The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

The crimson hues of the sunset outside retreated, giving way to the twilight.

The light atop the mountain gradually dimmed, and a chilly evening wind blew.

With an unperturbed demeanor, Charles stood unmoving on the mountaintop, bracing against the breeze.

The engine roars of five helicopters grew increasingly loud, deafening, and intimidating. Yet, Charles remained stationary, silently awaiting the helicopters to land.

Soon, the cabin door opened, and Cedrick, clad in a dark military coat and boots, descended the cabin stairs with a stern look on his face.

Almost instantly, the two men locked gazes from afar.

Immediately afterward, Nico also disembarked from the helicopter. He breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Charles. Luckily he didn’t flee and obediently came to meet us. I suppose there is more to the situation than meets the eye. Thank goodness. I don’t have to endure punishment when we get back.

“Mr. Jenson, don’t you think this is a little over the top, leading over a dozen armed subordinates here? Others who don’t know better may think I’m a criminal.” Charles smirked.

Cedrick glared at Charles, not bothering to beat around the bush with the latter, and cut to the chase. “Is Gwendolyn here with you?”

Charles smiled faintly and corrected him halfheartedly. “This is not my territory. All I did was locate her.” Toward the end of his statement, he spoke in a knowing tone and arched his brow mischievously. “Cedrick, I got lucky this time, finding her before you did. If she chooses me this time, will you let go of her?”

Cedrick frowned with murderous intent and rage churning in his eyes.

Striding forward in his military boots, he angrily grabbed Charles’ shirt collar and uttered furiously, “If you dare covet her, I don’t mind giving you another taste of the unbearable life in a high-security prison.”

Charles met his gaze, and the two entered a stalemate for a few seconds before Charles gave in by flashing a smile. “I’m just kidding. Don’t take it seriously, Mr. Jenson. If I had genuinely wanted to possess Gwen, I would’ve destroyed all means of contact, cut all ties with all of you, and prepared a large sum of money to take her overseas to a less developed nation. Once we’re out of the country, even Federal Bureau of Investigation, with its mighty abilities, would find it challenging and time-consuming to track us down. Don’t you agree, Mr. Jenson?”

Cedrick narrowed his eyes and fell silent.

Seeing Charles voluntarily receiving the helicopters, he knew Charles didn’t have the guts to hide Gwendolyn.

Charles used to be the director of Central Intelligence Agency. If he had truly

Charles harbored selfish motives, so Cedrick still thought

and brought her back safely rather than keeping it

Charles didn’t refute.

indeed had selfish intentions, wanting to seek closure for his

that was provided Gwendolyn was willing to give him a chance to

planned to take her away as long as she was willing to accept him, even if it meant bearing a criminal charge, being surrounded and intercepted by Federal Bureau

across his eyes, Charles said with a double entendre, “I wanted

“What do

smirked again with an inscrutable, profound look in his eyes. Gwendolyn is different now. She’s reluctant to choose me, but I think she

the armed personnel were ordered to stay

cooking fire rising from a simple tiled house a

humble

loaded the magazine, chambered a round, and pressed the muzzle against the

turned around. Instead of cowering at the sight

Are you sure you didn’t do anything to Gwendolyn during the four days you’ve spent alone with her in this

“You’re falsely accusing me. I didn’t get the chance to spend time alone with her. Hurry up and put away your gun. Hide it better to

implied there were

his waist under his shirt. Then, he pulled his coat closer, concealing the weapon

the three men stood outside the courtyard of the

wall, Cedrick immediately spotted a familiar slender figure sitting under the eaves on a low stool. She held a pea pod in her delicate, fair hands, carefully

as she chatted leisurely with an older

welled up in his reddened eyes. I’ve finally found her, the woman I’ve been missing dearly and had disappeared for the

over him, but the feelings quickly turned complicated. She’s not hurt, so why didn’t she come home? She didn’t contact me either. Is she planning to abandon her family? Is she casting Benny, Zendy, and me

spread throughout his body, causing even his

Cedrick’s mood. He

composed. He pushed open the small wooden