《Mr. Wright and Mrs. Right》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    Chapter 1 Let Us Get a Divorce


    It was night, but Gwendolyn Shalders¡¯ sleep was fitful.


    She felt as though someone was crushing her to the point that she was close to suffocating.


    Worse still, the sound of deep and rapid breathing persisted right next to her ear.


    On the heels of that, a sharp stabbing pain came from the most intimate part of her.


    Realization dawned upon her, and her eyes popped open in horror. At once, she was greeted by a


    vague silhouette of a man propped above her.


    ¡°Is it¡­ you, Maverick?¡±


    A soft grunt then escaped the man who reeked of alcohol. Following that, he mauled her again and


    again without saying anything else.


    Nheless, the familiar voice had Gwendolyn breathe a sigh of relief. As the man continued thrusting


    into her, the desire within her gradually grew. In the end, seductive moans inexorably tumbled out of


    her mouth.


    Soon, the man¡¯s motions grew increasingly forceful. Gritting her teeth, Gwendolyn endured the pain.


    She was lost in the blissful atmosphere, feeling as though she was walking on air.


    They had been married for three years, and Maverick Wright was finally willing to bed her.


    Due to the fact that she was foisted on him by his grandfather, Den Wright, he had never spared her


    a nce throughout the years.


    Therefore, she was over the moon that he had entered her room this time, no matter the reason.


    Two hourster, with a deep groan, Maverick copsed onto her in utter exhaustion. The moonlight


    outside the floor-to-ceiling windows illuminated his perfect figure.


    As Gwendolyn listened to his rapid heartbeat, she found it all too realistic yet also incredibly dreamlike.


    If this is truly a dream, I never want to wake up!


    She wrapped her arms around his neck with a lovesick look in her eyes, panting slightly after the bout


    of rigorous exercise. ¡°Maverick¡­ Maverick, I really¡ª¡±


    Before she could utter the word ¡°love,¡± she heard the man muttering a name in a low and hoarse voice.


    ¡°Tasha¡­¡±


    When she heard that, she froze on the spot.


    Her heart clenched in agony, and all the blood in her body ran cold.


    Tasha was Natasha Mossey¡¯s nickname, and she was Maverick¡¯s first crush who had been abroad in


    the past few years because of Den.


    But yesterday, she returned to the country.


    That aside, she sent Gwendolyn a provocative text that read: I¡¯m back, Gwendolyn, and there¡¯s no


    longer a ce for you in the Wright family! Mave and I are childhood sweethearts. Do you think you


    can take my ce in just a few years? Scram! Go back to the orphanage, for that¡¯s where you belong!


    You¡¯ve got no idea how much he loves me, huh? Even if he¡¯s lying in your bed, he¡¯ll undoubtedly call


    out my name! You¡¯re only worthy of being my recement. It must be a bitter feeling, huh, Gwendolyn?


    At that time, Gwendolyn denied it.


    Her recement? I¡¯m the granddaughter-inw chosen by Old Mr. Wright, the rightful Mrs. Wright! I¡¯m


    myself and no one¡¯s recement!


    Nheless, right then, she could still hear Maverick calling out Natasha¡¯s name.


    The mocking text messages kept reying in her mind, proof of her delusions in the past.


    Without warning, tears uncontrobly streamed down her face. She clenched her fists, her entire body


    trembling from the repression of her emotions.


    All these years, I¡¯ve been cautious and obedient to the point of subservience. I even quit my job and


    devoted everything to being a good wife to him. His mother and sister at the Wright residence have an


    opinion about my background, snobs in every sense of the word, thus repeatedly making life difficult for


    me and humiliating me. Yet, I put up with it all because I didn¡¯t want to give him any trouble. Had I not


    lowered myself enough to gain his love? Why must he trample all over thest bits of my dignity?


    That night was extraordinarily long for her.


    She stayed up the entire night, sleeping nary a wink.


    Early the next morning, Maverick was awakened by the ring sunlight from outside the floor-to-ceiling


    windows.


    He massaged his temples. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Gwendolyn sitting before the


    dressing table with her back to him.


    Suddenly, the absurd events from the night before shed across his mind. Understanding dawned


    upon him, and his ebony eyes constricted while the temperature around him slowly plummeted.


    Despite having her back to him, Gwendolyn could distinctly sense the hostility emanating from him.


    She continued applying skincare product nonchntly when suddenly, Maverick grabbed her wrist hard


    and yanked her up.


    Consequently, the skincare product in her hand fell to the ground. The ss bottle shattered into a


    thousand pieces, and white paste spilled everywhere.


    Snapping her head up, she red at the man. Yet, her heart inevitably jolted when she met the man¡¯s


    furious and repulsed gaze.


    ¡°Did you think you could be Mrs. Wright for real by using such a despicable method of drugging


    me so that I¡¯d bed you?¡±


    Towering over her, Maverick scowled at her while he clenched his jaw. Instead of dropping his hold on


    her, he gripped her increasingly tighter.


    The savage expression on his face rendered his handsome countenance ghastly beyond words.


    Drugging him?


    All pale, Gwendolyn let out a bark ofughter. ¡°Such is the kind of woman I am in your eyes?¡±


    In response, Maverick¡¯s lips curved into a derisory smirk, even as intense repugnance zed in his


    eyes.


    ¡°Back then, didn¡¯t you also fool Grandpa with some trick so that I was forced to marry you? Why are


    you feigning innocence now? An inherently shameless woman like you isn¡¯t even worthy of carrying


    Tasha¡¯s slippers!¡±


    Inherently shameless? Feigning innocence? Hah! It turns out that I¡¯m actually this loathsome to him. As


    for using a tactic such as drugging him, I would¡¯ve done it ages ago if I so wanted to. Why would I have


    waited until now? Verily, he doesn¡¯t understand me at all! How ironic! I sacrificed everything in the past


    three years, but it all amounted to nothing! In this case, there¡¯s no longer any need for me to stick it out. Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Enduring the pain radiating off the wrist in his grasp, Gwendolyn gritted her teeth and exerted strength,


    shaking his hand off hard.


    Then, she held her head up high, her voice resolute.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get a divorce, Maverick.¡±

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Chapter 2 Your Thirty Billion


    ¡°What?¡±


    Maverick frowned, seemingly never having expected her to propose a divorce. She had just drugged


    mest night. What stunt is she up to now, this early in the morning?


    ¡°Have you lost your d*mn mind?¡±


    At that, Gwendolyn merely stared at him coldly. She was far shorter than the man, but her aura right


    then was whollyparable to him.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you long since dreamed of getting a divorce? Seeing that it was your grandfather who coerced


    you into marrying me back then, no one can stop you from marrying Natasha anymore now that he¡¯s no


    longer here. Don¡¯t you want to give her a rightful status?¡±


    Pursing his lips, Maverick scrutinized her closely.


    Would she really be so kind as to give up her status?


    At her solemn gaze and the fact that she didn¡¯t seem to be lying, he snorted softly, his voice frosty. ¡°I


    hope you don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered. Never had I been so determined about something!


    ¡°The only thing I regret is marrying you back then.¡±


    After saying that, she spun on her heel and left, looking all resolved and blithe.


    Maverick¡¯s eyes remained fixated on her back for a long time.


    In the past, she had always been gentle and docile before me, putting on an act of fragility. Today,


    however, she¡¯s surprisingly steely. Could it be that I had really used her wrongly about the incident


    last night? But who else could it be if not her?


    Both of them went to City Hall that very morning, one after the other.


    Dressed in old and ugly clothes bought from the side of the street, Gwendolyn made a stark contrast


    with Maverick, who wore a high-end ck suit from Prada, as they stood together. As such, they


    attracted much attention from those around them.


    Nevertheless, she wasn¡¯t at all bothered. All she wanted was for the entire farce to end as soon asC¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    possible.


    In a brief ten minutes, their miserable marriage finally drew to an end.


    Gazing at the eyesore of a divorce certificate in her hand, Gwendolyn plunged into a trance for a


    moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re on your own henceforth.¡±


    Out of the blue, a dispassionate voice drifted into her ears. By the time she lifted her head, the man


    had disappeared into thin air without dissuading her from getting a divorce or even taking a final nce


    at her. It was as though he had never been in her life.


    ¡°Well, I suppose this is for the best.¡±


    She shook her head with a chuckle.


    Since he¡¯s callous enough, we¡¯ll be mere strangers the next time we meet again.


    Corralling her thoughts, she walked to the side of the road.


    Unexpectedly, a limited-edition ck Bentley came to a stop in front of her.


    The car door swung open, upon which a middle-aged man with graying hair headed toward her under


    the escort of four bodyguards.


    When Gwendolyn made out his countenance, she jerked her chin up a fraction. In a sh, she was


    seemingly imbued with an innate sense of regality. ¡°How well-informed of Dad. I¡¯ve just gotten a


    divorce, and you¡¯ve alreadye knocking on my door.¡±


    The butler, Leif, wore an ingratiating smile on his face. He bowed deeply to her before venturing, ¡°Ms.


    Harris, your three-year pact with Mr. Harris is up.¡±


    Pausing, he nced at the divorce certificate in Gwendolyn¡¯s hand.


    Then, he continued in feigned regret, ¡°It looks like you failed to have Maverick Wright fall in love with


    you. In that case, you should honor your promise and return to Salinsburgh to inherit the family


    business.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s brows furrowed, and she fell silent for a long time.


    When she was fifteen years old, someone sabotaged her and caused her to lose her memories.


    Ultimately, she ended up at Faike Orphanage. Thereafter, she saved Den by coincidence and was


    taken back to the Wright residence. It wasn¡¯t until she hade of age that Maverick was ordered to


    marry her.


    An ident transpired on the night of her wedding with Maverick, and she happened to recover her


    memories. Ironically, she was head over heels in love with Maverick then and declined to follow Leif


    back. In the end, she made a three-year pact with her father.


    Casting my mind back on it now, these three years have really been wasted on a man who doesn¡¯t love


    me!


    ¡°Mr. Harris misses you greatly. Come back with me, Ms. Harris. Don¡¯t be angry at Mr. Harris anymore,


    for he¡ª¡±


    s, Gwendolyn cut him off.


    At the mention of the past, her expression turned all the icier. ¡°Leif, he has got that woman by his side,


    and the Harris family doesn¡¯tck an insignificant figure like me. I¡¯ve still got something important to do


    in Faike, so I¡¯m not returning.¡±


    She had been furtively investigating the culprit who made her suffer from amnesia and caused her to


    end up in Faike in the past two years, only to learn that the person might be part of Harris Group.


    Unfortunately, she hadn¡¯t any idea yet who exactly it was.


    With the enemy in hiding and me out in the open at present, I¡¯ll be in great danger if I return to the


    Harris family. Furthermore, I don¡¯t want to go back and face that woman every day!


    In response, Leif sighed. ¡°Indeed, Mr. Harris was right. You¡¯re still harboring a grudge against him,


    unwilling to go home easily.¡±


    While saying that, he respectfully took out a supreme Centurion Card. ¡°Here¡¯s your bank card. There¡¯s


    still thirty billion in it, not a cent less.¡±


    Subsequently, he waved a hand at the bodyguards behind him. One of them swiftly handed a new


    contract to Gwendolyn.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Chapter 3 From Rags to Riches


    ¡°Mr. Harris said you can stay for the time being, but you must ept the management rights of Angle


    Corporation, a subsidiary of Harris Group in Faike. On top of that, thepany¡¯s profits this year


    must be five percent more thanst year¡¯s. He also said you can refuse, but things might end badly for


    Wright Construction Group if you do so.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Gwendolyn gritted her teeth in utter frustration.


    Before Den passed away, she once promised him that she would help to look after Wright


    Construction Group. Thus, she couldn¡¯t allow anything to happen to thepany.


    This time, Dad is clearly using my weakness against me. However, he isn¡¯t ckmailing me into going


    home but is forcing me into taking over Angle Corporation. What exactly is his motive?


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do as he says!¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Taking the pen, Gwendolyn signed her name with a flourish before epting the supreme Centurion


    Card with thirty billion in it.


    At the sight of the gold surface of the card, she shook her head in amusement.


    A few minutes ago, I was so poor that I only had ten on me, not even enough to take a taxi. Is this then


    considered going from rags to riches? Because of my pact with Dad previously, my bank card and


    ount were frozen. Additionally, I had to conceal my real identity, or it¡¯d be a breach of contract.


    Maverick¡¯s mother and sister had an affinity for the rich and climbing the socialdder, so they never


    showed me any respect. I wonder what their expressions would be if they were to learn that I¡¯m actually


    Gwendolyn Shalders Harris, the youngest daughter of the Harris family, the wealthiest family in the


    country, and a megarich woman with a worth of hundreds of millions. I still remember when a good


    friend of mine from the orphanage was dying, back before I regained my memories. I went on my


    knees and prostrated myself before my mother-inw, begging her to lend me some money. She


    arrogantly whipped out a tinum card, but she didn¡¯t give it to me. Instead, she boasted, ¡°Guess how


    much money is in here. A million. You¡¯ve never seen so much money in your life, huh? But I¡¯d rather


    use it to buy dog food than lend you a single cent! Do you know why? Because that destitute friend of


    yours is even lowlier than a dog, in my eyes.¡± At that time, I merely balled my hands into fists as a sh


    of derision flittered across my eyes. Well, if there¡¯s a chance, I¡¯d really like to teach those two haughty


    women a lesson and vent my wrath for once!


    While she was deep in thought, someone grabbed her wrist from the back.


    She turned around, only to be greeted by the sight of none other than her mother-inw, Frida Landers.


    Frida had her nose in the air, her expression disdainful and disapproving. Behind her were a few well-


    to-dodies with shopping bags in hand. From the look of things, they had just finished shopping.


    Surreptitiously putting the Centurion Card into her bag, Gwendolyn questioned indifferently, ¡°Is


    something the matter?¡±


    Frida was stunned at first, seemingly never having expected her attitude to be so s¨¦ when she had


    previously always acted like a wimp before her.


    ¡°Who allowed you toe out and embarrass me? Have you done all the household chores? And


    have you cooked lunch? If my precious son were to go hungry, I¡¯d skin you alive! Also, look at the


    scraps you¡¯re wearing! You¡¯ve been married into the family for a few years now, yet you still appear


    impoverished. How shameful! Hurry up and go home!¡±


    To her surprise, Gwendolyn reacted as though she had heard the biggest joke in the century.


    ¡°I¡¯m shameful? After I married into the Wright family, you deliberately dismissed all the help in the


    mansion and forced me to quit my job to do theundry and cook for your son, being a virtuous wife. I


    did all that, but were you ever satisfied? No, you merely went even further. You framed me for stealing


    your jewelry, thereby withholding the shares Old Mr. Wright left me. Moreover, you forced me to my


    knees and had me kneel outdoors as punishment while it was raining heavily. Have you forgotten all


    that?¡±


    Following her words, the well-to-dodies behind Frida clicked their tongues. We¡¯ve always known that


    she treats her daughter-inw horribly, but we never imagined that she actually went that far!


    Seeing that things weren¡¯t quite right between the two women, they all made excuses to leave.


    ¡°W-What nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    Several times, Frida wanted to cut Gwendolyn off, but thetter¡¯s rapid-fire speech gave her no


    opportunity to interrupt.


    Gwendolyn proceeded to jerk her chin up imperiously, the look in her eyes razor-sharp.


    ¡°You know full well whether I¡¯m spouting nonsense. I tolerated you in the past, but if you dare provoke


    me again in the future, I¡¯ll settle the score with you for all past grievances doubly!¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    Chapter 4 How Fast You Change Your Tune


    Frida waspletely staggered by Gwendolyn¡¯s imposing aura.


    Is this still my meek daughter-inw?


    ¡°Oh, I understand now! You were merely putting on an act in the past!¡±


    Growing increasingly incensed as she mulled over thetter¡¯s change, Frida gritted her teeth and


    threatened, ¡°I¡¯m never going to let this incident today slide! I¡¯ll tell Maverick about it and have him


    divorce you! This time, I¡¯m going to kick you out of the family even if you beg me on your knees!¡±


    However, Gwendolyn merely sneered with a contemptuous expression on her face.


    ¡°Ah, I forgot to tell you this earlier. Just ten minutes ago, I¡¯d already gotten divorced from Maverick.


    From now on, I¡¯ll never again take a single step into the Wright residence even if you beg me on your


    knees.¡±


    Divorced? And a while ago, at that? How could that be? This bumpkin had been shamelessly clinging


    to the Wright family in the past, yet she has finally given up?


    Eyeing her retreating back dubiously, Frida gave Maverick a call right then and there to verify that piece


    of news.


    ¡°Have you really gotten divorced, Maverick?¡±


    Maverick grunted in affirmation, but a frown then marred his countenance. ¡°Who told you when it had


    just been finalized a moment ago?¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Who else could it be? I bumped into Gwendolyn, and that b*tch even raised her voice at me!¡±


    Fury still stained Frida¡¯s face, but she promptly broke into a wide grin at the thought that the couple had


    truly gotten divorced. She even started crowing, ¡°This is great! You¡¯ve finally gotten a divorce! How


    could a woman of unknown origins from an orphanage be worthy of my precious son? She should¡¯ve


    buzzed off long ago¡­¡±


    Maverick pressed his lips into a thin line, his mood entirely different from Frida¡¯s excitement.


    In fact, an inexplicable trace of irritation and guilt swamped him.


    Previously, he thought that Gwendolyn wouldn¡¯t easily agree to a divorce. He even prepared a


    settlement of three million and a mansion in advance. Yet, she was the one who proposed it. On top of


    that, she didn¡¯t even ask for a cent inpensation.


    Now that she¡¯s divorced without any money and family by her side, how will she survive in the future?


    Oh well, she¡¯lle and seek me out when she¡¯s at the end of her rope.


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn took a taxi back to the little mansion belonging to her and Maverick that housed


    her bitterness and agony for the past three years.


    The memories were far too heavy, so much so that she didn¡¯t want to recall them anymore.


    She walked past the garden in front of the courtyard and headed upstairs right away to pack her


    luggage. When she had done so, she didn¡¯t want to tarry in the mansion for even a second longer.


    s, a beautiful figure in the living room turned around and looked at her no sooner had she gone


    downstairs.


    It was Natasha in a snow-white dress, smiling innocently. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Gwendolyn.¡±


    Gwendolyn was startled momentarily, seemingly never having expected to see the woman there.


    We¡¯d just gotten divorced, yet Maverick had already given her the key to the mansion? So, he¡¯s


    allowing her to move in just like that? It seems that he really loves this first crush of his.


    A sense of repulsion flooded Gwendolyn. Nheless, she elegantly descended the stairs with a


    smile.


    At the sight of her poise, Natasha¡¯s expression froze imperceptibly. But in the next heartbeat, she


    continued beaming.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a few years, but your aura is increasingly more like that of the mistress of the Wright


    family. Oh, sorry, it was a slip of the tongue.¡± pping a hand over her mouth, Natasha gave an


    awkward chuckle beforementing, ¡°I forgot that you¡¯re already divorced from Mave, so you¡¯re no


    longer Mrs. Wright.¡±


    Despite knowing that the woman was there to assert her dominance over her, Gwendolyn wasn¡¯t the


    least bit angry. The smile on her face remained as airy as ever.


    ¡°Maverick Wright is a man I¡¯m already sick of. But since you love other people¡¯s rejects, I¡¯ll hand him to


    you. Anyhow, don¡¯t get too hasty, or it¡¯ll make you look like a third-party eager to intervene in someone


    else¡¯s rtionship.¡±


    Her remark had Natasha¡¯s smile quickly turning chilly and her expression contorting into a hideous


    mask.


    ¡°Mave and I love each other deeply. If it weren¡¯t for you back then, we would¡¯ve been together ages


    ago. You¡¯re the third party who should be disdained by all!¡±


    At that, Gwendolyn cast her a mocking look. ¡°Very soon, you¡¯ll know who exactly the third party is.¡±


    Having said that, she circled around Natasha, not nning to tarry any longer. Just when she was


    about to leave, thetter grabbed her wrist.


    She nced over her shoulder, only to see Natasha looking all pitiful. Her eyes were red-rimmed like a


    rabbit, and it was as though she had suffered a great grievance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gwendolyn. I¡¯ve always regarded you as my best friend. This time, I only came to visit you. I


    meant well. I didn¡¯t know that you both had gotten divorced. I really didn¡¯t mean anything else. Please


    don¡¯t be angry with me, okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh, how fast you change your tune!¡±


    That sweet-sounding speech had Gwendolyn snort a bark ofughter. She was just about to shake


    Natasha off when, with a shriek of pain, thetter copsed onto the ground weakly in concert with her


    movement.


    From the back, it would look as though she had shoved Natasha hard.


    Heh! How intriguing!


    Gwendolyn watched the entire self-directed show coldly. If I¡¯m right, Maverick must have happened to


    come back just this moment and is presently standing at the door, witnessing the whole scene.


    Sure enough, the man¡¯s enraged bellow abruptly rang out behind her.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Chapter 5 Give You an Epic Gift


    Striding into the living room on his long legs, Maverick went over to Natasha and helped her up at


    once.


    Then, he turned his eyes to Gwendolyn, his gaze brimming with grimness and disappointment. ¡°I


    initially thought you¡¯d behave after our divorce, but I never expected you to still resort to such a


    despicable tactic. It makes me sick. I had actually nned to transfer this mansion to your name, but


    from the looks of things, that¡¯s no longer necessary.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me Gwendolyn, Mave. She only pushed me identally because I made her mad. It was my


    fault, so admonish me instead.¡±


    Natasha leaned against his chest with guilt written all over her face, her sobs pitiable and


    heartbreaking. When she stole a nce at Gwendolyn out of the corner of her eye, however, her gaze


    carried a hint of pride and triumph.


    Ayer of frost nketed Maverick¡¯s face, and he said to Gwendolyn in amanding tone,


    ¡°Apologize to Tasha immediately, right this moment.¡±


    Tsk-tsk, he wants me to apologize to her?


    A spark of anger flickered within Gwendolyn.


    Alternating her gaze between the loving couple, she beamed from ear to ear. Then, she gently tugged


    at Natasha, who was in Maverick¡¯s arms.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I thought she¡¯d be livid and argue, but unexpectedly, she¡¯s still smiling?


    Puzzlement showed on Natasha¡¯s face. Not quiteprehending Gwendolyn¡¯s exact n, she was


    momentarily dazed, allowing thetter to pull her over.


    p!


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    A shriek far more piercing than the one earlier split the air. With a hand cradling her swollen face,


    Natasha fell onto the ground hard.


    Gwendolyn put all her strength into the p, so much so that her palm was a touch numb. Hence, the


    pain Natasha endured this time was definitely excruciating.


    Even then, Gwendolyn wore a smile on her face, and it was surprisingly detached to boot. She didn¡¯t


    look at all like the instigator who hit someone.


    As she stared down at Natasha on the ground, her voice was incredibly gentle. ¡°Since you imed that


    I picked on you, how could I have helped you affirm my misdeed if I hadn¡¯t pped you?¡±


    With tears shimmering in her eyes, Natasha sat on the ground feebly, whimpering softly.


    Meanwhile, Maverick had never expected Gwendolyn to have the guts to get physical right before him.


    Thus, he forgot to help Natasha up immediately.


    Wearing a dark look on his face, he glowered at Gwendolyn threateningly. ¡°Not only did you fail to


    apologize, but you even took things further! Are you testing my limit?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re regarding yourself too highly, Mr. Wright.¡±


    Gwendolyn waved a hand profusely, the grin on her face growing increasingly wider.


    ¡°We were once married, so I¡¯ll give you an epic gift before I leave.¡±


    While speaking, she took out a thick stack of paper from her bag and tossed it at the man¡¯s face.


    Countless pieces of white paper fluttered in the air.


    Maverick reached out and snagged one, only to see a copy of a text message filled with insults and


    taunts, sounding arrogant beyond words. When his eyes scanned over the sender¡¯s unidentified phone


    number, shock inundated him.


    Flipping it over, he saw proof of the truth behind the incident of him being drugged the night before. The


    evidence was solid, and it all pointed to Natasha as the culprit.


    In a sh, his brows knitted together. He swung his eyes at Natasha on the ground, a terrifying look in


    them.


    Coincidentally, Natasha had just finished skimming through the contents of the paper. Her face drained


    of all color.


    Indeed, she was the one who had someone spike Maverick¡¯s wine. In fact, she even phoned the man


    and told him to go to the hotel to look for her. Little did she expect that the driver would mistakenly send


    him back to the mansion, and her n would end up benefitting Gwendolyn.


    Hopping mad, she texted Gwendolyn to rub salt into her wound.


    Regretfully, never had she imagined that Gwendolyn would dare confront her openly in such a manner.


    Oh God, what would Maverick think of me?


    Without waiting for her to justify herself, Gwendolyn had already picked up her packed suitcase. Before


    leaving, she took onest look at the man she once loved deeply.


    ¡°Remember this, Maverick Wright¡ªI¡¯m not the one who¡¯s divorced and abandoned. Instead, it¡¯s you! I


    don¡¯t want you anymore, nor is the Wright family worthy of me!¡±

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    Chapter 6 My Divorce Compensation


    Hearing Gwendolyn¡¯s remark, Maverick frowned. When did I say that I wanted to abandon her? And


    why would she think so?


    Bewilderment deluged him. Just as he was going to chase after her and talk things out, someone


    clutched at the hem of his suit pants from behind.


    On the ground, Natasha lifted her face, looking all piteous.


    Sobbing softly, she rationalized, ¡°Mave¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I was just afraid¡­ I was afraid that you would¡¯ve


    really fallen in love with Gwendolyn in the three years I¡¯ve been away. I was scared that you wouldn¡¯t


    want me anymore¡­¡±


    With his brows still creased together, Maverick looked down at her. The instant he glimpsed her slightly


    swollen cheek, his gaze softened. Ultimately, he reached out and helped her up, his voice turning


    gentle.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said that I¡¯ll give you a status. A divorce was merely a matter of time. This time, you were too


    impatient.¡±


    Grasping his sleeve, Natasha pouted forlornly. ¡°It was all my fault, but I didn¡¯t mean to hurt anyone. I


    just used the wrong method. Mave¡­ please forgive me!¡±


    Upon receiving no further response from the man, she leaned against him weakly and tentatively bared


    an expanse of her fair shoulder.


    Maverick¡¯s gaze darkened, and he almost instinctively pushed her away.


    ¡°Mave!¡±


    The red tinge to Natasha¡¯s eyes deepened a shade, and she fixated her eyes on him resentfully.


    Does he really harbor such great aversion toward me now? Argh! How unfair! Why is it that Gwendolyn


    bagged himst night, but I can¡¯t even draw close to him or test the waters?


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    Maverick gripped her hand. Narrowing his chilly eyes a fraction, he studied her with such a look in them


    that she was as though a stranger to him. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Tasha, I never thought you would also resort to such methods and make those derisivements.


    You were pure and innocent in the past.¡±


    Taken aback, Natasha realized that she had truly angered the man this time.


    He¡¯s a man with strong principles and a line that can¡¯t be crossed. Once I cross it, he¡¯ll only hate me all


    the more!


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it! I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve realized my mistakes; it was just a moment of recklessness. I¡¯ll never do


    it again in the future. Even if it¡¯s only because I once saved you all those years ago, please give me a


    chance to repent, Mave.¡±


    At the mention of the incident many years ago, her bright and determined gaze shed across


    Maverick¡¯s mind.


    She was merely a tiny thing back then, but she stepped out and protected me. Oh well!


    The look in his eyes gradually turned tender. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about this matter. However, don¡¯t do it again


    in the future.¡±


    At once, relief suffused Natasha. No sooner had she nned to act coquettish with him than he held


    his hand out to her with his palm facing up.


    ¡°Hand me the key.¡±


    Her expression froze, and she made to fib, but Maverick cut her off, saying, ¡°I know Noah gave you the


    key to the mansion without my permission. Return it to me.¡±


    Noah Lidson was his assistant, who had worked for him for many years.


    Seeing that he had hit the nail on the head, Natasha had no choice but to hand the key back to


    Maverick begrudgingly.


    ¡°Don¡¯te to this mansion again in the future. I¡¯ll arrange a ce for you as soon as possible. You


    must be tired today, so go back to the hotel and rest.¡±


    Without giving her any chance to argue, Maverick ordered the driver to send her back.


    It wasn¡¯t until after she had left that Noah, who stood in the garden, cautiously entered the living room.


    He stopped in front of Maverick, waiting for the lecture to begin.


    Maverick swung his ebony eyes on the man, his voice icy. ¡°You have no right to make decisions on my


    behalf. You¡¯re gone if there¡¯s a second time.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Maverick then yanked at his tie before taking a puff of his cigarette. s, the look in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes


    before she left popped into his mind.


    It was both cial and piercing.


    Could it be that she was so resolute about getting a divorce because I used her wrongly? Never


    mind that, but she even put up a tough front, not even asking me for a single cent. Does she really


    think she can survive without money?


    He didn¡¯t want to think about her at all, but he felt his heart be dreadfully heavy. Some emotion


    started consuming him, and it made him exceedingly ill at ease. ¡°Send some men to search for


    Gwendolyn and notify me immediately when she¡¯s found. Also, transfer ownership of this mansion to


    her as my divorcepensation.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    In the meantime, Gwendolyn had found Angle Corporation¡¯s address on the inte. Lugging her


    suitcase along, she hailed a taxi and headed over right away.


    Since she had agreed to manage thepany, she decided to make a trip over for a look and


    complete the handover posthaste.


    Upon arriving at thepany, she went up to the receptionist and dered, ¡°Please notify your current


    CEO that I¡¯d like to see him.¡±


    The receptionist¡¯s expression stiffened on the spot, and she scrutinized Gwendolyn from head to toe.


    Although she¡¯s quite pretty, her whole outfit costs less than two hundred. On top of that, she demanded


    to see the CEO right off the bat. How brazen!


    ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡±


    In response, Gwendolyn shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    Hearing that, the receptionist almost burst intoughter. ¡°You haven¡¯t got an appointment, yet you dare


    come to Angle and kick up a fuss? I guess nowadays, any Tom, Dick, and Harry have the guts to throw


    their weight around without knowing their ce!¡±


    The harsh and insulting words had a frown marring Gwendolyn¡¯s countenance. ¡°Is this how you usually


    greet clients?¡±

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Chapter 7 Will She Still Have a Job


    The receptionist studied Gwendolyn again and ascertained that she didn¡¯t resemble a socialite.


    Instead, she appeared more like a scarlet woman who was there to garner benefits with her looks.


    ¡°How are you a client? Worse still, you asked to see the CEO right off the bat. Do you know that


    Angle¡¯s CEO has a worth of hundreds of millions? He¡¯s someone a wench like you can never


    dream of bagging!¡±


    Having been called a ¡°wench,¡± Gwendolyn almost gave a bark ofughter in her towering fury.


    Based on my worth, I¡¯m probably way above the CEO of Angle Corporation. What a snob!


    Not in the mood to yak with such a wretched employee, she put on a stern expression. ¡°Give your


    superior a call and say that I¡¯ve arrived. If he refuses to see me, I¡¯ll bear the consequences.¡±


    The receptionist wanted to continue snubbing Gwendolyn, but thetter¡¯s sharp gaze that carried a


    bone-deep chill petrified her so much that she swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.


    ¡°Remember what you said! All consequences will be on you!¡±


    Snorting, the receptionist narrated the turn of events to her superior with much embellishment.


    Throughout it all, her gaze on Gwendolyn grew increasingly arrogant.


    Truth be told, she couldn¡¯t wait to see thetter being thrown out by security.


    Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go as she wished.


    Her smile gradually froze, and utter astonishment nketed her features.


    Judging from her expression, Gwendolyn could more or less guess what was being said on the phone.


    Sneering, Gwendolyn questioned, ¡°Which floor?¡±


    ¡°The top floor, l-level 27¡­¡±


    After obtaining the exact floor number, Gwendolyn took the elevator with her suitcase in tow without a


    backward nce.


    The receptionist gaped at her back, wholly floored.


    Whoa! Who exactly is she that the CEO¡¯s assistant, Mr. Holtzer, spoke of her so deferentially? Could it


    be that she¡¯s¡­ the CEO¡¯s lover? No, I¡¯ve got to tell everyone this shocking piece of gossip!


    Meanwhile, no one stopped Gwendolyn when she arrived on the top floor.


    The instant she pushed open the door to the CEO¡¯s office, the man sitting on the couch stood up and


    walked toward her.


    He was dressed in a dark blue suit, looking regal and dignified. When his eyes fell on Gwendolyn, even


    his eyes danced with joy.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Kiddo. Congrattions on your divorce.¡±


    As he spoke, his baritone voice brimmed with indulgence.


    ¡°Treyton?¡±


    In a heartbeat, Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes turned red-rimmed, surprise flooding her. Never had she imagined


    that the current CEO of Angle Corporation would turn out to be her third eldest brother, Treyton Harris.


    Instantly flinging her suitcase away, she rushed forward and hugged Treyton.


    ¡°Did you miss me, Treyton?¡±


    She buried her head in his chest.


    It¡¯s been six years since west saw each other, but she¡¯s still the same little girl who loves acting cute


    with me.


    Treyton stroked her hair smilingly, gripped by the urge to give her all the best things in the world.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯ve finally gotten a divorce. What gives the Wright family the right to pick on the beloved


    heiress of Harris Group and our little princess?¡±


    Noticing that her brother¡¯s expression had gone icy, Gwendolyn hurriedly changed the subject.


    ¡°Treyton, I signed an agreement with Dad. He wants me to boost Angle¡¯s profits by five percent


    compared to the previous year! You¡¯ve got to help me!¡±


    She spread her fingers in a figure of five and exaggeratedly brandished it before Treyton.


    Treyton led her to the couch before replying, ¡°An increment of five percent is indeed a tad difficult for


    you, but Dad has also forbidden me from helping you to cheat. As such, I can only help you with the


    executions. The decisions must be yours alone.¡±


    At once, Gwendolyn¡¯s face fell.


    Gah! Treyton is a man who holds the survival of over half the entertainment industry in the palm of hisC¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    hands. He can shake up the entire industry with a flick of his finger, and his entertainmentpanies


    have even expanded abroad. A mere phone call from him could have the profits of this production


    company, Angle, soar by ten percent. Yet, Dad had even rightly predicted that I was going to cheat!


    This is no different from backing me into a dead-end!


    At the sight of her long face, Treyton pinched her soft cheeks while chuckling. ¡°Silly girl! It¡¯s good for


    you to have more practice. Since you¡¯re here, I should be stepping down as the interim CEO.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t be in a hurry to do that,¡± Gwendolyn objected.


    Her protest had bemusement swamping Treyton. ¡°Why?¡±


    Gwendolyn rubbed her chin, looking as though she was deep in contemtion.


    A momentter, she threw her brother a wink. ¡°I¡¯ve got a great suggestion. Why don¡¯t you hear me out,


    Treyton?¡±


    Fixing his gaze on her sly expression, Treyton plunged into a trance.


    An hourter, the two of them reached a consensus.


    Within five minutes, everyone in Angle Corporation received an urgent notice.


    Apparently, thepany would soon have a mysterious talent director.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    Chapter 8 Kept Hidden Away for Years


    An uproar erupted in the building.


    Right as Jade, the receptionist, said in the group chat that she had just weed a woman who


    seemed like Treyton¡¯s lover, a talent director joined thepany.


    Hence, the people began wondering if the talent director was Treyton¡¯s lover.


    What they did not know was that theirpany had changed ownership.


    Nevertheless, Gwendolyn saw her visit as a secret visit.


    First of all, she had never dabbled in the behind-the-scenes part of the entertainment industry, so she


    was not familiar with the processes involved. Thus, she needed Treyton to walk her through everything


    properly.


    Secondly, she was not familiar with the employees of thepany. Sneaking into their ranks and


    bing their coworker would allow her to know what was going on as quickly and as in-depth as


    possible. She would then be able to weed out the bad onester on.


    Right as the people were whispering their spections to each other, Jade, the receptionist working on


    the ground floor of Angle, was ogling Elisha Holtzer, the assistant.


    Oh my gosh, Elisha is so handsome! Is he smiling at me?


    Jade forced down the excitement blooming in her chest before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear


    and shing him a smile she assumed was pretty.


    ¡°Mr. Holtzer, may I know what I can help you with?¡±


    Jade¡¯s heart was in her mouth as she thought, Elisha¡¯s looking at me in such an intense way. Is he


    going to invite me out on a date?


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    In the next second, Elisha¡¯s expression turned cold, and he mercilessly said, ¡°You¡¯ve been fired. Now


    pack up and leave!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Jade¡¯s heart sank to the bottom of her stomach immediately.


    Oh no. I just lost my job! Who did I cross?


    Then, a thought popped into the tearful Jade¡¯s mind, and she stiffened.


    Could it be that woman from earlier?


    Fury and resentment crossed Jade¡¯s face, and she hastily made a call.


    Treyton dragged Gwendolyn for a makeover.


    She was going to attend a banquetter in the evening, and the guests at the event were all socialites


    and members of the upper-ss society.


    Soon, it was evening.


    An upscale banquet was about to begin in Faike¡¯s seven-star hotel, The East.


    Socialites and CEOs ofpanies were gathered by the hotel entrance, engaging in small talk.


    All of a sudden, a Lamborghini arrived at the entrance.


    Then, Maverick led his femalepanion, Natasha Mossey, out of the car. The man exuded elegance


    andmanded attention, while the woman was gentle and attractive.


    The crowd began talking louder when the duo appeared.


    ¡°Wow, Mr. Wright¡¯s handsome. Who¡¯s the woman beside him? She¡¯s charming!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that the two of them seem like a match made in heaven? I¡¯m so jealous!¡±


    ¡°Is she the wife he has kept hidden from the public eye for three years? This is so sweet!¡±


    Natasha lifted her chin proudly when she sensed the envious gazes of the others.


    She was the illegitimate child of the Mossey family, and she had been looked down upon by the


    socialites who thought that they were above all others since she was young.


    But did that matter?


    Maverick was destined to marry her, and she was going to be someone admired by others in upscale


    events like this.


    In fact, she was going to be the number-one socialite in Faike in the near future.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s Mr. Harris of Angle!¡±


    Right as Natasha was enjoying the attention on her, anothermotion broke out.


    The next thing she saw was a globally limited edition Rolls-Royce Dawn slowing down before her.


    Treyton was the first toe out of the car. The tall man of a hundred and eighty-eight centimeters


    instantly made the socialites around him gasp when he raked his gaze across them.


    He then smiled and turned around before reaching out to the other person in the car.


    He¡¯s famous for keeping his distance from the opposite sex, but he brought a femalepanion with


    him this time?


    Curious, the people began craning their necks to look inside the car.


    What greeted them first was a pair of slender, fair legs. On her feet was a pair of expensive ck


    diamond heels, and in the next second, they saw a woman with a great figure in a custom-made ck


    mermaid gown stepping out of the car.


    When the woman raised her head, the breaths of the crowd were taken away.


    She was stunning¡ªher beauty was so out of this world that people would not dare toe close to her


    for fear of making her mortal.


    In the meantime, Natasha, who was standing right in front of the duo, was shocked to her core.


    Treyton¡¯spanion is¡­


    ¡°Gwendolyn?¡±

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    Chapter 9 Cuckolded


    Upon hearing her name, Gwendolyn turned toward Natasha expressionlessly.


    She had guessed that Maverick and Natasha would be at the event, but ever since Maverick asked for


    her apology back at the mansion, Gwendolyn had already given up on him.


    Now, to her, Maverick was no one but a man who meant little to her¡ªhe was just her ex-husband.


    A polite smile then grew on Gwendolyn¡¯s lips before she hooked her arm around Treyton¡¯s and walked


    over to greet Natasha.


    At that, Natasha subconsciously turned to look at Maverick.


    Maverick¡¯s gaze was fixed on Gwendolyn as well. It seemed like he was bewildered, too, but the look in


    his eyes was a dark one.


    He did feel a little guilty about what happened in the day.


    However, he was in disbelief at how she had aplete makeover and was with another man a few


    hours after the incident.


    Still, he had to admit that the Gwendolyn of that moment was ravishing to the point his heart was


    skipping beats.


    He never knew that his wife could be that gorgeous in their three years of marriage.


    Could it be that Treyton¡¯s her new man? We just divorced this morning, but she already has another


    man by her side? What the h*ll is with that speed?


    Maverick was confounded, and the look he had in his dark eyes only turned colder. It was a precursor


    to his eventual angry outburst.


    Therefore, he kept ring at Gwendolyn as she walked over to him with Treyton, waiting for her to give


    him a good exnation.


    Yet, right as they were about to reach him, they turned and started exchanging pleasantries with the


    CEO of Wundor.


    In other words, they were paying him no mind at all.


    Treyton¡¯s hostile to me too?


    Maverick¡¯s expression was getting darker and darker while Natasha was tensing up. She had prepared


    to hurl words of provocation just a moment ago, but Gwendolyn had ignored her, so she had no choice


    but to swallow those words back down.


    Maverick¡¯s little sister, Sheralyn, was at the banquet too. She was initially having champagne in the


    hall, and she only came over upon hearing themotion at the entrance.


    She then walked over to Natasha and gently nudged thetter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Natasha, how did that b*tch


    get in here?¡±


    Natasha¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Sheralyn, and she whispered, ¡°Do you know about this, Sheralyn?


    Gwendolyn and Mave got divorced this morning. Who would have thought she would find another man


    to back her so quickly? She has my blessings for that.¡±


    Sheralyn scowled.


    ¡°Blessings my foot!¡±


    Sheralyn then shot a resentful re at Gwendolyn, who was socializing with Treyton. ¡°I can¡¯t believe


    she got another man to take her to a high-end ce like this right after getting divorced in the morning.


    That b*tch must have cheated before she even got a divorce from my brother. How dare she cuckold


    him? I¡¯m going to skin her alive!¡±


    Sheralyn was quick-tempered, and immediately, she stormed toward Gwendolyn.


    Natasha pretended to fail to stop Sheralyn as a small smile sneakily appeared on her lips.


    ¡°Sir!¡± Sheralyn cried out.


    Treyton turned around.


    When Sheralyn took in his appearance, she froze. There¡¯s actually a man in Faike who¡¯s on par with


    my brother in terms of looks?


    At that very moment, Sheralyn¡¯s jealousy and wrath toward Gwendolyn reached their peak.


    ¡°You are?¡±


    Treyton nced at her indifferently.


    With a smile, Gwendolyn leaned closer to Treyton¡¯s ear and exined, ¡°She used to be my sister-in-


    law, and she¡¯s the most conceited person in the Wright family.¡± Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Hearing that, Treyton¡¯s expression turned icier.


    Even though Gwendolyn had leaned in to talk to Treyton, she was not whispering at all. Hence,


    Sheralyn heard everything the other woman said, and the intimate way Treyton and Gwendolyn were


    interacting only fueled her anger.


    Still, a handsome man was standing before her, so she schooled her features and pretended to give


    Treyton a bit of advice out of the kindness of her heart.


    ¡°Sir, don¡¯t be fooled by this woman. She was married before! Also, she¡¯s no socialite. She¡¯s just a liar


    who grew up in an orphanage. She¡¯s a scheming woman who even used to be in a rtionship with my


    grandpa. She¡ª Ah!¡±


    A shriek was heard along with the sound of a p.


    The entire hall fell silent.


    Sheralyn held her cheek and widened her eyes at Gwendolyn.


    ¡°You hit me?¡±

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    Chapter 10 Toyed by A Woman


    ¡°That is correct. It¡¯s because you speak foul words.¡± Gwendolyn nonchntly rubbed her palm before


    mockingly continuing, ¡°It looks like the Wright family doesn¡¯t educate their children well. The daughter


    of the Wrights only knows how to speak disgusting nonsense. Also, so what if I was married? Are there


    any rules stating that those who were married are banned from attending the event? Are you telling me


    that your brother never married before? You were trying to ruin my reputation with what you just said,


    and I can sue you for that.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Sheralyn was livid. She had just been pped and insulted in public; both she and her family had just


    been shamed.


    Most importantly, the one who hit her was Gwendolyn, the woman who she could bully without suffering


    any consequences in the past.


    It was utterly humiliating.


    ¡°B*tch, I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±


    With that, Sheralyn dashed over, baring her teeth as she reached out to grab Gwendolyn¡¯s hair.


    At that, Treyton quickly pulled Gwendolyn into his arms and spun her around.


    At the same time, Maverick rushed toward them.


    With a frown on his face, he stared at Sheralyn and questioned, ¡°How long do you n to keep up with


    this foolish act? Apologize now.¡±


    ¡°Maverick, I¡¯m your sister! This b*tch just hit me, yet not only are you not going to teach her a lesson for


    that, but you¡¯re even siding with her and asking me to apologize?¡±


    By then, Maverick looked positively furious. He warned, ¡°I have eyes; I know who¡¯s in the wrong and


    who¡¯s not. I will only say this onest time: Apologize now.¡±


    Sheralyn deted.


    But she still felt that there was nothing wrong with her cursing at Gwendolyn. She just wanted everyone


    to find out Gwendolyn¡¯s true nature.


    What have I done wrong?


    The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. Right as she parted her lips to argue,


    Natasha hugged her.


    ¡°Sheralyn, Mave¡¯s really angry now. He¡¯s doing this for your sake too. He can¡¯t let Gwendolyn sue you,


    right? We¡¯re smart girls, and we know when to go forward and when to not. We still have a long way to


    go, okay?¡± Natasha whispered, emphasizing thest sentence.


    Sheralyn finally calmed down and muttered, ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Then, her face turned bright red, and she fled the scene. Natasha cast a reassuring look at Maverick


    before hurrying after Sheralyn.


    Themotion was over, atst.


    Even though the people¡¯s gossiping nature had been awakened by what Sheralyn said earlier, they all


    knew that neither Treyton nor Maverick were people they could afford to cross.


    Hence, the previous atmosphere returned to the banquet, for no one dared to discuss what had just


    happened.


    As Treyton stared in the direction Sheralyn ran off to, he frowned and asked, ¡°Are you going to let her


    go so easily? Do you want me to find someone and discreetly give her a beating in revenge?¡±


    Augh escaped Gwendolyn, and she nudged his shoulder. ¡°What revenge? I¡¯m not angry at all. She¡¯s


    only spouting rubbish. Unlike her, I got a good deal pping her earlier.¡±


    Treyton was speechless.


    Why am I suddenly getting the feeling that my dear princess is a fiercedy?


    Meanwhile, Maverick, who was socializing with the others after themotion, kept looking in


    Gwendolyn¡¯s direction from the corner of his eyes. When he saw her smiling sweetly at Treyton, a wave


    of annoyance washed over him.


    However, he had no idea why he felt that way. He guessed it was because it was his first time getting


    toyed with by a woman.


    Dozens of minutester, Natasha returned to the hall with Sheralyn.


    It seemed like Sheralyn had touched up on her makeup, for the red mark on her left cheek had beenContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    covered up. When she came back, she quietly and meekly stood behind Maverick with Natasha.


    It was only once in a while she shot a vicious re at Gwendolyn.


    Midway through the banquet, the dance began. Many CEOs started dancing with their female


    companions on the dance floor.


    Natasha was excited. She was looking forward to Maverick holding her hand and inviting her to dance.


    Indeed, right as she thought about that, Maverick stood up.


    The excitement in Natasha¡¯s eyes turned visible. She could almost imagine how she was going to be in


    the spotlight on the dance floor.


    Yet, in the next second, Maverick picked up his ss of red wine and headed to the next table.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    Chapter 11 Not Worthy Enough


    Gwendolyn was listening to the music and enjoying the chocte mousse made by a Ferropenian chef


    who held seven Michelin stars.


    All of a sudden, a man¡¯srge hand appeared in her line of sight.


    ¡°Miss, may I know if I can have the honor to invite you to a dance?¡±


    Gwendolyn raised her head, and when she was greeted by Maverick¡¯s permanently-icy face, she lost


    her appetite.


    Their eyes met.


    Maverick¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It was his first time studying Gwendolyn¡¯s face in such close proximity.


    He finally realized how the features on her brilliant face were all in the perfect positions and in perfect


    sizes.


    He never knew how beautiful his ex-wife was.


    Her eyes, especially. It was as if stars had been ced in them. It made her look lively and strong with


    a hint of stubbornness.


    Maverick found himself lost in her eyes.


    Furthermore, it felt as if he had seen those eyes somewhere else before.


    While he was lost in his thoughts, Gwendolyn smiled tauntingly as disdain crept into her eyes. ¡°Sorry,


    Mr. Wright. You¡¯re not worthy enough to dance with me.¡±


    The people who passed by the table were taken aback by Gwendolyn¡¯s response.


    She¡¯s too arrogant! Did she just say that the top man in Faike isn¡¯t¡­ worthy enough for her?


    Maverick narrowed his eyes almost immediately, and the thoughts of the sense of familiarity were cast


    aside.


    Nevertheless, he continued to reach out for her and replied with a smile that did not reach his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s


    just a dance. You can¡¯t possibly be afraid, can you, Ms. Shalders?¡±


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes as well.


    Does he not know how to take no as an answer? How can he be such a douchebag? Does he not


    understand what I just said to him?


    When their eyes met again, sparks were flying.


    At the growing tension in the air, Treyton stood up, his lips curled.


    ¡°Gwendolyn¡¯s my femalepanion, so why would you insist on taking her away from me, Mr.


    Wright?¡±


    He then slowly pushed Maverick¡¯s hand away before ncing at the side. ¡°Mr. Wright, perhaps it¡¯d be


    better for you to invite your partner to dance instead? She¡¯ll be jealous otherwise.¡±


    Yet, Maverick merely stood there, not moving an inch.


    Irritated, Gwendolyn whispered something to Treyton before leaving the hall to take a stroll in the


    hotel¡¯s garden instead.


    Maverick tried to go after her, but Treyton towed him away to talk to some other CEOs.


    Although Natasha and Sheralyn could not hear what Gwendolyn and Maverick had said, they could see


    the ¡°loving¡± look Gwendolyn and Maverick had shared.


    Thus, Sheralyn red at Gwendolyn and hissed, ¡°They¡¯ve already gotten a divorce, but that b*tch is


    still clinging to my brother!¡±


    In contrast, Natasha was tearing up.


    ¡°Gwendolyn¡­ Maybe she really does like Mave. If Mave did grow feelings for her throughout those


    three years, then I¡­ I¡¯ll step out of this and let them be together instead.¡±


    As she spoke, she began sobbing.


    Sheralyn panicked when she heard that Natasha was going to give up on her brother.


    ¡°Natasha, don¡¯t! How can you give up? You¡¯re the only sister-inw I approve of. That b*tch! I hate her


    so much! As long as I¡¯m around, I¡¯ll never let her join the Wright family ever again!¡±


    Nheless, not only did Natasha not stop sobbing, but she even started hupping. She looked like


    the epitome of misery.


    ¡°But, Sheralyn, what else can I do?¡±


    Sheralyn gave Natasha a long look as she gritted her teeth before turning to nce in the direction


    Gwendolyn had left. After a while of contemtion, an idea formed in her head.


    ¡°Natasha, leave this to me. I¡¯ll make sure that that wench¡¯s reputation is destroyed. That way, she¡¯ll


    never have the right topete for Maverick with you.¡±


    ¡°Sheralyn, what are you nning to do?¡±


    At that, Sheralyn inched toward her ear and whispered.


    Natasha blinked. ¡°Can this¡­ really work?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be seeing the fantastic results soon!¡±


    With that said, Sheralyn grinned wickedly and strode toward the garden.


    Once she was gone, Natasha dropped her miserable look as a tinge of delight danced across her eyes.


    Sheralyn¡¯s dumb and easy to manipte. She stepped into my trap so quickly. I hope she won¡¯t let me


    down.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    Chapter 12 Leaving Faike


    In the garden, Gwendolyn was standing next to the fountain and getting some fresh air with her arms


    folded. If I didn¡¯te out for some fresh air, I might have actually suffocated from the disgusting


    atmosphere inside.


    ¡°Gwendolyn!¡± Suddenly, a piercing voice rang out from behind her.


    Gwendolyn then turned around to see Sheralyn walking toward her haughtily.


    ¡°What¡¯s up? Are you looking for more ps? Wasn¡¯t the one before painful enough?¡± Gwendolyn


    taunted while looking away indifferently.


    Sheralyn was infuriated by those words, and she wanted nothing more than to tear Gwendolyn apart.


    Nevertheless, for the sake of her n, she had to clench her fists and endure it.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sheralyn then whipped out a bank card from her Louis Vuitton bag and handed it to Gwendolyn. In a


    sympathetic tone, she said, ¡°There¡¯s three hundred thousand in here. As long as you can promise not


    to appear in front of my brother again and leave Faike for good, the money is all yours.¡±


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows and nced at the bank card in Sheralyn¡¯s hand with an odd look.


    Three hundred thousand? That¡¯s peanuts! Does she seriously think that¡¯s enough to send me away?


    Sheralyn noticed the change in Gwendolyn¡¯s expression, so she thought thetter was tempted.


    Overjoyed, Sheralyn said, ¡°Since you were raised in an orphanage, I think it¡¯s safe to say you¡¯ve never


    seen that much money in your life. Unlike you, I usually spend that much within a week. I think you


    need the money more than I do. I remember you asking for money from my mom back then, but she


    didn¡¯t lend it to you. Isn¡¯t this great news for you? With the money avable on the card, you¡¯ll be able


    to buy anything you want. Well? Do you want it or not?¡±


    At that moment, Sheralyn¡¯s eyes were gleaming with excitement. Take the money! Take it!


    Sheralyn was full of confidence because she knew that back when Gwendolyn was in the Wright


    residence, Frida would withhold Gwendolyn¡¯s allowance. That was why Gwendolyn could never afford


    branded clothing when she stayed in the Wright residence. Since she¡¯s so poor, she¡¯s surely going to


    ept my money. Once she epts it, I¡¯ll tell everyone my money was stolen. After that, I¡¯m going to


    apprehend her before getting the police to lock her up. Upon getting her locked up, I¡¯ll bribe the officers


    in the detention center and get people to beat her up. If she has a criminal record of theft, she will


    never get back on her feet in life!


    With that thought in mind, Sheralyn could barely conceal the excitement in her eyes. ¡°Take the money.


    It was my mistake just now, and I¡¯m offering you my apology. This time around, I¡¯m sincere. I know


    you¡¯re strapped for cash. Just take it.¡±


    Gwendolyn tilted her head and sized Sheralyn up. Right away, she knew what Sheralyn was up to. In


    response, Gwendolyn merely shook her head mockingly.


    She then took out her phone to send Elisha a text saying: When I came in the car just now, I left my


    Centurion Card in my bag. Go to the bank and withdraw a million for me, will you? I¡¯m in the garden. Be


    quick.


    Approximately two secondster, she received a reply: Got it! I¡¯ll be there in two minutes!


    Upon getting the reply, Gwendolyn casually sat down on the tform of the fountain.


    Sheralyn was annoyed when she saw that Gwendolyn was ignoring her. ¡°Hey! Did you even hear what


    I said?¡±


    Gwendolyn rubbed her templesnguidly and answered, ¡°Give me a few minutes, will you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Sheralyn was baffled. ¡°What are you waiting for? I know Treyton is all over you at the moment,


    but he¡¯s merely toying with you. Did you really think a rich, handsome, and influential man like Treyton


    would actually want to marry you?¡±


    As Sheralyn tried to influence Gwendolyn, Elisha arrived with a ck suitcase. While bowing


    respectfully to Gwendolyn, Elisha passed the suitcase to Gwendolyn and said, ¡°Here you go.¡±


    Sheralyn was dumbfounded when she saw a stranger appearing out of nowhere.


    On the other hand, Gwendolyn rose to her feet, took the suitcase from Elisha, and smiled gleefully at


    Sheralyn.


    A cold glint shed across Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes when she uttered, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already said so much,


    it¡¯s my turn to speak.¡±

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    Chapter 13 Triple


    Sheralyn was utterly baffled by Gwendolyn¡¯s smile.


    As for Gwendolyn, she opened the suitcase, grabbed a stack of cash, and threw it at Sheralyn¡¯s face.


    Sheralyn was still in a daze when she saw something being thrown at her before feeling the pain in her


    face. In the next second, a whole suitcase of cash was thrown over her head, and banknotes were


    raining down on her. Consequently, the floor was littered with banknotes.


    Sheralyn was stunned.


    Seeing that, Gwendolyn smirked. ¡°Here¡¯s a million. As long as you¡¯re willing to leave the Wright family


    and change yourst name, the money is all yours. Well? Do you want it or not? This is a few times


    more than what you offered me!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Sheralyn was livid. As she began heaving, her eyes were filled with rage. How dare this b*tch


    throw money at my face! On top of that, she even used my words against me!


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing but a used b*tch! How dare you unt the money you made by sleeping with men!


    Argh! I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± Sheralyn gritted her teeth and dashed toward Gwendolyn in a rage.


    Elisha immediately stood in front of Gwendolyn, but she pushed him aside instead.


    Since no one was standing in her way, Sheralyn quickly reached out to grab Gwendolyn¡¯s hair. Before


    Sheralyn could reach her hair, Gwendolyn swiftly held the former¡¯s hand and locked it behind her


    back.


    Refusing to ept defeat, Sheralyn raised her other hand and took a swing at Gwendolyn¡¯s face. s,


    Gwendolyn managed to pin her other hand as well. With both her hands locked behind her back,


    Sheralyn was unable to move.


    Everything happened in the blink of an eye.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s movements were swift, and she was calm and unruffled.


    In actual fact, all the children from the Harris family had to go through physical training. If they were to


    fight, they could easily defeat five people on their own. Since Gwendolyn was a girl, she was never


    strong enough to fight against her brothers. Therefore, her father specifically let her train in jiu¨Cjitsu.


    When she was twelve, she had already received her ck belt. It was just that she had been tolerating


    the Wright family that she never used her fighting skills on anyone. Ha! Did Sheralyn really think she


    could take on me?


    By the time Sheralyn realized she had been restrained, she couldn¡¯t ept it. In retaliation, she started


    screaming at the top of her lungs and cursing at Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Ah! B*tch! I¡¯m going to kill you! I¡¯ll turn you into ashes! You¡¯re nothing but a sleazy b*tch!¡±


    Sheralyn was swearing and shouting endlessly.


    Hearing that, Gwendolyn frowned and stated, ¡°It seems like I need to wash those profanities out of your


    mouth.¡±


    With that, Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze turned vicious, and with one hand holding both Sheralyn¡¯s arms,


    Gwendolyn grabbed the back of thetter¡¯s neck with the other hand. In the next moment, Gwendolyn


    shoved Sheralyn¡¯s face against one of the water pumps in the fountain.


    Sheralyn struggled with all her might, but no matter what she did, she couldn¡¯t shake off Gwendolyn¡¯s


    grip. When did this b*tch get so strong?


    The water from the fountain sshed all over her face, and the more she struggled, the more the water


    got into her nose. At that point, she started choking and coughing, and she was on the verge of


    cking out.


    Noticing that Sheralyn was no longer struggling, Gwendolyn wanted to let go of Sheralyn. Right before


    she could do that, she heard someone shouting from behind her.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    Gwendolyn turned her head and met Maverick¡¯s furious gaze.


    Gwendolyn then let go of Sheralyn at once, and Sheralyn ended up slumping on the ground. Upon


    seeing that, Natasha instantly ran toward Sheralyn to help her up. However, she missed and they both


    ended up on the ground.


    At the moment, Sheralyn¡¯s makeup was a mess, her hair was drenched, and her eyeliner was


    smudged. Looking like an ugly duckling, she sat there coughing violently.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    On the other hand, Gwendolyn was calmly standing there with her arms crossed. Her hair and makeup


    remained perfect, and she looked exceptionally elegant.


    Due to how loud Sheralyn had shouted before, numerous people went to the garden to see what was


    going on.


    While most were stunned by the sight of banknotes all over the ground, some were discreetly picking


    up banknotes to keep for themselves.


    Out of sympathy, everyone assumed that Gwendolyn was the bully, and they were all staring at her and


    waiting for her to exin herself.


    Naturally, Maverick was no exception.


    With a grim expression, he stared at Gwendolyn and questioned, ¡°What on earth happened here?¡±

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    Chapter 14 Jealousy


    Gwendolyn stretched her gorgeous neck while gazing at Sheralyn. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her?¡±


    With her face reddened due to the coughing, Sheralyn could only point at Gwendolyn angrily without


    being able to utter a single word.


    Upon seeing that, Natasha looked at Gwendolyn in disappointment and uttered in a heartbroken tone,


    ¡°Gwendolyn, no matter what, Sheralyn is considered half a sister to you. Although what she said at the


    entrance of the hotel wasn¡¯t pleasant to hear, she had already apologized to you. How could you be so


    vengeful? She¡¯s just a girl. You were so kind back then, Gwendolyn. How did you change so much?¡±


    Those words implied that Gwendolyn was merely taking revenge.


    Hearing that, Sheralyn nodded fervently while coughing and sobbing at the same time, looking


    extremely aggrieved.


    Right then, the crowd started whispering among themselves. Since the victim was the daughter of the


    Wright family, everyone was inclined to side with Sheralyn and oppose Gwendolyn.


    Instead of saying anything, Maverick simply gazed at Gwendolyn intently the entire time.


    As a result, Gwendolyn was feeling ufortable, so she snorted. ¡°No one knows your sister¡¯s


    personality better than you do. Do you really think I was taking my revenge on her?¡±


    In response, he pursed his lips and kept mum. At the same time, there was an indecipherable look in


    his eyes.


    Gwendolyn then smiled mockingly and realized how absurd her words sounded. All these years,


    Maverick has never believed my words once. Why should I care if he believes me now? Exining


    myself to him is just a waste of time.


    Holding that thought, Gwendolyn wanted to turn around and leave. However, a few socialites, who


    were Sheralyn¡¯s friends, stepped forward and stopped Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Hold it! Who says you¡¯re allowed to leave? You¡¯ve just assaulted someone!¡±


    ¡°Exactly. You ought to exin yourself to Sheralyn before leaving.¡±


    Gwendolyn scoffed and was about to defend herself. Right then, she saw Treyton pushing his way


    through the crowd and walking up to her.


    When those socialites saw Treyton, their eyes lit up, and they wanted to make things worse for


    Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Mr. Harris, are you seeing this? This woman is vicious and disgusting!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Harris. You must seek justice for Sheralyn. Furthermore, a woman like her doesn¡¯t


    even deserve you.¡±


    Treyton was expressionless when he loosened his tie and took off his jacket.


    loving manner.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. Don¡¯t catch a cold,¡± Treyton said.


    Not only was the crowd stunned by what they saw, but they also stopped bad¨Cmouthing Gwendolyn.


    Immediately, the socialites were overwhelmed by envy, and all they could think about was tearing


    Gwendolyn to shreds.


    Treyton then acted as if no one else was around and put his arm over Gwendolyn¡¯s shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s


    gettingte. Let¡¯s head home.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded in response.


    The moment the two of them turned around, Natasha grumbled, ¡°Mr. Harris, the truth is that she was


    bullying Sheralyn. Are you seriously still backing her up?¡±


    Treyton turned on his heel and met Maverick¡¯s gaze. ¡°Our Kiddo never starts a fuss. If others didn¡¯t


    mess with her, she would never bother others. If you aren¡¯t convinced, Mr. Wright, perhaps you should


    check the hotel¡¯s surveince cameras. We¡¯re also willing to get the police involved to get to the bottom


    of this.¡±


    The way he addressed her sounded affectionate and intimate.


    Hence, Maverick was stumped when he heard that. They seem close. Could it be that they had already


    known each other before the divorce?


    While clenching his fists, Maverick stared at Gwendolyn, who was in Treyton¡¯s arms, and asked sternly,


    ¡°Did you wrong me?¡±


    His words shocked the crowd at the scene. Why did Mr. Wright sound a bit jealous?


    Hearing that, Gwendolyn found those words amusing. She turned to look at Maverick and answered,


    ¡°Throughout those three years of marriage, I¡¯ve never wronged you. Perhaps I should be the one


    asking you that question.¡±


    With that, Gwendolyn shot Natasha a mocking nce before leaving The East alongside Treyton.


    The crowd went into an uproar as soon as they heard that.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Chapter 15 Elegant


    Gosh! That¡¯s some shocking news! ording to the rumors, Maverick had a wife of three years that no


    one knew about. Who would¡¯ve known that the woman would turn out to be Treyton¡¯s partner tonight?


    Judging by the conversation they had and the fact that Gwendolyn had thrown a nce at Natasha, it


    seems there is more to it!


    Right then, the crowd started looking at Natasha differently.


    Upon seeing what was happening. Natasha panicked. Who would¡¯ve knoren that I would shoot myself


    in the foot! Now, everyone¡¯s going to wonder if I was a mistress!


    Noah, Maverick¡¯s assistant, immediately stepped forward to clean up the mess by exining, ¡°Please


    don¡¯t misunderstand the situation, everyone. Mr. Wright had already divorced Ms. Shalders. Only now


    is he dating Ms. Mossey. For the Wright family¡¯s sake, please keep what happened tonight to


    yourselves.¡±


    Upon getting some further exnations, the crowd finally dispersed.


    By then, Sheralyn had regained some of her energy. She got up from the ground and gripped


    Maverick¡¯s sleeve.


    With her smudged andical¨Clooking eyeliner, she gritted her teeth in resentment and snapped,


    ¡°Maverick, you must help me. That b*tch bullied me and embarrassed the Wright family. You must


    teach her a lesson!¡±


    ¡°Mave, Sheralyn was wronged big time. What are you going to do about Gwendolyn?¡± Natasha chimed


    1. in.


    With his solemn gaze, he nced at both of thedies and said, ¡°Since you insist, let¡¯s check out the


    surveince footage.¡±


    With that said, he spun on his heel and left.


    A sh of anxiety flittered across Sheralyn¡¯s face, and she instinctively nced at a surveince


    camera on themppost in the garden. There shouldn¡¯t be a problem because it¡¯s going to show that I


    was bullied.


    With that in mind, she and Natasha followed after Maverick.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Before Gwendolyn left, she had said a few words to the manager of The East. Hence, the manager


    greeted Maverick and the other two respectfully when they showed up. After bringing them to the


    surveince room, the manager threw a nce at Sheralyn¡¯s messed¨Cup makeup.


    Sheralyn felt offended, so she fumed, ¡°What are you looking at? Even with my makeup smudged, I still


    look more elegant than you peasants!¡±


    Hearing that, the manager dashed away unhappily. Let¡¯s see if you can afford to keep up with that


    arrogance of yours!


    In the surveince room, the trio was going through the surveince footage.


    Only then did Sheralyn find out that the surveince footage had an audio recording.


    When she heard herself cursing in the footage and assaulting Gwendolyn before getting countered by


    Gwendolyn, her face turned pale.


    On the other hand, Maverick¡¯s face was turning grimmer and grimmer.


    His gaze was so intimidating that Sheralyn immediately cowered the moment she caught a glimpse of


    it. ¡°Maverick, please hear me out¡­¡±


    Maverick ignored her and turned to leave.


    ¡°Maverick!¡± Sheralyn chased after him and uttered in dissatisfaction, ¡°Although my words were harsh, I


    didn¡¯t harbor ill intentions! Besides, didn¡¯t you see her submerging my face in the fountain? I didn¡¯t even


    lay a finger on her!¡±


    In response, Maverick¡¯s face flushed with rage. ¡°Sheralyn, unlike everyone else, I know you. You


    should know why you pretended to give her money better than anyone else.¡±


    All of a sudden, Sheralyn¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet. Feeling bitter, she then burst into tears once


    again. ¡°I was just trying to teach her a lesson! I can¡¯t stand to watch her messing around with you and


    seducing another man at the same time! I was looking out for you!¡±


    Maverick went silent as his expression darkened.


    Sheralyn thought he was wavering, and it delighted her. I should continue striking while the iron is hot.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the intimate interactions between her and Mr. Harris? They must¡¯ve been seeing each


    other before the divorce! You should teach that slt a lesson, Maverick!¡± Sheralyn paused before adding,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take full advantage of what happened this time around? We should edit the audio


    recording from the surveince footage and upload it onto the inte. Everyone¡¯s going to scorn her,


    and her reputation will go down the drain! What do you think, Maverick?¡±

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Chapter 16 I Want Her Dead


    Maverick¡¯s face darkened utterly. He looked at Sheralyn in disappointment and fury, then remarked,


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely ridiculous.¡±


    Pulling her hand off his sleeve, he ordered, ¡°You¡¯re grounded from today onward. Without my


    permission, you can¡¯t go anywhere. Do proper self¨Creflection on your actions!¡±


    With that, he left with Natasha.


    Sheralyn wanted to go after him but was stopped by Noah. All she could do was wail and beg for


    mercy.


    In the end, she was forcefully dragged back into the Wright residence.


    Enraged, she began smashing things as soon as she got home, making a massive racket in her room.


    The loud noises awoke Frida, who dashed to Sheralyn¡¯s room to check out the situation.


    ¡°My dear daughter, what happened? Didn¡¯t you go to attend the banquet? What¡¯s with the mess?¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡± Sheralyn¡¯s sobs filled the air as she pounced into Frida¡¯s embrace.


    Then, she gave her mother an exaggerated ount of everything that had happened at the banquet.


    ¡°Mom, you have to seek justice for me! Maverick is so biased. Not only did he not punish that b*tch, but


    he also grounded me! You must avenge me!¡±


    Distressed by Sheralyn¡¯s cries, Frida patted her back to calm her down.


    ¡°How do you want me to help you?¡± she asked.


    Malice surfaced in Sheralyn¡¯s eyes. ¡°I want her dead!¡±


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn temporarily relocated to Treyton¡¯s mansion since she had yet to find a ce.


    When Flora, the housekeeper, saw Gwendolyn, she was so overwhelmed with excitement and glee


    that she made a fuss over thetter, eximing about how the young woman had grown up, carrying


    her luggage to the bedroom and cleaning the room for her.


    Initially, Gwendolyn wanted to help out, but Treyton made her sit on the couch.


    ¡°Kiddo, you¡¯re starting work tomorrow. What are your ns?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be as what we discussed earlier. You¡¯ll continue to be the CEO and handle all of thepany¡¯s


    affairs while I learn the ropes.¡±


    Treyton contemted quietly for a moment before replying, ¡°All right. Since you don¡¯t want people to


    find out about your rtionship with me, I won¡¯t be sending you to the office after tomorrow. I got you a


    limited edition Maserati MC77. It¡¯s a design you will like.¡±


    ¡°MC77 is too expensive.¡± Gwendolyn shook her head and requested firmly, ¡°A cheap car will be


    sufficient since I¡¯ll only use it tomute to and from work. If you really want to get me a car, you can


    give me a Volkswagen Santana.¡±


    He furrowed his brows. ¡°That isn¡¯t good enough for you.¡±


    Crinkling her eyes in a smile, she held Treyton¡¯s arm and said in an adorable tone, ¡°Treyton, it¡¯s fine. I


    don¡¯t n on revealing my identity yet.¡±


    The person from the Harris family who sabotaged me has gone radio silent since I lost my memory and


    ended up in Faike. I reckon they¡¯ve yet to know that I¡¯ve been at the Wright residence for the past


    few years. It¡¯d be too dangerous to reveal my identity before I find out who that person is.


    As an intelligent man, Treyton could roughly guess her reservations.


    ¡°My ce has top¨Cnotch security, so you can live here without worry. Nobody will bother you here,¡± he


    assured her.


    He seemed to have thought of something as he added, ¡°Oh, right. Asher has been flying to other


    countries every day recently, and Kieran¡¯s hospital has just epted a patient with a rare illness. Both


    of them are swamped right now. The news of your divorce delighted them greatly, and they bought you


    a small gift. I reckon the gift will arrive in a few days.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Gwendolyn pouted in disdain. ¡°How can you guys be so ted over my divorce?¡±


    Despite that, she was curious about the gift. While Kieran was one of the best surgeons with a master¡¯s


    degree in medicine, Asher was a pilot inmand who owned corporations worldwide and had


    considerable influence on both sides of thew.


    Since the two of them had gotten the gift for her, it must be priceless.


    Noticing how she was swiveling her eyes animatedly, Treyton chuckled and booped her on the nose


    dotingly before heading upstairs to shower.


    At midnight, Maverick returned to his mansion after he sent Natasha back to the hotel.


    The sight of a pitch¨Cck and empty living room was what greeted him when he opened the door.


    Without Gwendolyn, who always weed him home, the mansion felt incredibly bleak.


    Unknown emotions swirled in his heart.


    Having turned on the lights, he sat on the couch and lit a cigarette as he listened to Noah¡¯s report.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Wright. I didn¡¯t manage to find out Ms. Shalders¡® whereabouts. After she left the hotel,


    she seemed to have vanished into thin air. There are signal interferences with both her phone and


    ount. Our people have tried many different methods, but we still failed to crack them,¡± Noah


    exined.


    Maverick took a puff of the cigarette as his expression darkened.


    Vanished into thin air? My subordinates are all elite hackers, yet they failed to locate her? Is someone


    helping her to hide?

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    Chapter 17 Still Care About Your Ex


    Maverick then proceeded to guess if Gwendolyn¡¯s disappearance was rted to Treyton.


    With his brows furrowed, he instructed coldly, ¡°Continue searching. Send some people to investigate


    Treyton too. Report back to me once you find her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Noah nodded, but there was a look of defiance on his face.


    Perplexed to see that he was still standing there, Maverick asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving? Do you


    have something to tell me?¡±


    Noah was in a dilemma for a moment because he knew his following words would enrage his boss.


    Nevertheless, he could not help it.


    ¡°You¡¯re starting to clude me, Mr. Wright. You and Ms. Shalders are already divorced, yet you still care


    about her so much and are giving the cold shoulder to Ms. Mossey, the person you should actually


    have concern for. Just what exactly is on your mind?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s gaze darkened. He picked up the ss ashtray from the table and threw it toward the spot


    beside Noah¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Get lost,¡± he snarled.


    Noah then left, not ignorant enough to linger.


    Maverick lit two more cigarettes after that. His expression, enveloped by the curtain of cigarette smoke,


    seemed inscrutable.


    Feeling a little hungry, he rose to his feet and walked to the fridge.


    Once he opened the fridge door, he found that the fridge was stocked with a wide variety of fruits and


    vegetables that he liked.


    He stood transfixed for a long while.


    All of a sudden, he vaguely recalled that Gwendolyn¡¯s expectant gaze was what first caught his eyes


    every time he returned home for the past three years.


    She woulde up to him smilingly and hand him a pair of slippers before saying, ¡°You¡¯re home. It


    must have been a long day for you. You¡¯re starving, aren¡¯t you? I made dinner.¡±


    However, he had never cast a nce at her, always mocking the warm dinner she had prepared before


    returning to his room.


    It was a thankless and arduous task, yet that silly woman still did it every day.


    At that thought, Maverick let out a chuckle.


    For some strange reason, he felt like tasting the dishes she made.


    Out of nowhere, thest sentence Gwendolyn said to him before she left the banquet that evening rang


    in his ears.


    ¡°Throughout those three years of marriage, I¡¯ve never wronged you.¡±


    If she has never wronged me, what is going on between Treyton and her, then?


    A strange feeling arose in Maverick¡¯s heart the second he realized he had been thinking about


    Gwendolyn nonstop, and he quickly closed the fridge door. Then, he headed upstairs to shower and


    sleep.


    Angle Corporation¡¯s lobby was crowded with people the following morning.


    The employees stood in a few rows as they waited for their CEO to arrive, all the while exchanging


    curious looks with each other.


    Half an hourter, Treyton appeared at the entrance of the lobby with Gwendolyn, who specifically


    picked out an attire consisting of a white zer and pencil skirt for that day.


    Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, making her look sensual yet gracious and capable.


    Following her appearance, the crowd erupted in an uproar.


    It was because the scene of Treyton and Gwendolyn walking through the entrance together was a sight


    for sore eyes.


    Treyton made his way to the middle of the lobby and announced solemnly, ¡°This is our new talent


    director, Gwendolyn Shalders, who will be working with us from today onward.¡±


    Everyone broke out in a massive round of apuse.


    In acknowledgment of the warm wee, Gwendolyn politely nodded with a smile.


    Then, Treyton briefly gave arrangements for the short¨Cterm objectives before allowing everyone except


    the team of managers to return to work.


    ¡°Suzanna, Gwendolyn is new here. She¡¯s unfamiliar with ourpany¡¯s operations, so please guide


    her.¡± he instructed.


    Suzanna was the leader of the team of managers, a woman with a head of brown wavy hair. Although


    her makeup looked mboyant, she was a beauty with a great figure.


    Upon hearing Treyton¡¯s words, she nodded fervently and smiled enthusiastically. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr.


    Harris. I¡¯ll do my best to guide her!¡±


    However, the smile on her face instantly disappeared after he left. ¡°Gwendolyn, please follow me,¡± she


    said, shooting Gwendolyn a nce.


    Coincidentally, Gwendolyn was looking at Suzanna, so the inconspicuous hint of disgust in thetter¡¯s


    eyes was perceived by her.


    It seems that Suzanna doesn¡¯t like me!


    ¡°Ms. Kleppen, please refer to me as Ms. Shalders,¡± Gwendolyn said.


    Suzanna¡¯s throat tightened, and her attitude immediately turned respectful.


    The entire morning, Gwendolyn stayed in her office to familiarize herself with thepany¡¯s


    operations. Suzanna would bring in new stacks of documents every few minutes, building a mountain


    of papers on her desk.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    A pucker formed between Gwendolyn¡¯s brows as she stared at the pile of documents. ¡°Isn¡¯t our


    department only in charge of the managers and artists? Why are there so many documents?¡±


    Suzanna snickered and said, ¡°These are only the basic information. There are more after you finish


    going through this pile.¡±


    There, she paused and looked at Gwendolyn mockingly. ¡°It seems that you¡¯re not familiar with our job


    scope, Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded unabashedly. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s my first time working in such a position.¡±


    Suzanna¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    She was the most qualified person in the department to be promoted to director after the position


    became vacant following the departure of the previous director. However, thepany suddenly hired


    some eye candy to fill the position, causing her colleagues to make fun of her behind her back.


    There was no way she could let that slide.


    When her gazended on Gwendolyn¡¯s gorgeous face once again, jealousy and resentment filled her


    eyes.


    ¡°How did a dead loss like you, who has no prior experience and academic qualification, get into Angle


    Corporation? Who did you sleep with to get this position?¡± Suzanna demanded.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    Chapter 18 Toy with Me


    With her brows still furrowed, Gwendolyn shot Suzanna a re. ¡°Please watch your mouth, Ms.


    Kleppen. Mr. Harris assigned me to this position personally. If you¡¯re dissatisfied with his decision, you


    can speak with him about it.¡±


    Rendered speechless by her response, Suzanna could only stare at her furiously.


    Gwendolyn remained unfazed and took a sip of her coffee with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m indeed inexperienced, but


    I¡¯m afraid you don¡¯t have the right to doubt my academic qualification.¡±


    That evoked a chuckle from Suzanna, who crossed her arms and shot Gwendolyn a mocking look.


    ¡°Oh? Which diploma mill did you graduate from? Have you gotten your bachelor¡¯s degree? In Angle


    Corporation, a postgraduate degree is a minimum requirement for one to take up the position of


    manager or above. Are you qualified?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t attend university, though I earned a doctorate from the University of Marsingfill at fourteen


    years old by validating a theory because I was too free back then. I wonder if that¡¯s a diploma mill?¡±


    Gwendolyn nonchntly uttered as if it was a casual conversation concerning an unimportant topic.


    Despite that, Suzanna stared at her in bewilderment. A look of disbelief was seen on the former¡¯s face.


    She was awarded a doctorate from the University of Marsingfill when she was only fourteen years old.


    Is she even human? If the University of Marsingfill is considered a diploma mill, what does that make


    my alma mater, then?


    Suzanna¡¯s expression turned grim, yet she still tried her best to maintain herposure. ¡°So what if


    you¡¯ve got a doctorate from the University of Marsingfill? Working experience is the most important in


    this industry. It¡¯s hard to say if you can secure this position, Ms. Shalders,¡± she imed, her tone


    cynical.


    After saying those words, she sashayed her way out of Gwendolyn¡¯s office.


    ¡°Stop right there,¡± Gwendolyn called out to her.


    ¡°What else can I do for you, Ms. Shalders?¡±


    Gwendolyn looked at Suzanna aloofly. Arching a brow, she said smilingly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to concern


    yourself about whether I can secure this position. This pile of documents is mixed with five¨Cyear¨Cold


    annulled information from several other departments. Please remove them and sort out the correct


    documents for me, Ms. Kleppen.¡±


    Suzanna¡¯s eyes popped in shock. H¨CHow did she find out? Before I came in, I specially selected some


    extremelyplicated documents, and part of them is even in Sylvonican. It¡¯s impossible for a newbie


    to understand them.


    Although she found it unbelievable, she still stepped forward to take the documents.


    ¡°Also¡­¡± Gwendolyn called out to Suzanna again.


    As thetter was slightly annoyed, she gritted her teeth and red at her.


    ¡°What is it, Ms. Shalders?¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at Suzanna for a while before shing her a meaningful smile, ¡°Here¡¯s a final


    reminder to you¨CI¡¯m the director, so please be respectful toward me¡±


    Suzanna¡¯s face turned as ck as thunder, then she mmed the door and stormed off.


    Gwendolyn could not help chuckling while shaking her head. I¡¯ve learned such antics ever since I was


    a teenager. She¡¯s a hundred years too early to y tricks with me.


    Meanwhile, in the CEO¡¯s office of Wright Construction Group, Maverick had just finished a meeting


    when Noah pushed the door open and walked in before handing him a stack of documents,


    ¡°Mr. Wright, Ms. Shalders has been located. Through investigating Angle Corporation, our people


    discovered that she suddenly joineil Angle Corporation yesterday, and it seems¡­ that her position is


    quite significant. Today¡¯s her first day of work,¡± the assistant reported.


    His words caused Maverick¡¯s face to turn grim to the point that it was frightening.


    She wasted no time in divorcing and joining a newpany. Has Treyton be her sugar daddy?


    So is this what she meant by having never wronged me? How dare she im she didn¡¯t cheat on me


    while we were still married?


    At that thought, his dark eyes zed with rage. That was when he shockingly realized he had been


    cuckolded by her,


    She¡¯s the first to have the guts to toy with me!


    ¡°Send me the address of Angle Corporation,¡± Maverick demanded.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Noah fell into a momentary daze before finally making sense of his words. ¡°Will do, Mr. Wright.¡±


    Gwendolyn, who was familiarizing herself with the documents in her office, sneezed several times all of


    a sudden.


    Is someone badmouthing me? I bet it¡¯s Sheralyn who got tricked badly by me yesterday.


    Shortly after, she dismissed her thoughts and focused on her work.


    It only took her a day to remember all the details of the documents, a task that would have taken other


    people three days toplete. When Suzanna noticed Gwendolyn could get off work on time, she was


    so infuriated that she broke her lipstick.


    Gwendolyn massaged her sore shoulders as she took the elevator down to the parking lot.


    However, she soon found herself in the face of a problem. Uh¡­ I came with Treyton this morning. My


    new car had just been parked in the parking lot in the afternoon, but he forgot to tell me where the spot


    was. How am I supposed to find it?Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Chapter 19 Poorer Than Me


    Gwendolyn tried to locate her car by pressing the unlock button on the car key on each level of the


    parking lot.


    Twenty minutester, she finally found her new car.


    While looking at the turquoise¨Cpainted car, she rubbed her chin and tutted. Although this car is an old


    model, it is pleasant to look at and practical. Most importantly, its color is¡­ shy! I like it!


    She could not wait to drive the new car.


    Suddenly, a woman¡¯s shrill voice was heard from behind her. ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t this our amazing Ms.


    Shalders? Let me see what car you drive.¡±


    Smiling, Suzanna shuffled close to take a look. After checking out Gwendolyn¡¯s car, she curled her lips


    in disdain. ¡°I thought it would be some fancy car, but it turned out to be a mere Volkswagen Santana.


    Why didn¡¯t you buy a good car to reward yourself when you¡¯ve be a director, Ms. Shalders?¡±


    However, Gwendolyn was not at all bothered by herment. ¡°Car is just for transportation. Its


    practicality is what matters to me,¡± she replied with a smile.


    Suzanna rolled her eyes in response. Practicality, my foot. It sounds impressive and all, but I bet it¡¯s


    just an excuse. At the end of the day, it¡¯s merely because she¡¯s poor.


    At that point, her ego was boosted, causing the frustration she received from Gwendolyn in the morning


    to dissipate. Anyway, at least this b*tch is poorer than me!


    She flicked her wavy hair before stepping forward to hold Gwendolyn¡¯s arm as if they were close to


    each other. ¡°Ms. Shalders, I just got a new car recently. Would you mind checking it out for me?¡±


    Without waiting for Gwendolyn¡¯s reply, she brought her to a parking space nearby.


    Gwendolyn tilted her head and saw a roadster¨Cthe BMW Z4. At first nce, the design looked good.


    However, it was not practical tomute by it. That car was wholly for showing off.


    When Suzanna noticed Gwendolyn did not take more than a nce at the car and appeared disdainful,


    she let out a cold snort. ¡°Ms. Shalders, this is probably your first time seeing this type of sports car,


    right? It is BMW¡¯stest model this year, the Z70. Even the most basic specs cost one and a half


    million. I¡¯ve spent a significant sum to purchase it,¡± she scoffed.


    Upon hearing that, Gwendolyn knitted her brows. How could this car be Z70?


    Having caught the change in Gwendolyn¡¯s expression, Suzanna assumed her remark had agitated her,


    so she lifted her chin proudly. ¡°No offense, but you ought not to drive a shabby car since you¡¯re a


    director. Celebrities will oftene back to visit an entertainmentpany like Angle Corporation.


    Your cheap car is a dishonor to ourpany.¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered as she shook her head. With her light makeup and red lips, she appeared even


    more alluring when she smiled.


    1


    ¡°I¡¯mughing at your dumbness. You can¡¯t even differentiate between a Z4 and a 270, yet you¡¯re still


    showing off here.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s words dumbfounded Suzanna, who stared back at her with a stern expression.


    Gwendolyn walked toward the back of Suzanna¡¯s BMW before grabbing thetter¡¯s hand to touch the


    exhaust pipe.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Suzanna yelled.


    Then, Gwendolyn raised Suzanna¡¯s hand before thetter¡¯s eyes. ¡°Take a close look at it. The stain on


    the exhaust pipe is old. If it¡¯s new, they won¡¯t be in this color.¡±


    Suzanna hurriedly took out a wet tissue to clean her hand. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± she


    questioned in disbelief.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re really dumb.¡± Gwendolyn snorted and exined, ¡°This car is not a Z70. It¡¯s an old


    model from three years ago, the Z4. Besides, it¡¯s a used car with the most basic specs, which costs at


    most three hundred fifty thousand. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can find out by getting a professional


    appraiser to examine the car.¡±


    Suzanna¡¯s eyes popped in shock, yet she shook her head. ¡°No way! It can¡¯t possibly be a secondhand


    Z4! You¡¯re speaking ill of my car on purpose because you¡¯re jealous of me. Do you think I¡¯ll fall for your


    trick?¡±


    Upon hearing Suzanna¡¯s response, Gwendolyn felt that the former was hopeless. Seriously? I can¡¯t


    believe she still thinks I¡¯m talking nonsense.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Judging from your words, I suppose you didn¡¯t buy this car yourself. Am I right?¡± she uttered.


    There, she paused for a moment. As though she thought of something, she queried in a serious tone,


    ¡°Suzanna, which executive from ourpany did you sleep with?¡±


    The color drained from Suzanna¡¯s face in an instant, but she soon pushed Gwendolyn away lividly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. You¡¯re ridiculous!¡± Immediately afterward, she drove off.


    As Gwendolyn watched Suzanna leave in a hurry, she became even more convinced that her guess


    was correct. At that, she narrowed her eyes. How could such a corrupted higher¨Cup exist in the


    company? If I find out who it is, he¡¯s going to be sorry!


    Then, she withdrew her gaze and turned around to return to her Volkswagen Santana.


    Just as she opened the car door, arge hand with slender and bony fingers pressed on it.


    The familiar, deep yet cold voice of a man rang out from behind her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he buy you a good


    car?¡±

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    Chapter 20 The Provoker and The One Being Provoked


    Gwendolyn subconsciously furrowed her brows when she heard that voice.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    The instant she looked over her shoulder, she met Maverick¡¯s obsidian eyes,


    ¡°May I know why you are here at Angle Corporation¡¯s underground parking lot, Mr. Wright?¡± she


    queried.


    The man quirked his lips into a half¨Csmile. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk business with Mr. Harris. What¡¯s the matter?


    Is there a regtion stating that I¡¯m not allowed here?¡±


    His remark evoked augh from Gwendolyn.


    What sort of weak excuse is that?


    ¡°Wright Construction Group¡¯s main line of business is property construction, which is quite unrted to


    the entertainment industry, I must say. Unless you are here to promote your property to ourpany¡¯s


    artists?¡±


    Undeterred by his presence, she looked Maverick straight in the eye, not bothering to mask the


    mockery in her gaze.


    The look in her eyes annoyed him, and his face hardened instantly. A beatter, he grabbed her


    shoulders and pushed her backward, pinning her against the car door. With that, Gwendolyn was


    enveloped in his arms.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she demanded, finding herself unable to move as his knees were pressed


    against her thighs.


    This is such an awkward position¡­


    The close¨Cto¨Czero distance between them and the suggestive atmosphere made Gwendolyn flush


    involuntarily.


    As she struggled to free herself, she gave Maverick a deadly stare.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Maverick Wright? Have you lost your mind?¡±


    His dark eyes were riveted to her. It was as if he was looking at his prey which was unwilling toply.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with this new car of yours? Especially the color¨Cgreen? You¡¯re acting all arrogant now that


    Treyton is your backer, huh? Are you doing this on purpose to cow me?¡± he snarled.


    What¡¯s wrong with the color green? What kind of color discrimination is that?


    Despite her inward grumble, Gwendolyn did not speak a word.


    ¡°You forced me to divorce you because of him, but it looks like he¡¯s not treating you any better.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes were filled with sarcasm.


