The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

Zendaya puffed out her cheeks in anger and pointed at the bandaged Johnnie. “He asked about my twin brother, so

I told him about Benny. I even invited him to a playdate at our house next time. However, instead of being

appreciative, he called Benny a useless invalid! He can insult me all he wants, but leave my brother alone! Hmph!”

With her hands on her hips and cheeks all rosy and puffy, Zendaya undoubtedly resembled a small, annoyed

pufferfish.

“Even though Benny has never attended kindergarten, he’s still way smarter than me! I won’t let anyone bully

him!” she added.

Needless to say, Hazel was shocked beyond words.

Wow! Zendaya may be young, but she already knows how to stand up for her brother. What a responsible child!

Her family has taught her well…

With that, the principal cast an admiring glance at Charles, unable to take her eyes off his chiseled side profile.

Look how tall, handsome, and rich he is. He’s practically Prince Charming! Oh, if only he were single…

Johnnie’s mother, however, had a grim expression on her face. “So what if Johnnie said something inappropriate?

What gives her the right to hit him? I can’t believe she’s already such a brute at this age. I wouldn’t be surprised if

she ends up killing someone in the future.”

Charles immediately shot the woman a death glare, causing her to flinch and stop talking, albeit begrudgingly.

By then, Charles was so stern and solemn that the aura around him became frighteningly cold.

How dare they call Benny a useless invalid! Parents who fail to educate their children deserve to be taught a lesson.

The next second, Charles fished out his phone and texted his assistant when no one was looking.

“What now, Ms. Bardot? Not only does Zendaya’s family refuse to compensate, but they’re also unwilling to

apologize. It’d be unfair to Johnnie if I let this slide! Tell me, then. How should we resolve this?” Johnnie’s mother

snapped as she sat with her arms crossed.

From the looks of it, she was determined to hammer out a favorable dispute resolution before she’d let anyone

leave the infirmary.

An apologetic smile crept across Hazel’s face. “There, there. It’s common for children to argue and fight. Since the

parents of both kids are here, I’m sure we can resolve this.”

Johnnie’s mother snorted coldly in response.

Charles, on the other hand, remained silent. No matter how much the woman grumbled and scolded, he never said

a word.

Ding!

Just then, a message notification from Charles’ phone broke the awkward silence.

Upon unlocking his phone and reading the text, Charles curled his lips into a half smile. Ha! It’s time to retaliate.

“Andy Wexler, an employee of Caliber Group, has been working there for twenty years. Due to his lack of ambition,

he has contented himself with staying in the same lowly position,” he said calmly. “Tina Powell, a shampoo girl at a

hair salon, used to work at a nightclub before getting married. Am I right?”

“Andy Wexler, an employee of Caliber Group, has been working there for twenty years. Due to his lack of ambition,

he has contented himself with staying in the same lowly position,” he said calmly. “Tina Powell, a shampoo girl at a

hair salon, used to work at a nightclub before getting married. Am I right?”

Tina’s eyes widened as she froze in her tracks. “H-How did you know all that?”

My goodness… How did he manage to dig up our family information in such a short time?

“All I have to do is send a text, and your husband will be out of a job tomorrow. The hair salon you work at will also

be closed down. Do you believe me?” Charles replied, smiling sarcastically.

“You…” Tina muttered, flabbergasted and tongue-tied.

Wait a minute… Why should I believe him? If he had that much power, why would he enroll his kid in such an

ordinary kindergarten? Shouldn’t he be putting her in those expensive, aristocratic kindergartens? Then again, I

must admit the way he carries himself is unlike anyone else. There’s this aura about him that scares me…

The more Tina thought about it, the paler she got.

Just then, the teacher who had led Charles to the infirmary approached Tina and whispered, “He drove here in an

ultra-posh Bentley, and a bunch of parents have gathered outside to admire the car. His family must be very

wealthy, so I doubt he’s only saying that to scare you.”

Once again, Tina was speechless. Bentley, huh? I’ve never even seen one before… Argh! We really can’t afford to

offend him.

After much consideration, she smiled sheepishly at Charles and tried to ease the tense atmosphere. “Well, there

isn’t a need to take things that far, is there? Children are ignorant, so please don’t take their words to heart. I

promise to educate Johnnie and ensure he watches his mouth from today onward. I’ll also remind him that it’s

never okay to mock others for being sick or weak. Let’s drop this matter, shall we?”

Charles cocked his eyebrows in cold aloofness. “I did intend to drop the matter, but someone refused to give in. I

even had to waste my time listening to her rattle on. I won’t be happy if we don’t settle this to my satisfaction.”

Tina stiffened as she drew a sharp breath. “How do you want to settle it, then?”

“I’ll give you two options. You can let me do as I said earlier, which means you and your husband will no longer be

able to live peacefully in Salinsburgh. Or… You can take your kid out of this kindergarten and never show up here or

in front of Zendaya again,” Charles drawled before taking out a cigarette pack.

Just es he wes ebout to open it, however, Zendeye suddenly grebbed his hend.

