The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

“Cedrick, I…”

Nico, looking pale, wanted to explain the situation, but Cedrick simply walked past the former and walked out of the door.

Meanwhile, Charles remained standing in the corridor not far away, his blue eyes fixed on Cedrick wistfully.

There were two children with Charles—one by his side and one in his arms. It was strangely a pleasant sight.

Benedict trotted forward, opened his arms wide, and fixed his glassy eyes on his father as a silent request for a hug.

As if reading his son’s mind, Cedrick bent forward and gently lifted the former into his arms, letting his son sit on his arm.

Even when Cedrick managed to take a quick shower, Benedict could still detect the smell of smoke and alcohol on the former, thanks to the sensitive nose he acquired from his prolonged sickness.

“Daddy, you’re naughty. You know I can’t stand the smell of smoke. Still, you secretly drank alcohol and smoked cigarettes in the office. If Mommy finds out about this, she’ll definitely punish you.”

Cedrick forced a faint smile to hide the anguish in his gaze. “I’m sorry. I won’t smoke again, and I won’t make Gwenny angry. Let’s head into the office first. It’s cold out here in the corridor.”

With that, Cedrick carried his son into the office, with Charles and Nico following them.

As soon as they entered the office, Zendaya quickly scanned the room, only to end up frowning. “Daddy, where’s Mommy? Uncle Charles says Mommy was keeping you company when you worked overtime. Why isn’t Mommy here?”

The smile on Cedrick’s face froze, his gaze lowered as he came up with an excuse. “Your mommy has gone back to the Harris residence on Mount Tranquil. Something urgent happened in the family, and she needs to take care of it.”

Benedict, who was still in Cedrick’s arms, asked, “Then why didn’t you go with Mommy? You wanted to follow her everywhere in the past.”

With a tensed jaw, Cedrick explained awkwardly, “That’s because I have an urgent matter to take care of at work, too. I had no choice but to work overtime. I’ll pick her up latest by tomorrow or maybe the day after tomorrow.”

Both Nico and Charles had grave expressions. They realized something was not right with Cedrick, but they did not expose him in front of the children.

Benedict lowered his gaze, looking a little disappointed. “Daddy, I feel uneasy when I don’t get to see Mommy.”

boy clutched his chest and glanced

his face paled. He could not

asked to be put down on the ground and trotted to Cedrick’s

miss Mommy. I can’t sleep

children’s persistent requests put Cedrick in a tough spot, but

and pretended to be angry by acting as if

insistent on being with her? And how dare you ask for her when you’re in my arms? Go on, then.

Cedrick would actually put him down, Benedict hugged the former tighter

angry, Daddy. I’m feeling tired after

think of ways to shun Cedrick

that their mother was not home that night, Cedrick was their next best candidate to cling

I had a dream tonight. We dreamt Mommy got hurt and

in his heart. “Of course, it’s not true,” he responded casually before bending forward to pick Zendaya up. While holding back the tears welling in his reddened eyes, he

get two blankets from

“Okay.”

placing the children each beside him. When they were tucked safely under the blankets, they lay on his thighs and

exhausted. In fact, they behaved really

gentle expression as he stroked their heads and backs from time

a long night, the two soon drifted off to sleep

Charles were slightly taken aback

because Nico never expected the children who were throwing a tantrum

they call suppression from someone

time before saying, “You’re going a great job as

trusted Cedrick showed how great of a job he had been doing in taking care

earlier was a lie. I want to know the

keep it from you. I don’t have plans on doing that either. There are some documents in the desk’s drawer. You’ll understand

one step ahead of him. The latter did not want him to touch anything on Cedrick’s office