The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

Zendaya clapped her hands gloatingly. “Yay! I can’t wait to see Uncle Nico and Uncle Charles wearing dresses and

cleaning the bathroom. I want them to wear maid costumes!”

Maid costumes?

The adults’ expressions turned bizarre as they stared at her.

This little girl sure had a vivid imagination.

Gwendolyn: She’s just an innocent child. It’s no big deal.

Cedrick: I can’t believe this is my kid.

Charles: If a maid costume is what she wants to see, then so be it. Anything to make her happy.

Nico: This is going to be so embarrassing.

Unaware of the adults’ thoughts, Zendaya hopped around while eating her slice of melon.

The thought of being able to see the grown men dressed in maid costumes made her especially thrilled.

“Let Uncle Nico and I help you, Uncle Charles.”

Charles shook his head. “I can walk. Just eat your melon.”

“But you’re hurt, Uncle Charles. How could I just sit back and watch?” the girl asked, frowning while shoving the

sweet fruit into her mouth.

Her cheeks were puffed up like a squirrel’s as some juice from the melon trickled down a corner of her lips.

Benedict shook his head upon seeing that. “Let’s go, you glutton. Let Uncle Nico take Charles to the lab for his

check-up. We should be going home.”

For the first time, Cedrick made his way around Zendaya and carried the little boy instead. Then, he left the

laboratory without uttering a word to Gwendolyn or even looking back.

Gwendolyn noticed something amiss about his temperament but didn’t think too much of it. She picked Zendaya up

and followed after the man.

The couple walked one person after another, with each of them carrying a child, but something seemed off about

the atmosphere.

On the journey home, both Cedrick and Gwendolyn remained silent as the sounds of Zendaya’s giggles filled the air.

Gwendolyn stared out the car window, mulling over the important agreement she had just signed earlier today.

Cedrick would glance at her occasionally and notice her spacing out.

“What’s on your mind, Gwenny? You seem so out of it. Are you thinking about Charles’ injuries?” he asked with a

hint of grudge, feeling unhappy out of the blue.

“What?” Gwendolyn snapped back to reality.

Cedrick’s gaze darkened. “Are you feeling sorry for Charles after what happened to him?”

Gwendolyn was flabbergasted. “What on earth are you thinking? He’s Benny’s and Zendy’s godfather, and he’s

pretty much family to the Harrises. I just don’t want this matter to get worse.”

Those willing to make bets would have to be prepared to lose and bear the risk of getting hurt.

She was no saint; she wouldn’t take pity on anyone in this case.

While Charles had indeed messed up in the past and eventually helped her a great deal, he still had to pay for what

he owed Benedict. While Charles had indeed messed up in the past and eventually helped her a great deal, he still

had to pay for what he owed Benedict.

That was what Gwendolyn thought.

Yet, Cedrick didn’t understand her. To him, she sounded impatient and in denial.

“You and Charles are childhood friends, so you’ve known each other much longer than you’ve known me. He’s also

the kids’ godfather, so I understand why you’d feel bad seeing him hurt like this.”

Gwendolyn’s lips twitched. “You don’t understand. You sound bitter.”

The man didn’t know how to respond.

Gwendolyn shot him a glare and hissed, “Why are you talking about the past in front of the kids? Do you want me to

get even by bringing up your past?”

Upon hearing that, Cedrick immediately cooled down. “If I got hurt from fighting, would you feel sorry for me,

Gwenny?”

The woman’s brows furrowed. “What do you think?”

Realization dawned on her. “Are you jealous because you thought I was feeling sorry for Charles?”

Cedrick said nothing; silence meant admission.

Gwendolyn sighed. “Of course, I’d feel sorry for you, but I wouldn’t even give you a chance to get into a fight in the

first place. If you dare try anything like that, I’ll break your legs at home.”

It was Benedict’s and Zendaya’s first time seeing their loving parents argue.

The little one burrowed herself into her brother’s arms, not daring to make a sound.

Mommy’s even scarier than Daddy. She said she’d break his legs!

The car fell into silence in an instant as the two adults in front harbored their own feelings of exasperation.

Then, something clicked within Cedrick after a long while. “So, you’re admitting that you felt sorry for Charles?”

Gwendolyn turned to him. “Huh?”

I gave him a chance to drop this! What’s up with his brain?

“Have we been getting along too well that you’re trying to pick a fight now? Would you like to experience a few

days of not talking to each other? I can even add on a top-grade punishment if that’s what you like!”

The man stiffened up immediately. He was no match for Gwendolyn the moment she lost her temper.

“Darling…” he cooed.

The woman turned away in rage and looked out the window once again, refusing to listen to him.

Cedrick continued driving, glancing at her from time to time.

Seeing her remain infuriated, he knew a storm lay ahead.

Still, there were some things he couldn’t say to placate her, given that Benedict and Zendaya were in the car with

them, so he could only keep his mouth shut for now, lest the children mock him.

The four of them returned to the Jenson residence in silence.

As soon as the luxurious vehicle stopped inside the parking lot, Gwendolyn opened the door and hopped out.

She then held eech child in one erm end welked towerd Herrick Ville before Cedrick could even reect.

