---- Chapter 278 Jenna finally burst into tears. "I'm sorry..." She hadn't even finished when James stepped into the room, unable to hold back. "Jenna, go home," he said. But this time, he didn't come rushing to her defense. Instead, he asked her to leave. Wendy let out a short, scornful laugh at the sudden change in behavior and picked up the files she had just finished packing. Jenna looked resentful but said nothing. Still sniffling, she left the room.

Wendy turned to leave, too, but James shut the door behind her. "What now? Are you here to stand up for her?" She sneered coldly. "James, don't forget -Ethan is your son too. You're just going to sit back and let people push him around like that? James had never been the kind of father who understood how to raise a child, let alone one sensitive to the scars childhood could leave behind. Wendy looked at his stony expression. All the things she wanted to say stopped short at her lips.

Because she knew that if James didn't want to understand ---- something, it didn't matter how many times she explained it -it would fall on deaf ears. So this time, she gave up. Before he could speak, she said coolly, "Move." "I thought I told you to stay home and wait for me." His voice was thick with frustration, bordering on accusation. Wendy, already on edge, snapped. "If you've got energy to come question me, maybe clean up your own mess first." The fire in her eyes was impossible to miss.

James' brows knitted tightly, but for once, he didn't get angry. Instead , he asked, almost gently, "Forget me. What about you? Have the press been bothering you?" His words of concern didn't stir anything in her. "That's none of your business," she said coldly. "Do you really have to keep talking to me like this?" His voice sharpened slightly. "I'm just trying to make sure you're okay. You're right-I'm Ethan's father.

And you're his mother." He hesitated , then added, "And we're still legally married..." Before he could finish, Wendy cut him off, clearly fed up. " Enough. I don't want to hear it. There's been enough going on lately. I just want a moment of peace, is that too much to ask?" The irony was bitter. That kind of line used to come from him. James pressed his lips together as he stared at her, barely holding in the anger just under the surface. But in the end, he backed down.

---- "If you're in trouble -whatever it is-you can always come to me," he said. Wendy met his gaze, her voice sharp and cold. "Are you done? Can I go now?" He stood right in front of the door. He didn't say anything, but he also didn't move. "Where are you going? Back to the villa, or..." The second half of the question trailed off, and his expression darkened. Wendy let out a low, mocking laugh. "That's none of your business either.

Now get out of my way, or I'll call security." "You-" Before he could finish, the door behind him suddenly opened. The force of it knocked him off balance. He stumbled forward, and Wendy made no move to steady him. Instead, she stepped aside, letting James nearly lose his balance and fall to the floor.