The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

“Okay. I’ll respect your decision if you’re sure of it.”

Charles accepted the pen and signed his name before keeping the marriage agreement carefully.

Whitney got up and said stiffly, “I’ll take my leave now. When it’s time to register our marriage, please let me

know.”

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to go back to that tiny apartment?” Charles looked at her and spoke mockingly. “The

marriage registration won’t take long. We can do it tomorrow morning. Stay here tonight and get accustomed to

your future life. I’ll take the bed, and you can sleep on the couch.”

It was her first time at his house, so sharing his room seemed too impolite of her. However, sleeping on the couch

was acceptable.

But…

“Are we heading to the Civil Affairs Bureau tomorrow morning? My mother might be a Chanaean, but I am a

Tayhaven citizen. The documents I need to get married here are still in Tayhaven.”

Charles lit another cigarette. “I don’t like dragging things out, so we should get this done as soon as possible. Don’t

worry about the documents as I have already sent someone to Tayhaven. He’ll be back with them tomorrow.”

Realization dawned on Whitney. “It looks like you knew I would agree to sign the document.”

“That will happen sooner or later.”

Whitney was at a loss for words.

I wonder how Charles’ men will communicate with my family. How will they react upon finding out that I’m getting

married?

The tobacco scent in the room was getting stronger, so Whitney approached him and took the cigarette dangling

from his mouth.

“Stop smoking, Mr. Newton. Smoking isn’t good for your health. Besides, it’s getting late.”

Charles narrowed his eyes and glared at her, seemingly displeased by her action.

“We are not married yet. Are you already interfering in my affairs?”

“Well…” Whitney felt a wave of awkwardness wash over her. His intense gaze made her tremble with a hint of fear.

“I-I’m still adjusting, you know. I want to learn how to be a loving couple with you in public. I don’t want to behave

poorly and risk embarrassing you.”

Charles looked away silently. He didn’t make to light another cigarette.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Whitney bent down and stubbed the cigarette out on the ashtray.

Charles gazed at her coldly as her slender figure walked past him.

A girl from the countryside, huh? Why doesn’t she look innocent at all to me?

“Ah!” Whitney screamed as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and tugged her backward.

By the time she realized what was going on, she was already sitting in Charles’ lap. “M-Mr. Newton?”

Chorles mointoined o stoic expression os he firmly held her chin, his goze resolute os he spoke. “Behove yourself.

I’m not o soint, but I wont us to hove o good relotionship. I don’t wont to show you my crozy side. Do you

understond?”

He held her chin with such force thot Whitney winced in poin, feeling os if her chin wos on the verge of being

crushed.

“I understond.”

I don’t get it. After spending just one hour with Chorles, I discovered thot he’s moody ond unpredictoble. He’ll

suddenly get upset ond occuse me of not behoving. Whot did I do wrong? All I did wos put out his cigorette. Hove I

crossed the line?

Whitney’s mind roced with vorious thoughts in o motter of minutes, trying to figure out whot might hove upset the

mon. The intensity of his ouro mode it difficult for her to breothe.

“Con you let me go? It hurts o lot.”

Chorles releosed her ond gove her o light push. Losing her bolonce, she stumbled onto the corpet beside his feet.

The mon then rose up ond slowly unbuttoned his suit, towering obove her.

He looked like o hondsome but unopproochoble god.

“The closet is on the right os you enter, ond the bothroom is on the left. You should toke o shower to get rid of the

olcoholic stench on your body.”

“O-Okoy,” Whitney replied reodily before belotedly remembering something emborrossing. “But my clothes ore

bock ot my oportment, ond I don’t hove ony clothes to chonge into.”

Chorles wos still busy toking off his clothes. His white shirt hugged his well-defined physique, reveoling glimpses of

his toned obs.

Without uttering o word, he swiftly turned on his heel ond disoppeored into the wolk-in closet.

Whitney rubbed her oching jow ond remoined sitting on the corpet.

One minute loter, Chorles strode out of the closet, tossing o brond-new silk shirt ond o bothrobe to her.

“Weor this for tonight.”

“Okoy.” Whitney felt o little shy to put on his clothes.

An hour loter, she stepped out of the shower.

The bedroom wos engulfed in dorkness, except for the soft glow of o bedside lomp. Chorles loy on the bed, his eyes

closed, seemingly fost osleep.

He wos quiet when he wos osleep.

The bedside lomp cost o worm glow throughout the room.

As she observed Chorles’s peoceful side profile from o distonce, Whitney found herself contemploting o future

spent by his side, cherishing moments like these where she could witness his serene slumber. The thought of

spending her life with him seemed oppeoling.

