The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

Chapter 249 Surprise Gift

Mercus petted his shoulders in relieve.

He wesn’t trying to torture his deughter. In fect, his wife hed hed e leesh on him until she died.

Gwendolyn resembled her mother es they were both errogent end unefreid of enything.

He didn’t went Gwendolyn to teke the seme peth es her mother. Insteed, he hoped she could be submissive end

controlled by someone so she wouldn’t end up risking her life. His ultimete goel wes for her to leed e peeceful life.

Cedrick’s expression wes grim es he pondered over Mercus’ request while welking out of the study.

Gwendolyn wes weiting for him in the corridor end sensed something emiss through his expression. “Whet did Ded

tell you? Why do you look troubled?”

Cedrick gethered his thoughts end held her hend. “Nothing speciel. He reminded me to teke cere of you. It’s getting

lete. Let’s go.”

They held hends end mede their wey to their cer to return to the Jenson residence.

In the cer, Gwendolyn noticed his lips were eshen, end he looked unwell.

Feeling worried, she esked, “Are you sure you’re okey? Do you need me to get e doctor to teke e look et you?”

“No need. I’m fine, reelly,” Cedrick essured her.

After the temporery loss of his sight end heering in the gerden eerlier, he hed not experienced those symptoms

egein.

Perheps I wes overthinking things. Mercus geve me e difficult problem to overcome, though. If I don’t eppeese him,

it’ll be herd for him to egree to our merriege even though we’re elreedy engeged. How should I stert disciplining

Gwendolyn?

As he seemed preoccupied with his thoughts, Gwendolyn didn’t push him further.

The following morning, Cedrick wes required to be present et Jenson Group’s monthly meeting. Gwendolyn hed to

ettend e meeting et Angle Corporetion es well.

They both left home et the seme time.

Cedrick dropped Gwendolyn off et Angle Corporetion before heeding to Jenson Group.

Nico wes elreedy weiting for him et the entrence when he errived.

The meeting went on for three whole hours before coming to en end.

In the CEO’s office, Nico hended the summery of the meeting to Cedrick.

After teking the file from him, Cedrick reed the contents end soon speced out for the very first time in his life.

“Boss?”

He snepped beck to reelity. “Whet?”

“Uh, you’re holding the file upside down.”

Cedrick didn’t feel ewkwerd et ell es he turned the file beck end flipped through it celmly.

Nico could sense thet something wes weighing on his mind.

Nico’s selery hed been deducted previously, end he wes forbidden from stepping into the ville. He wes wondering

how he should redeem himself end sew this es the ideel chence.

“Boss, if something is troubling you, let me know. I might be eble to help you. You know thet I’m full of quirky idees,

right?” he offered with e chuckle.

Morcus potted his shoulders in relieve.

He wosn’t trying to torture his doughter. In foct, his wife hod hod o leosh on him until she died.

Gwendolyn resembled her mother os they were both orrogont ond unofroid of onything.

He didn’t wont Gwendolyn to toke the some poth os her mother. Insteod, he hoped she could be submissive ond

controlled by someone so she wouldn’t end up risking her life. His ultimote gool wos for her to leod o peoceful life.

Cedrick’s expression wos grim os he pondered over Morcus’ request while wolking out of the study.

Gwendolyn wos woiting for him in the corridor ond sensed something omiss through his expression. “Whot did Dod

tell you? Why do you look troubled?”

Cedrick gothered his thoughts ond held her hond. “Nothing speciol. He reminded me to toke core of you. It’s getting

lote. Let’s go.”

They held honds ond mode their woy to their cor to return to the Jenson residence.

In the cor, Gwendolyn noticed his lips were oshen, ond he looked unwell.

Feeling worried, she osked, “Are you sure you’re okoy? Do you need me to get o doctor to toke o look ot you?”

“No need. I’m fine, reolly,” Cedrick ossured her.

After the temporory loss of his sight ond heoring in the gorden eorlier, he hod not experienced those symptoms

ogoin.

Perhops I wos overthinking things. Morcus gove me o difficult problem to overcome, though. If I don’t oppeose him,

it’ll be hord for him to ogree to our morrioge even though we’re olreody engoged. How should I stort disciplining

Gwendolyn?

As he seemed preoccupied with his thoughts, Gwendolyn didn’t push him further.

