The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

Chapter 583 Psychological Warfare

Cedrick scoffed and raised his boot to deliver a harsh kick to Xander’s knee.

“Ahh!”

Caught off guard, Xander fell to his knees in pain.

With the gun still pressed against Xander’s temple, Cedrick emanated an absolute aura of oppression and

intimidation.

“Grandpa loves and cares for you the most, and you actually have the audacity to gamble with his life and health

for the sake of your own ambitions? You have no idea how much I want to put a bullet through you right now,

Xander.”

As he spoke, he tightened his grip on the gun, seemingly about to pull the trigger.

Realizing that he had let the cat out of the bag, Xander broke out in a cold sweat. He was genuinely terrified now

that the situation had spiraled out of control.

He grabbed onto Cedrick’s military trousers and pleaded, “Cedrick, I was wrong! I was foolishly led astray and

shouldn’t have listened to others‘ instigation. I truly didn’t intend to harm Grandpa. I only dared to do it because I

knew this wouldn’t take his life. I promise I won’t oppose you anymore, so please just let me go.

With the gun pressed against his head, he was experiencing what true, unadulterated fear felt like.

Especially since Cedrick was visibly angry and seemed to be losing his temper, he was afraid that the man might

accidentally fire the gun..

Guns are not sentient beings. It would be the end of my life if he really pulled the trigger!

“Please, Cedrick! You can send me to a lower–level position in the district or county. I promise I won’t return to

Salinsburgh for the next ten years!”

The raging gloom in Cedrick’s eyes settled, and he holstered the gun.

Thinking that he was off the hook, Xander was about to heave a sigh of relief when the other man said, “A demotion

wouldn’t mean much to you. I think spending the next ten years in a high–security prison for rehabilitation would be

more fitting. I’ll handle this matter justly and submit the documents and evidence to the Federal Bureau of

Investigation. That’s where you’ll find your chance at redemption.”

The mention of a high–security prison struck Xander like a bolt from the blue.

Although he wouldn’t be facing death, he was well aware that life in a high–security prison would be a living hell.

The fact that Cedrick intended for him to serve a ten–year sentence was beyond his worst fears.

“Don’t send me there! Please spare me, Cedrick. Besides…” He wracked his brain to come up with something and

refused to admit to his wrongdoings. “Besides, giving Grandpa the grapes and grapefruits was an accident on my

part, I didn’t do it on purpose. Ignorance shouldn’t be punished so harshly, right?”

Cedrick sneered. “I’m well aware of your innocence, or rather the lack thereof. I’m sure you know how efficient the

Federal Bureau of Investigation is. Obtaining all the evidence against you will be a piece of

cake.”

Xander slumped to the ground with a defeated expression. His entire body quivered as the thought of

serving time in a high–security prison struck him.

“Cedrick! If you’re going to send me to a high–security prison, you might as well just shoot me dead instead! At

least that would be a quicker and more merciful end for me!”

Thud!

As soon as he finished his words, Cedrick threw the gun down in front of him.

“Go ahead, then. End it yourself.””

Xander stared at the gun blankly, and a wicked thought suddenly arose in his mind.

Cedrick gazed at him with a mocking look in his eyes. “It’s your choice whether to serve a ten–year sentence in a

high–level prison or put an end to your miserable life.”

Xander stared at the gun by his feet. A growing sense of resentment filled his eyes.

Instead of going to a high–level prison and being tortured to death, I should take a certain someone down first!

Beneath the golden–rimmed glasses, his eyes flashed with hatred. Trembling, he picked up the gun from the ground

and got to his feet swiftly before pointing the muzzle at Cedrick.

“Since I’m dead either way, I’ll send you to hell first, Cedrick!”

Cedrick remained as calm as ever in the face of such a threat, even showing a hint of disdain in his expression.

He spread his arms lazily, seemingly not taking Xander seriously at all. “Come at me, then. I’ll give you credit for

having courage and guts if you actually dare to shoot me.”

“Do you really think I won’t? Your life is worth more than mine. It’s a bargain to take you down with me!“,

Arching a brow, Cedrick taunted, “Since that’s the case, go ahead and shoot, then. Do you know how to pull the

trigger? Do I need to teach you how?”

“Of course I know how to pull the trigger!”

