Chapter 78 Confronting the Third Party Face-to-Face, Reclaim Everything!
When it comes to dedication, Gloria was once a legend in the entertainment industry.
When it comes to acting skills, she was better than everyone present.
Her eyes filled with heartache and anxiety, she spat out the blood, then rushed to find the medical kit.
Her flustered, nervous figure clung to the railing to keep from falling.
She hurried upstairs in a panic, but the anxiety on her face quietly faded once she was out of Vivienne and James's sight.
She heard Vivienne's lowered voice: "See, I told you Gloria still cares about you, James. Treat her well and don't hurt her again."
Though James was injured, he sounded like he was in a good mood.
"Grandma, I know. I'll definitely seize this chance to get back together with Gloria."
Get back together?
A cold smile appeared at the corner of Gloria's mouth.
James, when I wanted to be with you, you insisted on hurting me. Now you want to make up? Dream on!
The Williams family and that Maria—they'll all pay the price!
Gloria left quietly, and when she came back downstairs with the medical kit, her face showed anxiety and concern again.
Gloria pressed him down onto the sofa. She knelt on the floor to treat his wound. "How could you be so careless?"
"Gloria, I'm fine. It doesn't hurt at all."
Gloria slowly raised her head. Crystal tears slid from her eyes, leaving a wet trail. Anyone would feel sorry for her. Her voice trembled: "You're bleeding so much, how could it not hurt?"
That single tear made James feel like even dying would be worth it.
He leaned down and hugged Gloria, breathing in her familiar scent. His emotions were all mixed up, his voice heavy: "Honey, I'm sorry."
Gloria pushed him away. "Grandma's still here. Don't do this. Let me apply the medicine first."
She glanced at Vivienne from the corner of her eye. Sure enough, Vivienne looked completely loving.
Gloria "frantically" sprayed alcohol all over his wound. James was so absorbed in Gloria's tenderness toward him that he didn't feel any pain at all.
After bandaging him up, he pulled Gloria onto the sofa to sit. "It's just a minor injury. You and Grandma rest for a bit, then we can eat."
Lunch was lavish. James served Gloria soup and put food on her plate. This time she didn't throw it in the trash—she ate it obediently.
James's anxious heart slowly settled down.
Though Vivienne didn't say anything, her mood had clearly improved.
Gloria helped her back to her room for an afternoon nap. Vivienne held her hand and said: "See how nice this is? He wants to make amends, so give him a chance."
Gloria showed a girl's playful charm: "I don't want to."
Vivienne smiled. "You've always been stubborn."
"Okay Grandma, stop worrying about me. Rest well. I'll be fine."
After taking her medicine, Vivienne quickly fell asleep. Gloria tucked her in and quietly closed the door as she left.
The moment she closed the door, her back pressed against James's broad, solid embrace.
Gloria turned around and found herself trapped between his chest and the door.
The afternoon sunlight was bright and scorching. James stood in the backlight, letting the sun cast gentle golden rays on his shoulders.
He looked down at Gloria with lowered eyes, dark currents churning in his deep gaze. His whole being seemed split between light and shadow.
Just like his contradictory nature—when he was good, he was a considerate partner; when he was bad, he did whatever he wanted.
He had both a kind side and an evil side, hard to figure out.
His voice carried humble pleading: "Gloria, I want to talk to you."
Gloria naturally wouldn't warm up to him so quickly. James was very smart and very sensitive.
She pushed him away. "I have nothing to talk to you about."
With that, she went upstairs with a cold face.
After a while, when he came up, he saw Gloria sitting on the window seat.
The curtains weren't completely closed. Sunlight poured through the gap in a beam, but she deliberately avoided the light, hiding in a dark corner with her arms wrapped around herself—the same posture as in the hospital.
James's heart ached. He walked closer in a few steps, looking down at Gloria with her head buried in her knees.
She seemed to be crying, her body curled into a ball.
Like a stray cat hiding under a tree in a storm, so helpless and pitiful.
James bent down and placed his hand on her thin shoulder. Gloria's body trembled violently, as if he'd startled her.
His voice was warm and deep: "Gloria, stop crying. It's all my fault."
Gloria raised her head, tears pouring out uncontrollably.
"Don't touch me! I'm dirty." She screamed hoarsely, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
At first she was just acting, but as she cried, thinking about recent events, her emotions took over and she couldn't control them.
Suppressed sobs, uncontrollable trembling and crying.
Her nose turned pink from crying, the corners of her eyes tinged with red. Her crying broke James's heart.
"Gloria, what exactly happened?"
Gloria choked out: "You even bought that Maria a house, didn't you?"
"No, Gloria, I—"
He just wanted to completely cut ties with Maria. How could he possibly buy her a house?
Gloria pulled out her phone and showed him Maria's social media.
Many posts were taken at that villa. Gloria recognized the house.
Because it was close to the hospital, she'd gone to see it when it was ready.
James had asked if she wanted to move, and she said no. She never expected Maria to move in.