    What the heck? Did he purposefully make a trip here to interrogate me because he thought I wanted a


    divorce to be


    together with Treyton? This is utterly ridiculous!


    Shooting him an odd look, she said, ¡°Mr. Wright, I think you got it wrong. We divorced because you


    didn¡¯t love me, and I was tired of putting effort into maintaining this marriage one¨Csidedly. It has nothing


    to do with anyone. However¡­¡±


    She paused briefly before continuing in a provocative tone, ¡°Mr. Harris is indeed wonderful! He¡¯s more


    patient, more outstanding, and more handsome than you! You can¡¯t even bepared to a strand of


    his hair!¡±


    Sounds familiar? This is how you used to belittle me!


    The veins on Maverick¡¯s forehead bulged as he became increasingly furious. Gripping her chin upward


    violently, he thundered. ¡°Are you provoking me on purpose? You want me to do you right here and


    now?¡±


    Gwendolyn was equally livid.


    I am your ex¨Cwife! Do you not know what that means? It means that my matters are none of your


    business anymore! What right does this jerk have to be angry and threaten me?


    ¡°Maverick Wright, I repeat, get out of my way!¡±


    Even so, Maverick did not budge one bit.


    That had her boiling with rage. So I can¡¯t talk nicely to you, huh? Okay, I¡¯ll have to pull out my trump


    card, then!


    She swiftly struck out at him, intending to take him down using jiu¨Cjitsu.


    However, she did not expect him to move faster than her.


    Huh? Gwendolyn was stunned by Maverick¡¯s reaction.


    In a sh, he had single¨Chandedly grabbed both her hands, raised them, and pressed them against the


    roof of her car.


    Furthermore, he was way stronger than her, rendering it impossible for her to free herself from his grip.


    ¡°Maverick Wright!¡±


    Enraged, Gwendolyn screamed his name at the top of her lungs. Her entire face was turning red with


    anger.


    A smug smile yed about Maverick¡¯s lips as his dark eyes sparkled with the thrill of getting back at


    her. It seemed that he enjoyed watching how exasperated and helpless she looked.


    Gwendolyn had a fierce facial expression akin to that of a lion cub when she was outraged. She looked


    enchanting and beautiful as she resentfully bit her crimson lip with a defiant look in her bright eyes.


    Maverick could not help but recall the night in which he was drugged. Amid his daze, he had met her


    eyes and thought they resembled the young Natasha¡¯s


    It was at that moment that he became truly aroused.


    Come to think of it, that night actually felt exceptionally wonderful¡­


    His lower body became increasingly warm as he slowly reminisced about that night¡¯s pleasures.


    Gwendolyn could clearly feel Maverick¡¯s body, which was in close contact with her, gradually stiffening.


    A particr part of his body felt¨Cwarm, and it was pressing against her abdomen.


    ¡°Maverick, you¡¯re a sick pervert! Sick scumbag! If you don¡¯t let me go this instant, I¡¯ll take you down


    with me!¡±


    Her sudden taunt interrupted Maverick¡¯s train of thought.


    He regained his senses and shed her a wicked smirk. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything, and I¡¯m already


    branded as a sick pervert? It looks like I must do something to live up to my reputation!¡±


    An intimate tension flowed between them, and it seemed like a single movement from either of them


    would trigger something massive.


    After Maverick said those words, his gazended on Gwendolyn¡¯s lips. All of a sudden, he bent over,


    pressing his lips hard against hers. There was a hint of aggression in his eyes, and he seemed


    determined to punish her for her utterances.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes bulged as an overwhelming sense of humiliation washed over her.


    ¡°What are the two of you doing?¡±

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    Chapter 21 A Fight Without Weapons


    Gwendolyn was so close to suffocating in such an atmosphere. The whole day of work had her feeling


    worn out, and at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to end the silent fight between the two


    men.


    After loudly clearing her throat twice, she said, ¡°It¡¯ste now, and tomorrow is still a weekday. You two


    should leave.¡±


    When Maverick saw Gwendolyn was about to leave, he immediately stepped forward to stop her.


    However, Treyton shuffled ahead and stood in his way. A glint of coldness shed across the former¡¯s


    eyes¨Che was warning Maverick to stay back.


    Maverick could not overstep the mark since he was not in his own territory. All he did was put on a


    smile as he looked at Gwendolyn. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten your dinner, have you? How about we dine


    together and talk things out?¡±


    Without hesitation, she turned down his suggestion. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, nor do I want to talk with you.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s face was as ck as thunder while Treyton chuckled in amusement.


    As expected of the princess of our household!


    Feeling as though he had gained the upper hand, Treyton stared Maverick in the eye provocatively.


    ¡°Kiddo, it¡¯s getting dark. Shall I send you home?¡± he asked Gwendolyn, though his gaze was fixed on


    the other man.


    Gwendolyn turned around and saw the two men engaged in another round of staredown.


    That discovery rendered her speechless. They are at it again¡­ How I wish God could take them away


    so that I could give my ears a rest.


    A tired sigh escaped her lips. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can use this chance to familiarize myself with the route


    home.¡±


    With that, she got into her Volkswagen Santana in a hurry and fled the scene.


    Even though she was no longer present, the two men in the parking lot were still at loggerheads with


    each other.


    Since Gwendolyn did not ept Treyton¡¯s offer, Maverick felt that he had turned the tables. ¡°It seems


    like you still don¡¯t understand my ex¨Cwife well, Mr. Harris.¡±


    Treyton shed him a cold look. ¡°I grew up with her; I know her better than you.¡±


    At that, Maverick¡¯s expression changed slightly.


    When Treyton saw the change in his expression, he was delighted. ¡°I advise you to pay more attention


    to the person close to you. Stop pining for someone you can never be with again.¡±


    As soon as Treyton finished speaking, he followed Elisha into the elevator.


    It¡¯s fortunate that I saw them through the surveince cameras as soon as they met and ordered the


    lowest level of the parking lot to be locked, as well as prohibited the employees from going there.


    Otherwise, our princess is going


    to get into troubled waters again.


    Meanwhile, Maverick stood still in the parking lot. The dim lights cast a shadow over his face, making it


    hard to read his expression.


    Noah became more displeased as he watched his boss from afar.


    Boss actually went against Treyton for Gwendolyn¡¯s sake. Is he not aware that he still cares a lot about


    Gwendolyn? But is this fair to Ms. Mossey? Ms. Mossey is such a finedy. Because of Boss, she was


    chased out of the country by Old Mr. Wright. It wasn¡¯t easy for her. Moreover, Boss said he would marry


    Ms. Mossey and care for her, but now, he¡¯s giving her the cold shoulder. This is so saddening.


    As those thoughts crossed his mind, the disgruntled assistant sent a text message to Natasha, giving


    her a brief ount of the carlier incident.


    I sure hope Ms. Mossey can win Mr. Wright¡¯s heart back after seeing my text!


    ¡°Noah, let¡¯s go!¡±


    A thought seemed to have struck Maverick. After calling out to Noah, he got into the car speedily and


    waited for thetter toe over and drive.


    With that, Noah collected his thoughts and trotted to the driver¡¯s seat.


    Gwendolyn had gotten lost.


    Something was wrong with her navigation application. It kept alerting her that the signal was weak, and


    on top of that, she happened to be driving on the mostplicated road in Faike. The navigation


    application was not leading her in the right direction.


    She had driven on the same route twice.


    Right then, she inadvertently noticed that the car behind hers seemed familiar. It suddenly urred to


    her that it had been tailing her since a while ago.


    Through the rearview mirror, she saw the familiar license te.


    Maverick¡¯s car? Gwendolyn flew into a rage at that instant. Why is that jerk still following me?


    She wanted to get out of her car and give that man a good beating before sending him flying to


    somewhere she could not see.


    However, it was just a mere wish. After what had happened in the parking lot earlier, she knew that his


    combat prowess was superior to hers.


    Since I can¡¯t win against him, I¡¯ll run, then!


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Gwendolyn picked up speed, nning to switch to a moreplicated path to get rid of him.


    In Maverick¡¯s car, Noah said, ¡°Boss, our men have interfered with Ms. Shalders¡® navigation application,


    but she has obviously noticed us, seeing that she¡¯s no longer following the route we set for her. She¡¯s


    trying to shake us off.¡±


    Maverick stared fixedly at the green Volkswagen Santana ahead of them. Rage was kindling within


    him.


    That green color is so gaudy and attention¨Cgrabbing!


    Without Treyton obstructing him, he was going to have things his way that time around.


    He swore he would change hisst name if he did not teach the woman a lesson for offending him.


    CD


    ¡°Speed up. Find a chance to drive past her car and force her toe to a stop. But only do so when


    it¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°Noted.¡±


    The two cars sped on the road.


    s, Gwendolyn¡¯s Volkswagen Santana was not a match for Maverick¡¯s Lamborghini Hurac¨¢n. Their


    speeds were not on the same par.


    Maverick¡¯s car was getting closer, and it was about to pass hers.


    Gritting her teeth, Gwendolyn focused on the road. There was a traffic light at the junction not far


    ahead.


    Having a n in mind, she quirked her lips slyly.


    Just as she was a meter away from the junction, she abruptly turned her steering wheel and changed


    lanes. A second before the yellow light switched to the next color, she floored the elerator and


    swerved left.


    The traffic light had already turned red by the time Maverick realized her n.


    ncing at the rearview mirror, Gwendolyn was overjoyed to see that the Lamborghini Hurac¨¢n was


    forced toe to a stop. It was getting further away from her.


    Trying to challenge my driving skills? You¡¯re too green for that, Maverick!


    While she was immersed in the joy of her victory, two ck cars suddenly emerged from the roads on


    both sides of her. Judging from how they were speeding toward her, she had a hunch that she was


    going to be forcibly stopped. D


    To her disbelief, it seemed like someone else had their eye on her. (2

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    Chapter 22 Never Understood Her


    Gwendolyn clenched her jaw. Instead of slowing down, she floored the elerator and picked up


    speed. Her eyes glimmered with a fiery resolve as if she was ready to take them on.


    Both ck car drivers were taken aback as she drove towards them without hesitation.


    Two seconds before they were about to bump into each other, the ck cars retreated in unison,


    allowing Gwendolyn¡¯s Volkswagen Santana to slip away through the small gap between them.


    Before she could heave a sigh of relief, the ck cars immediately came after her.


    Gwendolyn wanted to go around in circles to shake them off, but her Volkswagen Santana wasn¡¯t quick


    enough to do so.


    She bit her lip, but her heart was unusually calm.


    Through the rearview mirror, she roughly estimated the number of upants in the ck cars.


    There were five people in each ck car including the driver.


    There were ten strong, burly men in total.


    I¡¯ll be at a disadvantage if the fight continues for too long. If I use my abilities wisely, however, I may


    have a sixty percent chance of emerging victorious. I¡¯ll have to confront them no matter what. I¡¯m


    feeling grumpy today, so it¡¯ll feel nice to have a good fight! F*ck it!


    After making up her mind, she drove her car toward an abandoned building on the outskirts. Her face


    showed a steely determination as she pulled into the parking lot.


    The ck cars skidded to a halt behind her, and ten intimidating burly men armed with batons got


    down.


    Gwendolyn leaned on her car casually with her arms folded.


    The thugs¡® faces lit up with excitement when they saw her voluptuous figure clothed in a snug white


    dress.


    They were convinced they had struck gold by epting this deal.


    Without fear, Gwendolyn swept her gaze over them and parted her lips to ask, ¡°Tell me. Who sent you


    here?¡±


    The thug leader leered at her. ¡°Beautiful, don¡¯t me us for what¡¯s about to happen. me yourself for


    crossing someone you shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    Gwendolyn saw no point in asking who hired them, as they obviously wouldn¡¯t reveal their employer¡¯s


    identity.


    Right before them, she kicked off her high heels as her lips curled. A cold gleam filled her eyes as she


    challenged, ¡°Bring it on!¡±


    As soon as she said her piece, the ten thugs raised their batons and charged at her.


    Honk, honk, honk!


    Not far away, a car started honking loudly.


    A silver¨Cgrey Lamborghini Huracan drifted seamlessly and appeared in their sight.


    The driver was no longer Noah.


    A while ago, Maverick threw Noah out of the car for his poor driving skills and deducted a month of his


    sry as punishment.


    Maverick stepped out of the car with a cold expression after it screeched to a halt.


    His one hundred and eighty¨Ceight centimeters stature exuded an intimidating aura, making him seem


    like he had ten men behind him even though he was alone.


    The thugs jaws dropped wide open at the sight of him.


    Maverick¡¯s dark gaze was zing with fury as he strode past Gwendolyn and aimed a swift kick at one


    thug. His kick sent the thug flying.


    The other thugs instantly raised their batons and charged at him.


    As he was here to save a damsel in distress, Gwendolyn put on her high heels and leaned back


    against her car to witness the heroic battle that was about to unfold.


    Naturally, she was thrilled that someone was here to help her.


    Maverick was swift and merciless. In just a few minutes, he managed to take down most of the thugs.


    The only man left standing was the leader who red at Maverick warily.


    He cracked his hands, his gaze as dark and foreboding as the night sky.


    The leader felt a chill go down his spine being the target of Maverick¡¯s frosty gaze. His legs trembled


    profusely as he fell to his knees and begged, ¡°Please spare me. I¡¯ll leave right away! I promise I won¡¯t


    bother thedy anymore. Please spare me¡­¡±


    Maverick was about to ask questions when Gwendolyn strutted over in her high heels. Grabbing the


    leader¡¯s cor, she shot him a vicious re and demanded, ¡°Who sent you here?¡±


    ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t know. We usually ept any job as long as the client is willing to pay well. I don¡¯t know who


    the person is.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°You refuse to spill, huh?¡± Gwendolyn raised her arm to give him a tight p.


    The leader was shocked senseless by Gwendolyn¡¯s harsh p. He took one look at Maverick¡¯s


    murderous re and wailed, ¡°Gorgeous! No, Goddess! I swear I don¡¯t know anything! The client paid


    us handsomely to sexually assault you before posting the video of our deed online¡­ Ah!¡±


    Suddenly, a kick sent him flying straight into a pole.


    Crack! A cracking sound echoed as the man coughed up blood and lost consciousness.


    Gwendolyn scowled as she turned over her shoulder to nce at Maverick as he was the one who had


    delivered the kick. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for him to finish his words?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression was grim. ¡°Seriously? These thugs are unbelievably nasty. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re


    nning to let the matter slip.¡±


    What is wrong with me? When I found out what they intended to do to Gwendolyn, I couldn¡¯t control my


    rage. Despite our separation, she¡¯s still my ex¨Cwife, and I won¡¯t allow anyone else toy a finger on


    her. That man deserves death, right? She¡¯s a fool for being too kind.


    Gwendolyn gave him a frustrated look. ¡°He fainted right after you kicked him, so he didn¡¯t experience


    any pain at all. You should¡¯ve tortured him while he was conscious. The agony will make him long for


    death. Kicking him was too light a punishment.¡±


    Maverick was speechless. It turns out I was wrong. She isn¡¯t kind at all, for she is a vindictive person.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Noah to look into the matter. There¡¯s no need to worry or be afraid,¡± he assured her.


    Gwendolyn rolled her eyes. Did he see me getting scared?


    As Gwendolyn was a person of principle, she decided not to mock him if he didn¡¯t pester her. After all,


    he had helped her to take down the thugs.


    ncing at the men lying on the ground, she suddenly had a thought and turned to Maverick. ¡°I


    suggest you find out if your family has anything to do with this. If they¡¯re responsible, I won¡¯t let them


    get away with it.¡±


    Maverick nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t be partial to them.¡± He paused and regarded Gwendolyn with


    amusement. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we talk about us now?¡±


    ¡°Us?¡± Gwendolyn didn¡¯t understand what he was getting at, ¡°Our rtionship came to an end the day


    we got our divorce certificate. I have nothing to discuss with you.¡±


    With that, she spun on her heels to get into her car.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± Maverick hollered.


    He watched in horror as the thug closest to Gwendolyn rose silently, his baton raised and ready to


    strike her head.


    s, he was too far away to stop that from happening.


    As a result, he panicked for the first time ever in his life.


    The next¨Csecond, he saw Gwendolyn snatch the baton that the thug had brandished before delivering


    a kick and throwing him over her shoulder. The thug crashed to the ground with a resounding thud and


    passed out before he could yell in agony. D


    After taking care of the attacker, Gwendolyn turned over her shoulder to realize that Maverick still


    looked flustered. Her lips promptly curled into a provoking smirk.


    At once, Maverick¡¯s flustered expression turned into one of surprise.


    He watched as Gwendolyn¡¯s green Volkswagen Santana drove out of sight. His mind kept reying


    Gwendolyn¡¯s attack and the smirk that had crossed her face before her departure.


    They had been married for three years, but he thought his wife was a vulnerable puppet without any


    skills or strength.


    After their divorce, she kept blowing his mind with all kinds of surprises.


    It turns out I don¡¯t know her at all.


    His gaze turned dark as he stared in the direction Gwendolyn left.


    Through her impressive disy of physical prowess, it is clear that she has had extensive training in


    jiu¨Cjitsu. The arrogance she exudes speaks to her level of expertise, leading me to believe she is far


    from an ordinary orphan from Faike Orphanage.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    Chapter 23 Devil Incarnate or Brat


    There is more to her story than meets the eye.


    He was deep in thought when Noah arrived in a taxi. Thetter exhaled sharply when he realized there


    were a number of men passed out on the ground.


    Boss didn¡¯t hold back, huh?


    Maverick nced at him. ¡°Perfect timing. Bring these men back and find out who sent them here.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Noah nodded.


    ¡°Also, send someone to investigate Gwendolyn. I want a detailed report on her background.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Boss.¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    It waste at night when Gwendolyn finally pulled up outside the mansion.


    Treyton was sitting on the couch, waiting for her patiently.


    After she ryed the events to Treyton, he erupted in anger and dispatched his men to look into the


    incident.


    On the way back home, Gwendolyn pondered over the matter.


    She didn¡¯t have other foes except for the Harris family member who tried to harm her, but that wouldn¡¯t


    have just sent a few thugs to record a video of her being sexually assaulted.


    person


    Thus, she concluded that the Wright family was behind this. As she was afraid that Maverick would act


    partially after finding out about the truth, she got Treyton to investigate the matter, too.


    Gwendolyn then went upstairs to take a quick shower before going to sleep.


    The following morning, she arrived early at thepany. After getting familiar with the details


    yesterday, she was able to arrange the celebrities¡® schedules today.


    Suzanna was taken aback by Gwendolyn¡¯s quick learning and didn¡¯t dare to give her any more trouble.


    The entire morning was uneventful. Feeling content, Gwendolyn stretchedzily.


    Right after she had lunch, Suzanna barged into her office abruptly.


    Gwendolyn frowned. ¡°Ms. Kleppen, don¡¯t you know you should knock before entering the room?¡±


    Instead of answering her question, Suzanna threw an iPad on her desk. ¡°Look at what you have done!¡±


    Gwendolyn retrieved the iPad and realized it was a photo of a celebrity under her management,


    Joaquin Zipper. The photo showed him flying into a rage at the film set. Fortunately, his manager


    stopped the photo from getting published. Otherwise, Joaquin would be used of acting like a prima


    donna.


    Seeing that, Gwendolyn was speechless. Did he throw a tantrum just because I refused to let him fool


    around and told him to go to the film set to work instead?


    ¡°He¡¯s a popr idol, and all he did was ask for a day off. However, you denied his leave, and now he¡¯s


    mad. You¡¯ve offended the devil incarnate. I¡¯m not going to clean up after this mess you¡¯ve made!¡±


    Suzanna sneered with her arms folded.


    Gwendolyn closed the lid of the iPad with a click. She grabbed her car keys and strode out of the office.


    Suzanna ran after her. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To the film set.¡±


    Hearing that, Suzanna quickly went after her.


    The devil incarnate has a fearsome temper and enjoys ying pranks on others. I can¡¯t wait to see him


    mess with Gwendolyn. I¡¯ll bring it up in the meeting and see how long shests as director.


    Angle invested in the TV drama Joaquin was filming which onlymenced shooting a few days ago


    at Faike Film Studios.


    It only took Gwendolyn and Suzanna around half an hour to reach their destination.


    Upon arrival, both women heard themotion of someone overturning a chair.


    They went nearer to see an eighteen¨Cyear¨Cold young man throwing a tantrum.


    His manager and assistant cowered aside silently. Even the film crew stayed away from him.


    The only person who stood out to stop him was the cleaner, as she couldn¡¯t stand to see the mess on


    the ground.


    ¡°Young man, how could you do this? Even if you¡¯re rich, you shouldn¡¯t destroy things as you like!¡±


    The furious young man didn¡¯t stop as told. Instead, he grabbed a vase and dered angrily, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m


    rich! I can afford topensate for the losses. You have no right to speak to me like that!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t break this!¡± the director protested in distress from his hiding spot far away. His heart was


    filled with anguish.


    It¡¯s not about thepensation money if he breaks it. The vintage vase was borrowed to enhance the


    gravitas of the set and it¡¯s extremely valuable!


    Fear crossed everyone¡¯s faces when they saw Joaquin raising his hand.


    Joaquin let out an icy snort. Before he could smash the vase, someone seized his arm.


    He whirled over in shock and saw Gwendolyn gazing at him frostily.


    ¡°Put that down and apologize!¡±


    Joaquin snorted in disbelief. ¡°Who are you to tell me to apologize?¡±


    Suzanna put on an ingratiating smile and exined, ¡°Mr. Joaquin, this is thepany¡¯s new talent


    director, Ms. Shalders. Yesterday was her first day at work, but she immediately denied your leave of


    absence today. I tried to talk some sense into her, but she imed you were cking and denied your


    leave.¡±


    Hearing that, Joaquin went cold in fury and glowered at Gwendolyn. ¡°Oh, so it was you. I filmed for two


    days in a row. Can¡¯t I ask for one day off? How dare you deny my leave on your second day of work?¡±


    Deep down, Suzanna was pleased to see Joaquinshing out at Gwendolyn. She stepped back and


    waited giddily to see an altercation.


    Gwendolyn wasn¡¯t about to waste her time talking to the young man. ¡°I shall ask onest time. Are you


    going to apologize or not?¡±


    mes of anger licked through Joaquin. His eyes burned with rage as he clenched his fists and


    bellowed, ¡°I don¡¯t usually hit women, but you asked for it!¡±


    Everyone had already anticipated Gwendolyn¡¯s dreadful destiny a minuteter. They hung their heads


    as they couldn¡¯t bear to watch her suffer.


    Before the fight even started, it was over.


    Instead of hearing Gwendolyn¡¯s screams, everyone heard Joaquin yelling in anguish.


    ¡°Ow, it hurts! Let me go! I think my arm is dislocating!¡±


    Everyone was shocked as they whipped their heads up to see Joaquin being held face down on the


    ground. His arms were held securely behind his back, and he was awkwardly kneeling on the floor.


    Despite wearing high heels, Gwendolyn stepped on his butt forcefully.


    The sight of him yelling at the top of his lungs was really amusing.


    On the contrary, Gwendolyn remained cool andposed. The crowd couldn¡¯t help but praise her


    action inwardly.


    Even Joaquin¡¯s manager was so impressed with Gwendolyn¡¯s actions that he momentarily forgot to


    intervene.


    Joaquin desperately wished for the ground to swallow him up when he realized everyone had


    witnessed him getting humiliated. His hatred for Gwendolyn intensified.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am? How dare you beat me up? You must have a death wish!¡± he snarled.


    Suzanna bore a terrified expression as she stepped forward to intervene. ¡°Hurry up and release him!


    He¡¯s Mr. Joaquin from the Zipper family! How could you beat him up?¡±


    The Zipper family may have been rted to the Harris family, but they were far from influential in


    Salinsburgh. As a result, their arrogance was only tolerated in Faike.


    Instead of releasing Joaquin, Gwendolyn gave Joaquin¡¯s butt another forceful kick.


    Joaquin promptly wailed in pain.


    As she didn¡¯t pay heed to Suzanna¡¯s words, thetter stomp her feet and shed a smug grin. ¡°Ms.


    Shalders, you¡¯re doomed! Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you beforehand.¡±


    Gwendolyn ignored her and red down at Joaquin. She kept one foot nted firmly on his butt.


    ¡°Well? Do you admit defeat? I can¡¯t believe you have the nerve to try and act like a tyrant after all these


    years.¡± Her voice was cold and hard, leaving no room for argument.


    Her tone sounded familiar to Joaquin, so he did his best to turn around and observe her face seriously.


    At once, his anguished expression turned into one of surprise.


    ¡°Are you Gwendolyn?¡±


    Gwendolyn snorted. ¡°You remember me now?¡±


    Joaquin nodded fervently, his face etched with contrition. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Gwendolyn! I wouldn¡¯t have


    acted that way if I knew it was you. Please, let me go. It¡¯s really painful!¡±


    Hearing that, Gwendolyn finally released him.


    Joaquin scrambled to his feet and brushed the dirt off his face. Holding his butt, he presented


    Gwendolyn with a charming smile and gestured for her to take a seat.


    Everyone else was dumbstruck by the turn of events.


    What¡¯s happening? Why isn¡¯t heshing out at Gwendolyn? Is this bootlicking guy the notorious Mr.


    Joaquin Zipper, also known as the devil incarnate?

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    Chapter 24 Who Is the Unlucky Person


    Suzanna could barely hide her shock.


    Who exactly is Gwendolyn? Sh*t! I thought she was done for, but now it seems I¡¯m the one in trouble.


    How did she get to know the infamous Mr. Joaquin? I¡¯ve read her background, and she¡¯s just an orphan


    who grew up in an orphanage.


    Suzanna suspected there was more to it, so she stealthily stepped back and made a phone call.


    The spectators were now staring at Gwendolyn in awe.


    Joaquin was the focus of everyone¡¯s gaze, but he ignored it and knelt down beside Gwendolyn to


    knead her legs. He kept his gaze fixed on her as an adorable smile lit up his face.


    ¡°It has been a while since west met! I must say, you¡¯re looking more and more beautiful. Now, don¡¯t


    be mad at me, or it¡¯ll ruin your looks!¡±


    Gwendolyn gently prodded Joaquin¡¯s head with her fingertips. She leaned in close and whispered


    sternly, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything rash. Stick to the filming schedule, and do as you¡¯re told. I won¡¯t hesitate to


    tell Old Mr. Zipper if you cause any trouble.¡± The veiled threat was unmistakable, as Patrick Zipper was


    Joaquin¡¯s grandfather.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t! He¡¯ll punish me severely!¡± Joaquin felt a chill go down his spine. Trying to appeal to her,


    he put on a pitiful expression and pleaded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gwendolyn. I¡¯ve always listened to you,


    haven¡¯t I?¡±


    A smile nudged Gwendolyn¡¯s lips. ¡°Apologize to the cleaner now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Joaquin nched. ¡°I¡¯m Joaquin Zipper! Are you seriously asking me to apologize to a cleaner?


    What about my pride, Gwendolyn¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s smile vanished. She told him sternly, ¡°We¡¯re civilized people, aren¡¯t we? You threw a


    tantrum and created a mess. The cleaner didn¡¯t do anything wrong but had to clear up your mess.


    Besides, you yelled at her when she tried to stop you. Shouldn¡¯t you bear responsibility for what you


    did?¡±


    Joaquin slumped his shoulders in defeat,


    He turned over his shoulders to see the cleaner clearing up the mess he created earlier. Feeling bad,


    he trudged up to her and offered her a sincere apology. To make amends, he even gave her some


    money.


    Overjoyed, the cleaner epted his apology andpensation readily.


    Gwendolyn then made arrangements so that Joaquin¡¯s manager wouldpensate the film crew for


    the ruined props.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s presence on the film set that afternoon had a positive effect on Joaquin as he managed to


    nail all his scenes in only a few takes, much to the delight of the director. Thus, the director kept


    thanking Gwendolyn for her efforts.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°He¡¯s young and too full of himself, so a few smacks should do the trick


    The director¡¯s respect for Gwendolyn increased as he nodded in agreement.


    When it was time to get off work, Joaquin grabbed Gwendolyn¡¯s hand and acted sweetly by offering to


    buy her dinner to make up for hisck of respect earlier that day.


    As he was persistent, Gwendolyn agreed to his invitation.


    To avoid getting hounded by the obsessive fans and have dinner in peace, Joaquin put on a thorough


    disguise. His transformation was so sessful that only the most observant fans could identify him.


    Dinner was at Douf¡¯s, the most opulent restaurant in Faike boasting seven stars.


    The moment Gwendolyn entered the restaurant, the dark interior immediately caught her eye as she


    preferred dining in dimly lit environments for a better dining experience.


    Joaquin kept shooting looks at Gwendolyn after they ordered their food. He leaned over and asked in a


    low voice. ¡°Do you recognize that man over there? He¡¯s been looking in our direction a few times.¡±


    Gwendolyn turned over her shoulder to see Maverick and Natasha having dinner at the next table.


    Upon spotting Gwendolyn, Natasha gave her a smug and provoking look, indicating that she saw


    herself as the victor.


    Gwendolyn looked away calmly. ¡°That¡¯s the CEO of Wright Construction Group.¡±


    Joaquin bobbed his head. ¡°Ah, then the woman sitting next to him must be his fianc¨¦e whom he


    announced he would be engaged to next month.¡±


    Gwendolyn faltered slightly, but her face was devoid of expression as she focused on her dinner.


    Joaquin was intrigued. ¡°I heard he married someone and had the marriage kept a secret for three years


    before filing for divorce. I can¡¯t help but wonder who the unlucky person was.¡±


    Gwendolyn shot him a look. ¡°It was me.¡±


    Joaquin initially couldn¡¯t understand her reply. It took him a few seconds toprehend her words, and


    he mmed the table in shock. ¡°You¡¯re his ex¨Cwife?¡± he eximed.


    His voice was so loud that the adjoining few tables turned to look at them.


    Maverick, who was sitting at the table right next to theirs, furrowed his brows and glowered darkly.


    Gwendolyn gave Joaquin a reproachful nce, and he immediately covered his mouth. In a harsh


    whisper, he snapped, ¡°Well done! He may be attractive, but he¡¯s nothing but a liar and a cheat. You


    deserve someone better than that, Gwendolyn!¡±


    She snickered. ¡°So I¡¯m the unlucky woman, huh?¡±


    Joaquin waved quickly and said earnestly, ¡°No, definitely not. He¡¯s the unlucky one. He made a mistake


    in letting you go. That¡¯s for sure!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± He paused and chuckled twice. ¡°Gwendolyn, now that you¡¯re single, why not give me a


    chance? I¡¯m pretty charming, I know how to make peopleugh.¡±


    Gwendolyn almost coughed up her fruit juice upon hearing his proposal. As a result, she spilled the fruit


    juice she was drinking all over her white, pristine form¨Cfitting dress.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll deal with the stain in the restroom. I won¡¯t be long.¡±


    With that, she got up and hurried to the restroom.


    Maverick overheard their entire conversation loud and clear from the table next to theirs.


    We have only been divorced for a few days, but she has already moved on with someone else. Is she


    sure about her decision?


    Maverick¡¯s anger grew with each passing thought. He acknowledged that her choice of partner was not


    his concern, and he had no right to question her. However, he was irate and resentful.


    Noticing his expression, Natasha asked softly, ¡°Mave, are you all right?¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was just thinking about work.¡±


    Natasha sighed in relief and said coyly, ¡°We haven¡¯t had a proper meal together since I traveled


    abroad. Can you put work aside and give me your undivided attention today?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression was unreadable, His eyes were intense, leaving everyone wondering what


    thoughts were running through his head.


    Instead of responding to Natasha¡¯s query, he rose gracefully and adjusted his cor nonchntly. ¡°You


    should finish your meal. I need to go, but I promise to return shortly.¡±


    ¡°Mave!¡±


    In the restroom, Gwendolyn dealt with the stain on her dress and also reapplied her lipstick.


    She gazed at her reflection in the mirror and fell into deep thought.


    For three years after marrying into the Wright family, I have never put on makeup. Devoting myself to


    household tasks such as doingundry and cooking. These daily grinds exhausted me so much that I


    didn¡¯t have the time or energy to groom myself. Moving forward, my career is my focus. I will go back to


    Harris Group and reim my former confident self as a princess. Men will only slow me down. D


    She was still deep in thought when a tall figure stepped into the restroom.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t bother looking at the neer and focused on washing her hands.


    She was caught off guard by the sound of the door being locked.


    Curious, she looked up to see a handsome man she recognized standing right before her.


    Maverick marched up to her with an expressionless face, but he gave off an intimidating air.


    Gwendolyn gazed at him incredulously. She wondered if she was seeing things. ¡°Mr. Wright, you¡¯re an


    esteemed man in Faike. Did you seriously just enter thedies¡® restroom and lock the door behind


    you? Are you a pervert?¡±

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    Chapter 25 Calm


    Thankfully, Gwendolyn was the only person in the restroom, but there was no guarantee no one else


    wouldn¡¯te in.


    She wanted to walk around Maverick to open the door, but her wrists were immediately restrained by


    him.


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Upon putting on a fake smile, he continued, ¡°I told you I only wanted to chat


    with you. You may have sessfully slipped away from mest night, but I won¡¯t give you another


    chance to escape today.¡± CD


    What¡¯s there for us to talk about? The matter between us is ds clear as day. Flinging his hand away,


    she caressed her wrist and spat, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of anything. I just think it¡¯s unbelievable that the famous


    Mr. Wright would prevent someone from leaving the female restroom.¡±


    As he gazed at her, he lit a cigarette.


    In response to inhaling that pungent tobo smell, she frowned with disgust.


    The smoke made his expression appear darker as he interrogated, ¡°Who¡¯s the man sitting with you?¡±


    His question confused her for a moment before she rolled her eyes at him pridefully. ¡°It¡¯s none of your


    business.¡±


    Instead of being enraged by her reply, Maverick continued, ¡°He seems to be interested in pursuing you.


    What about you? Do you like him?¡±


    Hmm? I think I get what he¡¯s doing now. Upon lifting her head, she stared at him with an odd look. ¡°You


    came here to block my path because you¡¯re jealous?¡±


    Maverick was rendered speechless by her remark.


    Unable to hold back herughter, Gwendolyn cackled.


    Irritated by her mockery, he scowled. ¡°No matter what, you¡¯re still my ex¨Cwife. So, this kind of hanky-


    panky behavior will only tarnish my family¡¯s reputation. I¡¯m warning you! Stay away from those men!¡±


    ¡°Are you that bored, Mr. Wright? I¡¯ll repeat myself¨Cwho I spend time with has nothing to do with you!¡±


    His scowl intensified, but he couldn¡¯t muster anything to retort.


    Gwendolyn was delighted to see how infuriated he was and had the urge to tease him further. ¡°Does


    your fianc¨¦e know you¡¯re preventing your ex¨Cwife from leaving the female restroom? If she learns


    about this, I bet her expression will be priceless. I¡¯m curious to see her reaction!¡±


    As she spoke, she pulled out her phone, but Maverick immediately grabbed her wrist. Then, he used


    his other hand to pin her to the corner of the wall by her shoulder.


    She tried resisting him, but he speedily secured both of her hands on the wall above her head.


    His face was so close to hers that she could feel his breath on her cheeks. As he gazed at her at such


    a close distance with his ck eyes, she blushed.


    The d¨¦cor in the restroom also had dark colors.


    As the dim light enveloped the two, the atmosphere grew amorous.


    It was as though what happened in the parking lotst night was ying out the same way again, but


    the car was a wall instead.


    Gwendolyn was livid. ¡°You pestering b*stard! Are you crazy?¡± In the past, he loved to ignore me. But


    ever since our divorce, he¡¯s been badgering me! Did he hit his head or something?


    As Maverick stared at her quivering eyshes, he abruptly remembered the smile he had seen on her


    face before she leftst night. The recollection of that moment ticked him off.


    When his line of sightnded on her soft, red lips, he felt the urge to bite them.


    While he didn¡¯t know what it would taste like, he was certain it would piss her off.


    Gwendolyn noticed his line of sight and panicked because she knew something bad was going to


    happen.


    Peering at him with intense disdain, she gritted her teeth and barked arrogantly, ¡°One day, I¡¯ll make you


    grovel at my feet and pay the price for everything you did.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting, then.¡± Maverick smiled. Clearly, he didn¡¯t think she was capable of challenging him.


    ¡°However, right now, you must pay the price for enraging me!¡± As he spoke, he leaned even closer to


    her.


    While staring at his approaching lips, she gritted her teeth again, preparing to bite him as hard as she


    could. The bloodier her attack, the better.


    Suddenly, the sound of someone attempting to enter the restroom by turning the knob was heard.


    An idea struck Gwendolyn as she red at Maverick,


    Just as she was about to shout, he covered her mouth tight.


    Still failing to open the door after dozens of tries, the person outside opted to knock on it instead and


    ask, ¡°Is anyone inside? Can you open the door right now?¡±


    The woman¡¯s voice sounded gentle and familiar.


    Both Gwendolyn and Maverick recognized the owner of the voice¡ªNatasha.


    What a coincidence! When Gwendolyn noticed Maverick grimacing, she thought, I bet he¡¯s panicking


    hard right now. If his fianc¨¦e sees him interacting with his ex¨Cwife in the female restroom¡­ Boy, this is


    going to make for an exciting drama! I want to see how he¡¯s going to exin himself!


    As though she had forgotten she was embroiled in the situation, she grinned maliciously before


    struggling to escape his restraint. At the same time, she started making muffled noises with her mouth.


    In response, he pressed his hand on her mouth even more forcefully and growled at a small volume,


    ¡°Do you want to die? Shut up!¡±


    Outside the door, Natasha happened to be listening closely to the noises inside the restroom. I think I


    heard a man¡¯s voice. Why does he sound a bit like Mave? And if he is Mave, does this mean the


    woman¡¯s muffled voice is¡­ Gwendolyn? No! This is impossible!


    She raised her head and saw the sign hanging above her, confirming to herself that she was standing


    in front of the female restroom. There¡¯s no way Mave will enter the female restroom!


    Despite her disbelief, she still called Maverick¡¯s number just in case she was wrong.


    Two seconds passed before an urgent ringtone was heard from inside the restroom.


    Upon realizing what was going on, Natasha immediately conjured an image of Maverick and


    Gwendolyn acting intimately with each other in her mind.


    As she became more emotional, the scowl on her countenance grew more intense. She began


    pping the door harder. ¡°Are you inside, Gwendolyn? Open the door ande out now!¡±


    As they were in a public area, she called out Gwendolyn¡¯s name instead of Maverick¡¯s because she


    didn¡¯t want to ruin his reputation.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    The phone call still hadn¡¯t disconnected. Thus, the ringing continued.


    However, no one in the restroom made a peep.


    Natasha felt her sanity was about to be burned to ashes by her zing rage. The quieter it was inside,


    the more she was convinced something shameful was happening.


    ¡°Come out, Gwendolyn! Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Are you afraid others will find out that you¡¯re


    seducing my fianc¨¦? Do you think I won¡¯t know it¡¯s you just because you¡¯re hiding inside?¡± she shouted


    very loudly.


    Initially, Gwendolyn thought she was getting a good seat to an entertaining drama. She didn¡¯t expect


    Natasha would yell only her name. If this continues, everyone in the restaurant will know I¡¯m stuck in


    the female restroom with Maverick!


    As she thought about her situation, she glimpsed at Maverick¡¯s exceptionally calm expression. Why


    does he, the perpetrator, look soposed as though this has nothing to do with him while I¡¯m


    panicking?


    Then, a thought entered her mind as she red at him and smirked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should be the one


    panicking here. I want to see if you¡¯re still able to keep your calm when you have to exin this


    situation to your fianc¨¦eter!¡±


    Forcefully, she removed her hands from his restriction and opened the door. Strangely, Maverick didn¡¯t


    stop her.


    Natasha was still screaming with fury outside. ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to open the door, eh? Fine! I¡¯ll ask


    someone to tear the door down right now! I¡¯ll expose your shameless act of seducing iny fianc¨¦ to


    everyone!¡± D


    Just as she ended her sentence, she saw the knob turning.


    The door was finally opened, albeit slightly, revealing a gap. Through that gap, Gwendolyn beamed at


    her.


    ¡°It is you!¡± Natasha¡¯s eyes were red with resentment as she questioned with gritted teeth, ¡°Why didn¡¯t


    you open the door carlier? Who are you talking to inside? Is it Mave?¡±

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    Chapter 26 Take Care of Your Man


    The more Natasha spoke, the less confident she became. While she was still ring at Gwendolyn


    with fierce hatred, she didn¡¯t have the courage to open the door and confirm her guess.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe in and find out yourself?¡± Gwendolyn shrugged, unperturbed, and opened the


    door.


    Then she pointed at the spot Maverick was previously standing at. ¡°He¡¯s right there!¡±


    Natasha felt her heart clenching, but when she looked in the direction Gwendolyn was pointing it, she


    saw only an empty wall.


    ¡°Are you toying with me?¡± Furiously, she glowered at Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn was stunned, too. He was just standing there! Does he have superpowers or something?


    Upon observing Gwendolyn¡¯s expression, Natasha realized something was fishy. Hence, she


    exasperatedly pushed Gwendolyn aside and searched through every stall in the restroom.


    Gwendolyn stood behind her, wondering where Maverick was hiding.


    After the two women went through almost all of the stalls, their lines of sightnded on thest one, its


    door left ajar.


    Natasha took in a deep breath and pushed the door open.


    Like the other stalls, there was nothing inside.


    The realization of what had unfolded dawned on Gwendolyn when she noticed an opened window to


    the right of the stall. I didn¡¯t expect the person in charge of Wright Construction Group would one day


    be forced to escape through a window. I can barely hold back myughter.


    Natasha was dumbfounded and started suspecting Gwendolyn again when she saw the grin on the


    latter¡¯s face. ¡°If you¡¯re the only person in the restroom, how do you exin the ringtone from earlier?¡±


    In response, Gwendolyn waved her hand instead of answering the question as though she was saying,


    ¡°Figure the answer out yourself.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Lividly, Natasha threatened Gwendolyn with gritted teeth. ¡°You no longer have any ties with Mave,


    Gwendolyn! I¡¯m warning you, stay as far away from him as possible! If I find out you still want to seduce


    him, I won¡¯t let you off!¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled and replied, undeterred, ¡°I¡¯m not the type of person who¡¯ll get back with an ex.


    However, if you piss me off, I don¡¯t mind snatching everything you want away, including the man.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± For a moment, Natasha couldn¡¯te up with a retort because she was stunned by the cold


    look in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes.


    Before Gwendolyn left, she spared one more nce at Natasha and scorned, ¡°Onest thing. Keep


    that man of yours under control, and don¡¯t let him bother me again because both of you disgust me.¡±


    ¡°You b*tch!¡± While that irritated Natasha immensely, she had no idea what she could do. Why didn¡¯t


    those thugs fromst night seed? Godd mit!


    After she washed her hands, she stomped out of the restroom angrily.


    She only took two steps away from the restroom when she heard a familiar voice calling out from


    behind. ¡°Tasha.¡±


    When Natasha twirled back, she saw Maverick sauntering out of the male restroom calmly, which put


    her worries to rest. Maybe I was too anxious earlier. It¡¯s possible that the ringtone came from the male


    restroom. ¡°Did you hear what I said in the restroom corridor earlier, Mave?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± He nodded.


    She blushed instantly. I hope my shouting carlier didn¡¯t leave a bad impression on him! ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s


    my fault. I thought you were in the female restroom earlier, so I lost my cool. I promise I won¡¯t ever


    suspect you or yell again.¡±


    Silently, Maverick gazed at her with an unfathomable look.


    When he noticed the bruised look in her eyes, he suddenly recalled herte¨Cnight visit yesterday. He


    didn¡¯t see her, so she spent a huge chunk of the night standing in front of the mansion¡¯s entrance and


    talking about the past.


    While he felt somewhat threatened, he waspelled to keep his word and agreed to her request for


    them to get engaged.


    However, at some point, Natasha started to look more and more unfamiliar to him, so much so that he


    sometimes wondered if she was the bright¨Ceyed girl he had met years ago.


    ¡°You seem to have changed a lot after staying overseas for a few years,¡± Maverick uttered


    expressionlessly before stepping past Natasha and toward the restaurant.


    Upon hearing that, Natasha was stunned, as though she had been struck by lightning. Why did he look


    at me like that? Did he figure something out?


    Joaquin was about to search for Gwendolyn when she returned to her seat.


    In response, he released a sigh of relief and inquired, ¡°Why were you gone for so long, Gwendolyn?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± she answered with a question of her own after noticing his expression.


    ¡°Mr. Harris sent someone to ry a message to you. The messenger said that he found something


    regarding the matter you asked him to investigate yesterday and that you should visit him when you


    have the time.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll visit him now.¡±


    ¡°Hey, wait! At least finish your food first!¡± As he shouted begrudgingly, Gwendolyn had already left in a


    car.


    Meanwhile, Maverick sent Natasha back to the hotel once their meal ended.


    Staring at the cold, sterile room, Natasha somewhat unhappily pulled his hand and acted coyly. ¡°We¡¯re


    already engaged, Mave. Can¡¯t I return to the mansion with you and stay there instead?¡±


    Reflexively, Maverick frowned. I told her I couldn¡¯t bring her back to that mansion. Why is she bringing it


    up again?


    Even though he was not pleased he stillforted, ¡°Just wait a little longer, all right? I¡¯ll ask someone


    to arrange a suitable residence for you as quickly as possible.¡±


    Upon detecting his dissatisfaction, she felt even more aggrieved. Why does Gwendolyn have the right


    to live in that mansion as thedy of the house for three years while I can¡¯t even step foot into the


    building?


    As much as she wanted to ask him that question, she knew he disliked women whoined and


    had jealous fits.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if I can¡¯t go to the mansion, but can you stay and keep mepany in the hotel for a night? I


    don¡¯t like how deste the hotel feels.¡± Most men would find it impossible not to be moved by her


    delicate, submissive voice and sympathetic, aggrieved demeanor.


    However, Maverick didn¡¯t even spare a nce at her. It was rather hard to tell what he was thinking by


    looking at his surreptitious expression.


    ¡°I still have matters to take care of in thepany. You should rest early.¡± Then he forcefully pulled his


    hand away from hers and left.


    After the door closed, she slid onto the carpet and sat, her eyes wet with tears.


    Why did everything change after I returned to the country? He¡¯s not as doting and caring to me as he


    once was. Is it because he has found out the truth? Fear crept onto her countenance.


    Just as she thought about it dejectedly, the door was opened again, and a pair of men¡¯s ck leather


    shoes entered her vision.


    ¡°Mave! I knew you wouldn¡¯t-¡± Before Natasha could finish her sentence, she raised her head and saw


    that Noah had entered the room, not Maverick.


    Her excitement was swiftly reced with sorrow once more.


    It pained him slightly to see how lonely she appeared. However, he had no choice but to ignore her


    feelings for the moment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you, Ms. Mossey. However, there¡¯s something urgent I


    need to ask you about.¡±


    ¡°Ask away. I¡¯ll answer your question seriously.¡± Natasha squeezed out a smile, which wounded him


    emotionally even more.


    Softly, he inquired, ¡°Did you know Ms. Shalders was surrounded by a bunch of thugs when she left


    workst night?¡±


    She responded in bewilderment, ¡°What? Is Gwendolyn fine?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. Luckily, Boss was therest night and took care of the thugs. However, he wanted me to


    investigate the mastermind behind the assault.¡± As Noah exined, he studied her expression.


    In response, she seemed to release a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡±


    Then, she acted as though she suddenly understood what Noah really meant and gazed at him in


    disbelief. ¡°Did youe here to ask me that question because you think I was the one who sent those


    thugs to hurt Gwendolyn?¡±

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    Chapter 27 Collection


    While Noah remained silent, the look in his eyes was an obvious answer to her question. I absolutely


    wouldn¡¯t have suspected Natasha if not for these special circumstances. However, yesterday, after I


    told Natasha that Boss went to Angle¡¯s parking lot to meet up with Gwendolyn, Gwendolyn was


    attacked on her way there. That¡¯s too much of a coincidence for me to rule out Natasha¡¯s involvement


    in this matterpletely.


    With a heartbroken expression, Natasha spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve always seen you as my best friend, Noah, yet you


    suspect me? How could I have sent people to harm Gwendolyn when I didn¡¯t even know which route.


    she took?¡±


    Her answer melted his heart immediately. ¡°I believe you¡¯re kind and may not necessarily be the one


    behind this incident. However, did you tell anyone about their meeting?¡±


    That stunned her. Since he suspects me already, he¡¯ll look into my calls if I don¡¯t provide him with any


    valuable information. If that happens, the image I spent so much effort building to show him will


    crumble. It seems like I have no other option but to sacrifice someone.


    Then, she pretended to be deep in thought before revealing, ¡°I was very sad that day. When Sheralyn


    called me to ask how I was doing, I told her about it¡­¡±


    She paused before hastily waving her hands. ¡°No, no! There¡¯s no way Sheralyn would do something


    like that! I believe her.¡±


    Upon sighing in relief, Noah replied, ¡°You¡¯re a good woman, Ms. Mossey. However, not everyone is as


    pure and kind as you.¡±


    Heforted her a little longer before leaving the hotel speedily. As he did, he asked people on the


    phone to investigate the Wright residence as well as erase the connection between the incident and


    Natasha quietly.


    After he left, Natasha stomped angrily. No wonder none of them reported the situation to mest night!


    It turns out Mave saved that b*tch!


    I had no choice but to sacrifice Sheralyn, but once Mave learns of this, he¡¯ll undoubtedly be even warier


    of his family! It¡¯s unlikely that I¡¯ll be able to use Sheralyn as my pawn again in the near future. All my


    efforts to get someone absurdly useful like her to befriend me are now for naught! As she dug her nails


    into her palm, a vicious, wicked look swirled in her eyes. But I won¡¯t let that b*tch Gwendolyn off the


    hook! Never!


    After Gwendolyn returned to Treyton¡¯s mansion, she received detailed information from him.


    So, Frida¡¯s the one who hired those thugs, and Sheralyn instigated it. Her expression remained


    indifferent after she finished reading the evidence. I knew this had something to do with the Wright


    family, but¡­ ¡°Did what happenedst night truly have nothing to do with Natasha?¡±


    Treyton thought about it and answered, ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to investigate Natasha in detail.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Well, now that you know who¡¯s responsible, what are you going to do?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curved upward as a n hatched in her mind. ¡°Please lend me a few burly


    bodyguards, Treyton.¡±


    He was enamored by her foxy, sly demeanor and tapped her nose lovingly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to deny


    anything my dear princess wants. You¡¯re free to borrow as many bodyguards as you want.¡±


    With a sweet voice and grin, she thanked, ¡°I knew you dote on me the most, Treyton. Thank you.¡±


    During the evening, in the Wright residence, Frida was sitting on a recliner inside the garden and


    enjoying the facial spa a beautician was giving her.


    Out of nowhere, she heard a loud bang from the metal gate, which startled her so much that she sat


    straight up.


    Not only did the spa fail to remove her wrinkles, but the shock also added a few more to her face.


    Upon turning around, she saw a limited edition Rolls¨CRoyce smashing through the residence¡¯s gate


    and heading straight toward the garden without slowing down.


    The nearby housekeepers were almost scared to death by that sudden turn of events. Frida was


    equally dumbstruck.


    Then, the car mercilessly zoomed past a blooming field of roses in the garden before drifting stylishly


    and parking next to the gate.


    The roses that were still beautiful just a second ago were instantly and horribly crushed by the tires.


    Frida almost fainted from anger when she saw that. Those are my favorite flowers! I don¡¯t give a d*mn


    how powerful or influential the driver is. I¡¯m going to sue them until they go bankrupt!


    Furiously, she strode toward the Rolls¨CRoyce and saw the door opening.


    A pair of high¨Cheels first exited the vehicle before a woman, as beautiful and elegant as a female


    celebrity, stepped out.


    Frida was so astonished that she was rooted to the spot. While she couldn¡¯t recall who that woman


    was, she found her appearance familiar.


    It was until Sheralyn came downstairs after hearing themotion, and she roared at the woman.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, you b*tch! How dare you show your face here! I¡¯m going to tear you apart!¡±


    As Frida prevented her daughter from charging toward Gwendolyn, she gazed at the uninvited haughty


    guest with disbelief. She was so taken aback that she felt her jaw had almost dropped to the ground.


    It¡¯s only been a few days, so why did this little b*tch seem like she has transformed? I have never


    realized she looked this beautiful before.


    Amused, Gwendolyn stared at Frida and mocked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did you forget what I look like so


    quickly?¡±


    Frida¡¯s rage burned even brighter upon realizing Gwendolyn was the one who destroyed her roses.


    Folding her hands arrogantly, she growled, ¡°You better not think you can do whatever you want just


    because you have aplete makeover and a sugar daddy! I¡¯m going to make you pay ten


    thousandfold for your destruction of my garden!¡±


    Nonchntly, Gwendolyn inquired, ¡°And then what?¡±


    The older woman nced at her daughter and sneered, ¡°Since you delivered yourself to my doorstep, I


    want you to kneel and apologize for bullying Sheralyn! Then, I want you to repay everything you owe


    Sheralyn!¡±


    As she spoke, she shot a look at the nearby housekeepers.


    The housekeepers understood what she meant and promptly approached Gwendolyn with intent.


    stares.


    Gwendolyn leaned against the car door and yed with her fingernails. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.


    Later, I¡¯ll give you all a taste of payback because I¡¯m here today to collect my debt.¡±


    Debt? When did we owe her anything? Just as Frida was confounded by the younger woman¡¯s


    statement, Gwendolyn pped her hands. Ten burly bodyguards in ck clothing suddenly appeared


    and stood behind Gwendolyn in a well¨Ctrained manner.


    Their presence was so intimidating that they scared off the housekeepers who were approaching


    Gwendolyn.


    Panicked, Frida inquired, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°As I said, I¡¯m here to collect my debt.¡± The look in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes turned frigid as she ryed an


    order to the bodyguards. ¡°Aside from Old Mr. Wright¡¯s old room on the third floor, the study, and the


    ancestral hall on the first floor, I want you all to smash every single valuable object in the building,


    including tes.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Frida and Sheralyn eximed in unison.


    The older woman¡¯s face and eyes reddened with unbridled wrath as she threatened, ¡°Trespassing is


    against thew! If you smash even a single te, I¡¯ll call the cops right away and throw you into


    prison!¡±


    Narrowing her eyes, Gwendolyn casually removed a photocopy of evidence from her bag with a grin.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯m interested to see whether those police officers will cuff me or you two when they arrive.¡±

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Chapter 28 Torture


    When Frida and Sheralyn scanned through the contents of the paper, they instantly paled. In fact, they


    felt so guilty that they couldn¡¯t even muster a word.


    They didn¡¯t expect their attempt to harm Gwendolyn had be thetter¡¯s dirt on them.


    Gwendolyn shook her head scornfully upon seeing their reaction. And I thought they were going to put


    up more of a fight.


    With a grin, she urged, ¡°Go smash everything inside before we continue with the next step.¡±


    In a sh, the bodyguards went in toplete their tasks.


    Four bodyguards rounded up all the housekeepers inside the garden while the other six started


    destroying the various objects in the mansion.


    Soon, sounds of devastation rang inside the entire building.


    The housekeepers huddled together, unwilling to turn their attention toward the sharp, breaking noises.


    The noises made Frida apprehensive too.


    Sheralyn was cowering in her mother¡¯s embrace when she abruptly recalled something and widened


    her eyes. ¡°Wait! You can¡¯t destroy the limited LC cosmetics I shipped from Morantast month!¡±


    Hurriedly, she leaped away from Frida¡¯s embrace and sprinted upstairs to prevent the destruction of her


    precious cosmetics.


    From a distance, the screams and noises of objects breaking apart sounded like an unnerving


    symphony when mixed together.


    Frida dug her fingernails into her palm as she red at Gwendolyn with resentment, looking as though


    she wanted to chop the younger woman into thousands of pieces.


    For every shattering noise she heard, she felt a cut in her heart because it was the sound of money


    vanishing into thin air.


    However, after decades of living as a rich wife, she refused to bow before Gwendolyn.


    Upon stifling her agony, she glowered at Gwendolyn. ¡°You¡¯re a vicious b*tch! Just wait and see! One


    day, you¡¯ll receive your karmic retribution! I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡±


    Gwendolyn chuckled. ¡°If I¡¯m considered vicious, what do you call the things you did to me in those


    three years? Unbelievably despicable?¡±


    Disdainfully, Frida spat, ¡°You¡¯re just a woman with an unknown background who never deserves to be


    with my son! All I did was teach you the rules you must abide by after marrying into an affluent family!


    You were the one who couldn¡¯t handle the pain and wanted a divorce! What does that have anything to


    do with me? What did I do wrong?¡±


    In response, Gwendolynughed. I¡¯m done. No matter how much I exin myself, someone as


    narcissistic as her won¡¯t ever think she¡¯s in the wrong. It¡¯ll just be a waste of my time.


    Frida wanted to keep scolding her when she heard Sheralyn cursing at two bodyguards carrying her


    out of the building.


    Sheralyn was disobedient, and the bodyguards were very strong. Thus, it was inevitable that patches of


    purple and red appeared on her wrist and arms.


    Frida¡¯s heart ached as she attempted to snatch her daughter back from the bodyguards¡® grasp.


    However, another bodyguard restricted her.


    As she couldn¡¯t move, she could only turn to Gwendolyn, terrified. ¡°What are you doing to Sheralyn? I


    was the one who dispatched those thugs! It has nothing to do with Sheralyn! Kill me if you dare!¡±


    ¡°I much prefer torturing someone rather than killing him.¡± Gwendolyn pursed her lips, grinning. ¡°I told


    you I¡¯ll make you pay for everything you did twofold if you mess with me again, and yet¡­¡±


    As she paused, a bodyguard brought her a chair. Then, she sat in the middle of the entrance instead of


    entering the building.


    She kept her word that she would never step foot into the Wright residence, even if Frida begged her


    1. to.


    ¡°Since you were once my mother¨Cinw and elder, I¡¯ll let her pay your debt instead.¡± While speaking,


    Gwendolyn turned her sharp gaze toward Sheralyn.


    Sheralyn knew how ruthless Gwendolyn could be from her experience at the banquet. Thus, as a chill


    ran down her spine, she dropped her arrogance and cried out to Frida for help. ¡°Save me, Mom! She¡¯s


    going to kill me!¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    While Frida was restrained by a bodyguard, she could still speak, so she relentlessly cursed at and


    threatened Gwendolyn.


    The scene was made even noisier by Sheralyn¡¯s wailing.


    Gwendolyn frowned. ¡°Shut the both of them up.¡±


    The bodyguards proceeded to stuff the two women¡¯s mouths with cleaning cloths the housekeepers


    used.


    All that was left in the courtyard were their tiny, muffled voices.


    The end of their shouting signaled the beginning of Gwendolyn¡¯s torture.


    ¡°Do you remember when you used me of stealing jewelry and robbing the share of Wright


    Construction Group in my possession? Well, since everything in the courtyard has been smashed to


    pieces by my bodyguards, I¡¯ll let those matters go. However, don¡¯t you think I should get some payback


    for forcing me to kneel in the rain?¡± She shot a nce at the bodyguard behind Sheralyn.


    In response, the bodyguard kicked the back of Sheralyn¡¯s knees.


    She promptly copsed to the ground, which was covered with tiny pebbles. As a result of the


    immense pain, she fell forward.


    Her head didn¡¯t fall to the ground as the bodyguard restrained her. However, from a distance, it


    appeared as though she was lowering her head before Gwendolyn. Sheralyn¡¯s expression was twisted


    from the pain as she experienced an immeasurable humiliation.


    Watching her daughter¡¯s suffering broke Frida¡¯s heart so much that she teared up. Despite the cloth in


    her mouth, she was still cursing at Gwendolyn, though it sounded like muffled gibberish.


    ¡°It hurts you to watch your daughter suffer, doesn¡¯t it? Gwendolyn smirked coldly. ¡°While I was your


    daughter¨Cinw during those three years, I was once a daughter to a mother, too. Have you ever


    thought how much it would¡¯ve broken my mother¡¯s heart when you mistreated me?¡±


    Upon mentioning her mother, she reflexively clenched her fists to the point of hurting herself as nasty


    memories flooded her mind.


    Momentster, she suppressed those surging emotions and gazed at the sunset on the horizon.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a shame that there¡¯s no rain today. Because of that, I can¡¯t say my revenge isplete.¡± She


    fell into deep thought before her eyes suddenly glinted. ¡°I got an idea. Go and grab some water from


    the pond.¡±


    The bodyguards executed her request immediately.


    The housekeepers, still cowering in the corner of the garden, took in a deep breath when they heard


    the torture Gwendolyn was nning. However, none of them dared to protest against her.


    After all, many saw how terribly Gwendolyn was mistreated back then, while those who didn¡¯t witness it


    personally also heard of Frida¡¯s cruel acts against her.


    Not only that, they also knew Sheralyn bullied Gwendolyn often in the past.


    Hence, they thought it was fair for that pair of mother and daughter to be punished like that.


    Soon, the bodyguards returned with five buckets of water. There were fishes living in the pool, so when


    they poured the water into those buckets, they identally included a few shrimps and aquatic nts.


    Sheralyn¡¯s eyes widened in fear when she saw that. She was sobbing and shaking her head at


    Gwendolyn, begging for mercy. The arrogant demeanor she usually possessed was nowhere to be


    found.


    ¡°Pour it on her,¡± Gwendolynmanded coldly, which despaired the mother and daughter.


    Ssh!


    A bucket of pool water mercilessly spilled onto Sheralyn¡¯s head.


    Her countenance turned pale as she shivered from the cold. Aquatic nts could be seen on her


    cheeks as the shrimps iled on her head.


    When she raised her head in that wretched state, she saw her mother weeping helplessly and


    Gwendolyn peering at her with ridicule.


    The housekeepers she often reprimanded were also glimpsing at her in secret.


    Sheralyn¡¯s pride and dignity were shattered as her heart was filled with embarrassment and


    humiliation.


    In the end, she broke down crying.


    Before the bodyguard could pour the second bucket of pool water on her, she fainted.


    Upon seeing that, Gwendolyn asked the bodyguards to release her and Frida.


    Frida was so worried about her daughter that she immediately rushed toward Sheralyn to check the


    latter¡¯s condition and even forgot to curse at Gwendolyn.


    ¡°This is just a lesson. If there¡¯s a next time, I won¡¯t stop here,¡± Gwendolyn warned.


    Then she summoned the bodyguards, preparing to head back home, as she had been mostly satisfied


    with her revenge.


    Just as she turned around, she saw a pair of dark, gloomy eyes trained on her.


    Maverick was gazing intently at her with pursed lips.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Chapter 29 Like A Man


    Upon noticing his expression, Gwendolyn guessed Maverick had also figured out who hired the thugs.


    Did he rush over here to confront them?


    Silently, he stared at her.


    Surprisingly. Noah was the first to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t you think your methods are too cruel, Ms. Shalders?¡±


    Yes, she¡¯s divorced now, and they did mistreat her, but does she have to torture her ex¨Cmother- and


    sister¨Cinw like this? As he thought about that, Natasha¡¯s kind image was lifted to an even higher


    position in his mind. 1


    Instead of retorting, she merely nced at him before shifting her sight toward Maverick. ¡°Do you think


    the same, too?¡±


    Maverick knitted his eyebrows and was about to speak when Frida pounced toward him upon hearing


    themotion at the entrance.


    Then, she grumbled about Gwendolyn indignantly. ¡°Look at what that vicious b*tch did to your sister,


    Maverick! She also smashed everything in the house! You must send her to prison! I want her locked


    there and regret her actions for the rest of her life!¡±


    Maverick frowned even more intensely.


    Everyone was waiting for him to make a decision, including Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn appearedposed because she had a backup n to deal with him if he decided to


    protect Frida and Sheralyn.


    Meanwhile, Frida was getting smug again. Now that Maverick¡¯s back, he¡¯ll definitely help me out! I want


    to see that b*tch die a horrible death!


    As everyone gazed at Maverick with their own thoughts, he strode closer to Gwendolyn.


    The bodyguards were about to block his path when she gestured for them to step down.


    She wanted to see what he was going to do.


    With half a meter of distance left between them, he stopped, sighed, and lowered his head at her


    slightly. ¡°They were the ones who attempted to harm you first, so you deserve to take revenge against


    them. They didn¡¯t know any better. I apologize on their behalf.¡±


    His response stunned everyone.


    Even Gwendolyn was rendered speechless. I thought he would get angry or try to protect them. I


    certainly didn¡¯t expect him to approve my revenge and apologize to me on their behalf. This is the first


    time I¡¯ve seen him acting like a rational, responsible man.


    Frida had enough of the situation as she grabbed onto Maverick and mored, ¡°You are my son! How


    can you help that b*tch instead of me? Are you really willing to watch her kill your sister and me? How


    can you be so cruel? I don¡¯t care! You must ount for this mess! Otherwise, I¡¯ll disown you!¡±


    However, Maverick remained unmoved as he allowed his mother to roar at him and tug his blue,


    premium suit.


    It wasn¡¯t until Frida was so enraged by his inaction and tried to assault Gwendolyn that he red at the


    housekeepers, who were all hiding in the corner and watching the drama unfold.


    He requested. ¡°Mrs. Wright has be delirious. Take her back to her room and call the family doctor


    to take a look at them.¡±


    Upon receiving his order, Noah swiftly organized the housekeepers andmanded them to drag


    Frida who was still yelling back into the mansion.


    The housekeepers also carried Sheralyn back to her room.


    The rest of the housekeepers began cleaning up the ce.


    The only people left outside the mansion were Maverick, Gwendolyn, and her ten bodyguards.


    When Gwendolyn noticed he was staring at her for unknown reasons, she turned her countenance


    away in difort.


    ¡°I only punished them lightly because you helped me out that day. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve handed the


    evidence to the police and sent both of them to jail.¡± As she spoke, she pulled out the evidence and


    glimpsed at it. ¡°However, I¡¯ll keep the evidence. If they piss me off again, I¡¯ll use it to put them down.¡±


    Maverick couldn¡¯t help but curve the edges of his mouth upward slightly as he stared at her sly smile.


    She¡¯s like a cunning little fox, devious and ruthless.


    It confounded her to see him grinning.


    Momentster, she put on a cold expression and warned, ¡°You better keep a close eye on them and


    make sure they don¡¯t do anything irritating again. Otherwise, I¡¯ll drag you down with them next time.¡±


    Then she left with her bodyguards.


    Maverick ambled past the ground, nketed with broken porcin pieces, to check up on Sheralyn¡¯s


    condition.


    The family doctor had arrived and was examining her.


    Frida¡¯s mood had stabilized significantly, though she was still sobbing quietly beside her daughter¡¯s


    bed.


    When she saw her son stepping into the room, she pulled the edge of his shirt and pointed at


    Sheralyn¡¯s kneecap in anguish.


    Sheralyn¡¯s knee which used to be fair had turned purple with ck, bruising spots. As for the swelling,


    it had reached the height of a finger.


    ¡°Look at how injured your sister is! Don¡¯t you feel heartbroken at all to see this? I never stopped


    treating her as my beloved, precious baby from childhood to adulthood. How will she endure this


    humiliation brought on by that b*tch¡¯s torture? If you don¡¯t avenge her, she¡¯ll die from a mental


    breakdown! Are you truly willing to watch your sister die?¡± the older woman rambled aggrievedly as


    tears streamed down her cheeks. As his mother, I know thest thing he wants to see is me feeling


    aggrieved. Gwendolyn has gone way overboard this time! I must punish that b*tch! I refuse to let this


    slide!


    Still keeping his silence, Maverick pursed his lips and gazed at his sister¡¯s damaged knee as though he


    was thinking about something through her.


    Before he arrived, he asked the housekeepers about the jewelry theft and learned that Frida


    intentionally framed Gwendolyn for the crime.


    He was unaware of the details when he first learned the story because he was busy working overtime


    at the office.


    Discovering the truth afflicted him emotionally. Is that why she had been so unhappy in the Wright


    family that she ultimately chose to divorce me?


    The scene of Gwendolyn¡¯s petite and stubborn figure kneeling in the rain suddenly emerged in his


    mind. If Sheralyn¡¯s knee became as swollen as this after only kneeling for a short while, I wonder what


    Gwendolyn¡¯s knees looked like that day. Yet, she never onceined about the mistreatment she


    had received since she married me.


    ¡°Did you hear what I said, Maverick?¡± Frida shook his arm, pulling him out of his thoughts.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that your father entrusted your sister and me to you back then! Now that your grandfather


    is gone, and you¡¯ve be the head of the Wright family, you can¡¯t just leave the both of us to our


    fates!¡± Since acting pitifully didn¡¯t work for her son, she decided to remind him of his responsibility and


    promise. I refuse to believe he¡¯ll still try to protect that b*tch after this!


    Maverick turned to her and questioned, ¡°How about you tell me a few instances of when and how both


    of


    you bullied Gwendolyn?¡±


    That response stunned Frida because she didn¡¯t expect he would care about that.


    ¡°Those are in the past! Besides, you¡¯ve divorced her already. Why does it matter to you? Additionally,


    as her mother¨Cinw, there¡¯s nothing wrong with me lecturing her! I can¡¯t believe that b*tch had the


    gall toin about it to you! She¡¯s truly an ipetent and useless w*nch who doesn¡¯t deserve to


    be part of this family!¡±


    Just as she finished speaking, she noticed the scowl on his face and changed the topic guiltily. ¡°My


    good son, look at how badly bruised my arm and your delicate sister are! Does it not pain you to see us


    getting bullied?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± The edges of Maverick¡¯s lips curved upward, though the look in his eyes remained cold. ¡°I know


    what I should do now.¡±


    Joyously, Frida held onto his arm tight. ¡°Really?¡±

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    Chapter 30 A Poor Choice


    Maverick summoned the butler and said, ¡°Starting today, Mrs. Wright and Ms. Wright are not allowed to


    leave this house without my permission. If anyone dares to disobey my instructions, he or she will be


    punished with the strictest penalties enforced in the Wright residence.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Aren¡¯t we supposed to teach Gwendolyn that w¡°nch a lesson?


    Frida was infuriated. She pointed angrily at Maverick and went off on a tangent about how ungrateful


    and heartless he was to his flesh and blood.


    Maverick did not say anything and left the room in a dour mood.


    Then, he called for Noah and instructed, ¡°Have someone rece the broken items in the household


    immediately. Put someone else in charge of monitoring every call that goes through to the Wright


    residence and report the details to me ASAP.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Noah shot his employer a hesitant nce and asked, ¡°But Boss, isn¡¯t that too harsh on Mrs.


    Wright and Ms. Wright? After all, Ms. Shalders was too insensitive in handling the situation.¡±


    His heart softened as he remembered how pitiful Frida and Sheralyn looked when he first walked in.


    Why is Boss so protective of Gwendolyn? He¡¯s even allowing her to turn the Wright residence upside


    down.


    To his surprise, Noah¡¯s question did not enrage Maverick, who merely asked, ¡°If someone tried to ruin


    your life several times and made your life a living hell, would you forgive that person?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± answered Noah resolutely. ¡°I¡¯d find a way to give him a taste of his own medicine.¡±


    Realization suddenly dawned upon him, and he froze in shock.


    Having sent across his point, Maverick turned and left without a backward nce.


    After emerging victorious amid the fiasco at the Wright residence, Gwendolyn returned home in high


    spirits.


    To her delight, Asher and Kieran¡¯s presents had arrived as well.


    She impatiently tore open Asher¡¯s present, only to find a small, custom¨Cmade model airne from the


    National Aviation Agency.


    D*mn it! Has Asher conveniently forgotten that I¡¯m no longer a fifteen¨Cyear¨Cold kid? I can¡¯t believe I


    was so excited about his present.


    Treyton guffawed, thoroughly amused by Gwendolyn¡¯s fuming expression. He cleared his throat loudly


    and teased, ¡°Kiddo, Asher personally made this limited¨Cedition model airne for you. You can¡¯t buy


    this anywhere at all! Aren¡¯t you touched by his efforts?¡±


    Gwendolyn rolled her eyes at him in response.


    Thankfully, Kieran¡¯s present was decent and soothed her anger over Asher¡¯s childish gift.


    It was an intricately designed emerald ring. The ring had an in¨Cbuilt secretpartment from which a


    silver needle would spring, making it both an essory and a weapon.


    She wore the ring carefully and relegated the model airne to a corner of her room.


    Then, she promptly showered and went to bed.


    The next day, Gwendolyn arrived punctually at her office.


    When she opened the door to her office, she saw a thin, unfamiliar figure standing in front of her desk.


    The stranger turned around when she heard someone opening the door and met Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze.


    The uninvited visitor was a woman with a dainty face and almond¨Cshaped eyes. Her originally


    contemptuous gaze slowly changed to one of jealousy the longer she stared at Gwendolyn.


    She seems to be quite hostile toward me.


    Before Gwendolyn could say a word, the woman dered, ¡°Jade at the reception was just telling me


    about you. I didn¡¯t believe her at first, but now that I¡¯ve gotten a good look, you really do look like a


    minx.¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Thatment merely added to Gwendolyn¡¯s confusion.


    Gwendolyn swiftly walked over to her chair and invited the woman to leave. ¡°Miss, I need to work.


    Please leave my office.¡±


    The woman ignored her words and warned her coldly, ¡°I have no issues with you earning a pretty


    penny at Angle, but you better stay away from Treyton Harris. If I find out you were seducing or fooling


    around with him, I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead!¡±


    ¡°Treyton?¡± The threat piqued Gwendolyn¡¯s interest, and she asked, ¡°Do you like him?¡±


    The woman crossed her arms arrogantly and harrumphed. ¡°I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e.¡±


    Fianc¨¦e? She must be the woman who was engaged to Treyton two years ago. Eloise Ferguson!


    That¡¯s her name. She¡¯s the second daughter of the prolific Ferguson family from Salinsburgh. Why


    hasn¡¯t Treyton mentioned her before? I guess she¡¯s really not his type. Well, that¡¯s fine with me. I


    wouldn¡¯t appreciate such a haughty sister¨Cin-


    Gwendolyn shot Eloise a shallow smile and retorted, ¡°Oh, just a fianc¨¦e? He can simply rece you


    before you¡¯ve signed anything at City Hall, yet here you are exerting your unfounded ims, Ms.


    Ferguson? I¡¯m sorry, my office is too small to amodate your delusions of marriage. Please see


    yourself out.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Eloise sputtered with fury.


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn poured her attention into her work and ignored Eloisepletely. Nothing the


    woman said could draw her attention again.


    s, Eloise stomped out of the office miserably after failing spectacrly to warn off Gwendolyn.


    As she left Gwendolyn¡¯s office, Eloise shot Suzanna a knowing look.


    Suzanna wisely followed Eloise to a deserted corridor without any surveince cameras.


    Eloise cut to the chase. ¡°How¡¯s the new talent director at yourpany? Does she know her own


    ce?¡±


    Suzanna checked her surroundings to make sure they were alone before leaning closer to Eloise to


    whisper in her ear. She exaggerated, ¡°Did you know that Mr. Harris personally brought her into the


    company? He even emphasized that we should all take extra care of her. I bet she was already fooling


    around with Mr. Harris before she started working here. She¡¯s too proud to mix with the rest of us, and


    she even bullies the most promising artists at ourpany. The audacity!¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, did that really happen?¡± Eloise thundered, ¡°In that case, she can¡¯t be allowed to stay in


    thispany.¡±


    She waved Suzanna closer to her and murmured a few words to thetter.


    Suzanna appeared disconcerted after hearing Eloise¡¯s words. She stammered, ¡°C¨CCan we r¨Creally do


    that? Isn¡¯t that too much?¡±


    Eloise patted her shoulder gently and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll put in some good words about you with


    Trey once everything is done so you can rece her as the new talent director.¡±


    Ethics and the desire for a promotion warred in Suzanna¡¯s heart, though Suzanna¡¯s hesitation only


    lasted a few seconds.


    She promptly decided to prioritize her career and wealth.


    Later that afternoon, as Suzanna was busy assigning uing events to thepany¡¯s artists,


    Suzanna visited her office with a bright smile and an unusually courteous demeanor.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, have you heard about Grandeur Group¡¯s hefty investment in an uing male


    protagonist drama?¡±


    Without lifting her head from the forms she was scrutinizing, Gwendolyn asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    Suzanna tittered and ced some documents about the drama on Gwendolyn¡¯s desk, exining, ¡°I¡¯ve


    locked in an opportunity to discuss casting opportunities with Grandeur Group¡¯s representative for our


    company¡¯s artists. However, they only want to discuss the casting with you, Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Only then did Gwendolyn raise her head to shoot Suzanna a cool nce.


    Her piercing, seemingly all¨Cknowing gaze stunned Suzanna, who faltered and almost lost her resolve.


    Gwendolyn smirked and replied, ¡°This is a great chance to rake in some extramission from the


    company. Whoever snagged the deal should go.¡±


    Suzanna¨Csmiled awkwardly andmented, ¡°I¡¯d love to go, but Grandeur Group thinks my rank is too


    low to discuss the casting with them. They will only speak to someone who¡¯s in a directorial position or


    higher. To be honest, earning extramission isn¡¯t a big deal. I¡¯m happy to help our artists gain better


    opportunities and contribute to thepany¡¯s reputation. It¡¯s still a sess no matter who wins the


    business for ourpany.¡±


    amazement, ¡°Ms. Kleppen, this is the first time you¡¯re being so civil to me.¡±


    Herment surprised Suzanna, whose smile widened.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve finally seen your talents, Ms. Shalders, and I will never disrespect you again. That said, I do


    think a meeting with Grandeur Group¡¯s representative is an excellent opportunity for ourpany.


    Won¡¯t you reconsider attending it?¡±


    Gwendolyn bit back her smile and replied, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    How else would I know what tricks you¡¯re hiding up your sleeve?


    Once they clocked off work that evening, Suzanna enthusiastically brought Gwendolyn to the dinner


    meeting with Grandeur Group.


    The two women entered a luxurious private dining room, where three middle¨Caged men with beer


    bellies stood politely to greet them. The men¡¯s eyes lit up gleefully as their gazesnded on


    Gwendolyn.


    Suzanna smiled at them and made the introductions. This is our beautiful talent director at Angle, Ms.


    Shalders. Ms. Shalders, these three men are the directors at Grandeur Group¨CMr. Tom Ward, Mr.


    Harry Ulmer, and Mr. Peter Zinn, respectively.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all directors?¡± Gwendolyn blinked innocently and added, ¡°Why isn¡¯t the project representative


    meeting us in this discussion?¡±

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    Chapter 31 Heavyweight Drinker


    Suzanna¡¯s smile froze at Gwendolyn¡¯s question, but she quicklyposed herself and smiled even


    more brightly.


    She pulled Gwendolyn aside and whispered, ¡°These directors are influential figures in Grandeur Group.


    One word from any of them would make or break our artists¡® casting opportunities in the drama. So try


    not to upset them, Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded expressionlessly in response.


    They returned to the table after their whispering.


    Tom, Harry, and Peter had not stopped staring at Gwendolyn since she entered the private room.


    Gwendolyn wanted to throw up under their lustful stares.


    Tom was the first to speak up. ¡°Ms. Shalders, you¡¯re really as pretty as the rumors say. You¡¯ve got a


    great figure too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too generous. The three of you are truly exceptional and sessful,¡± replied Gwendolyn


    obligingly.


    Suzanna quickly invited everyone to take their seats before toasting Gwendolyn, ¡°This is your first


    business meeting since joining thepany, Ms. Shalders. Please allow me to toast to a sessful


    deal.¡±


    As she spoke, she pushed a ss of red wine into Gwendolyn¡¯s hand.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Gwendolyn swirled the liquor around the ss and sniffed the bouquet elegantly. ¡°Hmm, a 1982


    Chateau Lafite Rothschild. What an excellent wine.¡±


    She smiled and clinked sses with Suzanna before polishing off the wine in a single gulp.


    Harry jumped in to tter Gwendolyn, praising, ¡°Ms. Shalders, I didn¡¯t take you for a wine aficionado.


    You can hold your drinks well too. How utterly charming. I hope you¡¯ll ept my toast as well.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we discussing the casting for Grandeur Group¡¯s drama project? Why haven¡¯t any of you brought


    the subject up?¡± asked Gwendolyn.


    Calmly, one of the directors replied, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll get to it, but we should have a few sses and


    rx before getting down to serious business. I¡¯m sure you understand how this works, don¡¯t you, Ms.


    Shalders?¡±


    They smiled at Gwendolyn and raised their sses at her.


    Gwendolyn did not put off their requests and downed ss after ss of wine.


    Meanwhile, Noah knocked on the door to the CEO¡¯s office at Wright Construction Group.


    He entered the room and politely handed a dossier on Gwendolyn¡¯s background to Maverick.


    ¡°Boss, our men have investigated her three times. This is the final, organized information we have on


    her background for your review,¡±


    Maverick received the documents from his assistant and read them several times, his brows slightly


    furrowed.


    At first nce, Gwendolyn¡¯s background seemed perfectly ordinary until it came to her life before she


    was fifteen years old.


    There was only a line about hering from an orphanage. No other details were avable, not even


    regarding when she was first brought to the orphanage.


    Is there actually someone in this world that my genius hackers can¡¯t investigate?


    Noah seemed to sense his employer¡¯s doubts and asked, ¡°Do you want them to dig deeper?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Maverick closed the dossier and ced it on a stack of documents in his office, adding, ¡°She¡¯s


    deliberately hiding her true background from us. We¡¯ll just be wasting our efforts investigating her. The


    only thing that¡¯s certain is that her background isn¡¯t as simple as it seems.¡±


    He strolled to the long windows in his office and lit a cigarette, his gaze dark and thoughtful.


    Noah checked Maverick¡¯s schedule on an iPad and asked, ¡°Boss, you have a dinner meeting tonight,


    which was booked a week ago. Are you going?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Suzanna and the three directors from Grandeur Group took turns toasting Gwendolyn at their business


    meeting.


    Gwendolyn had not refused a drink during their three rounds of toasts.


    The party promptly polished off six bottles of red wine.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s cheeks were mildly flushed despite the amount of liquor she had drunk, which added to


    her allure. Her gaze, however, remained lucid.


    Suzanna was frustrated, even as she struggled to keep a clear head.


    I didn¡¯t expect her to be a heavyweight at drinking. Even the directors are getting tipsy. How is she


    perfectly fine?


    Everyone was about to copse at the table.


    To her surprise, Gwendolyn refilled her ss with red wine and downed it when the others stopped


    pouring liquor for her.


    Then, she shot her dinnerpanions a smile so beatific it bordered on a taunt.


    They had no choice but to bow to her prowess.


    It was truly a sight which they had to see to believe.


    Gwendolyn turned the tables on them and asked, ¡°Why did everyone stop drinking? If that¡¯s too much


    liquor to handle, perhaps it¡¯s time we got down to business?¡±


    She even raised her ss to toast them.


    The three directors hastily turned to Suzanna, signaling her to fix the situation.


    If they had to drink one more ss of wine, they would surely copse and spend their night in the


    private dining room.


    Suzanna gritted her teeth in annoyance. Plying Gwendolyn with alcohol was no longer an option.


    Thankfully, before she came, Eloise had given her a packet of odorless, colorless powder to guarantee


    the sess of their n.


    Suzanna exchanged nces with Peter, who caught her hint and smiled at Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, have you seen the production n for our uing male protagonist drama?¡±


    While he spoke, he took out some documents and handed them to Gwendolyn, exining. ¡°This is the


    latest version. Why don¡¯t you take a look and let us know your top picks for the production?¡±


    Gwendolyn stood up to receive the documents from him.


    Suddenly, the sound of ss shattering filled the room.


    Suzanna had knocked Gwendolyn¡¯s wine ss off the table.


    She apologized profusely, ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t mean it, Ms. Shalders. I must be kind of


    tipsy. Let me get you a fresh ss of wine,¡±


    Gwendolyn eyed her colleague suspiciously but did not stop her from leaving.


    Suzanna returned shortly with a new wine ss, which she filled with red wine before handing it to


    Gwendolyn.


    She exchanged knowing looks with Peter and quickly raised their sses to toast Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn did not ept their toast and said, ¡°There¡¯s no rush for that. Let¡¯s treat this as thest drink


    to close the night.¡±


    Peter did not understand what she was getting at but agreed anyway. ¡°Of course, of course. Whatever


    thedy wants, she gets.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve read through the character list, but I think there are some potential issues here,¡± Gwendolyn


    pointed out while discreetly shifting her wine ss.


    She stood and carried the documents with her, leaning closer to hand them to Peter.


    The three men were positively hypnotized by her svelte figure.


    For easier viewing, Gwendolyn bnced the documents atop two neighboring wine sses before


    giving her detailedments.


    None of the directors paid attention to what she had to say. They absent¨Cmindedly agreed to all her


    suggestions, eager to get the discussion done and over with.


    Peter jumped on the opportunity to toast Gwendolyn again. ¡°Ms. Shalders, now that we¡¯re done talking


    business, let¡¯s all have a drink to celebrate our future coboration.¡±


    Gwendolyn no longer rejected the toast and lightly clinked her wine ss with the others. Still, she was


    in no hurry to touch her drink.


    The other four people in the room downed their sses quickly and shot Gwendolyn expectant or


    excited looks.


    The aroma of the red wine was intoxicating.


    Gwendolyn brought the ss to her lips. After a moment of hesitation, she finished her drink in one


    gulp.


    A few secondster, her vision blurred. Her mind turned fuzzy, and she finally copsed heavily across


    the table.


    Suzanna and the others smiled in triumph, their gazes affixed to Gwendolyn¡¯s empty wine ss.


    In the middle of his dinner meeting, Maverick left the private dining room to visit the restroom.


    He used an emergency exit to return to the private dining room, and on his way back, he spied a


    familiar¨Clooking woman speaking with a pot¨Cbellied man.


    Maverick took a second look and recognized the woman; she had been showing off her BMW to


    Gwendolyn in the parking lot some time ago.


    Not particrly interested in eavesdropping, Maverick turned to leave. Just then, he overheard some


    rming words in the woman¡¯s conversation.


    ¡°Mr. Zinn, please remind your fellow directors to record Gwendolyn¡¯s face clearly in the video. And


    make sure to prioritize me in your future business dealings.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We won¡¯t forget to reward you.¡±


    Peter rubbed his hands greedily, impatient to return to the private dining room where the unconscious


    Gwendolyny.


    He had barely turned around when someone grabbed his cor fiercely from behind.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    Chapter 32 Gwendolyn Was No Pushover


    Peter¡¯s eyes widened in horror after he realized who the person was.


    ¡°M¨CMr. Wright¡­ What are you doing here?¡±


    With veins popping on his forehead, Maverick looked as if he was about to explode with anger when he


    grabbed Peter by the cor. ¡°Which room is she in? What are you nning to do to her?¡±


    Peter was so frightened by Maverick¡¯s questioning that he spinelessly spilled everything he knew with


    his trembling lips.


    With her face as pale as a sheet, Suzanna tried to slip away but was stopped by Noah, who arrived at


    the scene just in time.


    ¡°Tie them up and lock them in a room. I¡¯ll deal with themter.¡± Maverick handed the terrified two to


    Noah before entering the room, which Peter pointed at, with fury and a sense of dread. Because of that


    b*stard¡¯s order, she was forced to drink drugged wine more than fifteen minutes ago. Could she already


    be¡­


    Maverick¡¯s crimson¨Cred eyes were filled with murderous intent as he violently pushed the door open,


    and the first thing he saw was a trail of fresh blood that led to the restroom, from where he could hear


    the groaning of two men.


    Furious, Maverick was about to rush into the restroom when he inadvertently caught a glimpse of a


    laid¨Cback figure not far away.


    He did not take long to notice Gwendolyn, who looked exquisite with her light makeup, leaning back


    gracefully on a chair while tapping casually on the broken stool leg beside her hand.


    When Maverick saw blood dripping from the sharp end of the screws on the stool leg, he assumed that


    the piece of furniture had been through a fierce fight.


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re fine?¡± inquired Maverick after scrutinizing Gwendolyn for a while.


    In response, Gwendolyn tilted her head and smiled mischievously. ¡°What? Do you want something bad


    to happen to me?¡±


    Of course not! Maverick wanted to refute Gwendolyn, but she did not allow him to do so.


    ¡°You sure are well¨Cinformed, Mr. Wright. Did youe all the way here to catch thetest piece of


    gossip from the entertainment industry?¡± questioned Gwendolyn.


    ¡°What?¡± Maverick was baffled by the woman¡¯s words.


    Suddenly, the restroom door opened before two strange things crawled out.


    Only after looking closely did Maverick realize that the two men were severely bruised and seemingly


    drugged.


    One of them had a face so red and swollen that it was horrifying. Not only that, but he also had blood


    oozing out of the gaps between his fingers as he held on to his legs with a grimace.


    Meanwhile, the other bloodied man also grimaced in pain while holding his back. It was a bloody


    mess!


    Maverick was slightly startled when he saw the two, but at the same time, he was relieved.


    Having noticed how capable Gwendolyn was in a fightst time, Maverick knew she was no pushover.


    Tom and Harry suddenly burst into tears after they miserably crawled over to kneel two meters away


    from Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Madam, it was all Mr. Zinn¡¯s and Suzanna¡¯s idea! I only did what I did because I had no choice!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right! We know better now, so please let us go, and we¡¯ll never make the same mistake again.¡±


    Sneering, Gwendolyn took her phone out and referred to the information she had someone dug up


    about the two men. ¡°Director of Grandeur Group, Tom Ward, you¡¯re both greedy and lustful. You have a


    thing for tormenting women, whether they¡¯re artists or other females in the industry. Many have fallen


    prey to you, including five dead. Harry Ulmer, also a director of Grandeur Group, you¡¯re even worse.


    Not only have you taken advantage of all the young female artists but you didn¡¯t even spare the male


    artists. Besides, you¡¯ve also got the blood of ten people on your hands. Do you really think you deserve


    my mercy?¡±


    After hearing that, the men cried even more miserably while their legs shook like leaves in a storm.


    ¡°Please spare us, madam. We know what we did was wrong now and promise not to do it again. May


    lightning strike us if we don¡¯t keep our word!¡±


    Gwendolyn then gracefully poured herself a ss of red wine and slightly swirled the drink. ¡°Good.


