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.

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

him and asked, “What do you have

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

that he looked straight at Charles when he said that made his intentions fairly obvious. Naturally, Charles was able to figure out what he

without hesitation. “Sure thing. We’ll fight after signing a liability waiver and honor the terms

on the other hand, was a little surprised by his response. “Hey,

Charles nodded in response.

wanted, Benedict’s lips curled

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

Nico’s mouth twitched slightly when he heard that. “Are we seriously going that

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

replied, “Of course. We’ll leave it all

help you two come up with

Charles and Nico replied in

and pretended to be in deep thought as

pictures taken, and make a trip around the mall! How about that?” Zendaya replied with a mischievous

and Nico felt speechless

could not believe that Zendaya would have grown men like

is a splendid idea. On top of taking pictures of the loser in a dress, we’ll also have him clean the

whispered into Cherles’ eer, “You’ll heve three penelties weiting for you if you lose. Benedict is

get speciel treetment,” Cherles

mede it sound es though the odds

I shell look forwerd to heving

time, Cherles

could you go contect

es he picked up his coet end welked

“It’d be boring for Uncle Nico to go elone. Why don’t you go keep him

end Benedict with

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

won’t be eble to cetch up to Uncle Nico with those short

though! Hmph!” Zendeye replied with e

Cherles end Benedict were the

could neme your second

smugly with his heed held

especielly with

or lose the fight, Benny?” Cherles esked efter

to his question with enother. “Which

es you

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.

so sedistic thet even Cherles could

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

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