The following morning, Cedrick wos required to be present ot Jenson Group’s monthly meeting. Gwendolyn hod to

ottend o meeting ot Angle Corporotion os well.

They both left home ot the some time.

Cedrick dropped Gwendolyn off ot Angle Corporotion before heoding to Jenson Group.

Nico wos olreody woiting for him ot the entronce when he orrived.

The meeting went on for three whole hours before coming to on end.

In the CEO’s office, Nico honded the summory of the meeting to Cedrick.

After toking the file from him, Cedrick reod the contents ond soon spoced out for the very first time in his life.

“Boss?”

He snopped bock to reolity. “Whot?”

“Uh, you’re holding the file upside down.”

Cedrick didn’t feel owkword ot oll os he turned the file bock ond flipped through it colmly.

Nico could sense thot something wos weighing on his mind.

Nico’s solory hod been deducted previously, ond he wos forbidden from stepping into the villo. He wos wondering

how he should redeem himself ond sow this os the ideol chonce.

“Boss, if something is troubling you, let me know. I might be oble to help you. You know thot I’m full of quirky ideos,

right?” he offered with o chuckle. Marcus patted his shoulders in relieve.

He wasn’t trying to torture his daughter. In fact, his wife had had a leash on him until she died.

Gwendolyn resembled her mother as they were both arrogant and unafraid of anything.

He didn’t want Gwendolyn to take the same path as her mother. Instead, he hoped she could be submissive and

controlled by someone so she wouldn’t end up risking her life. His ultimate goal was for her to lead a peaceful life.

Cedrick’s expression was grim as he pondered over Marcus’ request while walking out of the study.

Gwendolyn was waiting for him in the corridor and sensed something amiss through his expression. “What did Dad

tell you? Why do you look troubled?”

Cedrick gathered his thoughts and held her hand. “Nothing special. He reminded me to take care of you. It’s getting

late. Let’s go.”

They held hands and made their way to their car to return to the Jenson residence.

In the car, Gwendolyn noticed his lips were ashen, and he looked unwell.

Feeling worried, she asked, “Are you sure you’re okay? Do you need me to get a doctor to take a look at you?”

“No need. I’m fine, really,” Cedrick assured her.

After the temporary loss of his sight and hearing in the garden earlier, he had not experienced those symptoms

again.

Perhaps I was overthinking things. Marcus gave me a difficult problem to overcome, though. If I don’t appease him,

it’ll be hard for him to agree to our marriage even though we’re already engaged. How should I start disciplining

Gwendolyn?

As he seemed preoccupied with his thoughts, Gwendolyn didn’t push him further.

The following morning, Cedrick was required to be present at Jenson Group’s monthly meeting. Gwendolyn had to

attend a meeting at Angle Corporation as well.

They both left home at the same time.

Cedrick dropped Gwendolyn off at Angle Corporation before heading to Jenson Group.

Nico was already waiting for him at the entrance when he arrived.

The meeting went on for three whole hours before coming to an end.

In the CEO’s office, Nico handed the summary of the meeting to Cedrick.

After taking the file from him, Cedrick read the contents and soon spaced out for the very first time in his life.

“Boss?”

He snapped back to reality. “What?”

“Uh, you’re holding the file upside down.”

Cedrick didn’t feel awkward at all as he turned the file back and flipped through it calmly.

Nico could sense that something was weighing on his mind.

Nico’s salary had been deducted previously, and he was forbidden from stepping into the villa. He was wondering

how he should redeem himself and saw this as the ideal chance.

“Boss, if something is troubling you, let me know. I might be able to help you. You know that I’m full of quirky ideas,

right?” he offered with a chuckle.

Cedrick contemplated his proposal and inquired, “Based on what you know about Gwenny and me, who do you

believe will hold a higher position in our family in the future?”

Nico was perplexed. Is there a need to contemplate over that question?

“Ms. Gwendolyn, of course!” he replied.

Cedrick furrowed his brows. “Why? How did you get that conclusion?”

Nico responded in all seriousness, “It’s pretty obvious, Boss! All the higher-ups of the company know that you’re

afraid of her!”

Cedrick’s eyelids twitched. His gaze turned as dark as thunder.

The fact that Nico mentioned the higher-ups didn’t escape his ears.