    Since you¡¯ve learned your lesson, I want you to post the video you recorded in the restroom on Twitter.


    Then, announce your crimes and apologize sincerely to all the victims. You must ensure the public


    knows just how disgusting and despicable you are!¡±


    The two were immediately drained of color when they heard Gwendolyn.


    ¡°N¨CNo, I can¡¯t do that! Not only will I be removed from the board of directors and despised by everyone


    in the country, but I¡¯ll also be arrested. I¡¯ll still be doomed!¡± eximed Harry, shaking his head.


    Tom then quickly chimed in, ¡°Please have mercy, madam! We can promise you anything besides this.¡±


    If their crimes were convicted, the two would be sent to prison, where they would be beaten up and


    humiliated by other prisoners before being executed. The thought of the consequence alone was


    enough to make them quake in their boots.


    Maverick simply smirked as he stood aside and observed quietly. She sure is decisive and ruthless


    when toying with these men. Not only that, but she¡¯s crafty with her words too. I suppose we¡¯re quite


    simr in that regard.


    Sweeping his gaze across the two men, Maverick ordered without waiting for Gwendolyn to respond,


    ¡°Do what Ms. Shalders said.¡±


    The two, looking humbly at Maverick, did not even get a chance to beg before he added, ¡°Or de you


    wish toe with me and see what form of torture I have in store for you?¡±


    Unlike Gwendolyn, who was filled with puzzlement, the two men immediately trembled after hearing


    the threat.


    Since they had heard of how Maverick tortured others, they knew death was a better option.


    The men became even more terrified when they imagined getting drained of blood by being hung


    upside down and getting thirty thousand cuts.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it! We¡¯ll post it right away!¡±


    With their hands shaking, the two posted on Twitter under Gwendolyn¡¯s cold gaze.


    When she decided she was done with the men, Gwendolyn cracked the knuckles she fought with and


    got up before walking out without sparing Maverick a nce.


    Maverick quickly followed Gwendolyn after calling Noah, leaving Tom and Harry to cry pathetically


    while cuddling each other in the room.


    Less than five minutester, almost everyone online was discussing Tom¡¯s and Harry¡¯s posts on


    Twitter.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Noah then called the police, and the two men were apprehended so quickly that they did not even get a


    chance to read the brutal scoldings theizens hurled at them.


    Tom and Harry cried like babies after they were arrested and taken out the back door of the


    establishment.


    Maverick took a while before finally catching up to Gwendolyn at the entrance of the hotel because of


    how fast she walked.


    The sky was already dark by then, but the lights outside the restaurant were as bright as day.


    Maverick then saw Gwendolyn lower her head to look contentedly at Treyton, who was squatting


    beside her and gently massaging her sore and swollen calves.


    ¡°Hurt yourself, didn¡¯t you? Let me know if you need to teach someone a lesson next time. You don¡¯t


    have to do it yourself,¡± stated Treyton caringly while rubbing Gwendolyn¡¯s legs.


    Chuckling, Gwendolyn responded, ¡°It¡¯s been a while since Ist fought, so I¡¯ve gotten a little rusty.


    Being able to get physical again feels great!¡±


    Maverick froze in ce, stunned by what he saw.


    After Treyton was done massaging Gwendolyn¡¯s calves, he took off his jacket to cover her head with it


    while escorting her into the car.


    When closing the car door, Treyton turned around to give Maverick a cold gaze as a warning.


    Treyton then got into his Rolls¨CRoyce and drove off as Maverick watched with mixed feelings about


    what had just happened.


    For quite a while, Maverick kept thinking about how Treyton massaged Gwendolyn¡¯s fegs before him.


    Noah could not help but wonder what his boss was thinking when he exited the hotel and found the


    man standing outside alone. ¡°Boss? Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Even though Maverick had regained his senses, his face remained hardened.


    ¡°Tom and Harry have been arrested. What do we do about the two upstairs, Boss?¡±


    Maverick pondered for a while as the scene from before shed across his mind again. Then, he


    uttered with a cold tone, ¡°Forget about them. Just let them go.¡±


    ¡°Huh? We¡¯re going to let them go just like that?¡± Having spent a lot of effort dragging Peter and


    Suzanna into a dark room, Noah was dumbfounded when he heard Maverick.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    Chapter 33 Who Has the Last Laugh


    Maverick pursed his lips and exited the hotel without saying a word.


    Left with no choice, Noah quickly called his subordinates to release the two.


    Meanwhile, Suzanna and Peter were tied up in a dark room, trembling in fear.


    Suzanna never thought Gwendolyn would know a big shot like Maverick. Thus, she turned green with


    envy.


    She grew up in an orphanage. If I¡¯m not mistaken, she wrote divorced in the column for marital status


    on her resume. What did a woman like her do to deserve favors from so many distinguished men in


    Faike? What gives?


    At that moment, Suzanna was more terrifiedpared to being jealous.


    She was fearful of all the possible actions Maverick would take against them.


    Click! Suddenly, someone switched on the lights, and the room became so bright that the two were


    dazzled at once.


    They were scared to their wits end. Before they could plead for mercy, Noah¡¯s subordinates released


    them right away and then the whole gang strode out of the room without sparing them a nce.


    Suzanna and Peter looked at cach other,pletely baffled.


    What¡¯s going on? They¡¯re letting us go just like that?


    Immediately, Peter called Tom to find out, and Suzanna was all cars.


    However, the call did not get through for Tom¡¯s phone was switched off.


    Since there was nothing they could do about it, the duo decided to leave that dangerous ce and go


    on their separate ways. They were worried that Maverick would change his mind and go after them.


    again.


    As soon as Suzanna got back safely, she contacted Eloise and learned that Tom and Harry were


    arrested by the police.


    ¡°Is this how you do things? What caused the sudden turn of events?¡± Eloise questioned her.


    ¡°Mr. Wright from Wright Construction Group heard my conversation with Mr. Zinn and abducted us. I¡¯m


    guessing he¡¯s also the one who put Mr. Ward and the others behind bars,¡± said Suzanna in a


    presuming manner.


    Then, she added doubtfully, ¡°I don¡¯t get why he let Mr Zinn and I go when he sent Mr. Ward and the rest


    to jail.


    Eloise fell into silence before responding, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to investigate this matter thoroughly. You


    just need to keep an eye on that woman.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Suzanna turned around and hugged the man beside her.


    ¤Õ¤»


    Chapter 33 Who Has the Last Laugh


    Thetter was in his forties and bald. He gave her a lecherous look and subsequently locked her in his


    arms, asking, ¡°The new director seems nice. Why can¡¯t you ept her?¡±


    Suzanna pushed him away deliberately when she heard that.


    ¡°How dare you asked me that question? You promised to promote me previously, but in the end, that


    woman took my position. If she wasn¡¯t pretty, would you even bother yourself with this kinda stuff?¡±


    Secondster, she thought about something and dug up the past. ¡°By the way, you gifted me a used


    BMW! Do I only worth that much to you?¡±


    The man did not know how to respond, so he tried tofort Suzanna instead. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!


    You¡¯re my most precious and gorgeous baby girl. I was short of cash a while ago, but I¡¯ll personally


    bring you to the 45 shop to pick a better car when I have more time soon.¡±


    Suzanna scoffed, expressing her displeasure.


    ¡°Since you want the director position so much, I¡¯ll find fault with her at the meeting tomorrow. You can


    then chime in. As a new staff. I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t know how to handle the situation and will most likely


    make a fool out of herself. With that, you¡¯ll be thepany¡¯s new director very soon.¡±


    Suzanna was delighted. ¡°You¡¯d better keep your word.


    The man nodded. ¡°Baby, don¡¯t you think that you should reward me for doing you a big favor?¡±


    Suzanna blushed and replied coyly, ¡°You¡¯re so annoying!¡±


    The next morning, Suzanna was in high spirits when she drove to the office.


    Right before the meeting, Gwendolyn ran into her, and they both took the same elevator. ¡°Wow, Ms.


    Kleppen is radiating joy. I bet you must have had a good sleepst night,¡± teased Gwendolyn.


    Suzanna cast a contemptuous nce at her and said, ¡°Oh yeah, I sure slept better than you, Ms.


    Shalders. I¡¯m afraid you didn¡¯t get any rest, did you?¡±


    Based on how severely drugged Gwendolyn was, Tom and Harry must have gotten what they wanted.


    Unfortunately, Maverick caught them red-handed, and that¡¯s why they didn¡¯t get a chance to send the


    video to


    Peter.


    Suzanna pondered over what happenedst night and thought through everything logically. Hence, she


    resented Gwendolyn even more.


    Who does she think she is? She¡¯s just a toy yed by men. I¡¯d like to see how long she can keep up


    with her arrogance!


    With that, Suzanna lifted her head and approached Gwendolyn confidently. ¡°I¡¯m quite fond of you, Ms.


    Shalders, if we were friends. However, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be sacked pretty soon, and we won¡¯t have a


    chance to be colleagues anymore,¡± mocked Suzanna.


    Gwendolyn took a sidelong nce at her and chuckled. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Ding!


    When the elevator finally reached the designated floor, Gwendolyn withdrew her gaze froni Suzanna


    and walked out first.


    Chapter 33 Who Has the Last Laugh.


    Thetter stared at her back profile and muttered with seething anger, ¡°I¡¯d like to see you weepter!¡±


    There was a monthly meeting at Angle, which aimed to follow up with the overall work nning for


    each project.


    Those above the director level upied the front of the table, whereas employees like Suzanna were


    seated at the back, about five people away from Gwendolyn.


    Soon, the various directors led their teams into the room respectively, but the meeting did not start until


    Treyton arrived.


    Suzanna was bored to death when the managers of each department reported their work one after


    another.


    When it was almost Gwendolyn¡¯s turn, Suzanna clenched her fists as excitement glinted across her


    eyes.


    Right then, she subconsciously nced at the group of directors and was taken aback when she could


    not locate a familiar figure. As a matter of fact, there was not a seat reserved for him, and the entire


    area was upied!


    What¡¯s going on? Everything was finest night, and we even left for work at about the same time this


    morning.


    Suzanna could not wrap her head around it. When she turned her around, her gaze met Gwendolyn


    across the room. Thetter smirked and gave her an unfathomable expression before looking away.


    To Suzanna, that attractive smirk was nothing but a tant provocation.


    Intuitively, she knew Gwendolyn had something to do with the absence of the man she was looking


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    for.


    Suzanna struggled to suppress her curiosity but to no avail. She turned to the person next to her and


    asked under her breath, ¡°Do you know why didn¡¯t Mr. Flint show up today?¡±


    Instantly, her colleague nched in shock when he heard that name and quickly waved his hand,


    saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know who Mr. Flint is. Don¡¯t ask me.


    Huh? This reaction¡­ Something seems off.


    Finding that answer a hard one to believe in, Suzanna turned to her left. Before she could repeat her


    question, the colleague on her left waved and responded, ¡°I don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    Suzanna was bbergasted.


    By then, Gwendolyn had started giving her updates. Recently, we have a new production entitled ¡°The


    Kingdom. After discussing, we¡¯ve decided to star Joaquin and Jayden in the movie as first and second


    male leads, respectively.¡±


    ¡°Hang on!¡± Suzanna raised her hand and interrupted Gwendolyn abruptly.


    She questioned, ¡°When was this decided? Howe I know nothing about it? Moreover, our


    discussionst night was-


    Gwendolyn picked on her and interjected, ¡°What did we discuss yesterday? With whom?¡±


    ¡°It was with¡­¡±


    Suzanna paused. Mr. Ward and Mr. Ulmer were arrested without a reasonst night. Had I shared the


    full story, wouldn¡¯t I be exposing something I shouldn¡¯t have done?

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    Chapter 34 It Was You


    Suzanna thought for a while and felt that Gwendolyn was trying to trick her. Hence, the former chose to


    ignore the question and raised her doubts instead.


    She continued, ¡°When did you have a meeting with Grandeur Group about the actors, Ms. Shalders?


    Howe I didn¡¯t receive any information about this¡±


    ¡°Wow, Ms. Kleppen, you must be delusional! Do I have to inform you before doing anything?¡±


    Gwendolynughed as she shot a cold nce at Suzanna. ¡°Who do you think you are?¡±


    Thetter was stunned. She did not expect Gwendolyn to confront her publicly during the meeting.


    At that time, everyone had their gazes fixated on Suzanna, waiting to see how she might get


    humiliated.


    She bit her lip and conveniently yed victim by putting on a hurt expression. Then, she exined


    politely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making my own assumptions, Ms. Shalders. I thought that you¡¯d discuss it with us


    first.¡±


    Suzanna flinched at the arrogance in Gwendolyn¡¯s voice. The contrast between them both seemingly


    illustrated a perfect picture of a superior bullying her subordinate.


    Suzanna was pleased with the oue she had portrayed.


    Trying to challenge me? You¡¯re too green for that, Gwendolyn! What an amateur and inexperienced


    newbie!


    Treyton tapped his knuckles on the desk to express his displeasure. ¡°A director has all the rights to


    make any decisions on her own. There¡¯s no need for you to make a big fuss out of this matter.¡±


    ¡°Noted, Mr. Harris.¡±


    Embarrassed, Suzanna had no choice but to return to her seat.


    Gwendolyn stared at her and uttered, ¡°Since you¡¯re interested in this project, I shall keep you updated,


    Ms. Kleppen. The person in charge of Grandeur Group and I confirmed the list of actors yesterday


    morning.¡±


    What?


    Suzanna widened her eyes in shock.


    I spoke to her about Grandeur Group yesterday afternoon teithout knowing that she¡¯s already


    confirmed the deal in the morning itself. If that¡¯s the case, why did she agree to attend the dinnerst


    night?


    Suzanna stared at Gwendolyn incredulously, her face was as pale as a sheet.


    So, she did that on purpose? Was she the one who got Mr. Ward and Mr. Ulmer arrested?


    Right then, a cold chill ran down Suzanna¡¯s spine as she gazed at Gwendolyn¡¯s alluring face.


    However, she dismissed the idea a momentter.


    How could a youngss who has never seen the world possess such insidious mind and shrewdness?


    No, I bet it¡¯s


    Mon, May


    Chapter 34 It Was You


    merely a coincidence. Yes, it must be so!


    Suzanna¡¯s sharp nails dug deep into her own palms. Only then did she begin to regain herposure.


    Subsequently, she fell silent, and the meeting resumed with Gwendolyn presenting her ns. ¡°The


    overall nning remains status quo. Besides, all the endorsement contracts and variety shows.


    negotiated for each popr artist will continue as per agreement.¡±


    Since no one exercised a veto against her proposal. Gwendolyn continued sharing her ideas. ¡°Lastly,


    I¡¯ll talk about this group of trainees we¡¯ve been grooming Most of them are very young and


    inexperienced. Hence, I¡¯d like ourpany to invest a budget and organize an audition. We can invite


    otherpanies to form a team of seven out of a hundred talents and debut them. It will also be a


    great opportunity for these kids to gain exposure.¡±


    Once again, Suzanna raised her hand, stood up, and voiced her opinions. ¡°Ms. Shalders, holding


    auditions isn¡¯t a small task, and this seems to have gone beyond your job scope too. Most importantly,


    there¡¯s no market for talent auditions in this country. Should thepany suffer a loss because of this


    While speaking. Suzanna saw Gwendolyn frowning and fanning her slim fingers in front of her nose.


    ¡°Did you eat too much garlic during lunch? Why do you have such a pungent breath?¡± I


    Suzanna was dumbfounded and said, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± Gwendolyn shed her a smile. ¡°Then, why are you trying so hard to make your presence


    known regardless of the asion?¡±


    Pfft!


    At her words, many of the employees started giggling


    The staff sitting next to Suzanna even subconsciously covered their noses and kept a distance from


    her.


    At that instant, Suzanna finally realized she had been humiliated by Gwendolyn and blushed with


    embarrassment.


    She stared at thetter with disbelief and said in a high-pitched voice, ¡°It seems like you have a hidden


    personal agenda, Ms. Shalders. Otherwise, why are you so scared to be questioned by others? It has


    only been days since you joined thepany. Yet, you¡¯re already proposing an idea that will cost an


    exorbitant sum. How fishy is that? Mr. Harris, I suggest you carry out a strict investigation on her.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Treyton, who was in the main seat, mmed his coffee cup on the


    desk and uttered grimly, ¡°I agree with the suggestion.¡±


    Upon hearing that, the crowd flew into an uproar. Even the way they looked at Gwendolyn changed


    completely.


    Suzanna was the only one feeling ted. ¡°Really? I can¡¯t believe that you concurred with my thoughts,


    Mr. Harris. Are you going to check on her?¡±


    Someone breathed in sharply when she asked that question.


    Apart from Suzanna, the silly woman, everybody knew to whom Treyton actually directed his


    Chapter 34 It Was You


    response.


    Treyton was totally disgusted by her behavior. He pulled a long face and threatened, ¡°Say one more


    word, and I¡¯ll kick you out of here. Don¡¯t even think about returning tomorrow.¡±


    In an instant, colors drained from Suzanna¡¯s face. She was baffled by the sudden turn of events.


    She was in a daze until someone nearby reminded her to sit down, and she went back to her seat


    reluctantly.


    Subsequently, the management started discussing Gwendolyn¡¯s proposal in detail to refine her idea.


    The more Suzanna listened to their conversations, the more she wanted the ground to swallow her


    whole.


    Jealousy and envy consumed her to the extent that she found it hard to breathe.


    Why didn¡¯t Treyton fall for me? If only I were the one who had an affair with him, he¡¯d be doting on me


    in public right now, and I¡¯d enjoy the affection I deserve! It should have been me!


    Suddenly, Jonathan¡¯s oily face shed across her eyes. She was revolted by the bald man in his


    forties. who had a gold tooth cap.


    Suzanna felt aggrieved and indignant when the thought of being around a repulsive man like Jonathan


    struck her.


    Oh right! There¡¯s Jonathan! Judging from Treyton¡¯s attitude toward Gwendolyn, I¡¯m a hundred percent


    sure that the b*tch has everything to do with the disappearance of Jonathan!


    She chewed on it for a while.


    After the brief unpleasant interlude caused by Suzann, the rest of the meeting went very well.


    Soon, Treyton dered the meeting adjourned and left with Elisha.


    The rest of the staff also left the conference room one after another.


    Gwendolyn was getting ready to leave when ady with red fingernails got hold of the document on


    the desk.


    Suzanna smiled at her and requested, ¡°Please stay back for a while, Ms. Shalders. I have something to


    consult you about.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not say anything, nor did she show any signs of refusing her.


    It was only when the crowd was almost gone that Suzanna lowered her voice and asked solemnly, ¡°Tell


    me honestly, why isn¡¯t Jonathan present? Where did he go? Are you behind all these?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Jonathan? He will never ever step foot into thepany,¡± answered Gwendolyn indifferently.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Suzanna could not believe her ears. She grabbed Gwendolyn¡¯s shoulders and shook them, asking


    anxiously, ¡°Was he sacked by the board of directors? It was you, wasn¡¯t it? Why did you do that to


    him?¡±


    GB


    Chapter 34 It Was You


    It was justst night when he shared with me how he was going to give this b*tch a hard time. Now,


    he¡¯s been fired without any warning? No, this can¡¯t be true.


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows and pushed Suzanna¡¯s hands away in exasperation. ¡°He was


    suspected of misappropriating thepany¡¯s funds and engaging in scandals with female employees.


    Thus, thepany kicked him out and sent him behind bars. He will probably be sentenced to at least


    ten years. in prison.¡±


    As she was speaking, she took a piece of wet tissue and wiped her wrists and the document for both.


    had been touched by Suzanna earlier.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Afterward, she smiled and added, ¡°This is strictly confidential. No one else in thepany dares to tell


    you about it except me. Considering the fact that we¡¯ve been colleagues for several days, I¡¯m really


    nice. to you, right?¡±


    At that point, Suzanna felt goosebumps all over her skin. Gasping in disbelief, she stumbled backward.


    ¡°So¡­ You already knew everythingst night? You did this on purpose to trap me?¡±


    Gwendolyn refused to answer her. Instead, she strode toward the main seat in the conference room


    and sat down.


    She crossed her legs, revealing a voluptuous figure.


    Even though she was slightly shorter than Suzanna because she was sitting down, Gwendolyn¡¯s aura


    remained intimidating. She looked way more imposing than Suzanna who was standing.


    Gwendolyn smirked smugly and said, ¡°Suzanna, go ahead and keep Jonathanpany since you


    miss.


    him so much.¡±

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    Chapter 35 A Shameless Little Snob


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    The first thing Suzanna noticed was that Gwendolyn had sat at the head of the table before even


    realizing what thetter had said. Her lips trembled as she asked, ¡°W-What do you mean by that?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s red lips curved upward as she broke into a carelessugh.


    She fixed her gaze on Suzanna and made no response


    Gwendolyn¡¯sughter unnerved Suzanna, and the aura radiating off the former sent a chill down the


    latter¡¯s spine.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy! A raving lunatic!¡± Suzanna spat out fully. As she spoke, she took two steps.


    backward.


    Just as she was about to turn and leave, four men in police uniforms appeared at the conference


    room¡¯s door and knocked politely. ¡°Excuse me. May we know who¡¯s Suzanna Kleppen?¡±


    As soon as Suzanna heard that they were looking for her, she was stunned. ¡°What is it about?¡±


    Seeing that she was the one who responded, the policemen immediately walked toward her with stern


    expressions.


    She was so frightened that the color drained from her face. ¡°Have you¡­ made a mistake? I¡¯m a good


    andw-abiding citizen!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be the judge of whether or not you¡¯re innocent. Pleasee with us.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not going!¡±


    Mr. Ward and Mr. Ulmer are inside, so there¡¯s no way of hiding what I did. I had hoped Jonathan would


    be able to protect me, but I never expected him to end up in the doghouse quicker than me. In any


    case, I can¡¯t get thrown into jail. Once I go there, my career and future will be in utter shambles!¡±


    Something seemed to ur to her, and she hurried over to Gwendolyn. Tossing aside her pride, she


    crouched at Gwendolyn¡¯s feet, tugged at her hand, and pleaded, ¡°Was it you who told them toe?


    Gwendolyn¡­ Ms. Shalders, I admit defeat. I apologize I only harbored malicious intent toward you


    because of a moment of jealousy. Please spare me, will you?¡±


    Gwendolyn gently lifted Suzanna¡¯s chin with the tip of her finger and stared straight into thetter¡¯s


    eyes. Grinning, she remarked, ¡°Your apology reeks of fear and hope. You know better than me just how


    sincere it is.¡±


    ¡°No! I mean every word I said! I was wrong, Ms. Shalders. It was my fault.¡±


    ¡°If you were merely trying to pick a fight with me for rivial reasons, I¡¯d only fire you for conspiring with


    Jonathan Flint to take over my position. However, you gave me such a surprise. I underestimated you.


    If I don¡¯t send you to jail, it¡¯d be an insult to that impressive performance you put onst night.¡±


    Although Suzanna bowed her head and sobbed bitterly, she was seething with rage inwardly.


    This b*tch sure spouts a load of crazy talk! She¡¯s such a bully! Once I get out of this predicament, I¡¯ll


    definitely find a chance to get rid of her.


    Chapter 35 A Shameless Little Snob


    Concealing the malice in her heart, she feigned a look of remorse and opened her mouth to say


    something. Suddenly, she recalled a specific word Gwendolyn had just said. ¡°Did you say you¡¯re going


    to fire me?¡±


    How dare she say things like that when she¡¯s only a director Does the entirepany belong to her


    because she¡¯s friendly with the boss?


    Bending down slightly, Gwendolyn leaned near Suzanna¡¯s car with a smile that did not reach her eyes.


    ¡°I never told you this, but you¡¯re standing on Gwendolyn Shalders Harris¡¯ territory.¡±


    She spoke slowly and clearly when she mentioned her name, and her eyes glittered.


    The seat at the head of the table was like a throne. However, despite Gwendolyn¡¯s petite size, she did


    not seem out of ce as she sat there. On the contrary, she exuded a distinguished and cial air.


    Thud!


    Suzanna slumped onto the floor.


    She said¡­ that this is herpany. She said herst name is¡­ Harris.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Suzanna covered her mouth, and her eyes became as round as saucers. She was too shocked to


    speak.


    Even when the policemen stepped forward to escort her away, she still had yet to snap out of her grief


    and despair.


    After getting rid of two lousy employees, I can finally get a couple of days of peace.


    Gwendolyn was busy working at her desk just before noon when Elisha knocked on the door and


    walked in. Thetter said impassively, ¡°Ms. Shalders. Mr. Harris has something urgent to discuss with


    you and asked you to go to his office when you¡¯re done with your work.¡±


    Treyton has something urgent to discuss with me? Judging from the look on her face, it doesn¡¯t seem


    like it¡¯s good


    NEWS.


    Gwendolyn did not waste any time. She took two minutes to put away her things, then headed swiftly to


    the office on the highest floor.


    As soon as she opened the door, she saw Treyton sitting at the desk with his back toward her. His


    head was tilted upward slightly as though he was admiring the mural on the wall.


    ¡°Treyton?¡±


    Since they were the only ones in the office, she did not have to pretend anymore.


    He spun around and said, ¡°Surprise!¡±


    In his hand was a lunch box. He opened the lid, and the smell of fragrant herbs and spices filled the air.


    ¡°Flora said I¡¯m mistreating you because I always let you have food from the cafeteria for lunch, so she


    made your favorite grilled beef and sent it over. Are you surprised?¡±


    ¡°Is this what you meant by ¡®something urgent?¡± she asked, amused by his childish behavior


    Chapter 35 A Shameless Little Snob


    Treyton set down the lunch box, then got up and strode toward her with a doting smile tugging at the


    corners of his lips. ¡°It goes without saying that the task of ensuring my dearest princess doesn¡¯t go


    hungry is a top priority.¡±


    Although Gwendolyn was silent, the twinkle in her eyes betrayed her feelings.


    He led her over to the couch and sat her down. Several dishes had already been set out on the coffee.


    table, and he went to bring over the grilled beef from his desk.


    She took a whiff. As expected, Flora is an excellent cook. Fer cooking is way better than the cafeteria¡¯s


    food.


    As she ate, she said, ¡°It¡¯s delicious, but there¡¯s no need to do so in the future. If I keeping to your


    office to have lunch with you, sooner orter, your subordinates will be suspicious.¡±


    Treyton could not refrain fromughing. ¡°Since you got here, Flora doesn¡¯t listen to me. You should tell


    her yourself when you go back tonight.¡±


    She nodded, then lowered her head and carried on eating.


    She was rather hungry indeed and unable to resist Flora¡¯s tasty cooking. Hence, she ate with such


    gusto that her cheeks were bulging with food.


    Seeing her eating like a squirrel was so dorky and adorable to him that he could not stop himself from


    touching the tip of her nose affectionately.


    Gwendolyn smiled at him and continued eating.


    The atmosphere inside the office was lively as they chattered away while eating.


    Suddenly, Elisha knocked on the door and entered the room. He stood near the door, and said softly,


    ¡°Mr. Harris, Ms. Ferguson is here.¡±


    Gwendolyn looked up and nced at Treyton subconsciously. However, she saw that his expression


    darkened instantly.


    Elisha also wore a strange look on his face. ¡°She has been waiting outside for a while. Should I show


    her in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy,¡± he answered without a second thought.


    Hence, Elisha had no choice but to leave begrudgingly.


    After the door closed behind her, the warm and friendly atmosphere in the office was restored.


    Treyton speared a piece of juicy grilled beef with his fork and ced it on Gwendolyn¡¯s te. ¡°Eat up.


    You¡¯re too thin.¡±


    Distracted by her thoughts, she ventured, ¡°Treyton, you seem to dislike your fianc¨¦e a lot.¡±


    His expression turned grave, and he radiated a cial aura. He uttered in disgust, ¡°Fianc¨¦e? She¡¯s not


    worthy of that title. She¡¯s nothing but a shameless little snob.¡±


    Observing the look on his face, it appeared there was more to the couple¡¯s engagement than met the


    eye.


    13.2 Mon, May


    Chapter 35 A Shameless Little Snob


    Nheless, she did not probe further as he did not seem willing to talk about it.


    However, she could not help feeling somewhat curious about his remark that his fianc¨¦e was


    shameless.


    How weird of a person would that woman have to be to make someone as gentle as Treyton so


    disgusted by her?


    Noticing the wicked smile ying on her lips, he piped up. ¡°What evil n are you hatching? Hurry up


    and eat.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded obediently.


    She finished eating ten minutester. Walking out of the office, she immediately spotted Eloise, who


    was still pestering Elisha.


    It was clear that Eloise had been arguing until she was blue in the face, and she spoke in an


    increasingly threatening tone.


    Looking away, Gwendolyn stared straight ahead as she headed toward the elevator.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    Suddenly, a high-pitched voice rang out behind her, and she felt someone grab her wrist.


    Eloise stepped in front of her and peered at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s you! Why are youing out of Trey¡¯s office?¡±


    Gwendolyn arched a brow and shot her an easy smile¡±Mr. Harris invited me to join him for lunch. Not


    wanting to turn down his kind offer, naturally, I


    enver


    Before Gwendolyn even finished her sentence, Eloise was already ring at her with eyes zing with


    rage, wishing she could burn Gwendolyn to ashes.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    Chapter 36 Spoilsport


    ¡°B*tch! You seductress!¡± Eloise was livid. ¡°How dare she seduce Treyton in front of me, his rightful


    fianc¨¦e?¡± she fumed inwardly.


    Eloise hade to Faike from Salinsburgh, all for Treyton¡¯s sake. In order to get engaged to him.


    she had spent a great deal of effort.


    All the women in the world could never hope to match the love she harbored for him.


    However, Treyton constantly refused to meet her. He made Elisha turn her down with all sorts of


    perfunctory excuses. Currently, he had said that he was busy. So, he was busy because he was having


    a meal with that woman?


    The more Eloise thought about it, the angrier she got Her expression underneath her exquisite.


    makeup turned malicious. ring at Gwendolyn hatefully, she raised her hand and tried to p the


    latter across the face.


    Gwendolyn did not make an attempt to dodge. She sat there, unmoving.


    However, before Eloise could harm a hair on Gwendolyn¡¯s head, someone caught ahold of her hand.


    Elisha held onto Eloise¡¯s wrist tightly, his tone was sten as he reminded her, ¡°Ms. Ferguson, we¡¯re at


    Angle at the moment. It¡¯s not right to hit others. Please show some self-respect.¡±


    Although Eloise wanted to wrench her hand away, her strength was no match for Elisha¡¯s.


    Enraged, Eloise cried, ¡°Let go! I am going to p this shameless woman! If you try to stop me. I¡¯ll hit


    you as well!¡±


    Elisha¡¯s face immediately darkened, but still, he did not loosen his grip. ¡°Ms. Ferguson, Mr. Harris is


    inside. Do you wish to kick up a fuss and force him toe out and see your outrageous behavior?¡±


    Outrageous? I¡¯m from the Ferguson family, and I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. How can I


    bear to wreck my image in front of Treyton?


    Elisha withdrew his hand after he saw that Eloise had regained herposure and her anger had


    subsided.


    Gwendolyn snickered when she saw that Eloise had managed to hold herself back despite being so


    furious.


    ¡°I¡¯ve long heard about Ms. Ferguson¡¯s fiery and domineering personality.¡± Gwendolyn clicked her


    tongue before shaking her head and continuing, ¡°It seems like I was worried for nothing!


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Eloise was livid. She had to tamp down the urge to rush forward and rip Gwendolyn to


    shreds. She could only watch as thetter sauntered into the elevator casually and finally disappear


    from her view.


    Still, she was unable to regain herposure. How dare she provokes me so brazenly? I¡¯m going to


    kill her, or I¡¯m not a Ferguson!


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Eventually, Eloise managed to calm her emotions. All of a sudden, a name came to mind.


    For the first time in her life, Eloise visited the jail and asked to see a woman.


    Mon, May


    Chapter 36 Spoilsport


    A momentter, a woman dressed in a blue robe was brought into the visitor¡¯s room. She had


    disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes.


    Through the ss panel that separated them, Eloise was visibly shocked and even covered her nose


    subconsciously. ¡°Suzanna, it¡¯s only been a few days. Why are you in such a bedraggled state?¡±


    Suzanna licked her parched lips and red at Eloise hatefully. ¡°Whose fault do you think this is?¡±


    Two days ago, Suzanna had begged the policemen to let her meet Eloise in hopes that thetter would


    bail her out. However, not only did Eloise refuse to see her, but she also shoved all the me onto


    Suzanna and paid someone to expedite the sentence.


    Suzanna was going to be transferred to prison the next day and she did not know if she would be able


    to step into the sunlight ever again.


    She had assumed that Gwendolyn was her enemy. In truth, Eloise was the demon that had caused her


    imprisonment.


    Eloise frowned, but she did not remove the fingers that were delicately covering her nose. Through the


    double ss panels, she spoke to Suzanna on the phone.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped. My family found out and they refused to let me involve myself in anything that


    could soil my reputation, so I had no choice but to sacrifice you. However, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll put in a word


    for you. I¡¯ll ensure that you get to live a good life. In return, you must tell me all you know about


    Gwendolyn.¡± Eloise smiled knowingly as she continued. ¡°What do you think? Isn¡¯t it a good deal?¡±


    Unexpectedly, Suzanna threw back her head and guffawed while pounding on the table.


    Puzzled, Eloise asked, ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    Isn¡¯t it hrious to plot to kill your own future sister-inw


    However, she did not voice her thoughts. While she hated Gwendolyn, she also despised Eloise. She


    refused to entertain the thought of them getting along well.


    ¡°Are you so unwilling to let her be happy?¡± Suzanna¡¯s smile was wide. Paired with her messy and


    coarse hair and bloodshot eyes, she was like a specter that had escaped from an asylum. She was a


    frightening sight.


    Eloiseposed herself before replying, ¡°Of course Don¡¯t you also want to get rid of her?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll tell you what I know.¡± Smiling, Suzanna moved closer to the phone and whispered, ¡°Frankly


    speaking, Gwendolyn is quite a formidable opponent. I¡¯m not sure you can beat her even if you went all


    out. However, I know that she¡¯s been divorced before. Perhaps you could use this fact against her.¡±


    Eloise¡¯s eye¡¯s sparkled in excitement. ¡°All right. Leave it to me! I¡¯ll settle your score with Gwendolyn.¡±


    Having said that, she immediately got up and left without looking back.


    ncing at Eloise¡¯s elegant retreating figure, Suzanna¡¯s grin grew even more maniacal. Too bad I


    won¡¯t be able to witness their fight!


    Eloise impatiently made a call as soon as she got out, ¡°Find out who¡¯s Gwendolyn¡¯s ex-husband. I want


    a detailed report as soon as possible.¡±


    Chapter 36 Spoilsport


    After waiting for about half an hour, a document was forwarded to her phone.


    Eloise tapped on the document, her furrowed brows rxing. When her eyesnded on a name on the


    document, she curled her lips. ¡°Natasha Mossey.¡±


    Inside the CEO¡¯s office at Wright Construction Group. Maverick rested his hand on his temple and


    closed his eyes slightly.


    Noah stood in front of him respectfully as he reported the situation at the Wright residence.


    ¡°Ms. Wright made a fuss the other day, and the guards were afraid to release people. Since then, she


    has been unusually obedient and only called Ms. Mossey a few times. However, Ms. Mossey did not


    answer her calls.¡±


    Maverick opened his eyes. Noah¡¯sstment had caught his attention..


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Tasha answer?¡±


    Sheralyn and Natasha got along very well. They also talked on the phone frequently. However, ever


    since Gwendolyn caused the ruckus at the Wright residence, Natasha never brought up Sheralyn to


    him again.


    Maverick frowned.


    Noah exined, ¡°Perhaps Ms. Mossey was busy with something else and missed Ms. Wright¡¯s call.¡±


    It was not unusual to miss a call once or twice, but Natasha had avoided Sheralyn¡¯s calls several times.


    What is she hiding from? Something¡¯s wrong.


    With a dark expression, he stood up. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Tasha in a few days. I¡¯ll be going to the


    condominium.¡±


    Noah stood in ce. ¡°Ms. Mossey isn¡¯t at the condominium at the moment. She went out.¡±


    She¡¯s out? Never mind then. I¡¯m probably overthinking it. Maverick sat back down.


    Noah stared at the faint dark eyebags under his boss cold dark eyes and was unable to resist asking.


    ¡°Boss, have you not gotten enough resttely? Yourplexion doesn¡¯t look too good.¡±


    Maverick massaged his temples, feeling somewhat irritated.


    Since he was still staying at the mansion, he would always see Gwendolyn no matter what time he


    returned.


    She would be dressed in the apron, shing a smile when she saw him.


    Sometimes, she would have a hand on her hip as she swept up the leaves in the garden. Just the other


    night, when she was in bed¡­


    The thought of Gwendolyn kept Maverick up at night. When he woke up to take a drink, he would recall


    the memory of Treyton gently massaging her calves at the hotel.


    ¡°Boss?¡±

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    Chapter 37 The Only Heir


    Chapter 37 The Only Heir


    Noah hurriedly asked when he saw the grim expression on Maverick¡¯s face.


    Thetter regained hisposure and instructed in a deep voice, ¡°Thewyer must finalize the


    contract for the mansion¡¯s transfer of ownership by today. After the draft is finalized, contact.


    Gwendolyn and summon her over to sign.¡±


    ¡°Noted. I¡¯ll urge them to get it done right away.¡±


    In the meantime, around seven female employees of different heights were standing in two rows in


    Gwendolyn¡¯s tiny office at Angle Corporation.


    Since Suzanna¡¯s departure, Gwendolyn lost one of her trusty helpers. Hence, she decided to randomly


    pick one of her assistants or managers to rece Suzanna, for she needed help nning the talent.


    show at that period.


    Most of the female employees in the first row were good-looking, but their posture was awkward and


    coy, and their demeanor appeared pretentious.


    Gwendolyn merely took one nce at them, for she was not at all interested in flirtatious women.


    She scanned everyone present, and the girl who stood the furthest away from her in the second row


    soon caught her attention.


    ¡°You,e forward.¡±


    The woman did not expect Gwendolyn to call her. ted and surprised at the same time, she timidly


    took two steps forward. ¡°Hi, Ms. Shalders. I am Joanne Hudson.¡±


    Gwendolyn found her corresponding profile from thepany¡¯s database.


    Joanne was new to thepany and came from the countryside. Her family background was clean


    and innocent of stains.


    She was exactly the type of person Gwendolyn was looking for.


    ¡°From today onward, you will work with me as my assistant.¡±


    Verily, Joanne was ttered beyond words.


    The other employees, on the other hand, were disgruntled. ¡°Ms. Shalders, she just joined us for a


    month and is still under probation. Don¡¯t you think picking her as your assistant is against the rules?¡±


    Gwendolyn nced at them calmly.


    ¡°1 made the rules. I am the rules.¡±


    The other employees were caught off-guard by Gwendolyn¡¯s words. Disappointed that they weren¡¯t


    chosen, they had no choice but to leave the room begrudgingly.


    Joanne was very excited. She couldn¡¯t stop bowing at Gwendolyn and expressing her gratitude. ¡°Thank


    you, Ms. Shalders, for giving me this opportunity. I will definitely do my best toplete all the tasks


    you assign. I promise¡­¡±


    13.21 Mon, May


    Chapter 37 The Only Heir


    ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. I know you¡¯ll do your best, but action speaks louder than words.¡± Gwendolyn


    shot Joanne an encouraging nce as she passed a stack of documents to thetter. ¡°Familiarize


    yourself with these matters as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Will do. Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Joanne exited the room with the stack of documents!


    The moment she left, Gwendolyn turned her office chair around and looked at the scenery outside the


    massive floor-to-ceiling window of her oflice, massaging her shoulders in exhaustion.


    Angle wasn¡¯t at all considered a prestige entertainmentpany in Faike. Previously, thepany


    was able to gain benefits from coborations due to Treyton¡¯s name.


    If Gwendolyn wanted to increase thepany¡¯s revenue that year, she would need to be creative and


    develop something major and new.


    Although it would be risky for her to do so, she was not one to back down when faced with difficulties.


    Just as she was deep in thought, Joanne knocked on her office door again and entered.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, someone called just now to look for you. The person on the phone introduced himself as


    Mr. Harrison from Gibson & Lardner. He requested you to sign some documents for the transfer of


    property ownership.¡±


    Gwendolyn asked with suspicion, ¡°What property?¡±


    ¡°He said it¡¯s Bay Vi, a small mansion by the beach in Lakeview.¡±


    The matrimonial house of Maverick and me? We have been divorced for so long. Why did he suddenly


    think of transferring the mansion¡¯s ownership to me? Is he trying topensate me, or is he feeling


    guilty? What a joke!


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be there after I get off work.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not reject. Although she was not short of money, there was no reason for her to say not


    to something free.


    Besides, the house mighte in handy one day if she epted it.


    Natasha, who was wearing a pair of sunsses, entered a coffee shop and approached a table with


    two roses on it as per agreement.


    Facing the beautiful woman in front of her, she removed her sunsses and put on a fake smile. ¡°Can I


    help you, Ms. Ferguson?¡±


    Eloise sized the other woman up.


    ¡°Are you Natasha? The illegitimate chill from the Mossey family? Your physical appearance is not that


    bad. However, your demeanor is still far from the actual daughter of the Mossey family.¡±


    We¡¯ve just met, and she is already putting on airs, trying to pull rank on me.


    Natasha frowned. Deep down, she was displeased, but she still tamped down her anger and forced a


    smile. ¡°Ms. Ferguson, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary for you to summon me all the way here just to


    humiliate me.¡±


    Chapter 37 The Only Heir


    She was about to grab her bag and leave immediately when Eloise held her hand and said, ¡°Calm


    down. Let¡¯s get into business, shall we? You hate your fianc¨¦¡¯s ex-wife a lot, right?¡±


    Hearing that it was rted to Gwendolyn, Natasha stopped in her tracks. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t like that b*tch as well. I can help you get rid of her.¡±


    Natasha hesitated for a moment.


    The power of the Ferguson family should not be underestimated. She was indeed a little tempted, but


    she disliked Eloise¡¯s arrogant and condescending behavior.


    If she could not get substantial help from Eloise, she would only be controlled by thetter like at


    puppet.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    After thinking carefully, Natasha sighed. ¡°Sorry, Ms. Ferguson. I am just an insignificant illegitimate


    child in the Mossey family. I have no power nor position in the Mossey family. I was almost defeated by


    her countless time before, and I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to beat her. I don¡¯t think I can help you.¡±


    She shot Eloise a re, stood up, and once again attempted to leave.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with an illegitimate child? As long as you are willing to cooperate with me, I can make


    you a legitimate one. I can make you the only heir in the Mossey family.¡±


    Hearing that, a devilish glint shed across Natasha¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Deal!¡±


    When it was time to get off work, Gwendolyn took her sweet time leaving thepany and drove her


    Volkswagen Santana to Bay Vi.


    She stared numbly at the unchanged scenery outside the gate and was surprised to feel her heart


    clench slightly.


    The security guard did not stop her as he knew she would be there.


    She walked right through the garden and pushed the door open.


    Thewyer wasn¡¯t present in the hall. Instead, Maverick, who was d in a high-end ck tuxedo with


    his slender legs crossed, was sitting on the couch while sipping his coffee elegantly.


    Gwendolyn was not at all surprised to see him in the mansion.


    She strode in on her high heels.


    When she got closer, however, she found out that Maverick¡¯s usually handsome face appeared


    haggard. The two dark circles beneath his eyes were particrly obvious.


    She couldn¡¯t stop herself from snorting derisively.


    Although hisplexion didn¡¯t affect his charming looks in any way, that was the first time Gwendolyn


    saw Maverick in such a state after knowing him for so many years.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve been burning the midnight oiltely, huh, Mr. Wright? You look exhausted.¡±


    Chapter 37 The Only Heir


    Maverick¡¯s expression darkened as he looked up and fixed his gaze on Gwendolyn. ¡°You have such a


    sharp tongue, Ms. Shalders,¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She crossed her arms as the look in her eyes turned frosty. ¡°It depends on who I am.


    talking to. You¡¯re not worthy of my kindness.¡±


    Maverick furrowed his brows and stood up. He then lifted his slender legs and stepped past the coffee.


    table, closing in on Gwendolyn quickly.


    Gwendolyn was prepared. She tried making a pre-emptive move by striking Maverick with her hand,


    but the man swiftly moved sideways and dodged her attack.


    Subsequently, he tried to grab Gwendolyn¡¯s shoulder with hisrge hands. She took a step backward


    with a cold glint shing across her eyes as she raised her long, fair legs and aimed a kick at his


    crotch.


    Maverick sensed impending disaster and took a step backward, grabbing Gwendolyn by her ankle


    before she could do anything.


    Noah, who was standing guard in the garden, heard some noise in the house. He peeked inside only to


    see the two of them fighting.


    What is happening? Didn¡¯t she juste to sign a few documents? If she dislikes the house, she can


    just refuse to sign. Why are they fighting?


    Noah was dumbfounded when he saw the ruthlessness in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes. Almost all of her attacks


    were targeted at Maverick¡¯s vital points.


    Maverick¡¯s situation was dangerous as he only defended himself and did not make any attacks.


    Noah gasped. Is this woman crazy? She¡¯s so cruel! O


    Afraid that he would witness his boss covered in blood the next second, he stopped himself from


    rushing in to break them up and covered his ears, hiding far away.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    Chapter 38 Unbelievable


    The two people in the living room had already fought two rounds by then.


    Gwendolyn failed tond her first strike, and eventually, her stamina depleted. She was no match for


    Maverick in terms of strength, and she was wearing heels-an inconvenient kind of footwear. Thus, she


    was soon forced to the wall without realizing it.


    Maverick curled his lips. In the next second, he grabbed her left wrist and moved to pin it against the


    wall, which was something he used to do.


    This time, however, Gwendolyn learned her lesson. She knew that he was going to restrain her hands.


    and force her up against the wall. So, while he was distracted as he tried to grab her left wrist, she


    pressed the secret button on her ring with her right hand. A silver needle popped out in response.


    Caught by surprise, Maverick was soon forced to stop what he was doing when the silver needle was


    pressed against his Adam¡¯s apple.


    Thank god I¡¯m wearing the ring Kieran has given to me for self-defense. Although the needle is small,


    it¡¯s unusually sturdy.


    It was as if time had frozen for the two of them.


    They were so close that they could almost feel each other¡¯s breaths.


    Maverick¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed, and a crimson drop of blood rolled


    down from his neck and stained the cor of his white shirt like a tiny blooming flower.


    He furrowed his brows. ¡°Must you be this ruthless?¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered. ¡°For clingy rats like you? Yes.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s lips curled even more, and he inched closer to her.


    It was as if he was certain she would not have the courage to end his life in the mansion.


    ¡°Take another step closer to me, and I won¡¯t hesitate slitting your throat. You can try if you don¡¯t believe


    me.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s words were spoken in a soft tone, but Maverick could see the steely resolution in her


    eyes.


    She bites if she¡¯s cornered.


    Chuckling, he then let go of her hand and took two steps back.


    Once Gwendolyn regained her freedom, she gently massaged her left wrist before walking past him to


    grab the transfer agreement from the coffee table.


    After skimming through the documents, she noted that the documents weren¡¯t tampered with


    She then picked up the pen from the side and signed the two agreements without hesitation.


    After taking one of the copies, she left without sparing him another nce.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Maverick watched her saunter away nonchntly as he reached up to touch the blood on his neck with


    Chapter 38 Unbelievable


    an unreadable expression.


    Gwendolyn strode out of the mansion without stopping.


    When Noah caught sight of her, he instinctively flinched. Once she walked past him, he rushed into the


    mansion to check on Maverick.


    Gwendolyn ignored him. She took out her phone to call Joanne instead.


    ¡°Get a few people to manage Bay Vi. Throw out all the furniture and refurnish the ce. Rent all


    the flowers in the garden too.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Ms. Shalders,¡± Joanne replied subserviently. ¡°When are you nning to move in, Ms.


    Shalders? I¡¯ll make arrangements based on that date.


    Gwendolynughed. ¡°Who said I was going to move in?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Ms. Shalders, are you not going to move in there? Then¡­¡±


    Before Joanne could finish her sentence, Gwendolyn ended the call.


    Gwendolyn then proceeded to walk to her car parked by the entrance. Right as she opened the car


    door, she heard the telltale sound of a car slowly driving toward her from behind.


    It stopped a distance away from her, however.


    Natasha then came out of the backseat. It seemed like there was someone else in the backseat of the


    car. From the way the person positioned their hands Gwendolyn surmised it was a woman. s, her


    face was blocked, so Gwendolyn could not see who she was.


    It was not as if Gwendolyn was going to concern herself with her, anyway. After one nce, she looked


    away and was about to get into her car and leave.


    Right then, Natasha jogged over to her and stopped her from closing the car door.


    Surprised, she cried out, ¡°Why are you here? Are you still trying to cling to Mave? Mave has nothing to


    do with you anymore!¡±


    Gwendolyn was amused by her words, and she grinnell. ¡°This is a question you should be asking him.


    He was the one who invited me here.¡±


    Natasha¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Why would Mave ever invite you here? If you weren pestering him, do you really think he¡¯ll spare you


    another look?¡±


    Despite the disbelief in her words, Natasha felt slightly skeptical.


    Gwendolyn then took out the transfer agreement from her bag and waved it in front of Natasha. ¡°Take a


    good look at this. Your dear Mave just transferred this house¡¯s ownership to me.¡±


    With that said, she shoved Natasha aside.


    Natasha lost her bnce and stumbled for a while as her eyes reddened.


    Chapter 38 Unbelievable


    Mave gave this house to Gwendolyn? He won¡¯t even let me get close to him, but he¡¯s generously giving


    this property to her? Why? What¡¯s so good about her?


    Natasha was fuming, but on second thought, she soon arrived at another conclusion.


    ring at Gwendolyn, she gritted out, ¡°This must bepensation for the divorce. He¡¯s only doing this


    to draw a clear line between you and him. You better don¡¯t try anything else with him from now


    on!¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered and wasn¡¯t at all angered by the other woman¡¯s threat. As she shot Natasha a


    frigid look, she said, ¡°From now on, this is my private property. It¡¯s best for unimportant people like you,


    Ms. Mossey, to stay far away from this ce. Otherwise, I won¡¯t hesitate in getting someone to kick


    you.


    out.¡±


    ¡°You-¡±


    Steam was almosting out of Natasha¡¯s cars by then. When she saw Gwendolyn opening the door


    to sit in the driver¡¯s seat, a sh of glee appeared in her eyes.


    ¡°You used to have Treyton backing you, so I couldn¡¯t defeat you. But from tomorrow onward, you¡¯ll


    always be beneath me!¡±


    Gwendolyn only gave her a nce and did not bother dwelling on her words at all. In the next second,


    she started her engine and sped off. The tailpipe emitted smoke in its wake, causing Natasha to cough


    relentlessly.


    Yet, there was nothing she could do but stomp her foot against the ground as she red viciously at


    the departing green Volkswagen Santana.


    I¡¯d like to see how long she can keep up that arrogance of hers!


    Gwendolyn drove back to Treyton¡¯s mansion. When she drove past the LED screen in themercial.


    district, she saw the news of the Mossey family¡¯s eldest daughter-Inez Mossey¡¯s ident due to drunk


    driving. Apparently, Inez was temporarily out of danger after receiving emergency treatment, but it was


    likely that she would be in a vegetative state forever.


    The Mossey couple was sobbing uncontrobly on screen.


    Gwendolyn only nced at it for one whole second before returning her focus back to the road.


    Three dayster, Gwendolyn went to the cafeteria for lunch at noon.


    The employees were exceptionally nosy that day, and they looked extremely excited while they were


    gossiping.


    Even though Gwendolyn was puzzled as to what was going on, she was, at heart, not interested in


    rumors and gossip.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, have you heard of the morning news?¡±


    Joanne came over to sit beside Gwendolyn with two other assistants she was on good terms with.


    ¡°What news?¡±


    Upon hearing that answer from Gwendolyn, Joanne raised her brows and eximed enthusiastically,


    Chapter 38 Unbelievable


    ¡°You know about the Mossey family¡¯s daughter¡¯s ident, right? It¡¯s only been a few days, but the


    Mosseys are announcing that they¡¯ll be bringing their second daughter, who¡¯s recuperating overseas


    from her illness, back to the country.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not even lift her head as she focused on eating. ¡°What¡¯s interesting about that?¡±


    ¡°Do you know who the other daughter is? She¡¯s the one who Wright Construction Group¡¯s CEO just


    announced as his fianc¨¦e a while ago! She¡¯s Natasha Mossey!¡±


    Gwendolyn stiffened.


    When Joanne finally saw a hint of reaction from Gwendolyn, she raised her voice and grew even more


    excited. ¡°Everyone¡¯s talking about how unbelievable e Mosseys are. Their eldest daughter had just


    be a vegetable a few days ago, and now, they¡¯re about to wee their youngest daughter back


    to the family here.¡±


    The other two female employees who shared a table with them joined in the discussion, talking about


    their dissatisfaction with the Mossey family¡¯s actions. They even boldly spected that Natasha¡¯s


    identity wasn¡¯t as simple as the one the Mosseys announced to the public.


    The news spread like wildfire, and everyone was talking about it, holding different opinions.


    Gwendolyn merely listened to them wordlessly and did not join in the discussion.


    Suddenly, she recalled the words Natasha had said to her at Bay Vi.


    It seems like Inez¡¯s drunk driving incident isn¡¯t simply an ident. Now that Natasha¡¯s illegitimate


    status has turned legitimate, what else is she going to do next?

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Chapter 39 Missing Out


    After her meal at the cafeteria. Gwendolyn went back to her office to work.


    Despite everything that had happened, her earlier thoughts about the Mossey family were merely


    spections with no proof. She couldn¡¯t be bothered to spend time looking for proof.


    However, she would not remain indifferent toward the matter if Natasha were toe and mess with


    her.


    Duringte afternoon, Joaquin called.


    The moment she picked up the call, Joaquin uttered in a sweet voice, ¡°Gwendolyn, are you free


    tonight?¡±


    Gwendolyn continued typing away on her keyboard as she curtly answered, ¡°No.¡±


    Joaquin pouted and went on about the reason he called. ¡°There¡¯s a Mossey family event I have to


    attend tonight. I¡¯ve already worked for seven to eight days consecutively. You¡¯ve got to give me a


    break, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Joaquin was taken aback by her swift response. Tentatively, he asked, ¡°Then may I invite you to be my


    femalepanion for tonight¡¯s event?¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips and looked away for a brief moment, seemingly mulling over something.


    A beatter, she said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    She ended the call right after giving an affirmative response.


    On the other end of the line, Joaquin could onlyment under his breath about how aloof and heartless


    Gwendolyn was.


    Gwendolyn wasn¡¯t nning on attending the event, but since Joaquin had invited her, she decided to


    go take a look.


    Half an hourter. Joanne knocked on the door and entered. She then put an exquisitely-wrapped gift


    box onto Gwendolyn¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, someone delivered this here saying that it¡¯s for you.¡±


    ¡°All right. You can go back to work.¡±


    Once Joanne was gone, Gwendolyn stood up to open the box.


    It was a dress, and its style was of her preference. Joaquin¡¯s quite enthusiastic about this. He even


    bought me a dress.


    Chuckling quietly, she shook her head and put the dress back into the box before returning to her work.


    When working hours were over, most of the employees started packing in preparation to head home.


    Gwendolyn urged those who liked working overtime to head home as well. Only when most people in


    Chapter 39 Missing Out


    the office were gone did Gwendolyn finally take the elevator down.


    Joaquin, who drove a silver-gray Maybach, had been waiting for Gwendolyn by the entrance of Angle¡¯s


    building for a while.


    When he saw a lone figure walking out of the building he instinctively stole a nce at it.


    The person was none other than Gwendolyn, and that single nce at her was enough to mesmerize


    him so much that he could not bring himself to tear his eyes away from her.


    The snow-white dress entuated her beauty, making her appear far more charming than usual. She


    was even prettier than those popr actresses on television.


    Unfortunately, Gwendolyn was not interested in bing a celebrity.


    Joaquin clicked his tongue in appreciation before jogging toward her with a smile. Reaching out for her


    hand like a gentleman, he then said respectfully, ¡°Your Majesty, it is my honor to be able to attend. the


    banquet with you.¡±


    Gwendolyn snorted and smacked his head. ¡°Don¡¯t be cheeky.¡±


    Joaquin held his head and muttered miserably. ¡°But m telling the truth¡­¡±


    When he saw Gwendolyn walking toward the car, he hastily opened the door for her and continued


    admiring her beautiful features. ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯ve got a good eye. You look stunning in this dress.¡±


    Gwendolyn froze in her tracks.


    Then, she turned to give him a confused look. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who picked this and sent it to me?¡±


    Puzzled by her question, Joaquin soon felt a wave of awkwardness wash over him. ¡°I wanted to pick a


    dress for you, but I was so busy with filming I forgot about it.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression turned grim.


    The box that contained the dress didn¡¯t have a name on it, and she had assumed that it was Joaquin


    who gifted her the dress because she had just talked on the phone with him.


    Hm¡­ This is getting interesting.


    Thinking that Gwendolyn was angry with him, Joaquin meekly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Gwendolyn?¡±


    Gwendolyn did not respond to that. She curled her rosy lips and said, ¡°Come on. If we¡¯rete, we¡¯ll


    miss out on the show.¡±


    Meanwhile, Natasha was still doing her makeup in the dressing room on the second floor of the


    Mossey residence. She had been making preparations since noon, for she had to make sure that she


    was going to be the center of attention that night.


    Sheralyn was sitting beside her, rambling on. ¡°If not for your invitation letter, I have no idea how long


    my brother¡¯s going to keep me grounded. You know, those old ones at the Wright residence are


    keeping such a close eye on me. I was rotting in my own room!¡±


    Natasha smiled and consoled, ¡°But here you are now outside! I doubt Mave¡¯s going to keep you


    3.21 Mon, May


    Chapter 39 Missing Out


    locked up anymore.¡±


    ¡°Who knows, really? My brother has a heart made of stone. He¡¯s very stubborn.¡± Sheralyn¡¯s frown.


    deepened as she continuedining, ¡°You too. What are you busy withtely? You¡¯re not even


    picking up my calls. I was starting to wonder if you¡¯ve betrayed me.¡±


    Natasha¡¯s expression froze. Then, she held Sheralyn¡¯s hand and said affectionately, ¡°How can I


    possibly do that to you? I¡¯ve always thought of you as my best friend. I¡¯d be upset if you think of me in


    that way.¡±


    Sheralyn believed it when she saw how sincere Natasha looked. ¡°It was just a passing thought. Don¡¯t


    take it to heart. Still, I have to congratte you. You can join our family as the Mossey family¡¯s daughter


    in the future. That way, you¡¯re an even better match for Maverick.¡±


    For a second, the look in Natasha¡¯s eyes turned icy, but when Sheralyn turned toward her, she put on a


    gentle smile again.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sheralyn did not notice that, and she continued talking.


    ¡°Speaking of which, now that you¡¯re the Mosseys¡¯ daughter and the future heiress of the Mossey family,


    you have an impressive status. How can that bitch Gwendolynpete against you?¡±


    Natasha was thrilled and honored to hear those words!


    Right as she was about to y her usual pretentious role, a noise sounded at the doorway of the room.


    It sounded as if something had fallen.


    The two women shared a look before standing up and walking over to open the door.


    As it turned out, the maid who hade to deliver the dress had identally knocked into the


    cleaner¡¯s cart. Everything had fallen to the ground, and the maid was helping the cleaner pick things


    1.


    Sheralyn pinched her nose in disgust. ¡°Gosh, what happened? This is revolting.¡±


    The cleaner fearfully apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Natasha. We¡¯ll be done soon, and we won¡¯t dirty your


    doorstep.¡±


    Natasha furrowed her brows in aversion, but she could not simply start berating the two because


    Sheralyn was still around. Hence, she squeezed out a smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not a big deal.


    There are plenty of guests here today, so do clean up as quickly as you can.¡±


    Then, turning to the maid, she said, ¡°Bring in the tailored clothes now so that we won¡¯t bete.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    With that, the maid quickly picked up the unscathed gift box and entered the dressing room.


    When the box was opened, they were greeted by the sight of a white haute couture dress.


    Sheralyn was astounded by its beauty. ¡°Wow, this dress is amazing. This is the work of a certain


    famous designer abroad, right? You¡¯re indeed the star of the banquet tonight, Natasha. Your parents


    dote on you so much. I¡¯m jealous!¡±


    13.


    Ton, May


    Chapter 39 Missing Out


    Sheralyn¡¯s praises made Natasha gleeful, but she maintained a humble smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.


    really. Sheralyn, you¡¯re the one who is the apple of your parents¡¯ eyes.¡±


    The two of them continued singing praises of each other. Sheralyn even took a few photos of them to


    post on her Twitter with the caption: Bestie¡¯s wee party today. She looks phenomenal!


    Sheralyn¡¯s fans were quick to flood thement section as they praised the two women¡¯s beauty.


    Sheralyn, who had not gone out for a while, was bearring proudly after seeing thements.


    Meanwhile, Natasha was thinking of ways to get Sheralyn out of the room while keeping a polite smile


    on her face. ¡°Sheralyn, can you take a look at the number of guests outside? Let me know if the


    banquet is about to start.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Once Sheralyn was gone, Natasha hastily made a call.


    ¡°How are things on that b*tch¡¯s side? Everything¡¯s going to go smoothly tonight, right?¡±


    Eloise sounded confident as she said, ¡°Yes, my men¡¯s keeping an eye on her. Things are going to go.


    smoothly. Just you watch.¡±


    Natasha could finally be at case upon hearing her words.


    She could not suppress the growing excitement in her at the thought of how things were going to y


    out in a while.


    Tonight, I¡¯m going to use that b*tch as my stepping stone and be the number-one socialite in


    Faike!

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    Chapter 40 The Counterfeit


    At eight in the evening, the guests had all arrived at the Mossey residence. Other than the Mossey


    family¡¯s rtives, those who came were all people from the upper-ss society.


    Madelyn was quietly standing beside Jerome, smiling and greeting the guests every once in a while.


    However, she was not at all happy. Her daughter was still in aa, but Jerome was already trying to


    bring his illegitimate daughter into the family and even forced her to take Natasha as her own daughter.


    She was livid.


    Yet, she knew that the only way to prevent the Mossey family from going to ruins was to listen to


    Jerome, for they did not have a son, and her only daughter was currently unconscious.


    Therefore, no matter how averse she was to the situation, she had to pretend as though she adored.


    Natasha.


    ¡°Look! It¡¯s Ms. Natasha!¡± someone cried out, and everyone in the hall instantly turned to look at the


    second floor, where the spotlight was aimed at


    Natasha had delicate makeup and an elegant smile on her face. Her haute couture dress only made


    her look even more poised.


    Every step she took as she came down the stairs was filled with grace.


    The crowd immediately cheered and pped, surrounding the new future heiress of the family.


    One of the richdies said to Madelyn, ¡°Mrs. Mossey, you¡¯re blessed. Even your younger daughter is


    wonderful. Moreover, her fianc¨¦ is Wright Construction Group¡¯s CEO. How jealous you make others!¡±


    Another rich woman quickly chimed in to curry favor with Madelyn. ¡°That¡¯s right. Mr. Wright¡¯s young,


    handsome, and capable. They¡¯re truly a match made in heaven. You¡¯re so lucky, Mrs. Mossey!¡±


    ¡°No, no, of course not. I¡¯m not as lucky as you-the two of you have both a son and a daughter.¡±


    Madelyn uttered smilingly as she discreetly clenched her fists.


    Said CEO of Wright Construction Group was currently sitting in silence, his face devoid of expression.


    Even though he did not say a word, the noble way he carried himself made it difficult for others around


    him to ignore his presence.


    In the meantime, Natasha was reveling in everyone¡¯s gazes of admiration and jealousy. Their envy and


    attention boosted her ego.


    Moreover, many young men from wealthy families had their gazes fixed on her ever since she


    appeared.


    Natasha noticed their gazes too, and she deliberately took her time walking down the stairs.


    However, midway down, anothermotion urrel among the crowd.


    Someone yelled, ¡°Mr. Joaquin¡¯s here!¡±


    Everyone whipped their heads to look at the entrance


    Chapter 40 The Counterfeit


    The young and handsome Joaquin strode down the red carpet and into the building while holding


    hands with his femalepanion. As he was both a celebrity and the youngest son of the Zipper


    family, his appearance made the crowd even more excited.


    Then, they noticed the woman by his side-Gwendolyn.


    Her white dress made her fair skin glow even more, and although her makeup was light, it was


    surprisingly a perfect match for her dress of that day.


    When she approached the crowd, she seemed like an elegant angel descending from heaven.


    The crowd gasped in awe, and no one paid any more attention to Natasha.


    Natasha, who was still halfway down the stairs, had never expected Gwendolyn¡¯s appearance to


    instantly draw everyone¡¯s attention away from her.


    At present, she stood awkwardly on the stairs while everyone ignored her, unsure whether it would be


    better for her to head back upstairs or to continue her miserable way down. Anger flooded her veins.


    and almost suffocated her.


    What shocked her even more was the fact that Gwendolyn still looked fetching despite wearing a


    counterfeit dress.


    I spent the whole afternoon on this makeup, but it¡¯s no match for light makeup like hers? Why? Which


    part of me is worse than this b*tch?


    Furious, Natasha gritted her teeth, but she quickly rposed herself and cleared her throat in an


    attempt to salvage the situation.


    One of the guests who was standing close to her turned around and noticed something amiss.


    She yelled, ¡°Look! Mr. Joaquin¡¯spanion is wearing the same haute couture dress as Ms. Natasha!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right! The one who looks lousier should be embarrassed¡­ Mr. Joaquin¡¯spanion is


    breathtaking. I¡¯ve totally forgotten how Ms. Natasha looks today.¡±


    The guests began looking back and forth, sizing Gwendolyn and Natasha up.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s confidence and charm made Natasha seem mediocre at best, unfortunately. She was


    utterly defeated by Gwendolyn.


    Natasha nearly burst a blood vessel when she realized how things had turned out.


    This is not what I wanted!


    Soon, another person noticed something else that was off.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that dress a work by a famous overseas designer, Ms. Z? That¡¯s First Snow, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, it really is Ms. Z¡¯sFirst Snow!¡±


    ¡°But Ms. Z only makes one dress for each design. It¡¯s hard to get your hands on one of her works even


    if you¡¯re rich, so why are there two First Snows here today?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s the one wearing the counterfeit?¡±


    13.22


    Chapter 40 The Counterfeit


    The crowd gasped, pushing the discussion to its climax.


    The existence of two identical dresses meant that one had to be a counterfeit product.


    When Natasha saw that things were going back on the right track, she sighed in relief.


    Meanwhile, Jerome and


    Madelyn


    ¡°¡®ere astonished.


    They never expected such an incident to happen when the banquet was progressing smoothly.


    0


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    The guests chattered away, and chaos


    soon ensued in the hall.


    They were all from wealthy families, and they all despised counterfeits of high-end products.


    Fearing that the situation might get ugly and spiral out of control, Madelyn walked over to the stage


    where the microphone was positioned.


    ¡°My sincerest apologies for this to have happened today. I¡¯m surprised, too, but let me exin things to


    you. The dress that my daughter is wearing cost thirty million, and I had it shipped over after calling Ms.


    Z myself. So, there is no way the dress is fake.¡±


    Once again, the people began discussing with each other.


    ¡°Thirty million for a dress?¡±


    ¡°Looks like the Mossey couple really does love their youngest daughter!¡±


    Then, they once again turned to look at Natasha in envy.


    Noticing their gazes, Natasha steadily walked over to the stage and stood beside Madelyn.


    A courteous smile then emerged on her face as she showed the crowd how a socialite from the


    Mossey family should behave.


    Everyone in the room believed Madelyn¡¯s exnation, so they were certain that the dress Gwendolyn


    was wearing was a counterfeit.


    Joaquin took a step forward to shield Gwendolyn from the burning, malicious gazes directed at her.


    He then turned to Madelyn and snorted. ¡°Mrs. Mossey, are you trying to say that the dress my


    companion is wearing is a counterfeit?¡±


    Madelyn was rendered speechless.


    Jerome panicked.


    What do we do? If we say that Mr. Joaquin¡¯spanion is gearing a counterfeit, the Zipper family¡¯s


    going to be humiliated. If that happens, the Zippers are bound to make things difficult for us in our


    future coborations. But if I say that Natasha is wearing a counterfeit dress, our family¡¯s reputation will


    suffer, and we¡¯ll have a hard time retaining our position in the upper-ss social circle from then on.


    Regardless of what he chose to do, the Mossey family was going to suffer losses. Jerome was


    stumped. He never thought that the banquet would end up like this.


    Right as everyone was whispering to each other and guessing which dress was the counterfeit,


    Sheralyn


    Chapter 40 The Counterfeit


    abruptly stood up.


    ¡°Did you buy the dress for her yourself, Mr. Joaquin?¡±


    Joaquin truthfully replied, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then that sounds about right. You must have been tricked by her, Mr. Joaquin.¡±


    Sheralyn grinned before turning to the guests and exining, ¡°I¡¯m sure no one here knows who this


    woman is. She¡¯s an orphan who my grandpa brought back from the orphanage. Her name is


    Gwendolyn Shalders. Even back when she was still living at my ce, she loved to steal. If it weren¡¯t


    for my mother¡¯s kind heart, we would have kicked her out a long time ago. How can someone as


    immoral. as her get her hands on one of Ms. Z¡¯s dresses? In other words, what she¡¯s wearing is


    definitely at counterfeit!¡±


    739

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    Chapter 41 A Challenge


    After Sheralyn said that, everyone was shocked.


    Instantly, they looked at Gwendolyn oddly.


    As Joaquin knew Gwendolyn¡¯s identity, he was instantly infuriated. ¡°Who do you think you are? You


    have no right to speak nonsense about mypanion!¡±


    When Sheralyn saw Joaquin still taking Gwendolyn¡¯s side even under such circumstances, she was


    pissed and jealous at the same time.


    Nevertheless, she did not dare to offend the fiery Joaquin. Suppressing her anger, she said, ¡°Mr.


    Joaquin, you¡¯re being fooled by this woman. She¡¯s very good at pretending to be innocent and


    seducing men. My grandpa was totally deceived by her before this!¡±


    ¡°Shut your trap! Gwendolyn is-¡±


    Joaquin stopped mid-sentence and turned around when he felt Gwendolyn pinching his arm hard. She


    frowned at him, shaking her head with an unreadable look in her eyes.


    Maverick, who remained silent among the crowd all this time, saw the two¡¯s discreet interaction clearly.


    Instinctively, he furrowed his eyebrows.


    Having received Gwendolyn¡¯s signal, Joaquin kept mum.


    Gwendolyn walked past him and stared straight at Sheralyn with a smile. ¡°It seems like you didn¡¯t learn.


    your lessonst time since you still have the energy to gossip about others.¡±


    Her gaze sent chills running down Sheralyn¡¯s spine.


    Since they were in public and standing far apart from each other, Sheralyn figured Gwendolyn wouldn¡¯t


    dare to do anything extreme. She mustered her courage and used, ¡°Bold of you to mention that!


    You acted so brazenlyst time just because you have a sugar daddy. Not only did you barge into my


    house and make a huge mess, but you¡±


    ¡°Sheralyn Wright.¡±


    Just then, Maverick¡¯s calm voice sounded, calling Sheralyn¡¯s name.


    Upon hearing that, Sheralyn shuddered. Whenever Maverick called her by her full name, it meant that


    he was really mad.


    Though she was unwilling to give in, she had no choice but to gloss over the previous incident and get


    back to the topic.


    ¡°Anyway, you are wearing a counterfeit. Rather than getting humiliatedter, you¡¯d better just admit it


    now!¡±


    Gwendolyn did not say a word in response.


    On the stage, Natasha took the microphone and chimed in, ¡°Gwendolyn, if you really like Ms. Z¡¯s First


    Snow, I can gift it to you afterward. Today is my special day, and I don¡¯t want any conflict to arise


    because of this matter. I¡¯ll ask the housekeeper to help you change into something else, all right?¡±


    Chapter 41 A Challenge


    Not only did she put herself in a good light with her kind and generous words, but she also subtly.


    confirmed that Gwendolyn¡¯s outfit was indeed a counterfeit.


    Immediately, Jerome shot Madelyn a look.


    Madelyn summoned the housekeepers right away and instructed, ¡°Hurry and lead the guest to the


    guest room.¡±


    Two housekeepers stepped forward and headed toward the red carpet to lead Gwendolyn away.


    At that moment, every guest present believed that Gwendolyn was wearing a high-quality counterfeit.


    Nobody spoke up for her, and they all looked at her with disdain and disgust.


    After all, Natasha was the Mossey family¡¯s daughter, while Gwendolyn grew up in the orphanage. With


    the huge gap between their status, there was no doubt who was wearing the authentic dress.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Gwendolyn finally piped up when the housekeepers approached her.


    She curled her lips upward and looked at Natasha tenderly. ¡°Ms. Z¡¯s gowns usually have a great fit, and


    every piece of clothing she designs has unique stitching. No matter how well-made a counterfeit is,


    they can only imitate her gown¡¯s fit but not the stitching.¡±


    Her words confused Natasha. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    As Gwendolyn smiled again, the poise she gave off seemed innate.


    ¡°You insist that you are wearing the authentic piece. Since that¡¯s the case, would you dare topete


    with me and dance to ¡®Lover?¡±


    ¡°Lover¡± was a song that could show off the various sides of a woman-gentleness, wildness, and


    willfulness. Due to itsplicated steps and constant tempo changes, it was the most challenging


    song for tango dancers to perform. Once they got distracted, it would be difficult for them to find the


    beat again.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Thus, everyone was staggered to hear Gwendolyn.


    Is this woman crazy? Where did she get the confidence to challenge Natasha? Hasn¡¯t she gotten


    enough humiliation for the day?


    After the high-intensity choreography of ¡°Lover,¡± the counterfeit gown would surely fall apart due to its


    sloppy stitching.


    That would be terribly embarrassing for the wearer, considering the number of people watching.


    Nheless, since Gwendolyn volunteered, the crowd was eager to see what would happen.


    Feeling bewildered, Natasha met Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes with a frown.


    How is she so sure that she¡¯s wearing the authentic dress? Besides, when did she learn tango?


    Tango was considered a dance of the upper-ss circle. Even Natasha herself had just mastered it.


    She could barely remember the dance steps of ¡°Lover¡± because of how difficult it was.


    What if she really knows how to dance and dances better than me?


    Chapter 41 A Challenge


    Natasha felt uneasy.


    Noticing her silence, Gwendolyn grinned and added, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Ms. Mossey? Are you


    scared?¡±


    She was obviously provoking Natasha. If Natasha did not ept the proposition, people would


    certainly look down on her and even find her fishy.


    At that moment, Sheralyn stepped forward and expressed her support for Natasha. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared,


    Natasha. Compete with her! Since she¡¯s the one who brought it up, let her dance first and fulfill her


    wish to be a disgrace in public!¡±


    Natasha¡¯s eyes lit up at that. Right! I almost forgot. Gwendolyn is wearing a fake. Regardless of how


    good she could be at dancing, her gown will fall apart, and she will be humiliated.


    After thinking it through, Natasha spoke into the microphone. ¡°Since you insist, I guess we can


    entertain our guests today with our performance.¡±


    With that, she held the hem of her gown and curtsied at the crowd with an elegant smile.


    Evidently impressed by her behavior, the guests had high hopes for her.


    In the end, Natasha decided to go first.


    There¡¯s no doubt Gwendolyn will make a fool out of herself. If she dances first, no one will be interested


    to focus on my wonderful performance! It will be better if I go before her. That way, I will be in the


    spotlight.


    As ¡°Lover¡± was a partner dance, Natasha instinctively look


    in


    Bowever, his seat was empty, and he was nowhere


    to ¡°Verick¡¯s direction.


    Natasha couldn¡¯t possibly run outside to look for him in front of so many people, so she could only pick


    the most good-looking male partner from the noblemen who invited her to dance.


    The music soon sounded, and the duo began swaying to the beat.


    Even though Natasha¡¯s dancing wasn¡¯t exactly spectar, she knew most of the steps. Most


    importantly, the guests cheered her on enthusiastically, taking into consideration the fact that she was


    the main character of the banquet.


    Natasha was ted at their reactions. Assuming that they were impressed by her performance, she


    began dancing more passionately.


    Yet as she followed the rhythm and lifted her arm for a certain move, a rip sounded from the inner side


    of her arm.


    The small sound was drowned out by the music, but as the wearer of the gown, Natasha heard it


    clearly. Panic filled her at that instant.


    Did my gown burst? How is that possible? My gown is definitely authentic. Is it because of my


    movement? Was it too big?


    With that in mind, she toned down her movements.


    Due to her nervousness, she missed a beat and mistakenly stretched her right foot forward, stepping


    on her partner.


    13.22 Mon, May


    Chapter 41 A Challenge


    An awkward silence fell over the ce.


    Natasha retracted her foot stiffly and ended the performance in advance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you all had to see that. It hasn¡¯t been long since I returned to the country. I only began


    learning this dance two days ago, so my performance wasn¡¯t good.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve only been learning it for two days, yet you can already dance so well. There¡¯s no need to be


    modest, Natasha. You did great!¡± Sheralyn encouraged.


    Out of respect for the Mossey family, the other guests began praising Natasha as well.


    Jerome and Madelyn immediately responded with humble smiles.


    At that, Natasha heaved a sigh of relief. She was now even more certain that the small rip was caused


    by her sudden movement. There was no way her dress was a counterfeit.


    While her performance was mediocre, she at least managed to wrap it up without any malfunctions.


    Following that, people started to study Gwendolyn with even stranger looks.


    wardrobe


    With a look of wicked anticipation, Sheralyn prompted, ¡°Natasha has finished dancing. It¡¯s your turn


    now, Gwendolyn!¡±

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Chapter 42 Surprise


    Gwendolyn maintained the calm smile on her face. ¡°Okay.¡±


    She turned to Joaquin, whose face turned pale in embarrassment. ¡°M-Ms. Shalders¡­ I don¡¯t know how


    to dance Lover. I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he mumbled.


    Gwendolyn did not say anything, nor did she intend to me him.


    The smug smile on Sheralyn¡¯s face grew wider as she mocked, ¡°It seems like Mr. Joaquin can¡¯t help.


    you. What are you going to do now? Maybe no one here wants to dance with you! Oh no, this is so


    mortifying!¡±


    Still, Gwendolyn stayed quiet and instead scanned the men present.


    Charmed by her beauty, some noblemen were tempted to ask her to dance. However, since they were


    under the assumption that her gown was a fake, they stayed in their seats in the end for fear that they


    would be shamed on stage with her.


    Two minutes passed by, and no one was willing to dance with Gwendolyn.


    Seeing that, Sheralyn arched her eyebrows and grinned triumphantly.


    Just as she was about to ridicule Gwendolyn again, a deep male voice sounded from the back of the


    crowd.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, would you like to dance with me?¡±


    Everyone turned around in the direction of the voice. Maverick had returned to the banquet hall at


    some point in time, and he was staring at Gwendolyn intently.


    In actuality, he had never left the ce and instead stayed in an inconspicuous spot for a while.


    Though he was not interested in being a part of thedies¡¯ drama, he figured there might be some


    problems with Gwendolyn¡¯s dress since Natasha had finished dancing without any issues.


    If he danced with Gwendolyn, he could help to discreetly cover her waist in case her dress burst open.


    That way, he could save her from humiliation.


    While Maverick was acting out of good intentions, cenain people did not agree with him.


    ¡°Mave¡­¡±


    ¡°Maverick!¡±


    Natasha and Sheralyn uttered almost in unison.


    ¡°Maverick, how could you help her? You¡¯re Natasha¡¯s fance, yet you¡¯re helping Gwendolyn instead.


    What will people think of Natasha? Shouldn¡¯t you at least think for her sake?¡± Sheralyn protested


    emotionally.


    Meanwhile, Natasha looked at Maverick with pitiful, red-rimmed eyes. She did not voice any


    comints, but deep inside, she was extremely annoyed.


    If Gwendolyn agrees to dance with him, how will I face everyone? I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e, yet he didn¡¯t invite


    me to dance. Instead, he¡¯s risking his dignity to dance with her! Why is he doing this?


    Chapter 42 Surprise


    At that moment, Natasha was filled with burning hatred.


    Maverick ignored the twodies¡¯ objection and looked toward Gwendolyn again, signaling her to ept


    his invitation.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    In response, Gwendolyn only nced at him once before walking toward the stage. ¡°Mr. Wright, I


    appreciate your kind offer, but no thanks. I would like to perform Lover¡¯ on my own,¡± she announced


    indifferently.


    ¡°What? Has she gone mad?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s going to perform such a difficult song on her own? And did you guys see her expression? She


    has no respect for Mr. Wright at all!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s too ignorant. I can¡¯t wait to see her make a fool out of herself.¡±


    The guests burst into an uproar and discussed heatedly while surrounding Gwendolyn.


    As Natasha secretly sighed in relief, Sheralyn smiled arrogantly. ¡°At least you¡¯re sensible enough to


    reject him.¡±


    Naturally, Maverick was unhappy to be turned down. He returned to his seat without a word, his lips.


    tightly pursed.


    Since she refuses to ept my kindness, then this matter has nothing to do with me anymore.


    As Gwendolyn stood on the stage, it seemed as if she couldn¡¯t hear the crowd¡¯s remarks about her.


    When the song started, she got in the zone right away emanating a different aura than usual.


    Noticing that she was about to begin performing, the guests quieted down to watch her in amusement.


    Seconds ticked by, and the people who were waiting to see Gwendolyn embarrass herself widened.


    their eyes in shock.


    Under the spotlight, Gwendolyn twirled along with the music.


    Her snow-white gown fluttered beautifully, making her look like a fairy under the starry sky.


    Gwendolyn seemed to be one with the music as he showed off various sides to her. She looked.


    elegant at one point and passionate at the other, and she wlessly executed even the most difficult


    moves.


    She had rearranged the partner dance and perfectly transformed the choreography into a female solo


    dance.


    It was as if the song was made just for her.


    ¡°My goodness! How is she doing that?¡±


    ¡°This is the most wonderful ¡®Lover¡¯ performance I have ever seen!¡±


    ¡°I should have invited her to dance with me a while ago. She¡¯s so beautiful! I¡¯m missing out big time!¡±


    The men who shied away from dancing with Gwendolyn earlier began sighing andmenting about


    Chapter 42 Surprise


    their terrible choice.


    How wonderful would it be if I could hold that slim waist hers!


    While some people wallowed in regret, others eximed in amazement.


    Everyone was immersed in Gwendolyn¡¯s performance.


    Maverick stared at the dazzling presence on stage, a leok of surprise fleeting across his dark eyes.


    One would need at least seven years of foundation training and repeated practice to bring forth such an


    exemry performance of the most difficult song in tango.


    She was like a mysterious treasure box. Ever since they divorced, he had been constantly discovering


    new sides of her.


    Just how many surprises does she have in store for me?


    Aside from Maverick, Natasha was also stunned. Although she stood at the backmost corner of the


    stage where the spotlights couldn¡¯t reach her, she could clearly see the astounded faces of the guests.


    Even Maverick, her most beloved man, had his gaze fixed on Gwendolyn all the time.


    Upon realizing that, Natasha gritted her teeth with anger. Jealousy and resentment were written all over


    her twisted face.


    Nheless, she calmed down in no time.


    So what if she¡¯s the center of attention now? The more amazed the guests are now, the worse her


    downfall will be!


    Soon, with the song entering its climax, the crowd held their breaths as they watched Gwendolyn spin.


    gracefully on stage. Her movement was quick and continuous. If her dress gave out at this juncture, her


    marvelous performance would be ruined.


    By then, Gwendolyn had already made dozens of spins during the climax of the music.


    While the guests were on edge, Natasha and Sheralyn could barely hide the evil excitement in their


    eyes.


    Under the tense atmosphere, Gwendolyn came to a stop as thest note fell. She stood in her spot


    firmly and steadily, ending her dance with an elegant pose.


    The performance was faultless and awe-inspiring. Unlike their initial expectation, no idents


    happened.


    After a moment of utter silence, the crowd erupted in thunderous apuse.


    Even as people showered Gwendolyn with cheers andpliments, she appeared calm and


    composed. It was as if this was just another day in her life.


    Having watched Gwendolyn, everyone could see that Natasha¡¯s performance paled inparison.


    The guests who previously showed their support for Natasha could not even bother to spare her a


    nce at the moment. All they could think about was Gwendolyn¡¯s charming dance


    Chapter 42 Surprise


    However, the conclusion of Gwendolyn¡¯s performance presented a new problem.


    Bothdies had finished dancing, but their dresses were both intact.


    There was no telling who was wearing the authentic piece.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Chapter 43 Arm Candy


    Whispers could be heard among the crowd once more. Some of them even looked up First Snow


    online in an attempt to spot differences between both garments.


    Natasha, standing at the corner of the stage, was overwhelmed with bewilderment.


    That b*tch is already done performing, yet her gown is still fine. How¡¯s that possible? I¡¯m certain that


    her garment is a fake! Why? Where did things go wrong?


    Even though she knew she had been outshined by Gwendolyn as well as had her thunder stolen.


    Natasha still could not ept the reality.


    Thus, she ran toward Gwendolyn to see what kind of sorcery thetter had done on the counterfeit.


    garment.


    Natasha had just gotten midway across the stage, barely even able to touch Gwendolyn, when a loud


    tearing sound echoed throughout the room. Due to her vigorous movements, the seam of the dress.


    she was wearing had ripped from her waistline to her hip..


    Given that there was no background music ying at the venue, the ripping sound was loud and


    prating. In a split second, all eyes were riveted on Natasha.


    By the time she reacted to cover the tear in her dress with her hands, it had been toote.


    The long split in the seam of her gown¡¯s waistline ran from under her arm to her hip, leaving her crotch


    area exposed. The pink underclothes she wore were exposed under the spotlight for everyone


    to see.


    Natasha¡¯s face was deathly pale as panic washed over her.


    She subconsciously squatted down in an effort to cover herself, but it was to no avail. Her posture only


    served to make the tear worse.


    As such, her pink underwear could be seen clearly by everyone below the stage as well.


    It was truly a sight to behold.


    Immediately afterward, peals ofughter erupted from the crowd as they all noticed she was wearing


    matching undergarments.


    Sneers and derision surrounded her.


    ¡°Haha! The Mossey family has really put on a good show this time!¡±


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this shocking! The Mossey family¡¯s second daughter is wearing a high-quality imitation


    dress to a banquet! She has to be the first person to be this confident about it!¡±


    ¡°I know, right? She even offended Mr. Joaquin¡¯spanion. Where did she get the audacity from?¡±


    ¡°This is hrious! It¡¯s one thing to dance horribly like an eyesore, but she¡¯s wearing fakes too? Does the


    Mossey family think we¡¯re blind?¡±


    The ridicule and doubt in their voices sounded very sharp.


    13-22 Mon, May


    Chapter 43 Arm Candy


    Prior to that, those people had sung Natasha¡¯s praises to get into the Mossey family¡¯s good graces.


    Yet, the very group jumped at the opportunity to trample on her.


    When Natasha heard those scornful voices mocking her mercilessly, she let out a sharp cry.


    Tears welled up in her eyes. Even though she looked a sorry sight, nobody took pity on her.


    ¡°No! That¡¯s not true! How can this be a high-quality imitation? This is impossible!¡±


    Natasha repeatedly shook her head in disbelief.


    Suddenly, a sh of bright light blinded her.


    She absentmindedly looked in the direction of the sh, only to see Gwendolyn, who was standing on


    the stage with her, taking pictures of her in her worst state.


    How dare she take such ugly pictures of me in front of everyone?


    Gwendolyn was less than a meter away from Natasha. The snow-white gown that she wore sparkled


    under the spotlight, giving her a regal bearing. When she turned to look at thetter, an icy and haughty


    grin was etched onto her face.


    This b*tch has no right to be this arrogant!


    At that point, Natasha¡¯s fury prevailed over her sanity, and she immediately rushed toward Gwendolyn,


    shouting. ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it? You¡¯re the one responsible! Why did you do this? You are so wicked!¡±


    Upon realizing things were getting out of hand, Jerome hurriedly gestured to Madelyn, who was still


    struggling to fathom how she had spent thirty million on a high-quality imitation, to hold Natasha


    back.


    Only then did Madelyn return to her senses and bring two housekeepers with her.


    However, the fight would likely be over by the time they approached.


    Striding forward with his long legs, Maverick made his way onto the stage and nted himself firmly


    between the two women.


    When Natasha saw him, she felt like she had crawled out of a desert and into an oasis.


    Without so much care toward her current appearance she flung herself at him andmented, ¡°Mave,


    you have to believe me! She set me up! It has to be her.¡± With a sharp cry and shaking hands, she


    pointed at Gwendolyn and continued, ¡°My family spent thirty million on First Snow! How can it possibly


    be a fake? She must¡¯ve swapped them out while I wasn¡¯t looking!¡±


    Maverick listened to her outburst quietly, but his inscrutable gaze was directed at Gwendolyn the


    whole time.


    Jerome quickly held the microphone and tried to pour oil on troubled waters. ¡°I apologize for the


    commotion, everyone. I think my daughter is a little emotional tonight. I will have my wife bring her to


    her room and calm her down before she makes another appearance. Regarding the imitation of First


    Snow, we are as puzzled as you are. The thirty million in payment was indeed credited to Ms. Z¡¯s


    ount. This information can be verified, but we have no idea how things turned out this way. I¡¯ll be


    sure to look into this thoroughly and give everyone a much-needed exnation.¡±


    13.22 Mon, Ma


    Chapter 43 Arm Candy


    As he spoke, he gave a slight bow at the audience before shooting Madelyn a harsh re. ¡°Get


    moving!¡±


    His wife nodded repeatedly and motioned for the housekeepers to bring Natasha upstairs by force.


    The hubbub still did not die down even when Natasha¡¯s cries could no longer be heard.


