn't like she was unwilling to divorce and let them be together!
Did sneaking around make it more exciting?
Mia was so angry her eyes turned red.
She glared furiously at the black Bentley ahead, waiting to merge into traffic.
She released the handbrake, stepped on the gas, and shot forward.
Before he could enter the flow of traffic, she'd block them.
She wanted to see what James would have to say when she caught them red-handed.
...
A long, harsh honking suddenly sounded in her ears, bringing Mia back to her senses. Breaking out in a cold sweat, she slammed on the brakes.
Gripping the steering wheel tightly, she saw a car blocking her path—the honking was coming from that driver.
She'd been so focused on James that she hadn't noticed the road conditions or the oncoming car.
The driver stuck his head out and started cursing angrily, "Can't you watch the road? Why are you even driving?"
But as soon as he started yelling, he saw the woman in the driver's seat looking terrified. The moment he yelled, tears started rolling down her face.
Like a broken string of pearls, crying uncontrollably.
The driver was completely speechless.
He'd stop yelling, okay?
He muttered, "Just be more careful next time. When you're out on the road, safety is most important."
Then he quickly ducked back in, rolled up his window, and drove away.
Better run—can't deal with this.
The person left, but Mia's tears didn't stop.
She wasn't crying because the other driver yelled at her, but because...
That yelling was like a switch, releasing all her pent-up grievances.
Through tear-blurred eyes, she looked at the now-clear road ahead. James's car had long since disappeared into traffic.
Mia roughly wiped the tears from her face and carefully watched the road as she drove toward the Smith Group.
All along the way, Mia didn't bother cursing at others—she cursed James from head to toe over and over again in her mind.
...
The black Bentley slowly stopped in front of the company.
Amelia glanced at James and said apologetically, "James, wait for me a moment. I need to touch up my makeup."
Without waiting for James to respond, she pulled down the mirror and took out lipstick from her bag, seemingly focused on touching up her makeup.
But her gaze first swept inconspicuously over James in the driver's seat. Seeing his attention was on his phone, she used the mirror to look behind them.
Until the car she'd spotted earlier appeared in her view.
Only then did Amelia close the mirror and said with a bright smile, "James, I'm ready. I'll need your help getting inside."
James didn't respond, just pushed open the car door and got out.
As soon as he got out, Amelia also "bravely" pushed open her car door.
Standing on one foot, she used the car for support to get down.
She gently closed the car door, her peripheral vision catching the approaching car.
Mia was here!
Just now at her neighborhood entrance, she'd casually glanced around and actually spotted Mia.
She'd actually secretly followed James.
She'd thought Mabel hadn't managed to get things done, but now it seemed that before disappearing, she'd accomplished one thing.
Her time in this world hadn't been completely wasted.
Right now was rush hour, and employees coming and going saw James's car and looked over.
Seeing the two of them getting out together.
Were they living together now?
If it weren't for James's usually intimidating presence, they couldn't have hidden the gossip burning in their eyes.
They greeted them proactively, "Mr. Smith, Ms. Martinez, good morning."
After greeting them, they hurried inside.
Ready to gossip.
...
Amelia stood by the car. She could see that Mia's car had stopped and Mia had gotten out, but James still hadn't come to help her.
If he didn't help her, how could she add fuel to the fire?
Amelia saw Mia get out of the car, and the moment she looked toward them with fury on her face, Amelia's body suddenly swayed.
She fell toward James.
James instinctively caught her.
"James!"
At the same time, Mia's grief-stricken voice suddenly rang out. Mia stood by her car, eyes red, glaring furiously at James and Amelia "embracing."
Her heart twisted violently!
She'd thought that when Mabel said those things at the library that day, she was just trying to provoke her, but it turned out to be true!
Amelia really had been arranged to work at the Smith Group!
Didn't he say he'd keep his distance from Amelia?
This was how he kept his distance?!
Arranging her right under his nose, freely entering and leaving her neighborhood, picking her up and dropping her off from work, like any couple in love, wanting to stick together every minute of every day.
Liar!
James was a complete and utter liar!
Mia thought bitterly, her eyes already misting over.
Full of the grievance and anger of being deceived, she strode forward.