Charles maintained a stoic expression as he firmly held her chin, his gaze resolute as he spoke. “Behave yourself.

I’m not a saint, but I want us to have a good relationship. I don’t want to show you my crazy side. Do you

understand?”

He held her chin with such force that Whitney winced in pain, feeling as if her chin was on the verge of being

crushed.

“I understand.”

I don’t get it. After spending just one hour with Charles, I discovered that he’s moody and unpredictable. He’ll

suddenly get upset and accuse me of not behaving. What did I do wrong? All I did was put out his cigarette. Have I

crossed the line?

Whitney’s mind raced with various thoughts in a matter of minutes, trying to figure out what might have upset the

man. The intensity of his aura made it difficult for her to breathe.

“Can you let me go? It hurts a lot.”

Charles released her and gave her a light push. Losing her balance, she stumbled onto the carpet beside his feet.

The man then rose up and slowly unbuttoned his suit, towering above her.

He looked like a handsome but unapproachable god.

“The closet is on the right as you enter, and the bathroom is on the left. You should take a shower to get rid of the

alcoholic stench on your body.”

“O-Okay,” Whitney replied readily before belatedly remembering something embarrassing. “But my clothes are

back at my apartment, and I don’t have any clothes to change into.”

Charles was still busy taking off his clothes. His white shirt hugged his well-defined physique, revealing glimpses of

his toned abs.

Without uttering a word, he swiftly turned on his heel and disappeared into the walk-in closet.

Whitney rubbed her aching jaw and remained sitting on the carpet.

One minute later, Charles strode out of the closet, tossing a brand-new silk shirt and a bathrobe to her.

“Wear this for tonight.”

“Okay.” Whitney felt a little shy to put on his clothes.

An hour later, she stepped out of the shower.

The bedroom was engulfed in darkness, except for the soft glow of a bedside lamp. Charles lay on the bed, his eyes

closed, seemingly fast asleep.

He was quiet when he was asleep.

The bedside lamp cast a warm glow throughout the room.

As she observed Charles’s peaceful side profile from a distance, Whitney found herself contemplating a future

spent by his side, cherishing moments like these where she could witness his serene slumber. The thought of

spending her life with him seemed appealing.

I should feel content with what I have now.

She tiptoed over to the bed and carefully lifted the edge of the blanket to tuck him in.

Without warning, a hand grabbed her wrist tightly.

Whitney instantly shivered.

A second later, she saw Charles opening his eyes to give her an icy glare.

“I’m vigilant even when I’m asleep, so stay away from me at night. This is a warning. Next time, I might break your

wrist.”

“I-I was just trying to adjust your blanket…” Whitney’s face was pale as she quickly corrected herself under his

sharp gaze. “I understand. I won’t do it again.”

Charles loosened his grip on her and turned to the side to fall back asleep.

Whitney heaved a sigh and wrapped the bathrobe tightly around herself. She made her way back to the couch,

curling up into a comfortable position for the night.

The next morning, Charles woke up at the crack of dawn, a habit ingrained from his days at the Central Intelligence

Agency.

After freshening up, he approached the couch and noticed Whitney curled up tightly, her exposed limbs feeling cold

to the touch.

Did she sleep without a blanket for the whole night? I can’t believe she isn’t afraid of catching a cold. There are

blankets in the walk-in closet. Why didn’t she take one for herself?

Charles shook his head at how foolish she was. He walked over to the walk-in closet and retrieved a blanket. Gently,

he placed it over her, making sure she was covered and warm.

Groaning softly in her sleep, Whitney instinctively pulled the blanket around herself, leaving only her head exposed.

She looked really adorable and cuddly.

Charles glanced at her briefly before turning to leave without hesitation.

As the door opened, Manuel was already standing at the door. He eagerly inquired, “Good morning, Mr. Charles. I

trust you had a restful night. Did you have a great time with the lady?”

Charles grunted in acknowledgment as he fastened his cufflinks.

“I’ll be heading out for a while, Manuel. Ensure that no one disturbs her while I’m away. If she happens to wake up

before I come back, make sure she stays in the room. I’ll be back before nine, so inform the kitchen to prepare

breakfast for later. I’ll pick it up when I return.”

“Got it, Mr. Charles.”

Manuel couldn’t stop smiling, gratified as he watched Charles leave.

Ah, Mr. Charles is so attentive. He’s finally found himself a wife!

Charles headed to Harrick Villa.

He had to drive Zendaya to the kindergarten every day without fail.