    Jerome swept his gaze across the crowd, feeling even more dissatisfied with Natasha¡¯s behavior.


    He thought that epting his illegitimate daughter into the Mossey family could save Mossey Group.


    To his dismay, his decision turned out to be a disaster.


    Natasha made an exhibition of herself the moment she arrived!


    At that moment, he was beside himself with regret.


    There were no longer any spotlights directed at the stage. Since the guests were also busy discussing


    Natasha¡¯s ¡°ident,¡± their attention on Gwendolyn gradually waned.


    Gwendolyn turned around and prepared to walk off the stage, but out of the corner of her eye, she


    glimpsed that a certain someone had had his gaze pinned on her the entire time.


    Maverick¡¯s thin lips were tightly pressed together. It was hard to tell if he was angry or just pensive.


    Gwendolyn was not happy at being stared at thus. With her arms crossed, she shed him a


    meaningful smile and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you upset that your fianc¨¦e¡¯s thunder was


    stolen? Are you trying to get it back?¡±


    Maverick was still looking at her unblinkingly, giving her the once-over. The emotion in his eyes


    suddenly became imprable.


    Gwendolyn could not understand the meaning behind his gaze, nor did she have an interest in finding.


    out


    She was just about to leave when she heard him ask, ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    There was a hint of concern in his deep voice.


    Gwendolyn was not used to hearing him speak in that way.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°What could possibly happen to me? I¡¯m doing very well after watching such a spectacr show of


    someone being hoisted by their own petard.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, she retracted her gaze and left the stage to look for Joaquin.


    Even though she had turned around, Gwendolyn could still feel someone¡¯s gaze boring right into her


    back. The ceriness from it prompted her to pick up her pace subconsciously.


    With Natasha away and Jerome entertaining the guests very well, soon, nobody was interested in


    gossiping anymore.


    After all, they were guests in someone else¡¯s residence It was not prudent to be so forting about


    such an embarrassing affair.


    Barely an hour had passed when the atmosphere at the banquet gradually returned to normal.


    13.2.


    May


    Chapter 43 Arm Candy


    Due to the incident, Joaquin turned into Gwendolyn¡¯s admirer. Leaning close to her, he looked at her


    with star-struck eyes and said, ¡°My Queen, are youcking in arm candy? A man like me is soft, gentle,


    and the most obedient. Won¡¯t you consider me once more?¡±


    Maverick, who was socializing among the crowd, stood not too far away from them. As of then, he was


    quietly observing the interaction between Joaquin and Gwendolyn.


    When he heard what Joaquin had said, his expression darkened considerably.


    Using a finger, Gwendolyn pushed joaquin away in disgust. ¡°Go and find someone else to y with. I¡¯m


    not interested in a brat like you who isn¡¯t even of marriageable age.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression then rxed, and he continued to mingle with the other CEOs present.


    Joaquin, on the other hand, died a little on the inside.


    He snorted angrily twice and eximed. ¡°I don¡¯t care. If you¡¯re still not married when I be of


    marriageable age in a few years, I¡¯ll definitely wed you¡±


    Seeing that he was in high spirits, Gwendolyn could only smile in resignation and shake her head.


    When Jerome noticed that the situation was finally under control, he decided to draw everyone¡¯s


    attention to the real reason why the banquet was held He walked onto the stage with the microphone.


    and said, ¡°I¡¯m thrilled that everyone¡¯s here to attend my daughter¡¯s wee party. Apart from the


    general merrymaking, I¡¯ve invited you all over because I have an announcement to make! It is very


    important to Mossey Group.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    Chapter 44 Ugly Photos


    Jerome paused, and the


    Crowd fell silent as they waited expectantly for him to continue.


    All of a sudden, his expression became quite grave. ¡°I believe that everyone is aware of what


    happened. to Mossey Group a few days ago. I am devastated by it, but for Mossey Group to continue


    to prosper, I have decided to make this announcement tonight, The new heir to thepany is none


    other than Natasha.¡±


    At the end of his speech, he turned around and motioned for the crowd to look up.


    Natasha had already changed into a pastel yellow gown, the fluffy curls of her hair sitting perfectly on


    her right shoulder. Even her makeup had been touched-up, making her seem more refined.


    A smile was etched onto her gentle and elegant face. It was as if the incident from before had not


    urred at all.


    When the guests saw her, they promptly began to apud.


    Given the incident from earlier, Natasha repressed her willfulness and walked down the stairs at a


    measured pace. She slowly made her way to Jerome to give him a big hug which showcased their


    familial ties.


    Afterward, Jerome walked away and let her take the stage.


    Natasha held the microphone in her hands. Under the spotlight, her eyes appeared reddened, and she


    could not contain her excitement.


    ¡°I would like to thank my parents for giving me the opportunity to make contributions to Mossey Group.


    I will do my best to learn the ropes and bring thepany to greater heights. I would also like to thank


    everyone for attending the banquet this evening. I hope that you all have a lovely time.¡±


    Thinking that Natasha¡¯s speech was over, the guests below apuded again.


    However, she was merely taking a breather. With visible embarrassment on her face, she continued to


    speak.


    ¡°I do think that many of you are aware of this, but I want to extend this invitation to everyone while I


    have the chance. In one month¡¯s time, I will be engaged to the CEO of Wright Construction Group.


    Maverick Wright. The engagement ceremony will be held at The East, and I hope that everyone will


    attend to bear witness to our love.¡±


    Bliss was written all over Natasha¡¯s face as she said those words, and she gazed sweetly at Maverick.


    However, from the corner of her eye, she stole a nce at Gwendolyn.


    When Joaquin heard the announcement, he subconsciously turned to look at Gwendolyn.


    The woman had an impassive expression on her face as she sipped leisurely at her ss of wine.


    Still somewhat worried, he tried tofort her. ¡°Gwendolyn, this scumbag isn¡¯t worth it. He hasn¡¯t even


    been divorced for that long, yet he¡¯s getting engaged so soon. It¡¯s good that you left him. Also, what¡¯s


    Ms. Mossey¡¯s problem? It¡¯s clear that she¡¯s trying to humiliate you by deliberately announcing the


    engagement in front of everyone at the banquet. What a scheming b*tch.¡±


    His grumble amused Gwendolyn, who chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve hit the nail on the head, so there¡¯s nothing


    13.22 Mon, May


    Chapter 44 Ugly Photos


    else that I can say.¡±


    From the stage. Natasha could clearly see both Gwendolyn and Joaquinughing and chattering away.


    This b*tch is acting all nonchnt. Does she think I¡¯m nothing to her?


    A hint of malice shed across her eyes.


    After giving a small bow to the crowd, she got off the stage to mingle with the guests.


    Under Madelyn¡¯s lead, Natasha greeted everyone politely. A staff member followed them around with a


    bottle of wine, ready to top off their sses in the event of a toast.


    One group after another, Natasha offered toast to guests clustered into knots to chat.


    Very quickly, she arrived where Gwendolyn was sitting.


    After interacting with everyone else in the group. Natasha raised her ss and looked at Gwendolyn


    with aposed expression.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, there was some friction between us carlier, but I do think you¡¯re a magnanimous person


    won¡¯t fuss over such small matters.¡±


    whe


    Gwendolyn also raised her wine ss and leveled her gaze at Natasha. With a quirk of her red lips,


    she, replied, ¡°Then, perhaps you don¡¯t know me as well as you think, Ms. Mossey. I am a very


    vindictive person, and I always believe in taking revenge.¡±


    Natasha¡¯s smile faltered slightly, but she soon smiled even brighter and leaned over to Gwendolyn¡¯s


    ear slowly.


    From the onlookers¡¯ point of view, they seemed to get along quite well.


    ¡°I bet you feel wretched after hearing me share my love story with Mave. You suffered in the Wright


    family for him for three years, but you have nothing to show for it. Tsk, tsk. You¡¯re so pitiful.¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Natasha smiled gaily at Gwendolyn, but her words contained nothing but disdain.


    Thetter sneered at her in return. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to burst your bubble, but I don¡¯t recall seeing much love


    between you and Mr. Wright. All I know is that you have terrible eyesight and can¡¯t tell between what¡¯s


    real and what¡¯s not. I¡¯m willing to bet your taste in men is equally questionable.¡±


    Natasha¡¯s smile froze. The humiliation she endured earlier still lingered in her mind.


    Visibly enraged, she tightened her grip around the wine ss and lowered her voice into a harsh


    whisper. ¡°Don¡¯t be toocent. There¡¯s no telling who will win or lose. I¡¯m not going to let you off


    the hook so easily!¡±


    Natasha smiled so innocuously, yet she let out the genilest outburst ever.


    Gwendolyn arched a browzily and uttered, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting, but before that, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like


    to share with you.¡±


    Natasha took two steps backward to maintain a suitable distance between them. ¡°What would that be?¡±


    she asked suspiciously.


    Chapter 44 Ugly Photos


    To everyone else, it looked as if they had just finished whispering to each other.


    Gwendolyn unlocked her phone and showed Natasha specific picture. ¡°Isn¡¯t this amusing?¡± she


    queried, quirking her lips into a yful smile.


    ¡°Why, you!¡±


    All it took was a single nce at the picture for Natasha¡¯s blood to boil. She could no longer suppress


    her rage.


    This b*tch! How dare she use ugly photos of me to taunt me


    Natasha was so furious that she subconsciously reached out to grab the phone.


    However, Gwendolyn forestalled her by putting the phone away.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Natasha shrieked.


    The fact that she failed to snatch the phone sent another wave of fury crashing through her. Unwilling


    to let things slide, she instinctively sshed the wine in her ss at Gwendolyn.


    Joaquin, who was sitting right beside Gwendolyn, saw everything clearly. His expression changed, and


    he was prepared to rise to his feet and shield her.


    Ssh!


    Unexpectedly, the winended on Natasha¡¯s face instead. Her delicate makeup was ruined, and the


    dark red wine immediately stained her pastel yellow dress.


    Natasha wiped the wine off her face in disbelief.


    In that split second, the arm that she had raised was held down as the wine from Gwendolyn¡¯s ss


    landed unceremoniously on her face.


    This is ridiculous! I can¡¯t even ssh wine at this b*tch?


    Natasha was so angry that she wanted to scream.


    Themotion drew the attention of the guests from a nearby table. Immediately, the anger in her


    eyes turned into hurt and grievance.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, why!¡± she bawled. ¡°All I wanted is your blessing so that Mave and I would be happy. Why


    did you do this?¡±


    She then began to sob aggrievedly.


    The surrounding guests, who heard themotion, immediately came over to watch.


    ¡ªAt the sight of Natasha crying, they all assumed Gwendolyn had bullied her.


    After all, Joaquin was nicknamed the Lord of Discord. It was not umon for his femalepanions


    to bully others under his backing.


    Soon, everyone started to criticize Gwendolyn.


    Chapter 44 Ugly Photos


    3/3%


    Gwendolyn could not be bothered to retort. Instead, she merely shot a cold look at Natasha and said,


    ¡°You¡¯ve used this trick so many times. Aren¡¯t you sick of it yet?¡±


    A guest handed Natasha a handkerchief, which she used to dab away the remaining wine off her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean by that, Gwendolyn, she said piteously. ¡°All I¡¯m asking is for you to


    let Mave go. I really love him, and we¡¯re about to get engaged! Can¡¯t you give us your blessing?¡±


    My, there seems to be history behind those words.


    The crowd looked on with interest and gossiped among themselves.


    Madelyn rushed over upon hearing themotion and was shocked to see Natasha in such a state.


    ¡°What on earth has happened here?¡±


    Natasha was about to exin, but Joaquin forestalled her by thundering in a cold voice, ¡°The Mossey


    family is up to no good today, it would seem.¡±


    His eyes were aze with fury as he continued, ¡°First you use mypanion of wearing a fake,


    and now you want to nder her? Do you take the Zipper family for nothing? Mark my words! I will


    remember this incident well!¡±


    With a loud snort, he held Gwendolyn¡¯s arm and led her out of the hall without another word.


    The other guests dared not get in Joaquin¡¯s way. One by one, they slowly parted to make way for him.


    Madelyn had just arrived, so she was utterly baffled by the turn of events.


    What happened here? Wasn¡¯t Natasha the one being bullied

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    Chapter 45 Judgment That Goes Haywire.


    Madelyn was about to question Natasha when Jerome and Maverick arrived at the scene together.


    Instantly, Natasha turned to the reassuring familiarity of Maverick¡¯s presence forfort. ¡°Mave!¡± she


    wept.


    The man nced at her with his lips pursed. Not a single word left his mouth.


    Under the dim yellow lighting, his expression was imprable.


    Once Jerome had gotten a clear look at the remnant of wine and tears on his daughter¡¯s face, he


    asked, ¡°What happened here?¡±


    The surrounding guests described the earlier incident to him. While they were siding with Natasha with


    every sentence they said, they did consider the wrath of Joaquin. On top of that, there was


    Gwendolyn¡¯s stunning performance from earlier as well. As such, they did not make any remark that


    was out of line.


    After listening to them for a while, Jerome had a rough idea of what had happened.


    With a smile, he ushered the guests away and graciously asked that they continue partaking in food


    and drink. Then, he halfheartedly offered Natasha a few words offort before returning to the main


    banquet hall with everyone else.


    Sobbing, Natasha held Maverick¡¯s arm. The way she acted like a damsel in distress would surely


    arouse pity in the onlookers¡¯ hearts. ¡°Mave, don¡¯t me Gwendolyn for this. She¡¯s probably in a bad


    mood because of our engagement.¡±


    However, Maverick lowered his head to look at her, then asked in an impassive tone. ¡°What did you say


    to her just now?¡±


    Natasha was taken aback by his question. When she raised her head and saw that he seemed upset,


    she hurriedly exined, ¡°We¡¯re about to be engaged. All I wanted was her blessing. I never thought


    that she¡¯d get angry and ssh wine at me.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The man furrowed his brows as his expression grew even colder.


    Holding onto the sliver of hope that he would believe her, Natasha nodded and tightened her grip on


    his arm.


    Almost instantly, Maverick withdrew his arm. ¡°Tasha, seem to understand you less and less.¡±


    She was stumped for words.


    It was the first time she had experienced such coldness from him. Did he see through my ruse?


    At that moment, she dared not continue with her act. If Maverick had actually noticed anything, he


    would only be more put off if she proceeded with the cover-up.


    ¡°Mave, it¡¯s because Gwendolyn made fun of me using the ugly picture of me from my fiasco on the


    stage. I was enraged, so I tried to ssh wine at her¡­ I¡¯ve not changed much, Mave. I¡¯m still me.¡±


    Natasha exined.


    Maverick said nothing in response, allowing her to ratile on next to him.


    Chapter 45 Judgment That Goes Haywire.


    Panic washed over Natasha when she did not get any ply from him. As a result, she began to weep


    once again


    ¡°Mave you¡¯re scaring me. You promised to make things official and to make up for all the things you


    owed me in the past Believe me. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose,¡± she said.


    The repeated mention of the past caused Maverick to frown subconsciously.


    A trace of disgust welled up in his heart. It seemed that Natasha had been jumping at every opportunity


    to guilt-trip him with the past since she came back from abroad.


    The woman before him was bing further and further from the young girl in his memories.


    She¡¯d only left for three years. Could a person change so much in such a short span of time?


    Madelyn overheard the conversation between them. Being a woman herself, she was well aware of


    and also disgusted by Natasha¡¯s actions. After rolling her eyes silently, she turned around to leave.


    However, Maverick called out to her. ¡°Mrs. Mossey, Tasha isn¡¯t in high spirits today. I think it might be


    best to let her retire early.¡±


    Madelyn dared not refuse. Wearing a benevolent smile, she went over and led Natasha away while


    holding thetter¡¯s arm gently.


    It was only when Maverick was well out of her sight that Madelyn stopped smiling and discreetly.


    pinched the younger woman¡¯s arm. ¡°Lexpected nothing less from the daughter of a mistress! He¡¯s


    already gone, so stop acting. It makes my blood boil the muttered.


    In response, Natasha shot her a fierce re.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Do you think I¡¯m scared of you?¡± Madelyn viciously flung away Natasha¡¯s


    hand and headed toward the main banquet hall


    After leaving the Mossey residence, Joaquin and Gwendolyn parted ways.


    Gwendolyn returned to Treyton¡¯s mansion on her own. After taking a bath, she put on a sheet mask


    and nibbled some fresh fruit, feeling very much at case


    Suddenly, her phone rang


    She nced at the caller ID and answered the call without hesitation. ¡°Thank you for tonight. If not for


    you. I might have made a fool of myself.¡±


    On the other end of the line, Ms Z let out a bark ofughter. ¡°You¡¯re wee! Only the bests are


    allowed to wear the clothes I make My First Snow fits you like a glove, as though it was made just for


    you If that garment had ended up on Natasha¡¯s body, d have been terribly depressed


    Gwendolyn smuled


    Fortunately, Joaquin found out that something seemed off about the gown before they left for the


    banquet. It was only after Gwendolyn made a call to MsZ that she discovered it was a high-quality


    imitation.


    It was also fortunate that Natasha¡¯s figure was more rounded than hers, so she could not fit into the


    dress. Thanks to the alteration request she had made, Gwendolyn had the opportunity to get the real


    Chapter 45 Judgment That Goes Haywire


    First Snow back.


    ¡°Regardless, thank you for this. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal when youe back.¡±


    At that moment. Ms. Z was watching Joaquin¡¯s video of Gwendolyn dancing to ¡°Lover.¡± Smirking, she


    replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. If you can model for me again, I¡¯ll be overjoyed.¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not cheap. We¡¯ll revisit this topic when you can afford my hourly rates.¡±


    Ms. Z groaned dramatically. Then, she aggrievedlyined about Gwendolyn¡¯s heartlessness while


    also praising thetter¡¯s performance from that evening.


    The two old friends who had not been in contact for a while chatted well into the night.


    The next day, Gwendolyn woke up on time to get ready for work. She was in a good mood.


    However, when she arrived at thepany building, she realized that the passing employees all


    looked at her with oddlyplicated expressions.


    Though it puzzled her, she did not take it seriously and headed into her office.


    The second the employees on the same floor saw her go in, they immediately huddled together and


    exchanged gossip in muted voices.


    One said, ¡°Say, could the rumors online be true? But our new director seems too frank to be that sort of


    person.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true! I¡¯ve long sensed that something was off about her,¡± retorted another employee,


    who had very thick makeup on. ¡°I know she isn¡¯t a good person. As for you, I doubt you can tell, given


    that your judgment goespletely haywire when ites to good-looking people. I doubt you¡¯d still.


    help her if she were unattractive!¡±


    ¡°Hey, who are you insulting here?¡±


    ¡°You, obviously!¡±


    Cough! Cough!


    The huddled group had nearly started to bicker when they suddenly heard someone clear their throat.


    In a split second, they all went back to their cubicles.


    Gwendolyn hade out of her office to get a drink


    When Joanne saw that her superior was about to make her own coffee, her expression changed, and


    she rushed over to help. ¡°Ms. Shalders, I¡¯m so sorry about this. I was about to make you a cup of


    coffee and bring it to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Gwendolyn replied.


    Everyone was on tenterhooks as they sat in their seats They would asionally peek at the pantry,


    wondering if Gwendolyn heard their carlier conversion and how much did she hear if so.


    When Gwendolyn was done, she brought her coffee to her office. Her expression was nd, devoid


    of emotion.


    Chapter 45 Judgment That Goes Haywire


    No sooner had she sat down than Joanne walked in.


    The worry on thetter¡¯s face was genuine. ¡°Ms. Shalders, did you hear what they said just now?¡±


    Gwendolyn grunted mildly in response, her face as inipassive as ever.


    ¡°I suppose¡­ You¡¯ve already seen what¡¯s trending online?¡±


    What is trending?


    12


    Seeing the look of skepticism on Gwendolyn¡¯s face, Joanne hurriedly exined, ¡°Last night, someone


    posted a video online, and it¡¯s of you sshing wine at Ms. Mossey during the Mossey family¡¯s


    banquet. This morning, another person broke the news that you were the mistress who got in the way


    of Mr. Wright and Ms. Mossey¡¯s rtionship. The inte is in an uproar now.¡±


    Gwendolyn, who was busy on herputer, suddenly stopped typing.


    Joanne immediately fished out her phone and showed the post to her.


    Gwendolyn sped through the video and noticed that it had been edited. The only thing that remained.


    was her sshing wine at Natasha, looking undeniably arrogant.


    The angryments were quite a sight to behold.


    Is Natasha trying to court death for calling me a mistress who got in the way of her rtionship with


    Maverick?

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    Chapter 46 So Satisfying to Trample on Her


    However, the one thing Gwendolyn could not ou for was whether or nor Maverick had a hand in


    1.


    Joanne noticed Gwendolyn¡¯s expression was growing older. Feebly, she asked, ¡°Ms. Shalders, what


    are you going to do?¡±


    Gwendolyn returned the phone to her and got back work unperturbedly. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything


    for now. You should get back to work too. The deadline for the girl group talent show proposal is getting


    closer. I¡¯ll deal with it after I wrap up the task at hand.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Joanne was shocked. ¡°Ms. Shalders, the other party is going to be bolder if you don¡¯t act. If anything,


    the situation may worsen.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not reply, already pouring all of her cus and concentration into her work.


    I guess there¡¯s no way I can persuade you.


    Joanne could not quite fathom what her superior was thinking. All she could do was sigh in resignation


    and leave the office.


    In just a few hours, the news garnered so much attention that it became one of the top three trending


    topics online.


    Since Gwendolyn chose not to respond to the allegations, someone seemed to have paid an


    entertainment ount to fan the mes of discord. Not only did the incident gain more attention, but


    dirt on Gwendolyn was also revealed, and public opinion was swayed in Natasha¡¯s favor.


    Someone with ill intent also leaked information abot Gwendolyn¡¯s background. Soon, everyone knew


    that she was an orphan. Even sensitive information, like her job at Angle Corporation, was divulged to


    the public.


    Arge group of paparazzi rushed to Angle Corporation, waiting for a chance to interview Gwendolyn


    At the same time, Angle Corporation¡¯s stock plummeted by two percent within the hour and continued


    to show a downward trend.


    Theizens were all on Natasha¡¯s side.


    I feel so bad for Ms. Natasha. It must feel horrible to have her and Mr. Wright¡¯s loving rtionship


    ruined by a scheming b*tch like this!


    Why doesn¡¯t this woman just p*ss off? How dare she ssh pine at another person? Surely she should


    be arrested for assault or intent to harm?


    D*mn straight! This kind of little b*tch should just go to hel! She deserves to be an unwanted orphan!


    As a fan of Joaquin, I petition for thepany to fire such employees! A bad egg like this will only


    damage my idol¡¯s reputation!


    I agree.


    Chapter 46 So Satisfying to Trample on Her


    Me too. I strongly agree with this. Denounce her!


    Natasha, holding her phone in her hands as she sat on the recliner, was grinning ear to ear


    F¡¯d love to see if this b*tch can still stay arrogant. With suchrge farce, Angle Corporation will surely


    cut ite losses and fire such a problematic employee to extricate itself from the trouble, won¡¯t it? Once


    Treyton wes her true colors, he¡¯ll probably rid himself of her as well!


    At that thought, she could not contain her glee. Her ce delicate features were soon distorted by the


    exaggerated grin that was stered onto her face.


    Oh, how she had long suppressed thatughter.


    She had not felt so self-satisfied in a very long time.


    Without the backing of Angle Corporation and Treyton, that b*tch Gwendolyn will have no means to


    continue throwing her weight around me. I must say that Eloise hancocted a great n. Teaming up


    with her has saved me time and effort.


    Being in an exceptionally good mood, Natasha leaned back and elegantly sipped at her tea


    At the same time, Joanne at Angle Corporation was ao feverishly reading the news on her phone.


    Things seem to be worsening by the minute. If this continues, Ms. Shalders will lose her position as


    director, won¡¯t she? Then, does that mean I¡¯ll be fired as we But it¡¯s only been a few days since I was


    confirmed


    as her assistant.


    Despite how anxious she felt, all she could do was pale at her desk.


    However, her worrying was of no use.


    el


    After all, that was the typical scenario of everyone che getting anxious except the one who was truly


    affected by it.


    The person involved did not seem to care about it at 1


    Gwendolyn was still seated in front of theputer her office, mulling over various proposals for the


    talent show.


    As such, she had not seen how badly the situation hal escted online


    Just then, a loud ringing broke the silence and disrupted her concentration.


    With a cursory nce, Gwendolyn noticed that it was unknown caller


    She had no intention of picking up, but the same mes called her relentlessly three times in a row


    Annoyed by the noise, she decided to find out who it was


    When she picked up, what greeted her was a familia and husky voice extent, yet you can still focus on


    work? Are you uithered or stupid?¡±


    Things have escted to this


    Gwendolyn could vaguely sense a note of urgency hat voice. It seemed to be touched by other


    complicated emotions as well.


    Maverick Her first reaction was bafflement. I sure had not expected him, of all people, to call me leider,


    I


    Chapter 46 So Satisfying to Trample on Her


    changed my contact information after the divorce. How did he manage to obtain my number? Judging


    from his tone, I don¡¯t think he knows about this matter. Well, even if he doesn¡¯t, all leads point toward


    his beloved first


    crush.


    She remained silent for a few seconds, saying nothing


    ¡°Say something! Have you been scared witless?¡± came the man¡¯s voice from the receiver.


    His remark evoked augh from Gwendolyn.


    How could something like this scare me?


    ¡°Mr. Wright, since you like creating imaginary scenarios in your head, why don¡¯t you start writing


    novels? Who knows. It might be more profitable for you than the real estate industry,¡± she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious here. What are you on about?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s tone of voice had deepened. He suddenly realized that unbeknownst to him, they seemed


    to be at each other¡¯s throats every time they exchanged words.


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious too. Instead of meddling in my affairs, why don¡¯t you keep an eye on your fianc¨¦e:


    may not be able to handle the consequences of incurring my wrath.¡± The more Gwendolyn spoke, icier


    she sounded. ¡°Also, please keep your distance from me in the future. Nothing has changed. What I do


    is still none of your business.¡±


    Maverick was stunned by her retort. Before he could refute her, a beeping sound came from the


    receiver.


    Did this woman have explosives for breakfast? Why is she so feisty?


    Gwendolyn had just hung up when her phone rang orice again.


    That time around, it was Joaquin.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, have you thought about how to deal with this? If you need me, I can help you rify


    things. I do think that Angle Corporation is good at public rtions. I dare say this will die down very


    quickly with some intervention.¡±


    Joaquin was genuinely worried. The anxiety in his tone of voice was unmistakable.


    It looks like this brat is pretty affectionate and righteous.


    Gwendolyn was pleased, but she ultimately declined His offer. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You¡¯re a very


    popr celebrity. If you stand up for me, it will only backfire, and your dichard female fans will break


    down thepany¡¯s doors ande at me with knives. Besides, I¡¯m not just looking to quash all this.¡±


    Joaquin pondered over the matter briefly. ¡°So you do have a n? If you need anything at all, just let


    me know.¡±


    After giving a perfunctory response, Gwendolyn hung up and continued to work.


    Joanne came by twice but still hesitated to speak. In the end, she said nothing and walked away while


    shaking her head.


    The issue was still being discussed hotly online, even until noon.


    Chapter 46 So Satisfying to Trample on Her


    The tweet containing a picture Sheralyn and Natasha (ook together in the dressing room before the


    banquet was also pushed as a trending topic. Many paid entertainment ounts began to lend hype to


    the narrative, shaping Natasha as the paragon of kindness, beauty, and innocence.


    When Natasha found out about it, she purposely registered an ount on Twitter but only followed


    Maverick on it.


    Then, she tweeted her love story with him, which resulted in her gaining fifty to sixty thousand followers


    in a short span of time.


    Afterward, she posted a tweet thanking her friends and fans for their concern, which also resulted in


    her obtaining plenty of goodwill.


    Natasha, who was clutching her phone, felt ted.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I never anticipated such a response. It¡¯s so nice to trample on that b*tch and gain fame at the same


    time!


    Just as she was reveling in her good mood, her phone chimed again, signaling that she had received


    replies.


    Natasha could not wait to check it out. She seemed to enjoy being praised to the skies.


    However, things took a different turn.


    That reply wrote: So you¡¯re the actual scheming b*tch and mistress in this situation? I bet you never


    anticipated that people would find out. The other party has posted a tweet!


    It bewildered Natasha. What the heck? Why is this person berating me? Who posted a tweet?


    While she was filled with doubt, she started receiving a second reply and then a third. All of them


    condemned her.


    How can this be? Wait a moment¡­ Could it be Gwendolyn

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    Chapter 47 Reaped What She Sowed


    Just when Natasha was feeling smug, a Twitter ount suspected to be Gwendolyn¡¯s posted a tweet.


    It was a video that filmed the wine-sshing incident from a different angle.


    The video clearly showed Gwendolyn passing the phone to Natasha, seemingly showing her


    something on her phone. Natasha was immediately infuriated after viewing the contents of the phone.


    and picked up the ss of red wine, wanting to throw the contents at Gwendolyn.


    Despite that, Gwendolyn grabbed Natasha¡¯s hand to prevent her from doing so, resulting in Natasha


    being sshed with wine by her backhanded movement instead..


    Even though the video posted was even clearer and moreplete, the person who sshed the wine


    was still Gwendolyn. There was still not much information to be gained from it.


    The allegedly Gwendolyn¡¯s ount posted another tweet before the throng of trolls even had a


    chance. to bash her in thements section.


    We are divorced and have nothing to do with each other now.


    Everyone was perplexed. What does that mean? Does this mean that she¡¯s actually the legal wife and


    not the mistress? Even though both tweets were concise and clear, it doesn¡¯t look convincing at all


    since there isn¡¯t any actual proof, right?


    Soon, trolls gathered in thements section, and almost everyment they made was malicious.


    Someizens disyed their support for Natasha, expressing their belief that there was no


    unexpected turn to the incident. Otherwise, they swore they would live stream themselves eating their


    foot.


    However, the tables were turned in less than two minutes.


    Some other insiders had posted a piece of evidence on Twitter, proving that Natasha was the one who


    had drugged Maverick.


    The posts they made were all confirmations of what she had done.


    The shocking posts caused amotion among theizens. What kind of woman would take the


    initiative to use such dirty tricks on her future husband? Unless she¡¯s his mistress, of course.


    The divorce announcement posted on Twitter by Gwendolyn suddenly seemed more credible and


    convincing now.


    In spite of that, there were still some who doubted the video posted online, saying that Gwendolyn was


    being too arrogant.


    Fortunately, someizens were more clear-headed this time.


    If Gwendolyn is indeed the ex-wife of Mr. Wright that he had kept secret for three years, that would


    make Natasha the real mistress, right?


    Judging from the unedited video, it¡¯s obvious that Natasha was the one who wanted to ssh the ss


    of red wine first. Gwendolyn¡¯s actions don¡¯t seem too extreme to me.


    13.24 Mon, May 15


    Chapter 47 Reaped What She Sowed


    I was there! Because there was a shortage of staff at the Mossey family, I was temporarily assigned to


    work as a waiter at the banquet. Ms. Mossey and Gwendolyn were wearing the same dress, but Ms.


    Mossey used Gwendolyn of wearing an imitation. In the end, Ms. Mossey¡¯s dress was confirmed to


    be the knock-off item instead. Perhaps it was because of this issue that she held a grudge against


    Gwendolyn, so she thought of sshing red wine on her. Who knew Gwendolyn would happen to¡­


    A helpfulizen described everything so vividly and in detail, leading the gossipy bystanders to reply


    below thement.


    The helpful and enthusiasticizen also patiently exined the matter to the others. Soon, two more


    videos were posted online. The first video was a vertical shot of Natasha dancing to ¡°Lover,¡± while the


    second was a humiliating video of her dress tearing after she lost her temper.


    Most uninformedizens gradually shifted their attention and came to gossip about those videos


    instead.


    Meanwhile, Natasha was just monitoring thements posted on her Twitter and felt suspicious.


    When she returned to the main page and checked out the trending topics, she found that the few topics


    criticizing Gwendolyn had stopped trending, so she had to search hard to find them again.


    As it turned out, several new search terms and topics on the trending list were actually rted to her.


    Second heir to the Mossey family¡¯s ¡°Lover¡± dancing skills, Natasha¡¯s humiliation, The Mossey family


    imitation dress


    Those keywords irritated her terribly.


    With her fingers trembling, Natasha tapped on it to take a look. Sure enough, someone had leaked a


    video of herself being embarrassed at the banquet.


    How can this be?


    Before the banquet was over, Jerome had obviously mentioned to the guests to keep this private, while


    the Mossey family housekeepers would never dig their own graves by exposing the matter to the


    public.


    Furious. Natasha discreetly switched to her alternate ount and left ament, attempting to defend


    her image and reputation.


    I¡¯ve met Ms. Mossey before, and she¡¯s quite a nice person! Iink she must have been framed for the


    replica dress. Who knows? Gwendolyn might have been responsible for it!


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    In no time, someone replied to herment. But it¡¯s really hrious after she made a fool out of


    herself! Furthermore, the pastel-colored lingerie set was quite eye-catching too! Hahaha!


    Natasha was fuming in anger at the remark. In response, she refuted the words of the other party


    straight away.


    That instantly set off a heated argument between the two.


    Unfortunately, Natasha was no match for the experiencedizen this time, and her momentum was


    rapidly drowned out. Furthermore, because her statements were overly aggressive, the others began to


    suspect something was amiss.


    Why are you being so defensive of her? Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re Natasha Mossey. Did you set up an


    alternate


    13.24 Mon, May


    Chapter 47 Reaped What She Sowed


    ount?


    Someone had done a quick search on both Natasha¡¯s official and alternate ounts, while another


    netizen tracked thework cable and discovered that both ounts were logged in from the same IP


    address.


    At that point, Natasha¡¯s reputation and image werepletely shattered.


    All of the public ounts she had paid to market and promote herself, as well as the pure and


    innocent. image she had created for herself, had all been wasted.


    Natasha was now known to have drugged her fianc¨¦, wore replica dresses, and even deliberately


    created an alternate ount just to clear her name and throw Gwendolyn under the bus.


    On the other hand, Gwendolyn merely posted an unedited video and only a few words regarding the


    incident.


    Natasha¡¯s attempt to hide the truth led to the situation bing even clearer instead.


    On the Inte, a wave of condemnation was unleashed against her.


    While Gwendolyn monitored the online fracas in the office, she realized the situation was more or less


    settled and advised Joaquin, who had been posing as the Mossey family¡¯s temporary staff, to withdraw


    from the heated debate.


    As she thought of Natasha shooting herself in the foot this time, Gwendolyn could only shake her head


    with a chuckle.


    Natasha tried to use online public opinion to tarnish my reputation, but she failed to realize that I¡¯m


    working in an entertainmentpany now, and what I do best is public rtions counterattacks!


    Calm and unruffled, she ced her phone down and continued to work.


    Unbeknownst to her, her name was on the trending list again around ten minutes after she returned to


    work.


    It was because a video of her dancing to ¡°Lover¡± at the banquet was posted online.


    It was sexy yet innocent and ethereal to see her in light makeup and wearing First Snow while dancing


    to a pure but sensual song like ¡°Lover.¡±


    In contrast with Natasha¡¯s earlier dance video, Gwendolyn¡¯s dance performance astounded the


    With astonishing speed, the video shot to the top of the trending list.


    Simply amazing! This is practically the best tango dance I¡¯ve seen in a while!


    Is this actually ¡°Lover,¡± the dance that has been hailed to be the most difficult to master? She pulled off


    this dance perfectly! It is only fitting that she should be a legend!


    That dance by that Mossey woman was simply an eyesorepared to this amazing performance! I¡¯m


    supporting Gwendolyn this time!


    You¡¯re simply too gorgeous, Gwendolyn! Please debut as a celebrity, I beg of you!


    Chapter 47 Reaped What She Sowed


    Manyizens were enthralled by Gwendolyn¡¯s dance performance, and they became instant fans.


    after seeing her video. They evenmented on Gwendolyn¡¯s Twitter ount, asking her to debut as


    a performer.


    Meanwhile, someizens called out those who promised to live stream themselves eating their foot to


    come out and be bashed.


    As Gwendolyn stared intently at theputer screen Joanne entered the room, holding her phone.


    Her face was filled with excitement and amazement as she eximed, ¡°You¡¯re really awesome,


    Gwendolyn! From now on, I shall be a fangirl of your. I pledge my utmost loyalty toward you!¡±


    Gwendolyn was bewildered by Joanne¡¯s words until thetter showed her the video, which made her


    realize that she was now the center of attention on the Inte.


    Who is behind this? Could Treyton be responsible for the video¡¯s speedy rise to the top of the trending


    list?


    Since Treyton knew Gwendolyn preferred to keep things low-profile, he would not have done such an


    extravagant favor for her.


    Who else can it be?


    Without putting much thought into it, Gwendolyn smiled helplessly as she looked at Joanne, who was


    still chattering away happily next to her.


    Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the Mossey residence was very tense.


    Madelyn sat on the couch with her legs crossed as she ate some fruits, as if she had nothing to do with


    the situation.


    On the other hand, Natasha was standing obediently in the middle of the mansion¡¯s living room while


    Jerome was pacing back and forth with a darkened expression on his face.


    The more Jerome thought about it, the angrier he became. His face was contorted with rage as he


    walked toward Natasha and pped her ruthlessly in the face.


    ¡°You good-for-nothing of a daughter!¡±

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    Chapter 48 Seeing Her in Misery


    Jerome had pped her so hard that Natasha fell onto the floor, unable to react in time.


    ¡°What a walking disaster you are! Are you nning to drag the Mossey family into your mess and


    disgrace everyone? Why did I give birth to an idiot like you?¡± He pointed at her with a trembling hand.


    gnashing his teeth.


    Natasha wiped the blood on the corner of her lips. Enduring the pain, she tried to get up from the floor


    several times but failed. In the end, she gave up and sat on the floor. ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t understand what


    you¡¯re trying to say.¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending!¡± Jerome was furious. ¡°Did you really think I wouldn¡¯t be able to find out anything?


    You¡¯re the one who bought and sent the replica of First Snow over. Besides that, you¡¯re also the culprit


    for the online drama. Just what sort of a grudge do you have with that Gwendolyn woman that you had


    to set her up?¡±


    Natasha sat on the ground and said nothing.


    Seeing that made Jerome¡¯s blood boil. ¡°I could still tolerate it if you seeded. However, not only were


    you tricked instead, but you also dragged the Mossey family into the mud with you. What a fool!¡±


    Madelyn, enjoying the show at the side, pretended to advise, ¡°Take it easy, Darling. Anger won¡¯t do you


    well. After all, Natasha is a daughter of a mistress. We can¡¯t expect anything from a b*tch like her. Of


    course she won¡¯t be as smart as Inez.¡±


    When Jerome heard that, his eyes filled with resentment. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have spared your life back then.


    and given you a chance to cause trouble to the Mossey family now.¡±


    Natasha found it ironic as she listened to the tirade from the couple. So this is my biological father, who


    shares a familial bond with me but also hopes for my death


    She struggled to get back up. Although her left cheek was swollen, she still raised her chin arrogantly.


    A vicious look shed past her eyes as she spoke. ¡°Unfortunately, despite all the hatred you hold


    against me, you still have to count on me to help Mossey Group. Doesn¡¯t the thought of that just make


    you angrier?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Jerome widened his eyes in anger. He was so furious that he lifted his hand and was about to hit


    Natasha again.


    Instead of dodging, Natasha leaned forward and taunted, ¡°Hit me! You¡¯d better beat me to death so that


    the Mossey family will fall from grace. Then you can remember how you¡¯re the one who destroyed the


    family. I bet that must feel great.¡±


    Her words indeed hit the bullseye. Jerome was stumped, and his face turned red from fury His hand


    froze in the air as his mind went nk.


    Natasha sneered and directed her hostility at Madelyn, who was still leisurely enjoying the fruits.


    ¡°The b*tch you¡¯re talking about will inherit Mossey Group soon. As for your precious daughter, I¡¯m


    afraid she will never wake up for the rest of her life. You despise me and look down on me and my


    mom, yet you still have to act as a loving mother in front of the others. It must be hard for you.¡±


    Hearing that, Madelyn mmed the tabletop and bellowed, ¡°You vicious little b*tch! How dare you


    curse Inez! Listen up. Mossey Group¡¯s inheritance right is only temporarily handed over to you. You


    Chapter 48 Seeing Her in Misery


    will have to return it when Inez wakes up. Don¡¯t get toocent!¡±


    Natasha replied indifferently, ¡°Then you should pray more so that God pities your daughter. Instead of


    standing here and arguing with me, why don¡¯t you hurry and settle the trending topics about me? If I


    fall, Mossey Group will notst much longer either.¡±


    With that, she went upstairs indignantly and deliberately mmed the door loudly as she closed it.


    Madelyn was incredibly pissed off by her attitude. ¡°You! Finally, you showed your true colors, huh? How


    dare you threaten me!¡±


    Unwilling to back down, she turned to Jerome and cried, ¡°Darling! Look at what your illegitimate


    daughter has done. What did I do to deserve this?¡±


    Meanwhile, Natasha locked the door to iste herself from the noises downstairspletely.


    She walked to the dressing table and swept the expensive cosmetics onto the floor.


    Despite the loud ttering and crashing sounds, she still found that not enough to vent her feelings.


    Picking up her phone, she called someone.


    As soon as the call was answered, she spoke harshly. Didn¡¯t you say that this move could ruin her


    reputation? In the end, not only was she not affected, but she also stole the limelight on the inte!¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Eloise was having a facial and didn¡¯t take her words to heart. ¡°Why are you so anxious? It¡¯s just a trivial


    matter. Wait quietly for some time, and the heated discussion about you will eventually subside. Don¡¯t


    worry. I will help you. Everything will be fine with me here.¡±


    Hearing that from Eloise made Natasha relieved. Still she refused to give in. ¡°What about Gwendolyn?


    We can¡¯t just let her off. She will be even more arrogant in the future.¡±


    Eloise was still arrogant and confident as ever. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Since we¡¯ve failed at making a move


    against her publicly, we¡¯ll do it secretly this time.¡±


    After listening carefully to the n Eloise proposed, Natasha expressed her approval.


    She stared at the mirror, a vicious expression on her face, and smiled smugly. ¡°Good. I can¡¯t wait to see


    that b*tch in misery!¡±


    Back in the CEO¡¯s office of Wright Construction Group, Maverick was watching the video of Gwendolyn


    dancing to¡±Lover¡± on his phone.


    He was so focused on the video that he inadvertently gurled the corner of his lips.


    ¡°Boss,¡± Noah suddenly greeted after knocking on his office door and entering.


    Maverick switched off his phone and sipped his coffee calmly. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Standing before Maverick, Noah hesitated for a moment before reporting, ¡°I found out the replica gown


    was indeed purchased by Mossey Group, and they were also the one who paid thirty million to Ms. Z.


    However, it¡¯s unknown how the genuine First Show ended up in the hands of Ms. Shalders.¡±


    He paused briefly before continuing. ¡°Perhaps¡­ there¡¯s some misunderstanding in this.¡±


    Chapter 48 Seeing Her in Misery


    Maverick said nothing after hearing Noah¡¯s words.


    Not getting any response, Noah peeped at Maverick and saw his darkened gaze. Thetter seemed to


    be pondering about something.


    He hurriedly exined, ¡°But I think Ms. Mossey had nothing to do with this. She¡¯s way too innocent. I


    bet she was kept in the dark. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be in such hot waters now.¡±


    ¡°Innocent?¡± Maverick knitted his brows, but his tone was indifferent.


    Noah immediately asked rhetorically, ¡°Of course! Ms Mossey is an innocent and kinddy. You have


    known her for so many years, Boss. Didn¡¯t you also think so before?¡±


    Maverick shot him a cold re in response, and he hurriedly lowered his head.


    An eerie silence ensued in the office for a long moment.


    Maverick got up and walked to the window. It was drizzling outside.


    He lit a cigarette and started smoking. The lingering smoke in the air made his face look even more


    unfathomable.


    ¡°Boss?¡± Noah called out to him.


    After pulling himself out of his thoughts, Maverick stubbed out the cigarette and sat on the couch.


    ¡°There¡¯s something of the past that I need you to investigate thoroughly. Remember to be discreet and


    not to inform anyone.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Noah couldn¡¯t help but be cautious when he saw Maverick¡¯s serious expression.


    It took Mossey Group a lot of hard work to settle public opinion online. Soon, the incident stopped


    trending on the inte, and not many people paid attention to it anymore.


    After all, the Mosseys were not celebrities. Theizens would treat it as a joke and forget it after some


    time.


    Gwendolyn had a peaceful time for the past few days as Natasha seemed to be behaving herself, and


    Eloise had also returned to Salinsburgh.


    During the absence of the two troublemakers, Gwendolyn managed to prepare the talent show


    proposal quickly.


    Soon, it was time to find a suitable venue for the show


    Once Gwendolyn got off work, she drove her Volkswagen Santana to the training facility she had


    arranged for the contestants.


    After arranging the subsequent improvement works briefly, she went to the parking lot and prepared to


    go home.


    ¡°Mmph! Help me! Help-¡±


    Suddenly, she heard a strange noise while passing by corner without surveince cameras.


    Chapter 49 Who Set Whom Up

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Chapter 49 Who Set Whom Up


    It was a female voice.


    ¡°Shut up if you don¡¯t want to die.¡± A brutal man with a scar on his face pressed a dagger against a girl¡¯s


    cheek while another man stepped on her chest andughed wickedly.


    The girl was so scared that she could only nod in cooperation.


    Seeing her behave herself, the two men grew even smigger. ¡°Sweetie, it has been a while since we


    have had a taste of a woman. We¡¯ll let you go as long as you serve us well.¡±


    The girl started bawling upon hearing that


    The two men smiled evilly and began toy their hands on her.


    One of them began to undo the buttons of the girl¡¯s shirt. Suddenly, the man felt a heavy blow on the


    back of his head, which then started bleeding profusely. Wailing, he quickly covered it before copsing


    onto the floor.


    It gave the scarred-faced man a scare. He turned around and saw a woman behind them.


    Gwendolyn was d in white professional attire with a high heel in her hand, radiating a powerful


    aura.


    When the scarred-faced man saw her, his eyes immediately lit up. ¡°What a fierce little beauty! I like it.¡±


    Gwendolyn, ying with the high heel in her hand, sneered, ¡°Shut up. One like you are not worthy to


    say that.¡±


    Her words infuriated the scarred-faced man. After cursing at Gwendolyn, he raised his dagger and


    dashed toward her.


    However, Gwendolyn overpowered him with a few blows, and he couldn¡¯t mber to his feet after that.


    The girl trembled as she curled into herself, her eyes lilled with terror.


    Her cheeks were slightly red, as if she had just drunk alcohol.


    Seeing her like that caused Gwendolyn¡¯s heart to wrench. Something immediately shed across her


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    mind.


    She shook her head, and the strange feeling she had earlier disappearedpletely. Was that a


    hallucination? Ugh¡­ Perhaps I¡¯m too tired today.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t give it much thought and looked at the teenage girl, who appeared around eighteen


    or neen years old. ¡°You¡¯re safe to go home now.¡±


    Before she could turn around and leave, she felt someone clutching her wrist.


    She shifted her gaze over and met the girl¡¯s expectant eyes. ¡°Miss, I was having some alcohol with my


    friends before I lost my way. My phone was broken by those two thugs. Could you please send me


    home?¡±


    Seeing the hesitation in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes, she continued, ¡°I¡¯m Ste. Help me, please. I¡¯m begging


    Chapter 49 Who Set Whom Up


    you.¡±


    Gwendolyn checked the time on her phone and noticed it was already half past nine at night. It¡¯s


    alreadyte. This training facility is located at a more remote ce and quite dangerous for a girl.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Where do you live?¡±


    ¡°Frohablol Suburb 2, house number 308.¡±


    Ste followed behind Gwendolyn, seemingly feeling more at case by clutching thetter¡¯s arm tightly.


    Only when she approached the car did she loosen her grip and sit in the back seat.


    She seemed exhausted and soon drifted off to sleep while leaning against the car seat.


    Gwendolyn nced at Ste through the rearview mirror from time to time. She continued to drive the


    car silently when she saw thetter fall asleep.


    About twenty minutester, Gwendolyn noticed her phone was running out of battery and called Ste


    a few times to ask for more details about the address. However, Ste did not respond and remained


    slumbering in the back seat. Seeing that, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t disturb her further and continued to drive


    based on what she could remember.


    The windows were closed, and the atmosphere inside the car was silent.


    The astute Gwendolyn took a couple of sniffs and suddenly realized something was amiss.


    Ste said she was drinking with her friends. Although her face is flushed, there¡¯s no stench of alcohol


    on her body. Furthermore, the training facility is located in a remote subarb with no bars¡­ That means


    she¡¯s lying, and our encounter was on purpose!


    Just then, she felt a strong gust of wind approaching.


    She instinctively clutched the hand that was swinging toward her from behind.


    The thumb-length syringe was a hair¡¯s breadth away from piercing into her neck.


    ¡°W-When did you find out?¡± Ste didn¡¯t expect Gwendolyn to be so quick-witted. As a vicious glint


    shed in her eyes, she stopped pretending and tried to stab the needle into Gwendolyn¡¯s neck with


    both hands.


    Gwendolyn knew she couldn¡¯t hold on much longer with only one hand. Seeing the car moving at a


    constant speed in the suburbs, she suddenly had an idea and pulled the handbrake abruptly.


    The locked wheels instantly caused the car to skid. In the next instant, it flipped over and rammed into


    the guardrail before rolling onto the roadside grass.


    Since the driver¡¯s seat was equipped with airbags, Gwendolyn only received a minor scratch on her


    forehead and soon got out of the car.


    Ah¡­ what a pity. This car hasn¡¯t been with me for long, and yet it¡¯s been sacrificed for the greater good


    already. She clicked her tongue at the sight of the wrecked Volkswagen.


    Seeing no sign of Steing out from the wrecked car, Gwendolyn went forward to open the car


    door. Shortly after, she carried out Ste, who had been injured and fainted, and put her onto the


    D


    Chapter 49 Who Set Whom Up


    grass.


    After some time, Ste finally regained consciousness.


    Disbelief filled her eyes when she learned that Gwendolyn had saved her life. ¡°Why did you save me? I


    harmed you. You should have killed me.¡±


    Gwendolyn shot her a cold re. Instead of answering, she asked, ¡°Who instructed you to do this?¡±


    Ste immediately went silent and turned away.


    Gwendolyn curled her lips into a smile. ¡°Let me guess. Was it Natasha? Or Eloise? Or¡­ both of


    them?¡±


    Based on my understanding of Natasha¡¯s capability, even if he could devise such a detailed n, it was


    simply impossible for her to hire such a skillful female assassin. Furthermore, she will be the


    heiress of Mossey Group soon. I¡¯m pretty sure she and Eloise are in cahoots.


    Ste ignored her. ¡°It¡¯s my mistake for falling into your hands. Just kill me.¡±


    ¡°Kill you? That¡¯s boring.¡± Gwendolyn shed Ste a taunting smile.


    Ste didn¡¯t understand what she meant.


    The suburbs were dim at night. Only a few streetlights were by the roadside and illuminated the ce.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes glinted brightly. ¡°I checked the syringe. It¡¯s filled with sleeping drugs, isn¡¯t it? They


    asked you to knock me out so that you could take me somewhere to torture me. Am I right?¡±


    Stunned, Ste stared at Gwendolyn incredulously. She got it right! How could such a pretty woman


    like her be so meticulous?


    Seeing Ste staring at her silently, Gwendolyn shed the former an innocent smile. ¡°Since they told.


    you to do so, just do it then.¡±


    ¡°W-What did you just say?¡±


    Five minutester, Ste sent a text message to a certain someone¡¯s phone: Mission aplished.


    I¡¯m sending her to the abandoned hut in the suburbs.


    Upon receiving the message, Natasha was so happy that she almost leaped from her bed.


    Finally, this b*tch fell into my hands! How dare she make in theughingstock on the inte! I swear I


    will have my revenge for that!


    She couldn¡¯t wait to see Gwendolyn in misery.


    With a glint of malicious excitement in her eyes, she texted another person: She will be there soon.


    Bring ten strong men over and beat her up before doing what we agreed on previously.


    Almost immediately, she received a reply: Things will be easy if the remuneration is satisfactory.


    Vaguely feeling a pang in her heart, she gritted her teeth and transferred another five hundred


    thousand to the other party.


    Chapter 49 Who Set Whom Up


    Money is nothing as long as I can torture Gwendolyn.


    Not long after she put down her phone, she received another message from Ste: I think we¡¯ve given


    her an overdose of sleeping drugs. She seems to be dying now. Please hurry over.


    Seems to be dying? No way! I want that b*tch to be tormented when she¡¯s aware and can suffer a fate


    worse than death!

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    Chapter 50 A Taste of Her Own Medicine.


    Natasha felt uneasy and quickly changed into dark-colored clothing at that thought. Then, she went out


    and hailed a taxi after putting on a mask.


    On the other hand, Maverick walked out of the bathroom after a shower. The video of Gwendolyn


    dancing to ¡°Lover¡± kept lingering in his mind.


    He felt slightly frustrated and thought he wouldn¡¯t have helped her if he had known it would be so tiring.


    While lying on his bed, Gwendolyn filled his thoughts, especially her clear and strong-willed eyes. It left


    an indelible impression on him.


    Also, he felt she looked somewhat familiar.


    Maverick thought of something and gave Gwendolyn a call after much deliberation.


    He wanted to rify something.


    However, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t pick up the first call.


    When the second call was dialed, he received a voice message that said the phone was not in service.


    Does she hate me so much?


    Annoyed and frustrated, Maverick tossed his phone aside and went to sleep.


    Meanwhile, Natasha took a taxi and arrived at an abandoned hut in the suburban area.


    There, Ste stood outside waiting for her.


    Natasha was taken aback after she saw the injuries on Ste¡¯s face and body after she approached the


    latter.


    ¡°What happened? How did you get injured?¡±


    Lowering her head, no expression could be detected on Ste¡¯s face. ¡°On the way here, that woman


    resisted desperately, so there was a minor car ident. Also, I made a mistake with the dosage for the


    injection. She-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a look inside.¡±


    Ste stopped her. ¡°Is Ms. Ferguson aware that you came alone tonight?¡±


    Displeased, Natasha¡¯s expression immediately darkened.


    Eloise had always bossed Natasha around because she had a higher social status than thetter. Now


    that Eloise had gone back to Salinsburgh, Natasha found it ridiculous the people working for the former


    still tried to keep her in check.


    Eloise and I are working together. I¡¯m not her subordinate Why do I have to report everything to her?


    Natasha¡¯s anger surged the more she thought about it. ring at Ste, she said, ¡°She brought you


    here to work for her. Now that she¡¯s not in Faike, you only need to follow my orders. Do you


    Chapter 50 A Taste of Her Own Medicine


    understand?¡±


    Ste dropped her head even lower. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Buzz off now that your mission is aplished.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Ste answered. Yet, she merely stood there.


    There was only a flickering kerosenemp outside the abandoned house, making it impossible to see


    Ste¡¯s expression on her injured face.


    Seeing Ste remain still like a pir, Natasha was annoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand what I just said?¡±


    ¡°Right away.¡± Before she left. Ste whipped out a phone from her pocket and handed it to Natasha.


    ¡°This is that woman¡¯s phone. Someone called her earlier, but I was scared it would affect your n, so I


    turned on airne mode.¡±


    ¡°I got it.¡± Natasha then took over the phone, looking arrogant.


    She turned on Gwendolyn¡¯s phone screen after Ste left and looked at the phone number.


    With just a nce, Natasha¡¯s eyes reddened in an instant.


    She could recognize this number even though it was not saved under Gwendolyn¡¯s contacts.


    Why did Maverick call Gwendolyn thiste at night? I¡¯ve returned from abroad for so long, yet Maverick


    never took the initiative to see me, not even once. He has never prioritized me. Why? I¡¯m his fianc¨¦e,


    and this woman is just the third party trying to ruin our rtionship!


    Natasha got more infuriated the more she thought about it. The anger and viciousness in her eyes


    were undisguised.


    Furious, she lifted Gwendolyn¡¯s phone and wanted to smash it to pieces.


    However, she stopped in her tracks midway.


    A great idea suddenly shed through her mind.


    Then, she went to the home screen of Gwendolyn¡¯s phone and sent a message to Maverick.


    After she was done, she smashed the phone to the ground. However, she was still furious, so she


    stepped on it with her high heels and stopped after the phone screenpletely shattered.


    Natasha retracted her gaze and looked at the abandoned house as she swore to teach Gwendolyn a


    lesson tonight.


    She stretched out her hand and pushed open the door at that thought. The house was pitch ck, with


    no light at all.


    What¡¯s going on? Why didn¡¯t Ste leave behind a kerosenemp after she brought Gwendolyn here?


    She took two steps in suspiciously, and the thick dust in the house made her cough.


    It was too dark to see anything.


    Chapter 50 A Taste of Her Own Medicine


    Natasha started to panic and wanted to go out to ask for a kerosenemp from Ste.


    Suddenly, the door was mmed shut behind her.


    $25 Bonus


    Sensing something was amiss, Natasha followed the sound and rushed to the door. With all her


    strength, she banged on it. ¡°Who¡¯s there? Who¡¯s outside? Ste? Is that you, Ste? Quickly open the


    door!¡±


    However, to her dismay, it was dead silent outside the door to the point she felt a chill run down her


    spine.


    Taking a deep breath, Natasha tried to stay calm. Then, she turned around and tentatively yelled,


    ¡°Gwendolyn? Are you here, Gwendolyn?¡±


    No matter how hard she cried, there was no reply.


    Realizing she might be the only one in the house, Natasha was on the verge of breaking down.


    Is this Gwendolyn¡¯s doing? Ste works for Eloise, so why would she help Gwendolyn harm me? Did


    Eloise and Gwendolyn join forces?


    ¡°No! That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Confused, she gripped her head with her hands and squatted on the ground, making herself as small


    as possible as her whole body trembled.


    The endless darkness brought her fear and despair.


    Just then, footsteps could be heard from outside the door.


    Hope flickered in Natasha¡¯s heart. She immediately rushed toward the door and banged on it. ¡°Who¡¯s


    outside? Let me out now! Open the door!¡±


    All of a sudden, the door opened.


    A tall figure walked in against the backlight, followed by a second, third, and many more.


    These were the men she hired to deal with Gwendolyn.


    Natasha dashed toward the door for the light but was unfortunately stopped by the strong man in the


    lead.


    ¡°You got the wrong person! I¡¯m not the one you¡¯re looking for. I¡¯m not Gwendolyn! Ah!¡±


    p!


    What she got in response was a p.


    She couldn¡¯t withstand it and was thrown to the ground. Half of her face swelled up quickly, and two


    teeth were loosened from the aftermath of the p.


    It hurts!


    Natasha sprawled on the ground and spat out blood. Still, she insisted on exining. ¡°I¡¯m not the one


    you¡¯re looking for! I¡¯m being serious! I was the one who hired you. How can you treat me this way?


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Chapter 50 A Taste of Her Own Medicine.


    Ah!¡±


    1


    4.77%


    A man grabbed her by her hair from behind before he could finish. He exerted so much strength that


    Natasha felt her scalp was about to be ripped off. Tear flowed down her cheeks as she wailed


    hysterically in pain.


    ¡°Really! 1-I¡¯m not-


    The man pped her again andughed loudly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen people begging for mercy, but I¡¯ve never


    seen someone put on an act like you, Tonight, we will each you a lesson!¡±


    The door was closed and locked, and about a dozen en surrounded her.


    Soon, beating sounds and Natasha¡¯s agonized screams could be heard from the house.


    Gwendolyn was leaning against a tree in the distance While Ste stood quictly by her side.


    Arge cluster of stars could be seen right above their heads.


    The night sky looked exceptionally beautiful tonight


    It was a pity the car-piercing howls ruined the mood,


    Satisfied, Gwendolyn was ready to go home, leaving Natasha behind to get a taste of her own


    medicine.


    ¡°Here, Boss!¡±


    Suddenly, Noah¡¯s voice could be heard from the pathway, followed by the sound of running feet.


    Gwendolyn quickly hid as the sounds got closer to them.


    She observed the situation from behind a big tree and saw the person who came in a hurry was


    Maverick.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    Chapter 51 A Lady Full of Tricks


    The ear-piercing screams of a woman from inside the house gradually weakened, and at the same


    time, the arrogantughter of the group of men rangut.


    ¡°Gwendolyn!¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes turned red with murderous intent as he kicked open the door of the abandoned house.


    The burly men inside were just about to move on to the next order of business when they were


    interrupted by Maverick.


    The two parties swiftly broke into a fight.


    These men were gangsters and struck their blows with great force, causing Maverick and Noah some


    injuries on their faces. However, it didn¡¯t stop Maverick¡¯s intense murderous aura, and he hit them with


    even more ferocity.


    In about ten minutes, the gangsters were defeated andy on the ground, wailing in pain. They were no


    longer able to fight back.


    It was still pitch dark inside the house, and the sound of a woman coughing was heard.


    ¡°Gwendolyn?¡±


    Maverick followed the sound and found a woman barely alive lying on the floor. Immediately, he dashed


    toward her.


    Noah had suffered more injuries from the fight and followed Maverick out of the house with a limp.


    Then, Maverick ced thedy in his arms in the open space outside the house to check on her.


    injuries.


    It was hard to tell who the woman was as her face had swelled up too much from the beating.


    Her clothes were torn and covered in blood. It was a horrible sight to see. Fortunately, Maverick and


    Noah came in time. Otherwise, the consequences would be disastrous if those men had vited her.


    Maverick¡¯s eyes reddened from seeing the wounds all over her body. His heart suddenly felt heavy, and


    he could not breathe from the pain.


    ¡°Gwendolyn! Wake up! Don¡¯t go to sleep!¡±


    The woman had passed out. Fortunately, she still had weak pulse, which meant her life was not in


    danger.


    Noah nced at the injured woman on the ground and couldn¡¯t help but be angry on her behalf. He


    asked weakly, ¡°Boss, how should I deal with those people inside?¡±


    A ruthless look gleamed in Maverick¡¯s eyes. Without besitation, he ordered. ¡°Kill them!¡±


    Once Noah received the order, he quickly went to the side and made a phone call.


    Meanwhile, Maverick took off his zer to cover the disheveled woman, indescribable emotions


    burning in his eyes.


    Chapter 51 A Lady Full of Tricks


    Not far away, Gwendolyn watched the scene from behind a huge tree, where she had an excellent


    view.


    She stared fixedly at Maverick acting out of control and thought she was hallucinating.


    If the one lying on the ground right now were really me, would he still be that upset? Does he still have


    feelings for


    me?


    An unknown emotion swirled in her heart.


    However, she dismissed the idea a momentter.


    It¡¯s clear Maverick doesn¡¯t love me. Just look at how he treated me these three years. He will probably


    be even more upset if he were to know it is his beloved Natasha lying on the ground.


    The look in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes turned icy-cold at that thought. Then, she turned to leave.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    In the open space in front of the house, the woman on the ground woke up in a daze. She could barely


    see with her swollen eyes and finally broke down, sobbing hysterically after seeing who the man in


    front of her was.


    ¡°Mave! I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to see you again-


    Her mouth was swollen from the beating, causing her speech to be a little slurred.


    However, Maverick still heard the word ¡°Mave¡± clearly.


    Gwendolyn would never refer to him that way.


    He looked at the woman on the ground again. Suddenly, Noah, who was at the side, shouted, ¡°Boss,


    that isn¡¯t Gwendolyn but Ms. Mossey!¡±


    Noah was distinctly more agitated after knowing it was Natasha who got injured. ¡°Why are you here.


    Ms. Mossey? Who did this to you?¡±


    In response, Natasha cried even more sadly as she tightly gripped Maverick¡¯s sleeves with bloody


    hands. ¡°It¡¯s Gwendolyn. She asked me toe here. I¡¯m in pain, Mave. I¡¯m in so much pain-¡±


    She grew more emotional the more she spoke. In the end, she fainted from exhaustion.


    Unbeknownst to him, knowing that the injured person was Natasha instead of Gwendolyn, Maverick¡¯s


    heart-wrenching pain suddenly eased a little.


    However, Noah was vexed. ¡°These jerks! How dare they hurt Ms. Mossey? D*mn it!¡±


    Noah gritted his teeth in rage and turned to look at Maverick. ¡°Boss, you received Ms. Shalders¡¯ text


    earlier and thought she was in danger, so we hurried here. However, Ms. Mossey was the one who was


    injured. Gwendolyn must be involved in this. Perhaps she¡¯s the mastermind behind this!¡±


    Maverick frowned as the look in his eyes became calm. ¡°Send Tasha to the hospital for now. We¡¯ll


    investigate this matterter.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡±


    Noah took Natasha from Maverick¡¯s arms and ran toward their car parked at the roadside.


    Chapter 51 A Lady Full of Tricks


    After he left. Maverick got up slowly and nced at the house behind him, where shrieks of pain could


    be heard. Then, he recalled the text from Gwendolyn half an hour ago.


    The message had read: I¡¯m having fun with ten menter tonight. Care to join us?


    He was furious after he saw the message and immediately called her, only to discover the phone had


    been turned off. Then, he asked Noah to check her location and rushed over immediately.


    Unexpectedly, it was Natasha who was beaten and even almost got vited.


    Gwendolyn¡­ Is this really her doing?


    Maverick¡¯s gaze darkened, and he suddenly felt depressed.


    Gwendolyn took Ste with her and got into Elisha¡¯s car back to the city.


    Before they parted, she took out a ck briefcase filled with cash that she had asked Elisha to


    withdraw from her Centurion Card.


    ¡°There¡¯s five million in here. You better move to the countryside. I¡¯m sure Eloise will try to hunt you


    down when she finds out, so remember to stay hidden.¡°


    With a conflicted look, Ste reconfirmed bitterly, ¡°You said you¡¯ll help my mother to break free from


    Eloise and bring her safely to me. If you break your promise. I¡¯ll-¡±


    Gwendolyn interrupted with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I, Gwendolyn, am a woman of my word.¡±


    Ste was convinced by the light shining in the other woman¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll trust you.¡±


    After Ste was out of sight, Elisha approached Gwendolyn and asked softly, ¡°Ms. Harris, why didn¡¯t


    you kill her but give her money instead?¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t mean to harm me. Her mother, whom she relies on, is in the hands of Eloise, so she has no


    choice but to work for her. She¡¯s a poor soul. Now that I know her weakness and did her a favor, she


    will be grateful to me and work for me wholeheartedly.¡±


    Since Elisha remained silent, she added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯m not a saint. I¡¯ll never let anyone who


    deliberately harms me off. However, death is too easy on them. They need to be tortured to the point of


    wishing for death. That¡¯s the best revenge.¡±


    Seeing her smirk, Elishaughed too.


    ¡°Mr. Harris was right about you, Ms. Harris. You¡¯re ady full of tricks.¡±


    Gwendolyn instantly raised her head and red at him. ¡°You two were talking about me behind my


    back? Have you forgotten that I am the true owner of Angle? Do you still want to get paid?¡±


    Elisha was instantly rendered speechless. ¡°Please don¡¯t, Ms. Harris! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Indeed, it¡¯s wise not to mess with women!


    Gwendolyn stopped teasing him and rubbed her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s head back. I need a good night¡¯s


    sleep. This is not over yet. I¡¯m guessing I¡¯ll have another tough battle tomorrow.¡±


    Chapter 51 A Lady Full of Tricks


    When she finished speaking, she turned her head subconsciously and looked at arge store that had


    closed on the quiet street.


    It was a branded store under Mossey Group.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    Chapter 52 Here to Give You a Gift


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    It was the dead of night when Natasha was sent to the hospital for treatment.


    The preliminary diagnosis by the doctor revealed that she had two broken ribs, a mild concussion, and


    ¡ú plenty of minor wounds. Thankfully, none of her injuries were life-threatening.


    As Maverick sat on the bench outside the operating room, thoughts known only to himself swirled


    about in his head.


    After the incident, he had Noah report it to the Mossey family.


    It wasn¡¯t until the sun had risen that Jerome and Madelyn finally arrived at the hospital.


    ¡°Oh, my poor daughter! How could something like this have happened?¡±


    Madelyn¡¯s cries echoed throughout the corridor, but strangely enough, her eyes were devoid of tears.


    In fact, one could even say she looked quite happy with the whole thing.


    On the contrary, Jerome walked over to Maverick with a sorrowful expression on his face. Stopping in


    front of thetter, he offered the young man someforting words after seeing the dark look in his


    eyes.


    Without replying to Jerome, Maverick said politely. Please have a seat, Mr. and Mrs. Mossey.¡±


    Jerome pressed on, ¡°Mr. Wright, what happened? How did Nat get hurt? Who did this to her?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t so long ago that Inez got into an ident and was left in a vegetative state. And now, Natasha


    got herself into trouble, too. Is someone targeting the Mossey family? Or is Lady Luck just not on my


    family¡¯s side?


    After remaining silent for a while, Maverick replied, ¡°Noah¡¯s already looking into this.¡±


    Noticing that Maverick wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk, Jerome stopped pressing the issue and went over to


    sit on a nearby bench.


    Just two minutester, the light shining above the operating room door went out.


    The doctor came out and said that Natasha¡¯s operation was very sessful. Except for the fact that


    she would have limited mobility for the time being, there was no major problem, and she was ready to


    be transferred to a normal VIP ward.


    Maverick, Jerome, and Madelyn followed along and came to the ward to visit Natasha.


    With bandages wrapped all over her body, Natasha painstakingly opened her swollen eyes and began


    crying the moment she saw Mavericke in.


    ¡°Mave, I would have already been dead if it wasn¡¯t for you! Fortunately, you came just in time and


    stopped those b*stards from viting me. Mave, I really can¡¯t leave you. Stay here with me, won¡¯t


    you?¡±


    Natasha held onto his hand weakly. Who would have thought that I would end up shooting myself in the


    foot? All I wanted was to provoke him by sending that text to him, I wanted him to know that


    Gwendolyn¡¯s nothing but a dirty slt that can be used by anyone. This way, he¡¯ll put all his attention on


    me. I never expected that that text would end up saving my life,


    Chapter 52 Here to Give You a Gift


    Maverick sat beside her and sighed softly.


    Seeing his indifferent attitude. Natasha felt dejected. ¡°Mave, aren¡¯t you going to say something to


    comfort me? Could it be that you don¡¯t love me anymore now that I¡¯m ugly?¡±


    Before Maverick could reply, Jerome shot a look at his daughter. ¡°Nat, stop throwing a tantrum. Or


    course Mr. Wright still loves you. Now tell me who did this to you. I¡¯ll seek justice for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    At the mention of that, Natasha looked as if she had just recalled some traumatic memories and started


    sobbing again.


    ¡°All I remembered was Gwendolyn saying she had something to talk to me about, so I hailed a cab to


    go find her. The next thing I knew, I was knocked out on the way and woke up in that small hut. It was


    so dark inside that I couldn¡¯t see anything. Someone was hitting and kicking me, saying that it was


    Gwendolyn¡¯s instruction and that they were going to torture me to death¡­¡±


    She paused and muttered, ¡°I was so scared. So scared¡­¡±


    After saying that, Natasha shrank away into a ball. It was as if the memory was too horrifying for her.


    She started trembling, making her look pitiful and helpless.


    Jerome was boiling with fury upon hearing that and looked toward Maverick.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, being Nat¡¯s fianc¨¦, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not going to just sit idly by and do nothing, are you? In


    any case, that woman, Gwendolyn, must have something to do with this. For her to bully Nat like this is


    akin to giving the Wright family a p in the face! You must avenge Nat!¡±


    Being the sly old fox that he was, Jerome was well aware of the fact that Gwendolyn was protected by


    Joaquin of the Zipper family. With how little power the Mossey family wielded, he knew there was no


    way he could wage war against them. As such, he could only rely on Maverick.


    In response, Maverick pursed his lips and replied with a darkened gaze, ¡°If Tasha really was wronged,


    I¡¯ll definitely help her, but only on the premise that she tells me everything without hiding anything.¡±


    Natasha was stunned upon hearing that. I made this whole thing up. The more I speak, the higher the


    possibility I¡¯ll slip up. With how smart Maverick is, he¡¯ll definitely doubt my story if I mess up even the


    tiniest of details. All I can do now is to try and talk myself out of this and then discuss some


    countermeasures with Eloiseter.


    With that thought in mind, she cradled her head and put on a pained expression. ¡°My head hurts! I can¡¯t


    remember anything¡­¡±


    Seeing this, Jerome said, ¡°Nat just woke up. I don¡¯t think asking her too many questions is good for her


    recovery. Why don¡¯t we head out first and let her have a good rest?¡±


    Still indifferent as ever, Maverick nodded.


    Just when they were prepared to leave the ward, the door suddenly opened before two handsome,


    burly men came in.


    Jerome and Madelyn were puzzled by the men¡¯s sudden entrance.


    The two men went and stood at the door, one on each side. Soon after, Gwendolyn came waltzing in in


    $13.25 Mon, May


    Chapter 52 Here to Give You a Gift


    her high heels, looking as beautiful as ever with her ruby-red lips.


    Madelyn, who had not said a word since she entered the ward, was left stunned when she saw the


    woman.


    Doesn¡¯t she know that we¡¯re talking about what¡¯s the best way to deal with her? I can¡¯t believe she has


    the gall to strut in here like she owns the ce!


    Displeased by Gwendolyn¡¯s attitude and thinking that she didn¡¯t mind a bit more drama, Madelyn


    decided to add fuel to the fire by saying, ¡°Darling, do you see how arrogant she is? I bet she¡¯s here to


    check if your daughter is dead.¡±


    Jerome¡¯s face darkened when he heard that..¡±You came at just the right time. Let us settle the matter of


    you purposely hurting my daughter!¡±


    Meanwhile, Maverick simply stood at the side. Although he didn¡¯t say anything, his towering build made


    it hard for others to ignore his presence.


    Gwendolyn instinctively nced at him, only to realize that his gaze had never left her from the


    moment she entered the ward. His dark eyes were unfathomable.


    She looked away and settled her sight on Jerome, her lips curling into a smile. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,


    Mr. Mossey. It¡¯s time I settle some things with your daughter, but I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t have anything to do


    with the matter you mentioned earlier.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Jerome stared at her dubiously.


    Remembering how she had lost to Gwendolyn twice, Natasha shuddered when she saw how the


    former had waltzed into her ward nonchntly. She subconsciously cowered behind Jerome, who was


    closest


    to her.


    ¡°Dad, save me! She¡¯s going to hurt me! She¡¯s definitely gunning for my life! I¡¯m scared! I don¡¯t want to


    see her¡­¡±


    Natasha broke down crying andining.


    Seeing his daughter getting bullied to the point of acting like this, Jerome felt his heart break. ¡°This is a


    private ward. My daughter is emotionally unstable, so please get out.¡±


    Gwendolyn shed a sweet smile. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? I¡¯m here bearing gifts.¡±


    Upon saying that, she pped her hands.


    A


    group


    of people entered the ward on her cue before hanging tworge banners neatly on the wall opposite


    Natasha¡¯s bed.


    ¡°This is my way of encouraging her. I hope Ms. Mossey gets well soon.¡±


    With a kind smile on her face, Gwendolyn added, ¡°As for Ms. Mossey¡¯s usation of me having


    something to do with her unfortunate incident, doe at me with all the evidence you can provide. I¡¯m


    more than happy to y along.¡±


    With that, she turned on her heel and left with her two bodyguards in tow.


    Seeing that she was leaving, Maverick followed after her with a grim expression,


    Chapter 52 Here to Give You a Gift


    Meanwhile, Natasha¡¯s and the Mossey couple¡¯s attention were on the banners, so they didn¡¯t realize


    Maverick had left.


    Upon getting a clearer look at what was written on the banners, Natasha was so infuriated that she was


    on the verge of coughing up a mouthful of blood.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    Chapter 53 She Is Ruthless


    Each banner had one sentence. The first one read: Making the situation worse for yourself.


    The second one was: Shooting yourself in the foot.


    They were obviously using her of reaping what she had sown.


    Infuriated by what she saw, Natasha felt her body ache all over as intense hatred brimmed in her eyes.


    As for Jerome, his face darkened upon reading them too.


    Only Madelyn sniggered in response, relishing in schadenfreude.


    However, her response attracted the gazes of the other two. Natasha was even more outraged that her


    face reddened like a tomato.


    With an awkward smile, Madelynmented, ¡°Hmph, I can¡¯t believe that woman. She clearly doesn¡¯t


    have


    any respect for the Mossey family at all. Darling if you don¡¯t teach her a lesson, I can¡¯t imagine what


    other outrageous actions she¡¯ll take the next tim!¡±


    Just as she spoke, a knock was heard on the door.


    A man in a uniform opened the door slightly and asked, ¡°May I know if this is Ms. Natasha Mossey¡¯s


    ward?¡±


    After the few of them exchanged nces, Madelyn asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Someone by the name of Ms. Gwendolyn Shalders has ordered customized flower wreaths for Ms.


    Mossey.¡±


    No sooner had he finished than the man waved behind him.


    Thereafter, a group of workers carried huge flower wreaths into the ward under the curious gazes of the


    Mossey family.


    Soon, the entire room was filled with thirty-two flower wreaths that wereid out in front of Natasha.


    ¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t it too¡­¡±


    Before Madelyn could say anything snarky, Jerome shot her a re, causing her to cover her mouth.


    Once the delivery menpleted their task, they bowed cordially. ¡°Please enjoy the flowers. We hope


    that you¡¯ll patronize our services again.¡±


    After cursing me to my death, what makes you think there¡¯s a next time? Gwendolyn is really ruthless!


    Natasha felt as if her heart was about to explode.


    ¡°Get out! All of you-¡± Her next words were swallowed by a bout of coughing.


    Ali she could think of was throwing the wreaths at the faces of the men. Unfortunately, she still couldn¡¯t


    move due to the surgery and could only re at them in fury.


    That b*tch is just too much! Not only did she send me banners to gloat but also wreaths as a curse to


    me!


    113.25 MC


    Chapter 53 She Is Ruthless


    ¡°B*tch! B*tch! Throw them out! Throw them all out!¡± Another violent fit of coughing interrupted her


    words.


    With her lungs on the brink of implosion, she could barely catch her breath when she caught a glimpse


    of the picture among the wreaths.


    Gwendolyn had taken an embarrassing photo of her when her dress was torn at the banquet.


    She¡¯s really cruel!


    Memories of how she was humiliated at the dinner and ridiculed online flooded back into her mind..


    ¡°Ah! I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±


    With her teeth gritted behind her swollen lips, Natasha was rendered unconscious by her overwhelming


    rage.


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn chose to leave the hospital via the emergency exit instead of the front door.


    Just as she was walking along the corridor, she felt someone grab her wrist.


    It was none other than Maverick who had caught up with her.


    In response, Gwendolyn¡¯s bodyguards were about to take action when she stopped them.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Why don¡¯t you guys take a break, but don¡¯t go too far.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    When the bodyguards were finally out of sight, Gwendolyn shook off Maverick¡¯s hand before rubbing.


    her wrist in a nonchnt manner. ¡°Whatever questions you have, fire away.¡±


    With deeply furrowed brows and a grim look on his face, Maverick began to speak, but it was


    unexpectedly not about Natasha.


    ¡°Who are those two men? Bodyguards? Who do they work for? Treyton or Joaquin?¡±


    Gwendolyn was stunned by the barrage of questions Did hee all this way just to ask that?


    Feeling curious, she replied snarkily, ¡°They¡¯re mine.¡±


    Yours? Lovers? Two of them?


    Maverick¡¯s face reddened from the outrage he felt. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re doing? Where is your


    sense of decency?¡±


    Is this what he perceives as ack of decency?


    Gwendolyn sneered, ¡°Mr. Wright, have you forgotten that both of us are divorced? How are my affairs.


    any of your business? What right do you have to be jealous?¡±


    ¡°Who says I¡¯m jealous?¡±


    He was stumped when Gwendolyn¡¯s words struck a nerve.


    Unable to rebut, Maverick had no choice but to change the topic. ¡°You sent me a messagest night.


    What¡¯s the meaning of that?¡±


    25 Mon, May


    Chapter 53 She Is Ruthless


    ¡°What message?¡±


    Maverick stared intently at her in an attempt to discern if she was telling the truth.


    ¡°Were you responsible for Tasha being beaten up and almost raped?¡±


    Letting out a chuckle, Gwendolyn locked gazes with him. Her lips abruptly curled into a smirk.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Subsequently, she turned around and walked away, leaving him with a glimpse of a haughty silhouette.


    At the veryst moment, she added, ¡°You had better show your fianc¨¦e more concern. With her weak


    mental constitution, she¡¯s probably in a terrible state right now.¡±


    Just as Maverick wanted to approach her again, he was stopped by the bodyguards.


    ¡°Boss.¡±


    Coincidentally, the solemn-looking Noah found Maverick.


    Stopping his pursuit of Gwendolyn, Maverick turned around and headed to the empty smoking room on


    the fifth floor.


    ¡°There¡¯s something strange about this incident. The moment our men began the investigations, the


    perpetrators destroyed all the evidence, as if they were expecting us. In the end, we didn¡¯t find anything


    and have no leads so far¡­¡±


    Cognizant of the sensitivity of what he was about to say, Noah paused abruptly to scan his


    surroundings.


    Maverick, holding a cigarette between his lips, threw him a quick nce to signal him to go ahead.


    Noal steeled himself and continued, ¡°Mr. Harris of Angle and Mr. Joaquin of the Zipper family both have


    the ability to be one step ahead of us and destroy the evidence swiftly. Also, both of them are close to


    Ms. Shalders¡­¡±


    He was implying that he suspected Gwendolyn.


    Maverick narrowed his eyes upon hearing the report


    When I asked her about the message, she clearly looked like she had no clue about it. But when I


    questioned if she was responsible for Natasha getting hurt, she then behaved as if she was aware.


    ¡°There¡¯s more to this than meets the eye.¡± Maverick stubbed out his cigarette.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Noah was adamant that his suspicions were on the ball. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a straightforward matter, but


    you¡¯re just being biased?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes darkened as he shot Noah a re, causing thetter to instantly lower his head in


    silence.


    ¡°If Tasha and Gwendolyn were to switch ces, who would you side with?¡±


    Chapter 53 She Is Ruthless


    Without a second of hesitation, Noah replied, ¡°Ms. Mossey, of course. There¡¯s no way someone as kind


    and innocent as she is wouldmit such an insidious act. As for Gwendolyn, I have seen how


    ruthless she can be against her enemies.¡±


    The furrow of his brows deepened as Maverick scrutinized him. ¡°The way you talk about Tasha¡­¡±


    ¡°Boss, don¡¯t worry. All I have for her is respect because she¡¯s your fianc¨¦e. That¡¯s the only reason I¡¯m


    defending her,¡± Noah exined before Maverick could finish, lowering his head respectfully.


    Maverick continued to observe him with an emotionless expression as if he could read thetter¡¯s


    mind.


    Unsettled by the intensity of the attention, Noah bowed his head further.


    ¡°Find out who Tasha has spoken to and exchanged messages with over thest few days. Also, with


    regards to the previous incident I ordered you to investigate, I want to see results in three days.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s words caused Noah to clench his fists.


    Ms. Mossey is clearly the victim here. It¡¯s really disappointing that Boss insists on investigating her.


    Despite his reluctance, Noah obeyed cordially. ¡°Understood.¡±


    Once he was gone, Maverick made a phone call.


    With his eyes weighed down by a sullen look, he spoke in a deep voice. ¡°Zachary, I need you to


    investigate something.¡±

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    Chapter 54 The Incident from Thirty Years Ago


    Upon emerging from the smoking room, Noah overheard a group of nursesining.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Ms. Mossey? Why is she throwing a tantrum when she¡¯s supposed to be


    recuperating? It¡¯s going to be a long day.¡±


    Noah stopped the nurse and asked, ¡°Ms. Mossey? Who were you just talking about?¡±


    ¡°How many Ms. Mosseys can afford to stay in the VIP ward?¡±


    The nurse shoved his hand aside before running off, leaving Noah with a bitter taste in his mouth.


    It had been almost eight years since he started working for Maverick right after thetter joined Wright


    Construction Group. He had no family or friends, and it was Maverick who gave him a job.


    As for Natasha, she was the first person to ever smile at him and was also the very first friend he


    made.


    Consequently, he saw Maverick as family, whereas Natasha was someone even dearer than that


    whom. he felt the urge to protect.


    It was true that he liked Natasha romantically, but he hid those feelings deep in his heart. Instead, he


    secretly hoped that she would find happiness.


    Unfortunately, he was filled with indignance when he saw her having a tough time, which was made


    worse by Maverick¡¯s pursuit of Gwendolyn and his neglect of Natasha while she was both sick and in


    danger.


    Holding that thought, Noah clenched his fists as the resolve within him gradually strengthened.


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn received a call after emerging from the hospital.


    News of Natasha being wheeled into the emergency room again brought her a sense of tion.


    Now that Natasha had been taught a lesson, Gwendolyn decided to head to the training facility where


    there was work waiting to be done.


    As her Volkswagen Santana had been wrecked the night before and she had no time to get a new car,


    she ended up taking a taxi.


    Upon her arrival, the staff greeted her cordially, while the person in charge reported to her about the


    equipment and processes that were being improved upon.


    After circling around the facility, Gwendolyn was satisfied with what she saw. The rehearsals for the


    show should be able to start soon, and then it¡¯s time for broadcast.


    While she was making the rounds, one of the young female staff was ted to catch a glimpse of her.


    Without any hesitation, she rushed up to Gwendolyn to ask for an autograph.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, I saw you in the ¡®Lover¡¯ video, and you were gorgeous in it! So, are you going to


    participate in the talent show this time? I¡¯ll always be rooting for you!¡±


    Gwendolyn responded with an awkward smile as she was surprised to meet a fan at the training facility.


    Unfortunately, she had no choice but to push the girl¡¯s autograph book back.


    Chapter 54 The Incident from Thirty Years Ago


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not a celebrity and have no intention of being one. Signing autographs is just not my


    thing.¡±


    With that, she stepped around the fan before leaving together with the person in charge.


    Nevertheless, the fan continued to stare intently at her leaving silhouette. As the admiration on her face


    gradually faded away, she looked down at the notebook that now contained Gwendolyn¡¯s fingerprint.


    After the brief incident, Gwendolyn went to check on the trainees¡¯ dorm and cafeteria. There, she asked


    for the trainee register that contained the names of the hundred candidates who had been. shortlisted.


    She started out skimming through the document quickly, but at thest few pages, her attention was


    drawn to a familiar name and face-Jennifer Weller.


    Jennifer was her only friend in the orphanage. When she was seriously sick once, Gwendolyn even


    begged Frida for money to pay for her friend¡¯s treatment.


    Unfortunately, Jennifer didn¡¯t manage to gather enough funds for her medical fees and was


    subsequently kicked out of the orphanage. Both of them lost contact since then.


    Now that a few years had passed, Gwendolyn was surprised to see Jennifer¡¯s name appear on the list


    of the talent show trainees.


    When the person in charge noticed Gwendolyn¡¯s long pause, he broke into an obsequious smile and


    offered, ¡°Is she a friend of yours, Ms. Shalders? Do you need us to pay her special attention?¡±


    Gwendolyn declined, ¡°There¡¯s no need to do so. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to the others to give her special


    treatment. Besides, she wouldn¡¯t like it either.¡±


    For the time being, Gwendolyn had no intention of reuniting with Jennifer.


    Her identity as an orphan had prevented Natasha from finding any weakness in her. Hence, thest


    thing she wanted was for Jennifer, her friend, to be dragged into the mess.


    With that thought in mind, Gwendolyn closed the register without showing any emotion.


    Meanwhile, Natasha was transferred back to her ward from the emergency room again.


    After being examined by the doctor a second time, her condition barely showed any improvement.


    Finally regaining consciousness and opening her swollen eyes slightly, she could see the faint outline


    of a towering figure in a suit


    Thinking that it was Maverick, she grabbed his hand and began to cry.


    ¡°Mave¡­ Thank God you¡¯re here. Otherwise, I don¡¯t how I¡¯m going to survive this,¡± she sobbed through


    her.lcars.


    The person whose hand she held jolted at her reaction.


    ¡°Ms. Mossey, it¡¯s me, Noah.¡±


    Upon seeing who it really was, Natasha ended up crying even harder in disappointment.


    13:25 Mon,


    Chapter 54 The Incident from Thirty Years Ago


    Unable to bear seeing her in such a state, Noah grumbled, ¡°Gwendolyn has gone too far by sending


    you funeral wreaths. Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Mossey. I¡¯ll definitely help you.¡±


    Unfortunately, Natasha wasn¡¯t moved by his words as theckluster look in her eyes remained


    unchanged.


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of you helping me? Mave doesn¡¯t trust me. In fact, he isn¡¯t even willing to keep me


    company here¡­ What have I done to deserve this¡­¡±


    ¡°You did nothing wrong. It¡¯s Mr. Wright. He¡¯s suspicious of you. Moreover, he wants to reinvestigate


    what happened thirty years ago¡­¡±


    Natasha couldn¡¯t bear to listen any longer.


    Mave wants to dig up the past? Did he notice something already?


    Seized by panic, Natasha¡¯s hands began to tremble uncontrobly.


    Failing to notice the change, Noah continued to console her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No matter what happens, I


    trust you and will support you unconditionally.¡±


    Touched by his words, Natasha tightened her grip on his hand. ¡°Thank you, Noah. You¡¯re like family to


    me.¡±


    Her words brought a sense of tion to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored that you see me as such!¡±


    Gesturing for him toe closer, Natasha whispered something into his ear, to which Noah agreed


    without hesitation.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Upon leaving the training facility, Gwendolyn headed to the car dealership directly, nning to get


    herself a new car.


    There, she was surprised to run into someone familiar. It was none other than Linda Dervalier from the


    orphanage.


    She was hanging off the arm of a gray-haired man in his fifties and happened to also be choosing a


    car.


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t Gwendolyn! You¡¯ve gone viral on the inte recently. It¡¯s been a long time since I saw you.


