The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

Chapter 564 We Can Help You

Instead of entering the ancestral hall and confronting them directly, Gwendolyn remained standing outside the door

and observing the situation.

As Asher had kept his head low, the dim lighting from the candles around him helped obscure the conflicted look in

his eyes.

He then placed the pen down, rubbed his aching wrist, and asked without looking up, “Hate her? Why is that?”

“You’re her biological brother and have protected her for so long. No matter what wrong you’ve done, she still

shouldn’t take her anger out on you, even though she’s the head of the family now. Have you really never thought

of fighting back, Mr. Asher? To snatch back what is rightfully yours?”

Although she was from Ospea, she was able to speak Chanaean fluently after studying in Chanaea for four

years.

Her voice was soft and pleasant on the ears, but Asher simply frowned at her in response as he tilted his head to

meet her gaze.

Even so, Annie maintained a sweet and adorable smile on her face, as though she was merely making a friendly

suggestion.

Gwendolyn continued to observe them from outside the door.

There was a conflicted look in Asher’s eyes as he stared at her beautiful face for a whole minute.

“Ms. Annie, this is the Harris family’s private affair. Since you are a guest that Gwendolyn invited over, you should

know your place and behave like one.

Annie was stunned for a moment, but then she seemed to understand what he was implying. She persisted in trying

to goad him into action. “I know an outsider like myself shouldn’t get involved, but I can’t bear to watch her abuse

you like this. My boyfriend is a nobleman from Ospea, Mr. Asher. His name is Paul Hall, and Antea Group is one of

the biggest companies in the world. We can help you!”

Infuriated, Asher shouted at her, “This is the Harris family’s ancestral hall, Annie! Please leave and never return!”

Displeased with his stubbornness, Annie leaned in close and whispered something into his car.

Asher clenched his fists after hearing what she said.

Amused with his reaction, Annie said with a sweet smile, “I shall wait for the day you regret it, Mr. Asher.”

She then stood up straight, tidied her dress, and shot him a few more glances before turning around.

Annie was about to leave the ancestral hall when Gwendolyn opened the door and said with a smile, “Since you’re

here, why not stick around for a little while longer, Ms. Annie? Why are you leaving in such a hurry? It’s almost as if

you’re feeling guilty about something. Are you afraid that I’d hear what you two were talking about?”

“Good afternoon, Ms. Harris. I heard about Mr. Asher being forced to recite scriptures on his knees as punishment,

so I decided to drop by for a visit.” Annic replied with a graceful smile.

“Well, you’ve seen what you came to see. So, what do you have to say about it?” Gwendolyn asked with a

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casual chuckle.

“Aren’t you being a little too harsh on Mr. Asher? I don’t know what he did to wrong you, but I think this punishment

is rather excessive. I couldn’t bear to watch him suffer like this, so I suggested that he seek my help if he couldn’t

take it anymore. Paul and I will be happy to lend him a hand.”

“Oh? And who are you to help him out? Everything in the Harris family belongs to me now. You’re but a temporary

guest. I’m the one who made the arrangements so you could stay here, so you should be thanking me instead,

Gwendolyn responded with a sneer.

She then stepped forward as she pressed on, “Are you two friends, perhaps? Then again, you two have only just

met, so you can’t possibly be friends. Maybe you two are family instead? It would make sense for a sister to feel

bad for her brother’s suffering.”

Annie smiled as she met Gwendolyn’s penetrating gaze and explained calmly. “It would be an honor for me to have

you two as my siblings, Ms. Harris. For some reason, I felt an inexplicable sense of closeness even when I met Mr.

Asher and you for the first time. It’s as though we’re siblings.”

Asher, who was still copying the scriptures on his knees, simply let out a sigh and closed his eyes. He did not want to

participate in their conversation.

Annie continued, “Unfortunately, that is a luxury I can never hope to have. I’m an only child, and my parents passed

when I entered university, so I had only myself to depend on.”

Gwendolyn had disliked Annie the moment she first saw her.

As such, she couldn’t help but feel as though Annie was trying to imply something deeper with her words.