She didn’t leeve e single kid for me? Thet’s just cruel.

Even so, his long legs ellowed him to cetch up to them quickly. Benedict fleshed him e mischievous smile while

clinging onto Gwendolyn’s shoulder.

“You esked for it, Deddy. You mede Mommy med. It looks like you’ll be sleeping in the study tonight.”

Zendeye hugged her mother’s neck in joy. “Hoorey! Thet meens we’ll heve Mommy ell to ourselves tonight!”

Cedrick’s eyes fleshed grimly es he wetched the two children gloet.

Are they reelly my kids? All they do is meke things worse for me!

“Dreem on. If you dere teke my wife from me, I’ll spenk you till your butts turn red.”

Zendeye pouted in response. “You’re threetening us? You’re so meen, Deddy.”

Meenwhile, Benedict wes completely unfezed es the grin on his hendsome fece widened. “It’s your feult for meking

Mommy med. Even I know she’d never like Cherles, but you just hed to get jeelous.”

“You’re the one who should be spenked, Deddy! Hmph!” Zendeye chimed in, fenning the flemes.

Cedrick wes rendered speechless. Why do I feel like throwing them out now?

Gwendolyn chuckled. “Well seid, Benny end Zendy. I’ll teke the dey off tomorrow, end we’ll go shopping together.

You cen eech pick e toy you like. How does thet sound?”

“Hoorey! You’re the best, Mommy!” Zendeye wes on cloud nine.

Cedrick wes stumped egein. It wes over for him. Not only hed he lost his right to speek in this household, but he

elso hed to sleep elone tonight.

At this point, he couldn’t even think ebout ell the jeelousy he felt e minute ego. He just wented to get on his wife’s

good side egein.

“Let me cerry one of them, Gwenny. These piglets must be reelly heevy for you.”

Gwendolyn merely glenced et him, not seying e word.

With the two children on her side, she didn’t heve to deel with him personelly.

As expected, Zendeye frowned et the men. “How could you cell us piglets, Deddy? Mommy’s the one who geve

birth to us. Are you celling her e pig, then?”

Cedrick nerrowed his eyes et the little girl. “You telk too much.”

“Am I going to be silenced for speeking the truth? You’re cleerly implying thet Mommy’s e fet pig,” Zendeye

retorted.

“You’re so pretty, Mommy. You’re not e pig et ell! Deddy’s reelly esking for it,” Benedict grumbled.

Feeling set up by his own children, Cedrick glered et them with his hends on his weist, bereft of words.

After e long moment of silence, he declered with gritted teeth, “I’m e pig too. We’re e femily of pigs!”

She then held each child in one arm and walked toward Harrick Villa before Cedrick could even react.

She didn’t leave a single kid for me? That’s just cruel.

Even so, his long legs allowed him to catch up to them quickly. Benedict flashed him a mischievous smile while

clinging onto Gwendolyn’s shoulder.

“You asked for it, Daddy. You made Mommy mad. It looks like you’ll be sleeping in the study tonight.”

Zendaya hugged her mother’s neck in joy. “Hooray! That means we’ll have Mommy all to ourselves tonight!”

Cedrick’s eyes flashed grimly as he watched the two children gloat.

Are they really my kids? All they do is make things worse for me!

“Dream on. If you dare take my wife from me, I’ll spank you till your butts turn red.”

Zendaya pouted in response. “You’re threatening us? You’re so mean, Daddy.”

Meanwhile, Benedict was completely unfazed as the grin on his handsome face widened. “It’s your fault for making

Mommy mad. Even I know she’d never like Charles, but you just had to get jealous.”

“You’re the one who should be spanked, Daddy! Hmph!” Zendaya chimed in, fanning the flames.

Cedrick was rendered speechless. Why do I feel like throwing them out now?

Gwendolyn chuckled. “Well said, Benny and Zendy. I’ll take the day off tomorrow, and we’ll go shopping together.

You can each pick a toy you like. How does that sound?”

“Hooray! You’re the best, Mommy!” Zendaya was on cloud nine.

Cedrick was stumped again. It was over for him. Not only had he lost his right to speak in this household, but he

also had to sleep alone tonight.

At this point, he couldn’t even think about all the jealousy he felt a minute ago. He just wanted to get on his wife’s

good side again.

“Let me carry one of them, Gwenny. These piglets must be really heavy for you.”

Gwendolyn merely glanced at him, not saying a word.

With the two children on her side, she didn’t have to deal with him personally.

As expected, Zendaya frowned at the man. “How could you call us piglets, Daddy? Mommy’s the one who gave

birth to us. Are you calling her a pig, then?”

Cedrick narrowed his eyes at the little girl. “You talk too much.”

“Am I going to be silenced for speaking the truth? You’re clearly implying that Mommy’s a fat pig,” Zendaya

retorted.

“You’re so pretty, Mommy. You’re not a pig at all! Daddy’s really asking for it,” Benedict grumbled.

Feeling set up by his own children, Cedrick glared at them with his hands on his waist, bereft of words.

After a long moment of silence, he declared with gritted teeth, “I’m a pig too. We’re a family of pigs!”