    I¡¯m surprised you barely made any progress in life.¡±


    At the sight of Gwendolyn, the smirking Linda approached with herpanion.


    During their orphanage days, they were rivals due to both being outstanding girls.


    When Gwendolyn was subsequently taken away by Den to be married to his handsome heir, Linda


    felt depressed over it for a long time.


    It wasn¡¯t until Gwendolyn¡¯s name trended online that she found out about the former¡¯s divorce and


    relished in the schadenfreude.


    This b*tch loves to fight me for everything. Now that she has be a divorcee, she can no longer


    compete with


    1.


    29 Mon,


    Chapter 54 The Incident from Thirty Years Ago


    Holding that thought, she thrust her chin into the air while unting the branded clothing and expensive


    jewelry she was wearing.


    At the same time, Gwendolyn scrutinized both of them. The sight of the gold chain around the man¡¯s


    neck, the lecherous way he was looking at her, and the golden tooth that glistened whenever he


    smiled. filled her with disgust.


    Nheless, she still managed to eke out a polite smile. ¡°It has indeed been years since I saw you


    last. It looks like you have done well for yourself, haven¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Chapter 55 You Reap What You Sow


    ¡°Not too bad, I guess.¡±


    Despite the humble reply, the smugness on Linda¡¯s face was obvious to all. ¡°Let me introduce you. This


    is my boyfriend, Jamie Derrymore. He¡¯s the assistant business manager of Celeste and makes eight


    hundred thousand a year.¡±


    When she emphasized thest sentence on purpose, Jamie smiled proudly, shing his golden tooth


    again.


    Thereafter, Linda waited for Gwendolyn¡¯s response, expectingpliments from thetter.


    However, when Gwendolyn continued to give her an indifferent look, Linda was peeved.


    She has always loved pretending to be high and mighty. It¡¯s time I pull her down from her high horse.


    ¡°I heard that you got divorced?¡±


    Linda studied Gwendolyn¡¯s outfit while speaking. Noticing thetter was dressed in office wear, she let


    out a snort. ¡°Which car dealership are you working in as a salesperson? Is this all you have achieved


    after all these years?¡±


    Shooting Linda a re as if she was a fool, Gwendolyn sneered. ¡°I¡¯m here to buy a car.¡±


    With that, she retracted her gaze and let herself be ushered in by the salesperson to choose her car.


    She had no intention nor energy to spend time on someone who was irrelevant to her.


    Linda was further infuriated to see Gwendolyn just as arrogant as in the past and giving her the cold


    shoulder.


    When she returned to the orphanage just two days ago, she heard that Gwendolyn had not only gotten


    a divorce but also received nothing from it.


    And yet, she¡¯s here to buy a car?


    ¡°I¡¯m curious to see what sort of car she can afford,¡± Linda muttered under her breath as she stared at


    Gwendolyn¡¯s silhouette.


    Subsequently, she turned toward Jamie and spoke in a coquettish tone.


    ¡°Darling, let¡¯s go in and take a look. Since you¡¯re buying me a present, I would like to spend some time


    choosing the car that suits me the most.¡±


    Lost in the fantasies he conjured up with Gwendolyn¡¯s slender body, Jamie readilyplied with her


    request.


    Inside, Gwendolyn had arrived at the section where all the mass markets cars were put on disy.


    She wasn¡¯t particr when it came to material possessions. All that mattered was user-friendliness and


    practicality.


    In fact, she had intended to randomly pick one and leave but was surprised to hear Linda clicking her


    tongue from behind her.


    Chapter 55 You Reap What You Sow


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have your eye on a cheap car like the Volkswagen Passat. It seems life as a


    divorcee has been hard on you.¡±


    Arms folded, Linda wore a condescending look on her face.


    In spite of that, Gwendolyn continued to ignore her.


    Despite receiving the cold shoulder, Linda continued calmly, ¡°Just for old times¡¯ sake, I can get my


    boyfriend to introduce you to some of his outstanding male staff. He is an assistant manager, after all,


    and hemands the respect of his subordinates.¡±


    Meanwhile, Jamie was already ogling Gwendolyn. The moment he heard his name being mentioned,


    he shed a smile that was apanied by a scious glint in his eyes.


    ¡°A friend of Lindee¡¯s is a friend of mine. Here¡¯s my number. You can call me anytime.¡±


    Linda gave him the side-eye at once. After being together for two and a half years, she was well aware


    of his gallivanting ways.


    Thus, she reprimanded him, ¡°I¡¯m asking you to introduce a good man to her. What are you trying to get


    her number for? Do you intend on hitting on her behind my back?¡±


    Even though she spoke with a smile, her eyes were already spitting fire.


    With a drastic change in expression, Jamie quickly wrapped his arm around her waist. ¡°Come on. What


    are you talking about? You¡¯re the only one who matters to me. I¡¯m just being helpful to make you


    happy.¡±


    Nevertheless, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t bear watching both of them sweet-talking each other any longer.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for any of this. You can save those good men for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    Linda gave chase when she saw Gwendolyn trying to leave. She was clearly upset over the interest.


    Jamie had shown thetter.


    She has always wanted to take what is mine. And now, she wants my man?


    The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became.


    With a vicious look in her eyes, she snapped, ¡°What¡¯s with that attitude? I was just trying to help. I¡¯m


    sure you have to take out a loan to buy the car, so what¡¯s wrong with having a boyfriend purchase it for


    you?¡±


    Brows knitted, Gwendolyn threw her a fiery gaze.


    On ount of Jamie¡¯s presence and the fact that they had suffered together in the orphanage,


    Gwendolyn had intended to let the matter slide. She simply wanted to leave after getting her car since it


    was unlikely for them to ever cross paths again.


    Unfortunately, Linda mistook Gwendolyn¡¯s silence for fear and intensified her attacks instead.


    Staring at thetter¡¯s silhouette, Linda sneered, ¡°What¡¯s with that haughty attitude when you¡¯re nothing


    but a woman rejected by the Wright family? Do you really think you¡¯re so much better than me?¡±


    Chapter 55 You Reap What You Sow


    7


    Even though she was speaking in a low voice, it was loud enough for Gwendolyn to hear every single


    word.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Stopping in her tracks, Gwendolyn turned around with her eyes spitting fire.


    Stunned momentarily by the animosity, Linda quickly regained her vicious look. ¡°You know better than


    anyone else that you¡¯re the one who has been cast out.¡±


    As a grim look descended upon Gwendolyn¡¯s face, she began to emit an icy aura.


    22


    ¡°I had wanted to forgive you, but you have now gone too far.¡±


    Shaken by Gwendolyn¡¯s intimidating response, Linda was briefly worried that the former would seek


    revenge.


    Unexpectedly, Gwendolyn walked toward the exit and quickly disappeared.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking! My boyfriend is the assistant manager of Celeste. Who gave you the right to


    threaten me? I¡¯m the one who¡¯s not going to forgive you!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    In an attempt to make up for being cowed earlier, Linda ranted in Gwendolyn¡¯s direction.


    Thereafter, she was filled with the urge to prove Gwendolyn wrong.


    Hence, she grabbed Jamie¡¯s hand and suggested coquettishly, ¡°Darling, I want a BMW. The kind that¡¯s


    like a coupe. I know you always treat me well, so why don¡¯t we take a look?¡±


    Jamie¡¯s expression instantly froze, for his annual sry was only eight hundred thousand. A car like


    that would wipe everything out, leaving him nothing for living expenses.


    However, given that he enjoyed having his ego stroked by Linda and the fact that all the salespersons


    were staring at him, he readily agreed, as doing otherwise would be too embarrassing for him.


    Holding each other tightly, both of them looked intimate together.


    Unfortunately, their age gap made them look more like father and daughter instead of a couple. Anyone


    who saw them would simply feel disgusted.


    It was under everyone¡¯s strange gazes that both of them made their way to the exit.


    No sooner had they walked through that door than a loud ssh was heard.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    A pail of days-old water from the car wash was sshed on Linda before she could react.


    Even though Jamie had noticed it in time and dodged it, he was still caught by most of the dirty water.


    -Looking pretty in a red dress a moment ago, Linda was now totally drenched and covered by a sour


    stench.


    She screamed at the top of her lungs before ring at the person who did it.


    It was a young girl dressed in a staff uniform. Despite the meek look on her face, her eyes showed no


    fear at all.


    Linda exploded in rage. How dare a small fry like her bully me?


    ¡°Has your mother never taught you to look where you¡¯re going? My clothes, shoes, and bag are all


    branded. Do you know how much they cost? You¡¯ll never be able to pay for them even after ten years.


    of work!¡±


    Nheless, the girl stayed silent and allowed Linda to rant on like a shrew.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to forgive you for this. Other than an apology and payment for the damage, I demand


    that youpensate me for the mental distress you have caused. On top of that, I¡¯m going to make


    sure that you¡¯re fired and will never be hired again!¡±


    Holding the pail in her hand, the girl continued to keep mum.


    Linda consequently felt as if she had nowhere else to vent. ¡°Are you mute? Has your mom never taught


    you how to speak?¡±


    At that moment, Jamie came forward to support Linda. ¡°Tell your boss toe out here. Just say that


    the assistant manager of Celeste wants to see him. I want him to personally resolve this matter!¡±


    He had inadvertently shortened his position as assistant business manager to assistant manager of


    Celeste in an attempt to inte his own ego.


    ¡°I¡¯m the boss. I was the one who sshed the water on you.¡±


    A crisp feminine voice suddenly rang out.


    When both of them turned to look, they saw the smiling Gwendolyn leaning casually against a luxury

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    Chapter 56 Deal with Her


    Gwendolyn¡¯s tight-fitting white professional attire contrasted sharply with the red Porsche 911 behind


    her. Yet, the colors matched harmoniously, making her look incredibly gorgeous.


    One would agree from the depth of one¡¯s heart that it was a perfect match of a luxury car and a beauty.


    However, the dazzling sight was ruined by a burst ofughter from the side.


    Linda was already infuriated, so sheughed in exasperation after hearing Gwendolyn¡¯s words. ¡°Who


    do you think you are?¡±


    As she spoke, she turned to look at the car dealership¡¯s logo subconsciously and found that it was


    Porsche. Confident that Gwendolyn could never own the car dealership. Linda burst into louder


    laughter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind you being pretentious on regr days, Gwendolyn. However, aren¡¯t you aware of where


    you are now? If you were a Porsche dealer, I would be a Ferrari dealer!¡±


    Jamie also believed that Gwendolyn was not the owner, so heughed along with Linda. His gaze on


    Gwendolyn also grew increasingly lecherous and daring,


    Yet, Gwendolyn leaned against the car and smirked. It¡¯s true I¡¯m not a Porsche dealer.¡±


    Linda shed a gloating grin at once. Before she had the chance to mock Gwendolyn, thetter


    continued, ¡°However, I¡¯m the owner of the entire automobile city. I just acquired it two minutes ago.¡±


    Linda mocked as if she had heard the world¡¯s greatest joke, ¡°Are you out of your mind? How can you


    acquire the entire automobile city when you can¡¯t afford designer handbags and couture? What a joke!¡±


    The odor on her body reminded her of how Gwendolyn had someone dump dirty water on her, which


    made her angrier.


    ¡°Do you think you are so great just by stealing the limelight on the inte? You better kneel before me


    and beg for mercy! I might consider letting you go.¡±


    ring fiercely at Gwendolyn, Linda continued, ¡°Otherwise, with the help of my boyfriend¡¯s strong


    connection in Faike, you better be prepared tond yourself a notorious reputation here!¡±


    Jamie, who was standing beside them, ogled Gwendolyn without restraint. Then, he approached her


    and smiled with malicious intent.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, gorgeous. Apologize to Lindee now, and 1, the assistant manager of Celeste, will consider


    letting you go. Otherwise¡­¡±


    A perverted smile hung on his lips as he stared at Gwendolyn¡¯s figure. With those sexual fantasies in


    mind, he couldn¡¯t help but lick his lips.


    Gwendolyn curled her lips and smiled faintly. Then, maintaining her arrogant attitude, she said, ¡°Then


    we shall see who¡¯s the one who refuses to let the other go.¡±


    With her arms folded, Linda snorted and ordered Jamie to teach Gwendolyn a lesson.


    Five minutester, no one came to Jamie¡¯s assistance.


    Chapter 56 Deal with Her


    Instead, the general manager of the automobile city dashed to their side.


    Noticing the general manager¡¯s fearful expression, Linda and Jamie thought the manager was there to


    apologize after knowing his employee had dumped dirty water on Linda.


    Instantly, the two posed an arrogant demeanor.


    Linda retorted, ¡°How do you intend on making it up to me for this incident today?¡±


    Holding her head high, she folded her arms and waited for the general manager¡¯s apology.


    Yet, to their astonishment, thetter ignored them and walked directly toward Gwendolyn. Then, he


    said respectfully, ¡°Spending 5 billion to acquire the entire automobile city is a big deal. It¡¯s my fault that I


    did not wee you, my new boss, personally in time. I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡±


    What? His boss! Is Gwendolyn truly the new owner of the entire automobile city? How can she fork out


    5 billion to acquire it? That¡¯s sovish!


    Linda and Jamie¡¯s expressions changed drastically as they were dumbfounded.


    On the other hand, Gwendolyn looked calm and nonchnt.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s tiring to wear high heels. Please have a seat inside!¡± The general manager did not know.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s temperament, so he bowed slightly and gestured for her to enter the office in an attempt


    at ttery after seeing that she remained quiet.


    Then, he continued, ¡°In addition, since the entire automobile city is yours now, not only can you take


    the Volkswagen Passat, you are free to drive away any car you like too. If you want, you can drive a


    different car daily.¡±


    Driving a different car daily! What avish lifestyle!


    Linda could not bring herself to imagine such a lifestyle. In an instant, jealousy and resentment churned


    within her.


    She refused to believe an orphan who grew up in Faike Orphanage just like her could fork out 5


    billion to acquire the entire automobile city.


    I will never admit that it¡¯s true!


    ¡°This isn¡¯t possible!¡± ring at Gwendolyn, Linda yelled in a high-pitched voice, ¡°Are you putting on an


    act? Do you have to go to that extent to fool me?¡±


    With her teeth gritted, she pointed at the general manager and shouted, ¡°And you! How much did you


    receive for cooperating with her? I can give you double!¡±


    However, her words made the general manager frown in displeasure.


    ¡°Miss, please respect our boss and do mind your image and behavior in front of the public.¡±


    Then, the general manager took two steps backward, le scrutinized Linda, who was drenched in dirty


    water, and left in a hurry while covering his nose.


    Jamie had the good fortune of meeting the general manager once previously. Knowing that thetter¡¯s


    identity might be genuine, he reminded Linda of it quietly.


    Chapter 56 Deal with Her


    1


    Upon hearing his words, she stepped backward in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s not an act? I can¡¯t believe it! Why does


    this b*tch deserve all of this¡­¡±


    After seeing that Linda still did not understand the current situation and was unwilling to let the matter


    rest, Jamie decided to cut all ties with a brainless woman like her.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, I¡¯m a fool! I¡¯m only an assistant business manager of Celeste¡¯s property management


    division! How could I dare to be rude to you? Please don¡¯t take it to heart if I offended you just now!¡±


    He quickly recovered from the shock and showed an ingratiating smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be at yourmand and do


    anything for you withoutints if you need me, so please take me in if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Jamie? Don¡¯t you know how much I hate her? Why are you acting like a


    simp in her face?¡±


    Noticing that she had been isted, Linda lifted her arm to p him as molten anger rolled through


    her.


    However, Jamie grabbed her wrist and shoved her aside with a disgusted look.


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely filthy and smell terrible! Don¡¯te near me as you disgust me.¡±


    ¡°Well, well. I must¡¯ve been blind to fall for you!¡±


    Trembling with fury, Linda yelled at him like a raving mad shrew, ¡°Take a good look at yourself in the


    mirror! Look at your belly and yellowish teeth! Do you think you are qualified to shun me?¡±


    Upon finishing her sentence, she stepped forward quickly while Jamie was unprepared and pped


    both sides of his cheeks with all her might.


    The ps were so hard that Jamie felt dizzy at once. Then, covering his face, he bellowed in disbelief,


    ¡°You b*tch! How dare you hit me? Do you think I would spend hundreds of thousands to be your sugar


    daddy if it weren¡¯t for your looks? Who do you think you are? What a jinx!¡±


    The two started to have a row on the spot.


    ¡°What an entertaining fight between two dogs!¡± Gwendolyn leaned against the Porsche and pped.


    her hands. ¡°It¡¯s a pity their voices are a little too loud.¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Then, she shouted, ¡°Security! Kick these two irritating people out of the building. They are ruining the


    automobile city¡¯s image by quarreling at our doorstep¡±


    ¡°B*tch, how dare you! I¡¯ll make you pay for this!¡± Linda screamed.


    The security guards were not wimps either. They approached the two in no time and grabbed them by


    their arms. Without saying a word, they dragged Linda and Jamie out and threw them on the roadside


    as if they were garbage.


    Unable to withstand the force of their mighty push, Linda fell to the ground and swore angrily without


    filtering her words, ¡°You f*cking b*tch! Don¡¯t think you have risen to the top just because you¡¯ve climbed


    the socialdder! You will always be a sl*t no matter where you go!¡±


    Linda drew plenty of attention as she cursed Gwendolyn outside the store.


    Gwendolyn initially wanted to teach Linda a lesson and did not n to go that far, as thetter was an


    old acquaintance at the orphanage.


    However, since Linda did not know how to stop, Gwendolyn had no choice but to show no mercy.


    She walked out of the store casually. Despite Gwendolyn¡¯s petite figure, her intimidating presence and


    cold nce gave Linda the shivers.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± Gwendolyn asked.


    Linda straightened her neck, trying to boost her aura. ¡°Cursing you a hundred times is not enough to


    quell my anger, b*tch. You-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn.¡± Gwendolyn slid her a cold nce as she interrupted her.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    Chapter 57 What A Domineering Woman


    Linda was stunned by her icy and condescending look.


    Before she could react, Gwendolyn took out her phone and read, ¡°Throughout her five-year


    employment at Celeste, Linda Dervalier had cheated on the property management division vice CEO


    with a few other managers in thepany. She even seduced a few clients when she was on business


    trips.¡± She turned to Linda and sneered, ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re capable ofmitting such acts.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Linda immediately toned down her arrogance. ¡°How dare you use me without


    evidence? I can sue you for defamation!¡±


    ¡°Be patient. Let me finish,¡± Gwendolyn responded. She continued reading the information she


    gathered, ¡°Besides that, she had also misappropriated twenty thousand from thepany. Still haven¡¯t


    kicked the habit you picked up from the orphanage, huh? You might not be put behind bars for


    embezzling that twenty thousand, but if yourpany learns about this¡­¡± Gwendolyn paused for a


    moment and smirked.


    Linda froze for a bit before taking a deep breath.


    ¡°At this stage, getting fired by yourpany is inevitable. But I wonder if the otherpanies in the


    industry will cklist you when they find out all the things you did?¡±


    Gwendolyn put aside her phone, looked at the exasperated expression on Linda¡¯s face, and shed


    her a faint smile.


    ¡°Evidence? Where¡¯s your evidence?¡± Linda refused to give in. ¡°You¡¯re so good at making up stories that


    I nearly believed you. But don¡¯t you dare point the finger at me if you don¡¯t have any evidence against


    me!¡±


    She rolled her eyes at Gwendolyn. As soon as she finished saying that, her phone rang.


    Gwendolyn arched her brows and smirked. ¡°Herees the evidence.¡±


    Linda responded with a murderous look. Upon realizing the caller was her boss, she started panicking.


    Her hands trembled when she answered the call.


    Before she could greet him, her superiormbasted her right away. ¡°Linda Dervalier, I¡¯ve always


    thought you¡¯re someone with integrity. How bold of you to do all these things behind our backs?¡±


    He continued roaring. ¡°I¡¯m aware of all things you did! I can¡¯t believe Celeste has hired a good-for-


    nothing! You¡¯re doomed!¡±


    ¡°No, sir! Please listen to me!¡± Linda felt her heart threatening to leap out of her chest.


    She tried defending herself in between sobs. ¡°Someone must have framed me. You must believe me!¡±


    ¡°Framed you? Do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡±


    Her superior was so mad that he scoffed. ¡°Come to my office right now. I¡¯ll show you the evidence


    before kicking you out of thepany!¡±


    Before Linda could exin further, the impatient man hung up on her.


    Feeling utterly desperate, she put down her phone and looked at Gwendolyn with imploring eyes. Her


    1:20 M


    Chapter 57 What A Domineering Woman


    arrogant attitude had vanished into thin air.


    Linda began to feel that Gwendolyn was not someone she should mess with. Not only did she rise to


    the top and be the boss of the entire automobile city in less than thirty minutes, but she also


    managed to dig out my secrets in just a matter of minutes when the argument with Jamie took ce.


    ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± Linda, who still had not regained herposure, stared at Gwendolyn.


    Yet, Gwendolyn smirked and responded with an icy gare. Though she was merely standing still, she


    exuded a domineering aura as if she was born with it


    Linda finally realized Gwendolyn was no longer the divorcee and the ordinary girl from the orphanage


    she remembered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Gwendolyn! Please forgive me!¡±


    She humbled herself and pleaded with Gwendolyn. can¡¯t lose this job. I admit it¡¯s all my fault. Please


    have mercy on me!¡±


    Gwendolyn ignored her. It was as if she was waiting for Linda to continue.


    ¡°What I did was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have humiliated you just now. Since we grew up together in the


    orphanage, please just let bygones be bygones, okay? I can¡¯t lose this job. I¡¯ll be doomed if the industry


    cklists me!¡± Linda bowed apologetically before Gwendolyn.


    Her lowly behavior now was a stark contrast to her arogant attitude earlier.


    She got even more anxious when she noticed Gwendolyn continued giving her the cold shoulder.


    She dropped to her knees and pleaded, ¡°Gwendolyn know what I did was wrong. I¡¯m sorry, please let


    me off! I know you¡¯ve always beenpassionate to others, so please have mercy on me!¡±


    ¡°Are you done?¡± Gwendolyn walked up to Linda. She lifted thetter¡¯s chin and forced her to look her in


    the eyes. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I¡¯ve always been vengeful and will always be, so quit ying the sympathy


    card. I did give you a chance, but you screwed it up.¡±


    After shoving Linda¡¯s chin aside, Gwendolyn drew a piece of tissue from her bag to wipe her hands.


    ¡°Send her out.¡± Gwendolyn let out a cold snort. ¡°From now on, these two are prohibited from entering


    the premises.¡±


    The general manager immediately got up and ordered the security guards, ¡°Did you not hear what Ms.


    Shalders said? Escort them out!¡±


    A few guards went up and chased them off with mop sticks.


    Jamie and Linda, who instantly became the two most hated people in the automobile city, were kicked


    out of the ce.


    Gwendolyn was pleased with the turn of events. She rned around and returned to the main store.


    The general manager followed behind, trying to get to introduce you to the brands around the


    automobil Ithought you might need someone to exin how the


    her good books. ¡°Ms. Shalders, do you want me city? Since you¡¯ve just bought over the business,


    industry works, so-¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I know what to do.¡± Gwendolyn gave him a re as a warning. She did not


    want him to speak more than he should.


    Chapter 57 What A Domineering Woman


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Okay, okay, okay. I shouldn¡¯t have asked so much. My fault.¡± The general manager smiled wryly and


    gently pped his check. He was afraid of losing his job for stepping on her toes.


    Gwendolyn stopped in front of a Volkswagen Passat and studied the bright red car next to her. After a


    pause, she opened the door and got into the vehicle.


    1


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone I acquired the entire automobile city,¡± Gwendolyn warned in a deep voice. She


    continued, ¡°If words get out, I¡¯ll¡­..¡±


    A corner of her lips quirked up. Her baffling smile sen chills down the general manager¡¯s spine.


    The general manager shuddered. He patted his chest with his hand and assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! This


    secret is safe with me!¡±


    ¡°Moving forward, you¡¯ll still be in charge of the sales and marketing of the automobile city. Report to me


    once a month, but leave me alone on the other days.¡± With that, Gwendolyn floored the elerator and


    sped off.


    The car was merely an ordinary vehicle, but she drove it like a sports car.


    The general manager¡¯s jaw dropped as he watched the red car speed into the distance.


    He could not help but sigh. ¡°What a domineering woman. Our new boss is indeed one of a kind.¡±


    After witnessing how she taught Jamie and Linda a lesson, he knew he must never offend her.


    While hitting the road in the new car, Gwendolyn turned on the speaker.


    Unperturbed by the incident that had just happened a while ago, she whistled to the tune of the music.


    as she was driving back to Angle Corporation.


    Suddenly, Gwendolyn heard a familiar ringtone. She nced at the phone and realized it was Joanne.


    After a short hesitation, she turned on her Bluetooth earpiece.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way back to the office. Cut to the chase,¡± Gwendolyn said curtly.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, you made headlines again!¡± Joanne uttered.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    Chapter 58 Trending


    Panicking, Joanne urged, ¡°Go on Twitter and look at the news!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m driving, but what¡¯s on Twitter?¡± Gwendolyn asked helplessly. ¡°If it¡¯s not an urgent matter, then I¡¯ll be


    hanging up. We¡¯ll talk again when I return to thepany.¡±


    ¡°No, no! Don¡¯t end the call!¡± Joanne stopped her anxiously. ¡°The trending topic is not good for you. You


    should¡­¡±


    While Joanne was still rambling, Gwendolyn tuned her out as her attention was now on therge


    screen downtown.


    On the screen, the Mossey family¡¯sdy of the house, who was also Natasha¡¯s mother in name,


    Madelyn, was being interviewed outside of a ward. She had tears and snot on her face as she


    comined about Gwendolyn¡¯s poor behavior.


    The interview immediately captured Gwendolyn¡¯s interest as she nced at the time and parked her


    car in a vacant parking space.


    It¡¯s still early, anyway. I might as well see what the Mossey family¡¯s up to.


    ¡°This ex-wife of Mr. Wright not only sent a banner with mocking words on them to my daughter but also


    a wreath to wish for my daughter¡¯s early death. How could this woman be so cruel!¡±


    Madelyn pretended to wipe her tears before continuing, ¡°Because of that, my poor daughter was


    enraged that she fainted again. Her injuries from being beaten so badly had not even healed yet. My


    daughter clearly did nothing wrong. She was only misunderstood at the banquet, but I didn¡¯t think that


    woman would be this narrow-minded as to seek revenge! Such vile behavior should be exposed!


    Everyone needs to see her true color!¡±


    No longer in the mood to see what Madelyn had to say, Gwendolyn scoffed before driving to Angle


    Corporation.


    Since she was not responsive to Joanne, thetter had already hung up the phone.


    Once she arrived at thepany, she skillfully drifted her car to the parking lot. Then, she entered the


    building with a cold face.


    There were people gathering at the main hall, but when Gwendolyn arrived, one of them spotted her


    and instantly whispered something to the others, causing them to disperse.


    Gwendolyn did not notice them pointing fingers at her as she made a beeline to her office.


    Joanne, who was already waiting in the office, anxiously approached Gwendolyn upon seeing the


    latter.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally back, Ms. Shalders! Have you seen the news? The situation keeps getting worse!¡±


    As she said that, she showed Gwendolyn a page on the tablet.


    Madelyn¡¯s interview caused an uproar on the inte and manyizens discussed this issue.


    There were mixed reactions from the public. A huge part of them was sensible enough to defend


    Gwendolyn, but that did notst long as hatements flooded thement section.


    Chapter 58 Trending


    Needless to say, the hatements were from the ghostwriters hired by Natasha.


    It seemed she had learned her lesson from her experience, as this time, she was smart enough to use.


    the ghostwriters to invoke pity and win sympathy from the public, putting Gwendolyn in a


    disadvantageous position.


    ¡°Disregarding the issue, Gwendolyn put the tablet down and continued to make preparations for the


    girl group show.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, are you really not going to handle this? asked Joanne cautiously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it; just carry on doing your duties on hand,¡± Gwendolyn replied without even raising


    her head.


    A matter as small as this doesn¡¯t deserve even an ounce of my attention. I want to see how far Natasha


    can go with this.


    Studying Gwendolyn¡¯s cold demeanor, Joanne heaved a sigh silently before exiting the office.


    wordlessly.


    Since the boss doesn¡¯t even want to acknowledge this affair might as well just do my work.


    Meanwhile, when Madelyn¡¯s interview ended and when the reporters left the hospital, the initially


    wailing Madelyn instantly stopped acting. Instead, glont reced her expression.


    She had always despised the mistress¡¯ daughter. When Natasha joined the Mossey family, Madelyn


    badly wished she could kill that wench.


    Now that Natasha had been severely beaten, Madelyn had to get her revenge.


    However, Inez was still in aa to date, and Natasha was the only heiress after the former.


    In order to secure the most coveted family-the Mossey family-before Inez regained consciousness,


    Madelyn had to pretend as if she doted on Natasha in front of the whole world, which was disgusting


    to her.


    As she thought of this, her hatred toward Natasha increased.


    Staring at the woman¡¯s sickly figure on the bed, she felt even more gleeful as a delightful smile


    appeared on her face.


    She then turned around, trying to reach for her phone, only to be caught off guard upon noticing


    Maverick standing at the door.


    ¡°Um,e in, Mr. Wright. Don¡¯t just stand there,¡± uttered Madelyn, no longer able to keep the smile. on


    her face.


    How long has he been standing there? Did he see my expression just now?


    ¡°Poor child. Why didn¡¯t she say anything about this? She was even humiliated by that b*tch. I¡¯m d


    she has you here,¡± stated Madelyn, forcing out a tear or two.


    Seeing the usual expression on the man¡¯s face, Madelyn breathed a sigh of relief while wiping her


    tears.


    Chapter 58 Trending


    ¡°Have your time. I¡¯ll not bother you lovers.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± said Maverick, entering the ward.


    The initially idle Natasha happily sat up when she spotted the man, but she identally moved the


    needle in her hand, causing her to gasp in pain.


    Even so, she had to control her expression to maintain her image.


    Be careful.¡±


    Maverick approached her and took a seat in the chair next to the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m d I have you, Mave, or else I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± She leaned toward Maverick a bit,


    seemingly on the verge of tears.


    Maverick avoided her discreetly and asked in concem ¡°How are you? Have your injuries recovered?¡±


    ¡°I feel much better.¡±


    Acting shy, Natasha leaned toward the man again.


    ¡°I have things to do, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave. Rest well.¡± Maverick pried her hands off him and got to


    his feet, getting ready to leave.


    ¡°Mave! Please stay a bit longer with me!¡±


    Natasha quickly grabbed hold of his arm. Tears welled up in her eyes, making her seem pitiful.


    ¡°I saved you from a car ident thirteen years ago, and I¡¯ve expected nothing in return,¡± she uttered


    emotionally, never letting go of his arm.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Maverick stood there silently. What she said also brought the memory back to him.


    Somebody had plotted that car ident due to the Wright family¡¯s conflict. Maverick had suffered


    severe injuries because he was crushed under a car, nearly causing his death.


    He was rescued by a girl, but unfortunately, he did not see her face as he was semiconscious. All he


    noticed were her pure eyes.


    As he recalled that pair of pure eyes, his expression softened,


    pen.


    Just then, Natasha grabbed a fountain pen ced on the pillow¡¯s side and clutched it in her hand.


    That was a handmade and rare luxury pen, with Maverick¡¯s name engraved on the cap of the


    The pen did not seem old and broken. One could tell how cherished it was at first nce.


    The barrel of the pen was slightly peeled off, though, which was possibly caused by the owner using


    the pen.


    ¡°You gifted me this pen, and I brought it along with me when I went abroad. These past three years,


    there was never a day this pen was not with me,¡± Natasha remarked with sentiment as she caressed


    the pen gently.


    ¡°Every time I thought about you, I¡¯d take it out to look at it.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression softened as he heard that. He had always felt guilty about his father sending


    Natasha abroad for three years.


    Tenderness filled his initially dark eyes. ¡°Rest well, and don¡¯t think too much. I¡¯ll help you with this.¡±


    Moved by his words. Natasha nodded, no longer panicking. ¡°Okay, I believe you!¡±


    On the other side, Noah was waiting outside the ward. There was no other presence in the corridor, so


    it was extremely silent that only his breathing could be heard.


    When he spotted Mavericking out of the ward, he politely handed a document to thetter.


    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m done investigating what you asked me to.¡±

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    Chapter 59 I Do Not Cower


    ¡°Well done,¡± Maverick praised, even though his gaze was unfathomable.


    As Maverick read the documents, Noah stared at him and exined confidently, ¡°As you asked me to


    investigate the event that year, I found that Ms. Mossey¡¯s route was indeed in line with when that car


    ident happened. Meaning to say, she¡¯s undoubtedly your savior thirteen years ago.¡±


    With slightly furrowed brows, Maverick studied the documents, his expression unreadable.


    ¡°There¡¯s also another thing,¡± Noah informed, but he hesitated to continue.


    Upon noticing that, Maverick demanded, ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve managed to find something regarding Ms. Mossey¡¯s attack. It¡¯s attached at the back of the


    document.¡±


    Hearing that, Maverick flipped to the back of the document to see a few photos attached there.


    As he studied them, his brows knitted together once again.


    There was a Volkswagen Santana in the photos. He could recognize that vehicle anywhere and


    everywhere, regardless of the condition of the car.


    At the thought of that, he was filled with rage as he locked down in frustration.


    The rest of the photos were more or less simr. Only thest one was different.


    In the photo, a few figures could be seen in the dark night. Upon closer inspection, Maverick could


    make out one of them to be Gwendolyn.


    ¡°ording to these photos and the information I mariaged to gather regarding Ms. Shalders on that


    day, she was indeed present at the scene of Ms. Mossey¡¯s attack. Also, look at this one.¡± Noah pointed


    at ¨C one of the photos before continuing. ¡°It seems here she was making a deal with someone. If I¡¯m


    not mistaken, the person standing beside her is Treyton¡¯s assistant, Elisha. It¡¯s highly likely that


    Gwendolyn asked Treyton to do this. No matter the oue, Gwendolyn definitely has something to


    do with this.¡±


    Maverick did not show any emotions; he just stared at the photos.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Ms. Mossey¡¯s treated like this when she¡¯s such a soft and kind person. I never thought


    Gwendolyn was this vicious!¡±


    Clenching his fists, Noah added, ¡°You have to teach Gwendolyn a lesson for Ms. Mossey, Boss!


    Avenge her!¡±


    Maverick looked at Noah¡¯s ardent expression and nodded.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll get back to this.¡±


    Once again, he turned indifferent, making him hard to read.


    The next day, things were hectic at the hospital again.


    Knowing she was going to get interviewed, Natasha got ready early in the morning and leaned against


    the head of the bed.


    13:5


    Chapter 59 I Do Not Cower


    ¡°I¡¯m aware that by epting to be interviewed at this juncture, some people might doubt my intentions


    and push me into the storm.¡±


    Pretending to put up a strong font, she continued, ¡°But I want to make it clear about the rtionship.


    between Mr. Wright from Wright Construction Group and me. We¡¯re childhood sweethearts, and we¡¯ve


    adored each other since we were young. However, we were forced to separate due to some reasons. I


    don¡¯t know what happened here while I was away, but I can confidently tell everyone that I definitely am


    not a home wrecker. I didn¡¯t destroy his marriage with Gwendolyn.¡±


    Tears welled up in her eyes, but she gritted her teeth trying to keep them from falling.


    The sounds of the reporters pressing the shutters filled the air, and the camera shes were so


    dazzling that Natasha nearly let her expression slip, but she dared not do that.


    After all, she had to keep ying this pitiful act to win the public¡¯s sympathy.


    ¡°We have some questions, Ms. Mossey. Is it all right for you to answer us?¡± asked a reporter, putting


    the microphone in front of her.


    Natasha nodded, trying to appear elegant. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll try my best to answer you.¡±


    ¡°Earlier, you said that you and Mr. Wright adore each other, but why weren¡¯t you the one married to


    him? What happened between you two? Where were you during his wedding with Gwendolyn? Why


    didn¡¯t you show up to protest?¡±


    ¡°Also, just how did you get your injuries? Did it happen because someone took revenge on you for


    being a mistress? Care to exin to us?¡±


    ¡°Another thing-


    ¡°Enough!¡± Natasha shouted, displeasure written all over her face.


    They¡¯re so relentless! They don¡¯t even care I¡¯m injured!


    As that thought crossed her mind, she was so furious she wanted to vomit blood.


    Realizing that she had lost herposure, she let out a light cough. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t feel well.


    Let¡¯s end the interview here.¡±


    After saying that, she shut her eyes, making it clear that she was done.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for today. Natasha needs rest. If you have any questions, you cane to me.¡±


    Madelyn led the reporters out of the ward, facing them in the corridor.


    ¡°The questions you asked just now concern the privacy of my daughter and Mr. Wright, as well as our


    whole family. Hence, we refuse to answer any of that. I hope you understand,¡± Madelyn stated in an icy


    voice.


    ¡°What about the issue regarding Ms. Mossey¡¯s attack?¡±


    ¡°We already found evidence about that, and it proved that Gwendolyn was involved in it.¡±


    Grabbing the microphone, Madelyn added, ¡°How dare shey a hand on the Mosseys¡¯ heiress? We¡¯ll


    certainly avenge Natasha!¡±


    Chapter 59 I Do Not Cower


    ¡°Would you share the evidence with us?¡± a reporter asked, causing Madelyn to furrow her brows.


    ¡°We¡¯ve handed it over to the police. The truth wille to light soon enough.¡±


    Noticing Madelyn¡¯s unwillingness to disclose more information, the reporters stopped asking questions


    and ended the interview.


    In the meantime, Gwendolyn was driving her new car-Volkswagen Passat-to work while listening to the


    whole interview. She had a sneer on her face.


    That hypocritical mother-and-daughter duo acted so disgustingly, but I¡¯ll y their games until the end.


    Once she passed the crossroad, she spotted Joanne standing under a road signboard. Thetter was


    looking around, seemingly anxious.


    Hitting the brake in front of Joanne, Gwendolyn rolled down the window and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do


    you need a ride?¡±


    ¡°No, I purposely waited for you here because I knew you¡¯d pass this path on the way to work. You¡¯re


    still trending, and the public is still talking about you. Reporters andizens are blocking the


    company¡¯s door, demanding an exnation from you. This is worse than thest time. I think it¡¯s best


    that you return home instead of turning up at thepany. Wait until it¡¯s safe for you to go,¡± she


    informed worriedly.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t cower,¡± Gwendolyn refused as she restarted the engine.


    Seeing that, Joanne felt her heart jump to her throat.


    ¡°Why are you going there, Ms. Shalders?¡± Joanne knocked on the car window desperately, trying to


    stop the other woman.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°I¡¯m giving them what they want.¡±


    As soon as her words fell, she stepped on the pedal, making the car fly forward.


    The impact caused dust to fill the air, causing Joanne to cough as tears slid down her cheeks.


    When she regained her senses, the Volkswagen Passat was no longer in sight.


    ¡°Oh, no. She¡¯s going to face them alone. What should I do?¡± Joanne eximed in despair.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    Chapter 60 The Appearance of Maverick


    On the flip side, a huge crowd gathered at Angle Corporation¡¯s lobby. There were even bystanders.


    watching the reporters andizens from the sidelines.


    After locking her car, Gwendolyn strode toward the entrance of thepany, exuding a strong aura.


    As the reporters had been waiting for a long time, they immediately rushed toward her upon noticing


    her appearance, not letting the opportunity go.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Microphones were shoved in her face, and the sounds of shutters echoed endlessly. It was much


    noisier than what had transpired in Natasha¡¯s ward.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, have you seen the news this morning? What would you like to say in response to Ms.


    Mossey?¡±


    ¡°Was everything Ms. Mossey said true? Since she ims she¡¯s not a home wrecker, what¡¯s the reason


    for your divorce from Mr. Wright? I heard they gave nothing to you when you left. Did you have an


    affair?¡±


    ¡°Also, is it true that you¡¯re involved in Ms. Mossey¡¯s attack?¡±


    The reporters threw questions at her one after another, refusing to let go of such a golden opportunity


    to fish for crucial information.


    Not afraid of the huge crowd, Gwendolyn marched toward them.


    Her sunsses covered nearly half her face, but her aira remained strong.


    ¡°Could you answer us, Ms. Shalders? The whole world is waiting for your response!¡± shouted one of


    the reporters, causing the crowd to go wild once again.


    Furrowing her brows, Gwendolyn took a microphone from one of the reporters and spoke into it in a


    strict tone. ¡°Since you want an answer, quieten down and let me speak.¡±


    Upon hearing that, the reporters froze, but that did notst long as they started questioning her again.


    ¡°What exactly is your rtionship with Mr. Wright?¡± a reporter inquired while pushing the microphone


    near her, fearing his question would be left unanswered.


    Displeased, Gwendolyn pushed the microphone away as it was about to hit her face. ¡°I¡¯ve rified this


    on Twitter once, but I¡¯ll say it again. We¡¯re divorced and have nothing to do with each other.¡±


    Even though she had sunsses on, people could feel her sharp re, which made them step back


    consciously.


    ¡°It¡¯s rumored that Ms. Mossey¡¯s a mistress and destroyed your marriage with Mr. Wright. After your


    divorce, you were forced to leave with zero assets. Are these true?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have noments about that.¡± Gwendolyn shrugged before adding. ¡°Anything else? If


    that¡¯s all, then excuse me. I have to go in. Don¡¯t waste my precious time.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Some reporters squeezed forward through the crowd. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor about you being Mr.


    Harris¡¯ sugar baby. That¡¯s why you can have this job. Is that true?¡±


    Chapter 60 The Appearance of Maverick


    ¡°I will never do such a disgraceful thing like that in exchange for my career. Time and achievements.


    will prove that rumor wrong.¡±


    Her voice was loud, and her words reverberated through the crowd, but it was not enough to suppress


    the chaos.


    ¡°Why did you hire people to humiliate Ms. Mossey two days ago? Was it because she embarrassed


    you at the banquet?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you watch her live?¡± Gwendolyn retorted. ¡°Let the evidence prove who¡¯s messing with who. I


    have an urgent matter to tend to. Please excuse me.¡±


    Hearing her sending them away, the reporters panicked as they tried to make her stay.


    ¡°You can¡¯t end it just like that because you haven¡¯t even answered anything! Do you perhaps feel


    guilty?¡±


    Theizens also made noise, blocking the entrance of thepany. Some even took this opportunity


    to start attacking Gwendolyn.


    Before Gwendolyn could answer, a deep and maizing voice sounded from behind her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t nder people just because you can. If you don¡¯t even have professional ethics, then quit


    your job right this instant.¡±


    With a frown, Maverick walked toward the crowd slowly, ring at them with disgust and coldness.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Wright! He hase to back her up!¡± someone eximed upon recognizing Maverick.


    The crowd erupted once again, shocked at his sudden appearance. They started specting about his


    purpose for showing up.


    ¡°I¡¯m still investigating Ms. Mossey¡¯s situation.¡±


    Grabbing the microphone from Gwendolyn, he added concisely, ¡°I¡¯ll release a statement in five days.¡±


    The reporters who asked questions regarding this were so frightened by him that they dared not to


    breathe. However, themotion in the crowd did not subside.


    Turning to Noah, Maverick asked the former icily, ¡°What are you waiting for?¡±


    Catching on to the man¡¯s meaning, Noah waved his hand. Shortly after that, several bodyguards.


    dressed in ck and wearing sunsses appeared, driving the crowd away.


    Most of the people who were present just wanted to watch the drama firsthand. They did not want to


    cause trouble, let alone offend Maverick. Hence, they quickly left the ce.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Gwendolyn uttered indifferently before heading into the building.


    ¡°That didn¡¯t sound sincere, Ms. Shalders,¡± stated Maverick as he grabbed hold of her wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s talk


    privately.¡±


    Gwendolyn initially wanted to reject him, but after seeing him being all serious and cautious, she


    changed her mind.


    13.57 Mon, May 15


    Chapter 60 The Appearance of Maverick


    ¡°Sure, but keep it short.¡±


    Maverick reserved a private room at a restaurant near Angle, treating her to a meal.


    Flipping the menu open, he pushed it to the woman You can order first.¡±


    3.69% i


    ¡°I¡¯ve already had breakfast,¡± replied Gwendolyn. Then, as if she remembered something, she furrowed


    her brows and added, ¡°Also, I remember how you don¡¯t like to cat that much early in the morning, Mr.


    Wright. Huh? Did your habit change already shortly after reuniting with Ms. Mossey? Don¡¯t beat around


    the bush and just get on with it, please. Don¡¯t waste my time. After all, time is gold. I could be doing


    something that brings me money.¡±


    Instantly, Maverick¡¯s face darkened as he looked at the woman¡¯s impatient expression. ¡°Do you


    behave. like this with Treyton and Joaquin, too?¡± he questioned, not even realizing the jealousycing


    in his


    voice.


    ¡°Please know your ce. You¡¯re an ex-husband.¡± Gwendolyn stared at him coldly. ¡°We have nothing to


    do with each other, so how I behave with other men is none of your concern. Don¡¯t stick your nose


    where it doesn¡¯t belong. Besides, do you really think you¡¯re worthy enough to bepared to them?


    Also, your fianc¨¦e is still lying in the hospital bed. Instead of being here questioning my behavior, you


    should go to her and shower your attention on her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot,¡± Maverickmented.


    He gazed into her eyes intently as if he was trying to study everything he did not understand about her.


    Getting her bag, Gwendolyn got to her feet. ¡°If all you want to do is say these pointless things, then I¡¯ll


    take my leave.¡±


    ¡°Hang on. Sit down.¡±


    Withrge strides, Maverick neared the door and locked it.


    Furrowing her brows, Gwendolyn stared at him. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t do anything to you,¡± he said, letting out a small sigh. ¡°I just want to rify


    something with you.¡±

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Chapter 61 Her Weakness


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Where were you on March fourteenth thirteen years ago? Have you been to Saffron Street in


    Faike?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± Gwendolyn turned away, still maintaining a cold and distant demeanor.


    It¡¯s been such a long time. How could I possibly still remember?


    ¡°All right, then let me rephrase my question.¡±


    Maverick wasn¡¯t annoyed. He continued to ask patiently. ¡°Do you remember a car ident that


    happened thirteen years ago on March fourteenth? Three people died at the scene, and only a little boy


    in the back seat survived. A girl saved him.¡±


    Why would he ask such a question?


    Could that little boy be him?


    Gwendolyn gazed at Maverick¡¯s inquisitive eyes, and a part of her memory was awakened. Then, in a


    trance, she recalled some fragmented images.


    She did save someone by chance that year, but it was purely coincidental.


    She didn¡¯t bother to remember it at all.


    Moreover, she hade to Faike that year due to a crucial matter involving the privacy of the Harris


    family, so she had no intention of telling Maverick, nor did she want him to continue investigating.


    The matter was too dangerous, and she didn¡¯t want anyone else to get involved.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Gwendolyn replied coldly. ¡°If you don¡¯t have any other questions, I¡¯ll be on my way now.¡±


    Maverick instinctively reached out to stop her, but her cold gaze pierced him, causing him to withdraw


    his hand midway in the air.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re Natasha¡¯s fianc¨¦ Please show more concern for your fianc¨¦e, who


    is still recovering from her injuries in bed.¡±


    Gwendolyn mocked him relentlessly, then unlocked the door and went out.


    As she turned around, she noticed Maverick¡¯s eyes showed a faint disappointment.


    Although it was not obvious andsted only a moment, she still managed to catch it.


    What is he disappointed about?


    Gwendolyn was perplexed but didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.


    At that moment, Maverick was merely an acquaintance to her who did not affect her pace to make


    something of herself in the world.


    Chapter 61 Her Weakness


    Gwendolyn gathered her thoughts, gracefully tucking her hair behind her ear. Maverick didn¡¯t stop her,


    so she casually opened the private room door.


    As soon as Gwendolyn stepped out, she met Noah¡¯s unfriendly gaze.


    Noah stared at her, his face filled with righteous indignation as he spoke.


    ¡°Boss has already gathered all the evidence. The truth about you bullying Ms. Mossey will soon be


    revealed! When that happens, he won¡¯t let you off easily!¡±


    AA49


    ¡°Are you done?¡±


    Gwendolyn nced at him, the corner of her mouth lifting into a provoking smile. ¡°Well then, bring it on.


    I look forward to it.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Her petite frame exuded an incredibly imposing aura


    Noah gazed at Gwendolyn¡¯s smiling eyes and unconsciously took a few steps back.


    Gwendolyn then walked off briskly in her high heels,


    In the vast dining hall, only the echo of her footsteps remained.


    ¡°How strange.¡±


    Noah was entirely puzzled by his recent disy of fear toward her.


    It had been two days since Maverick set the five-day deadline.


    Various media outlets were paying close attention to this matter and were continuously publishing all


    sorts of spections.


    Gwendolynpletely ignored the negativements and focused wholeheartedly on preparing for


    the girl group talent show. She paid no attention to the malicious remarks made about her.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, here are the filming set coordination documents. Please give them a final review,¡±


    Joanne said as she ced a folder beside her.


    ¡°All right. Leave it here. I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m done with them.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze never left theputer screen as her fingers nimbly danced across the keyboard.


    Joanne hesitated momentarily before interrupting her. ¡°Ms. Shalders, could you spare a moment? Did


    you really not read thements online?¡±


    ¡°I read some of it.¡±


    Gwendolyn nced briefly at Joanne and returned to the task at hand.


    ¡°But then why are you still¡­¡± Joanne became even more confused.


    ¡°Why am I still so calm?¡± Gwendolyn closed herptop lid, leaned back in her chair, and began to


    exin to her. ¡°It was Mr. Wright who said to all the reporters he would give a proper exnation to the


    public, so I¡¯m curious to see what he cane up with. Besides, even though thosements are


    causing amotion, I haven¡¯t been substantially affected, have 1?¡±


    Chapter 61 Her Weakness


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Just do your job. The talent show is about to start filming soon, so your


    workload will only be more.¡±


    Joanne knew her boss was no ordinary person, so she kept quiet and continued her work.


    While Gwendolyn was working hard to build up her career, in a hospital several kilometers away from


    Angle, Natasha was in bed, feeling bored and aimlessly scrolling through her phone.


    Her injuries had recovered significantly, and she had been browsing various social media tforms the


    past few days, monitoring the malicious spections about Gwendolyn by the media. asionally, she


    would hire some trolls to stir up thements section.


    As she observed thements that praised her and mocked Gwendolyn greatly outweighed those that


    defended Gwendolyn, she felt an immense sense of satisfaction in her heart.


    She was browsing through Twitter when a message popped up, causing her smile to freeze instantly on


    her face.


    ¡°Ms. Mossey, Boss hasn¡¯t made any significant moves these past couple of days, nor has he assigned


    me any tasks, so I really don¡¯t know what he¡¯s nning to do.¡±


    Ever since Noah agreed to help her, he had been diligently keeping an eye on Maverick¡¯s every move


    for her.


    As soon as there was the slightest hint of movement, he would immediately report it to her.


    Maverick¡¯sck of action only served to arouse her suspicions.


    ¡°Got it. Thank you, Noah,¡± she replied sweetly with a voice message to Noah.


    When Noah heard Natasha¡¯s voice, he felt increasingly honored and astonished, which only


    strengthened his resolve to help her and ensure that Gwendolyn received the punishment she


    deserved.


    Natasha, feeling agitated, turned off her phone and leaned back on her bed. Then, after pondering for a


    while, she turned it back on and made a call.


    ¡°Hey, how are you doing?¡±


    Eloise¡¯snguid and coy voice came through the phone.


    ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m still lying in the hospital,¡± Natasha said coldly. ¡°What do we do now?¡±


    Eloise admired her freshly done nails for a moment before replyingzily, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already


    found her weakness. I¡¯ll send her to meet her maker tonight.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Natasha asked uncertainly. ¡°I¡¯ve already fallen into her trap twice. With the lessons learned


    from before, you must be careful.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it because of your stupidity that we failedst time?¡± Eloise raised her voice. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for


    you, how could there be any mistakes, let alone getting yourself involved.¡±


    Natasha was furious, but she couldn¡¯t vent her anger. Instead, she clenched her teeth and hung up


    the


    13:57 Mon,


    Chapter 61 Her Weakness


    phone, then secretly added this offense to Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Just wait. Let¡¯s see how long you can keepughing.¡±


    Natasha tossed her phone onto the bed, her expression fierce and gloomy.


    The preparation for the girl group talent show was almost ending.


    After Gwendolyn finished thest coordination tasks in the afternoon, she remotely supervised the first


    day of the recording of the program via video conference.


    These few projects are going very smoothly. Gwendolyn nodded in satisfaction before ending the video


    conference.


    She had already arranged for staff to supervise the recording site, so she would be notified immediately


    if something came up.


    Right then, her phone rang, and it was a call from the person in charge of the filming set.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, we have an emergency! One of the contestants, Jennifer, has gone missing!¡±

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    Chapter 62 Goodbye To The World


    Gwendolyn¡¯s pupils constricted. ¡°Jennifer is missing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Shalders. And this is no ordinary breach of contract or withdrawal. There must be something


    fishy going on. Jennifer was in great shape before the recording and got along well with the other


    contestants. She can¡¯t possibly leave suddenly without saying a word.¡±


    time


    ¡°Understood. Proceed with the filming and try not to let the news spread. Reach out to me at any if


    there¡¯s anything else.¡± Gwendolyn organized everything calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the investigation of this


    matter. We need to keep things stable at the film set.


    She hung up the phone and furrowed her brows, deep in thought. Then, after a moment, she decided


    to call the number at the bottom of her contact list.


    ¡°Boss¡­¡± The person at the other end of the phone was stunned. ¡°Is it really you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Gwendolyn replied sinctly.


    The person on the other end immediately became excited. Even through the phone, one could feel the


    person¡¯s shock and joy.


    Boss, it¡¯s been six or seven years since west heard from you. Did something importante up?


    Shadow Bell will get it done for you!¡±


    Shadow Bell was a mysterious organization under Gwendolyn¡¯smand, with informants spread


    worldwide across various industries and regions.


    As long as Gwendolyn gave the order, there was no information they couldn¡¯t obtain.


    ¡°Help me find Jennifer¡¯s whereabouts. I want the results within ten minutes. As for why I haven¡¯t


    contacted you, it¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll let you know when I have the time.¡±


    Gwendolyn put down her phone, unable to hide the worry in her eyes.


    Although she trusted Shadow Bell¡¯s efficiency, the more time passed, the harder it was to predict


    Jennifer¡¯s safety.


    The phone rang again, and Gwendolyn nced at the time, realizing that only eight minutes had


    passed.


    ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve got the answers. Around noon, Jennifer received a phone call asking her toe outside


    the film set. The person on the phone imed he had an important matter to discuss with her. After


    Jennifer left, she was immediately drugged and stuffed into the trunk of a car with a fake license te.


    The car was seen headed toward Mount Gravel, outside of Faike. However, the car disappeared


    from the surveince footage after passing through a tunnel. I suspect Jennifer is located near Mount


    Gravel, probably kidnapped. Do you want us to¡­¡± the person asked tentatively.


    ¡°All right, I understand. Thanks for your help.¡± Gwendolyn was incredibly calm and clear-headed.


    She examined the map sent by the person and was preparing to drive to the location mentioned when


    her phone notification chimed twice.


    It was a text message from an unknown number that read: Jennifer is in our hands. Get here within an


    hour or face the consequences. Remember, you muste alone. If you dare to call the police or


    Chapter 62 Goodbye To The World


    bring someone with you, we¡¯ll finish her off immediately.


    The unknown number sent another multimedia message, showing a photo of Jennifer tied beaten.


    Gwendolyn leaned against her fiery red Volkswagen Passat, lost in thought..


    up


    and


    The kidnappers had taken someone hostage to threaten her, yet they didn¡¯t want money deliberately


    emphasized that she must go alone.


    and


    Could it be that person from the Harris family?


    She decided that it wasn¡¯t possible. That person seemed to know her very well, and how he had


    caused her amnesia was almost wless. Moreover, he was unlikely to leave so many traces behind


    for Shadow Bell to discover.


    After careful consideration, Gwendolyn was fairly certain about the mastermind¡¯s identity behind the


    kidnapping.


    Gwendolyn turned off the navigation to Mount Gravel, made a turn on the steering wheel, and returned


    to Treyton¡¯s vi.


    She changed out of her professional attire and put on a set of sportswear instead.


    The ck sportswear entuated Gwendolyn¡¯s porcin-like skin, while the form-fitting design


    perfectly outlined her graceful curves.


    She tied her long hair into a high ponytail, highlighting her vibrant and dashing appearance.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you juste back? Why are you going out again?¡±


    When Flora heard Gwendolyne down the stairs, she nagged her with heartfelt concern, ¡°Ms.


    Harris, you¡¯ve been working non-stop at thepany these past few days like a spinning top. This


    won¡¯t do! You should be getting proper rest when you get home. After all, you can only do more things


    with a healthy body,¡± Flora chattered on, but as she turned around, she saw Gwendolyn in her


    sportswear and was so surprised that her mouth hung wide open.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Ms. Harris, you look so stunning in this outfit! Of course, it¡¯s different than your usual look but beautiful


    nheless!¡± Flora looked at Gwendolyn approvingly. ¡°Are you going to a workout session?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to a fight.¡±


    Gwendolyn waved her hand.


    ¡°What? A fight?¡± Flora¡¯s face turned pale with shock, and she thought she must have misheard. ¡°You¡¯re


    going to a fight? Can you do it?¡±


    She looked at Gwendolyn¡¯s slender frame, and her eyes were gradually filled with concern.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Gwendolyn slung her bag over her shoulder and strode out. She sped along in her Volkswagen Passat


    as she followed the guidance of the navigation toward Mount Gravel.


    Flora watched Gwendolyn¡¯s departing figure and againmented thetter¡¯s sassiness. Then, as if


    Chapter 62 Goodbye To The World


    waking from a dream, Flora hurriedly informed Treyton, fearing that Gwendolyn might be at a


    disadvantage.


    ¡°Mr. Harris, Ms. Harris said she¡¯s going to a fight. Please put aside your work and see to it,¡± Flora said


    with great concern. ¡°What if something bad happens to Ms. Harris?¡±


    ¡°All right, I understand.¡±


    Treyton frowned and sighed exasperatedly.


    ¡°How¡¯s the n going? Has the woman been captured?¡± Natasha asked eagerly over the phone.


    Eloise repliedzily, ¡°Of course. After all, I was the one who arranged it. There won¡¯t be any problems.¡±


    When Natasha received a positive response, her mood instantly brightened. Even the constant chirping


    of the sparrows outside the window became much more pleasant to her.


    ¡°Have you texted that despicable woman? There won¡¯t be any mishaps, right?¡±


    Although Natasha felt pleased with herself, she didn¡¯t forget the importance of meticulous nning.


    ¡°What if she calls the police? Or tells Treyton? Treyton is not someone to be messed with.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve looked into it. She and this woman named Jennifer are very close friends since their


    time at the orphanage. She wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±


    Eloise wasn¡¯t too concerned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already sent someone to tell her that if she dares to bring people along, we will finish the girl off. I


    doubt she has the guts to do that.¡±


    Outside the ward, there was a sudden sound of footsteps. Natasha thought it was just a nurse or


    doctor. walking in the corridor, so she didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    ¡°If this n seeds, she will finally say goodbye to the world.¡±


    Natasha was thrilled. The thought of Gwendolyn no longer being an eyesore in her presence made her


    want to set fireworks in celebration.


    Eloise, too, felt particrly at ease. Once she got rid of Gwendolyn, who always lingered around


    Treyton, no one would be left to hinder her pursuit of love.


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you. Once I¡¯m discharged from the hospital¡­¡±


    Natasha was speaking enthusiastically when the door creaked open.


    Maverick was standing at the doorway with a dark expression.


    ¡°Mave, why are you here?¡±


    In a moment of panic, Natasha immediately hung up the phone.


    ¡°I was just chatting with my friend and didn¡¯t notice you¡­¡±


    She had deliberately arranged for bodyguards to stand guard outside the door so she could let down.


    her guard and chat freely with Eloise without any reservations.


    Chapter 62 Goodbye To The World


    I wonder if Maverick overheard our conversation.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    Chapter 63 No Ordinary Woman


    Maverick didn¡¯t speak, his face ashen as he looked at Natasha.


    ¡°Mave, listen¡­¡± Natasha tried helplessly to exin herself. ¡°Please don¡¯t overthink. It was just a casual


    conversation.¡±


    Beads of sweat formed on Natasha¡¯s forehead, as she wasn¡¯t sure how much of her conversation with


    Eloise Maverick had heard. She decided to continue ying dumb.


    ¡°What are you guys up to?¡±


    Maverick ignored her exnation. A hint of viciousness flickered in his eyes.


    This gaze and his cold tone¡­ Could it be that he heard everything?


    Natasha¡¯s right hand instinctively clenched the corner of the nket.


    ¡°What are you talking about? I was just casually chatting with my friend. Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    Maverick paid no attention to Natasha¡¯s seemingly innocent gaze. His sharp eyes pierced through hers.


    as he uttered, ¡°You should know that even if you don¡¯t tell me, I can still send someone to investigate.


    But by then, you won¡¯t get a second chance.¡±


    He gently stroked his wristwatch, his expression inscrutable. This only made Natasha even more


    uneasy.


    She realized she couldn¡¯t escape Maverick¡¯s interrogation about the conspiracy. She bit her lip, her


    eyes suddenly welling up with tears, and she began sobbing.


    ¡°Mave! It¡¯s not fair! You and Gwendolyn are already divorced, yet you still care so much about her! I¡¯ve


    barely even been to Bay Vi, let alone lived there! I can¡¯t believe you transferred the vi to her name.


    She humiliated me during the Mossey Group banquet and even had someone beat me up this time. I


    almost lost my purity! Mave! I hate her. I really do! I just wanted to teach her a little lesson. What¡¯s


    wrong with that?¡±


    Natasha threw herself into Maverick¡¯s arms and tried to act pitifully and get away with it, but he merely


    frowned and straightened her up.


    ¡°For thest time, where is Gwendolyn?¡±


    Maverick frowned deeply. His tone was filled with unwavering determination that left no room for


    resistance.


    ¡°Mave, after all these years, am I not as important to you as that woman who has nothing to do with


    fianc¨¦e! you anymore?¡± Natasha sobbed. Her tears flowed down her cheeks mercilessly. ¡°I am your


    Why are you so cruel? She¡¯s the one who caused me to lie in the hospital in pain. Do you seriously


    have the heart to see me suffer such injustice?¡±


    Maverick, with a cold expression on his face, stood up. A subtle hint of exhaustion shed through his


    dark eyes. It was barely noticeable to others.


    ¡°I remember you weren¡¯t like this before. I¡¯m very disappointed in you.¡±


    Without hesitation, he strode out of the ward and left Natasha, with tear-streaked cheeks, sobbing


    Mon, Ma


    Chapter 63 No Ordinary Woman


    sorrowfully on the hospital bed.


    The corridor was eerily quiet. asionally, nurses passed by, but their footsteps were light and swift.


    Maverick walked to a deserted corner and took out his phone to make a call.


    ¡°Zachary, find out where Gwendolyn is and send the location to me within ten minutes. Be quick.¡±


    Gwendolyn drove out of the city and took a shortcut to Mount Gravel.


    TP


    She had deliberately chosen a small road without surveince cameras and traffic lights so she could


    drive as fast as possible.


    The wind whistled past her ears when she rolled down her car window. It brought an immense sense of


    joy and excitement.


    Unfortunately, this wasn¡¯t a leisurely outing. Gwendolyn had important matters to attend to and was not


    in the mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery of the countryside.


    She mmed on the elerator. The engine roared, and she took off.


    Right then, her phone rang. She nced at the screen before pressing her Bluetooth earpiece in a


    fluid. motion to answer the call.


    ¡°I suppose you will be arriving soon, Ms. Shalders. Let me remind you. Turn right after exiting the


    tunnel. We will be waiting for you at the abandoned cabin halfway up Mount Gravel,¡± said the kidnapper


    with a low voice.


    Gwendolyn nced at the navigation and took a right turn.


    A car with a fake license te was parked at the foot of the mountain. Gwendolyn carefullypared.


    it to the picture Shadow Bell had sent her, confirming that this was the vehicle the kidnappers had used


    to capture Jennifer.


    Gwendolyn hid her Volkswagen Passat in a thicket and proceeded to climb the mountain alone.


    The small wooden cabin was hidden deep within the forest. From a distance, it looked pretty shabby. It


    was more like a shed than anything else.


    Gwendolyn quickened her pace and forcefully pushed open the cabin door.


    ¡°Wow, that was quick!¡±


    The leader of the kidnappers was wearing a thick ck mask, making it impossible to see the


    expression on his face.


    Jennifery on the ground at his feet, covered in wounds and bruises. She seemed to have lost


    consciousness.


    Gwendolyn saw the injuries on Jennifer¡¯s body, and a sh of sternness flickered in her eyes.


    ¡°Let her go, and then we¡¯ll talk.¡±


    Gwendolyn scanned around the room. Then, she pulled out a chair, sat down, and looked at the leader


    unconcernedly.


    Chapter 63 No Ordinary Woman


    The leader was infuriated by Gwendolyn¡¯s turning the tables on him. He grabbed the unconscious.


    Jennifer and held a knife to her throat.


    ¡°How dare you negotiate terms with me while your friend¡¯s life is on the line? I can finish her off right


    now.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±


    Gwendolyn stared straight into his eyes fearlessly, putting him in a sudden panic.


    10


    She looked so delicate and fragile, yet she possessedposure as if she had the support of a


    hundred people behind her.


    The leader was perplexed.


    Meanwhile, Eloise and her bodyguard, Gunnar, were hiding in the woods outside the cabin and


    observing the happenings in the cabin through a pair of binocrs.


    The leader¡¯s cap had a tapping device she had prepared in advance, which allowed her to hear every


    word of their conversation.


    ¡°She expects us to give in just like that? Dream on.¡±


    Eloise rolled her eyes disdainfully and instructed the leader through her Bluetooth carpiece, ¡°Don¡¯t


    agree to anything! Who knows what tricks she¡¯s trying to pull? Stand on your ground and don¡¯t let her


    go no matter what.¡±


    After he received the instructions, the leader looked at Gwendolyn with a smile.


    ¡°I can¡¯t bear to refuse you, gorgeous, but I¡¯m sorry. I cannot let your friend go.¡± The leader regarded


    Gwendolyn with an increasingly malicious gaze. ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something nice to please me?


    Then maybe I¡¯ll reconsider.¡±


    He looked at Gwendolyn, whose stunning figure couldn¡¯t be concealed even by her sportswear, and his


    lustful gaze shamelessly wandered from her head to her toe.


    As the leader stared at her intently, Gwendolyn knew she couldn¡¯t waste more time talking to him, so


    she swiftly lifted her leg and delivered a powerful kick without second thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to see if you have what it takes to defeat me.¡±


    The leader hastily extended his right arm to block he kick, but Gwendolyn¡¯s fist was already in front of


    his face again.


    Outraged, he roared angrily, ¡°You¡± ul woman! How dare you hit me? Fes, no need to hide


    anymore! Come out now and get her!¡±


    The moment the leader finished his sentence, the already broken door of the cabin was roughly pushed


    open.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Four masked men in ck burst through the door, rubbing their fists and palms together as they


    charged toward Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Perfect timing. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had a good workout!¡±


    Chapter 63 No Ordinary Woman


    ¡°endolyn dashed forward with incredible speed and executed a series of swift kicks in mid-air.


    In less than five minutes, all five strong men had copsed.


    Eloise had felt quite smug as she watched everything unfold through her binocrs, but her jaw


    dropped in shock when she saw the tragic end of the five men.


    ¡°H-How can this happen? How can she possibly defeat five men all by herself? Did the people you


    hired go easy on her?¡±


    10


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson, this Gwendolyn Shalders is no ordinary woman.¡± Gunnar¡¯s expression was serious.


    ¡°Herbat skills are strikingly simr to the world-renowned master Rory Richardson¡¯s unique jiu-jitsu


    techniques. And it seems she has modified and innovated them to form a fighting style that¡¯s event


    better suited for herself.¡±


    He paused momentarily, then continued, ¡°Ms. Richardson is quite entric. She only has one


    apprentice in her entire life. It¡¯s said to be a man, but wendolyn could be Ms. Richardson¡¯s apprentice


    judging by her skills. The rumor might not be true after all.¡±


    Eloise was not ready to give up yet. She asked, ¡°If you go against her, will you be able to defeat her?¡±

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    Chapter 64 Many Big Shots Supporting Her


    Gunnar scoffed and patted his chest confidently. ¡°She¡¯s just Rory Richardson¡¯s apprentice, not Rory


    Richardson herself. I can defeat her with less than three moves!¡±


    Gunnar had once achieved the title of national kickboxing champion. That was why he was hired as a


    bodyguard by the Ferguson Group at a high sry.


    Eloise finally breathed a sigh of relief after receiving Gunnar¡¯s guarantee.


    She lifted the binocrs and continued to observe the situation inside the cabin.


    She noticed several burly men struggling on the ground. It seemed that they had been overpowered by


    Gwendolyn again.


    A kidnapper beside her picked up a knife and attempted a sneak attack. However, Gwendolyn nimbly


    grabbed his wrist and took him down with a skillful shoulder throw.


    She then twisted his hands behind his back; followed by a kick to the back of his knee.


    ¡°Trying tounch a sneak attack on me? You¡¯re still not qualified even with a few more years of


    practice.¡±


    The force in her grip increased slightly, which caused the kidnapper to wince and keep begging her for


    mercy.


    Eloise gritted her teeth in anger as she watched from distance. ¡°These useless fools, they¡¯re no match


    for her! Gunnar, it¡¯s your turn! If you can¡¯t bring her down today, consider yourself fired!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Ferguson.¡±


    Gunnar rolled his sleeves and was about to run toward the cabin when his phone vibrated.


    He had a nce at the screen, and suddenly his expression changed. He anxiously said, ¡°Ms.


    Ferguson, our informant says there are two groups of people at the foot of the mountain now. It¡¯s


    suspected to be Mr. Harris from Angle and Mr. Wright from Wright Construction Group. We should


    leave now!¡±


    ¡°No way! If I leave now, all my effort will go to waste must see that wicked woman kneeling at my feet


    and begging for mercy!¡± Eloise spat grudgingly and firmly rejected Gunnar¡¯s suggestion.


    Gunnar wished he could just carry Eloise away, but due to the difference in their status, he had no


    choice but to continue reasoning with her. ¡°Think about it. In Faike, these two are not to be messed


    with! If they catch up to us and find us here, we will have a hard time exining ourselves to them! Ms.


    Ferguson, if we don¡¯t leave now, it will be toote!¡±


    She would be consumed with rage whenever she thought of how Treyton showered Gwendolyn with


    ongoing care and affection. She desperately wished to tear Gwendolyn into a thousand pieces to vent


    her anger.


    But the current situation left no room for hesitation. Eloise red resentfully at the cabin and, with a


    reluctant heart, took another path down the mountain.


    Meanwhile, in the wooden cabin, Gwendolyn was engaged in another round ofbat with the five


    kidnappers. However, she deliberately waited for their attacks instead of knocking them out


    immediately.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Chapter 64 Many Big Shots Supporting¡­


    After two rounds, several strong men were rolling on the ground in agony.


    Gwendolyn dusted off her hands and leaned against the door as she watched them indifferently.


    ¡°Let my friend go, or your fate will be a hundred times worse than it is now. Think carefully about what


    you should do. I advise you to make the right decision.¡±


    The leader panted.


    If I let her go, I will not end up well either. So I might as well fight back with all I have!


    He forced himself to meet her piercing gaze, picked up the fallen knife, and pressed it against.


    Jennifer¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Think carefully, gorgeous. The girl is still with me. How about I finish her off first?¡±


    ¡°If you do, I will make you pay a thousand-fold, even a million-fold, in pain and suffering.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes shed with a cold light, and the aura surrounding her was fierce and powerful.


    The leader knew fully that she was highly skilled, so he didn¡¯t dare to act recklessly. He shrank back in


    fear, but the knife pressed against Jennifer¡¯s throat remained firm.


    After all, this was hisst lifeline. If he let go now, it would be no different than voluntarily giving up his


    chance to survive.


    Jennifery unconscious still, yet her brows remained tightly furrowed. She was clearly in great pain.


    Gwendolyn was worried that the leader might have an extreme reaction and cause Jennifer harm, so


    she dared not act rashly.


    The leader feignedposure and continued to be at a standstill with Gwendolyn.


    As the stalemate continued between the two sides, the sound of people chattering suddenly came from


    outside the door. It grew louder as if people were arguing.


    Gwendolyn frowned. She nced coldly at the leader before stepping out the door to investigate.


    The noises grew closer. She looked toward where the noise came from and spotted two familiar.


    figures.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Treyton asked with an icy expression, clearly displeased with Maverick¡¯s


    presence.


    Maverick didn¡¯t bother to talk more to Treyton but simply replied impatiently, ¡°Do I need to report my


    whereabouts to you, Mr. Harris? Or do you have a habit of tracking other people¡¯s schedules?¡±


    As the tension between the two grew stronger, it seemed a fight would erupt any second. In


    exasperation, Gwendolyn stepped between them and tried to mediate the situation.


    ¡°How did you all get here?¡±


    ¡°You never give me peace of mind, kiddo.¡± Treyton gently scratched her nose. ¡°Flora told me you were


    going to a fight, so I followed. How¡¯s it going? Do you need any help?¡±


    Chapter 64 Many Big Shots Supporting ¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s already over. Five people can¡¯t possibly bring me down,¡± Gwendolyn replied with a faint smile.


    Although Maverick knew Gwendolyn had a foundation in martial arts, he was still slightly taken aback.


    when he heard this.


    She defeated five men on her own.


    This is not something an ordinary woman can achieve.


    The doubts in Maverick¡¯s heart deepened even more, and his curiosity about her identity grew stronger.


    He became increasingly convinced that Gwendolyn¡¯s background was far from just an ordinary girl from


    an orphanage. There must have been some twists and turns along the way. Maverick¡¯s deep, dark


    eyes were filled with even more curiosity as he gazed at her.


    In contrast. Treyton remained calm andposed as if he had already anticipated this oue and


    found nothing unusual about it.


    As Gwendolyn stepped into the cabin, Treyton and Maverick followed closely behind, apanied by


    their respective bodyguards.


    The leader, who had just calmed down, was sitting on the ground, panting heavily. He had barely


    caught a break for a few minutes when he was again terrified by the spectacle.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve messing with my people.¡± Treyton red at the leader. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a lesson


    about not messing with people you can¡¯t handle.¡±


    Maverick was quite displeased when he heard Treyton referring to Gwendolyn as ¡°his people.¡± He


    made a gesture, and several of his bodyguards immediately restrained the four struggling men in ck


    on the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯re not qualified to mess with my people.¡±


    When the leader realized who they were, he cowered in fear and knelt on the ground, continuously.


    begging for mercy.


    ¡°I was just doing my job for the money, and I didn¡¯t mean to target her. I admit that I was ignorant. I beg


    you both to show mercy and spare my life!¡±


    He had never imagined that this woman had Treyton and Maverick backing her up. He had been in the


    mafia for some time and had heard about these two¡¯s cruel ways. At that moment, he deeply regretted


    his actions.


    The three continued to re at him coldly without uttering a word.


    Then, Gwendolyn approached him with an overwhelming sense of authority. ¡°Who ordered you to


    kidnap her?¡±


    ¡°I-It was a woman! She asked me to kidnap Jennifer and then send you a text message toe here,


    and she said she would give me a million once it was done. I saw that the money was good and you


    were but a young woman, so I agreed. Please believe ine. I never intended to harm you!¡±


    If he had known earlier that Gwendolyn had so many big shots supporting her, he wouldn¡¯t have dared


    to mess with her even if he had ten times the courage.


    Chapter 64 Many Big Shots Supporting¡­


    ¡°Who is that woman?¡± Gwendolyn pressed on.


    ½ñ


    ¡°Boss! Your Majesty! I don¡¯t know her! In this line of work, we get paid and do the job without asking too


    many questions!¡±


    The leader¡¯s heart was filled with immense fear.


    Gwendolyn crouched down slightly, her aura bing increasingly intimidating. ¡°Which hand did you


    use to hit her, and which foot did you use to kick her?¡±

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    Chapter 65 The Price You Have To Pay


    ¡°What?¡±


    The kidnapper was caught off guard by Gwendolyn¡¯s sudden deviation from the topic and couldn¡¯t


    react for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking, which hand of yours hit her and which foot of yours kicked her?¡± Gwendolyn enunciated


    each word clearly, her smile radiant and her eyes crescent-shaped.


    Although the woman in front of them looked stunning and charming, the leader could sense a subtle


    threatening aura emanating from her. He continued to beg for mercy, even resorting to pping himself


    on both cheeks.


    ¡°I was wrong. I deserve to die. I apologize, gorgeous mean, Your Majesty. Please spare my lowly


    life!¡±


    ¡°This is yourst chance.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and her face showed a hint of displeasure.


    ¡°Right¡­ Right hand¡­ And I-I kicked her with both feet,¡± the leader answered, trembling.


    Gwendolyn stood up and searched the corner of the cabin for a stick covered in thorns.


    Treyton knew she was angry, but he didn¡¯t step forward to stop her.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Soon, the leader¡¯s agonized screams echoed throughout the wooden cabin.


    Maverick watched silently as she personally carried out the entire process of torturing someone.


    Thest time he had witnessed her brutally dealing with several directors of Grandeur Group at a hotel,


    but even now, seeing it with his own eyes, he was still shocked by her fierceness.


    In just a few minutes, Gwendolyn had beaten the leader so harshly that he was crying and screaming.


    Any part of his body that hade into contact with Jennifer was battered beyond recognition. Not a


    single area was left unscathed.


    Satisfied, Gwendolyn threw the stick away and pped her hands. ¡°This is the price you have to pay


    for messing with me.¡±


    ¡°Should we have someone give him a couple more rounds of beating?¡± Treyton asked, fearing that his


    little princess might not be satisfied enough.


    ¡°Nah, his right hand and knees have already suffered frompound fractures, and he will be disabled


    for the rest of his life.¡± She nced coldly at the four masked men held down by the bodyguards.


    ¡°Those who hurt me will be repaid a hundredfold.¡±


    Maverick stared at her, surprised by her unexpected defensiveness.


    ¡°What about you? Did you get hurt while helping others vent their anger?¡± Treyton asked, looking


    concerned.


    Chapter 65 The Price You Have To Pay


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Gwendolyn pouted and spread her hand, extending it toward him. ¡°I¡¯ve been fighting for so


    long. My hands are all red now.¡±


    Treyton immediately grasped her small hand, gently tradling it in his palm and bringing it to his lips. to


    blow on it lightly.


    ¡°How do you feel? Does it still hurt?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    He held her hand and gently massaged it, his eyes brimming with affection as if it could overflow at


    any moment.


    ¡°Just keep rubbing it for a while, and the pain will go away,¡± Gwendolyn said, enjoying his massage and


    continuing to act yfully with him.


    The intimate behavior between the two as if no one else was around made Maverick extremely


    ufortable. Anger was clearly visible in his dark eyes.


    Gwendolyn noticed the unusual look from the man beside her and turned to meet his gaze. ¡°If you have


    so much free time, Mr. Wright, perhaps you should pay more attention to your fianc¨¦e. She messed


    with my people this time, and I won¡¯t let her off easily. If you try to cover for her. I¡¯ll deal with you as


    well.¡±


    That fierce expression returned to her face once again.


    She didn¡¯t give him any time to respond and with a cold snort, she left the wooden cabin, not wanting to


    spend any more time with him.


    Treyton arranged for the bodyguards to carry the unconscious Jennifer, and they followed suit, leaving


    the area.


    Jennifer¡¯s injuries were severe, and to make matters worse, the kidnappers had injected her with a


    drug that caused unconsciousness. If she wasn¡¯t taken to the hospital immediately, her life could be in


    danger.


    Gwendolyn instructed someone to ce Jennifer in the passenger seat of her Volkswagen Passat and


    adjusted the seat to afortable angle. She drove back to the city at the fastest possible speed.


    Treyton drove behind her, his heart pounding as she sped up.


    The nearest hospital to them happened to be Faike Hospital, where Natasha was staying. Although


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t want to go in, she didn¡¯t want to waste any time either. She went ahead with the


    admission process and requested an experienced doctor to treat Jennifer.


    After several hours of emergency treatment, Jennifer¡¯s condition stabilized.


    Although she had many wounds on her body, none of them were life-threatening. She was still


    unconscious due to an excessive intake of sedatives, but as long as she rested quietly in the hospital


    for a few days and regained her strength, she would be able to be discharged.


    Gwendolyn stood by Jennifer¡¯s bedside, watching her paleplexion with furrowed brows.


    ¡°What do you n to do? We need a strategy for a counterattack.¡±


    Treyton stood next to her, looking at her profile.


    Chapter 65 The Price You Have To Pay


    ¡°I was nning to ignore them this time, but they keep pushing my limits and even hurt my best. friend


    as a threat. I will make them understand that if they dare to mess with me, they must pay the price!¡±


    Treyton saw that she was genuinely angry this time and didn¡¯t n on trying to dissuade her.


    ¡°To strike a snake, aim for the vital spot. If you want to win in one blow, you must target its weakness.


    This time, let¡¯s start with the Mossey family, who have raised her to such heights.¡±


    The Mossey family?¡±


    Treyton stroked his chin, considering her n. ¡°That makes sense, but it won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll only target the Mossey family. Innocent people won¡¯t be in danger,¡± Gwendolyn replied, her lips


    curling into a dangerous yet captivating smile.


    Treyton¡¯s eyes were filled with curiosity as he asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If I recall correctly, in addition to Natasha, who is recovering here from her injuries, her sister Incz, who


    becameatose after a car ident, seems to be in this hospital as well,¡± Gwendolyn said as she


    picked up a ss of water and took a sip. Although she didn¡¯t give a direct answer, her words carried a


    profound meaning.


    Treyton looked at her radiant smile. He seemed to have understood something.


    Half an hourter, Gwendolyn arrived on the fourth floor with a few bodyguards and stood in front of


    Inez¡¯s hospital room.


    However, several bodyguards from the Mossey family blocked their way, and the two groups quickly


    became entangled in a brawl.


    Themotion soon rmed Madelyn, who was in the lounge. She grabbed Gwendolyn, who was


    about to enter the ward, both shocked and angry.


    ¡°What else are you up to? Inez is already in a vegetative state lying in the hospital. Do you want to


    harm her even more?¡± Madelyn asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to be so nervous, Mrs. Mossey. I won¡¯t do anything to your daughter. I¡¯m just


    here to take her away,¡± Gwendolyn replied.


    Madelyn did not expect her to say such a thing. ¡°I won¡¯t let you take her away! I don¡¯t agree! If you want


    to take her, you¡¯ll have to step over my dead body!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to find the person who harmed your daughter?¡± Gwendolyn raised her eyebrows.


    slightly. ¡°I have a way to uncover the true culprit behind the scenes and wake Inez up.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you saying that Incz¡­¡±


    Madelyn¡¯s pupils widened in shock and she froze in ce.


    She had always believed that Inez¡¯s drunk driving ident was an ident, never considering that


    someone might have intentionally caused it.


    After carefully considering Gwendolyn¡¯s words, Madelyn realized there were indeed many suspicious


    points in the matter.


    Chapter 65 The Price You Have To Pay


    However, she didn¡¯t fully trust Gwendolyn. ¡°No, I can¡¯t let you take her away. Who knows what you¡¯ll do


    to her? I have no reason to trust you, and you better not have any designs on Inez.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡± Gwendolyn casually sat down on the bench in the hallway, crossing her long,


    beautiful legs. With a yful smile, she continued, ¡°I say it onest time: I will wake her up and help


    you find the person who hurt her.¡±


    ¡°Why are you helping me?¡±


    Madelyn nced at the strong bodyguards beside Gwendolyn. The ones she had arranged at the door


    had been effortlessly controlled by Gwendolyn, without even being able to fight back.


    Even if Madelyn persisted in her disagreement, it seemed quite difficult to resist the men brought by


    Gwendolyn.


    Madelyn fell into deep thought.


    Gwendolyn seemed to have seen through her thoughts and said with a smile, ¡°As you can see, you


    have no choice but to trust me.¡±

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    Chapter 66 I Will Personally Go To Lightspring


    The two exchanged nces, and Madelyn had no choice but to admit defeat, gritting her teeth in


    frustration.


    ¡°All right! I¡¯ll trust you this time, but if anything happens to my daughter, I¡¯ll risk my life to fight you!¡±


    Without Madelyn¡¯s interference, Gwendolyn easily entered the ward and instructed someone to carry


    Inez away under Madelyn¡¯s reluctant and worried gaze.


    When Gwendolyn arrived back at Treyton¡¯s vi, it was alreadyte in the evening.


    The afterglow of the setting sun painted the sky a gentle orange hue, casting a soft halo over the entire


    town of Faike..


    Treyton picked a guest room, briefly settled Inez, and sat on the couch with Gwendolyn to discuss their


    next n.


    Inez appeared peaceful with her eyes tightly closed, looking almost as if she were sleeping.


    ¡°Her condition seems stable, and all vital signs are nommal,¡± Treyton said, taking the medical report.


    from his personal doctor and stroking his chin.


    Gwendolyn picked up the report and nced at Inez who was lying on the hospital bed. Her delicate


    eyebrows furrowed in concern.


    ¡°Waking up aatose patient is as difficult as reaching the sky. The Mossey family has spent at


    fortune inviting renowned doctors from both domestic and international backgrounds but to no avail. If


    we want to make progress with Inez, we must resort to our trump card,¡± Treyton said.


    He gently tapped the coffee table with his fingers, turning the ashtray around.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gwendolyn asked.


    A hint of doubt flickered in her eyes.


    ¡°How could you have forgotten, you brat?¡±


    Treyton couldn¡¯t help but gently tap her head.


    ¡°Have you forgotten that you have an older brother with a master¡¯s degree in medicine? There aren¡¯t


    many people in this world who can question his medical skills and authority.¡±


    Gwendolyn suddenly realized that she hadn¡¯t been in ouch with the Harris family for such a long time.


    that she hadpletely forgotten how outstanding her second brother, Kieran, was.


    ¡°But¡­ Kieran is usually quiet and has a peculiar personality. He¡¯s always busy with work, and since


    he¡¯s in Lightspring, he might not be willing to help with this.¡± Gwendolyn didn¡¯t let herself be


    overwhelmed by joy. After some careful consideration, she cautiously spoke up. ¡°For safety¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll


    personally go to Lightspring to find him. If necessary, I¡¯ll tie him up anil bring him to Faike.¡±


    Inez was the key to sess in the present situation, and she must ensure that every step of the n


    was wlessly executed.


    Maverick¡¯s deadline for the media and the public was five days.


    Chapter 66 I Will Personally Go To¡­


    And now, two days had already passed.


    She nned to bring about a shocking reversal in the oue of the entire matter in three days, so


    she needed to expedite things.


    ¡°Treyton, there¡¯s no time to waste. I¡¯ll go to Lightspring tonight and bring Kieran back,¡± Gwendolyn said


    as she slung her bag over her shoulder.


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? But I don¡¯t usually like using private jets, so I can¡¯t have someone take you there,¡±


    Treyton replied, sounding a bit worried.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s still a flight to Lightspring tonight. I just take a regr ne.¡± As Gwendolyn tidied up,


    she continued, ¡°You must remember to handle everything properly! Arrange for bodyguards to


    strengthen the security around the vi!¡±


    Treyton watched her silhouette disappear into the night and let out a sigh.


    ¡°Got it, you brat. You¡¯re always on the run.¡±


    Eloisey in a bathtub filled with bubbles and rose petals, attempting to wash away the day¡¯s fatigue


    with warm water.


    She checked her phone from time to time to see if there were any new messages.


    Ever since Gunnar dragged her away from Mount Gravel today, she had been holding in her anger.


    Even though she knew that her hired men would likely fail once Treyton and Maverick arrived, she was


    unwilling to give up as she continued to secretly investigate Gwendolyn¡¯s whereabouts.


    She received a message that read: Ms. Mossey, we have an update. It appears that she¡¯s headed to a


    large, high-end hospital in Lightspring. She¡¯s in a huny and will be taking a flight tonight.


    Eloise sat up from the water and read the message several times, growing suspicious.


    Although Jennifer had been beaten, her injuries were not life-threatening.


    The experienced doctors in Faike were more than capable of treating her.


    Why is Gwendolyn going to such great lengths to rush to the hospital in Lightspringte at night?


    She immediately tried to call Natasha but couldn¡¯t get through.


    ¡°She dropped the ball at a critical moment!¡±


    Eloise, frustrated, tossed her phone aside and quickly changed into new clothes. In the dead of night,


    she drove hastily to Faike Hospital.


    The VIP ward was already very quiet, and it became even more silent as night fell. After exining her


    identity to the bodyguard outside the door, Eloise quietly entered.


    ¡°Why did you turn off your phone when I was trying to call you?¡± Eloise asked, rolling her eyes in


    annoyance. ¡°Thanks to you, I had toe to find you in the middle of the night.¡±


    Natasha exined, ¡°During the day, Mave overheard our conversation on the phone. Since then, my


    phone has been bugged by Mave¡¯s people. I have no choice.¡± After exining, Natasha couldn¡¯t help


    O/D


    Chapter 66 I Will Personally Go To¡­


    but ask, ¡°Is our n going smoothly? Are there any hups?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even get me started. That girl actually knows jiu-jitsu! Those freeloading guys were no match for


    her at all.¡±


    Whenever the failed operation was mentioned, Eloise would be filled with rage. ¡°I sent someone to


    investigate her schedule and found out she¡¯s going to a hospital in Lightspring tonight. Who knows


    what she¡¯s up to this time?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Natasha was also particrly puzzled.


    ¡°A hospital in Lightspring? Are you sure your people didn¡¯t get it wrong?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°What do you mean? The Ferguson family chooses our subordinates carefully, so, of course, the


    information is true,¡± Eloise said, looking displeased.


