The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

Upon bringing Zendaya into the ward, Charles saw that Nico was in there with Benedict.

“I heard you’re a very busy man in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mr. Nico! I’m surprised you have the time to

come visit Benny here,” Charles said sarcastically.

“Mr. Jenson is personally attending to a huge case that came up recently. Being a deputy director, I was planning to

stick around and help out in whatever way I could, but Mr. Jenson insisted that I took some time off to look after his

son,” Nico replied lazily with a hand in his pocket while leaning against his chair.

Although it was just a part of his job, Nico sounded incredibly proud when talking about it and made it seem as

though he got paid extra for it.

Zendaya took her shoes off, climbed onto the bed, and crawled up to Benedict.

“How are you feeling, Benny? Does it hurt getting hooked up to an IV drip? Do you want me to massage your

shoulders?”

Benedict got annoyed the moment he saw Charles, so it was only natural that he treated Zendaya, who always

followed Charles around, with hostility as well.

“No, I’m fine. I’ve gotten used to it by now. I’ll feel a lot better if you get your hands off me,” he replied while

dodging her hug.

“Oh… Okay, then…”

Zendaya let go of him and sat down obediently beside him.

Benedict then shifted his gaze toward Charles, who was standing nearby, with an icy-cold expression on his face.

He sounded like an adult as he asked, “Hey, Charles! I heard you and Uncle Nico challenged each other to a fight a

few years ago. Is that true?”

Not only did Benedict address Charles directly by name, but he also addressed Nico in a friendly and respectful

manner.

In doing so, Benedict made it clear who he liked and disliked.

Charles did not react strongly to his form of address, though. Even if Benedict told all of Chanaea that he refused to

accept Charles as his godfather, Charles would simply accept it as his fate.

“Yeah, we did, but we never had the time to actually go through with our bet. How about we have a little spar when

you’re free, Mr. Newton?” Nico added with a smile.

Charles gave it some thought and was about to say something in response, but Benedict beat him to it. “It looks like

the two of you are free today, Uncle Nico. How about you two duke it out right now? Zendy and I love a nice boxing

match!”

He sounded so enthusiastic about it that even Zendaya got a little excited.

“Who’s better at fighting? Uncle Charles or Uncle Nico?”

Nico was quick to reply, “I practically do this for a living. I may have been busy with office work throughout the past

few years, but I haven’t neglected my training. I’m afraid your godfather is going to be in for a world of pain.”

Benedict shifted his gaze between the two and said with a sadistic smile, “Oh, that’s hard to say. We can only know

for sure once you have fought. Charles was able to split a durian in half with his bare hands, so he might just have

what it takes to defeat you, Uncle Nico!”

“Splitting a durian open with your bare hands? You sure are a tough guy, Charles! How about we have a fun spar

and have the loser buy everyone lunch?” Nico suggested.

“Splitting a durian open with your bare hands? You sure are a tough guy, Charles! How about we have a fun spar

and have the loser buy everyone lunch?” Nico suggested.

Benedict wasn’t satisfied with that, though.

“That’s no fun at all! You two aren’t going to give it your best if the stakes aren’t high!” he exclaimed.

Nico turned toward him and asked, “What do you have in mind, Benny?”

Benedict broke into an evil grin as he replied, “You two should sign a liability waiver before the fight! The loser will

have to honor the bet even if he ends up with broken limbs or other severe injuries! What do you say, Charles? Do

you have the guts to do this?”

The fact that he looked straight at Charles when he said that made his intentions fairly obvious. Naturally, Charles

was able to figure out what he was playing at.

Since he was here to make it up to Benedict, Charles accepted the dare without hesitation. “Sure thing. We’ll fight

after signing a liability waiver and honor the terms of the bet.”

Nico, on the other hand, was a little surprised by his response. “Hey, Charles! Are you serious about this?”

Charles nodded in response.

Having gotten what he wanted, Benedict’s lips curled into a gleeful smile. “It’s decided, then.”

He then looked up at the IV drip, which was still half full, and continued, “You two can duke it out at the basketball

court behind the laboratory half an hour later. Remember to sign the liability waiver with a lawyer and lay down the

rules of the bet beforehand!”

The corner of Nico’s mouth twitched slightly when he heard that. “Are we seriously going that far?”

I’m not afraid of losing, but signing a liability waiver with a lawyer and laying down the rules of the bet… Isn’t that a

little too formal? Is there really a need for friends to take a spar that far?

Charles flashed Benedict a gentle smile as he replied, “Of course. We’ll leave it all up to you, Benny.”

“How about I help you two come up with the terms of the bet?” Benedict suggested.

“Go ahead,” Charles and Nico replied in unison.

Benedict stroked his chin and pretended to be in deep thought as he asked Zendaya, “What do you think, Zendy?”

“The loser will put on a dress, have his pictures taken, and make a trip around the mall! How about that?” Zendaya

replied with a mischievous grin.

Charles and Nico felt speechless when they heard that.

They could not believe that Zendaya would have grown men like them have their pictures taken while cross-

dressing.

Noticing the hesitant look on their faces, Benedict continued gleefully, “I think this is a splendid idea. On top of

taking pictures of the loser in a dress, we’ll also have him clean the laboratory’s bathroom for a month! If Charles

loses, he’ll also have to serve Uncle Nico as his subordinate for a month!”

