The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

Nico was so alarmed to hear Gwendolyn’s voice, which was deadly soft, that he nearly flung his phone aside.

For a long while, he did not dare respond or breathe.

“You’d better come clean on Cedrick’s behalf, Nico,” Gwendolyn warned him severely. “Confess while I’m still feeling lenient, or the two of you will be in for a world of hell. Rest assured, I will send you there.”

She uttered the last few words through gritted teeth, and it sent shivers down his spine.

Nico was thoroughly frightened by this point. “Cedrick only did it with your health in mind,” he explained hastily. “He loves you so much, you know. He…”

Amidst a deluge of ingratiating pleas, Gwendolyn finally understood the entire matter two minutes later.

“All right, I see. You were right to tell me, so I won’t be putting you in a tough spot, nor will I allow him to punish you. Don’t you worry.”

Compared to his own fate, Nico was more worried that he had driven a wedge between her and Cedrick. “Don’t be mad at him, Gwendolyn. He—”

The woman had had enough. “Don’t concern yourself with it,” she interrupted brusquely. “Nothing will happen to him.” Without another word, she hung up.

Silence descended all of a sudden as the bedroom filled with a chilly aura.

Gwendolyn turned to face Cedrick. Before she managed to open her mouth to mock him, she felt something stuffed hastily into her hand.

Looking down, she found the mahogany ruler from the drawer of the bedside table.

“Even the ruler is out. What is this?” she asked with feigned ignorance. “Do you miss the taste of it, having been deprived of it for too long?”

Cedrick bit his lip nervously. The tips of his ears grew red, and his voice seemed to have withered in defeat. “I was wrong for not thinking things through. Please forgive me.”

Gwendolyn studied him carefully. “The children belong to both of us, Ceddy. You have no right to decide on my behalf.”

“I know.”

He avoided her gaze. “It was just a thought that I wanted to discuss with you as soon as I came home.”

She exposed him mercilessly while fiddling with the ruler. “If Nico did not intervene, would you have discussed it with me?”

“I’m sorry.”

on bringing it up with

that thought, he offered both

appease you, I will let you

talk to me next time instead of doing everything on your own as you do with

gazed, displeased, at

to hit

a light punishment like that would not make an impression on an already-recovered patient

too far today. I should prank him to teach him a

Her fox-like eyes glimmered beadily. “You do deserve to be punished, but

a sense of foreboding from her

deepened. Crossing her legs, she sat on the bed and patted the spot before her.

“Eh?”

froze. Though he seemed to have grasped her meaning, he appeared uncertain. “Do

nodded. “Very clever

“No way!”

crimson in an instant. Even his face

a punishment to him. Worse

would rather die than to

chairman of Jenson Group, Gwenny, and the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation! What would become of my reputation?” Gnawing on his lip in vexation, he fixed her with

“I know that,” she replied seriously. “Are you telling me that you would furious if I

right!” His tone

“I’ve touched them, caressed them, and even spanked them. I’m already saving you face by letting you keep your pants

to retort, but that

“No means no.”

“You don’t appear to be remorseful for your actions, Ceddy. Maybe I should return to the Harris residence and think about whether I should forgive you. You only

to get up, and Cedrick quickly

go. I made

the prank one notch higher,

getting into position on the bed

then tapped the wooden ruler lightly on his buttocks, her movements exuding a hint of deviousness. “Even if you’ve

of his elbow. Gwendolyn could not see his expression, but she

announced playfully, “Here it comes, Ceddy! I won’t