Xander’s right hand trembled violently as he held the gun, forcing him to support it with his left hand in order to

maintain his composure.

Nico stood on the side, silently capturing the scene of him pointing the gun at Cedrick.

The sound of the camera clicking awakened Xander’s rationality.

He looked at Nico in confusion, then turned his gaze back to Cedrick.

Nico smiled. “Xander, you might not have been sentenced to ten years originally, but now that you’ve threatened

the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and even pointed a gun at him, the severity of the situation has

increased. I’m afraid your sentence will be more than ten years.”

Xander fell into deep despair when he heard that. “Cedrick, you tricked me again! Don’t you know that by doing

this, you’re only forcing me to shoot you?”

Wearing the same deadpan expression, Cedrick showed no signs of fear, which made Xander even more

uneasy.

Xander couldn’t believe that someone could remain unfazed when faced with the barrel of a gun. “Did you remove

the bullets? There are no bullets in the gun, right? You tricked me by giving me an unloaded gun!”

“Since you’re too afraid to pull the trigger, let me give it a try.”

Feeling extremely disappointed, Cedrick swiftly moved in front of Xander. Before Xander could even react, he

grabbed the hand holding the gun, pointed the muzzle downward, and fired a shot into Xander’s thigh.

A deafening bang rang out, echoing in the air.

The bullet went through Xander’s thigh, and blood started gushing out of the wound. Agonizing screams of pain

soon filled the ancestral hall.

Driven by intense resentment and hatred, Xander decisively aimed the gun at Cedrick this time and pulled the

trigger.

However, the gun in his hand merely made a hollow click sound.

There are no bullets left… Cedrick only loaded one bullet.

Xander was furious. He felt that he was on the verge of losing his sanity. I had the chance to end Cedrick’s life all

along!

The psychological warfare that Cedrick had waged against him throughout the night had left him in a state of

despair and hopelessness.

Relishing in the man’s futile struggle, Cedrick uttered coldly. “The high–level prison awaits you, Xander. Nico, take

him away.”

Nico stepped forward immediately to pull Xander up.

Just then, a sudden commotion erupted outside the ancestral hall, and the doors were forcefully pushed open by

someone.

Yael–who was supposed to be working in a small county–had unexpectedly returned to Salinsburgh.

“Xander!”

He rushed forward and pushed Nico aside before pulling his son into his arms and looking at his leg injury with

concern.

As though he had found his savior, Xander’s eyes lit up. “Dad, he’s going to send me to that hellish high- level

prison! Please save me. I don’t want to go. I don’t want to die!”

Yael suppressed the hatred he felt toward Cedrick and softened his tone as he persuaded, “Cedrick, no matter

what, Xander is still a part of the Jenson family. How can you bear to send him to such a place and ruin his life? Yes,

he made a mistake, but it doesn’t warrant such a severe punishment! If you want to discipline him, you can give

him a good whipping. But please don’t send him to a high–level prison. Let’s handle this matter within the family,

behind closed doors!”

Cedrick was adamant in his decision. He said, “Did he ever consider the consequences of the truth coming

to light when he conspired with outsiders and caused harm to Grandpa? Since he chose this path, he should have

been prepared to bear the responsibility for his actions, Nico, cuff him and take him away.”

“Sure thing, Cedrick.”

Nico took out a pair of handcuffs and approached Xander, but Yael blocked his path, preventing him from touching

his son.

“Cedrick, you’re being too ruthless. He is your cousin! Your grandpa only has a few descendants left, yet you’re

willing to witness one of them suffer?”

Cedrick lost his patience and insisted, “Sending him to a high–level prison is already the most lenient course of

action I can offer. Although his days there won’t be easy, he’ll at least have food and shelter. If he dies, it will be

because he cannot bear the hardship and chooses to end his life himself. Now take him away!”

“No! You can’t!”

Chaos erupted at the ancestral hall as cries, shouts, pleas for mercy, and screams of agony blended together,

creating a terrifying and chilling atmosphere.

It wasn’t until Logan’s arrival that the fiasco at the ancestral hall was put to an end. He exclaimed, “Mr. Cedrick, Old

Mr. Jenson’s awake! Let’s hold off on dealing with Mr. Xander for now and go see him first!”