James knew Gloria loved roses, so he'd had different varieties of roses planted at every residence.
In the end, those roses became props for Maria's photos.
He'd never followed Maria's social media. Only now did he realize Maria had upset Gloria again.
"Gloria, I already had someone warn her to move out."
Gloria cried: "You're lying to me. You clearly hid her away! James, you have no conscience. I worked so hard trying to get pregnant for you, and you had a child with someone else outside, and gave her our house to live in. You bastard!"
She raised her hand and hit James hard. James didn't stop her.
Gloria had been too calm all along. Her making a scene like this actually made him feel more at ease.
He pulled Gloria into his arms. "I'll make her move out right away. I'm sorry, Gloria. Please stop crying, okay?"
Gloria's crying voice was thick with congestion: "I don't believe you. You're trying to trick me again."
"I'm not tricking you. If you don't trust me, come with me."
Gloria had achieved her goal. Her voice became like melted cream, soft and sticky: "And the money you spent on her—that's all our marital property! It's mine."
James hadn't seen the money-loving Gloria in so many years.
He didn't find it annoying at all. In fact, he found it adorable.
He reached out to wipe away her tears. "Okay, we'll get it all back. The money is yours, the house is yours, and I'm yours too."
Seeing that James had taken the bait, Gloria didn't want any delays.
This kind of thing required a quick resolution.
Testing James's attitude toward Maria, she could see that from start to finish, James only cared about the child in Maria's belly.
"Then go kick her out right now, take back the house, and make her give back everything she got from you."
Before, Gloria had only wanted to separate from him and never mentioned going after Maria, which meant she really wanted to leave and wouldn't interfere with people and things related to him anymore.
But now she was starting to care about Maria's existence, which meant Gloria didn't want a divorce anymore.
James was too happy to think about anything else. He just wanted to make her happy, so he immediately made a call to arrange it.
After hanging up, he got up and brought a warm towel to carefully wipe Gloria's tears.
"Stop crying, baby. You're killing me."
"James, I don't want your life. I just want to take back everything that belongs to me."
James couldn't wait to make a clean break with Maria in front of Gloria, so Gloria wouldn't doubt him anymore and they could continue their life together.
Gloria cooperated and went out with him.
At the villa.
Maria was making coffee for Mabel. She knew Mabel was the only person she could hold onto, so she was as obedient as could be.
Mabel blew on her coffee, looking calm. "I've already gotten this house for you. From now on, just stay here and take care of the baby. But remember one thing—don't let him find out you're pregnant for the first few months. The baby hasn't formed yet, so he won't feel guilty about getting rid of it. But once the baby's bigger, even if he wants to, he might not have the heart to do it."
"Mabel, I'll do whatever you say."
Suddenly there was the sound of a car engine outside. Maria was terrified.
James had come twice before, like a death-seeking ghost.
"He, he's here again!"
Mabel also found it strange. "He's usually so busy, how does he have time to come? Don't panic. Remember what I told you."
Several cars stopped in the yard one after another. Maria felt something was very wrong.
Before, he'd always come alone, not even bringing an assistant. Why were there so many cars today?
James didn't want to see Maria, so he didn't get out of the car.
Soon John came back, looking somewhat troubled: "Mr. Williams, your mother is here too."
Mabel stood at the door, her voice carrying through the window: "Who told you to come? I want this house. Who dares touch it?"
Maria held Mabel's arm. With her backing, Maria felt more confident.
As long as James didn't come, it would be fine.
Just as she thought this, she heard the sound of a car door closing.
In the sunlight, James stood beside the black Cullinan, white shirt tucked into black pants, wearing a well-tailored wool suit, his figure straight and proper.
Like his always meticulously styled hair, every time he appeared before Maria, he was refined and elegant, with a natural dominance.
It made Maria both infatuated and afraid.
James's sharp eyes fell on Mabel's face, his voice undisguisedly cold: "Mom, what are you doing here?"
Mabel was nervous inside but stubbornly said: "I can be wherever I want. Just manage the company and stop worrying about me."
James walked toward her step by step. As he approached, his powerful presence swept over them. His face showed clear displeasure: "Didn't I tell you to cut ties with this woman?"
"I, I just came to look at the house."
"No wonder you suddenly wanted this house." James laughed coldly, his gaze falling on Maria's face as he said word by word: "Did you put her up to this?"
Meeting his intimidating gaze, Maria was so scared she almost fell to her knees.
"Mr. Williams, I didn't."
"Whether you did or not, today is the third day and you still haven't moved out."
James glanced at the bodyguards, his voice extremely cold: "Throw all her stuff out."
Maria tugged at Mabel's clothes. Just as Mabel was about to speak, James cut her off.
"Mom, you know my temper. If you insist on pleading for her, starting today, I'll cancel all your credit cards. If I find out you've been in contact with her again, I'll take back all the jewelry, savings, and properties under your name."
James's face was cold. "You like this woman so much, let her take care of you in your old age."