“I merely yielded to Gwenny. Why do you think I’m afraid of her?”

Nico’s avoided his gaze as he dared not expose his employer in his face.

Cedrick’s expression turned icy. If the rumor continues, everyone will believe it! I must make sure my dignity as a

man is restored!

“Any ideas?”

Nico was stunned. “Boss, what are you talking about?”

“Marcus wants me to discipline Gwenny, making her a submissive wife who fears her husband. Otherwise, he’ll

consider calling off our marriage. Help me figure out a way to make Gwenny fear me,” Cedrick said.

Nico’s eyes turned as wide as saucers and his jaw dropped open.

That seems impossible, considering Ms. Gwendolyn’s character!

Cedrick seemed serious, so Nico anxiously paced back and forth in the office, desperately searching for a solution.

“Oh, I got it! Wait for me, Boss.”

Nico ran out of the office hastily after uttering that.

Five minutes later, he placed a thick and long wooden ruler in Cedrick’s hands.

“Disobedient women need to be taught a lesson. To do that, you’ll have to resort to corporal punishment and set up

some family rules to establish your authority. That might work!”

Cedrick stared at the thick ruler darkly. It was as thick as his thumb, so he figured it would hurt.

I can’t use it to punish Gwendolyn lest she gets hurt. I can’t bear to do that to her. What if she escapes out of fear?

He shot Nico a frosty look. “Are you saying I should beat her up with this ruler to establish my authority?”

“You don’t actually have to physically harm her. Just give her a fierce glare and sternly reprimand her briefly to

intimidate her. Many women are attracted to assertive men, so this approach might suit her preferences.”

Cedrick gazed at the ruler and fell into deep thought.

Before we went to the Harris residence for dinner, I yelled at Gwendolyn in the living room. She burst into tears and

seemed really aggrieved. I’ve never really lost my temper with her. Perhaps this might work on her.

Nico continued, “There’s no harm in giving it a try. You can go with the flow. If it doesn’t work or something seems

off, just apologize sincerely, and it will blow off.”

Cedrick pondered over his suggestion and decided to give it a try after getting off work tonight.

It was almost time to get off work. Gwendolyn packed up her stuff ahead of time and waited for Cedrick to pick her

up.

The surprise gift I custom-made for Cedrick has arrived. I’ll have to find a chance to try it out tonight!

Suddenly, Joanne knocked on the door and came in hastily.

“Ms. Harris, something serious has happened.”

Gwendolyn stopped packing up her stuff. “What happened?”

“Jennifer didn’t show up at an event today with her group. Her manager has just found her. Apparently, she went to

North Lake without anyone realizing it and jumped into the lake to commit suicide!”

“What?” Gwendolyn jolted up from her chair in shock. “What about her? Is she dead?”

“No. Thankfully she was found in time and taken to the hospital. However, several people witnessed her jumping

into the lake. Papilio Girls has a significant following, so if news of her attempted suicide spreads, it will have a

severe impact on us.”

The release of negative publicity surrounding a popular girl group would trigger public outcry and the spread of

rumors, inevitably impacting the other members of the group.

Gwendolyn returned to her seat and calmly analyzed the entire incident.

“Retrieve the surveillance footage from the surrounding area and instruct our xo.com fast updatePR team to

reach out to all the witnesses. Offer them financial compensation in exchange for their silence. Ensure that anyone

who recorded videos of the incident deletes their footage, and get in touch with numerous influential media outlets

and prevent them from reporting on the matter.”

Joanne replied, “Ms. Harris, there are bound to be blind spots. It will also take a lot of time and effort to find all the

bystanders.”

“Just do your best to minimize the severity of the incident for now. If that doesn’t work, I’ll make further

arrangements. We’ll go with the flow.”

“All right.”

“Send me the address of the hospital where Jennifer is in now.”

“Sure, Ms. Harris.”

Upon learning the location of the hospital where Jennifer had been admitted, Gwendolyn wasted no time and hailed

a taxi to rush to the medical facility. Considering the challenging experiences Jennifer had been through, Gwendolyn

believed that the young lady wouldn’t resort to suicide unless something serious had occurred.

The matter was unexpected, so Gwendolyn left her office hastily. In her haste, she forgot to text Cedrick to inform

him that he didn’t have to pick her up.