    ¡°Then why is she going to Lightspring? Wait a minute¡­ The hospital!¡± Natasha seemed to suddenly


    remember something. ¡°Quick, have someone go to the first VIP ward on the fourth floor and check if


    Inez is still there! Hurry!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rush? I¡¯ll arrange for someone to go right away.¡±


    Eloise gave her a disdainful re and instructed Gunnar to follow Natasha¡¯s directions and head to the


    fourth floor.


    A momentter, Gunnar returned to Natasha¡¯s ward with a solemn expression.


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson, I have to report that Ms. Inez from upstairs has gone missing.¡±


    ¡°Just as I thought!¡±


    Natasha¡¯s face turned pale with panic, and she clutched the corner of the nket. ¡°What should we do


    now? It must be that despicable Gwendolyn who took her away! If they find out about what happened


    ad out about what happened before, we¡¯ll be in big trouble¡­¡±


    Eloise, however, was unfazed.


    ¡°What are you panicking about? Let¡¯s just find Inez quickly and be done with it. And don¡¯t think I¡¯ll let


    that Gwendolyn get away with this either.¡±


    Natasha was still anxious. ¡°You make it sound so easy, but what if she¡¯s already on the ne? We


    might not have a chance anymore! And what if she really does have a way to cure Inez?¡±


    She shuddered and didn¡¯t dare to think further.


    Taking in Natasha¡¯s panicked state, Eloise rolled her eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent someone to


    check it out. There¡¯s still an hour and a half before she boards the ne, which is enough time for me


    to arrange for someone to go there. I know she¡¯s skilled in jiu-jitsu, but this time I¡¯ll find even tougher


    fighters to take her down quietly in the cabin. Who else can ruin our ns then?¡±


    Eloise spoke with a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes. She immediately took out her phone, ready to


    make arrangements.


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Natasha quickly stopped her and, meeting her puzzled gaze, revealed a sinister smile. ¡°I


    have a more suitable candidate than your people.¡±

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    Chapter 67 The Real Winner


    Chapter 67 The Real Winner


    In the wee hours of the night, Gwendolyn was seated in the first-ss cabin of the airne. She was


    still full of energy as she sipped her coffee.


    She looked out the window, but the pitch-ck night sky made it difficult to see even the outline of the


    clouds.


    Gwendolyn was about to look away because she was starting to get bored.


    However, she saw a familiar silhouette in the reflection of the small window.


    The man was wearing sunsses. He quickly turned his head away and avoided her gaze after he


    made eye contact with her.


    Her guard was up, and she discreetly scanned her surroundings. Gwendolyn noticed that everyone on


    board, including the bodyguards she had brought, had fallen into a deep slumber.


    Something was off, and she could smell danger.


    Gwendolyn got up to check the other cabins, but as she turned around, she saw a man in a suit


    walking toward her with several equally strong men.


    The man in the suit was none other than the sunsses-wearing individual she had just exchanged.


    nces with.


    It seemed that their target was quite clear, and it was obvious that they were aiming for her.


    Gwendolyn simply stood still.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Since it was impossible to avoid, she would face them head-on.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, long time no see.¡± The man took off his sunsses and smiled at her. ¡°I bet expect us to


    meet again so soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± Gwendolyn frowned.


    Noah raised his arm and gestured behind him.


    The group of men in ck followed his instructions and quickly surrounded Gwendolyn.


    you didn¡¯t


    no


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re skilled in jiu-jitsu, Ms. Shalders but I advise you to behave yourself. This ne is


    already under my control, and if you resist, I won¡¯t mind bringing everyone down with me in a ne


    crash. I don¡¯t think you want these passengers to die because of you.¡± The smile on Noah¡¯s face.


    disappeared as he took a seat and looked at her with a poker face. ¡°Apologies, but this is the boss¡¯


    order.¡±


    ¡°Maverick?¡± Gwendolyn frowned, and her expression was cold. ¡°He actually sent you for this?¡±


    ¡°As I said, what you did to Ms. Mossey was outrageous, She¡¯s the boss¡¯ fianc¨¦e, and he won¡¯t let you


    off the hook, so this is the price you have to pay.¡± Noah took out a saber and weighed it in his hand. ¡°I


    advise


    you not to struggle in vain. The lives of all the passengers are now in my hands unless you want these


    innocent people to die with you.¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered. She quietly nced to the side from the corner of her eyes and tried to find a


    1/2.


    Chapter 67 The Real Winner


    chance to escape.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to be so heartless. Natasha must mean the world to him.¡± Gwendolyn spoke with a


    wry smile while stealthily


    Noah didn¡¯t notice heMending her foot to hook the parachute bag hidden beneath the seat.


    Noah didn¡¯t notice her subtle movements. He frowned at her calm expression and bluntly warned,


    ¡°You¡¯d better not y any tricks, or it won¡¯t just be you who dies on this ne. Go ahead and try me if


    you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    The muscr henchmen behind him quickly took hold of several other passengers in the cabin and


    threatened her with a re.


    Gwendolyn smiled mockingly as she picked up the piping hot coffee cup from her seat and threw it at


    Noah. ¡°It¡¯s not up to you to decide what I want to do


    Gwendolyn took advantage of the moment when everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the coffee cup.


    She kicked open the cabin door, swiftly put on the parachute pack, and resolutely leaped into the pitch-


    ck night sky.


    ¡°Quick! Stop her! Don¡¯t let her jump off the ne!¡± I was already toote when Noah realized what she


    was going to do.


    He hurried over to the cabin door and poked his head outside to look.


    There were no signs of Gwendolyn anywhere in the night sky. All that could be seen were just a few


    stars.


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn¡¯s body continued to descend in the pitch-ck darkness, and the only sound


    she could hear was the howling wind.


    She held her breath and relied solely on her instincts to open the parachute.


    Noah and the others were gathered around the cabin door, observing the night sky. The sky was so


    dark that he couldn¡¯t estimate their altitude.


    any safety


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s bound to die since she jumped from such a great height without measures. She¡¯ll


    be reduced to a pulp, and I doubt we¡¯ll even be able to find her body.¡±


    Noah breathed a sigh of relief after he heard one of the henchmen¡¯s words. Indeed, no matter how I


    look at it, I¡¯ve aplished the task Natasha entrusted me with.


    ¡°Ms. Mossey, are you asleep?¡± He gently touched his ear and spoke into the tiny Bluetooth headset.


    He had previously discreetly removed the wiretap on Natasha¡¯s phone under the guise of Maverick,


    which allowed her tomunicate freely with the outside world.


    ¡°How could I possibly sleep without hearing from you? How did the task I entrusted you go?¡± Natasha


    was growing impatient in the hospital room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s sort of done,¡± Noah replied hesitantly.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Natasha¡¯s voice rose a few notches. ¡°Did you mess up? Is she not


    dead?¡±


    ¡°She jumped off the ne without any safety measures. There¡¯s no doubt she¡¯s done for at this height.¡±


    Chapter 67 The Real Winner


    Natasha felt relieved and said with satisfaction, ¡°Well done, Noah. I appreciate it.¡±


    Sheughed triumphantly after she hung up the phone.


    No matter how capable that b*tch was, she still died in my hands in the end! I am the real winner!


    Even though getting rid of Gwendolyn was enough to lift her spirits, Natasha didn¡¯t forget about Incz,


    who was a hidden threat to her.


    She knew how much Treyton cared about Gwendolyn. She was wary of Treyton and was afraid that he


    would use Inez to stand up for Gwendolyn if he found out about her death.


    Natasha¡¯s face darkened once again. She picked up her phone and dialed another number.


    Eloise, who was on the other end of the line asked eagerly, ¡°How¡¯s it going? Did it work out?¡±


    ¡°That b*tch was forced to jump off the ne. You¡¯ll hear of the news of her death soon.¡± Natasha


    sounded quite pleased. ¡°How about you? Have you found Inez¡¯s whereabouts?¡±


    ¡°No. My subordinates have been searching for a long time, but I have yet to receive any news.¡± Even


    though Eloise had almost searched the entire Faike, she couldn¡¯t find any news about Inez. It was as


    if she had vanished into thin air.


    Natasha hung up the phone with an uneasy feeling, and her good mood vanished.


    Although she had gotten rid of Gwendolyn, Inez was still a nuisance.


    I can¡¯t rest assured while Inez roams free. If Gwendolyn did take her away, where would she have kept


    her? Where in Faike might there be a location that even Eloise can¡¯t find? Gwendolyn and Treyton


    have grown very close since her divorce. Could there be a possibility¡­


    Natasha¡¯s eyes lit up, and she made another call to Eloise.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you finish what you have to say in one go?¡± Eloise was just about to fall asleep. She


    suppressed. her fiery temper and managed not tosh out at the person responsible. ¡°What is it this


    time?¡±


    ¡°As Treyton¡¯s fianc¨¦e, you should know where he lives in Faike, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Bring someone quietly to Treyton¡¯s vi tomorrow morning and have a look. I suspect that Inez may be


    there!¡±

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Chapter 68 Please Punish Me


    ¡°Theyton¡¯s vi?¡± All of the drowsiness immediately left Eloise as she sat up from the bed in surprise.


    ¡°Exin yourself. How did Inez get involved with him?¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten? Gwendolyn has been very close with Treyton ever since she and Mave divorced.


    Although Mave has transferred the ownership of Bay Vi to her, she never moved in, and we¡¯ve never


    been able to find out where she lives.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Eloise frowned.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Natasha rolled her eyes. ¡°This means that she¡¯s most probably living with Treyton!


    We¡¯ve searched the entire Faike, and there¡¯s no sign of Inez, so it¡¯s highly possible that Gwendolyn


    hid her in Treyton¡¯s vi!¡±


    Eloise gave it some thought and felt that Natasha made a valid point. He immediately sent someone to


    investigate.


    Natasha tossed her phone aside irritably after she hung up and leaned against the headboard while


    she waited for an update.


    Inez didn¡¯t die; instead, she became a vegetative state patient. This fact had always been like a thorn in


    her heart.


    No matter how proud Natasha was in public, Inez¡¯s presence always reminded her that she was born


    as an illegitimate daughter.


    Natasha had been looking for a chance to get rid of Inez ever since she became the heir to Mossey


    Group. However, Madelyn was so vignt that she was practically inseparable from Inez¡¯s hospital


    room.


    Natasha couldn¡¯t find the right moment to make a move.


    As long as Inez was alive, her position as the heir to Mossey Group wouldn¡¯t be secured.


    Natasha would inevitably bepared to the other person by the outside world.


    Inez¡¯s disappearance this time presented a golden opportunity. I must take advantage of this


    opportunity and get rid of the two most annoying people!


    The sky gradually brightened at the horizon, and the morning sun shone into every corner, gently


    awakening the city.


    Natasha gazed at the increasingly bright sky outside the window and grew anxious.


    When the phone rang, she quickly reached for it, unlocked it, and answered the call. ¡°How is it? Any


    news?¡±


    ¡°Although we can¡¯t be sure that Inez is definitely at Tryton¡¯s vi, the people I sent there reported that


    the number of bodyguards in the vi has nearly doubled, and the security is extremely tight. This is


    very suspicious.¡±


    ¡°So, what do we do now? No matter how powerful Mossey Group and Ferguson Group are, we can¡¯t


    possibly provoke Treyton, especially on his own turf,¡± Natasha sighed.


    Chapter 68 Please Punish Me


    She was at her wit¡¯s end. She didn¡¯t know what else could be done.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a n, and you don¡¯t need to get involved.¡± Eloise hung up the phone and forcefully threw her


    phone to the side before Natasha could respond.


    Treyton had always been cold to her, but he showered Gwendolyn, who suddenly appeared with


    endless care and affection, which greatly annoyed her


    The thought of Gwendolyn and Inez possibly being his house made her sick with envy.


    Eloise became angrier the more she thought about it. She decided to take matters into her own hands.


    and visit Treyton¡¯s vi while he was away.


    ¡°Stop sleeping and get up right now!¡± Eloise called Gunnar and woke him up. ¡°I want to go to Treyton¡¯s


    ce this morning. Arrange it for me immediately. I will hold you ountable if something goes wrong.¡±


    Gunnar sleepily rubbed his eyes. He wanted to argue that he was just a bodyguard and that an


    assistant should be handling these tasks. However, he reluctantly agreed in the end, ¡°Understood.¡±


    Noahpleted the task assigned to him by Natasha. He immediately boarded the earliest flight out of


    Lightspring to return to Faike as soon as the flight arrived.


    He went back to his apartment to avoid being suspected by Maverick and decided to take a shower


    before going to the office to clock in.


    He parked his car in the garage and gently opened the door to his apartment. He saw a figure smoking


    a cigarette while sitting on the couch before he could close the door tightly.


    He turned around and saw that it was Maverick.


    His face was somber under the rising smoke.


    The two of them locked eyes and Noah panicked. He tried his best to hide any signs of emotion on his


    face.


    Maverick had personally arranged Noah¡¯s residence, so he naturally knew the password to Noah¡¯s


    apartment door.


    ¡°Boss, did you need me for something?¡± Noah tried his best to stay calm and set down the bag in his


    hand. ¡°You could have just called me if you needed something. You don¡¯t need toe here in person.


    It¡¯s still early. Have you had breakfast yet? Do you need me to prepare it for you?¡±


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Maverick ignored the series of questions thrown at him. He put out the


    cigarette held between his slender fingers in the ashtray, and his icy gaze seemed like a sharp sword


    ready to pierce through Noah.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Noah feigned light-heartedness as he said, ¡°I think we shouldn¡¯t always be cooped up in the office. I


    want to exercise more, but I usually don¡¯t have time, and I¡¯m afraid it might interfere with my work, so I


    made the most of the morning by going for a run.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Maverick¡¯s sharp gaze fell on him. He stretched out his long leg and crossed it over the


    other, his fingers resting on the back of the couch asionally tapping the painted solid wood


    decoration.


    Chapter 68 Please Punish Me


    Noah felt immense pressure just from that.


    He could only reply stiffly. ¡°Yes, Boss. I was just going for a morning workout. Please don¡¯t overthink it.¡±


    ¡°Noah, you¡¯ve let me down.¡± A tired look crept onto Maverick¡¯s face. ¡°Did you really think I was


    clueless?¡±


    Noah shook his head subconsciously. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Te


    ¡°Natasha¡¯s phone tap has been removed, and you did it under my name. What did you do after leaving


    Faikest night?¡± Maverick cut to the chase and stared at him with his eagle-like eyes.


    ¡°Could it be¡­ you¡¯ve been wary of me all along?¡± These few words struck down from the sky like a


    lightning bolt. Noah knelt in front of Maverick with a thud and pleaded, ¡°Boss, it¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t


    have crossed the line. Please punish me!¡±


    ¡°Where did you go after leaving Faikest night? What did you do? Answer me truthfully.¡± Maverick


    suppressed his anger, stood up, walked over to him, and looked down at him. ¡°This is yourst chance.


    You know what happens when you defy me.¡±


    Noah fell silent.


    A momentter, he gritted his teeth, mustered up the courage, looked up, and met Maverick¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Boss, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being unreasonable? Ms. Mossey is your fianc¨¦e, yet you don¡¯t seem to


    care about her at all.¡±


    Maverick furrowed his brow slightly as he didn¡¯t expect Noah to use him in return.


    ¡°You¡¯re so protective of Gwendolyn, yet you ignore your own fianc¨¦e. You transferred the vi to


    Gwendolyn and made Ms. Mossey move to another apartment. Is that what a responsible fianc¨¦ would


    do? Ms. Mossey was framed by Gwendolyn and severtly injured, yet you didn¡¯t even stand up for her,¡±


    Noah said it all in one breath and stared straight at Maverick¡¯s cold face.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± Maverick was unfazed by Noah¡¯s words as he touched his wristwatch. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one


    last time. What did you do after you left Faike? Does it have anything to do with Gwendolyn?¡±


    Noah had been working alongside Maverick for many years. He was very familiar with all of his habitual


    actions.


    He knew Maverick was holding back his anger.


    Maverick would still send someone to look into everything even if Noah kept his mouth shut and said


    nothing, so he took all the responsibility upon himself ¡°Gwendolyn is dead! I hijacked the ne she was


    onst night, and she jumped out mid-flight. You may be able to forgive her for hurting Ms. Mossey, but


    I can¡¯t!¡±

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    Chapter 69 There Is Another Woman


    ¡°You b*stard!¡± Maverick¡¯s veins bulged as he grabbed Noah by the cor and delivered a powerful blow


    to his face. ¡°Where did she jump from? And where did shend?¡±


    Noah was dizzy from the force of his punch.


    He smiled, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and remained silent.


    Maverick kicked him in the stomach..


    Noah fell to the ground and rolled around before clutching his stomach and struggling to get back up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Boss. I won¡¯t tell you Gwendolyn¡¯s whereabouts even if you beat me to death here today.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with you when I find her.¡± Maverick strode out of Noah¡¯s apartment after he said that. He had


    someone lock Noah in the bedroom and designated a bodyguard to watch over him before he left.


    Maverick made a call as soon as he left the apartment. ¡°Zachary, look into Gwendolyn¡¯s flight details


    fromst night and her current location. I need to know as soon as possible.¡±


    He got into the car and lit a cigarette irritably.


    His phone finally rang when he drew the eighth stick.


    Maverick answered the call without hesitation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found it! Last night her flight passed through arge mountain range between Faike and


    Lightspring. She might havended there. How is it? I was quick this time, right? I didn¡¯t expect Noah to


    be so courageous this time. However, that mountain range is vast. There is no way she could be alive if


    she really jumped off the ne. Maverick, are you sure you want to look for her?¡±


    Maverick frowned, and his obsidian-like eyes began to twitch uncontrobly all of a sudden. ¡°I want to


    see her, dead or alive, with my own eyes.¡±


    He hung up the phone after he said that and hurried toward the mountain range.


    Eloise had initially nned to go to Treyton¡¯s vi early in the morning to drag Inez out.


    It wasn¡¯t until the afternoon that an opportunity arose because Treyton had been home.


    Eloise had looked into Treyton¡¯s schedule. As soon as she confirmed that he had left the vi and was


    heading to Angle, she immediately went to his residence with a few bodyguards.


    ¡°Just sit tight and wait. Whether you¡¯re Gwendolyn or Inez, you¡¯ll have to show yourself today!¡± Eloise


    gritted her teeth as she sat in the back seat of the Bentley.


    The Bentley Bentayga came to a stop at the entrance.


    As soon as Eloise got out of the car, she was stopped by several bodyguards, who were patrolling


    secretly outside the vi.


    ¡°Miss, this is Mr. Harris¡¯ private residence, and he has already left. Pleasee over again when Mr.


    Harris is at home,¡± said a polite bodyguard, who was wearing a suit and sunsses.


    ¡°How dare you stop me?¡± Eloise looked at him disdainfully from head to toe. She was deterinined to


    Chapter 69 There Is Another Woman


    get into Treyton¡¯s vi.


    The bodyguard blocked her line of sight. ¡°Please leave. We cannot let anyone in without Mr. Harris¡¯


    order.¡±


    Eloise was infuriated by his attitude. She raised her hand and pped him across his face.


    The crisp sound of the p could be heard in the quiet residential area.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t listen to me when I was being polite. I had to take action. You listen well. I am Treyton¡¯s


    fiancee! The second daughter of the Ferguson family! Who are you to stop me?¡± Eloise revealed her


    identity arrogantly.


    ¡°Even if you are his fianc¨¦e, you cannot enter without Mr. Harris¡¯ permission. Please don¡¯t put us in at


    difficult position.¡±


    Eloise¡¯s patience had run out. ¡°You¡¯re just bodyguards. Don¡¯t be ignorant. As Treyton¡¯s fianc¨¦e, I


    suspect there¡¯s another woman in his vi. Why can¡¯t Ie and take a look? It¡¯s only reasonable, by


    all means. If you know what¡¯s good for you, let me in right now


    The bodyguards exchanged nces, and their determination wavered.


    The bodyguards naturally knew that Eloise was of noble status and not someone they could afford to


    mess with. If a fight were to break out, they wouldn¡¯t be able to bear the consequences, so they


    reluctantly backed off.


    After all, she could enter the main gate, but she can¡¯t get to the third floor.


    Eloise scoffed haughtily, flicked her hair, and walked through the gate with her bodyguards.


    ¡°Quickly inform Mr. Harris that someone has broken in, and we can¡¯t stop them,¡± the bodyguard


    ordered with a solemn expression after Eloise entered the vi.


    Flora, who was cleaning the vi saw them and was stunned for two seconds. ¡°Who are you? How


    dare you break into someone¡¯s house in broad daylight? Get out of here right now, or I¡¯ll call the police!¡±


    ¡°Who do I need to report to when I enter my fiance¡¯s house?¡± Eloise frowned and looked at Flora with


    contempt. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. Search the premise! Keep searching until you find that person!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Why are you doing this?!¡± Flora set aside the mop in her hand and hurriedly tried to stop the


    bodyguards. ¡°Not only are you trespassing, but you even dare to rummage through someone else¡¯s


    home!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll search however I want to search.¡± Eloise gave her contemptuous look and then looked at the


    bodyguards behind her. ¡°What are you waiting for? Do you expect me to search for her myself?¡±


    The bodyguards, who were initially rooted to their spot, immediately dispersed. Eloise swaggered over


    to the couch and sat down.


    Flora was furious. She pointed at Eloise and scolded, ¡°You! Do you really think you¡¯re the owner of this


    ce? So what if you¡¯re Ms. Ferguson? You can¡¯tpare to Ms. Shalders!¡±


    Flora¡¯s wordspletely infuriated Eloise, and with a swift kick, she knocked over the trash can.


    The floor that had just been cleaned was suddenly covered in trash again.


    Chapter 69 There Is Another Woman


    Flora trembled with anger.


    68%ͯ


    Eloise crossed her arms over her chest and looked at her with a smug expression on her face. ¡°Well? If


    I don¡¯t do something, how can I live up to the image you have of me in your mind?¡±


    Gunnar came downstairs and whispered into Eloise¡¯s ear, ¡°Ms. Ferguson, we¡¯ve searched the first and


    second floors, but we couldn¡¯t find anything. However, we noticed that the third floor is being watched


    over by numerous bodyguards, which is very suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Turn the third floor upside down!¡± Eloise stood up and personally led the group of bodyguards toward


    the third floor.


    A few bodyguards in suits stopped her at the staircase leading to the third floor. ¡°Ms. Ferguson, please


    halt. Mr. Harris has specifically instructed that no one other than himself is allowed on the third floor. I


    kindly ask you to turn back.¡±


    ¡°I will be the woman of this ce in the future, low dare you stop me?¡± Eloise red at him and


    tried to walk past him, but he reached out and stopped her again.


    ¡°My apologies, Ms. Ferguson, but Mr. Harris has made it clear that nobody is allowed through without


    his permission, and that includes you. Please cooperate with us.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°How outrageous! I must go in today. Let¡¯s see who dares to stop me!¡± Eloise gestured with her hand,


    and the bodyguards behind her immediately understood what she meant. Her bodyguards quickly


    rushed over and fought with the members of the Haris family.


    However, the bodyguards on the third floor were exceptionally agile, and the fewbat experts Eloise


    had brought with her were all restrained, resulting in a very tense battle.


    Eloise red at Gunnar and said through greeted teeth, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you say that all of


    them were famous experts? Why can¡¯t they handle a group of bodyguards?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson, I swear to the heavens, this group of people are indeedbat experts. However, the


    individuals arranged by Mr. Harris are also quite skilled, and all of them are well-trained.¡±


    ¡°What should we do, then? We can¡¯t turn back now!¡± Eloise bit her lip as she couldn¡¯t ept defeat. All


    of a sudden, she caught a glimpse of the dagger tucked into Gunnar¡¯s waist out of the corner of her


    eye.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    Chapter 70 Take Her With Me


    She drew out the dagger. ¡°Stand still, all of you!¡± Then she pressed the dagger against her wrist. ¡°I¡¯m


    going to slit my wrist if you don¡¯t let me in!¡±


    The bodyguards froze in the middle of their brawl and stared at Eloise.


    Gunnar broke out in a cold sweat over her action. ¡°Ms. Ferguson, please don¡¯t do that. You can¡¯t hurt


    yourself over something so trivial. It¡¯s not worth it! How can I exin the situation to Mr. and Mrs.


    Ferguson if you¡¯re wounded?¡±


    ¡°Did you hear that? I am the second daughter of the Ferguson family of Salinsburgh and the apple of


    the Ferguson family¡¯s eye. Can you imagine the wrath of the Ferguson family and how they will take


    their anger out on you? Have you ever thought of the horrible consequences you will face?¡±


    She was confident that her identity would intimidate the bodyguards. She gave Gunnar a look and


    sneered, ¡°If the destruction of your family is not what you wish to witness, then get out of my way!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson, why are you doing this?¡± The head of the bodyguards hesitated. ¡°How about we each


    take a step back? You leave with your men, and I¡¯ll pretend you were never here. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so! I must enter through this door today!¡± Eloise casually threw the dagger onto the


    ground.


    Gunnar and his team quickly subdued the bodyguards on the third floor as the bodyguards all had their


    attention focused on Eloise.


    Initially, both sides were evenly matched in terms of winning opportunities. But now, Eloise held the


    absolute advantage.


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson, I sincerely want to talk to you, yet you chose to y dirty!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ying dirty?¡± Eloise said coldly. ¡°Let¡¯s face it. I outsmarted you!¡±


    She made a gesture, telling her men to lead the bodyguards away when a man¡¯s low, angry voice


    boomed from the stairs below. ¡°Wow! What a brilliant strategy you disyed to outsmart him.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Treyton walked up the stairs and let out a cold snort. He looked at Eloise with undisguised disgust and


    said, ¡°Ms. Ferguson, please get out of my vi as soon as possible. There¡¯s no room for someone as


    important as you here.¡±


    A sliver of guilt appeared on Eloise¡¯s face as she turned around abruptly. ¡°Wait, Trey. Just hear me out.¡±


    ¡°Hear you out? Are you trying to defend yourself on why you barge into my house during broad daylight


    and bully my men?¡± Treyton shot her a disdainful look. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to see anyone who doesn¡¯t matter


    in my house. If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll have someone throw you out.¡±


    ¡°Treyton! How dare you say I don¡¯t matter?¡± Eloise stomped her foot in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m your future wife!


    Why are you treating me this way? I¡¯ve followed you from Salinsburgh to Faike. Aren¡¯t you touched


    by my actions at all? You know very well that we¡¯re engaged, and I¡¯ll get jealous. Yet, you still treated


    that wretched Gwendolyn kindly while ignoring me! You even refused to see me to have lunch with her


    in the office! What should I do for you to ept my feelings? Do I have to rip my heart out for


    you To see? Even now, you have another woman in your vi! Treyton, do you care about me at all?¡±


    Eloise¡¯s eyes reddened. She bit her lip before pouncing at Treyton.


    Chapter 70 Take Her With Me


    Treyton dodged away from her, and Eloise wasn¡¯t even able to touch his shirt.


    ¡°Please behave yourself.¡±


    ¡°Behave? Have you forgotten that I am your legitimate fianc¨¦e? It¡¯s perfectly reasonable for me to be at


    my fianc¨¦¡¯s house! I can hug my fianc¨¦ whenever I want!¡± Eloise repeatedly emphasized her title as her


    chest heaved with anger.


    Treyton¡¯s face darkened when he heard her remarks. It seems you¡¯ve forgotten how exactly we got


    engaged. I don¡¯t mind helping you recall the exact details if you¡¯re keen on recalling the past!¡±


    Eloise choked on her reply. Her face turned pale.


    ¡°Oh, so you remember it now?¡± Treyton nced at his wristwatch. ¡°I have other matters to attend to.


    Please send Ms. Ferguson home now!¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Eloise had initially shrunk backward after hearing Treyton¡¯s words. But then, she took on a confident


    and unapologetic stance again when she noticed Treyton¡¯s intention to chase her away. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave.


    But I¡¯m going to take the woman in your vi with me!¡±


    Treyton¡¯s expression turned cold. He sounded impatient when he said, ¡°There¡¯s no one else in the vi,


    let alone a woman.¡±


    Eloise let out a scoff. ¡°Really? Natasha¡¯s sister and the eldest daughter of the Mossey family, Inez


    Mossey, is in there, isn¡¯t she? I¡¯m going to take her with me today.¡±


    ¡°Inez? Who¡¯s that? I¡¯ve never seen her before. You need to have supporting evidence when you


    speak.¡± Treyton sneered. He waved his hand, asking for more bodyguards to show up. ¡°See the guests


    out!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only right for me to chase away the other woman in my fianc¨¦¡¯s house! You need to unlock the


    room today!¡±


    ¡°Eloise, there¡¯s a limit to my patience with you.¡± A dangerous glint shed across Treyton¡¯s narrowed.


    eyes.


    ¡°No matter what you say today, I¡¯m taking Inez with me! There¡¯s no room for negotiation on this matter!¡±


    Eloise raised her head determinedly for the first time.


    Treyton chuckled coldly. ¡°It¡¯s not up to you to negotiate about this. I don¡¯t mind canceling the


    engagement if you refuse to leave now.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Eloise stumbled backward in shock. Fury filled her as she screamed hysterically. ¡°Are you actually


    going to call off our marriage because of the woman in the house? In your dreams! The Ferguson


    family may not be as influential as the Harris family, but we¡¯re still a respectable family in Salinsburgh!


    Galling off a marriage is noughing matter, so you can¡¯t decide this yourself.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can give it a try.¡± Treyton unlocked his phone and made a call to Elisha.


    ¡°What on earth did I do wrong for you to be this heartless to me?¡± Tears filled Eloise¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is it


    because of Gwendolyn? What good can she bring you? She¡¯s a divorced woman and has no familial


    influence or power! Why are you so devoted to her?¡±


    Chapter 70 Take Her With Me


    ¡°Don¡¯tpare yourself to her. It will only humiliate you!¡±


    Eloise gritted her teeth. A thought crossed her mind then and delight filled her. ¡°In that case, I have bad


    news for you. She¡¯s dead! Her ne crashedst night. What do you think? Isn¡¯t this a surprisingly


    delightful piece of news?¡± she said, pretending to be sorry, then burst intoughter.


    Her mood turned better when she took in the shock on Treyton¡¯s face. ¡°What a pity! Your beloved


    Gwendolyn has now be a cold, lifeless corpse!¡±


    Treyton¡¯s face was utterly ashen. He found the news hard to believe. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth. You¡¯ve got to ept it.¡± Eloise felt a pang of jealousy creeping into her heart upon seeing


    Treyton¡¯s pained expression.


    Why does he show all of his tenderness and love for that b*tch? Why won¡¯t he fall in love with me even


    when that b*tch is dead!


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m still taking Inez with me today even if you want to call off the engagement!¡± Eloise added.


    The sound of high heels cking could be heard right then.


    ¡°Did someone spread rumors about me being dead? I was wondering who the loudmouth was, but then


    everything made sense when I saw you, Ms. Ferguson.¡± Anguid yet domineering female voice


    echoed from below.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    Chapter 71 Wake Her Up


    Elise turned her head toward the stairs upon hearing the familiar voice. She spotted Gwendolyn man


    elegant velvet dress with a freasts looking man behind her However, she could not discern the man¡¯s


    appearance becasue he was wearing ? trinok


    ¡°You¡¯ W Why are you beer Aren¡¯t you dead¡± Doper


    smile frog The shock was evident in her eyes


    when she asked incredulously This is impossible¡± Ves tamped off the ne! How are you still alive?¡±


    at


    Gwendolyn ailed in respena lorking a charming before I¡¯m sorry for getting your hopes up My Ferguson


    ¡°You b*tch Ira because of you Trepon wants to call (8


    you Unable to contain ber angry. Floater lunged at Glutely n


    Gwendo


    with m?? I¡¯m going to end


    dodged her skillfully loves could ever givend Sare Taredy She lost her bnce, nearly falling t out the


    ground.


    evened be all eight Tression let out a deep bength of exterf as the caressed Gweoly¡¯s & face ¡°Why


    don¡¯t you head in and check on Irony fire? Ile the mammers hote


    All right. Til leave her


    Then along with the fully


    overed Karras, they walked into Sound e


    figure


    Trevion watched as Gwendolyn¡¯s figan disappeared other dig of the orriclor With a gloomy


    n he turned to two Eloise who was still san fh


    I¡¯ve already informed the Ferguson family to canerdigh before I get in die mood to settle the scores M


    Treyton¡¯s face as fie spoke


    ingaermarna. De wether you should and scram


    There were sew informa


    disgust on


    Eloise couldn¡¯t stop crying: ¡°How could you do this one. Trey I¡¯m the one who loves you the most, yet


    this is how you repay me Do you have to resort to such crarity You re lying to me, right? You¡¯re not


    serious about calling off the marriage


    Trevion who stood tall at one meter eighty night, regarded Eloise¡¯s embarrassing behavior with


    ¡°Ms Ferguson¡¯ I¡¯ve just received word from the Ferguson family Everything Mr. Harris said is true!¡±


    Gunnar helped Eloise up from the ground ¡°Mr and Mrs Ferguson want me to bring you home now?¡±


    ¡°No¡± I¡¯m not going back and no one can make me¡± Gunnar gripped her ant


    tried to break free from his grasp, but


    ¡°Ms Ferguson please Mi Harris is feeling upset now so be patient with him! I¡¯m sure Mr and Mrs.


    Ferguson will talk to him about the engagement Gunnar dragged Elosse downstairs forcefully Then, he


    shot a look at his subordmates. ¡°Why are you guys still standing around? Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    The group left dejectedly having lost the confidence they had possessed when they first arrived.


    Meanwhile, over at luez¡¯s room, Kieran took out the medical kit and equipment he had carried with turn


    and did a basic checkup for Inez


    Gwendolyn sat on a small couch nearby, watching Kieran do his job while secretly observing Inez, who


    Chapter 71 Wake Her Up


    was sound asleep on the bed.


    Inez and Natasha were half-sisters, sharing the same father but different mothers. However, the sisters


    didn¡¯t look alike.


    Natasha was attractive and charming, yet she had the look of a pretentious innocent woman.


    On the other hand, Inez¡¯s facial features were sharper, and she looked brighter and kind. Gwendolyn


    wasn¡¯t familiar with Inez, so she didn¡¯t feelfortable judging her character.


    However, Gwendolyn knew Inez must have been a career-driven woman, seeing how the woman had


    managed Mossey Group in an orderly and meticulous manner. She wasn¡¯t just a pampered youngdy


    who was clueless.


    ¡°Kieran, what are the test results?¡± Gwendolyn went over to help Kieran when she saw him packing his


    equipment.


    ¡°Not too bad. There are signs of her brain function recovering, indicating that her body¡¯s functions are


    gradually improving.¡± Kieran stated, handing Inez¡¯s report to Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn quickly scanned the report. ¡°Is there a way to wake her up as soon as possible?¡±


    Kieran pondered momentarily before replying, ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. She¡¯ll probably regain


    consciousness within a week after undergoing surgery¡±


    ¡°One week?¡± Gwendolyn scrunched up her brows. ¡°No, a week is too long. Do you have any way to


    up within two days?¡±


    wake her


    ¡°Two days?¡± Kieran was astonished by Gwendolyn¡¯s request. ¡°I¡¯ve just mentioned the safest surgical


    method to you. If you insist on waking her up in two days¡±-Kieran sank into deep thought-¡± then we


    might have to resort to thest and most dangerous treatment n.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Kieran, how confident are you in this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called deep brain stimtion, which requires the opening of the skull and the chest. The operation


    carries a high risk. Even I am only forty percent sure. Are you sure you want to take the risk?¡±


    Kieran is an expert in the medical field, and even he only has forty percent confidence in making this


    work. This surgery is quite challenging, huh? If we fail¡­


    Gwendolyn hesitated for a moment. Then, she lifted her head with determination. ¡°Let¡¯s try it! Not


    matter what, I believe in you! Kieran, get ready. We will start the procedure shortly.¡±


    Treyton knocked on the door before poking his head in. ¡°Is there anything that I can help with?¡±


    ¡°Perfect timing.¡± Kieran cleared his throat. ¡°Do you have a ce in your vi that we can turn into an


    operating room?¡±


    Treyton understood Kieran¡¯s intention immediately. ¡°I think I just might have a suitable room for you. My


    personal doctor used to stay here. I¡¯ll ask the housekeeper to get it ready for you.¡±


    ¡±


    Kieran nodded calmly, gathered his equipment, and followed Treyton out.


    ¡°Kieran, I¡¯ll tag along. I can be your assistant.¡± Gwendolyn chased after the men. She walked alongside


    Chapter 71 Wake Her Up


    them into the personal doctor¡¯s room.


    Kieran scanned the room with a satisfied expression. ¡°Nice! It¡¯s fully equipped. Have the housekeeper


    clean up and disinfect the room, then bring the patient in.¡±


    Soon, Flora entered with a few housekeepers in tow, and they quickly tidied up the entire room.


    They gently ced Inez on the operating table while Kieran calmly aimed the instrument at her head,


    preparing for the first step.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, check the power supply.¡± He made a final check on the instruments, ensuring everything


    was foolproof.


    ¡°Everything is ready!¡±


    Gwendolyn stood quietly behind Kieran and observed him as he concentrated on the surgery.


    The scalpel in Kieran¡¯s hand remained steady even after five hours of surgery. However, there was a


    layer of sweat on his forehead.


    Gwendolyn stood beside Kieran, using a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his forehead from time to


    time.


    ¡°Tweezers.¡± Kieran extended one of his hands toward Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn immediately picked up a pair of tweezers and passed it to Kieran.


    The intensity of the surgery was extremely high, yet Kieran seemed tireless as he skillfully and calmly


    operated the surgical instruments.


    Gwendolyn watched him intently. A thought shed across her mind. Kieran is indeed a genius in the


    surgical field.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, disinfect the instruments again. We¡¯re about to perform a thoracotomy, and a simple


    careless mistake could lead to infection,¡± Kieran said sternly.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Gwendolyn responded.


    Treyton stood guard outside the door while constantly checking his watch.


    It has been nearly ten hours now. Why haven¡¯t they finished the surgery?


    Even though Treyton was anxious, he didn¡¯t dare to barge in for fear of disturbing the


    surgery.


    ¡°Mr. Harris, there¡¯s news from the Ferguson family,¡± the butler reported softly as he walked up


    the


    stairs

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    Chapter 72 Pushing Treyton Away


    ¡°What did they say?¡±


    Treyton furrowed his brows, waiting with great interest for his response.


    ¡°Mr. Ferguson has locked Ms. Ferguson up, and she is not allowed toe out without his consent.¡±


    the butler replied respectfully.


    Treyton snorted. ¡°That¡¯s good. At least she won¡¯t be able toe to Faike and cause trouble


    anymore. Finally, we¡¯ll have some peace and quiet for a while.¡±


    He waved his hand, signaling the servant to leave, and continued to stare at the two closed doors of


    the


    room.


    In the Ferguson residence in Salinsburgh, Eloise was in her room, throwing a tantrum.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Dad is being so unreasonable! How could he lock me in my room and not even let me out the door!¡±


    The housekeeper timidly approached and gentlyforted her, ¡°Ms. Ferguson, don¡¯t be too upset.


    You¡¯re just being grounded. It will pass if you stay quietly at home for a while.¡±


    ¡°You know nothing! Get out of here!¡±


    Eloise yanked all the fresh flowers out of the vase and hurled them at the housekeeper. ¡°Get out of


    here! Stop bothering me!¡±


    Not satisfied, she grabbed the vase and furiously smashed it on the ground.


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson, this is absolutely uneptable! This is a crystal vase Mrs. Ferguson brought back from


    Ferropene. It¡¯s invaluable! You can¡¯t break it!¡±


    The housekeeper looked at the vase with a broken corner, feeling heartbroken but not daring to step


    forward and stop her.


    ¡°These things belong to my family, and I can smash them however I want! How dare you, a mere


    housekeeper, try to boss me around? I¡¯ll rip your tongue out if you dare to talk back again!¡±


    She pushed all the cosmetics off the table, and the crisp sounds of them shattering on the floor were


    quite jarring.


    The housekeeper knew trying to advise her was useless as it would only bring more trouble upon


    herself, so she simply closed her mouth, shut the door, and left.


    Wyatt and Emma heard Eloise¡¯s furious outburst from upstairs. Wyatt¡¯s face darkened as he threw the


    cigarette butt into the ashtray.


    ¡°Look at the well-behaved daughter you¡¯ve raised!¡±


    ¡°How could you say that?¡± Emma was dissatisfied. ¡°Isn¡¯t she your daughter too? You¡¯re so eager to


    distance yourself. Are you trying to avoid responsibility?¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you constantly spoiling her, would she have turned out like this? Treyton wants to call


    off the engagenient this time, and no matter how much I humble myself, he won¡¯t change his mind. If


    we let her continue acting recklessly, the Ferguson family is bound to fall apart because of her!¡± Wyatt


    Chapter 72 Pushing Treyton Away


    said, his face full of anger.


    ¡°You-¡±


    Just as Emma was about to retort sarcastically, Sherman, who wasing down from upstairs, noticed


    the tense atmosphere and quickly stepped in to mediate.


    ¡°Mom, Dad, it¡¯s normal for Eloise to feel upset since she¡¯s been grounded. Let her vent a little. It¡¯s


    good.


    for her!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the right way to vent her frustrations! Just listen. If she keeps throwing things like that, all


    those world-ss treasures in the house will be gone in no time!¡±


    Wyatt pointed upstairs, sighing repeatedly, looking disappointed and frustrated.


    The sound of things being smashed could still be fairly heard. After pondering for a moment, Sherman


    decided to go upstairs andfort her personally.


    Upstairs, Eloise was holding an antique decorative te, ready to smash it on the ground.


    ¡°Who pissed you off so much?¡± Sherman took the te from her hand and led her to sit on the couch.


    ¡°Getting too angry is bad for your health. Breaking a couple of things to vent your frustration is enough


    to make you feel better.¡±


    ¡°Sherman!¡±


    Eloise, feeling aggrieved, tugged at his arm. ¡°Just because of a divorced woman. Treyton actually


    wants to call off our engagement!¡±


    Sherman pinched her cheek.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably not that simple, isn¡¯t it? How could I not know your little schemes?¡±


    ¡°Ever since that woman got divorced, Treyton has been letting her stay in the vi and treating her so


    gently and considerately. How do you expect me to swallow my pride? Sherman. I know you¡¯ve always


    been the one who cared for me the most since we were little. Can you help me get rid of Gwendolyn?¡±


    She yfully shook his arm. ¡°Would you really stand by and watch your sister¡¯s favorite man being


    snatched away by another woman?¡±


    Sherman¡¯s pupils dted. He ced both hands on Eloise¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Eloise, say that again. What


    was the woman¡¯s name?¡±


    Eloise was somewhat baffled, but she repeated herself, ¡°Gwendolyn. She¡¯s an orphan from Faike


    Orphanage. What right does she have topete with me? Sherman, do you perhaps know her?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡­ This name is all too familiar. Could it be her? But how could she possibly be an


    orphan¡­.


    Sherman let go and turned around to process her words, feeling a sense of doubt in his heart.


    Eloise noticed something was off and asked with curiosity, ¡°Sherman, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a picture of this Gwendolyn?¡±


    ¡°Not long ago, she was trending on social media. There must be pictures of her online. Don¡¯t you


    know?¡±


    914


    Chapter 72 Pushing Treyton Away


    Sherman shook his head.


    He was not one to pay attention to online gossip, but there was not a rumor of the incident Eloise


    mentioned spreading in Salinsburgh. It seemed that someone from one of the major families had


    ordered a news ckout.


    Could it be the Harris family? But why did the Harris family want to block the news about this woman in


    Salinsburgh?


    The doubts and spections in his heart grew deeper and deeper.


    Eloise sat down on the couch, fuming as she took out her phone. She flipped through the photos she


    had secretly taken of Gwendolyn carlier and handed the phone to Sherman for him to see.


    ¡°Sherman, you have to help me. As long as this despicable woman dies, no one willpete with me.


    for Treyton anymore¡­¡±


    Eloise kept chattering away, but Sherman was focused on the photos on her phone. His beautiful eyes.


    were brimming with emotions.


    ¡°Sherman? Did you hear me?¡±


    Eloise¡¯s roar snapped him out of his trance.


    ¡°So, you desperately want her to die?¡±.


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Eloise said with determination in her eyes.


    Sherman tapped her on the head, looking disappointed at her stubbornness.


    ¡°How should I wake you up? The more you pick on her, the more you¡¯re pushing Treyton away with


    your own hands!¡±


    ¡°Sherman, what do you mean?¡±


    Eloise dodged his hand, feeling quite displeased.


    Shermanughed in exasperation. ¡°You¡¯re trying to harm his only younger sister. Why do you think he


    is distancing himself from you and hates you?¡±


    ¡°What? His younger sister?¡±


    Eloise was utterly astonished.


    Gwendolyn is actually Treyton¡¯s younger sister? How is this even possible?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Harris family announce the death of their little daughter six years ago? Although I¡¯ve never


    met her, I¡¯ve looked into Gwendolyn¡¯s background, and she¡¯s clearly an orphan!¡±


    Sherman sighed. ¡°You should know how powerful the Harris family is. If they don¡¯t want anyone to find


    out, how can you possibly uncover anything? As for why the Harris family did this, perhaps it was to


    protect her.¡±


    In just a few ininutes, Sherman had more or less sorted everything out.


    Eloise stood there, utterly speechless with astonishment.


    Sherman nced at the messy room she had created. If you still want to keep this marriage


    engagement with Treyton, stop thinking about harming her. In the meantime, you stay at home and


    think about how to apologize to her.¡±


    He patted Eloise on the shoulder and left her bedroom.


    Six years ago, he had been devasted when Gwendolyn disappeared and the Harris family announced


    her death.


    Later on, even though his parents had arranged for him to meet manydies in the upper-ss society


    both openly and secretly, he just could not forget her


    Now that he knew she was still alive and was in Faike, he wished he could have a pair of wings and


    fly to her side immediately.


    After Sherman left, Eloise remained stunned on the spot. She took quite some time to regain her


    composure.


    Everything she did not understand had an exnation now.


    Why were Gwendolyn and Treyton having lunch together in his office? Why did Treyton treat her with


    such care and attention? And how did Gwendolyn immediatelynd the position of talent director upon


    arriving at Angle?


    Did I almost hurt my future sister-inw?

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Chapter 73 Something Feels Off About Inez


    Eloise jolted awake, feeling immensely relieved that Gwendolyn hadn¡¯t lost her life this time. Otherwise,


    she and Treyton might never have had a chance to be together again.


    She slumped to the ground while pondering how to make amends for everything she had done before.


    After pondering for a while, she picked up her phone and called Treyton.


    The busy signal kept ringing from the other end of the phone, making the waiting period feel


    exceptionally long.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Treyton¡¯s impatient voice rang out. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m hanging up.¡±


    ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t hang up first! Trey, I really need to talk to you!¡± Eloise gripped her phone tightly as if she


    was afraid that he would hang up any second.


    ¡°If you want me to persuade Mr. Ferguson to lift your confinement, then forget about it. As for the


    engagement, I¡¯m still thinking over it.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m actually looking for Gwendolyn. I don¡¯t have her contact information¡­ Could you please pass


    her the phone?¡± Eloise¡¯s voice grew softer as she spoke


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for her? Ms. Ferguson, I would advise you to abandon any further ill intentions toward


    Gwendolyn. I will not allow you the opportunity to hurt her,¡± Treyton warned in a low voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. I want to talk to her so I can apologize. Eloise bit her lip. ¡°Please give her the phone. Trey,


    I¡¯m begging you.¡±


    ¡°Apologize?¡±


    1


    1


    Treyton was even more astonished. However, since Eloise was far away in Salinsburgh and kept


    locked up, she couldn¡¯t possibly cause much trouble. Reluctantly, he agreed to her request.


    He gently knocked on the door of the temporary operating room before opening it slightly and waving to


    Gwendolyn, who was inside.


    Gwendolyn shot a nce at Kieran, who was still focused on performing surgery, before tiptoeing out of


    the room.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Treyton handed his phone to her. ¡°Eloise is looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Looking for me?¡±


    Gwendolyn took his phone from him suspiciously and nced at the screen. ¡°What is it? Can¡¯t behave


    yourself even when you¡¯re back home? Now you¡¯re even calling me to give me a hard time?¡±


    ¡°No, I called to apologize to you.¡±


    Eloise¡¯s voice no longer carried the arrogance and domineering attitude from the past, but her many


    years of living as a wealthy and prestigious socialite still made it impossible for her to bepletely


    humble.


    Chapter 73 Something Feels Off About ¡­


    ¡°I admit that I was wrong for what I did in the past, and I apologize. As long as you don¡¯t interfere with


    my rtionship with Treyton in the future, I¡¯m willing to get along with you peacefully.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent.


    It seems that she has discovered my true identity, hasn¡¯t she?


    Noticing that there was no response from the other side, Eloise felt a bit uneasy and continued, ¡°To


    show my sincerity, I will consider Inez¡¯s matter as a gift to you.¡±


    ¡°A gift?¡± Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t stop a chuckle from escaping her lips and said, ¡°All right then. I look


    forward to it.¡±


    Eloise wasn¡¯t even upset when Gwendolyn hung up on her. Instead, she dialed another number


    immediately.


    The call was answered almost instantly by Natasha, who was at the hospital.


    ¡°How did it go? Did you find Inez?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to look for her anymore because she¡¯s already dead,¡± Eloise said coldly.


    ¡°Really?¡± Natasha¡¯s voice was filled with joy. ¡°Are you sure? She was at Treyton¡¯s vi, right? Was she


    killed personally by someone you sent? She-¡±


    Eloise interrupted her and said, ¡°That¡¯s enough. You don¡¯t need to know the details; you just need to


    know that she¡¯s dead. I¡¯m calling simply to inform you that our coboration is over.¡±


    Natasha never expected Eloise to make her decision so quickly. Her eyes widened in shock when she


    heard thetter¡¯s words.


    ¡°Why? Just because both Gwendolyn and Inez are dead?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Because of this, Treyton wants to call off the engagement, and my parents are already


    aware of it.¡± Eloise¡¯s voice rose a few octaves. ¡°I¡¯m already struggling to protect myself, and I don¡¯t


    have the time or energy to continue working with you. Anyway, the two women who posed the greatest


    threat to you are already dead, so your path to bing the heir to Mossey Group should be smooth


    sailing.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to say. Let¡¯s just leave it at that Eloise cut her off impatiently and directly hung up


    the phone.


    Natasha wanted to say something more, but all she heard in response was a busy tone.


    As she stared nkly at the call history on her phone, she felt very happy but a bit puzzled. She had


    dealt with the two people she hated the most, and it was certainly worth celebrating. However, Natasha


    couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious due to Eloise¡¯s unusual behavior.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    She felt that Eloise was behaving much more strangely than usual tonight, but she couldn¡¯t quite


    pinpoint what was off about thetter.


    Chapter 73 Something Feels Off About ¡­


    Regardless, since she couldn¡¯t figure it out, she decided not to dwell on it for now. She tossed her


    phone aside andy down on the bed.


    Even though she tried to dismiss these doubts from her mind, Eloise¡¯s words remained deeply rooted in


    her thoughts, lingering persistently and refusing to fade away.


    The more Natasha thought about it, the more upset she became. She decided to sit up and stared at


    the ceiling with her head tilted back.


    Something was very odd about Eloise tonight. Natasha simply couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious of her


    former partner-in-crime.


    Both of them worked together initially due to their own interests. Perhaps only they themselves were


    truly aware of the level of trust between them.


    ¡°Oh, it looks like you¡¯ve recovered pretty well!¡±


    Just then, Madelyn walked in with a housekeeper and saw Natasha sitting on the bed. Frowning with


    disdain, she demanded, ¡°Hurry up and eat. Stop staring at the ceiling and pretending as if you¡¯re deep


    in thought.¡±


    Natasha could never get used to the meals provided by the hospital.


    Even with the VIP meal, she only took a couple of bites before tossing it disdainfully aside. Therefore,


    she kept insisting that the Mossey family bring her food.


    As a result, Madelyn often mocked and made sarcastic remarks toward her, both openly and subtly.


    Natasha took the meal handed to her by the housekeeper. Upon seeing Madelyn, she was immediately


    reminded of the dead Inez, which put her in an exceptionally good mood.


    ¡°Yeah, I recovered quite quickly, which is great news for the Mossey family. After all, I am the heir to the


    family. If something were to happen to me, what would be of the family?¡±


    As she stirred the fruit and vegetable sd, she lifted her head and nced sideways at Madelyn.


    Madelyn rolled her eyes without hesitation and said scornfully, ¡°As expected of a mistress¡¯ child. You¡¯ll


    always be a little b*tch. You¡¯ll never be able to escape that identity your whole life. Even if you¡¯re in a


    high position now, what does it matter? What isn¡¯t yours will never truly be yours.¡±


    Having said that, Madelyn turned her head away, not even bothering to look at Natasha in order to


    avoid further upsetting herself.


    Taking in how calm Madelyn appeared, Natasha couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    Inez disappeared mysteriously, yet Madelyn is showing no signs of anxiety or unease.


    Something about this just doesn¡¯t feel right.


    At that thought, she gave Madelyn a cold nce and said, ¡°I¡¯m just injured and will be discharged from


    the hospital soon, but your child is rather pitiful. After all, she has left this world forever.¡±


    With the air of a victor, she watched with delight as Madelyn¡¯s expression gradually shift from calmness


    to panic-stricken.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Madelyn lunged forward, grabbing Natasha by her hospital gown. ¡°Exin yourself! What happened to


    my daughter?¡±


    ¡°Are you


    deaf?¡± Natasha swatted Madelyn¡¯s hand away in disgust. ¡°I said, your daughter will never appear in this


    world again because Inez¡¯s dead!¡±


    ¡°Impossible! That can¡¯t be true! You¡¯re lying! My daughter is clearly alive and well, so how could she


    possibly be dead? You¡¯re lying to me! You¡¯re just jealous of her, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re cursing her!¡±


    Madelyn was agitated, her fingers trembling with anger as she pointed at Natasha.

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    hapter 74 You Will Really Harm Inez


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be jealous of. She¡¯s just a harmless person in a vegetative state,¡± Natasha mocked.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask the person who took her away. Inez¡¯s death has nothing to do with me.¡±


    Madelyn covered her ears and let out a piercing scream before running outside agitatedly.


    Watching her leave, Natasha couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and burst into heartyughter.


    Initially, she had some doubts about what Eloise had said, but seeing Madelyn¡¯s reaction then, she was


    certain that something had indeed gone wrong with hez. There would be no morepetition for her in


    the journey to be the Mossey family heir.


    She had finally overturned the situation!


    Now that Gwendolyn and Inez were both dead, there was no one left topete with her for


    Maverick¡¯s love, and no one to stand in her way of earning greater fame and status.


    Natasha was in an exceptionally good mood.


    She picked up a piece of sd with her fork and put it in her mouth, still unable to suppress the smile


    that tugged at the corners of her lips.


    After taking just two bites, she ced the sd on the bedside table and swiftly lifted the nkets.


    Upon seeing this, the housekeeper hurried over to help her. ¡°Ms. Mossey, what are you trying to do?¡±


    the housekeeper asked in concern.


    ¡°Getting discharged.¡±


    Natasha¡¯s tone was determined as she sat down in the wheelchair with the help of the housekeeper


    and left the ward.


    After leaving the hospital, Madelyn instructed the Mossey family¡¯s driver to go to Treyton¡¯s vi at the


    fastest speed possible.


    Deep into the night, a myriad of stars adorned the sky, adding a touch of romance to the tranquil


    darkness.


    Madelyn stormed into the courtyard angrily, awakening the butler and a group of housekeepers who


    had already fallen asleep.


    ¡°It¡¯s already veryte into the night. If you have any business, pleasee back tomorrow to see Mr.


    Harris,¡± the butler said groggily as he greeted her, trying his best to be polite,


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! I must see my daughter today!¡± Madelyn¡¯s eyes were red as she fiercely pushed him


    away. ¡°Tell me, where is my Inez?¡±


    ¡°Please calm down. You might disturb others who are resting. Please go back.¡± Witnessing Madelyn¡¯s


    emotional outburst, the butler immediately stepped in with the housekeepers to stop her.


    ¡°What are you all doing? Hurry up and help me!¡± Madelyn turned around and shouted angrily at her


    bodyguards.


    Taking advantage of the moment when the Mossey family¡¯s bodyguards were engaged in an altercation


    1/7/4


    Chapter 74 You Will Really Harm Inez


    with the butler and housekeepers. Madelyn slipped into the vi.


    ncing up at the illuminated third floor, she swiftly climbed the stairs.


    Treyton, who was standing near the stairs, had just caught sight of Madelyn. Before he could even utter


    a word, she grabbed his sleeve.


    ¡°Where is my daughter? I want to see her right now!


    Treyton frowned before pulling his sleeve out of her grasp and straightening the cuff elegantly. ¡°Calm


    down,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s receiving treatment in a room on the third floor. You can rest assured.¡±


    ¡°No, I need to see her right now!¡±


    She simply couldn¡¯t be at case without seeing Inez alive with her own eyes.


    Gwendolyn heard amotioning from outside. As she stepped out of her room, she saw the


    scene unfolding before her and walked over.


    ¡°Mrs. Mossey, when I took Ms. Inez away, I promised to ensure her safety, and you agreed to it at that


    time. Now, however, you havee to the vite at night, disturbing our peace. What is the meaning


    of this?¡±


    Upon seeing her. Madelyn immediately grabbed her and wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°I don¡¯t care about all that! I


    want to stop coborating with you! Let me see Inez right now! I want to take her away!¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned as she pushed the older woman¡¯s hand away, displeased.


    ¡°I understand that you¡¯re worried about your daughter, but please remember, Mrs. Mossey, that you


    represent the entire Mossey family. Is this how the Massey family conducts business, by breaking its


    promises? I will not allow you to take her away.¡±


    Madelyn was at a loss for words, unsure of how to refilte her. In the end, she simply decided to throw at


    tantrum and made a scene,


    ¡°Either way, if you don¡¯t let me see my daughter today, I won¡¯t leave even if I die here!¡±


    Gwendolyn was about to signal someone to escort the guest out when the housekeeper who had been


    tending to Inez emerged from the room with an anxious expression.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, bad news! Ms. Inez is in danger!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Madelyn clearly heard the housekeeper¡¯s voice and pushed past Gwendolyn in a desperate rush to


    enter the room.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Inez? Let me in to see her immediately!¡±


    Gwendolyn quickly grabbed Madelyn, preventing her from barging into the operating room.


    ¡°If you go in now and interrupt any ongoing treatment, you¡¯ll truly be harming her! Do you really want to


    lose your daughter forever?¡±


    Madelyn was intimidated by Gwendolyn¡¯s sharp tone and gaze.


    Chapter 74 You Will Really Harm Inez


    It took her several seconds before she finally came back to her senses. She mustered the strength to


    struggle, attempting to break free from Gwendolyn¡¯s grip. However, she was no match for Gwendolyn.


    who had practiced jiu-jitsu before and was much stronger.


    Frustrated, she could only snap angrily, ¡°Stop trying to scare me! You took my daughter away and won¡¯t


    let me see her. If anything happens to her, I won¡¯t let you off the hook! I must see her today!¡±


    She tried her best to pry Gwendolyn¡¯s fingers loose but still couldn¡¯t break free.


    ¡°Let go of me! Let me in!¡±


    ¡°Fine, go ahead then! If you interrupt the surgery inside and anything happens to Inez, it¡¯s all your fault¡±


    Abruptly letting go of the hysterical woman, Gwendolyn crossed her arms and stared at her coldly.


    Madelyn staggered before regaining her bnce, staring at Gwendolyn in disbelief.


    ¡°How could you perform surgery on Inez without my permission?¡±


    ¡°The doctor performing the surgery inside is Kieran. He is a medical prodigy with a master¡¯s degree, is


    internationally acimed, and holds the top position in the surgical world. Every surgery he has ever


    performed has been a sess, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of him. If you rush in now and interrupt the


    surgery, you would be truly harming Inez.¡±


    By then, Madelyn had already reached the door. She hesitated for a moment with her hand on the


    doorknob.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Before this, she and Jerome had considered reaching out to Kieran to seek medical treatment for Inez,


    but he was too famous and his demeanor too cold. Being merely a minor wealthy family in Faike,


    they simply couldn¡¯t afford someone of his stature.


    Yet, Gwendolyn actually managed to persuade Kieran toe to Faike in person. Should I really


    trust this woman?


    Madelyn stood right in front of the door, knowing that with just a gentle twist of the doorknob, she would


    be able to see her beloved daughter inside the room.


    However, she struggled internally for a long time.


    In the end¡­


    She eventually withdrew her hand.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, I¡¯ll trust you one more time, but let me make it clear if anything happens to Inez, I will not


    let you off the hook!¡± She unwillingly threw down these words before turning around to leave the


    vi.


    Gwendolyn and Treyton exchanged nces, both visibly relieved, as they re-entered the operating


    room.


    The horizon gradually brightened as morning arrived.


    Madelyn settled into the car, closing her eyes wearily.


    ¡°Mrs. Mossey, where should we¡­?¡± the driver asked tentatively.


    ¡°Return to the Mossey residence.¡±


    She opened her eyes, and a hint of ruthlessness shed across her face for an instant.


    The ck BMW slowly pulled into the vi¡¯s garage. Madelyn adjusted her facial expression before


    hurriedly making her way inside.


    Jerome was sitting in the living room watching the morning news while Natasha sat nearby.


    It was a harmonious scene of a father and daughter¡¯s daily life.


    ¡°Darling!¡±


    As Madelyn burst through the door, her loud voice and sobbing shattered the harmony that had been


    present.


    The two people sitting on the sofa turned around and saw Madelyn, whose face was filled with grief,


    lunging toward Jerome and crying out, ¡°Darling! Our daughter is gone!¡±

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    Chapter 75 Let Her Be Despised


    ¡°What happened to Inez?¡± Jerome asked after turning off the television.


    ¡°Inez was taken away by Treyton, who said he found a doctor to perform surgery on her. But something


    went wrong during the operation, and Inc¡­¡±


    Madelyn was crying her heart out, her face filled with grief. She continued to sob while saying, ¡°I went


    to Treyton¡¯s house to seek justice, but he just wouldn¡¯t return our dead daughter to me, and he even


    drove me away!¡±


    She gripped her chest as she sniffled.


    Jerome quickly poured her a ss of water, helped her sit down, and gently patted her back to help her


    catch her breath.


    ¡°What should we do then? Treyton is not someone the Mossey family can afford to mess with.¡±


    Upon hearing the tragic news about his daughter, Jerome¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. However, the


    person he had to face was Treyton, and he could do nothing about it.


    On one side, it was his daughter¡¯s lifeless body. On the other, it was Treyton, a man who single-


    handedly ruled the entertainment industry. Moreover, with Treyton having the backing of the Harris


    family, the wealthiest family in Salinsburgh, Jerome dared not provoke him even though he was


    heartbroken by his daughter¡¯s death and wanted Treyton to pay the price.


    He was caught in the middle, torn between two sides.


    Natasha sat nearby. Her face clearly showed her unabashed delight in the misfortune of Inez.


    As Madelyn recovered from her grief, she saw Natasha beside her, smiling so widely her eyes curved.


    The sight infuriated her even more, and she pointed at thetter while cursing loudly, ¡°You despicable


    b*tch! It¡¯s because of you that my daughter suffered! If it wasn¡¯t for your bad luck, Inez would never


    have had that car ident! And now, I have to send off my child before my time!¡±


    Natasha scoffed andughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t make her drink and crash her car, nor did I send her to Treyton


    and force him to perform surgery on her. What does her death have to do with me? Stop trying to


    nder me by throwing all kinds of dirt on me.¡±


    She rolled her eyes disdainfully and ced the crystal ss heavily on the coffee table.


    ¡°It had to have been you, you b*tch! How else would you have known about Inez¡¯s death in advance


    last night? Don¡¯t even try to argue! I¡¯ll beat you to death today!¡±


    Madelyn was furious. She grabbed the TV remote from the coffee table and threw it at Natasha.


    ¡°Stop it, all of you! What kind of behavior is this!¡±


    Jerome let out a loud yell, forcing the two women to stop their confrontation.


    Natasha shifted slightly on the couch to put some distance between herself and Madelyn before


    speaking calmly.


    ¡°Tomorrow is the day Mave promised to give an exnation to the public, and we can take this


    opportunity to announce Inez¡¯s death.¡±


    171


    Chapter 75 Let Her Be Despised


    ¡°What do you mean by this? Inez has already passed away, and you still want to take advantage of her


    like this?¡±


    Madelyn became emotional again, and Jerome quickly grabbed her, signaling for Natasha to continue


    speaking.


    ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll hold a press conference to announce Inez¡¯s death and ce all the me on


    Gwendolyn. This way, we won¡¯t offend Treyton and can still gain the advantage of having the masses


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    on our side.¡±


    She had been nning for the press conference tomorrow for quite some time.


    Even if Gwendolyn is dead, I¡¯ll make sure that her reputation gets tarnished and she¡¯s despised by


    everyone!


    After pondering for a moment, Jerome nodded in agreement to her suggestion.


    ¡°All right, we¡¯ll go with your n. Arrange for this matter.¡±


    Jerome, still looking downcast and sad, sighed and led Madelyn upstairs.


    As there was still one day left before the public announcement, all media outlets continued to pay close


    attention to this matter on the Inte, and the onlookers were also waiting for the truth to be revealed.


    On that very night, many people were tossing and turning, struggling to fall asleep.


    Of course, Gwendolyn had not forgotten and was eagerly awaiting the grand performance tomorrow,


    In the dead of the night, she remained wide awake without a trace of sleepiness.


    After tossing and turning in bed for a while, she got up again and walked to the cab. She then stood


    on her tiptoes to reach for a small wooden box on the top shelf.


    Gently opening the small wooden box, she found a photograph at the very bottom.


    It was a wedding photo of her and Maverick, and it was the only one.


    If it had not been for Den insisting on her taking a wedding photo with Maverick back then, perhaps


    this nominal marriage of three years would have ended without even a single photo of them together.


    She held the photo tightly, her gaze deep and mysterious.


    Her knuckles turned slightly pale from exerting too much pressure, yet her indifferent face revealed no


    emotions.


    She was so engrossed in what she was looking at that she did not even hear Treyton knocking on the


    door a few times.


    Treyton stood quietly by the door, watching her and silently sighing in his heart.


    Is she still unable to let go despite Maverick¡¯s cold and heartless attitude toward her?


    Just as he was about to step in and offerfort, Gwendolyn¡¯s actions in the next second left him


    stunned in ce.


    Chapter 75 Let Her Be Despised


    She picked up a pair of scissors, aimed at the center of the photo, and without hesitation, cut it in half.


    Then, she proceeded to cut Maverick¡¯s half into tiny pieces.


    ¡°Kiddo, what are you doing?¡±


    Treyton walked in and patted her shoulder reassuringly. ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t let go and was thinking


    about him again¡­¡±


    ¡°How could that be?¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered, causing the expression on her face to suddenly be incredibly sharp and


    fierce.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for him to repay the debts he owes me for our three years of marriage.¡±


    The night was long.


    There was someone else who was unable to fall asleep peacefully. Natasha was tossing and turning on


    her bed.


    Throughout the day, Maverick had not contacted her, and she was busy preparing for the conference


    the next day, so she did not have time to call him either.


    Tomorrow would be the day he promised to give the public an exnation.


    If she did not talk to him for a bit, she felt uneasy somehow.


    press


    She sat up and leaned against the headboard, reaching for her phone on the bedside table. Opening


    her contacts, she dialed his number.


    A busy tone rang out from the phone.


    The call never went through, and all that could be heard was the familiar female voice saying. ¡°The


    number you have dialed is currently switched off.¡±


    On weekdays, Maverick would asionally mute his phone for work, but he never turned it off.


    Flustered, Natasha was just about to call back when her phone rang first.


    After seeing the name on the screen, she picked up the phone and anxiously asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Mave?


    Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Mossey, I¡¯m at the back door of the Mossey residence. Could you pleasee down here in


    person?¡±


    The sounding from the phone was very faint.


    Natasha was startled and quickly changed into casual clothes. Then, she gently and quietly left the -


    house.


    While waiting at the back door, Noah kept looking around until he finally saw her approaching him


    swiftly.


    ¡°How did you get here? Isn¡¯t Mave with you? Why isn¡¯t he answering my call?¡± Natasha¡¯s face was


    filled with confusion and unease.


    She nced at Noah, who lowered his head in silence.


    Under the dim light, she could see that his hair was disheveled, his clothes were torn, and there were


    even wounds on his face. There was also a strong smell of blood emanating from him.


    ¡°What happened to you? Who did this to you?¡± Her emotions shifted from confusion to shock, and her


    heart grew increasingly uneasy.


    ¡°Upon learning that Gwendolyn jumped off the ne. Boss immediately drove off to search for her and


    hasn¡¯t returned yet. The distance between the signal towers in that area is quiterge, so Boss


    probably didn¡¯t receive your call. Moreover¡­ it¡¯s likely that he won¡¯t be back anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°What? He went to find Gwendolyn?¡± Natasha felt a sudden tightness in her chest and quickly asked,


    ¡°Has my n been exposed?¡±

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    Chapter 76 I Will Denounce Her Evil Deeds


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t worry. I take full responsibility for everything. After Boss left, he ordered to have me


    imprisoned, which was why I suffered severe injuries. I managed to escape tonight when that group of


    people got drunk.¡±


    Upon hearing his words, Natasha stood there, dumbfounded. Her eyes filled with astonishment.


    ¡°Boss won¡¯t keep me around any longer and might even hold me responsible and punish me severely.


    Can you shelter me for a while? I¡¯m injured and can¡¯t go far, but as soon as I recover, I¡¯ll leave


    immediately.¡±


    Seeing Natasha lost in thought and not speaking, he quickly added in a humble and eager tone.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡±


    ¡°L-Let me think.¡± Natasha subconsciously took a step back. ¡°I will do my best to handle this matter


    properly.¡±


    Having lost Maverick¡¯s trust, Noah no longer held any value for her. However, if she were to have a


    falling out with him now and he left the Mossey residence to expose her, it would be even more


    detrimental to her.


    In order to ensure the sess of her future ns, she had no choice but to pretend to care for him and


    take him in for a few days.


    ¡°Of course, no problem. I can¡¯t just ignore you when you¡¯re injured like this.¡± Natasha tugged at his


    sleeve. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind staying in the servants quarters for a few days. Is that all right?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Mossey, I couldn¡¯t be more grateful that you are willing to take me in and provide me with a ce


    to live. How could I ask for more?¡±


    Noah looked at her with excitement, his face shining with sincerity and admiration.


    Natasha shot him a smile in response, but the moment she turned around, her expression turned cold.


    How can there be any talk of repayment for something that clearly has no value at all?


    Noah limped along behind her. His gaze followed her silhouette intently, and his admiration for her grew


    even stronger.


    After making sure he was settled in, Natasha gave him a few brief instructions before returning to her


    own room.


    She sat on the bed and dialed the phone again. A gloomy expression reappeared on her face.


    ¡°After everything settles down tomorrow, I want you to use whatever means necessary to end his life


    and eliminate any future troubles.¡±


    Without waiting for the person on the other end of the call to respond, Natasha coldly hung up the


    phone and tossed it onto the bedside table.


    The next day, Natasha woke up early in the morning. She carefully groomed and dressed herself,


    ensuring that she appeared wless in front of the reporters.


    Various media reporters had already arrived outside the venue, holding cameras and microphones by


    14.05 Mon, May 15


    Chapter 76 I Will Denounce Her Evil¡­


    the door as they tried to capture exclusive photos at the earliest opportunity.


    Natasha gracefully stepped out of the car, shing a polite smile at the camera lens.


    ¡°I¡¯m delighted to see all of you here today. I will be fulfilling the promise my fianc¨¦, Mr. Wright, made to


    everyone. Since Mr. Wright has to deal with some urgent matters, I will be hosting this press.


    conference on his behalf and reveal the final truth to all of you.¡±


    Confidently scanning the room, she then picks up the prepared speech.


    The reporters began to whisper among themselves, impressed by her confidence and poise.


    After hearing the praise from the reporters in the front row, she felt increasingly proud and pleased.


    ¡°Not long ago, my fianc¨¦¡¯s ex-wife, Ms. Shalders, secretly hired thugs to set me up, causing me severe


    injuries. I was hospitalized for a week, and during that time, the incident of her sending a wreath to


    insult my character must be well-known to the public.


    ¡°Originally, I wanted to keep the peace and let things go, but I never expected her to be so insanely


    ruthless. She actually took my sister Inez, who had been in a vegetative state, out of the hospital and


    brutally ended her life!¡±


    Natasha recounted Gwendolyn¡¯s ¡°crimes¡± emotionally and even squeezed out two drops of tears when


    she came to the climax.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The reporters were all abuzz as they discussed amongst themselves.


    On stage, Natasha continued her passionate and eloquent usations.


    ¡°Today¡¯s press conference is not only to clear my own name but also to denounce her malicious


    actions! We, the Mossey family, will absolutely not tolerate such humiliation!¡±


    Her words were like a huge rock thrown into ake, causing a thousand ripples to spread throughout


    the venue.


    The reporters and onlookers were stunned by her words, and they began to buzz like a boiling pot,


    discussing loudly among themselves.


    ¡°Ms. Mossey, you need to have a base for your statements. Could you please show us the evidence?


    Without proof, it¡¯s hard for us present to bepletely convinced,¡± a reporter raised a doubt.


    ¡°Of course. Let the evidence speak for itself. There¡¯ll be no exceptions for anyone.¡± Natasha was well-


    prepared, casting the pre-fabricated evidence onto therge screen behind her.


    She turned to the side, showing the screen to everyone ¡°These are the transaction records and


    screenshots of Gwendolyn bribing the thugs to intentionally hurt me, and this is the surveince footage


    in the hospital when she took my sister away


    As soon as several images were released, an indignant reporter stood up immediately.


    ¡°We are living in a society governed byw. She¡¯s way too arrogant! A life for a life! Let¡¯s go to Angle


    together and demand an exnation!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! We have strength in numbers, and we¡¯re not afraid of them!¡±


    Chapter 76 I Will Denounce Her Evil ¡­


    The reporters at the venue all stood up, and the crowd watching from the sidelines was also infected by


    their angry emotions.


    Natasha stood on the stage, looking at everything she had aplished with her own hands. Her lips


    curled upward in a smile unwittingly.


    ¡°Ms. Mossey, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve celebrated too soon. The so-called truth you¡¯ve presented to everyone


    is quite far from the actual facts.¡±


    A crisp, feminine voice apanied by the rhythmic sound of high heels tapping against the ground


    rang out.


    Although soft, it possessed incredible prating power.


    The excited mor of the crowd came to an abrupt halt.


    Natasha nced back, and the gentle smile on her face gradually froze.


    Gwendolyn, dressed in a wine-red, form-fitting mermaid gown, slowly approached, looking like a


    blooming red rose-dangerous yet enchanting.


    She wore a faint smile on her face, fearlessly gazing straight into Natasha¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re not dead?¡±


    Natasha looked at her in shock.


    ¡°Where did you learn about my death, Ms. Mossey? There hasn¡¯t been any news about me these past


    few days. Could it be that you sent someone to take my life, Ms. Mossey?¡±


    Gwendolyn seized upon her loophole and immediately retorted sarcastically.


    The reporters and the crowd turned their heads toward Natasha, waiting for her answer.


    The vast hall was silent, with only Gwendolyn standing outside the crowd meeting Natasha¡¯s gaze.


    Natasha quickly realized that there were still media present at the scene and immediately regained her


    composure. She responded smoothly. ¡°I heard rumors about it. There¡¯s nothing to be confused about.


    However, since you¡¯re here, there are some things I can confront you with directly.¡±


    She was aggressively insistent, determined not to let go of the issue with Inez. ¡°That day, why did you


    take Inez away from the hospital and perform surgery on her without the consent of the Mossey family,


    leading to an ident?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re doing all this just to attack me, then pleasee at me directly, Inez was innocent!¡± she


    continued.


    As she spoke, she put on a show of appearing pitiful yet stubbornly lifting her head. Her eyes glistened


    with unshed tears.


    Those words snapped the previously indignant crowd out of their silence, and they all began moring


    for Gwendolyn to pay with her life in exchange for the life she had taken!


    Despite being criticized by everyone, Gwendolyn did not get angry.


    She crossed her arms over her chest and let out a coldugh.


    ¡°Ms. Mossey, your speech is brilliant, but it¡¯s a pity that you¡¯re about to be proven wrong.¡±

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    Chapter 77 The Feeling Of Being Spit At


    Natasha did not back down either. ¡°It¡¯s been a few days, Gwendolyn, yet you¡¯re still as arrogant as


    ever. Everything should be based on evidence. If you want me to be proven wrong, then show me the


    evidence!¡±


    ¡°I am the evidence!¡±


    A gentle and delicate voice suddenly rang out from outside the venue, resounding and clear.


    Following that, a bodyguard pushed a wheelchair into the room.


    The person in the wheelchair had a paleplexion, and her tired face could not hide the frailty of


    someone who had just recovered from a serious illness.


    Gwendolyn tactfully stepped aside, allowing everyone present to clearly see who had arrived.


    ¡°Inez? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be dead? How can this be¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Natasha could hardly maintain her facial expression any longer.


    Originally, she was so thrilled about the demise of the two major thorns in her side that she could not


    sleep for several nights.


    But now, not only were those two despicable women still alive, they even had the audacity to show up


    at the event and humiliate her!


    She was so infuriated that she almost had a heart attack on the spot!


    ¡°Inez! My daughter!¡±


    Madelyn rushed to Inez¡¯s side without any hesitation, squatting down in front of her. Trembling, she


    reached out her hand and gently caressed Inez¡¯s face.


    This living, breathing woman is indeed my daughter. Inez is still alive!


    ¡°My darling¡­ I knew you were blessed with great fortune and would be safe. Nothing would happen to


    you¡­¡±


    She hugged Inez tightly, resting her head on thetter¡¯s shoulder while crying out loud.


    Following closely behind Madelyn, Jerome was also agitated beyond measure. His eyes reddened as


    he eximed, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re awake, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re awake! My dear daughter, you¡¯ve


    suffered!¡± Up on the stage. Natasha stared at the harmonious family reunion unfolding before her eyes.


    When she heard Madelyn¡¯s words, it took her quite a while to react. It turns out that Madelyn has


    known all along that Inez isn¡¯t dead.


    So, everything that happened yesterday morning was nothing but a show? Even Eloise has been lying


    to me?


    She simply could not ept that fact.


    Why? Why does everyone have to side with that despicable woman, Gwendolyn?


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Chapter 77 The Feeling Of Being Spit At


    Her eyes filled with hatred. Seizing the opportunity when everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the


    reunited family of three, she cleared her throat and let out a cough that was neither too soft nor too


    loud.


    ¡°Even if Inez is back safe and sound, that still doesn¡¯t absolve you of your crimes!¡± Her gaze toward


    Gwendolyn was sharp as a razor.


    Pulling a nearby chair out, Gwendolyn sat down, resting her chin on one hand and asking with great


    interest, ¡°So tell me, what crimes have Imitted?¡±


    ¡°You bribed ten thugs to lure me into a remote, dark cabin in the outskirts, where they brutally attacked


    me, causing severe injuries thatnded me in the hospital. The evidence is irrefutable! How do you


    exin this?¡±


    Ayer of sweat formed in the palms of Natasha¡¯s tightly clenched fists, which were hidden under the


    podium.


    ¡°It seems you are bing increasingly adept at distorting the truth. Ms. Mossey.¡± A hint of disdain


    and amusement shed across Gwendolyn¡¯s face. ¡°I give you the exnation and rification you


    want now!¡±


    As soon as the words dropped, she raised her hand and gestured.


    Before Natasha could even process what Gwendolyn had just said, a group of police suddenly burst


    into the venue.


    They surrounded Natashapletely.


    ¡°What are you guys doing?¡±


    Natasha¡¯s face turned pale as she held onto the podium to steady herself.


    ¡°Ms. Mossey, we suspect you of being involved in Ms. Inez¡¯s car ident, kidnapping Jennifer, and


    hiring someone for the frame-up. Pleasee with us and cooperate with the investigation.¡±


    The policeman in charge showed her his police badge and had someone restrain her.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that! Let me exin! You can¡¯t arrest me!¡± Natasha cried out in desperation.


    The police skillfully twisted her arm behind her back and swiftly snapped on the handcuffs, saying,


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out if it¡¯s you once we get to the station.¡±


    The reporters had long since been left speechless, and the cameras in their hands were reduced to


    mere decorations. All the reporters and onlookers were shocked by this sudden turn of events.


    Judging from the words of the police, it was crystal clear who was lying.


    A barrage of camera shes targeted Natasha¡¯s flustered face, and the sound of shutters clicked


    incessantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s her who harmed Inez! I knew she had ill intentions ever since she came back!¡± Madelyn used


    Natasha passionately, not forgetting to add fuel to the fire.


    Jerome was furious, too. He picked up the microphone on the stage and announced with a hearty


    voice.


    Chapter 77 The Feeling Of Being Spit At


    ¡°I apologize for the disgrace brought upon the Mossey family, and I assure everyone that I, Jerome


    Mossey, will not tolerate such a disgraceful family member. I solemnly announce to the public that,


    starting today. Natasha Mossey will no longer be the heir to Mossey Group, and I will permanently


    sever our father-daughter rtionship. She is no longer a part of the Mossey family!¡±


    Even her father, the only blood rtive she had left in the world, chose to abandon her.


    Natasha¡¯s initial despairing tears gradually transformed into unrestrainedughter.


    Theughter sounded somewhat unsettling.


    Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she was forcibly dragged into the police car.


    At the Mossey residence, Noah slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the sunlight streaming in through


    the window. It took him quite a while to finally sit up with some effort.


    He was already severely injured when he escapedst night. After Natasha settled him in a secluded


    servants¡± quarters, he could not resist the exhaustion and drowsiness and fell into a deep slumber.


    It was almost noon by then. The other housekeepers in the Mossey residence were bustling about, with


    no one noticing that someone was staying in the long-abandoned servants¡¯ quarters.


    Noah sat on the couch with his arms crossed, falling into deep thought.


    Staying in the Mossey residence was not a long-term solution. He had to find a new ce as soon as


    possible, preferably somewhere away from Faike.


    He was unaware of everything happening outside, even being silly enough to feel heavy-hearted at the


    thought of parting ways with Natasha.


    Sighing, hey back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze.


    The door creaked open with a gentle push.


    He lifted his head and looked toward the direction of the door, only to see a doctor wearing a white coat


    and a face mask walking in.


    Last night, Natasha had mentioned helping him find a doctor for treatment, but he had not taken her


    words to heart.


    I¡¯m surprised she seems so concerned about me.


    He was deeply touched and sat up, politely asking, ¡°Are you the doctor sent by Ms. Mossey? Please


    have a seat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±


    The man dressed as a doctor pushed his sses up while lowering his head, making it difficult to


    discern his expression.


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work,¡± Noah said, letting down his guard and nodding politely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Since I¡¯ve epted Ms. Mossey¡¯s money, it¡¯s only right for me to help her with these


    matters.¡±


    After the doctor gave Noah a brief examination, he took out a syringe.


    ¡°What kind of medicine are you injecting for me? Is there no need to prescribe some other medications


    as well?¡±


    Noah frowned slightly, but he stretched out his arm regardless.


    ¡°This is a medicine that will aid in your recovery. Well give you this injection first, and then I¡¯ll take care


    of what needs to be done next.¡± The doctor picked up a pair of tweezers, grabbed a piece of cotton,


    soaked it in iodine, and wiped the spot for injection.


    Noah watched his unskilled movements, growing increasingly suspicious.


    Although he was seriously injured, his wounds were all superficial. All he needed was to have his


    injuries disinfected and the bleeding stopped, followed by taking some internal medication such as


    antibiotics.


    Previously, when he worked as Maverick¡¯s assistant, he had helped severely injured people without the


    need for injections or undergoing suchplicated treatments.


    Just when the needle of the syringe was about to pierce his skin, he grabbed the doctor¡¯s hand and


    shoved him away. He shouted angrily, ¡°You¡¯re not a doctor! Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    Chapter 78 No Change Since Before The Divorce


    ¡°You actually noticed it.¡±


    The man hesitated for a moment, then took off the stethoscope hanging around his neck and swung his


    hand toward Noah, saying, ¡°Well, I won¡¯t pretend anymore. Someone wants you dead, and you won¡¯t


    be leaving here alive today!¡±


    Bearing the pain, Noah narrowly dodged his attack and performed a backward roll to create distance


    between them.


    ¡°Who sent you here?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you already guessed who I work for?¡± the man said.


    The man swiftly charged forward, engaging in a fierce struggle with Noah in the cramped room.


    ¡°You no longer hold any value, and your existence will only obstruct Ms. Mossey¡¯s path. I advise you


    not to be ungrateful and just ept your fate!¡±


    He gripped Noah with his strong right arm while raising his left hand high, aiming it at Noah¡¯s neck.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it! This can¡¯t be possible! Ms. Mossey would never hurt me. Who sent you to frame


    her?¡±


    Noah struggled intensely, bending his elbow and forcefully mming it into the man¡¯s chest.


    The man could not dodge in time, and the syringe in his hand was knocked away. Seizing the


    opportunity, Noah quickly crouched down and picked up the syringe.


    ¡°All right, you punk. You¡¯re still so arrogant even when you¡¯re at death¡¯s door! Hurry up and hand over


    the syringe! I¡¯ll end your life right now!¡±


    The assassin was thoroughly infuriated.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see if you have what it takes Noah, clutching his wound that was bleeding due to his intense


    movement, charged head-on toward his opponent


    Just as the two brushed past each other, Noah seized the opportunity and fiercely jabbed the needle


    into the man¡¯s back, forcefully injecting the sedative side.


    The man let out a muffled groan and copsed limply


    After doing all this. Noah slumped to the ground, gasping for breath. Once he had regained some


    strength, he did not hesitate and pushed open the door.


    Regardless of whether what the assassin said was true or not, he had to first leave the Mossey


    residence.


    He dashed out like a madman, determined to find Natasha and ask her in person if what the fake


    doctor had said was true.


    Following the path Natasha had led tum through the night before, he fumbled his way to the back door


    and stumbled out.


    In his eagerness to get an answer from Natasha, hepletely ignored the bleeding wounds all over


    Chapter 78 No Change Since Before Th¡­


    his body. Eventually, he could no longer bear the pain and copsed to the ground.


    He struggled to prop himself up with his arms, trying not to fall. However, his head felt heavy, and he


    was dizzy.


    Vaguely, he saw a woman in a red dress approaching him, her long fishtail hem swaying gracefully with


    each step.


    ¡°Have you passed out?¡±


    The woman stood before him, observing him closely. Her cold voice revealed no emotions.


    In a semi-conscious state, Noah felt that the voice was so familiar. He tried to force himself to lift his


    head and see who it was, but his vision went ck, and he passed out.


    When he woke up again, he found a woman standing in front of him.


    It was Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re not dead?¡±.


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint you.¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled faintly, showing no intention of leaving. After dealing with Natasha, she had


    specificallye here to find Noah.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you might not know yet, but your Ms. Mossey has already been taken to the police station


    formitting several crimes. Meanwhile, you won¡¯t be far behind.¡±


    ¡°How could this be possible?¡± Shock and anger shone in Noah¡¯s eyes. ¡°It must be you who deliberately


    framed her! You¡¯re a malicious woman!¡±


    ¡°As for what exactly happened, you should go ask her yourself.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not want to waste time talking to him.


    ¡°You truly have no shame! Don¡¯t think you can waive your crimes away! Even if I end up in prison, I will


    find a way to make sure you get what you deserve!¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll wait.¡± Gwendolyn snorted, looking down at him in his ragged clothes. Then, she added, ¡°But


    for now, tell me, where is Maverick?¡±


    Noah looked up at her, taking in how high and mighty she was acting. He could not help butugh as


    hey on the ground.


    ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Gwendolyn frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯mughing because you haven¡¯t changed at all. Just like before the divorce, you still only know how


    to cling to Boss.¡±


    With hisst ounce of strength, he stopped smiling and added with an unusually harsh tone, ¡°I thought


    that after escaping death once, you would change and face reality. It seems I¡¯ve overestimated you.¡±


    Although Gwendolyn¡¯s face showed confusion, she did not bother to exin and remained silent on


    the matter.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Chapter 78 No Change Since Before Th¡­


    ¡°Do you really think you can win Boss back? Let me tell you, it¡¯s impossible! Boss would never like a


    woman with such a vicious heart. Noah looked at her with disgust in his eyes.


    It took him quite some effort to say these words. Hey on the ground, panting nonstop, his facial


    features twisted together in pain.


    Gwendolyn stared at him expressionlessly. ¡°My patience has its limits. I¡¯ll ask you onest time, where


    is Maverick?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you! Never, even if I die! Don¡¯t even think about finding Boss!¡± Then, Noah screamed


    hysterically, ¡°When Bosses back, he¡¯ll definitely take revenge on you a thousand times over! He


    won¡¯t let you off!¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Gwendolyn turned around and left as she added. ¡°I hope you can still be this stubborn when you¡¯re at


    the police station.¡±


    She swiftly opened the door and got into a car.


    Even if Noah did not say anything, she would find a way to discover Maverick¡¯s whereabouts.


    She nced at her watch and, secing that there was sll plenty of time, decided to drive over to the


    Wright residence.


    The mere thought of the annoying faces of that mother and daughter duo made her unable to help but


    furrow her brows.


    If she were to drive a little further, Gwendolyn would be turning into the familiar vi area. Thus, she


    shifted gears and slowed down.


    Suddenly, her phone rang, forcing her to stop by the roadside.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, it¡¯s bad. Something terrible has happened at the filming set!¡± Joanne¡¯s voice was frantic


    over the phone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. Be calm and tell me slowly what happened at the filming set.¡± Gwendolyn leaned


    back in her seat, her expression gradually bing serious.


    ¡°Two contestants suddenly started arguing, and one of them has a powerful family background, They¡¯re


    threatening to end the contract, withdraw from thepetition, and even sue Angle¡­ Ms. Shalders,


    what should we do? Pleasee over as soon as possible!¡±


    Joanne¡¯s voice took on a tearful tone.