“I suggest you not wander around, Ms. Annie. Mount Tranquil is really huge, and the weather has been fairly hot

lately. There are people fogging the forest with insecticides, but it’s not uncommon for one to run into insects and

rodents around here. It would be hard for me to answer to Paul if you were to get bitten.”

Gwendolyn then paused briefly and patted her on the shoulder, continuing in a tone similar to an elder sister

concerned for their younger sibling. “Try not to wander about throughout the next few days. If you must head out,

then please inform me beforehand. I will have two bodyguards keep you safe during your

outing.”

Oh, I see what she’s doing here. She’s trying to keep me within her sights on Mount Tranquil!

Annie saw right through Gwendolyn’s intentions, but she maintained an innocent smile as she said, “Sure thing.

Thanks for taking such good care of me, Ms. Harris. I will be sure to be extra careful! Anyway, I missed my

afternoon nap, so I’ll be heading back to get some rest now.”

“All right. Take as much rest as you need.”

The two girls then had another brief exchange before Annie left the ancestral hall.

Gwendolyn waited until she was completely out of sight before locking the door to the ancestral hall from the

inside. As a safety precaution, she also shut all the windows tightly.

She then walked up to Asher at the coffee table and glared coldly at him.

“What do you want to ask me, Kiddo?” Asher asked without pausing his writing.

“Have you forgotten that I cut ties with you ever since I got pregnant, Mr. Asher? We are no longer

siblings, so you need to stop calling me ‘Kiddo,” Gwendolyn corrected him with a displeased frown on her

face.

Asher swallowed hard in an attempt to hide his anguished expression.

“Yes, you’re right. I had it coming. So, what did you stay behind to ask me about, Ms. Harris?”

Gwendolyn ignored his affectionate tone and asked sternly. “It has been about eight to nine months since Evelyn

went missing in the countryside. Where do you think she is right now?”

Asher trembled when he heard that and messed up the word he was writing.

Having ruined the entire page, he tore it off, crumpled it up, and tossed it aside without any hesitation.

He then turned the pages of scripture and proceeded to rewrite the contents of that page.

“I don’t know where she is. It’s possible that she’s dead. Even if she were still alive, I doubt she’d be stupid enough

to come back here.”

“Is that so?

Gwendolyn’s disdainful snort made it clear that she did not believe his words in the slightest.

She bent over, grabbed Asher’s chin, and forced him to look up at her.

In the past, she used to be as submissive as a kitten whenever faced with Asher, whom she feared and respected.

However, ever since they fell out over Evelyn’s wrongdoings, all she felt whenever she saw was a deep

disappointment.

So much for being my brother… It’s Evelyn that Asher cares more about, not me! I’m nothing but a joke to him! Not

even my life is as important as him repaying the life debt he owes her mother!

Infuriated at the thought of that, Gwendolyn decided to get straight to the point and asked, “I suspect that Annie is

actually Evelyn. What do you think?”

“She isn’t,” Asher replied after giving it some thought.

“How are you so certain?”

“She’s just an immature young girl. I bet someone over at Antea Group told her to tear our family apart. Since she

is the girlfriend of a count from Ospea, you can just let her stay in Mount Tranquil for a few days before sending her

out of Chanaca.”

Gwendolyn pursed her lips and increased the force on his chin as she said, “You sure care about her a lot. 1 know

you, Asher. You would never defend an outsider like this!”

Asher simply stared at her, not bothering to explain.

Seeing the calm look on his face irritated Gwendolyn even further.

I trust my instincts! I know I’m right! Maybe I just need to up the ante a little.

“You kept saying that you wanted to make up for your wrongdoings by suffering with Evelyn. You even went as far

as insisting that we whip you twice as much. In that case, I shall grant your wish. You will be

whipped twenty times every afternoon, and you will continue copying the scriptures immediately after,”

Asher’s face was slightly pale when he heard that. There was a mixture of guilt and sadness in his eyes as he said,

“As you wish, Ms. Harris.”

Disgusted by his submissive behavior, Gwendolyn loosened her grip on his chin as she asked, “Annie whispered

something into your ear earlier, Mr. Asher. What did she say?”