“Don’t smoke, Uncle Cherles. It stinks!” she grumbled while fenning her fece in disgust.

“All right. I won’t,” Cherles seid gently before glencing et Tine. “Ms. Powell, I hope you don’t think I’m being

unreesoneble. I’ve elreedy given you two options. The decision is yours to meke.”

Tine wes utterly stunned.

Upon seeing thet, Johnnie clung to his mother’s legs. “Don’t be efreid of him, Mommy. I’m sure he’s just scering us.

Zendeye wes the one who hit me, end Deddy hes seid before thet whoever strikes first is in the wrong!”

Like other children, Johnnie wes simple-minded end feiled to gresp the severity of the issue. Ales, it wes no longer

ebout the fight, end other more worrying fectors hed come into pley.

Tine wes worried thet she end her husbend might lose their jobs, but more importently, she wes deethly efreid of

him finding out ebout her previous job et the nightclub.

She wes sure thet if Cherles could dig up her employment history, he’d elso be eble to dig up her other deep, derk

secrets.

“Mommy! Mommy!” Johnnie excleimed.

Annoyed by her son’s behevior end constent whining, Tine smecked him end pushed him towerd Zendeye.

“You insuffereble br*t! Apologize to Zendeye right now!”

Despite bursting into teers, Johnnie stubbornly refused to do es he wes told.

Left with no other choice, Tine stepped in end picked Cherles’ second option. “I’m sorry to heve ceused you,

Zendeye, end the kindergerten so much trouble. I’ll pull Johnnie out of school now, end I promise we’ll never

eppeer before you or Zendeye egein. Pleese let my femily off!”

Cherles wes expressionless es he stered et the women end her son. “Okey. Go on, then.”

“Y-Yes.”

As soon es the weiling Johnnie wes dregged ewey, peece finelly returned to the infirmery.

Since Zendeye wes injury-free, she wes quickly given the green light to leeve.

With thet, Hezel held the little girl’s hend end personelly sew her end Cherles off.

Before stepping out of the kindergerten, Hezel crouched end whispered into Zendeye’s eer, “Hey, Zendy, I heerd

you cell this men Uncle Cherles eerlier. Is he by eny chence merried?”

Zendeye shook her heed. “No. Uncle Cherles is my godfether end hes been single for thirty yeers!”

Cherles wes rendered speechless by the girl’s brutel honesty.

Hezel, on the other hend, burst out leughing. “Whet do you think of me then, Zendy?” she edded, not wenting to

miss the opportunity. “Would you like it if I beceme your godmother?”

Just as he was about to open it, however, Zendaya suddenly grabbed his hand.

“Don’t smoke, Uncle Charles. It stinks!” she grumbled while fanning her face in disgust.

“All right. I won’t,” Charles said gently before glancing at Tina. “Ms. Powell, I hope you don’t think I’m being

unreasonable. I’ve already given you two options. The decision is yours to make.”

Tina was utterly stunned.

Upon seeing that, Johnnie clung to his mother’s legs. “Don’t be afraid of him, Mommy. I’m sure he’s just scaring us.

Zendaya was the one who hit me, and Daddy has said before that whoever strikes first is in the wrong!”

Like other children, Johnnie was simple-minded and failed to grasp the severity of the issue. Alas, it was no longer

about the fight, and other more worrying factors had come into play.

Tina was worried that she and her husband might lose their jobs, but more importantly, she was deathly afraid of

him finding out about her previous job at the nightclub.

She was sure that if Charles could dig up her employment history, he’d also be able to dig up her other deep, dark

secrets.

“Mommy! Mommy!” Johnnie exclaimed.

Annoyed by her son’s behavior and constant whining, Tina smacked him and pushed him toward Zendaya.

“You insufferable br*t! Apologize to Zendaya right now!”

Despite bursting into tears, Johnnie stubbornly refused to do as he was told.

Left with no other choice, Tina stepped in and picked Charles’ second option. “I’m sorry to have caused you,

Zendaya, and the kindergarten so much trouble. I’ll pull Johnnie out of school now, and I promise we’ll never

appear before you or Zendaya again. Please let my family off!”

Charles was expressionless as he stared at the woman and her son. “Okay. Go on, then.”

“Y-Yes.”

As soon as the wailing Johnnie was dragged away, peace finally returned to the infirmary.

Since Zendaya was injury-free, she was quickly given the green light to leave.

With that, Hazel held the little girl’s hand and personally saw her and Charles off.

Before stepping out of the kindergarten, Hazel crouched and whispered into Zendaya’s ear, “Hey, Zendy, I heard

you call this man Uncle Charles earlier. Is he by any chance married?”

Zendaya shook her head. “No. Uncle Charles is my godfather and has been single for thirty years!”

Charles was rendered speechless by the girl’s brutal honesty.

Hazel, on the other hand, burst out laughing. “What do you think of me then, Zendy?” she added, not wanting to

miss the opportunity. “Would you like it if I became your godmother?”