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll head back now. Wait for me in the office,¡± Gwendolyn said as she hung up the phone. She


    nced at the rearview mirror, watching the view of the vi area shrink smaller and smaller. With a


    cold snort, she stepped on the elerator and sped off in the opposite direction.


    Joanne had already prepared the documents and was waiting downstairs in the lobby. When she saw


    Gwendolyn, it was as if the former had seen her savior, and she immediately rushed over.


    ¡°Ms. Shaiders, please take a look. These are the documents I received from the person in charge over


    there


    Joanne anxiously handed over the folder to Gwendolyn ¡°One of the two contestants arguing is a young


    actor who debuted three years ago. The other tine is the daughter of a wealthy family from Lightspring


    Neither side is willing to back down, and it¡¯s seriously affecting the filming process. What should we do


    about this?¡±


    Gwendolyn took the documents and quickly scanned through them with a nce. Then, after gaining a


    rough understanding of the situation, she promptly closed the folder.


    ¡°Ms Shalders? Joanne asked nervously


    She had just started working not long ago, and this was her first time encountering such a situation.


    Hence, she was afraid that if she did not handle it we, it would cause a huge loss for Angle.


    ¡°There is always a solution to every problem. There no way we, Angle, would be afraid of her!¡±

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Chapter 79 Pay The Penalty Fee First


    Chapter 79 Pay The Penalty Fee First


    Gwendolyn strode over to the Volkswagen Passat, pulled open the car door, and looked at Joanne to


    signal for thetter to get in as well.


    As Gwendolyn sped toward the filming set, Joanne sat nervously in the passenger seat, suddenly


    feeling a bit guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Shalders. I can¡¯t drive, so you have to chauffeur me around. If I could,


    I would be your driver.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were going to say something serious. What¡¯s the big deal? Just find some time to learn it


    in the future.¡± Gwendolyn was amused by her assistant¡¯s words, and her previously tense mood


    rxed.


    Joanne wanted to say something more, but after thinking about it, she closed her mouth and looked at


    Gwendolyn with eyes full of admiration.


    Gwendolyn mmed on the brakes and stopped outside the filming set. Then, she hurriedly walked in.


    Joanne followed close behind her, wearing a simr solemn expression on her face.


    The person in charge had been informed in advance and was waiting outside the door to wee


    them.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, you¡¯re finally here! These two have been arguing non-stop, and we really don¡¯t know


    what to do anymore.¡± The person in charge exined the situation while walking. ¡°On one hand, we


    have a rising star, and on the other hand, we have a youngdy from a wealthy family. We can¡¯t afford


    to offend either of them, so we had to ask for your help.¡±


    ¡°What are the names of these two contestants? Who was the one wanting to withdraw from the


    competition?¡± Gwendolyn asked.


    ¡°The somewhat famous actress is called Liliana Knox, and the young daughter of a wealthy family is


    Judy Cartel of Lightspring. The two of them started arguing over a bed, and both threatened to quit the


    competition.¡±


    ¡°Since they insist on leaving, there¡¯s no need for us to force them to stay.¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered as she added, ¡°But we have to punish them to serve as a warning to others. It is


    for others to understand what the rules are.¡±


    As the two were talking, they had already arrived at the hall. The two parties involved were seated on


    opposite sides as they had an intense staredown.


    ¡°Are you two the ones who caused trouble?¡± Gwendolyn looked at the two angry women with a


    displeased expression. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to participate, you can just leave. Don¡¯t give others a hard


    time.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are? You¡¯re just a mere talent director, yet you dare to give me that cold look?¡±


    ncing at Gwendolyn disdainfully, Liliana went on, I agreed to participate in your show as a favor to


    Angle. If it weren¡¯t because of Mr. Harris, who would bother with a show that has no publicity or


    poprity?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Knox, I hope you can face reality. With your current fame and status, you¡¯re not in a position to


    say such things.¡± Gwendolyn gracefully took her seat at the head of the table and continued, ¡°Angle


    has secured a prominent position in the entertainment industry and has be a well-known


    company. What it can offer you is far beyond your imagination. If you don¡¯t want to stay, it¡¯s fine. You


    can leave


    Chapter 79 Pay The Penalty Fee First


    immediately after paying the penalty fee.¡±


    ¡°You! What kind of attitude is this? It¡¯s an honor for Angle to have me participate, and you dare to ask.


    me forpensation?¡± Liliana¡¯s face turned red with anger.


    Gwendolyn nced at her and picked up the contestant information sheet on the table, casually


    flipping through it.


    ¡°I always treat people with the attitude they deserve. Since you¡¯re here because of Mr. Harris, wouldn¡¯t


    it be more embarrassing for you if I asked Mr. Harris himself toe and kick you out?¡±


    ¡°Fine! This isn¡¯t over between us! You just wait!¡±


    Liliana left after saying those words.


    Gwendolyn nced at Judy beside her before asking. What about you? Are you staying, or will you


    leave?¡±


    Judy replied indignantly, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m leaving! Who would want to stay in this kind of talent show for


    several months? Not only is Lilianapletelycking in manners, but the talent show managers are


    just as bad! I¡¯m going to sue Angle in court and show you that we, the Cartel family, are not to be trifled


    with!¡±


    ¡°Are you done talking?¡± Gwendolyn put down the information sheet in her hand and dered, ¡°Pay the


    penalty and leave. Our show doesn¡¯t need someone as brainless as you. As for suing Angle in court,


    you¡¯re more than wee to try. I¡¯ll be waiting for your court summon.¡±


    Then, she turned away from Judy and ordered the person in charge, ¡°What are you waiting for? See


    her out!¡±


    After Gwendolyn finished speaking, she ignored Judy¡¯s unpleasant expression, which was as though


    thetter had eaten a fly. Elegantly smoothing her hair, she quickly walked out.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, have you resolved the issue? There are new guests waiting for you in the reception


    room.¡±


    As soon as Joanne saw Gwendolyning out, the former immediately went over and pointed to her


    own phone.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Gwendolyn settled into the car and fastened her seatbelt.


    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Mossey from Mossey Group. However, they were speaking very vaguely, so I¡¯m not really


    sure what they¡¯re here for.¡± Joanne scratched her head.


    Gwendolyn nodded and drove back to Angle at a fast speed.


    Meanwhile, Jerome and Madelyn were anxiously waiting in the reception room as they asionally


    looked outside.


    Finally, they saw a familiar figure, and both of their eyes sparkled with excitement,


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, you¡¯re finally back! We¡¯ve been waiting for you,¡± Jerome said as he extended his hand.


    ¡°My wife and I came here specifically to thank you.¡±


    Mon, May


    Chapter 79 Pay The Penalty Fee First


    ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s all thanks to you finding Kieran that Inez was able to wake up from her vegetative


    state and expose Natasha¡¯s despicable scheme. Otherwise, we might still be in the dark, thinking that


    Inez¡¯s car ident was just a coincidence,¡± Madelyn chimed in.


    Gwendolyn smiled slightly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so polite. This was simply a win-win situation. Ms.


    Inez waking up would benefit me greatly as well.¡±


    To Jerome¡¯s surprise, she talked in an incredibly refined and elegant way. There was no hint of


    arrogance. He could not help but admire her even more.


    Gwendolyn asked again. ¡°How is she doing now?¡±


    ¡°She just woke up, and her body¡¯s various functions still need time to recover, but she¡¯s already feeling.


    so much better than before.¡± Madelyn excitedly grasped Gwendolyn¡¯s hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Rest assured I will have Mr. Harris closely monitor Ms. Inez¡¯s treatment process.


    and inform him to prepare the most suitable n until Ms. Inez makes a full recovery.¡±


    Upon receiving her promise, Jerome and Madelyn exchanged nces.


    Even Jerome, who had been in the business world for many years, could not help but show his joy at


    that moment.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Ms. Shalders. You truly are a savior to the Mossey family, and we are eternally


    grateful. Additionally, we came here today specifically to discuss the possibility of business


    coboration with you, Ms. Shalders. Would you be interested in that?¡±


    Gwendolyn was slightly taken aback, not expecting Jerome to be so generous. ¡°Coboration? Tell me


    more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple. I¡¯d like to provide Angle with stable investments. For every project that you handle in


    the future. I¡¯ll invest fifty percent of the required funds, Ms. Shalders. What do you think? I¡¯m not in a


    hurry for an immediate response. You can take some time to consider it thoroughly.¡±


    Gwendolyn immediately agreed to the proposal. ¡°No need to think it over. We can sign the contract


    right now.¡±


    When it came to benefits, there were no eternal partners nor eternal enemies. Now that Jerome had


    taken the initiative to extend an olive branch to her, she naturally had no reason to refuse.


    Jerome was well-prepared as he pulled out a contract that had been drafted earlier from his briefcase


    and handed it to her.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, if you think everything is fine after reviewing it, you can go ahead and sign.¡±


    Gwendolyn carefully read the terms and conditions, then signed her name without hesitation. She


    extended her hand to him and said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Mossey. It¡¯s a pleasure doing business with you.¡±


    ¡°Likewise.¡± Jerome, holding the contract, left the ce with Madelyn with much satisfaction.


    As one thing after another interrupted Gwendolyn¡¯s original n, she decided to visit the Wright


    residence after finishing her daily tasks in thepany.


    On her way, she drove as fast as she dared to avoid any further disturbances.


    At the Wright residence, Frida held her phone tightly while pacing back and forth in the living room


    uncasily.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with Maverick? He usually never turns off his phone, but it¡¯s been constantly off these


    past two days. I can¡¯t even get in touch with Noah! All this is driving me crazy!¡± she muttered.


    The phone beside her rang, and she immediately picked it up, asking anxiously, ¡°How is it? Any news?¡±


    The person on the line said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Wright, but there¡¯s still no news of Mr. Wright. He hasn¡¯t.


    been back to the office for several days now, either, so¡­¡±


    She replied, ¡°So? What do you mean ¡®so?¡¯ The Wright family doesn¡¯t pay all of you to do nothing! Hurry


    up


    and find some information! If there¡¯s still no news about my precious son, I¡¯ll have you all kicked out!¡±


    Frida angrily hung up the phone, so furious that she threw her phone straight into the courtyard.


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    There was a thudding sound.


    Gwendolyn strode effortlessly into the courtyard, her high heelsing to an abrupt halt as she bent


    down to pick up the phone that had fallen right by her feet.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    Chapter 80 Prepare For Bankruptcy


    Gwendolyn looked at the shattered screen with pity and shook her head.


    ¡°Long time no see. Your temper hasn¡¯t changed at all. Unfortunately, you haven¡¯t gotten any more


    capable despite your terrible temper.¡±


    Once she was done speaking, she gently let go of her grip. More cracks were added to the already


    cracked screen on Frida¡¯s phone.


    ¡°Why are you here again?¡±


    Frida stepped out of the living room. Although the memory of Gwendolyn¡¯s debt collection was still


    fresh in her mind, her dignified life as a wealthydy would never allow her to show any signs of


    weakness.


    ¡°You¡¯re a jinx! You still bring trouble to my son even after getting divorced. My poor son is really


    unlucky!¡±


    ¡°Yes, your son is unlucky and will be even more so in the future.¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s smile faded as she


    asked coldly, ¡°So tell me, where did Maverick go?¡±


    ¡°How would I know? Stop bothering my son! You keep saying you want to leave him, yet you


    relentlessly pursue him. Are you ying hard to get? You¡¯re so despicable.¡±


    Frida rolled her eyes without any intention to hide it.


    Gwendolyn could not help butugh.


    Just as she was about to retort, Sheralyn came downstairs and red at her.


    ¡°How dare you ask where my brother is? He already has Natasha! Why are you so shameless, you


    sl*t?¡±


    Sheralyn remembered how she was humiliated by Gwendolyn twice in the past like it was yesterday.


    Not daring to walk over, she instead stood at the stairs gritting her teeth and ring at Gwendolyn. How


    she wished she could tear Gwendolyn apart as she continued to snipe at thetter.


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t taken in by Treyton as a sugar baby, would you have anything to show off? You¡¯re like a


    vixen, cheap and lowly. You can¡¯t even bepared with Natasha! I¡¯m telling you, Natasha will soon be


    part of the Wright family by marriage. Stop humiliating yourself here and get lost!¡±


    Gwendolyn leaned against the wall and quietly listened while Sheralyn finished speaking.


    ¡°When you have some free time, take a close look at today¡¯s news on the phone you¡¯ve been using as


    a brick. It seems that your beloved Natasha is not in a good situation.¡±


    Neither Frida nor Sheralyn had seen the news yet, so they were utterly confused by what she was


    trying to say.


    Gwendolyn gently brushed her hair behind her ear. Lifting her head to reveal her swan-like neck, she


    took a sweeping nce at the Wright residence before continuing to speak.


    Even though Maverick isn¡¯t here, it doesn¡¯t matter. There¡¯s something I came to inform you all about.


    You¡¯ve been living toofortably these days, and it¡¯s making me feel upset.¡±


    Chapter 80 Prepare For Bankruptcy


    ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±


    Sheralyn was taken aback by the icy aura emanating from Gwendolyn.


    Recalling her past horrible experiences where she was harmed terribly, she subconsciously nced


    toward the entrance and checked if there were bodyguards.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curved into a gentle, charming smile.


    ¡°So, prepare for bankruptcy, Wright family!¡±


    As she spoke, her face was calm andposed, as if she was merely recounting an ordinary event.


    After she was done speaking, she got straight into her car, stepped on the gas pedal all the way, and


    left the Wright residence behind.


    The infuriated mother and daughter continued to curse her as she departed.


    ¡°Mom! Did you hear that? That despicable b*tch is absolutely out of control!¡± Sheralyn was so angry


    her hands shook.


    Frida¡¯s face also looked quite grim.


    ¡°Mom, Treyton wouldn¡¯t really help her destroy our family, would he?¡±


    Frida shook her head without hesitation. ¡°No way! Treyton may be impressive, but the Wright family is


    no pushover either. Even if Treyton really likes her, there¡¯s no way he woulde after the Wright


    family for her sake.¡±


    Even so, that despicable Gwendolyn actually had the audacity to show up at the Wright residence and


    provoke us openly!


    Her arrogant and frivolous attitude is so utterly infuriating!


    There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll take this lying down. I have to teach that sl*t a lesson!


    As Gwendolyn sped down the highway, she formted a n in her mind.


    The best way to bring the Wright family to bankruptcy was to start with Wright Construction Group.


    However, it was a prestigious and well-knownpany in Faike, so it would not be easy for her to


    take it down single-handedly in a short period of time.


    Moreover, she still had the mission her father entrusted to her.


    Even as she thought about these things, she soon arrived at the vi.


    The moment she entered the garden, she spotted Treyton waiting for her at the front door. Upon getting


    closer, she noticed he had a mysterious look on his face.


    Gwendolyn was puzzled but proceeded to head in. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Treyton, I have things to deal


    with, so just spit it out.¡±


    ¡°An old friend is waiting for you inside. Can you guess who it is?¡±


    Gwendolyn observed his mysterious expression for a moment before walking upstairs in confusion.


    Chapter 80 Prepare For Bankruptcy


    A tall, slender, and elegant figure of a man stood in the hall. Upon hearing Gwendolyn¡¯s footsteps, he


    suddenly turned around and met her bright eyes.


    ¡°Sherman Ferguson?¡± Gwendolyn asked with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Gwendolyn! It¡¯s been six years, and you¡¯ve grown so mature. I never thought I¡¯d see you again,¡±


    Sherman said as he was visibly excited. ¡°What happened six years ago? How did you end up in


    Faike?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now,¡± Gwendolyn answered him nonchntly with a smile. ¡°How long have you been


    waiting? Please sit.¡±


    She gestured for him to sit on the main sofa while she took a seat on the adjacent one. With her


    slender fingertips, she picked up a cup and poured some coffee for Sherman.


    Sherman watched her every move, noting how she looked as graceful as ever. The innocent and


    delicate young woman from six years ago had grown mature, sexy, and stunningly beautiful. He could


    not help but feel a wave of emotions.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really changed a lot over the years.¡±


    ¡°Now I¡¯m no longer a child. Of course I¡¯ve changed.¡± Gwendolynughed and changed the subject, ¡°It¡¯s


    been so many years since west met. Why don¡¯t you have dinner here before leaving?¡±


    Naturally, Sherman did not treat her like a stranger. ¡°Sure. How about we have a drink tonight and.


    catch up? We won¡¯t stop until we¡¯re drunk!¡±


    ¡°Then you better not copse today, Sherman! Don¡¯t let Gwendolynugh at you!¡± Treyton came in


    from outside and casually patted Sherman on the shoulder. ¡°Remember a few years ago when we


    drank together, and you passed out after just one drink? That really scared me to the point I almost


    took you to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m not the same as I was a few years ago. Now, my tolerance for alcohol is a whole lot


    higher. Let¡¯s have a contest if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    Gwendolyn silently followed behind the two. She was overwhelmed by emotions as she watched them.


    from behind.


    It seemed like it had been a long time since she had caught up with old friends.


    During the three years spent with Maverick, she almost forgot her confident, passionate, and cheerful


    old self.


    To celebrate the reunion of old friends after many years, Treyton specially opened a bottle of treasured


    Ferropenian red wine to liven up the mood


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me when I said I had a high alcohol tolerance, do you? Is that why you¡¯re belittling


    me with a bottle of red wine?¡± Sherman yfully punched his shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on this bottle of wine. I purposely brought it back from my visit to the wine estate in


    Ferropene a couple of years ago. The alcohol content is not low, and I didn¡¯t even take it out when


    Kiddo came back. You should give it a try.¡±


    Treyton took out three crystal goblets and poured a bit of red wine before handing one to Sherinan.


    Sherman took the wine ss, first sniffing it, then slowly taking a small sip.


    ¡°It is indeed great wine!¡±


    After the three of them clinked their sses, they downed their drinks in one gulp.


    The night went on as they continued to toast and refill their cups.


    Eventually, Sherman was beginning to show a hint of tipsiness. As he looked at Gwendolyn¡¯s slightly


    flushed cheeks, he deliberated for a moment.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, when I came over, Treyton told me about some stuff that happened to you. How have you


    been doing these past few years? That man, he¡­

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    Chapter 81 Dead Or Alive


    ¡°Why bring up the past?¡± Gwendolyn asked indifferently as she raised her ss and took another sip of


    liquor.


    Sherman realized he had asked something he shouldn¡¯t have. With augh, he quickly tried to find a


    way to ease the awkwardness and said. ¡°You¡¯re right. We should let bygones be bygones. Anyway, I


    heard Old Mr. Harris recently assigned you a new task How is it going? Do you think you can


    aplish it?¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m determined to seed.¡±


    Whenever the topic of her career was brought up. Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. She


    continued brightly. ¡°I recentlyunched a new girl groups talent show, and I have great confidence in it.


    I believe it will definitely bring more exposure and poprity to Angle.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, but there¡¯s actually something else I¡¯d like to ask you¡­¡± Sherman looked straight into her


    eyes, and there was a hint of hesitation under his intoxicated facade.


    ¡°You¡­¡± He paused, and after debating with himself, he decided to keep his thoughts hidden. ¡°I¡¯m rather


    interested in coborating with Angle. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine by me. Who in their right mind would turn away a potential business partner?¡± Gwendolyn


    replied.


    Angle was at the stage where it needed to bring in significant resources and talent, and she could reap


    a lot of rewards from Sherman¡¯s coboration offer.


    With that in mind, she gave him a sly smile and clinked sses with him. ¡°It¡¯s a deal, then.¡±


    ¡°Consider it done. Shermanughed and clinked his ss a little too forcefully against hers.


    It was alreadyte night by the time the trio wrapped up their little gathering and returned to their


    individual rooms to rest.


    Gwendolyn was not drunk; in fact, she was more sober than usual.


    If she wanted to take down Wright Construction Group, she had to amass enough power and resources


    within a short period of time.


    She pulled out a chair and sat down at the table, ready to devise a preliminary n to bankrupt Wright.


    Construction Group.


    These days, Wright Construction Group was mainly involved in real estate. To defeat it, she had to first


    establish a foothold in that industry.


    However, she wasn¡¯t familiar with real estate. After much thought, she realized that consulting Sherman


    on the matter was the most reliable option.


    She quickly typed out a message on WhatsApp and sent it to him: Are you asleep? I have something to


    ask you.


    His reply was swift: No. Go ahead and ask. I¡¯m in the corridor right now.


    Gwendolyn gently opened the door. Sure enough. Sherman was standing by the window at the end of


    Chapter 81 Dead Or Alive


    the corridor, enjoying the night breeze.


    He was looking at her with those gentle and alluring eyes of his.


    67


    ¡°I want to venture into real estate, but I¡¯m not familiar with it. I need your help with this. It¡¯s really


    important to me, so please.¡± Gwendolyn closed the window slightly before leaning against the wall


    beside it.


    Sherman frowned but did not press further about her intentions. ¡°I do have some knowledge of real


    estate. Let me do some more research tomorrow, and I¡¯ll put together a binder for you to take a look


    at.¡±


    Gwendolyn thanked him for this and contentedly returned to her own room.


    Her n would be much easier to carry out now that she had someone more knowledgeable to help


    her.


    That night, she fell into a deep and easy slumber.


    Meanwhile, in the mountain range where Faike bordered the neighboring city, a certain someone


    was awake and tortured by his own thoughts.


    Maverick sat in the car, chain-smoking one cigarette after another as he fixed his gloomy gaze on the


    scene outside the window.


    He had been searching for her here for two days and two nights.


    But, there was still no news.


    He refused to believe that Gwendolyn would die here, of all ces, and vowed that he would find her


    and bring her back to Faike.


    ¡°Boss, when can we go back?¡± his subordinate asked groggily with a yawn.


    Maverick red at him icily. ¡°We¡¯re not leaving until we find her.¡±


    The subordinate shut up intuitively as another mustered the courage to point out, ¡°It¡¯s been a few days


    since Ms. Shalders parachuted out of the ne. With all the wild wolves and boars in these mountains,


    she might be¡­¡±


    ¡°Regardless, I¡¯ll bring her back, dead or alive. If any one of you asks something like this again, I might


    just answer you with violence.¡±


    Maverick spoke these words calmly, but his tone was cold and ruthless.


    Frightened, the subordinates fell into an uneasy silence and scooted to one side to rest.


    Maverick remained wide awake even as those around him gradually fell asleep. His dark eyes were


    fixed on the view outside the window, depthless and obscure.


    The lights in the Wright residence were still on.


    ¡°This is infuriating!¡±


    There was a crash.


    May


    Chapter 81 Dead Or Alive


    Frida had furiously thrown the crystal teacup on the ground and shattered it into pieces.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Natasha would disgrace the Wright family by using her status as Maverick¡¯s fianc¨¦e to


    hold a press conference! Now, even the Mossey family has cut ties with her. Why are we still keeping


    her around? Let¡¯s just announce to the public tomorrow that her engagement to Maverick has been


    canceled!¡±


    Frida leaned angrily into the couch as her chest heaved dramatically.


    ¡°And don¡¯t even get me started on the Mossey family! They should be ashamed for raising such a


    disgraceful daughter! Madelyn actually had the nerve to ask me to let Inez get engaged to Maverick


    instead! As if I¡¯d be so stupid!


    ¡°My precious son is more than good enough to marry the richest girl in town, and yet the Mossey


    family, with their humble background, has the audacity to beg me for such a ridiculous favor! I never


    agreed to this engagement in the first ce. If Maverick hadn¡¯t insisted on it, then none of these would


    have happened! I¡¯m so angry I could explode!¡±


    Seeing this, Sheralyn quickly came over tofort Frida. She chimed in with righteous anger, ¡°I


    thought Natasha was all prim and proper, but who would¡¯ve known she¡¯d do something so despicable!


    Even more humiliating was how she got called out in front of the media! This engagement should.


    definitely be called off, but is it really okay for us to do this behind Maverick¡¯s back?¡±


    ¡°What could be the problem?¡± Frida frowned, her rage growing stronger. ¡°I¡¯m his mother. Besides, why


    would Mave want to keep her around after she¡¯s gone and pulled something like this?¡±


    ¡°But Maverick isn¡¯t here right now, and we need him to keep Wright Construction Group in order,¡±


    Sheralyn said dejectedly as she sat down next to her mother.


    ¡°I suppose that is a problem.¡± Frida fell into a thoughtful silence.


    ¡°Then again, since Maverick isn¡¯t here right now, we can finally teach that wretched woman a lesson!¡±


    Sheralyn suggested brightly. She could hardly wait to give Gwendolyn a hard time.


    Just then, the phone suddenly rang. Sheralyn exchanged a nce with Frida, then answered the call.


    ¡°Hello there, Sheralyn! Long time no see! How have you and Aunt Frida been?¡± A woman¡¯s cheerful


    laughter filled the other line.


    ¡°Are you¡­ Samantha?¡± Sheralyn was shocked when she recognized the woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Have you


    returned to the country?¡±


    Deciding to let Samantha converse directly with Friday, Sheralyn immediately handed the phone to the


    latter and gave her a meaningful look.


    Samantha Lane came from a powerful branch of the Wright family, and she happened to be the heiress


    of the Lane family. She previously studied abroad in Ferropene and possessed exceptional business


    acumen.


    Frida understood the implication in Sheralyn¡¯s eyes and began exchanging pleasantries with


    Samantha. ¡°When did you get back, Samantha? Are you nning oning back to Faike?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Frida, I¡¯ll be arriving in Faike this afternoon. I¡¯ll visit you for sure. It¡¯s been so long, and I¡¯ve


    really missed you,¡± Samantha answered cheerily.


    ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll go pick you up with Sheralyn, and we can give you a warm, proper wee. You


    don¡¯t have any other ns, do you? If not, you can stay at the Wright residence for a few days,¡± Frida


    said without pause.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any ns for now¡­ So, let¡¯s go with your n!¡± Samantha agreed readily without thinking


    too much of Frida¡¯s suggestion.


    Frida hung up after that, and the worried frown on her face disappearedpletely.


    Sheralyn, who was nearby, heard everything clearly and couldn¡¯t help but feel pleased as well.


    ¡°Mom, this is great! Samantha is back, and if she¡¯s willing to help us, then that wretched orphan


    Gwendolyn won¡¯t stand a chance against us! There¡¯s no way Treyton cane to her rescue every


    time!¡± Sheralyn said with wicked glee.


    Frida made no response, but it was clear to see from her expression that her sentiments echoed


    Sheralyn¡¯s.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    Chapter 82 urate And Ruthless


    In anticipation of Samantha¡¯s arrival, both of them dressed up and headed to the airport early to


    wee her.


    The woman in the white T-shirt and short skirt waved at them and quickly walked toward them. through


    the crowd.


    After hugging Frida and her daughter, Sheralyn, separately, Samantha followed them into the car.


    Frida eximed, ¡°I¡¯m so eager to see you this time, Samantha. Actually, I was hoping to ask for a


    favor.¡±


    Frida took Samantha¡¯s hand and got straight to the point. ¡°Lately, the Wright family has been going


    through a lot, and I feel powerless. I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡±


    ¡°Just tell me what you need, and if it¡¯s within my ability, I¡¯ll definitely help you.¡± Samantha calmly


    nodded, having already anticipated that Frida would ask for her help.


    As Frida and Sheralyn exchanged a nce, they couldn¡¯t help but feel secretly delighted.


    Sheralyn excitedly told Samantha in detail about recent events in the Wright family, emphasizing how


    ruthless and shameless Gwendolyn had be.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s been bullying our family!¡± Samantha took a sip of her coffee. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone


    investigate her immediately and find a way to expose her wrongdoing.¡±


    Frida held Samantha¡¯s hands and looked at her with tenderness. ¡°Thank you so much for your help.


    Mave¡¯s not around, and we don¡¯t know how to deal with that malicious woman. Without you, my


    daughter and I would have been bullied!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, Aunt Frida,¡± Samantha smiled at her.


    As they talked, the car had already arrived at the Wright residence.


    Samantha went upstairs first and entered the room that Frida had arranged for her, starting to unpack


    her luggage.


    As someone who had learned a lot about the business world during her time abroad, Samantha was


    well aware of the unwritten rules of the industry.


    The Wright family¡¯s power was undeniable, and there would be no harm in helping Frida and her


    daughter this time.


    A text message popped up on her phone: Ms. Lane, Gwendolyn is currently working as a talent director


    at Angle. She¡¯s responsible for the girl groups talent show that thepany is promoting right now.


    Samantha¡¯s eyes lit up, and she had an idea. She immediately took a cab to the talent show¡¯s filming


    set.


    On the way, Samantha reviewed the information of all the contestants and picked one who was not


    getting much attention.


    This particr contestant was ranked in the middle of the pack, making her less likely to be noticed or


    eliminated easily, and therefore the perfect candidate to be an informant.


    Chapter 82 urate And Ruthless


    Samantha arranged to meet her at a cafe opposite the filming set.


    A girl wearing a simple training outfit and a high ponytail walked toward her and asked


    straightforwardly, ¡°Are you Samantha Lane? Why do you want to meet me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know the reason.¡±


    Samantha pushed the coffee she had ordered earlier toward the girl and added, ¡°All you need to do is


    follow my n. Once the task ispleted, I will invest in your talent agency to provide you with


    sufficient resources to make you


    ¡°But what about the talent show?¡±


    famous.¡±


    The girl was tempted by the offer but still hesitant. ¡°If I cooperate with you, it means I will lose the


    opportunity to be part of a group.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that with your current abilities, you can secure a spot in the group?¡±


    Samantha shed an elegant smile. ¡°ording to my research, all the contestants who made it into the


    group either have strong financial backing or a solid fan base, but you have neither advantage. Wasting


    time here will only dy your sess. Coborating with me is the best option.¡±


    The girl hesitated for a moment and twisted the corner of the tablecloth with her fingers.


    Samantha did not rush to get an answer and sipped her iced cappino leisurely.


    ¡°I agree to work with you, but what do I need to do?¡± The girl finally made up her mind and slowly.


    clenched her fist.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple. I believe you won¡¯t let me down.¡±


    She then ced the investment agreement on the table and left the cafe.


    In the Angle Corporation building, Gwendolyn had some free time and decided to research property


    during her break.


    To help out Gwendolyn, Sherman went incognito and applied to be a creative director at Angle.


    ¡°I have an idea.¡±


    Sherman walked into Gwendolyn¡¯s office and ced a document on her desk. ¡°I think you should start


    with a small project and see how it goes beforemitting fully.¡±


    ¡°Tell me more.¡±


    Gwendolyn picked up the document and carefully reviewed it.


    ¡°If you want to be familiar with an industry quickly, the most effective way is to be a part of it


    and gain a deeper understanding through practical experience. Investing in a small project not only


    reduces risk but also allows you to gain valuable experience. It is the most effective short-term


    strategy.¡±


    Sherman sat down on the couch, waiting for her response.


    Based on the actual situation, this is indeed a good idea.¡± Gwendolyn nodded and closed the


    Chapter 82 urate And Ruthless


    document.


    Just as Sherman was about to share his favored project, he noticed that Gwendolyn suddenly changed


    the subject.


    ¡°However, pursuing small projects with a steady and cautious approach to avoid risks is not my style.


    When I, Gwendolyn Shalders Harris, do something, it has to be swift, urate, and ruthless.¡±


    The sparkle in her eyes left Sherman momentarily stunned.


    ¡°Faike is currently rebuilding arge film and television base, which will take about a month and a


    half. This is a great opportunity. Moreover, the film and television base will also benefit Angle¡¯s.


    development. Investing in this project will be a win-win situation.¡±


    Sherman looked at Gwendolyn with admiration.


    Not only was her idea mature and bold, but her approach was also decisive.


    It seemed that he had worried for nothing.


    That little girl he once knew had truly grown up.


    Sherman looked approvingly at her and said, ¡°Whatever you want to do, go ahead and do it


    confidently.¡±


    Gwendolyn promptly signed a contract with the project party to expedite the construction of the film.


    and television base.


    She had her teampile a list of investment projects that Wright Construction Group had undertaken


    in recent years, along with an analysis of their strengths and weaknesses.


    Wright Construction Group had practically monopolized the real estate market in Faike, making it


    extremely difficult to take them down in the short term.


    After work, Gwendolyn locked herself in her room and began studying the information.


    ¡°If you keep wearing yourself out like this, how are you going to take care of yourself?¡± Treyton


    knocked on her door. ¡°Come down and have dinner. Flora made meat stew today.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Gwendolyn leaned back in her chair, wearing an expression of visible weariness. ¡°Knowing your enemy


    is the key to victory. We must be well-prepared before the first battle begins.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but themander can only win battles if they¡¯re well-rested,¡± responded Treyton. He


    pushed open the door, and without further exnation, he held her shoulder and led her to the dining


    table.


    He added two more pieces of meat to her bowl and said, ¡°Your girl group¡¯s talent show has aired its first


    episode, and the ratings are great. With some good nning for the future, the attention and poprity


    will definitely not decrease.¡±


    Gwendolyn slowed down her chewing and started to contemte while eating.


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll go to the filming set tomorrow and give further instructions.¡±


    In order to make the show more appealing, Gwendolyn asked the person in charge to include more


    outdoor shootings.


    For the second episode, they chose thekeside area on the outskirts of Faike.


    ¡°To help ease the tension of everyone, we have a special summer n for you. We¡¯re taking you all to


    thekeside area for a rowingpetition. Please pack your belongings and be ready to leave this


    afternoon.¡±


    The talent show manager gathered all the contestants in the dorm lobby and announced the exciting


    news.


    The girls cheered and happily returned to their dorms to pack their bags.


    In the midst of the chaos, a petite figure sneaked into the public restroom and sent a message to


    Samantha.

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    Chapter 83 Did The Trainee Run Away


    Samantha promptly replied to her and made arrangements.


    A group of people chattered as they got into the car at the talent show base.


    Theke¡¯s surface shimmered with sparkling waves, rippling in the wind. The rustling of the leaves by


    the shore added a touch of charm to the peacefulke area.


    The talent show manager separated all the contestants into six teams for thepetition.


    One contestant, Charmaine Zacker, got on the boat and chose to sit behind a wealthy heiress.


    Right after the referee blew the whistle, the two boats sped forward.


    As none of thepetitors had any prior experience with rowing, the small boat rocked and swayed


    precariously as they pushed forward. Their voices filled with a mixture of high-pitched screams and


    cheerfulughter.


    Due to the lively atmosphere, the entire scene at the filming set seemed vibrant.


    wind on theke gradually picked up, and the already unstable small boats suddenly began to rock


    more violently.


    Suddenly, out of sight of the camera, there was a loud ssh.


    ¡°Ah! Help!¡±


    Nancy Forester, who was the wealthy heiress, had fallen into the water!


    She iled about in the water in a state of panic and shouted, ¡°Somebodyedy


    quick! I¡¯m drowning!¡±


    The others on the boat were caught off guard by her sudden fall and panicked, shouting for help from


    the people on shore.


    Fortunately, the lifeguard was not far away, and upon hearing the cries for help, he immediately swam


    over and rescued Nancy, who was now drenched like a drowned rat.


    At this point, the filming had been paused. Nancy wiped the water off her face. She was furious and


    started to curse loudly.


    ¡°What kind of film nning is this? What if something happened to me today? Can you afford to


    compensate me?¡±


    The talent show manager hurried over to check on Nancy¡¯s condition. After confirming several times


    that thetter was not seriously injured, she let out a heavy sigh of relief.


    Nancy then turned her anger at the talent show manager, ¡°Why did you have to organize this kind of


    outdoor activity? It¡¯s because of this I made such a big fool of myself. Your management of the filming


    set is also negligent!¡±


    The person in charge felt guilty and remained silent, allowing Nancy to vent her frustrations.


    Someone in the crowd was watching the spectacle and quickly typed to report that the mission was


    completed.


    Chapter 83 Did The Trainee Run Away


    capture


    Since it was a blind spot for the area¡¯s surveince, the apanying photographer couldn¡¯t the


    incident. Furthermore, with the boat rocking violently, nobody noticed what had happened at that


    moment. Even Nancy was confused.


    ¡°Both your show and theke area are responsible for this incident. I won¡¯t let this go easily! Just wait


    for this to be exposed!¡± Nancy spat out these words with hatred and left the scene in a huff.


    The talent show manager and the person in charge exchanged nces, unsure what to do next.


    They were well aware of Nancy¡¯s background and whether what she said was true or not; as long as it


    caught on as a trending topic and triggered a wave of online criticism, it would definitely have an impact


    on Angle Corporation and the show.


    ¡°What should we do now?¡± The talent show ¡®manager¡¯s expression was anxious. ¡°If she really exposes


    this matter, we will be the ones who get into trouble!


    ¡°What else can we do? Let¡¯s contact Ms. Shalders first!!!


    The person in charge made a decisive decision and took out the phone to call Gwendolyn.


    ¡°An incident?¡±


    After listening to the person in charge¡¯s report, Gwendolyn furrowed her brows.


    ¡°I¡¯ve carefully reviewed your application, and the safety measures in that filming area are excellent. It¡¯s


    not very likely that such an incident could happen easily. Don¡¯t worry. You guys continue with the filming


    as usual. I will handle this matter.¡±


    The person in charge took a deep breath to calm down and asked the trainees to quiet down amidst


    the murmurs. He then escorted them back to the training base.


    The outdoor shoot was interrupted by this unexpected incident, and he had to quickly n new filming


    content and shoot the next episode before it aired the following week.


    On the other hand, Gwendolyn put aside her current work and decided to handle this situation first.


    She immediately called Joanne to arrange for the staff to conduct a thorough safety check again.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    After hearing about the arrangements, Joanne didn¡¯t leave immediately. Instead, she stood there as if


    she had something else to say.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t even lift her head and asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shalders! The contestant who fell into the water has already posted about the incident, iming


    that ourpany¡¯s safety measures are inadequate and threatening to demandpensation!¡±


    Gwendolyn finally looked up and curved her lips meaningfully. ¡°Give me the phone.¡±


    She understood internally after scanning the post and the number of views casually.


    I see. Go and handle the task I just assigned you. Also, have someone retrieve all the videos from that


    time and bring them to me.¡±


    b/%


    Chapter 83 Did The Trainee Run Away


    Joanne had worked with Gwendolyn for some time and understood her style of handling things, but this


    time it was a filming ident, so she was still worried. She couldn¡¯t help but remind Gwendolyn, ¡°Ms.


    Shalders, are we not going to address this issue?¡±


    If this trend continued, thepany¡¯s reputation would be significantly affected.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t exin too much. She had already made up her mind. When she knew that the


    drowning incident had urred precisely in the blind spot of the camera, she became even more


    convinced of her analysis.


    323


    After only one episode of the show had been filmed, so many things happened in session, with


    three contestants requesting to withdraw from thepetition one after another. It was too much of a


    coincidence for all of them to happen at once.


    However, this time, she decided to go in person to check the situation.


    ¨C


    With one hundred girls staying together all day, she needed to take charge and assert her authority, or


    else more trouble could arise in the future.


    ¨C


    The news of Gwendolyn¡¯s arrival at the filming location spread quickly. Most people were still looking


    forward to the director¡¯s arrival, but Charmaine, who knew the purpose of Gwendolyn¡¯s visit, was not


    so calm.


    She didn¡¯t have much support to rely on, and realizing Gwendolyn was serious about investigating the


    incident, she secretly contacted Samantha from a blind spot of the surveince camera.


    When the call was connected, she directly expressed her intentions.


    ¡°Angle¡¯s talent director has already started to suspect something. We won¡¯t be able to cover incident.


    Let¡¯s end our coboration here. After all, you¡¯ve achieved your goal!¡±


    up


    this


    Samantha, who was on the phone, didn¡¯t expect Charmaine to be so cowardly. The situation had not


    caused any actual harm to Gwendolyn yet, and Charmaine was already nning to bail out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want a future that¡¯s filled with sess and fame?¡±


    Surprisingly, this girl seemed to have an open-minded perspective.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Gwendolyn before, but I¡¯ve heard some of her storiestely. This woman is so shrewd


    that she has even brought down the previous heir of the Mossey family. Don¡¯t talk about being famous


    in the future. If she found out the truth regarding this incident, I¡¯ll be finished!¡±


    Seeing other trainees approaching in the distance, Charmaine quickly hung up the phone and deleted.


    the call record before blocking Samantha¡¯s number.


    Meanwhile, Samantha¡¯s eyes darkened.


    How daring of that b*tch to hang up on me!


    Her eyes glinted with a cold determination as she began to plot her revenge.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Since Gwendolyn arrived at the filming set quitete, she chose to stay at a hotel nearby. However, the


    following morning brought een event.


    Gwendolyn woke up early and arrived at the filming location Just in time to see the talent show


    manager urging the contestants to wake up from their slumber.


    However, after gathering and taking a headcount, they discovered that one of the contestants was


    found missing.


    ¡°Charmaine Zacker.¡±


    The talent show manager carefully reported the missing contestant¡¯s name to Gwendolyn.


    She looked at Gwendolyn¡¯s face, which was younger than hers, and was surprised that thetter


    remained calm andposed.


    It was unclear whether Gwendolyn was trying to appear mature or simply unaware of the seriousness


    of the situation.


    However, once news of the missing contestant got out, it could ruin thepany¡¯s reputation!


    ¡°Has the news been blocked?¡± Gwendolyn asked while looking at the girl¡¯s photo.


    ¡°It has, but some rumors have spread online.¡±


    The talent show manager was previously puzzled about how rumors could still spread online despite


    the news being blocked.


    Gwendolyn appeared to pay little attention to the second part of the sentence and passed the photo to


    the person in charge. ¡°Please conduct a thorough investigation to determine whether Charmaine was


    sitting next to Nancy on the day thetter fell into the water,¡± she requested.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    In fact, the talent show manager couldn¡¯t remember all the contestants on that day, as there were so


    many of them.


    ¡°All right, go andfort the others first. Let me handle the rest.¡±


    As soon as the person in charge left, Gwendolyn quickly made a phone call.


    ¡°Boss, how can I assist you?¡± came a voice on the other end of the phone.


    ¡°Help me find someone-Charmaine Zacker.¡±

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    Chapter 84 Asking For Trouble


    The informationwork and hacking skills of Shadow Bell were top-notch. They managed to locate


    Charmaine¡¯s position quickly and sent the coordinates to Gwendolyn¡¯s phone.


    Based on the coordinates, Charmaine seemed to be at an abandoned amusement park.


    Based on this, Gwendolyn concluded that it was not a mere disappearance but rather an abduction.


    ¡°Is this a dog-cat-dog situation? Interesting.¡±


    Gwendolyn nced at the information appearing on her phone screen and couldn¡¯t help but curl her


    lips to chuckle.


    Upon learning the exact location, she didn¡¯t waste any time. She quickly changed her clothes and


    headed there alone.


    It appeared that the mastermind hadn¡¯t anticipated her arrival so soon, as they had only assigned one


    person to guard the location.


    Bound to a chair, her senses impaired by a tight blindfold, Charmaine sat in the dpidated cabin.


    within the amusement park, her anxiety growing with each passing moment.


    Just when she thought her fate of dying was scaled, a suddenmotion of shing sounds erupted


    from outside, catching Charmaine by surprise.


    Did someonee to save me?


    With overwhelming excitement, she toppled the chair and wriggled on the floor, making her way toward


    the door with determined crawls.


    While trying to get to the door, the iron door abruptly swung wide, apanied by the approaching


    echo of light footsteps, gradually drawing nearer and nearer.


    She refrained from making any actions or sounds, uncertain about the oue of the battle raging


    outside, unaware of which side emerged victorious.


    Only when the ck fabric blocking her vision was lifted did she gradually discern the countenance of


    the individual standing before her, and her pupils widened in sheer astonishment.


    She didn¡¯t expect that it was Gwendolyn from Angle!


    She¡¯s here alone! Does this mean she knows about my doings?


    ¡°Who are you? Are you here to kill me too?¡±


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help but notice the quivering lips of the girl on the floor, a clear indication of her


    fear. Despite this, the girl pretended not to recognize her.


    Unbeknownst to her, Gwendolyn¡¯s vignt gaze captured every subtle shift in her expression, leaving


    no trace unnoticed.


    Foregoing small talk, Gwendolyn cut to the chase. ¡°Tell me, who instructed you to purposely make


    Nancy fall into the water? Who has been secretlymunicating with you?¡±


    Chapter 84 Asking For Trouble


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying,¡± Charmaine responded, anxiously biting her lip and refusing to


    yield.


    Gwendolyn had no patience for idle conversation. Thus, she retrieved her phone and dered, ¡°Very


    well, then you¡¯ll have to exin yourself to the police


    ¡°Wait a moment!¡±


    Charmaine was well aware that in the entertainment industry, having a criminal record essentially


    spelled the end of one¡¯s career and prospects.


    ¡°Other than revealing who is the mastermind, I can exin everything else. I¡­¡±


    Before Charmaine could finish her exnation, Gwendolyn¡¯s patience had already worn thin. She rose


    to her feet, towering over her, casting a condescending gaze downward.


    ¡°What a shame. All I wanted was to uncover the mastermind. If you refuse to divulge the information,


    prepare to face the consequences when her associates handle you.¡±


    After she said that, she turned around and was about to leave.


    Terrified, Charmaine pleaded, ¡°Please don¡¯t abandon me. I know of your incredible skills. Even the


    Mossey family¡¯s heiress is no match for you. I can provide you with the information you seek, but can


    you promise to protect me?¡±


    ¡°Well, that will depend on your sincerity and the value of the information you provide,¡± Gwendolyn


    replied.


    As Charmaine gazed up at Gwendolyn, she suddenly became aware of the chilling andmanding


    aura emanating from her. This realization only deepened her resolve to switch sides.


    ¡°It¡¯s Samantha Lane! She¡¯s the one who coerced me into causing trouble on the show. Later on, my


    conscience prevailed, and I wanted to quit, but she had someone kidnap me,¡± Charmaine blurted out.


    Samantha Lane?


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    During her time with the Wright family, Gwendolyn overheard Frida and Sheralyn mentioning that


    Samantha was the designated heir of the Lane family and also Maverick¡¯s cousin.


    Over the past few years, it appeared that Samantha had dedicated her time to studying abroad and


    pursuing further education.


    Does this mean that she has returned to the country? Is she the aplice that Frida enlisted to


    eliminate me? This turn of events is certainly intriguing.


    Charmaine was taken aback by the sight of Gwendolyn audibly chuckling.


    Fearful that Gwendolyn might question her sincerity, Charmaine hastily added, ¡°I swear every ¨CI¡¯ve


    spoken is true! You must believe me!¡±


    word


    ¡°I believe you.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curled into a half-smile as she subtly lowered her body, leaning closer to Charmaine¡¯s


    car to whisper something.


    Chapter 84 Asking For Trouble


    After listening to her words, Charmaine clenched her teeth and nodded.


    ¡°When you return, carry on with thepetition as if nothing has happened. Convey to Samantha that


    you have reconsidered your position.¡±


    Although Charmaine didn¡¯t quite understand what Gwendolyn wanted to do, she obediently agreed.


    Once Charmaine left, Gwendolyn arranged for someone to stage the scene, creating an illusion that


    Charmaine had managed to escape of her own ord.


    Upon hearing the news of Charmaine¡¯s escape, Samantha was furious and scolded her subordinates


    for their ipetence.


    Originally, her n involved ending Charmaine¡¯s life and framing Gwendolyn for the act. However, little


    did she anticipate that the girl would indeed manage to escape independently.


    Anger was coursing through her veins when her phone abruptly received a text message. It was from


    Charmaine.


    Thetter apologized for hanging up on Samantha and blocking Samantha. She even promised never


    to disobey Samantha again. Her words exuded a sense of helplessness and humility.


    After reading it. Samantha felt quite pleased.


    This girl truly needs to learn a lesson! Look, she¡¯s behaving now, isn¡¯t she?


    Upon Charmaine¡¯s return to thepetition, several rumors circting on the inte were proven


    false. Despite Nancy¡¯s stubborn refusal to relent, Jerome and his wife proactively visited the Forester


    residence, effectively resolving matters before Gwendolyn needed to intervene.


    Being averse to indebtedness, Gwendolyn reluctantly acquiesced to the Mossey family¡¯s plea, granting


    permission for Kieran to remain in Faike for an extended period to treat Inez.


    As time went on, the rumors and gossip gradually faded into obscurity, while Angle¡¯s talent show, being


    the first of its kind in the country in many years, continued to sustain its remarkable poprity.


    After this short interlude passed, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t continue to dwell on the matter with Samantha, as


    she had more important things to attend to.


    She made her way to the plot ofnd she had acquired earlier with the intention of inspecting the


    construction progress of the film and television base being developed on-site.


    For several days in a row, she dedicatedly visited the film and television base after work, relishing


    every single moment spent there.


    News about Gwendolyn¡¯s regr visits to the film and television base quickly reached Samantha¡¯s


    ears, arousing her suspicions.


    Why would a talent director like Gwendolyn be involved in overseeing the construction of a film and


    television base when Angle is primarily an entertainment star-makingpany?¡± Samantha


    questioned.


    Sheralyn, equally perplexed, voiced her confusion, ¡°Why is she so invested in this? It¡¯s quite peculiar!


    Could it be that she¡¯s plotting something against us?¡±


    Chapter 84 Asking For Trouble


    Unfazed by the situation, Samantha scoffed and remarked, ¡°If she¡¯s so enamored with the film and


    television base, I¡¯ll ensure she rests there forever!¡±


    With malicious intent, the two of them huddled together, engaging in whispered conversations as they


    quietly conspired.


    As their conspiracy concluded, Sheralyn¡¯s eyes gleamed with evilness.


    ¡°This time, I absolutely won¡¯t allow that woman to escape! I will reim all the humiliation I have


    endured before!¡±


    Since she was going to the construction site, Gwendolyn purposely wore a pair of t athletic shoes


    that day.


    At the construction site, she wore a safety helmet and listened to the person in charge¡¯s report.


    ¡°Once we demolish this wall and build the new foundation, our progress will elerate significantly.


    With luck, we should be able toplete it in no more than two weeks.¡±


    While providing an exnation, the person in charge gestured toward a deteriorated wall.


    Gwendolyn nodded and asserted, ¡°elerate the process, and don¡¯t hesitate to inform me if you


    require additional funds. Money is not a concern for me.¡±


    In response to hermanding statement, a broad smile of delight instantly adorned the face of the


    person in charge.


    ¡°I will, Ms. Shalders. Your words have given me a sense of reassurance. However, I understand that


    you are upied with numerous responsibilities each day and I feel guilty about burdening you with


    daily visits. Henceforth, you can ce your trust in me for everything here. Rest assured. I will handle


    all matters diligently on your behalf!¡±


    Gwendolyn curled her lips and politely responded, ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Wrington.¡±


    The two of them chatted briefly about other topics. Then, someone called Jake Wrington over to attend


    to some matters.


    Jake wore a displeased expression as he interjected, ¡°How could you be so oblivious? Ms. Shalders is


    still present¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as she interrupted, ¡°It¡¯s all right. Work takes precedence. I can


    explore on my own.¡±


    With Gwendolyn having issued her instructions, Jake felt it would be inappropriate to continue ttering


    her. He advised her to exercise caution, considering the construction site¡¯s abundance of materials,


    before taking his leave.


    After meandering through the under-construction base for some time, Gwendolyn was on the verge of


    departing when she was abruptly approached by a tall, unfamiliar man.


    The man spoke with an unpleasant and raspy voice.


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Shalders. Mr. Wrington has encountered someplications and requests your presence


    to assess the situation,¡± said the man.

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    Chapter 85 Can She Even Be Called A Woman


    The man wore a safety helmet with his head slightly lowered, revealing his dark skin. His workwear


    was covered in dust. It could be seen that he was a long-termborer at first nce.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze shifted slightly downward. She understood the situation upon seeing his spotless


    shoes.


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    ¡°This way, please.¡±


    The man stretched out his hand, revealing the thick clluses on the purlicue of his right hand.


    Gwendolyn nced briefly before withdrawing her gaze, and she followed the man.


    The man deliberately led her down a quiet and secluded path. As they approached a condemned


    building, Gwendolyn stopped in her tracks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we are on the right path,¡± she said as she halted in her tracks..


    The man leading the way froze for a moment but soon regained hisposure. He replied, ¡°Mr.


    Wrington was worried that you might be hungry, so he has already ordered dinner for you. That¡¯s why


    we¡¯re taking this shorter route.¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips and stared at him without saying a word. Her clear and cold bright eyes


    seemed to be able to see through one¡¯s heart.


    The man was taken aback by her gaze. He quickly lowered his head, not daring to look at her again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Initially, she stopped to test him slightly because she wanted to give the man a chance to take action


    directly against her. However, even though the man could have dealt with her right there, he did not


    make a move.


    She felt that there was a bigger surprise waiting for her up ahead.


    As expected, as she got closer to the condemned building, a swift ck shadow suddenly darted out


    from behind the broken pir, rapidly charging toward her.


    Gwendolyn had anticipated that. She took half a step back and dodged the fatal blow with a sidestep.


    However, just as she stood firm on her feet, sudden noises came from overhead.


    As soon as she looked up, a hard b on top of the building hurtled toward her head. She swiftly


    dodged with a few flips before she had time to think and sessfullynded safely on the grass at the


    side.


    With a thunderous crash, the b fell to the ground, stirring up a thickyer of dust that seemed to


    shroud the air in a fog. After the dust gradually cleared out, ten strong men leaped out from the


    shadows and surrounded her, which made her unable to escape.


    Before she could catch


    her breath, that group of people charged at her one after another.


    Unlike the previous group¡¯s brainless approach, this group¡¯s attacks were extremely well-trained. Their


    14:0 Mon, May


    Chapter 85 Can She Even Be Called A¡­


    techniques were skillful yet diverse, seemingly incorporating kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, and capoeira.


    ¡°Ha, that person really thinks highly of me.¡±


    Gwendolyn scoffed while elegantly pinching her slender fingertips. A coldness gradually surfaced in


    her eyes.


    Unfortunately, the mastermind still did not fully know her and underestimated her too much.


    She raised her eyebrows and said provocatively while beckoning them over with her curled finger, ¡°Are


    you guys going to attack me together?¡±


    They exchanged nces andunched their attack on Gwendolyn together.


    Since she knew the routines of every move, that group of people could not gain the upper hand in their


    attacks other than theirrge numbers of people, in her opinion.


    Ten minutester, Jake learned that Gwendolyn had been taken away by a stranger who had


    trespassed onto the construction base. Sensing that there was a problem, he hurriedly brought a team


    of security guards armed with electric batons to help Gwendolyn


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, are you all right?¡±


    By the time he arrived, Gwendolyn had just taken down thest person with a fierce sweeping kick.


    Those who hurried over were stunned by the scene.


    Can she even be called a woman?


    Jake looked around at the men lying on the ground, who were rolling and wailing in pain. Adhering to


    the principle that he had to do something rather than nothing, he then instructed the security guards to


    give those men a good jolt with their electric batons.


    ¡°How dare toy a hand on Ms. Shalders. You guys must have a death wish.¡±


    Gwendolyn dusted off her hands and smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Very well, tie them up and take them


    straight to the police station.¡±


    After giving her instructions, she bypassed Jake and the others who had hurried over. She left the film.


    and television construction base without looking back!


    Jake watched her charismatic figure walking away, and his admiration for her grew even more


    internally.


    On the way back, Gwendolyn sent someone from Shadow Bell to investigate the matter.


    She discovered that the people who had been following her recently were from the Lane family.


    ¡°Samantha Lane? The Wright family?¡± she murmured, and a hint of mockery smile appeared on her


    face.


    Some people are recklessly digging their own graves. Why do they keep finding trouble for themselves,


    as if they are not afraid of the consequences?


    It seems like I have to hurry up and deliver the bankruptcy gift package to the Wright family


    Chapter 85 Can She Even Be Called A¡­


    Gwendolyn had always handled tasks with great efficiency and speed.


    The next day, she increased the workforce at the film and television construction base, hiring almost


    twice as many workers. Then, she asked Jake to work out a detailed schedule to arrange all the


    workers. efficiently. As expected, the construction progress sped up significantly.


    It was the beginning of summer, and the sun was scorching hot. Nheless, Gwendolyn continued


    her routine inspection of the film and television construction base as usual.


    ¡°Kiddo.¡±


    A familiar deep voice sounded behind her. She turned around and was somewhat surprised. She


    asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Treyton smiled and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t been spending much time at thepanytely, so I figured


    you¡¯d be here. I thought I¡¯d stop by to meet you. Why don¡¯t we grab something to eat and have a chat?¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Treyton naturally reached out to help her in taking off her helmet and dotingly used a tissue to wipe. the


    thinyer of sweat on her forehead. Then, he held her hand as they left.


    In an upscale restaurant, Treyton skillfully ordered meals for two.


    ¡°I heard that Inez had invested in arge shopping mall for Mossey Group recently, which has actually


    helped the Mossey family recover quite a lot from the stock market losses caused by the Natasha.


    incident.¡±


    Natasha¡¯s verdict had been made.


    That was because Eloise shifted all the me to Natasha, which led to thetter being sentenced to


    ten years in prison in the end. Moreover, Maverick never showed up this time as he could not help her.


    Coupled with the Mossey family cutting ties with her, she was left with no support. Therefore, she had


    no choice but to ept her fate and serve her time behind bars.


    Although Inez¡¯s health had improved significantly, her legs still had no sensation due to nerve damage


    from the previous car ident. As a result, she had to rely on a wheelchair.


    Nevertheless, she had already been able to support Jerome in business.


    Gwendolyn had a pretty good impression of Inez, who was a career-oriented and capable woman.


    ¡°This is a highly valued shopping mall for the Mossey family. The opening ceremony will be held


    tomorrow, and I heard they¡¯d invited all the prestigious families and business tycoons from Faike.


    Jerome hopes that you and I can attend to show our support. What do you think?¡±


    As Treyton spoke, he handed a gold-trimmed invitation to Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn opened the invitation, only to find that it was surprisingly sent in Inez¡¯s name.


    Since all the prestigious families were invited, it was likely that the Wright family was included as well.


    ¡°Of course, we should go to the ceremony.¡±


    As expected, many guests attended the opening ceremony of Mossey Group.


    Although the Mossey family suffered significant losses due to Natasha, was there a truly honest and


    clean member among the wealthy families?


    As long as one had the capability, business tycoons, wealthy wives, or socialites woulde over to


    show their support.


    Gwendolyn did not particrly enjoy those types of events, but she never let her demeanor falter even


    the slightest. This time, she attended as Treyton¡¯s femalepanion, as usual.


    As soon as Madelyn saw Gwendolyn, she enthusiastically greeted thetter. It could be seen that she


    genuinely liked Gwendolyn from the bottom of her heart.


    Gwendolyn also responded very politely.


    The duo was chatting leisurely when a suddenmotion urred at the entrance.


    It was the Wright family¡¯s luxury car arriving.


    The car door was pushed open, and three women of varying ages with exquisite makeup came out.


    Gwendolyn stood behind the crowd, casting a nce from afar. Her gaze locked onto the unfamiliar


    face standing to the right of Frida.


    ¡°That¡¯s Samantha Lane, the heir-apparent of the Lane family. I heard she just returned from abroad


    recently,¡± Madelyn exined upon noticing Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze.


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips without saying anything.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, at the entrance, whispers suddenly spread through the crowd due to the appearance of


    Frida and her twopanions.


    ¡°Mr. Wright indeed didn¡¯t show up today. I heard something happened to him. Could it be that he died?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible! How long can the Wright family¡¯s women hold on without the family¡¯s backbone?¡±

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    Chapter 86 How Dare She Be So Arrogant


    The voices of the people discussing were not loud, but Frida and her twopanions could hear them


    clearly.


    The impulsive Sheralyn immediately blew her top. ¡°What nonsense are you all talking about?! My


    brother is doing just fine. How dare you curse him and wish for his death! You ill-mannered buffoons¡­¡±


    Sheralyn, sweetheart, there¡¯s no need to argue. The Wright family has a strong foundation; it won¡¯t be


    shaken by a few disparaging words.¡±


    Frida had to hold her back. Although she was also quite angry, she still managed to maintain the


    demeanor of a wealthy and elegantdy in front of the outsiders.


    Some time ago, the Wright family and the Mossey family were not on good terms due to the broken


    engagement. Not only that, there were numerous spections among the public about Maverick¡¯s


    absence.


    She deliberately dressed up and attended the public event this time to show everyone that the Wright


    family was still as powerful as ever.


    ¡°But Mom, they¡­¡±


    Sheralyn, who had been pampered since childhood, was not willing to put up with this kind of


    treatment.


    She wanted to continue arguing, but her wrist was gently held back by Samantha, who stood next to


    her, dressed in an elegant skirt.


    Samantha leaned in close to her ear and whispered something softly.


    Upon hearing that, Sheralyn instinctively looked up at the crowd on the second floor, where Gwendolyn


    was standing with Madelyn, the wife of Jerome Mossey.


    Gwendolyn was also watching her.


    As their eyes met, Gwendolyn let out a soft chuckle and turned her head to talk to Treyton.


    However, to Sheralyn, her seemingly ordinary smile was filled with provocation.


    Sheralyn muttered under her breath, ¡°That despicable woman!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Samantha patted her on the shoulder. ¡°She won¡¯t be able to act so arrogantly for long!¡±


    As the three of them exchanged nces, their faces instantly lit up with smiles.


    The ceremony officially began.


    The Mossey family had put a lot of thought into this ceremony. In the past, they usually held cocktail


    parties or dance events. This time, they specifically introduced a martial arts performance in order to


    highlight the uniqueness of the theme.


    As this was everyone¡¯s first time attending such a unique ceremony, they were filled with excitement


    and enthusiasm, and the atmosphere at the scene was incredibly lively.


    Two masters from different martial arts factions engaged in a genuine battle on stage.


    The audience in front of the stage watched the performance intently, and the apuse was endless.


    As Jerome and his group noticed the atmosphere, they were extremely pleased with their daughter¡¯s


    idea this time.


    After a ten-minute martial artspetition, Master Sorest emerged victorious.


    The atmosphere at the scene was absolutely electric.


    However, amidst the cheers, a strange voice suddenly rang out.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of watching Master Sorest¡¯spetition? I have a better suggestion. Would you like


    to hear it, Mr. Mossey?¡±


    Samantha stood up, and although she was speaking to Jerome, her gaze was maliciously directed at


    Gwendolyn and Treyton from the corner of her eye.


    Jerome was as taken aback as he was curious when he heard that, and he urged, ¡°What is this great


    idea you have, Ms. Lane? Let¡¯s hear it!¡±


    The amusement in Samantha¡¯s eyes grew stronger as she unabashedly cast her gaze at a nearby


    table.


    toward Gwendolyn


    ¡°I heard that Mr. Harris¡¯panion, Ms. Shalders, is highly skilled in martial arts and that she can


    easily take on five opponents at once. I¡¯m not entirely convinced, though. So how about we have Ms.


    Shalders and Master Sorest spar for a bit? It would certainly liven up the Mossey family¡¯s opening


    ceremony today!¡±


    Gwendolyn was savoring the exquisite appetizers that Treyton had personally picked when she was


    suddenly called upon.


    All of a sudden, the ce fell silent for two seconds.


    No matter how good one¡¯s foundation in martial arts was, they couldn¡¯t possiblypare to Master


    Sorest. Moreover, there was such a significant difference in strength between men and women.


    Gwendolyn, at first nce, had slender arms and legs. It was likely that she wouldn¡¯t be able to


    withstand even two of Master Sorest¡¯s fingers.


    Samantha was deliberately making things difficult for others!


    Inez was originally backstage organizing the entertainment program. When she heard themotion


    in front, she had someone push her wheelchair onto the stage.


    She smiled and said, ¡°Ms. Lane, this suggestion seems a bit unfair. Both you and Ms. Shalders are


    esteemed guests of the Mossey family. It would be our fault if either of you were hurt. Why don¡¯t we sit


    back down and watch the performance? Perhaps the next act will be more to your liking.¡±


    Madelyn also stepped forward and chimed in, adding a few words to the conversation.


    Samantha, however, stood still with her eyes fixated on Gwendolyn.


    Feeling that she was at a disadvantage, Sheralyn stood up and provocatively taunted her with words.


    ¡°You¡¯re not scared, are you? That¡¯s easy, then. Just admit that all those people who praised you before


    were deceived by you, and you¡¯re nothing but a fraud who came from an orphanage.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Wright!¡±


    Inez couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer.


    Before she could say anything, Gwendolyn put down her fork and answered, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m afraid. It¡¯s


    just that it wouldn¡¯t be very interesting even if I won. After all, I won¡¯t lose.¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room was in an uproar.


    This woman¡­ is way too arrogant!


    How daring of her!


    Only Treyton remained calm and poised as he sipped on his red wine, making it difficult for everyone to


    gauge his attitude toward the matter at hand.


    Sheralyn, delighted by these words, looked over at Sorest, who was also taken aback by what he had


    just heard.


    ¡°Master Sorest, it seems like she doesn¡¯t take you seriously at all. If you can¡¯t even beat her, how are


    you going to survive in the industry?¡±


    Sorest was a bit annoyed. ¡°Since this youngdy is so confident, why not have a match to test our


    skills? But after all, you are just a girl. It wouldn¡¯t be honorable for me to win against you. With that said,


    I will only defend and not attack, and I will let you make teii moves. You win if you can push me back


    within those ten moves.¡±


    His words hit the nail on the head.


    He was showing off while acting like a dignified gentleman.


    This also meant that she had no choice but topete.


    If Gwendolyn refused again, people would say she was arrogant, ipetent, and foolish. She would


    end up embarrassing Treyton.


    All eyes in the room were focused on Gwendolyn, taking pleasure in her misfortune as they watched


    the drama unfold.


    Gwendolyn gracefully stood up and put on a faint smile for everyone watching her. ¡°Since the elder has


    spoken, I will do as you say. However, there is no need to let me have those ten moves; it wouldn¡¯t be


    an honorable victory.¡±


    She wore a dark red satin gown that,bined with her stunning and fiercely confident face, exuded


    an aura of sharp elegance, grabbing the attention of everyone around her.


    Unfortunately, Sorest was a martial arts fanatic who couldn¡¯t stand being looked down upon by others,


    especially by a woman.


    He scoffed coldly, clearly irritated. ¡°You asked for it. I won¡¯t be holding back.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face still bore a calm andposed smile as she left her seat to walk to the stage. Inez,


    worried that Gwendolyn might be at a disadvantage, stepped forward and spoke up.


    ¡°Since they are going topete, it seems that Ms. Shalders¡¯ outfit is not quite appropriate. How about


    we watch some other performances first while we wait for her to change into a different outfit before


    we continue?¡±


    The guests had no objections.


    Inez quickly gave the maid a knowing nce.


    6


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t refuse as she allowed the maid to lead the way out of the banquet hall.


    Having seen Gwendolyn¡¯s unbelievably calm expression from beginning to end, Sheralyn suddenly felt


    somewhat worried.


    ¡°Samantha, look at how confident she is. She can¡¯t seriously think she can beat Master Sorest, can


    she? Plus, none of the professional fighters we sentst time came back. What if,ter on¡­¡±


    ¡°There are no ¡®what ifs.¡±¡±


    Samantha was quite confident as she boasted, ¡°Although the skills of those people we sentst time


    were decent, they were still far from Master Sorest¡¯s level. She is only in her twenties. So even if she


    has a solid foundation in martial arts, it¡¯s impossible for her to be as profound as Sorest. Just wait and


    see.¡±


    ¡°What if Master Sorest goes easy on her?¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Rest assured.¡±


    She smiled triumphantly when she leaned closer to Sheralyn¡¯s ear and continued, ¡°There¡¯s nothing


    money can¡¯t solve in this world. I have already bribed Sorest to cripple her by ident. This event is


    hosted by the Mossey family. There is no way we can be med for it!¡±

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    Chapter 87 Instantly Defeated


    Excitement swirled in Sheralyn¡¯s eyes when she heard this.


    She seemed to already be feeling the exhration of getting her revenge and simply could not wait to


    see the miserable end of that wretched person.


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn was led by a maid to the banquet hall¡¯s dressing room backstage. The


    wheelchair-bound Inez quietly slipped away from the guests and tagged along.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, these casual wear have been selected based on your size. Please feel free to choose


    from them,¡± informed the maid respectfully as she pointed to the five sets of clothes that wereid out


    on


    the table.


    Gwendolyn was just about to pick a random set of clothes when Inez pushed open the door and made


    her way into the dressing room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take over from here. The rest of you can go on out,¡± Inez instructed.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    love


    The maids hurried out of the room and closed the door behind them, leaving only Gwendolyn and Inez


    in the dressing room.


    Wearing a serious expression on her countenance, Inez pushed her wheelchair toward the window and


    opened it.


    ¡°This is the second floor. Climb along the water pipe to make your way down. There should be a small


    path on the right. Make your way down the path for thirty meters, and you¡¯ll find the side entrance. The


    door isn¡¯t locked. I had someone discreetly open a small gap, and the security guards have already


    been sent away.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Are you¡­ asking me to run away?¡± Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°Of course. Why else would I tell you all that?¡±


    Inez maneuvered her wheelchair and approached Gwendolyn with an annoyed expression before


    pulling thetter toward the window.


    ¡°Do you really wish to fight Sorest? He has been undefeated ever since he rose to fame. Besides, it¡¯s


    obvious that the Wright family is setting you up. If you really go through with this, it won¡¯t end well for


    you.¡±


    Gwendolyn looked at Inez, who was wearing a serious expression on her face. Knowing Inez was


    sincerely nning all this for her, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t quite describe the strange feeling in her heart.


    After all, they had only known each other for less than half a month.


    Inez noticed Gwendolyn¡¯s silence as well as thetter¡¯s peculiar expression. At that, she quickly added,


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel burdened. I¡¯m not doing this just for you. If anything happens to you, the Mossey family


    would be held primarily responsible, so please leave quickly. I¡¯ll go exin the situation to the rest of


    the people in the hall.¡±


    Nevertheless, Gwendolyn remained rooted to her spot as a smile tugged on her lips. Her eyes shed


    with a gleam of light as she spoke. ¡°I won¡¯t leave, and besides, why are you so sure I¡¯ll lose?


    The arrogance in her tone was evident, yet Inez was captivated by the glimmer in her eyes.


    For a moment, she actually wanted to see Gwendolyn defeating Sorest.


    Just as Inez was lost in her thoughts, Gwendolyn had already picked out a set of clothes and went into


    the cubicle to change.


    In the hall, everyone was absent-mindedly watching the performances. They were all waiting for the


    highlight of the night.


    Sheralyn was growing impatient, constantly checking on the time.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t that b*tch here yet? Could it be that she¡¯s chickened out?¡± she mumbled to herself while


    scanning her surroundings.


    All of a sudden, a realization seemed to dawn upon Sheralyn. ¡°Where¡¯s Inez? She can¡¯t be helping that


    b*tch escape, right?¡±


    Frida, who was standing beside her, had on a serious expression. Even so, she did not utter a word.


    On the other hand, Samantha was not the least bit frazzled. ¡°What is there to be concerned about? She


    agreed to this herself. Besides, the Mosseys allowed her to get a change of clothes. If she escapes,


    we¡¯ll just hold them ountable. Let¡¯s see where the Mosseys would stand in high society if that


    happens.¡±


    A sinister glint flickered in her eyes as she spoke.


    ¡°Just wait and see! If the Mosseys dare to help her escape ande up with an excuse for it, I¡¯ll


    definitely humiliate them to the point they won¡¯t be able to lift their heads!¡±


    Three performances had passed, and the audience below the stage could hardly wait.


    Sorest¡¯s expression darkened significantly as his patience was wearing thin.


    Seeing this, Sheralyn stood up and took the initiative to ask Madelyn, ¡°Mrs. Mossey, is she not done


    changing yet? Don¡¯t tell me she was merely boasting and has decided to make a run for it.¡±


    Madelyn¡¯s expression stiffened, but she quickly forced a smile to ease the awkwardness.


    After ncing at the backstage area several times and noticing no movement, she was left with no


    choice but to ry the ¡°speech¡± Inez had prepared for her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Shalders. It seems that she has-¡±


    Before Madelyn could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Gwendolyn, who emerged from


    backstage. ¡°I¡¯m right here. What¡¯s with the rush?¡± thetter said to Sheralyn.¡±


    Sheralyn gave a cold snort and rolled her eyes.


    Eager to witness the downfall of the cocky Gwendolyn, Sheralyn hurriedly urged, ¡°Now that you¡¯re done


    changing, let us hurry up and begin!¡±


    The audience immediately fell silent.


    Many of them were waiting to see Gwendolyn get a taste of her own medicine after her arrogant.


    remarks earlier.


    There were also several children from wealthy and affluent families who coveted Gwendolyn¡¯s


    gorgeous physique, which was visible even through her simple sportswear. They sighed at the sight of


    such a delicate yet sexy beauty butmented her sharp tongue, which often offended others.


    Under the watchful eyes and different intentions of the guests, Sorest and Gwendolyn entered the


    stage from opposite sides.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry and use me of bullying you if you lose okay, little girl?¡± Sorest cast her mocking nce.


    and the crowd instantly burst intoughter, thinking that Gwendolyn was overestimating herself.


    Only Treyton remained sitting while sipping his red wine, his actions exuding elegance and nobility. As


    usual, his expression was indifferent.


    Upon catching a glimpse of Treyton¡¯s expression, Sheralyn couldn¡¯t help but be delighted. Treyton¡¯s


    definitely sick of that wench now. He doesn¡¯t even care about her well-being! Doesn¡¯t this mean I have


    a chance?


    While Sheralyn was admiring Treyton¡¯s handsome visage, the tension on stage had intensified.


    Gwendolyn frowned at Sorest¡¯s words and demanded, ¡°Enough chatter. Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    As soon as her words fell, Gwendolyn made a swift and strong move.


    Before the audience could even react, Sorest was struck squarely in the chest, causing him to stagger


    half a step backward.


    The audience fell into pin-drop silence as they observed the scene with disbelief.


    It ended¡­ just like that?


    Sorest was instantly defeated before the non-experts could even process Gwendolyn¡¯s movements.


    Sorest himself was taken aback as well. Although he could see Gwendolyn sending a kick his way, he


    was already struck before he could even react.


    Nevertheless, he could not admit defeat in front of such a huge audience. It was embarrassing to


    acknowledge the fact that he could not beat a delicate young girl, after all. How could he possibly


    survive in this circle if he admitted he had lost?


    With that thought in mind, he patted the dust off himself and snorted lightly. ¡°You¡¯re quite skilled, young


    lady. I¡¯ve already given you a headstart. Now, let¡¯s get serious.¡±


    Everyone believed Sorest¡¯s words and praised him for being a gentleman.


    It was no surprise, for it was hard to fathom that such a thin, slender, and weak-looking woman could


    win against Sorest. The only usible exnation was that he had gone easy on her.


    Drawing from his experience in the first round, Sorestposed himself to focus his attention. Then,


    he took the initiative to strike first, mustering all of his strength to attack Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn did not budge. It wasn¡¯t until the man got dangerously close that she turned sideways and


    dodged his attack.


    Sorest was taken aback. How did she manage to dodge the attack?


    Despite that, he continued to attack her, even going so far as to wish he had more strength.


    The twobatants traded blows, entangled in a brawl. Their movements were so fast that only


    experts could see what they were doing, while the others struggled to catch up.


    In the beginning, some of the audience didn¡¯t have high hopes for Gwendolyn. However, seeing that


    the two were evenly matched, they couldn¡¯t help but look at her with newfound respect. They even


    changed sides, hoping for her to win.


    Meanwhile, Treyton¡¯s expression turned increasingly solemn.


    As Gwendolyn¡¯s older brother, he knew very well the extent of his sister¡¯s abilities. If the fight dragged


    on, turning it into a battle of endurance, she would undoubtedly lose.


    Gwendolyn, too, knew that continuing like this wasn¡¯t a solution, but she was struggling to find Sorest¡¯s


    weakness.


    On the other hand, Sorest felt increasingly anxious and flustered, having been unable to secure victory


    after such a long time. Moreover, support for Gwendolyn was growing, and he could even hear the


    audience¡¯s cheers for her.


    This resulted in his attacks bing more ruthless as the battle went on.


    s, the more flustered one was, the more easily their ws would be exposed.


    Gwendolyn seized the opportunity and deftly dodged his attacks. Then, she made her counterattack


    using all of her might.


    Sorest was unable to dodge in time and took a hit straight to the nose. After letting out a grunt in agony,


    he fell to the ground.


    Gwendolyn stood steadily on the stage, peering down at her opponent. The corner of her lips curled


    into a smile as she said to him, ¡°You¡¯ve lost again.¡±


    Evidently, she was emphasizing the fact that he had not lost once but twice.


    Sorest felt extremely insulted by the woman¡¯s words and was about to climb to his feet when all of a


    sudden, he felt a warm sensation in his nose.

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    Chapter 88 Stolen


    He raised his hand and swiped it across his nose, only to discover that it was a nosebleed.


    Someone below witnessed the scene and couldn¡¯t help but burst outughing, which infuriated Sorest.


    For him, this was the most insulting and embarrassing way to lose in front of everyone.


    Having been on this path for decades, this was the first time he had been abused like this. He couldn¡¯t


    come to terms with the result.


    ¡°Go to hell!¡± As Gwendolyn turned to leave the stage, Sorestunched a sudden attack from behind.


    with incredible speed.


    Sheralyn and the others were initially furious after Sorest¡¯s defeat, but when they saw him attack again,


    they became excited and stood up in response.


    Almost in an instant, before anyone could react, a lightning-fast figure suddenly rushed onto the stage


    and kicked Sorest away.


    Sorest didn¡¯t even touch a single strand of Gwendolyn¡¯s hair and was thrown two meters off the stage,


    vomiting a mouthful of blood.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Treyton stood in front of Gwendolyn; his ssy ck trousers remained spotless.


    Gazing at Sorest with an icy glint in his eyes, Treyton spoke with conviction, ¡°epting defeat is part of


    the game. How dare you ambush her from behind? How despicable.¡±


    Mokingston, who had previously performed martial arts alongside Sorest, also stepped forward and


    angrily used him, ¡°Sorest, you have seriously vited the very essence of thepetition. I have


    already contacted the National Martial Association to have you expelled! Get out of here!¡±


    ¡°No! This can¡¯t be happening!¡± Sorest couldn¡¯t believe his ears. For half his life, he had relied on


    funding from the National Martial Association. If he were publicly expelled, no other association. would


    take him in the future, and this meant his entire life would be ruined.


    He had barely recovered from the shock and despair when Inez, who was seated in a wheelchair, was


    pushed onto the stage by her maid.


    She picked up


    the microphone and dered emphatically, ¡°The Mossey family is ashamed of Sorest¡¯s deceitful


    actions and has decided to cklist him, forbidding him from ever setting foot in any malls owned by


    the Mossey family!¡±


    Pausing for a moment, she called over ten security guards andmanded, ¡°And now, throw him Oui!¡±


    The security guards acted swiftly, and Sorest was escorted out in disgrace.


    The


    spectators watched the scene with amusement, and many corporate CEOs followed suit, putting Sorest


    on their cklists and bringing satisfaction to everyone.


    Everyone¡¯s gaze toward Gwendolyn hadpletely changed.


    Most of the people present had seen Gwendolyn¡¯s previous lover battle with Natasha, and they


    admired and respected her even more.


    With both incredible martial arts skills and impressive dance ability, every move she made was a


    breathtaking visual spectacle, making her the most remarkable woman of her time.


    Mokingston approached with a pleasantly surprised expression, attempting to shake Gwendolyn¡¯s


    hand, only to be blocked by Treyton.


    He showed no signs of embarrassment, however, as he gazed at Gwendolyn admiringly and inquired,


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but notice that your jiu-jitsu techniques were quite distinctive. Are you, by any chance,


    the only apprentice of the famous foreign master, Roy Richardson?¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, the entire audience looked at Gwendolyn in awe.


    ¡°No wonder she didn¡¯t even take Sorest seriously. It turns out she¡¯s Ms. Richardson¡¯s apprentice!¡±


    someone in the audience eximed.


    ¡°Not to mention the fact that she¡¯s the only student, which must mean she received the genuine


    teachings of Ms. Richardson. It¡¯s no surprise Sorest lost!¡± another onemented.


    ¡°It all makes sense now why she was so haughty and boastful earlier! She had every right to be! Her


    skills spoke for themselves!¡± a member of the audience dered.


    The group of people who had previously criticized Gwendolyn for being outrageous and foolish


    suddenly changed their attitude and began showering her with praise, their voices rising above all


    others in the room.


    Eager to please Gwendolyn, Mokingston extended an invitation to her. ¡°Ms. Shalders, would you be


    interested in joining us as the deputy chairman of the Faike branch of the National Martial


    Association?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Sheralyn and Frida, who were sitting in the audience, were both infuriated and could


    barely contain their rage.


    The n had been to leave that vile woman severely injured after thepetition, but instead,


    Gwendolyn not only won the match but also made a big ssh, causing even Mokingston to fawn over


    her in a servile manner. And to top it off, she became the deputy chairman right away.


    For them, Gwendolyn was an orphan from the orphanage, born as a lowly, parentless child. They


    couldn¡¯t ept the fact that she was entitled to all of this.


    Just as Sheralyn was seething with jealousy, Gwendolyn refused Mokingston expressionlessly. ¡°No,


    thank you. I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    The entire audience was in an uproar.


    National Martial Association was a ce that countless martial artists were vying to get into. For a


    young girl like her to be a deputy chairman right away was something that many people wouldn¡¯t


    even dare to dream about.


    She refused just like that?


    In disappointment, Mokingston shook his head and sighed inwardly. Too young and too


    overconfident.


    In the audience, Samantha kept typing on her phone with a serious expression as soon as she found


    out that Gwendolyn was Rory¡¯s apprentice. Nobody knew what she was typing.


    you had!


    Giving her a disapproving look, Sheralyn snapped at Samantha, ¡°Just look at the brilliant idea This


    scoundrel will probably be even more arrogant and disregard us even more in the future!¡±


    Samantha was focused on her phone screen, and suddenly a triumphant smile appeared on her face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This isn¡¯t over yet!¡±


    Perplexed, Sheralyn was about to ask what was going on when Samantha stood up and used


    Gwendolyn vehemently. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by her! She can¡¯t possibly be Rory¡¯s apprentice!¡±


    As she spoke, Samantha walked up to the stage and snatched the microphone from Inez¡¯s hand.


    Everyone in the audience was stunned.


    Mokingston was even more perplexed and inquired, ¡°Ms. Lane, what do you mean? I¡¯ve witnessed Ms.


    Shalders use techniques that are undoubtedly original to Rory¡¯s jiu-jitsu!¡±


    Gwendolyn stood silently on the right side of the stage, looking at Samantha with a cryptic smile and


    showing no signs of intending to exin.


    She never imed to be Rory¡¯s apprentice. It was these people who insisted on putting thatbel on


    her.


    ¡°Kiddo?¡± Treyton was standing right next to her and called out to her in a low voice, his eyes seeming


    to hold a hidden meaning.


    Gwendolyn understood his intentions and signaled to him that he didn¡¯t need to concern himself with


    anything.


    She was intrigued to see what Samantha had up her sleeve.


    Faced with scrutiny, Samantha calmly raised the microphone to exin, ¡°When I was studying abroad


    in Rodunst, I had the opportunity to catch a glimpse of Ms. Richardson through a friend. The little.


    apprentice who was following her at the time was clearly a male. To verify this, I just contacted a friend,


    abroad and found out that Ms. Richardson¡¯s apprentice is actually her rtive, which is why she made


    an exception to take him on. This woman on stage is aplete mismatch in terms of both gender and


    background!¡±


    She spoke nothing but the truth, which left Mokingston somewhat puzzled. ¡°But the techniques she


    used were clearly¡­¡±


    Samantha intervened, ¡°They were clearly stolen!¡±


    A suddenmotion erupted below the stage, and a heated debate ensued in response to


    Samantha¡¯s


    assertion.


    giarizing techniques was a deeply shameful act in the martial artsmunity and even more


    heinous than Sorest¡¯s tendency tounch sneak attacks.


    If caught, not only would the offender be cklisted, but they would also be chased and beaten by the


    fanatical followers of the National Martial Association, with many ending up crippled with broken legs.


    As the entire audience was discussing, Samantha continued to say, ¡°Think about it, this woman came


    from Faike Orphanage, which is a far cry from Ms. Richardson¡¯s status. Therefore, she must have


    stolen those techniques! She is not only shameless but also despicable!¡±


    Amid the serious mood in the room, a sudden burst ofughter came from the side.


    Samantha turned to Gwendolyn, who couldn¡¯t contain herughter, and asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s so


    funny?¡±


    Gwendolyn restrained herughter. Despite wearing casual sportswear, she still emanated a chilly,


    aloof demeanor.


    ¡°Ms. Lane, you seem awfully certain of yourself. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being proven wrong?¡±


    ¡°

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    hapter 89 Could She Really Know Rory


    Samantha was infuriated by the woman¡¯s calm demeanor while mocking her. She gritted her teeth in


    anger, determined to utterly embarrass Gwendolyn in front of the audience.


    ¡°All right then! Let¡¯s see who will be thoroughly humiliated in the end!¡±


    Samantha took out her phone and contacted her friend who was abroad. Aftermunicating with the


    other party for a while, she managed to obtain Rory¡¯s personal number.


    And then, in front of everyone, she, dialed Rory¡¯s number on her phone and even considerately turned


    on the speaker for everyone to hear.


    Beep, beep, beep.


    Everyone waited with bated breath as the phone rang, and the tension in the hall was palpable.


    Samantha tossed a nce at Gwendolyn, looking as if she had already won the battle. ¡°If you admit


    that you stole all of your jiu-jitsu techniques and apologize with utmost insincerity for being a liar and a


    copycat, I¡¯ll consider letting you off the hook.¡±


    She then paused momentarily and shook her phone triumphantly. ¡°You¡¯ve only got a couple of seconds


    left to decide. You¡¯re panic-stricken, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips in amusement and did not respond to the woman¡¯s taunts. She merely


    looked at Samantha as if thetter was a clown.


    Samantha hated the way Gwendolyn was looking at her, but considering that they were in public and


    Treyton was also present, she dared not say anything too provocative.


    In her heart, however, Samantha was nning to gauge Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes out once there was a sure


    conclusion and thetter could no longer wriggle her way out of the situation. I¡¯d like to see if she¡¯ll be


    able to nce at me in that arrogant manner then!


    Just as Samantha was deep in thought, the ringing suddenly ceased, and what came from the other


    end


    of the line was the voice of an olddy who sounded to be in her fifties.


    ¡°Who is this?¡±


    Samantha¡¯s heart was beating wildly, for this was the first time she had ever had a direct conversation


    with a bigshot in the martial arts world like Rory.


    She made an effort to suppress her emotions and politely asked, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bothering you, Ms.


    Richardson, but there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to confirm with you. I caught someone pretending to be your


    apprentice, and she refuses to admit it despite having been caught-red-handed. Hence, I had no choice


    but to make this call.¡±


    ¡°I only have one apprentice-Jensen Longt,¡± was the slightly impatient response from the other end of


    the line after a brief two-second silence.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware of that. However, this woman¡¯s techniques are almost identical to yours, so I suspect


    that she has stolen your techniques.¡±


    Rory sounded rather annoyed. ¡°There¡¯s such a thing? How dare they pretend to be iny apprentice and


    even steal my techniques! How utterly shameless!¡±


    Hearing this, everyone basically understood what was going on.


    Rory had confirmed it herself, after all.


    Some of the people, who were showering Gwendolyn with praises mere moments ago, now looked at


    her with anger and hatred in their eyes, wishing they could kill her with their gazes.


    Samantha was so delighted that her eyes were filled with unconcealed joy.


    She lifted her chin, looking as if she was the victor.


    ¡°Did you hear that? Ms. Richardson said so herself that you¡¯re not her apprentice. What a p to your


    face! Now that you¡¯ve angered Ms. Richardson now, I¡¯d like to see how you¡¯ll suffer!¡± eximed


    Samantha.


    Treyton frowned and was about to say something when Gwendolyn grabbed his wrist from behind.


    She then took a step forward and smirked. ¡°I never said I was Rory¡¯s apprentice, so how is this a p


    to my face?¡±


    Samantha was taken aback.


    Meanwhile, a hint of embarrassment flitted past Mokingston¡¯s face, for was the one who brought it up


    earlier. Indeed, Gwendolyn did not admit to being Rory¡¯s apprentice.


    But she didn¡¯t deny it either.


    Hence, it seemed like she was deliberately attempting to cause a misunderstanding.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s words failed to satisfy the crowd, and the voices of contempt grew increasingly louder.


    ¡°Then how do you exin the fact that you¡¯ve stolen Ms. Richardson¡¯s techniques, huh?¡± Samantha


    snorted.


    Gwendolyn covered her mouth, and her grin grew even wider. ¡°Are you sure I was the one who stole


    her techniques instead of her learning from me?¡±


    When she said that, the entire audience was in an uproar, and countless criticisms were thrown at


    Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Oh my goodness! How dare she! Who gave her the guts to be so arrogant?¡±


    ¡°She even called Ms. Richardson by her first name. How rude of her! She¡¯s a waste of a beautiful face!¡±


    Mokingston, too, shook his head when he heard this. He let out an inward sigh, thinking Gwendolyn


    was beyond saving.


    On the other hand, Samantha was amused by Gwendolyn¡¯s arrogance.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll rify everything today and make sure you can never recover from this,¡±


    As she spoke, Samantha pulled away the microphone and brought the phone to her ear, then said


    something to Rory on the other end of the line.


    Having received confirmation from Rory, she hung up the phone and called for Madelyn


    hapter


    ¡°Mrs. Mossey, please have someone turn on the screen. I¡¯ll video call Ms. Richardson and project it


    onto the screen so that everyone can see if Ms. Richardson recognizes that thief!¡±


    Madelyn didn¡¯t move and turned to look at Inez.


    Inez was looking at Gwendolyn.


    Sensing Inez¡¯s gaze, Gwendolyn gave the woman ¨¢ slight nod in response. The expression on her face


    remained as calm as a millpond.


    729


    Inez sighed at that.


