---- Chapter 139 The more James thought about it, the darker his expression became. Sensing his mood, Jenna quickly teared up and spoke ina choked voice. "Wendy must've done it on purpose. It's bad enough that she humiliated me in front of everyone. But how could she put you in that position, too? "Besides, she doesn't even care about Ethan anymore. Did she not consider how her words might affect how people see him? As she spoke, she kept a close eye on James' expression.

Sure enough, her carefully planted words struck a nerve. His eyes turned cold and sharp. Suppressing the smug satisfaction rising in her chest, Jenna kept going. But James wasn't hearing a word. His mind was filled with Wendy's cold eyes, harsh tone, and complete indifference. She really had let go of Ethan, all for Liam. His hands clenched into fists under the table, fury rising again after he had only just managed to suppress it.

Suddenly, Ethan cried out, "Daddy, when are you going to marry Auntie Jenna? I don't want Mommy anymore. I want Auntie Jenna to be my new mom!" ---- His voice was loud, earning a few curious glances from nearby tables. James' face twisted in frustration. He snapped, "Shut your mouth! Don't say things like that again." If people overheard, they would think he was in the wrong. Their divorce was all Wendy's fault. Startled by James' outburst , Ethan shrank back.

He was too scared to say another word. Jenna quickly reached for his hand and soothed him ina gentle voice. "Ethan, you can't say things like that when we're out, okay? It'll make your dad look bad. "It's like what your mom said earlier-it's not something others should hear. So let's wait until we're home, alright ?" Her words had a double meaning. At home, Ethan could say whatever he wanted as long as it helped push James closer to marrying Jenna.

Under Jenna's gentle coaxing, Ethan finally calmed down. Then she turned to James and said, "Don't be upset , James. Don't take it out on Ethan. He's just a child. None of this is his fault." The blame lay entirely with Wendy. She left it deliberately vague, confident that James would connect the dots himself. ---- He didn't respond, but Jenna pushed a little further. "Maybe 'Wendy has just momentarily lost her way.

That's the only reason she would say those things or act like that..." She made it sound like she was defending Wendy, but her every word subtly undermined Wendy. As she finished , she cast a not-so-subtle glance toward the curtained booth across the room. Her meaning couldn't have been clearer. James' face darkened even more as he said, "Enough." She could tell he was probably imagining strangling Wendy right then and there. So Jenna backed off. Just then, the food arrived.

She quickly shifted her tone. "Let's eat. Ethan has to get back to school later." This lunch had been a spur-of-the-moment plan. James had just secured a massive international deal and, feeling generous, had granted Ethan a couple of hours off from school to celebrate. They hadn't expected to run into Wendy here. But things had played out just as Jenna hoped. She buried her satisfaction deep inside as she started feeding Ethan.

Ethan was a picky eater, and taking care of him over the past few weeks had been no easy task. ---- But if it meant moving her plan forward, Jenna would endure ita little longer. Still, as she glanced toward that tightly sealed booth, an uncomfortable emotion crept in. She was angry and jealous. She hated that James still cared about Wendy. She hated that someone as successful, handsome, and attentive as Liam was there to protect Wendy like that. 1 She didn't understand.

She had been the likable one since they were kids and was always the favorite. So why did Wendy get everything she had ever wanted so effortlessly? The interrupted and chaotic lunch finally came to an end. Wendy and Liam stood to leave first. Unfortunately , they had to walk past James' table. Liam moved to Wendy's right side, subtly shielding her as they walked past. He never once glanced at the people seated nearby. But he could feel James' sharp and hostile glare, like it was trying to burn a hole through him.