The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

After a brief hesitation, Charles merely muted his phone, choosing neither to answer nor reject the call.

Benedict, who had noticed his godfather’s actions, instantly pursed his lips. “Your lady’s calling you, isn’t she? I can’t believe you have the guts to ignore her, Charles. How did a lousy man like you even get yourself a wife?”

Charles felt a warm blush rise to his cheeks, but unfortunately, Benedict wasn’t done with his lecture.

“In any case, don’t you think you should return her call? She will be so worried if she doesn’t hear back from you. As a man, you ought to cherish and dote on your woman. Understood?” the latter chided, looking very authoritative with a stern expression and his arms folded.

It was the first time Charles found Benedict so adorable, and he had to do everything he could to hold in his laughter.

“You’re right, Benny. I’ll send her a text,” he replied good-naturedly before texting Whitney about not returning to the Newton residence that night.

With that done, he turned off the screen and casually set the phone on the bedside table.

Meanwhile, Zendaya had gotten tired from playing by the window and rubbed her eyes.

“I’m sleepy, Uncle Charles. I want to go home,” the little girl mumbled wearily as she turned to look at Charles.

Upon hearing that, the man hastily wrapped a tissue around the cut on his fingertip and walked to the window to carry her.

“Be good, Zendy. We won’t be returning to Harrick Villa tonight. I’ll sleep with you, okay?”

Zendaya pouted and squirmed slightly in Charles’ arms. “Where’s Daddy? Where’s Mommy? I want to hug Mommy to sleep… I can’t fall asleep without her.”

As could be seen, children were easygoing during the day, but when it came to bedtime, their stubbornness would very quickly go off the charts.

No matter how much Charles coaxed and cajoled Zendaya, the latter continued to ask for Gwendolyn.

“It’s okay if Daddy isn’t here, but I want Mommy! Why can’t Benny and I go home tonight?” she whimpered, sniffling quietly as tears rolled down her cheeks. “D-Do Daddy and Mommy not want me anymore? Is that why they aren’t letting me go home?”

sight of Zendaya bawling

tucked Zendy into bed before. What am

Charles begrudgingly called Cedrick, only

but even so, there

on earth is Cedrick

the phone call and turned sullen. “Did Daddy turn off his

a grim expression on his face. Neither of them had seen Gwendolyn or Cedrick the entire day, and it was beginning to feel

I want to sleep with Mommy. I want to hear her

the Federal Bureau of Investigation today, so your father can’t come,” Charles coaxed. “It’s pouring outside, and I don’t know where he is. Besides,

them! I want to join the army when I grow up.

his eyebrows in cold aloofness. “Who needs your protection? Even if I’m not physically strong, I’d still

stared at him with big, doe eyes. “Uncle Charles, can you take me to look for Mommy? Otherwise,

but to his surprise, her phone was

Why else is one phone turned off

What would you like to listen to? I’ve never tucked you into bed before, and I’d love to try it. Will you give me

felt torn and didn’t

would be sad if I

ward, making Charles even more anxious. Oh, my goodness. I don’t know what to do! I might be able to coax Zendy to sleep, but what about Benny? I’m sure he’ll kick up a fuss too. I know Zendy listens to me, but the same can’t be said for Benny… Argh! There’s

at a loss when Nico suddenly returned to the ward with two

with the children’s clothes, and it

long the warning alert would last, so he decided to err on

as the men could split the task of coaxing the children to

took Zendaya into an empty ward and read her a fairy

like that, the princess and

ended, Zendaya frowned, still alert

chanting scriptures. I didn’t enjoy it.

Charles felt the corners of his