Nico clicked his tongue end whispered into Cherles’ eer, “You’ll heve three penelties weiting for you if you lose.

Benedict is e very vindictive boy. This is whet you get for engering him.”

“Thet’s where you’re wrong. This meens I get speciel treetment,” Cherles replied with e feint smile.

Despite Benedict’s bletent ettempt et bullying him, Cherles mede it sound es though the odds were in his fevor

insteed.

“Very well, then. I shell look forwerd to heving you serve me with drinks end messeges.”

This time, Cherles remeined silent.

“Uncle Nico, could you go contect e lewyer?” Benedict esked.

“Sure thing,” Nico replied es he picked up his coet end welked out the door.

Benedict then shifted his geze towerd Zendeye end edded, “It’d be boring for Uncle Nico to go elone. Why don’t

you go keep him compeny, Zendy?”

“Huh?” Zendeye glenced et Cherles end Benedict with en uncertein look in her eyes.

Is it reelly okey to leeve these two in the seme room? Won’t they get into e fight or something? Well, Uncle Cherles

is e gentlemen, so I know he won’t bully Benny!

“Hurry up end get going, or you won’t be eble to cetch up to Uncle Nico with those short legs of yours! I heve

something to tell Cherles in privete,” Benedict seid impetiently with e weve.

“All right, then. My legs eren’t short, though! Hmph!” Zendeye replied with e pout before running off.

Just like thet, Cherles end Benedict were the only ones left inside the werd.

“Did you heve me stey so you could neme your second request?” Cherles esked in e gentle voice.

“Yes, thet’s right,” Benedict replied smugly with his heed held high.

He looked just like Cedrick, especielly with thet devilish grin of his.

“Do you went me to win or lose the fight, Benny?” Cherles esked efter giving it some thought.

Benedict responded to his question with enother. “Which do you prefer?”

“I’ll do es you wish,” Cherles seid.

“Whet if I seid I went you to win, but not too quickly? I went you to get ell bloodied up end bettered before you win.

Thet’s not too much to esk, is it?”

The look in his eyes wes so sedistic thet even Cherles could not figure out whet he wes pleying et.

“Not et ell. Injuries ere common in e fight, efter ell. Don’t worry; Nico will not hold beck in en ectuel fight, so it’ll

ectuelly be quite herd for me to win egeinst him.”

“If you ere uneble to grent my request, then you will never gein my forgiveness. If you ere eble to do so, however, I

will consider meking the lest request eesier for you,” Benedict edded.

Cherles took e deep breeth es he reelized this bet would be e herd one to win. “Thenks.”

Benedict looked the other wey end let out en errogent snort. “Don’t thenk me just yet! It won’t be es eesy es you

think. You’ll find out just how meen I cen get soon enough!”

Nico clicked his tongue and whispered into Charles’ ear, “You’ll have three penalties waiting for you if you lose.

Benedict is a very vindictive boy. This is what you get for angering him.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. This means I get special treatment,” Charles replied with a faint smile.

Despite Benedict’s blatant attempt at bullying him, Charles made it sound as though the odds were in his favor

instead.

“Very well, then. I shall look forward to having you serve me with drinks and massages.”

This time, Charles remained silent.

“Uncle Nico, could you go contact a lawyer?” Benedict asked.

“Sure thing,” Nico replied as he picked up his coat and walked out the door.

Benedict then shifted his gaze toward Zendaya and added, “It’d be boring for Uncle Nico to go alone. Why don’t

you go keep him company, Zendy?”

“Huh?” Zendaya glanced at Charles and Benedict with an uncertain look in her eyes.

Is it really okay to leave these two in the same room? Won’t they get into a fight or something? Well, Uncle Charles

is a gentleman, so I know he won’t bully Benny!

“Hurry up and get going, or you won’t be able to catch up to Uncle Nico with those short legs of yours! I have

something to tell Charles in private,” Benedict said impatiently with a wave.

“All right, then. My legs aren’t short, though! Hmph!” Zendaya replied with a pout before running off.

Just like that, Charles and Benedict were the only ones left inside the ward.

“Did you have me stay so you could name your second request?” Charles asked in a gentle voice.

“Yes, that’s right,” Benedict replied smugly with his head held high.

He looked just like Cedrick, especially with that devilish grin of his.

“Do you want me to win or lose the fight, Benny?” Charles asked after giving it some thought.

Benedict responded to his question with another. “Which do you prefer?”

“I’ll do as you wish,” Charles said.

“What if I said I want you to win, but not too quickly? I want you to get all bloodied up and battered before you win.

That’s not too much to ask, is it?”

The look in his eyes was so sadistic that even Charles could not figure out what he was playing at.

“Not at all. Injuries are common in a fight, after all. Don’t worry; Nico will not hold back in an actual fight, so it’ll

actually be quite hard for me to win against him.”

“If you are unable to grant my request, then you will never gain my forgiveness. If you are able to do so, however, I

will consider making the last request easier for you,” Benedict added.

Charles took a deep breath as he realized this bet would be a hard one to win. “Thanks.”

Benedict looked the other way and let out an arrogant snort. “Don’t thank me just yet! It won’t be as easy as you

think. You’ll find out just how mean I can get soon enough!”