    The party involved was soposed that Inez deemed her concern to be unnecessary. There was


    nothing she could do but fulfill Samantha¡¯s request.


    Soon, therge screen in the center of the stage was turned on.


    Hoping to win Rory¡¯s favor, Samantha confidently took center stage to ensure that she was the first


    person Rory would see as soon as the call was connected.


    The video call was sessfully connected, revealing Rory, who was sitting on a chair. Years of


    practicing martial arts made her look much younger than her age, and she did not look like she was in


    her fifties at all.


    Samantha disyed an elegant and respectful demeanor as she politely bowed to Rory.


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Richardson. I¡¯m Samantha Lane from the Lane family and also the person who called you.


    I¡¯m sorry for bothering you at this time, but 1-¡±


    Samantha had yet to finish her sentence when Rory¡¯s expression turned sour, clearly showing her


    impatience.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for your pleasantries. Where is the person who had the guts to copy my techniques


    and pretend to be my apprentice?¡± Rory interrupted


    Samantha¡¯s expression stiffened in front of everyone.


    Though she quickly regained herposure, she did not forget to hold Gwendolyn ountable for this


    embarrassment she had suffered.


    ¡°Look, Ms. Richardson. That is the woman! She even had the audacity to say that you were the one


    who learned from her!¡±


    As Samantha spoke, the camera shifted its focus to Gwendolyn.


    A faint smile hung on thetter¡¯s lips as she looked directly into the camera. ¡°Long time no see, Rory.¡±


    Some of the audience started to waver when Gwendolyn publicly addressed Rory by thetter¡¯s first


    name,


    Could it be that they really know each other?.


    Upon seeing Gwendolyn¡¯s face on the screen, Rory was stunned for quite a while. She even put on her


    sses and leaned in to get a closer look at the screen.


    L


    Uncertainty began to well up in Samantha when she saw Rory confirming something repeatedly.


    Rory noticed that there were guests behind Gwendolyn and seemed to realize something. She stood all


    of a sudden and bowed deeply toward thetter.


    Then, she uttered something that no one ever expected her to say.


    ¡°Master, I didn¡¯t expect it to really be you. My apologies. I shouldn¡¯t have treated you with such


    disrespect,¡± was the jaw-dropping response.


    FER


    Everyone was stunned as they watched the scene with their eyes widened and jaws agape.


    What¡¯s going on here? Rory, who¡¯s in her fifties, is addressing a twenty-three-year-old Gwendolyn as


    her master? Even TV shows aren¡¯t this dramatic!


    Gwendolyn merely smiled and magnanimously epted the woman¡¯s apology. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.


    Someone was instigating, after all.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Samantha, the instigator herself, was shocked and took two steps backward in disbelief.


    Before she could speak, Sheralyn piped up first, ¡°Impossible! How could this be?¡±


    up


    Outraged, she pointed at Rory and questioned the woman, ¡°You¡¯re not Rory at all, are you? You¡¯re just


    an actress she hired! How could a parentless child like her possibly be Ms. Richardson¡¯s master? I


    refuse to believe this!¡±

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    Chapter 90 Not Quite Satisfied


    It had been many years since Roryst saw Gwendolyn, so she was initially overjoyed. However, her


    happiness was instantly reced with anger when she heard Sheralyn¡¯s words.


    ¡°How dare you insult my mentor and me? Are you asking for death?¡±


    Being a martial artist, Rory¡¯s overpowering aura could be felt even through the screen when she was


    angry.


    Sheralyn was immediately intimidated.


    Rory continued, ¡°How dare you insult her by calling her an orphan?! Don¡¯t you know that she-¡±


    ¡°Rory!¡±


    Gwendolyn interrupted and shot Rory a frowning look.


    Rory froze for a moment. Although she was somewhat puzzled, she still stopped talking.


    Gwendolyn then shifted her gaze back to Samantha, who was still shocked and unable to speak a


    word.


    Originally, Samantha thought that Gwendolyn would be utterly defeated at the Mossey family¡¯s opening


    ceremony, but not only did Gwendolyn actually win against Sorest, but she also made quite at ssh.


    Gwendolyn was not a fake apprentice nor someone shadowing Rory.


    Instead, she was actually Rory¡¯s master. Never in Samantha¡¯s wildest dreams did she imagine this to


    be


    the case.


    Samantha was so infuriated that she felt like she was going to vomit blood.


    With so many pairs of eyes staring at her from below the stage, she felt utterly embarrassed and


    wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.


    Unfortunately, she was too na?ve.


    Gwendolyn was someone who always made sure to settle scores, so there was no way she would let


    Samantha off the hook easily.


    ¡°So, Ms. Lane. Who got humiliated this time? You, or me?¡±


    Samantha gritted her teeth in anger, but she had to hold back since Rory¡¯s video call was still on, and


    Treyton was also there. Gwendolyn had powerful people backing her up.


    Not daring to say anything too provocative, Samantha forced a smile and managed, ¡°I offended


    because of my recklessness this time.¡±


    you


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    Gwendolyn shook her head and chuckled lightly. ¡°Your apology is too perfunctory. I¡¯in not quite


    satisfied, so..¡±


    She paused for a moment, ncing at Treyton.


    Treyton understood right away, while Elisha immediately left the venue. A minuteter, she returned


    with two strong bodyguards dressed in ck suits, striding confidently toward Samantha,


    Samantha turned pale from the intimidating presence of the bodyguards. She retreated frantically,


    eximing, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Without giving her a chance to exin, the bodyguards took action and restrained her wrists from


    behind.


    Seeing the scene, Madelyn was worried that Gwendolyn would cause casualties and ruin the Mossey


    family¡¯s opening ceremony. Just as she was about to step forward to contain the situation, Inez held


    her


    back.


    Thetter shook her head and whispered, ¡°She should know what she¡¯s doing.¡±


    Madelyn had no choice but to step back.


    The atmosphere in the entire venue suddenly turned lense. Due to Treyton¡¯s status, none of the guests


    sitting below the stage dared to step forward and intervene.


    Moreover, it was true that Samantha almost falsely used Gwendolyn this time. If it weren¡¯t for the


    video call with Rory, Gwendolyn might have already been deemed guilty of shadowing the former and


    imitating her.


    There wasn¡¯t anything wrong with Gwendolyn wanting to get back at Samantha; one could only say


    that Samantha brought it upon herself.


    Samantha watched as Gwendolyn slowly approached her step by step. The fierce aura emanating from


    thetter made Samantha shiver in fear.


    She tried to muster her strength, her lips trembling as she said, ¡°I am the future heir of the Lane family!


    If you darey a finger on me, the Lane family will never let you off!¡±


    Gwendolyn chuckled at that. Her eyes crinkled, making her look harmless.


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    The next second, Gwendolyn¡¯s smile disappeared. A cruel look overtook her face, and she raised her


    hand and hit Samantha¡¯s face twice with great force.


    The crisp ps echoed throughout the entire venue.


    Someone below let out a gasp. Oh my, she really hit her in the face! What a ruthless woman!


    Immediately, Samantha¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. The ps were so painful that she was unable to


    utter a syble for a moment.


    Her fair cheek was now marked with bright red handprints, and traces of blood could be seen at the


    corner of her mouth. She looked both pitiful and disheveled, nothing like her glorious self as the


    wealthy Lane family¡¯s daughter.


    Samantha bit her lip and began weeping aggrievedly, but Gwendolyn mped her chin and forcibly


    lifted her head up.


    As Gwendolyn admired her own masterpiece, she clicked her tongue twice. ¡°Indeed, one doesn¡¯t know


    pain until one is pped in the face. Did you ever think this day woulde every time me?¡±


    you framed


    Samantha was utterly mortified and furious. Because of her swollen face, she was in too much pain to


    even speak.


    In the end, it was Frida and Sheralyn who recklessly rushed onto the stage and rescued poor


    Samantha from the hands of the bodyguards.


    Feeling too embarrassed to stay in the venue any longer, the two of them supported a dazed Samantha


    and left with their tails between their legs.


    They didn¡¯t even dare to say any harsh words before leaving. Instead, they red at Gwendolyn


    viciously, wishing they could kill her with their looks.


    Nevertheless, Gwendolyn was unbothered by this way of threatening.


    Only the weak would rely on such methods to scare off their opponents.


    Following the departure of Samantha and her twopanions, the atmosphere in the venue remained


    gloomy.


    When the guests learned that Gwendolyn was Rory¡¯s mentor, they were only shocked. But after they


    witnessed her giving Samantha a lesson in public, their shock turned into fear.


    In the end, it was Rory who warmed up the mood by enthusiastically congratting the Mossey family


    on the opening ceremony through the video call.


    Although there were some hups in the opening ceremony, the Mossey family ultimately received


    Rory¡¯s blessings, which made the event a great sess. The altercation was, after all, a blessing in


    disguise.


    Madelyn and Jerome couldn¡¯t stop smiling, and they treated Gwendolyn as if she were a deity.


    As the couple warmly greeted the guests, the atmosphere in thetter half of the ceremony turned


    harmonious.


    Gwendolyn wasn¡¯t too fond of these events where she had to constantly socialize, so she found an


    excuse to slip away to a quiet hallway.


    After making sure no one was around, she took out her phone and dialed a number she hadn¡¯t called


    for a long time.


    The calm and aged voice that answered the call sounded unusually excited.


    ¡°Ipletely lost contact with you ever since you left Rodunst. Later, when the Harris family.


    announced your death, I couldn¡¯t sleep for several nights. Thankfully, you¡¯re all right¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled and responded, ¡°They say that a bad penny always turns up. How could a bad


    penny like me die so easily?¡±


    Her self-deprecating humor amused Rory.


    Putting on a serious expression, Gwendolyn continued, ¡°Thank you for today.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. You¡¯re technically half my master, anyway.¡±


    When Gwendolyn was young, she was sent to a reclusive expert in Rodunst to study martial arts.


    There, Rory was an apprentice senior to Gwendolyn


    Due to Gwendolyn¡¯s exceptional talent, she not only grasped the techniques quickly but was also


    clever. enough to improve them. When Rory lost to her in a match one time and begged her to impart


    the improved techniques, Gwendolyn had teasingly asked Rory to call her ¡°master.¡±


    This time, Rory figured out that someone was deliberately making things difficult for Gwendolyn, so she


    reacted quickly and cooperated with thetter to put on a show.


    With their old memories brought up, both of them couldn¡¯t help butment about the past.


    Gwendolyn was contemting whether she should ask how her other seniors were doing when


    suddenly, she heard the sound of wheels approaching from a distance.


    She promptly hung up the phone and turned around. At the end of the hallway, Inez was slowly


    approaching her in a wheelchair.


    Gazing at Gwendolyn¡¯s stunning face intently, Inez began smilingly, ¡°From the moment I woke


    up


    firstid eyes on you, I knew there was something extraordinary about you. Your calmpose


    elegant demeanor don¡¯t seem to belong to a poor child who grew up in an orphanage.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn pressed her lips together and looked at Inez without a word.


    and


    and


    Inez went on, ¡°I¡¯ve been spending time with Kieran these days, but he¡¯s got such a cold personality.


    The only two sentences he¡¯s ever said to me were about you. I think you must hold a very special ce


    in his heart.¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned almost imperceptibly. ¡°What do you want to ask?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re capable of making the two young masters of the Harris family from Salinsburgh willingly do


    everything for you¡­¡±


    Inez paused for a moment, her eyes suddenly filled with suspicion. ¡°Who are you, really?¡±

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    Chapter 91 Just Gwendolyn


    Did she¡­ figure out my identity?


    The two women¡¯s eyes met.


    Gwendolyn gave a yful smile and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you make a guess?¡±


    Inez¡¯s expression was serious as she responded, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t havee all the way to find you if I could


    guess who you are.¡±


    Originally, she had debated whether Gwendolyn could also be a member of the Harris family. Yet after


    investigating the Harris family, she found that aside from a young daughter of Marcus Harris, the head


    of the family, the rest of the rtives were almost all boys.


    However, Marcus¡¯ daughter had been dered dead six years ago.


    So, this conjecture was unlikely to be urate.


    On the other hand, the Gurson family from Salinsburgh had announced some news about having an


    illegitimate daughter a few years ago, but they never revealed her appearance. Inez wondered if that


    could be Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Are you the illegitimate daughter who was acknowledged by the head of the Gurson family?¡±


    Hearing that question, Gwendolyn breathed a sigh of relief but didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she asked, ¡°We


    haven¡¯t known each other for very long. Why did you decide to help me this time?¡±


    ¡°As I mentioned before, it¡¯s not entirely for your sake If something happens to you, the Mossey family


    will also be in trouble. In a way, I¡¯m protecting you to protect the Mossey family,¡± Inez said solemnly.


    That answer made Gwendolyn feel much more at ease. At least she didn¡¯t have to feel guilty about


    hiding the truth from a friend who genuinely wanted to help her.


    ¡°As expected from Mr. Mossey¡¯s handpicked sessor It took you little time to work out what was


    optimal for you. With you at the helm of Mossey Group, I believe it will have a long and prosperous


    future,¡± Gwendolyn praised.


    She then turned on her heels to leave, but Inez stopped her.


    ¡°What about you? You haven¡¯t answered my question!


    Gwendolyn¡¯s footsteps slowed slightly, though she didn¡¯t look back.


    ¡°I am just me. I¡¯m just Gwendolyn.¡±


    Even though her voice was soft, it resounded with conviction.


    1


    H


    Inez watched Gwendolyn leave, her gaze gradually bing obscure. It was impossible to tell what


    she was thinking.


    After leaving the secluded corridor, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t return to the venue but instead went back to her


    car and changed into a casual outfit she had brought with her. She then texted Treyton and drove to


    Angle by herself.


    At the office, Sherman had already been waiting for quite some time.


    When he saw Gwendolyn push the door open, he walked over with a smile. ¡°I heard about the incident


    at the Mossey family¡¯s event. Indeed, you didn¡¯t change at all. You¡¯re still a meanie who won¡¯t ept


    any losses, just like before.¡±


    This was already the third time someone had described her as a meanie recently.


    Gwendolyn chuckled and shook her head, changing the subject. ¡°What brings you here? What¡¯s the


    matter?¡±


    Sherman set aside his yfulness and handed her the materials he was holding.


    ¡°This is the recent construction progress of the film and television base. Since the reformation you


    made, the work has indeed sped up significantly. I believe that at this rate, the construction will be


    completed in half a month.¡±


    Gwendolyn took the documents, flipped through the pages, and carefully read them. ¡°Very good.¡±


    Noticing her genuine smile, Sherman felt delighted. He continued, ¡°The person in charge of the film.


    and television base whom we¡¯re working with mentioned that they¡¯re interested in signing a long-term


    contract with you. They hope to get a response from you soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a win-win cooperation, which is a good thing. I¡¯m d to ept the proposal.¡±


    After getting Gwendolyn¡¯s approval, Sherman handed over another document. ¡°They are interested in


    adapting the recent best-selling web novel into a web series and are hoping to have the opportunity to


    coborate with Angle¡¯s actors for the first time. This is the script.¡±


    Gwendolyn studied the script and nodded earnestly.


    ¡°This is indeed a great intellectual property. It would be great if Angle¡¯s artists can participate in the


    project.¡±


    1


    As she spoke, she considered the candidates based on the actor¡¯s poprity and suitability to the


    roles.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaning toward Joaquin for the male lead. Although he¡¯s usually cheeky, he¡¯s quite serious when it


    comes to acting, and he acts well. Also, Jayden Connor and Perry Zuckson are quite suitable for the


    other two roles in terms of their appearances.¡±


    After some discussion, Sherman expressed his approval for Gwendolyn¡¯s ideas.


    ¡°Surprisingly, you and the person-in-charge are on the same page. Anyway, it¡¯s gettingte. You must


    be tired after the martial arts match at the Mossey family¡¯s event.¡±


    Gwendolyn simply pursed her lips and smiled. Although her expression was nonchnt, Sherman still


    caught a glimpse of weariness in her eyes.


    Out of genuine concern, he advised, ¡°No matter how busy you are, you must take care of your health.


    In fact, you don¡¯t have to handle everything personally. You should try to let go, or¡­ try to get support


    from a man.¡±


    It seemed as if Sherman was hinting at something through hisst sentence. Just as he was about to


    reach out and pat Gwendolyn¡¯s shoulder, she happened to turn around and walk toward the couch,


    causing him to miss her.


    Get support from a man? Haven¡¯t I learned enough lessons from trying to rely on men in the past three


    years?


    Apart from making herself stronger, there was no one else she could truly rely on or expect anything


    from in this world.


    But Gwendolyn had no intention of sharing these thoughts with Sherman. Instead, she only said, ¡°Don¡¯t


    worry. I know my limits.¡±


    Sherman withdrew his hand forlornly and shared a few more words of concern before turning around


    and leaving the office.


    As soon as he left, Gwendolyn curled up on the couch. She was genuinely exhausted that day. After


    giving her all in the match against Sorest, all she wanted now was to quietly rest by herself for a while.


    However, not even five minutes had passed when Joanne knocked on the door and entered.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, bad news. Mr. Zipper has encountered an issue on set!¡±


    Gwendolyn could only pull herself together and get up from the soft couch. As she listened to Joanne¡¯s


    report, she drove to the film set.


    ording to Joanne, the director of the show was very famous, and he was also known to be one of


    the most difficult to deal with in the industry.


    The director felt that there were some unreasonable terms in the artist¡¯s contract with Angle, so he


    forcibly kept Joaquin on set in an attempt to extend his filming time. However, Joaquin was not willing.


    topromise. The two ended up arguing on set, causing quite amotion.


    Upon arriving at the film set, Gwendolyn could already hear the sound of an argument from afar.


    ¡°You want me to work for free? Aren¡¯t you scared I¡¯ll expose your doings online? Do you want to


    continue working in the directing industry?¡±


    ¡±


    The director, Kaycey Cameron, wasn¡¯t a pushover either as he responded to Joaquin with a mirthless


    smile.


    +


    ¡±


    ¡°Mr. Zipper, I know you¡¯re not only famous, but you also have the support of the Zipper family. However,


    I¡¯m not afraid of you! There are issues with your contract in the first ce. What¡¯s wrong with me asking


    you to film a few more hours? The ground you¡¯re standing on is my territory. If you don¡¯t cooperate, I¡¯ll


    have someone edit your behind-the-scenes footage in the worst way possible and ruin your reputation!¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Joaquin was upset at Kaycey¡¯s shameless behavior, but surprisingly, he didn¡¯t lose his temper and


    throw things.


    Having gained the upper hand, Kaycey felt smug.


    As a popr young actor, you should know how important it is to have a good public image. I can help


    you go further in this industry, but I can also ruin you without much effort. Do you want to give it a try?¡±


    ¡°You despicable scoundrel!¡± Joaquin snapped.


    Instead of angering Kaycey, Joaquin¡¯s words made the formerugh even louder.


    ¡°Hahaha! Who would have thought that the notorious troublemaker of the Zipper family would one day


    be in my clutches? I¡¯m in the right this time, so even the mightiest of gods couldn¡¯t help you!¡±


    No sooner had his words fallen when a melodious voice rang out from the entrance of the set.


    ¡°Really? Well, you¡¯re going to be disappointed, Mr. Cameron.¡±


    Everyone on the set turned their gaze toward the entrance, only to see Gwendolyn with Joanne by her


    side. Gwendolyn looked as if she was ready to hit someone, and her aura was cold and intimidating as


    she strode over.

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    Chapter 92 As Long As You Like It


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Kaycey was stunned for a second.


    ¡°She is Angle¡¯s talent director,¡± a staff member who was familiar with Gwendolyn exined.


    ¡°So, she¡¯s just a director, is she? I thought Angle¡¯s boss is here,¡± said Kaycey as he and his group of


    ¡®people burst intoughter.


    Without showing any signs of fear, Gwendolyn approached Joaquin to see if he was injured.


    Fortunately, although this little brat lost his fight today, he didn¡¯t simply get beaten up by them.


    After making sure Joaquin was all right, Gwendolyn walked straight to the chair and sat down.


    nonchntly as though there was no one else around.


    She was truly exhausted to the point that so long as she could sit down to negotiate, she would rather


    do that than negotiate standing up.


    Kaycey, however, took Gwendolyn¡¯s behavior as a sign ofplete disrespect toward him.


    ¡°Your artist has upset me, and yourpany¡¯s contract is problematic. And this is your attitude as


    you¡¯re begging for my help?¡±


    ¡°Who said I came here to beg for your help?¡± Gwendolyn replied with a chuckle.


    Kaycey looked at her with confusion.


    Gwendolyn shifted to a morefortable sitting position. Noticing that she appeared rather exhausted,


    Joaquin, being considerate, stood behind her and gently massaged her shoulders.


    After enjoying Joaquin¡¯s thoughtful service for a moment, she went on, ¡°I¡¯m here asking for


    compensation.¡±


    ¡°What? Compensation?¡± Kaycey nearly choked withughter as he continued, ¡°I haven¡¯t even asked for


    compensation for the losses and damages caused. Yet, you people have the nerve to approach me


    and demandpensation from me?¡±


    Gwendolyn cleared her throat. ¡°You said there was an issue with the contract signed with Angle, and


    it¡¯s for that reason that you detained Joaquin and asked for an extension, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°However, the contract was signed by your person in charge after repeated confirmations. You were not


    forced by Angle to sign it. Since it was signed after confirmation, it proves that there is no problem with


    the contract. So, who is the one trying to exploit legal loopholes by bringing up the contract again?¡±


    ¡°You-


    Kaycey never expected her reasoning to be so clear and to exin it in such a sharp tone. However,


    Gwendolyn cut him off before he could finish his retort.


    The filming duration for artists is agreed upon in the contracts. You deliberately refused to let him leave


    and demanded he work for free. Just because he disagreed, you threatened to destroy him. Not


    only are you shameless and morally bankrupt, but you¡¯ve alsomitted crimes of personal threats


    and illegal detention. Angle¡¯s legal department is not to be trifled with. Do you want to give it a try?¡±


    Kaycey wanted to interject several times during her speech, but Gwendolyn¡¯s unstoppable speech


    effectively stopped him from doing so.


    ¡°Angle¡¯s artists don¡¯t take bullying so easily. Mr. Cameron, you may be well-known in the film and


    television industry, but unfortunately, Angle is not interested in coborating with you. We won¡¯t be


    shooting your movie!¡±


    After saying that, she stood up, ready to leave with Joaquin.


    Kaycey was furious. ¡°You better think this through! You¡¯re the one who suggested terminating the


    contract, so you¡¯ll have to pay a huge amount of liquidated damages.¡±


    Gwendolyn turned back and red at him. ¡°Well, sorry to disappoint, but I won¡¯t give you a single cent.


    On the contrary, you better be prepared to pay us.¡±


    What? Not only is she breaking the contract, but she also wants us to pay? That¡¯s some pretty big talk


    from her!


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll expose this matter online? Do you still care about the reputation of your


    artists?¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already informed the legal department to sue you. You were the


    one who first dishonored the contract and then detained our artist. My suggestion for contract


    termination is justified and reasonable. If you don¡¯t believe me, go ahead and try me.¡±


    As herst words fell, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t want to waste any more time talking to him, so she grabbed


    Joaquin¡¯s hand and left.


    Kaycey and his gang tried to stop her, but Joanne blocked their way and said, ¡°Ms. Shalders is very


    busy, and she doesn¡¯t have time to argue with you any longer. Please wait patiently for the court


    summons, Mr. Cameron. If you have any further questions, then please speak to our legal department.¡±


    Gwendolyn went back to the car and shoved the dejected Joaquin into the passenger seat.


    The handsome young man lowered his head like a guilty little puppy. Gone was his usual spirited and


    confident demeanor.


    Gwendolyn could not fathom it. It hasn¡¯t been that long since Ist saw him. Why has he be like


    this?


    ¡°Did Old Mr. Zipper punish you again? Did he hit you too hard? Let me take a look.¡±


    As she spoke, she tried to grab Joaquin¡¯s pants.


    Joaquin¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment, and he quickly pushed her hand away and mumbled,


    ¡°No! I¡¯m an adult now. Shouldn¡¯t I have some dignity?


    Gwendolyn observed his expression and recalled that when he was walking to the car earlier, he


    seemed to move smoothly and didn¡¯t look like he had been beaten.


    Besides, he had been busy with filming recently and showed a serious attitude. There should not be


    anything to criticize about him.


    ¡°The Zipper family has always been notorious for being troublemakers, yet this time you actually


    managed to suffer a loss at the hands of a sc*mbag director like Kaycey. What on earth happened to


    you?¡± asked Gwendolyn.


    Joaquin sighed softly and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just thought you didn¡¯t like that side of me, so I¡¯ve


    been trying to change. Gwendolyn, please give me some more time, I promise I¡¯ll be someone


    you like.¡±


    After carefully listening to what he had to say, Gwendolyn was shocked but she did not agree.


    721


    ¡°Why did you want to change? Is it really worth it to do so just because of my preferences?¡±


    Joaquin nodded, his eyes filled with determination. ¡°It¡¯s worth it as long as you like it.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brow and said in a serious tone, ¡°Everyone is unique. You don¡¯t have to


    change yourself for someone else or be inferior because of others. Being true to yourself is the


    best way to show off your own charm.¡±


    At first, it was because she fell in love with Maverick that she foolishly thought changing herself and


    giving everything she had would make Maverick fall in love with her.


    In the end, she got nothing in return other than humiliation, mockery, heartbreak, and unbearable


    torment.


    However, she would soon reim all those painful memories from that man.


    As she had experienced it herself, she did not want her friends to get hurt for such reasons.


    Joaquin remained silent and his expression was still very gloomy.


    Gwendolyn sighed inwardly because she knew he was still too young to understand. No matter how


    many profound truths she told him, he probably wouldn¡¯t get much of it.


    The only thing she could think to do to help him unwind and cheer him up was to suggest having dinner


    together.


    As expected, Joaquin, whose personality was still like a child¡¯s, instantly cheered up, and the familiar


    sparkle in his eyes quickly returned.


    After he meticulously disguised himself, the two of them went to Faike¡¯s most lively Ninth Avenue to


    enjoy skewers.


    Gwendolyn was worn out after a hectic day. As soon as she returned to the vi, she went straight to


    bed.


    Treyton felt sorry for his sister and instructed Flora to quietly turn off the rm clock by her bedside.


    Gwendolyn slept in the next day and only woke up at hoon. After washing up, she went straight to


    Angle for work.


    Sherman came not long after she sat down.


    After exchanging pleasantries, Sherman cut to the chase.


    ¡°Over the past few days, I¡¯ve been researching the Faike market, and I found a small real estate


    company that would be perfect for you as a stepping stone.¡±


    As he spoke, he handed over documents that contained thepany¡¯s details to Gwendolyn for her


    review.


    It was apany that was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy. Due to its small size, hardly anyone in


    the market noticed it, and the owner¡¯s background was quite clean.


    It was truly ideal for her to purchase and operate discretely.


    ¡°Thank you so much. You¡¯ve really helped a lot,¡± Gwendolyn said gratefully.


    Blushing slightly, Sherman stated, ¡°Even though I don¡¯t exactly know what you want to do with it, I¡¯m


    d I could be of help. That¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    Gwendolyn took care of things quickly and efficiently. On the same day, she bought thepany and


    became thergest shareholder and owner behind it,


    When it was time to sign the agreement, the former boss was confused.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the reason you insist on buying thepany, but you didn¡¯t change the registered name,


    and you did not disclose to the public that you are the real boss of thepany. Why did you decide to


    do that?¡±

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    Chapter 93 We Must Win The Bid


    Gwendolyn smiled faintly. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know the reason. Just do as I say.¡±


    The former boss didn¡¯t say anything more, and both parties quicklypleted the signing of the


    agreement.


    Then, Gwendolyn arranged for Yulia from Shadow Bell to join thepany, leading to major changes


    made in terms of thepany¡¯s overall strategy, employee nning, and management.


    After that, she went back to the car and checked her phone for thetest news in the real estate


    industry.


    To her surprise, she discovered that Wright Construction Group was temporarily being managed by


    Fridately.


    She couldn¡¯t help but shake her head in amusement.


    Although Frida used to be a top student in the Department of Finance at Avenport University when she


    was young, years of living a pampered life had long since worn away her business acumen, which had


    only ever been modest to begin with.


    Nheless, having Frida temporarily manage Wright Construction Group could be considered a good


    thing for Gwendolyn.


    If Maverick remained missing for a little longer, Frida and Sheralyn could effortlessly squander the


    Wright family¡¯s wealth without Gwendolyn needing to lift a finger to help.


    Nheless, she didn¡¯t mind pulling a few tricks and giving them a gentle push.


    With that in mind, she discreetly assigned Shadow Bell to investigate the recent investment trends of


    the Wright Construction Group.


    It seemed Frida was particrly interested in a newly developed plot ofnd in the Western suburbs


    lately.


    Thus, Gwendolyn, called Yulia.


    ¡°We need toe up with a solid business proposal for the plot ofnd in the Western suburbs. It¡¯s


    essential.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±


    Meanwhile, Frida was acting like a deputy CEO, enjoying the huge CEO¡¯s office.


    She had seen Den upy that seat before, followed by her husband and son.


    Now, seated in that chair herself, she savored the intoxicating sensation of power coursing through her


    veins.


    If Maverick did not return soon, she thought it wouldn¡¯t be the most terrible idea to enjoy a few more


    days basking in the role of the CEO.


    Lost in her blissful thoughts, Frida was approached by Yannis from the nning department, who came


    over with a dossier.


    ¡°Mrs. Wright, this is the business n for thend in the Western suburbs. There is also a list of other


    companiespeting for thend attached at the back. With this information, we can devise targeted


    strategies to maximize our chances at securing thend in the Western suburbs.¡±


    Frida flipped through the dossier, only to find that the list consisted of the names of a bunch of unknown


    smallpanies.


    How could these smallpanies possiblypete with Wright Construction Group?


    She scoffed disdainfully, ¡°I want to secure the entire piece ofnd, and I won¡¯t settle for anything less. If


    you can¡¯t even defeat a bunch of lousypanies, then get ready to pack your bags!¡±


    Yannis was highly displeased with her words.


    ¡°Mrs. Wright, I¡¯m just a nobody who is responsible for drafting the proposal for thend bidding project.


    I can¡¯t guarantee that we will secure this piece ofnd, as you¡¯ll have to attend the bidding event


    personally.¡±


    After Yannis finished speaking, she turned around and left immediately.


    Frida was infuriated by her attitude. ¡°You dare to speak to me in that tone? Believe it or not, I can fire


    you right now!¡±


    Yannis felt wronged to be scolded that way. Just as she pushed the door open, Samantha happened to


    be entering the office.


    She had overheard their entire conversation loud and clear.


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Lane,¡± the teary-eyed Yannis greeted Samantha with an aggrieved look and left the office


    without looking back.


    Seeing the situation, Samantha approached Frida with a smile and tried to console her. ¡°Aunt Frida,


    there¡¯s no need to argue with her. Even if you don¡¯t like her, don¡¯t let her go at this critical moment. If


    necessary, you can always fire her after the bidding event is over.¡±


    Speaking gently, Samantha went to Frida and reached out to massage thetter¡¯s shoulders.


    After a few days of rest, the injury on her face had healed, but she would probably never forget the


    humiliation that she experienced that day at the ceremony for the rest of her life.


    Philip Lane was a businessman who prioritized his own interests above all else. Despite knowing that


    Samantha had been wronged, he was reluctant to take the risk of helping her to deal with Gwendolyn


    due to his connections with Treyton and Rory.


    Since that was the case, Samantha could only find her own way to take revenge by herself and begin


    with Frida.


    When Frida saw Samantha, she calmed down slightly and reached out to hold Samantha¡¯s hand


    affectionately.


    ¡°Samantha! Thank goodness for you! Otherwise, I would have been driven mad by these


    troublemakers. You must have learned a lot about business management during your studies abroad. I


    will definitely need your help and support in the future.¡±


    Those were the exact words that Samantha was waiting for.


    She smiled faintly and blushed as she replied humbly. ¡°Not really, I just know a few things here and


    there. But don¡¯t worry, Aunt Frida, I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Initially, Frida was merely being courteous when she assigned Samantha to a vacant managerial


    position in thepany.


    However, it only took Samantha an afternoon to organize the existing departments, which had always


    been a mess, and sort out the internal structures of thepany clearly.


    Now, Frida hadplete trust in her and entrusted her with the management of two more departments.


    Three dayster was the day of the bidding event for thend in the Western suburbs.


    Frida left Samantha at Wright Construction Group to handle thepany¡¯s affairs while she attended


    the event with her daughter, Sheralyn.


    The two stood at the entrance, exchanging pleasantries with the executives from otherpanies who


    had alsoe to bid.


    After briefly scanning through all thepanies that attended the event, Frida felt her confidence level


    skyrocket and had no doubts that she would win the bid.


    As the two were about to enter, they suddenly heard amotion behind them.


    They turned around and saw a cool silver-grey Maybach pull up near them.


    The passenger door opened, and a woman stepped out, d in a rose-colored, slim-fit dress, looking


    simple yet elegant.


    Her face, which was not only stunning but was also exquisitely made-up, caused Frida and Sheralyn


    both to gape in awe.


    It¡¯s Gwendolyn, that b*tch!


    ¡°Mom, what is she doing here at the bidding event?¡± Sheralyn whispered to Frida while ring angrily


    in Gwendolyn¡¯s direction.


    Frida shook her head.


    She couldn¡¯t quite understand it either, but the happenings from the opening ceremony of the Mossey


    family¡¯s business a few days ago were still fresh in her memory.


    Sheralyn, who seemed to share her thoughts, asked, ¡°Could it be that this b*tch knew we would win the


    bid today, so she deliberately came to cause trouble?


    At that thought, the two approached Gwendolyn just as she closed the car door and was turning


    around. They greeted her with warm smiles. In the eyes of the outsiders, it would seem as if they were


    exchanging pleasantries with Gwendolyn in a friendly manner.


    Seeing that the attention around them had lessened, Sheralyn gritted her teeth and quietly asked,


    Why are you so persistent? You¡¯ve had the spotlight a few times before already. You must be feeling


    quite smug, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Gwendolyn covered her mouth and smiled gracefully. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you mean you can


    participate in the bidding, but I can¡¯t?¡±


    Sheralyn felt as though she had just heard the biggest joke in the world.


    ¡°You? You want to bid on thend in the Western suburbs? Am I hearing this right?¡±


    She nced at Frida, who couldn¡¯t help butughed. ¡°Did you think Treyton would personally rig the


    bid just for you? Besides, even if you won, do you even have the money to buy thend?¡±


    The strong influence Treyton had on the entertainment industry was a well-known fact, but he had


    never been involved in the real estate business.


    Gwendolyn simply smiled, and her expression still remained poised and graceful.


    Before she could exin, the driver¡¯s door of the Maybach opened.


    ¡°What a coincidence! I¡¯m also interested in this bidding event.¡±


    d in a suit, a handsome young man with a hint of roguish charm walked around the front of the car


    and came to stand next to Gwendolyn.


    That arrogant voice was unmistakably Joaquin¡¯s.


    Frida was taken aback.


    Why would Joaquin be here too? Could it be that the Zipper family is actually interested innd in the


    Western suburbs as well?

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    Chapter 94 Congrattions To Wright Construction Group For Winning The Bid In Advance


    However, she hadn¡¯t seen the name of the Zipper family on the participant list beforehand.


    If the Zipper family really wanted to snatch this piece ofnd, then this bidding would be difficult!


    Frida¡¯s face darkened, while Sheralyn¡¯s focus was on something entirely different from Frida¡¯s.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯re stringing my brother along while also flirting with Mr. Harris. And now, it seems like


    your rtionship with Mr. Zipper isn¡¯t so innocent either!¡±


    As Sheralyn thought of thest time Joaquin took Gwendolyn to the Mossey family¡¯s wee party,


    and now the bidding conference, Sheralyn was consumed by jealousy.


    ¡°Does Treyton know about your two-timing behavior¡±


    Before Gwendolyn could say anything, Joaquin furrowed his brow and sneered.


    ¡°With that t face and unattractive eyes of yours, you¡¯re too ugly that it¡¯s unbearable to look at. Your


    voice is unbearable, too. Naturally, you wouldn¡¯t understand how charming and appealing Gwendolyn


    is.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Joaquin was young and hot-tempered. He always had a sharp tongue when it came to people he


    disliked.


    Sheralyn¡¯s face flushed with anger.


    She had always been confident in her looks and had been praised and admired wherever she went.


    This was the first time someone had despised her like this.


    And the fact that it was Joaquin, the infamous troublemaker and popr rising star from the Zipper


    family, made it even more infuriating.


    Even though she was furious, she dared not vent her anger on the Zipper family. Hence, she vented


    her frustration on Gwendolyn.


    ¡°What on earth did you do to win them over? Why are they all siding with you?¡±


    Gwendolyn just smiled and didn¡¯t answer.


    The more nonchnt Gwendolyn seemed, the more Sheralyn thought she was deliberately putting on


    a show.


    ¡°Just wait. I¡¯ll make you pay!¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    Sheralyn¡¯s words didn¡¯t faze her at all. All Sheralyn could do was re back fiercely, attempting to


    overpower Gwendolyn with sheer presence.


    Joaquin strode ahead of Gwendolyn and cast a disdainful nce at Frida and Sheralyn standing


    across


    from them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Talking to this kind of person for even a few more words makes the air at the entrance feel


    dirty.¡±


    Gwendolyn allowed him to lead her into the venue.


    Sheralyn stomped her foot in anger. If gazes could kill, she would have in Gwendolyn a thousand


    times over.


    Frida, on the other hand, was burdened with heavy thoughts. No one knew what was going through her


    mind.


    Inside the conference hall, before the bidding officially began, representatives from variouspanies


    spontaneously formed small groups, interacting and supporting each other.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Gwendolyn scanned the entire room, eventually spotting Yulia amidst a seemingly inconspicuous


    crowd.


    It was as if they had a silent connection.


    Yulia caught the gaze and nced at Gwendolyn as well. Their eyes seemed to bemunicating


    something without words.


    Reaching an unspoken understanding, their gazes naturally shifted away, as if nothing had transpired


    between them.


    Joaquin, who had been dragged along as an extra, remained oblivious. He was reading the detailed


    description of the Western suburbs prepared by the organizers. He turned to Gwendolyn and asked,


    ¡°Gwendolyn, do you really like this piece ofnd? If you do, I can buy it for you as a gift.¡±


    Gwendolyn chuckled. ¡°If you dare to buy it and Old Mr. Zipper finds out, he¡¯ll surely break your legs.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t punish me because it¡¯s a gift for you. He would actually be delighted.¡±


    He smiled softly. His eyes twinkled as he looked at her ¡°Besides, even if I do end up getting punished, it


    would be worth it for my queen.¡±


    Gwendolyn flicked his forehead. ¡°Stop being checky


    Ouch! Joaquin put on a dramatic act and covered his forehead with a pitiful look and wanted to seek


    comfort.


    While the two of them were engaged in their yful banter, the bidding conferencemenced.


    Representatives from various majorpanies began entering the main hall.


    The seating arrangement had been prearranged, so Gwendolyn went straight to her assigned seat in


    the front row with her name on it.


    As the host began the opening remarks, the bidding conference officiallymenced.


    A server politely approached the seats to collect the bidding proposals and quotations from each


    When he came to Joaquin and Gwendolyn, Joaquin waved him off, indicating they had nothing to


    submit.


    The server was taken aback and awkwardly skipped past them to collect information from the next


    Frida, seated slightly to the right in the front row, observed the situation intently.


    Seeing that Joaquin didn¡¯t even have a proposal and appeared quite rxed, she finally breathed a


    sigh of relief.


    Since the Zipper family had no intention ofpeting for this piece ofnd, it could only mean that the


    land would fall into the hands of Wright Construction Group.


    With this thought in mind, Frida cast aside her nervousness and reced it with a confident and proud.


    demeanor. Standing up in front of everyone, she gracefully ced Wright Construction Group¡¯s bidding


    documents and proposal into the wooden box held by the server.


    Otherpanies, seeing her determined demeanor, gradually began to make amotion.


    ¡°It seems that Mr. Zipper is just here for the fun, but with bigpanies like Wright Construction Group


    blocking the way, it¡¯s likely that the Western suburbsnd will be out of our reach.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a pity we came all this way for nothing. I guess we can only congratte Wright Construction


    Group in advance.¡±


    Everyone sighed in defeat.


    Frida heard it all, fueling her sense of aplishment.


    She humbly stood up and smiled at thepanies¡¯ persons in charge in the front and back, as if she


    were the host.


    ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience, but I have to inform you that Wright Construction Group was


    determined to secure this piece ofnd. I understand this may be disappointing for everyone, but rest


    assured that your efforts won¡¯t be in vain. All thepanies that participated in the bidding today will


    have the opportunity topete for the subsequent development project of the Western suburbsnd


    for Wright Construction Group.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes


    lit up when they heard those words.


    They originally didn¡¯t have high hopes in bidding on thend sessfully. However, they now had the


    opportunity to coborate with Wright Construction Group. It was certainly a chance they would never


    miss.


    Everyone was showering Frida withpliments and ttery.


    ¡°Mrs. Wright, you are truly impressive! With you at the helm, Wright Construction Group will -


    undoubtedly flourish!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mrs. Wright is generous. I must say that mypany, Oceanic Constructions, has the


    best reputation in this area. Please do give us some careful consideration, Mrs. Wright!¡±


    Under the waves of ttery, Frida felt ted. So this was the position of power that all thepanies


    had been fighting for? This is so awesome!


    She suppressed the ecstasy in her heart and calmly waved her hand, signaling for everyone to quiet


    down and listen to her.


    ¡°Everyone, rest assured that all you need to do is submit your proposals, and Wright Construction.


    Group will select three outstandingpanies to coborate with. It will be a win-win situation for


    everyone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic! Mrs. Wright is so magnanimous! Mrs. Wright is so generous!¡±


    With this move, Frida earned a wealth of positive reputation for Wright Construction Group.


    Sheralyn, too, was basked in the glory of the praise.


    She turned her head and subconsciously nced in Gwendolyn¡¯s direction.


    To her surprise, Gwendolyn was casually ying with her phone, seemingly unconcerned about the


    situation.


    She walked over to Gwendolyn¡¯s seat with a cold snort, tilting her chin, and said, ¡°Gwendolyn, once the


    hostes out, they will announce that the Western suburbsnd belongs to Wright Construction


    Group. Everyone feels happy for Wright Construction Group. Why don¡¯t you say a fewplimentary


    words as well?¡±


    Gwendolyn put down her phone, a slight smile ying at the corner of her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty and


    let¡¯s not speak too soon. If it¡¯s not awarded to Wright Construction Group, won¡¯t you all be left feeling


    utterly embarrassed?¡±


    How could it not be awarded to Wright Construction Group? Which otherpany present could even


    compete with them?


    To Sheralyn, Gwendolyn¡¯s words were nothing but over-confident.


    Sheralyn looked at her sarcastically, and a hint of malice shed in her eyes. ¡°Do you dare to make a


    bet with me?¡±

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    Chapter 95 This Bidding Does Not Count


    Gwendolyn became interested. ¡°What are we betting on?¡±


    ¡°If Wright Construction Group wins the bidter, youll have to strip naked in front of everyone and admit


    that you¡¯re a cheap woman who likes to seduce men! Then, leave Faike and never show your face


    on the screen again!¡±


    A bet with so many demands. This is clearly a tant humiliation!


    Joaquin, feeling displeased, was about to retaliate on behalf of Gwendolyn but was stopped by her.


    Gwendolyn smiled faintly and continued Sheralyn¡¯s words, ¡°I won¡¯t ask for much. If anotherpany


    wins the bid, all you have to do is kneel on the spot and bow three times.¡±


    Sheralyn was momentarily stunned.


    Then she felt that she wouldn¡¯t lose anyway, so it didn¡¯t matter what they bet.


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll be waiting for you to strip off your clothes and lose all your dignity!¡±


    After delivering her harsh words, Sheralyn swaggered back to her own seat.


    Just as she sat down, the host walked out and announced the results.


    After some official words, he took out the final result sheet and announced, ¡°Firstly, for the plot in


    Yeringham, congrattions to Sorento Constructions for winning the bid¡­¡±


    Those were all insignificant plots ofnd.


    As the host announced each winningpany, apuse from the audience below followed.


    Sheralyn listened as the mention of Western suburbs drew nearer. She felt incredibly excited, even a


    little nervous.


    She instinctively nced at Gwendolyn¡¯s reaction, only to find her still calm as ever.


    She was intrigued to see how Gwendolyn would react once the results were announced.


    ¡°Finally, wee to the most sought-after prime location the Western suburbsnd! Who will be the


    lucky winner to secure this piece ofnd?¡±


    On stage, the host had a mysterious expression as he finally introduced today¡¯s main event.


    The atmosphere at the scene became lively in anticipation.


    Frida was initially feeling a bit uneasy, but when she saw the host nce in her direction a couple of


    times, she immediately felt reassured.


    ¡°Let us congratte the biggest winner of the bidding conference¡­¡±


    As the host announced the winner, Frida immediately stood up.


    She even turned around, smiling and waving toward the seats behind her with a triumphant expression


    as if she had won the jackpot.


    174


    ¡°The winner of the Western suburbsnd is Amryn Real Estate. Congrattions!¡±


    Frida was about to step onto the stage to give her speech when she suddenly heard an unfamiliar


    name, causing her to freeze in ce.


    Amryn Real Estate? It wasn¡¯t Wright Construction Group. How could this be possible? When did such


    an insignificant littlepany emerge? I have never even heard of it!


    At this moment, her gesture of standing up and waving felt like that of a clown.


    The words Amryn Real Estate felt like a series of heavy ps in her face, leaving her utterly humiliated.


    Whispers began to emerge from the audience.


    When the crowd looked at Frida, their expression turned sharp.


    Sheralyn stood up in disbelief and challenged the host. ¡°This is impossible! Who even is Amryn Real


    Estate? In terms of qualifications, pricing, or reputation, how can theypare to Wright Construction.


    Group? Are you guys colluding and manipting things behind our backs?¡±


    The host¡¯s face darkened.


    ¡°Ms. Wright, please be mindful of your choice of words. Our decision was made afterparing the


    bidding documents and proposals submitted by eachpany. It was absolutely fair and just.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it! Unless you provide evidence! Otherwise, I won¡¯t ept it!¡± Sheralyn persisted,


    refusing to back down.


    Now, the host was in a dilemma.


    Where would they get evidence from?


    The bidding documents and proposals were strictly confidential and could not be disclosed. For any


    company, this was a major taboo.


    Nheless, if they didn¡¯t present something, it would make people think there was something fishy


    going on.


    Seeing that the host remained silent, Sheralyn sneered in triumph. ¡°As long as you can¡¯t produce any


    evidence, the bid for the Western suburbs will be considered invalid!¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    The host wore a troubled expression, and Gwendolyn exchanged a nce with Yulia, who was seated


    in the back corner.


    Yulia understood and immediately stood up, walking toward the stage.


    ¡°Whether this bidding counts or not is not for Ms. Wright to decide!¡±


    Upon hearing the resounding female voice, everyone turned their heads and was immediately taken


    aback.


    It was surprising to see the person in charge of Amryn Real Estate sitting in such an inconspicuous:


    back row, which indicated how small thepany¡¯s reputation and scale were!


    They wondered how such a smallpany seeded in the bidding.


    If they couldn¡¯tpare to Wright Construction Group, did they also fall shortpared to Amryn


    Real Estate?


    Majorpanies began to echo Sheralyn¡¯s words, demanding the bidding be deemed invalid.


    The voices of the crowd became fervent for a moment.


    Upon receiving Gwendolyn¡¯s instructions, Yulia confidently walked onto the stage and picked up the


    microphone.


    ¡°Since everyone insists, let¡¯s project the bidding documents for everyone to see! Let everyone know


    that Amryn Real Estate won based on our strength and capabilities!¡±


    The crowed sneered.


    They simply didn¡¯t believe that such a smallpany could produce anything remarkable.


    The host quickly informed the organizers of the matter.


    They eventually agreed to Yulia¡¯s request.


    Two minutester, therge screen began to disy Amryn Real Estate¡¯s bidding documents.


    At first nce, it seemed quite ordinary.


    However, as they delved deeper into the document, they realized the remarkable capabilities


    possessed by the individual behind the writing of this bidding proposal.


    Whether it was the industry analysis or themercial market analysis of the Western suburbsnd,


    everything was extremely precise and sharp.


    The crowd was utterly shocked that they were at a loss for words.


    They never expected that a smallpany like Amryn Real Estate would have such hidden talent and.


    remarkable individuals.


    A curious individual stood up and asked Yulia, ¡°Excuse me, Miss. May I ask if you wrote this bidding


    document?¡±


    Yulia shook her head. ¡°No, my boss wrote this personally.¡±


    No one knew that the real reason behind it was that the staff from both Shadow Bell and Amryn Real


    Estate couldn¡¯t produce anything good. They had submitted several versions of the proposal, but


    Gwendolyn was extremely dissatisfied with all of them.


    In the end, Gwendolyn had no choice but to take matters into her own hands, and she had stayed up


    all night toplete it.


    However, the real mastermind, Gwendolyn, furrowed her brows and shot Yulia a fierce re.


    Realizing that she had said too much, Yulia quickly lowered her head, avoiding eye contact with her.


    The crowd remained oblivious to the subtle exchange between the two of them.


    Everyone was curious about the owner of Amryn Real Estate.


    Despite its unassuming appearance, the presence of a capable figure behind Amryn Real Estate was


    evident.


    If they were to continue their development, they could potentially be a formidablepetitor.


    Many people began to secretly search the inte, attempting to uncover the mysterious and low-


    profile owner behind Amryn Real Estate.


    With the overwhelming strength demonstrated in that bid proposal, no one on-site dared to question


    further.


    Though Sheralyn couldn¡¯t fullyprehend the details, she could gauge the situation from the


    expressions of the crowd and Frida. All she could do was try to reduce her presence and remain


    inconspicuous.


    Upon seeing that all the majorpanies were thoroughly convinced, Yulia began to express her


    thoughts. ¡°Lastly, on behalf of thepany, I would like to express our gratitude to Mrs. Wright of


    Wright Construction Group. Without Mrs. Wright¡¯s modesty, Amryn Real Estate might never have had


    the opportunity.¡±


    These words undoubtedly delivered a harsh p to Frida¡¯s face.


    Everyone present was well aware of how arrogant Frida had been previously. The notion of her being


    modest was nothing but a joke.


    Frida¡¯s face turned red. Just moments ago, she was basking in the praise from others, but now she


    wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.


    However, due to Wright Construction Group¡¯s dominant position in the real estate industry, the other


    companies, although dissatisfied, did not dare to voice any overly provocative remarks.


    The bidding conference came to a sessful conclusion.


    People began to disperse gradually.


    Sheralyn hunched over and hid behind Frida, attempting to leave nonchntly as if nothing had


    happened.


    However, Joaquin quickly intercepted her with his long legs to block her way.


    Just then, Gwendolyn¡¯s mockingughter echoed from behind.


    ¡°Ms. Wright, are you nning to leave so abruptly without saying anything?¡±

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    Chapter 96 Too Far


    The previous incident at the Wright residence still haunted Sheralyn.


    She didn¡¯t think she would lose initially, which was why she arrogantly made the bet.


    Now that she had lost the bet, she began feeling afraid,


    +50 Bonus


    After all, the previous incident happened at the Wright residence, and she had only lost face in front of


    those housekeepers who had signed a confidentiality agreement.


    If she was unhappy, she could just take it out on the housekeepers. Who would dare to criticize her?


    However, this time, if she were to kneel and prostrate herself to that despicable person in front of so


    many outsiders, how could she continue to mingle with high society in the future?


    There was no way she would kneel no matter what!


    She hid behind Frida and argued unwillingly, ¡°It was just a joke. Why are you taking it so seriously?¡±


    Joaquin folded his arms and sneered, ¡°So you deny losing when you lose a bet. I didn¡¯t expect the


    Wright family to be a bunch of shameless creatures.¡±


    Frida was left bewildered by the criticism.


    After asking Sheralyn about the matter, she learned about Sheralyn¡¯s bet with Gwendolyn and tried to


    smooth things over with kind words.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, please show some mercy. Sheralyn is still young, and we can¡¯t take a child¡¯s joke


    seriously. Besides, how will she face people in the future if you embarrass her in front of so many


    others?¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled and countered, ¡°If I were the one to lose the bet, would you have passed up the


    opportunity to humiliate me?¡±


    Of course not! Ever since this wretched woman got divorced, she doesn¡¯t even consider me as her


    former mother-inw. All I can think about all day is ways to get back at her!


    Of course, Frida couldn¡¯t say that out loud.


    She gave a gentle smile. Just as she was about to speak Sheralyn snatched the opportunity away with


    her words.


    ¡°How can that be the same? I am the daughter of the Wright family! Who do you think you are? Of


    course, my reputation is more important than yours!¡±


    After hearing this, Gwendolyn¡¯s face darkenedpletely.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be willing to lose if you dare to bet. Mrs. Wright, you keep saying that she¡¯s a child. Have


    you forgotten that Ms. Wright is already an adult, and she is responsible for her words?¡±


    These words were spoken by Yulia as she walked down from the stage.


    She stepped forward and continued, ¡°If out of it, I¡¯m afraid her reputation in high


    Ms. Wright doesn¡¯t honor the bet and tries to weasel her way


    society won¡¯t be good either.¡±


    Chapter 96 Too Far


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you!¡±


    Sheralyn grabbed Frida¡¯s arm and red at her resentfully.


    +50 Bonus


    Frida looked back and forth between her and Gwendolyn, saying doubtfully, ¡°Ms. Sullivan, you¡¯re


    speaking up for her as soon as you step out. It seems like you¡¯ve known each other for quite some


    time, no?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of principle.¡±


    B


    She didn¡¯t look at Gwendolyn, and both of them appeared as if they wereplete strangers.


    Frida nced back and forth between the two, not giving it much thought.


    Sheralyn, however, became furious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! The bet earlier doesn¡¯t count! I will never bow down to you, you wretch!¡±


    After she finished speaking, she recklessly tried to push Joaquin away and leave the venue.


    A cold glint shed in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes as she spoke. That¡¯s not up to you.¡±


    As soon as the words were spoken, Sheralyn had a bad premonition. Suddenly, she felt a pain in the


    back of her knee as something hit her.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    She was in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t stand firm and fell forward, falling t on her face right at


    Gwendolyn¡¯s feet.


    Joaquin and Yulia burst intoughter on the spot.


    Her fall was utterly embarrassing!


    If she had the sense to kneel herself, she might not have ended up in such a miserable state.


    Gwendolyn looked down at Sheralyn, who was by her feet, a faint smirk on her lips. ¡°Good girl, you¡¯re


    so obedient. Next time, remember not to make bets so casually.¡±


    Sheralyn tried to struggle to her feet, but her knees were in too much pain to muster any strength. Her


    hands slipped, and she fell back down to her knees.


    Joaquin was close toughing his butt off.


    It was a shame that most of the people had already left the scene by now, so only a few had witnessed


    Sheralyn¡¯s embarrassing state.


    Out of fear of offending Wright Construction Group, they could only cover their mouths and sniggered.


    Sheralyn felt both embarrassed and annoyed.. ¡°You wretch! How dare you plot against me!¡± Beside


    her, Frida¡¯s face turned green. She hurriedly went to help Sheralyn up.


    Yet, after pulling for a while, she failed to lift Sheralyn up. Instead, she was dragged by Shealyn,


    causing her to slip and fall as well.


    Upon seeing this, Gwendolyn was slightly taken aback and was ttered. ¡°Mrs. Wright, you¡¯re being too


    kind. There¡¯s no need for you to personally pay me such great respects, although I can handle such


    courtesy from you as well.¡±


    Joaquin¡¯s unrestrainedughter filled the air.


    Frida was furious, her chest heaving with anger as she red up at her.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Due to being in a public setting, she could only grit her teeth and say, ¡°I advise you not to take it too.


    far! Show some restraint!¡±


    Gwendolyn blinked, her eyes sparkling.


    ¡°Too far?¡±


    She paused for a moment, her expression gradually turning cold. ¡°But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve done nearly


    enough. After all, your head hasn¡¯t knock on the ground hard enough yet.¡±


    Sheralyn felt apprehensive. Before she could react, something flew toward her.


    Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck, causing her to lose her strength. Her head felt


    weightless, and it mmed heavily onto the ground.


    Someone let out a soft hiss as the head m was so loud that it sounded painful!


    When she raised her head again, there was arge, red, swollen bump on her forehead, which looked


    quiteical.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    Sheralyn became infuriated and felt too ashamed to face anyone. She felt like going home and


    smothering herself to death with a nket!


    Frida felt both frustrated and heartbroken.


    Nevertheless, this time, it was ultimately Sheralyn¡¯s fault, and she couldn¡¯t just openly curse or say


    anything inappropriate in front of a group of outsiders.


    In the end, Frida helped the limping Sheralyn and left the venue.


    After most of the people had left, the two bodyguards who had been hiding in the shadows and


    throwing stones at Sheralyn finally emerged.


    Gwendolyn smiled generously. ¡°Well done, you¡¯ll get raise after this.¡±


    Meanwhile, in the mountain range connecting Faike and Lightspring, Maverick had practically gone -


    through the entire area in his search over the past few days.


    The various technological instruments they brought along had run out of power.


    The task of finding who they were looking for became increasingly challenging.


    His subordinates sighed in frustration, but they dared not say anything, fearing punishment from their


    boss.


    Maverick leaned against a tree, silently smoking a cigarette.


    If something really happened to her, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to search for so many days and find.


    absolutely no clue whatsoever.


    The leader of his subordinates came over, looking quite helpless, and said, ¡°Boss, is it possible that we


    got the wrong information? Could Ms. Shalders have fallen somewhere else? Maybe it was too dark so


    Noah couldn¡¯t clearly see the approximate location where she hadnded. What if she fell into a river?


    The signal in the mountains is too weak, and we can¡¯t send more people. Maybe we should¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, Maverick¡¯s expression grew increasingly serious. His dark eyes


    narrowed as he uttered, ¡°No, she¡¯s not dead.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The subordinate was dumbfounded.


    How could someone possibly survive a fall from such a high altitude?


    Maverick¡¯s lips were tightly pursed, and he said nothing further.


    Zachary¡¯s information couldn¡¯t be wrong, and Noah didn¡¯t lie either. She did indeed fall from the ne.


    Moreover, the detection equipment he brought couldn¡¯t have malfunctioned. Even if someone fell into


    the river, there would still be some traces.


    Therefore, there was only one possibility left.


    His eyebrows furrowed, and he suddenly thought of something. ¡°Return to Faike!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss!¡±


    His subordinates immediately ryed the order, and a group of people quickly packed their belongings,


    eager to fly back to Faike as though they had wings.


    Just as they were about to leave, a group of people suddenly appeared, supporting each other as they


    walked toward them.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Chapter 97 She Is Set On Wright¡­


    +50 Bonus


    The bespectacled man at the front, who wore a id shirt, asked Maverick, ¡°Sir, we are all tourists


    here. We have been trapped here for days because we got lost. We¡¯ve also lost our luggage and are


    starving. Do you know how to get out of the mountains?¡±


    Maverick remained silent. He only made eye contact with the man. His deep, dark eyes gave no hint of


    what he was thinking.


    The man nced at his subordinates behind him and continued to ingratiate himself with Maverick.


    ¡°Sir, it seems like you¡¯re also nning to leave the mountains. How about we travel together? It would


    be nice to have each other¡¯spany and support.¡±


    In contrast to the man¡¯s enthusiasm, Maverick appeared to be very indifferent.


    He carefully examined the seven or eight men standing behind the man in the id shirt.


    Coming from a military background, Maverick was instinctively wary of the sudden appearance of


    strangers.


    This group of people imed to be tourists that had lost their luggage. However, the dirt on their


    thes seemed fresh, making the group not look like they had not changed their clothes in days. It


    appeared as if the stains were deliberately added.


    Although they were staggering and had to support one another, the brightness in their eyes showed no


    signs of hunger from not eating for days.


    He furrowed his brows, and his face darkened.


    Something is off about this group of people.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    His subordinates, who were standing beside him, quickly noticed the change in his expression and also


    became vignt.


    Maverick¡¯s lips curved into a thin smile as he replied, ¡°No need to apany me. We¡¯re not going the


    same way.¡±


    He turned his head and prepared to leave.


    ¡°So, where are you headed? It¡¯s not a bad idea to make some friends while we¡¯re out and about.¡± The


    man in the id shirt remained enthusiastic, stepping forward to pat him on the shoulder.


    But before he even made contact, his hand was tightly gripped by Maverick.


    The atmosphere on both sides suddenly became somewhat odd.


    Maverick gripped him with one hand while his other hand attempted to reach into the man¡¯s pocket.


    The man became alert and held Maverick¡¯s hand down, but the handle of the brand-new knife in his


    pocket had already been exposed.


    Maverick let out a sneer, his dark eyes cold as ice. ¡°With such a new de, I doubt you¡¯re here just for


    sightseeing. Who sent you here?¡±


    Seeing that he had been discovered, the man no longer pretended. The expression on his face turned


    Chapter 97 She Is Set On Wright¡­


    +50 Bonus


    sinister.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re already here, don¡¯t even think about leaving alive!¡±


    After saying that, he pulled out a small knife and fiercely stabbed it toward Maverick.


    Maverick deftly dodged to the side, and the two quickly became embroiled in a scuffle.


    Upon seeing the situation, the others also grabbed their weapons.


    The two groups of people broke into a brawl right there and then, creating a chaotic scene.


    Frida went back, and after finally calming Sheralyn down, she went to thepany and called


    Samantha over.


    Samantha had just reached the entrance of the CEO¡¯s office when a coffee cup suddenlynded and


    shattered at her feet.


    When she arrived, she had already heard about the Wright Construction Group¡¯s failed bid. So, she


    walked up to Frida with a smile and thoughtfully massaged her temples. ¡°Aunt Frida, being angry is one


    thing, but it¡¯s not worth it if your health is affected.¡±


    Frida¡¯s head throbbed. She closed her eyes, enjoying the massage while soothing her emotions.


    Samantha continued, ¡°About that Amryn Real Estate. I¡¯ve looked into it. It was originally a small


    company on the verge of bankruptcy. But somehow, just a few days ago, it miraculously bounced back.


    And now, they¡¯ve even managed to win the bid for the western outskirts of the city. There must be more


    to it than meets the eye.¡±


    Frida opened her eyes and lovingly held her hand. ¡°Then I¡¯ll entrust this to you, Samantha. Please put


    more effort into finding out who the real owner of this property is. We can offer a better sry to lure


    them into joining Wright Construction Group, as long as they hand over thatnd in the western


    outskirts of the city.¡±


    Samantha frowned. ¡°But Aunt Frida, why would someone give up being their own boss to work for


    Wright Construction Group?¡±


    Frida fell into a brief moment of contemtion.


    ¡°If she can¡¯t be of use to Wright Construction Group, then kick her, and herpany, out of Faike.¡±


    ¡°All right, Aunt Frida, but¡­¡± Samantha hesitated, her expression slightlyplicated.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Frida asked.


    Samantha replied, ¡°Right now, my position at Wright Construction Group is still too low-level. Many


    people don¡¯t believe in me, and if this continues, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to help you much, Aunt


    Frida.¡±.


    Frida made a sweeping gesture with her hand and generously offered, ¡°Whichever departments you


    want, they¡¯re all yours.¡±


    Samantha was overjoyed. ¡°Thank you, Aunt Frida.¡±


    After leaving the CEO¡¯s office, Samantha went straight to the relevant departments to handle the


    Chapter 97 She Is Set On Wright¡­


    +50 Bonus


    handover.


    This time, she requested the HR department and the finance department.


    She was always able to strike the right bnce, asking for just enough without raising Frida¡¯s


    suspicions.


    However, having control over the HR department would make it easy for her to nt her own people in


    thepany, while the finance department was the lifeline of the entire organization.


    With these two departments in her hands, it would only be a matter of time before Wright Construction


    Group became her ything.


    Once I own Wright Construction Group, I will have a significant amount of power. The first person to


    deal with is the despicable woman, Gwendolyn, who made me lose face at the Mossey family¡¯s


    opening ceremony!


    Excitement filled Samantha¡¯s eyes at the thought of that.


    But she did not let herself get carried away. She still had to do the tasks Frida assigned.


    Hence, she decided to secretly arrange for someone to infiltrate Amryn Real Estate. It would be nothing


    but beneficial for them in the future, be it to gather information or to cause trouble.


    Gwendolyn was sitting in the office at Angle, taking care of misceneous tasks.


    Suddenly, she received a phone call from Yulia.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Yulia¡¯s tone was serious. ¡°Boss, there¡¯s some inside information about Wright Construction Group.¡±


    ¡°Speak,¡± Gwendolyn ordered.


    ¡°Frida handed over five departments, including the HR department and finance department, to


    Samantha,¡± Yulia reported.


    Gwendolynughed and shook her head.


    How fearless must Frida be to entrust the management of the finance department to someone from


    outside her family? It seems that it won¡¯t be long before Wright Construction Group ispletely


    destroyed by Frida, with all its assets ending up in Samantha¡¯s hands. Frida knows nothing about.


    running a business, yet she dares to squander Den¡¯s lifelong efforts. If Den were to find out, he¡¯d


    probably rise from his grave just to beat this spendthrift woman to death.


    Unfortunately, although Gwendolyn would have been happy to see Wright Construction Group fall into


    ruin, she had promised Den before his death that she would help protect Wright Construction Group.


    Thus, she decided to set her sights on Wright Construction Group!


    After sorting out her thoughts, she spoke to Yulia, who was on the other end of the phone. ¡°Assign


    someone to closely monitor Samantha and inform me immediately if there¡¯s any movement, Also, if


    Wright Construction Group secretly starts selling shares, buy them all, regardless of the price.¡±


    ¡°Yes, got it.¡± After receiving the instructions, Yulia quickly went to make the arrangements.


    An hourter, Gwendolyn received another phone call from Yulia.


    Yulia started, ¡°You guessed it right-there¡¯s been some activity from Samantha¡¯s side. Among the people


    who just applied for a job at Amryn Real Estate, one person¡¯s background looks quite suspicious. I had


    someone trace his calls and found out that he had spoken with an unknown number today. Soon after,


    his ount had an additional one million.¡±


    She paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Should we threaten this kick them out to show Samantha


    our strength?¡±


    person, rough them up a bit, and


    Gwendolyn pondered for a moment, a slight smile ying at the corner of her lips.


    ¡°No, hire him,¡± she decided.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Yulia was baffled. ¡°This person must be a corporate spy sent by Samantha. Aren¡¯t you afraid


    that he¡¯ll leakpany secrets if you keep him around?¡±


    Gwendolyn exined, ¡°It¡¯s easier to keep an eye on someone when they¡¯re right under your nose, and


    besides, I want him to reveal the secrets.¡±


    Her voice was calm and steady, and she had a glint in her eyes that conveyed her determination to


    seed.


    She concluded, ¡°It probably won¡¯t be long before Samantha drains the resources of Wright


    Construction Group, and this time, we¡¯re going to help her out!¡±

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    Chapter 98 I Really Like You


    After finishing her call with Yulia, Gwendolyn tidied up her office desk and prepared to head to the top.


    floor to find Treyton.


    Kieran had been in Faike for quite some time. She nned to visit the Mossey residence with


    Treyton to check on Inez¡¯s condition, hoping to free Kieran as soon as possible.


    Upon arriving at the top floor, the CEO¡¯s office, Elisha was not waiting outside.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t give it much thought. Since the office door was not locked, she pushed the door


    open.


    When the door was opened a little, she heard a deep, teady voice from inside, seemingly talking on the


    phone.


    ¡°Asher, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too aggressive? After all, it¡¯s Kiddo¡¯s matter, and I think she might


    have her own ns¡­¡±


    It¡¯s about me? What could be making Treyton act so mysterious?


    She was just about to eavesdrop a little more when the door was suddenly pushed open from the


    inside. Elisha had noticed her presence keenly.


    Treyton put away his phone with a natural expression and looked at her gently. ¡°When did you arrive?


    Why didn¡¯t youe in when you got here?¡±


    Gwendolyn felt embarrassed from being caught red-handed and awkwardly touched the tip of her car.


    ¡°I just arrived. I was hoping to go to the Mossey residence with you when you¡¯re free to check on Inez¡¯s


    condition.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ve just finished up with my work. We can go now.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded obediently.


    When their eyes met, she noticed his expression was calm andposed.


    Did I hear it wrong?


    She didn¡¯t overthink it. Even if her brothers hid something from her, they would never harm her.


    As the two were preparing to head to the Mossey residence, they received a message from Kieran.


    Inez¡¯s health was no longer a major concern. Since Kieran had lingered in Faike for too long, he was


    already on his way to the private airport, preparing to return to Lightspring.


    The two had no choice but to head to the private airport.


    In the car¡¯s back seat, Gwendolyn asionally nced over at Treyton sitting beside her. Treyton was


    engrossed in reading the newspaper with his head lowered. The sunlight streamed in through the


    window, casting a warm light on his hair. His handsome profile looked extremely focused


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Treyton caught her gaze and asked in a deep voice.


    Chapter 98 I Really Like You


    +50 Bonus


    Gwendolyn hesitated for two seconds before asking.¡±Treyton, is there¡­ anything you¡¯d like to say to


    me?¡±


    Treyton paused for a moment.


    ¡°No.¡±


    All right then¡­


    She stopped talking, withdrew her gaze, and looked back out the car window.


    Since Treyton doesn¡¯t want to talk about it, then forget it.


    Soon they arrived at the private airport. Gwendolyn immediately gave Kieran a big hug.


    ¡°Kieran, thank you for your hard work this time.¡±


    Kieran reached out and gently caressed her soft hair. His initial cold expression finally showed a hint of


    a smile when he saw her.


    ¡°Silly Kiddo.¡±


    The three siblings exchanged pleasantries for a while.


    Seeing that it was gettingte, Gwendolyn and Treyton bid farewell to Kieran as he was about to board


    the ne.


    ¡°Wait a moment! Mr. Kieran, Mr. Treyton, Ms. Shalders! The Mossey family is in trouble!¡±


    Kieran had just stepped onto the boarding stairs when Elisha suddenly rushed over. He had no choice


    but to stop and turn around to ask, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°The Mossey family sent someone to inform us that Ms. Inez had suddenly fainted at home. Mrs.


    Mossey was worried that it was due to a problem with the previous surgery that might have damaged


    her brain nerves, so she wants Mr. Kieran to go over to have a look.¡±


    Fainted?


    Gwendolyn frowned.


    How could there be any problems with the surgery performed by Kieran? Is someone deliberately


    framing him? Using such an excuse to frame Kieran for medical negligence is just asking for trouble!


    Treyton was also puzzled, while Kieran¡¯s face looked solemn.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look.¡±


    Kieran had no choice but to cancel his flight and head to the Mossey residence with Gwendolyn.


    In the vi, Madelyn paced back and forth outside Ingz¡¯s room.


    Seeing them approach, she happily ran over to greet Kieran.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally here! Inez was practicing walking at home today when she suddenly fainted. She¡¯s still


    unconscious, and I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end. I had no choice but to bother you.¡±


    Chapter 98 I Really Like You


    +50 Bonus


    Kieran¡¯s expression remained cold as he gave a slight nod, then walked past Madelyn to open the


    room


    door.


    Gwendolyn followed closely behind, ready to take a look at Inez¡¯s situation.


    However, she was blocked by Madelyn.


    Madelyn smiled charmingly. ¡°Ms. Shalders, Mr. Kieran is already inside, and he¡¯s enough to handle the


    situation. You¡¯re not a doctor, so you won¡¯t be able to help much by going in. Why don¡¯t you stay here


    and chat with me while enjoying some fruit?¡±


    Gwendolyn slightly furrowed her brow as she stared at Madelyn.


    Considering Madelyn¡¯s deep affection for Inez, Madelyn should be panicking and stomping her feet in


    distress. Yet, she could still smile and divert Gwendolyn¡¯s attention while maintaining a courteous


    attitude.


    The fainting incident must be¡­ Forget about it. On the day of the Mossey family¡¯s opening ceremony,


    whether Inez was sincere or not, she ultimately wanted to help me. I would consider this as repaying


    her a favor.


    With that thought, she smiled slightly and looked at Kieran before her. ¡°You go ahead. I¡¯ll chat with Mrs.


    Mossey.¡±


    Kieran nodded before pushing the door open and entering.


    Madelyn noticed the subtle interactions between the two, and her face stiffened slightly. She asked


    half-jokingly, ¡°It seems like you and Mr. Kieran have quite a good rapport, are you guys¡­¡±


    Her gaze wandered back and forth, hinting at something.


    Gwendolyn showed no expression.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We¡¯re just ordinary friends.¡±


    Madelyn seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Her smile brightened as she eagerly offered Gwendolyn


    more fruit. ¡°That¡¯s great! You are so lucky to have friends like Mr. Kieran and Mr. Treyton!¡±


    Gwendolyn just nodded in agreement with her, not saying anything.


    Inside the room, the lighting was dim.


    Inezy quietly in bed, as if she had never woken up.


    However, unlike her previous vegetative state, herplexion was much rosier thanst time, and her


    breathing was slightly rapid.


    The moment Kieran looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed instantly, and his expression darkened.


    ¡°You¡¯re not sick.¡±


    Inez was utterly embarrassed, as her deception was exposed so quickly.


    Seeing him about to leave, she hurriedly opened her eyes, sat up in bed, and grabbed hold of his


    sleeve


    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡±


    Kieran didn¡¯t turn around, and his feet didn¡¯t move. Iriez couldn¡¯t see the expression on his face, but


    she could clearly feel the chilling aura surrounding him, as cold as an ice cer.


    He is angry¡­


    Inez¡¯s eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and she became utterly flustered.


    She knew that once he left this time, she would never have the chance to see him again.


    ¡°Kieran, I know that the Mossey family and the Harris family are not on the same level, and our families


    are not considered a perfect match, but I know if I don¡¯t speak up now, I¡¯ll lose my chance!¡±


    She paused momentarily, took a deep breath as if gathering immense courage, and lifted her face, her


    eyes unwavering.


    ¡°I like you! I really, really like you. I know we haven¡¯t known each other for long, and you don¡¯t know


    much about me, but can you please stay and try to talk to me more? I-¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, she was abruptly interrupted by Kieran¡¯s cold voice.


    ¡°Because, I don¡¯t like you.¡±


    Inez felt as if a string had snapped inside her heart.


    Inez stared nkly at his tall figure. He was not even willing to look back at her. She couldn¡¯t quite


    describe the feeling at that moment.


    She knew she had deceived him by pretending to be sick. However, if she hadn¡¯t done so, she would


    never have had the chance to fight for herself.


    Her eyes turned red, yet she stubbornly bit her lip, forcing herself not to let her tears fall.


    ¡°Is it because of¡­ Gwendolyn? Do you like her?¡±


    Chapter 99 Surprise Him When He ¡­


    Treyton did not say anything. It was as though there was something difficult to bring up.


    Gwendolyn connected all the clues and significant events from that period of time.


    After giving it some thought, she amusingly shook her head.


    +50 Bonus


    ¡°Could it be that he thinks I¡¯m dead and went there to retrieve my body? Does this mean that he


    wouldn¡¯t want to let go of me even if I were dead?¡±


    Treyton was tongue-tied and quickly changed the subject. ¡°He hasn¡¯t returned yet because he is stuck


    in the mountains. But I guess it won¡¯t be long before he returns to Faike, maybe within a week at


    most.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression tensed up slightly.


    One week is not a lot of time. If Samantha¡¯s side isn¡¯t quick enough, and Maverick manages to return in


    time to take control of the situation, my n to bankrupt Wright Construction Group would be affected.


    Treyton could see her anxiety.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your next move?¡±


    Gwendolyn looked up, met his gaze, and gave a slight smile. ¡°Great, I¡¯ll give him a ¡®big surprise¡¯ on the


    day he returns!¡±


    Treyton looked at her burning gaze. He lowered his head, feeling a little guilty.


    In actuality, he kept two more things hidden from Gwendolyn.


    The first thing was that Maverick was stuck there because of the people Asher had sent. Asher had


    long been displeased with that young punk, so the former look the opportunity to secretly teach


    Maverick a lesson.


    The second thing was that Maverick went there to look for her, not with ill intentions, but to save her.


    If Gwendolyn were to investigate thoroughly, she would discover that Noah¡¯s hijacking incident had


    nothing to do with Maverick.


    She simply did not want to delve deeper into the matter. Thus, she preferred to believe that Maverick


    was the one who had wronged her.


    Treyton pursed his lips, wanting to speak but hesitated.


    In the end, he did not say anything at all.


    Even though Maverick was not at fault this time, Gwendolyn had suffered and endured hardships


    because of him over the past three years.


    It was time for Maverick to make up for all the times he had wronged her.


    After knowing Maverick¡¯s approximate return date, Gwendolyn was filled with determination. The very


    next day, she arranged for Yulia to disguise herself as a major shareholder of Amryn Real Estate.


    Thend on the western outskirts of the city had already been purchased. The subsequent


    construction projects still needed to be discussed with Oceanic Constructions for a coboration n.


    ¡°Tonight, at the meeting with Oceanic Constructions, bring along the Wright family¡¯s spy. Remember to


    give them a chance to discreetly obtain the ns.¡±


    Yulia was quite surprised when she heard that. ¡°Boss, if he goes back and tells Samantha about our


    leaked n, she will definitely try to sabotage our coboration with Oceanic Constructions.¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°Well, that depends on whether they have the ability or not.¡±


    12:


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Yulia could not understand what Gwendolyn wanted to do and could only obediently follow orders.


    Later that evening, Samantha arrived at the Wright residence, brimming with enthusiasm. She eagerly


    shared her aplishments with Frida.


    ¡°Aunt Frida, I¡¯ve got the coboration n between Amryn Real Estate and Oceanic Constructions.¡±


    Frida eximed in surprise, ¡°Really?¡±


    She eagerly took the proposal from Samantha¡¯s hands and carefully read through it. ¡°This is great! With


    this proposal, things will be much easier to handle.¡±


    Samantha suggested, ¡°Now that we have Amryn Real Estate¡¯s quotation to Oceanic Constructions, all


    we need to do now is multiply that price by a few times when we offer it to Oceanic Constructions, and


    we¡¯ll be able to intercept this coboration. Amryn Real Estate is a smallpany with limited funds.


    Once we intercept their partnership after they made the down payment, they won¡¯t be able to afford to


    negotiate a better deal with other construction materialpanies by then. They would have no choice


    but to wait for their demise and obediently hand over thend in the western outskirts of the city.¡±


    After hearing this, Frida could not help butugh. ¡°Great! I¡¯ll leave it all to you to arrange. Wright


    Construction Group can afford it no matter how much it costs!¡±


    Samantha nodded.


    Frida patted Samantha¡¯s shoulder and looked at her solemnly. ¡°Samantha, you are the child I trust the


    most. Please don¡¯t let me down!¡±


    Chapter 100 Seriously Injured


    Chapter 100 Seriously Injured


    Samantha nodded earnestly and began making arrangements the very next day.


    +50 Bonus


    Unexpectedly, when she discussed the partnership with the person in charge of Oceanic Constructions,


    the person in charge said regretfully, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Lane, but Amryn Real Estate has already raised


    their offer to a hundred million from the original price. We can¡¯t possibly give you this deal. Unless¡­


    you¡¯re willing to increase your offer as well?¡±


    Amryn Real Estate is willing to raise the price to a hundred million to obtain thisrge batch of building


    materials? Are they crazy? Well, it¡¯s good that they¡¯ve invested all their money in the construction on


    the western outskirts of the city. It shows that they value this piece ofnd very much. and are willing to


    risk the entirepany¡¯s survival on it. Once their coborationes to a halt, they will only end up


    losing everything, dering bankruptcy. That piece ofnd will inevitably fall into the hands of Wright


    Construction Group.


    Upon thinking this, she smacked the table without hesitation. ¡°Wright Construction Group will offer a


    hundred and fifty million for this batch of goods.¡±


    The person in charge of Oceanic Constructions clicked their tongue disapprovingly, showing a bit of


    disdain.


    ¡°Well, doing business is all about maintaining credibility, after all. You only want to add fifty million. and


    expect us to breach our contract with Amryn Real Estate? That¡¯s a bit unreasonable, isn¡¯t it? Besides, it


    won¡¯t be easy for us to speak to them as well!¡±


    Samantha¡¯s face turned grim, but before she could retort, the assistant of the person in charge of


    Oceanic Constructions pushed the door open and entered the room. The assistant leaned close to the


    person in charge¡¯s car and whispered, ¡°Amryn Real Estate has added another hundred million.¡±


    Although it was meant to be a whisper, it was not soft at all.


    Samantha heard it loud and clear, and her face turned dark.


    As the future heir of Lane Group, she would soon be merging the organization with Wright Construction


    Group. There was no way she would submit to a smallpany like Amryn Real Estate.


    The desire to win got the better of her. She abruptly stood up and mmed the empty coffee cup on


    the table in front of the person in charge.


    Hearing the loud bang, the person in charge jumped in shock. Samantha, with her chin up high in


    arrogance, dered powerfully, ¡°Five hundred million! In cash!¡±


    The person in charge¡¯s eyes


    in charge¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Deal!¡±


    Meanwhile, also at Oceanic Constructions, Gwendolyn was sitting in the main seat in the conference


    room next door with an exquisite coffee brewing set on the table.


    She calmly emptied the first pot of brewed coffee and began the second round of brewing with the used


    coffee beans.


    The room was filled with the aroma of coffee.


    Yulia sat on the left side, quietly watching Gwendolyn¡¯s leisure and skillful movements.


    Chapter 100 Seriously Injured


    .66%


    +50 Bonus


    Impressive! She truly is the Harris family¡¯s precious daughter. Even after leaving Salinsburgh for a full


    six years, she can still remember clearly how to brew nice cup of coffee.


    The sound of the door opening broke the silence in the conference room.


    The person in charge¡¯s assistant walked in with a delighted expression. ¡°You guessed correctly! Wright


    Construction Group indeed followed through with five hundred million, and it¡¯s in cash! My supervisor


    said that as soon as Wright Construction Group¡¯s funds arrive, we will immediately split the profits with


    you ording to the contract. You will receive eighty percent, and Oceanic Constructions is getting


    twenty percent.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent, focusing on savoring her coffee.


    Yulia stood up and shook hands with the assistant. ¡°Great, it¡¯s a pleasure working with you.¡±


    Most bigpanies mainly used checks and let the banks handle the rest so their cash reserves would


    not be too affected.


    The fact that Wright Construction Group coulde up with so much cash at once showed their


    remarkable strength. Unfortunately, once all the cash was invested, the subsequent vulnerabilities


    would only grow.


    Late at night, thunder and lightning raged as torrential rain poured down.


    In the mountain range between Faike and Lightspring, a group of people ran along the narrow


    mountain path as if their lives depended on it.


    ¡°Boss, there¡¯s a cave over there!¡±


    Several people quickly rushed into the narrow, pitch-ck cave. They cut some wild vegetation to


    conceal the entrance, making it a good ce to hide temporarily.


    Maverick¡¯s initially neat short hair was soaked by the rain and drooped down onto his forehead.


    His handsome face was unnaturally pale. Even his lips were devoid of any color. As he finally caught


    his breath, a sudden, intense pain in his waist made him feel lightheaded. When he could no longer


    bear it, he dropped onto one knee for


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    support.


    Just now, the group of people was focused on running Even though Maverick was clearly injured, he


    did not say a word about it from beginning to end.


    His subordinates only realized then that he had been stabbed in the waist at some point. It was a long


    and deep gash, and the wound had turned pale from being washed by the rain. However, blood was


    still oozing out from it.


    On the way here, Maverick got caught in the rain, and now he was starting to feel hot all over, as


    though he was running a fever.


    If he could not stop the bleeding and treat the fever in time, his life would be in danger!


    Fortunately, all his subordinates had fought their way through life and death in the army and were


    familiar with self-tending methods for injuries sustained in the wilderness.


    Chapter 100 Seriously Injured


    +50 Bonus


    The group bustled in and out. Due to ack of resources, it took almost an hour to bandage Maverick¡¯s


    wound.


    Maverick woke up from his groggy state, and the first words that came out of his dry, pale lips were,


    ¡°Tomorrow¡­ we¡¯re going back to Faike!¡±


    His subordinate, Nico Larson, was growing increasingly anxious.


    Everyone is almost at their wit¡¯s end, yet you are still thinking about returning to Faike?


    ¡°Boss, your body is too weak right now, and those people outside are still looking for us. If you act


    recklessly, your wound will tear open. Do you really not care about your life?¡±


    Maverick bit his thin lip. I¡¯ve endured much worse injuries before. This is nothing.


    He got over the pain and began to analyze the incident. ¡°When you guys fought with that group, did you


    notice that they all had the same small tattoo on the inner part of their arms?¡±


    After some thought, Nico grabbed a piece of leftover torn cloth that he had originally ripped off to


    bandage Maverick¡¯s wound. With the muddy water on the ground, Nico relied on his memory to draw


    the tattoo and handed it to Maverick.


    A group of people gathered around this piece of tattooed cloth and engaged in a lively discussion.


    ¡°It seems like some kind of animal.¡±


    ¡°Right! It¡¯s an animal. Don¡¯t these two sides look like two horns? A rhinoceros!¡±


    Neville Landon had just finished speaking when Nico smacked him on the head. ¡°Idiot! A rhino has ears


    on both sides of its head and only one horn!¡±


    Maverick listened to their animated chatter as his eyes focused on the piece of cloth.


    After briefly thinking about it, he spoke weakly. ¡°It¡¯s a deer.¡±


    Although his voice was soft, his subordinates heard it loud and clear. Their expressions turned


    extremely solemn.


    Many years ago, during a mission, they had coborated with the Harris family¡¯s team from


    Salinsburgh. It seemed that the subordinates of the Harris family also had a simr tattoo.


    If that¡¯s true, that means our former allies have be enemies. But why?


    A long silence fell upon the cave as everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on Maverick. Mayerick¡¯s dark eyes


    narrowed, deep in thought, leaving everyone wondering what was on his mind.


    After the long silence, Nico was the first to speak up. ¡°Boss, maybe it¡¯s a misunderstanding. We¡¯ve


    been living incognito since we left the army, and hardly anyone knows about our existence. Perhaps it¡¯s


    a misunderstanding.¡±


    Maverick did not speak, and his eyes were extremely cold.


    That group of people was clearly very purpose-driven, and it was obvious that they wereing


    straight for them.


    To the best of his knowledge, there was currently a well-established team capable of detection and


    concealment, led by the eldest son of the Harris family, Asher. Asher was known to have connections


    with both the mob and the authorities.


    Treyton and Asher were also brothers.


    Moreover, when Maverick was fighting the group leader previously, the man said, ¡°You want to know


    who I am? You should be asking who you¡¯ve let down!


    Upon hearing these words, Maverick somehow suddenly thought of Gwendolyn. His mind wandered for


    a moment, and that was when the other person¡¯s de struck him.


    Is this matter rted to Gwendolyn in any way? If Treyton would go to such lengths for her, then who


    exactly is she?

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99


    Chapter 99 Surprise Him When He Returns


    Her knuckles turned white from gripping the bedsheets too tightly.


    +50 Bonus


    Even though she was terrified of hearing a definite answer from him, she still held a tiny glimmer of


    hope deep down.


    But this time, Kieran did not say anything. He coldly made her let go of him, pushed the door open, and


    left without looking back.


    Madelyn and Gwendolyn were chatting leisurely on the sofa outside the door. They were both startled


    when they saw Kieran¡¯s horrifying expression as he came out.


    Madelyn asked, ¡°What happened, Mr. Kieran?¡±


    Kieran ignored her and looked straight at Gwendolyn ¡°You knew she was faking her illness.¡±


    Is he really angry?


    It was Gwendolyn¡¯s first time seeing Kieran looking at her with such an expression.


    She blinked guiltily. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    Kieran did not want to give her a chance to exin, so he quickly strode downstairs and left.


    Gwendolyn was about to chase after him, but Madelyn pulled her into the ward to check Inez¡¯s


    condition.


    Inez¡¯s eyes were red as if she had been crying. Her mood did not seem too great either.


    Madelyn quickly leaned onto Inez with a heartbroken expression. ¡°My dear daughter, I¡¯ve warned you,


    before. Kieran¡¯s a cold person; he won¡¯t like you. But you insisted on trying, and now you¡¯re hurt!¡±


    Inez bit her lip, remaining silent.


    Madelyn knew Inez had always been stubborn, and orice Inez made up her mind about something,


    there was no persuading her otherwise. So, Madelyn had no choice but to turn to Gwendolyn for help.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, for the sake of our friendship, please help Inez out. You managed to bring Mr. Kieran to


    Faike, so you must have a way to make him stay here!¡±


    Gwendolyn shook her head, her expression serious. It¡¯s no use. He¡¯s a man of strong principles. If he


    doesn¡¯t like someone, no amount of persuasion will change his mind.¡±


    Perhaps these words were a bit too harsh for Inez. Nheless, Gwendolyn had no other choice but to


    be straightforward.


    It was better to endure short-term pain than prolonged suffering. Inez could only rely on herself to sort


    out her thoughts sooner.


    Madelyn sighed in disappointment.


    Upon witnessing such a heartbreaking scene, Gwendolyn realized that she could not be of much help.


    She then decided to turn around and leave.


    Chapter 99 Surprise Him When He ¡­


    +50 Bonus


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Gwendolyn!¡±


    Inez stopped her. She then asked with uncertainty, ¡°Are you going to be my enemy?¡±


    Madelyn shuddered in fear as the fate of Natasha was still fresh in her mind. She did not dare to move.


    Gwendolyn stood quietly for a few seconds.


    Without any exnation or looking back, she left the Mossey residence immediately.


    Upon leaving the Mossey residence, she saw Treyton¡¯s car parked by the roadside, waiting for her.


    She walked straight over, opened the car door, and sat in the back seat.


    Treyton saw the solemn expression on her face and gently caressed her head.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Who has offended my little princess?¡±


    Gwendolyn was feeling down. ¡°I must have offended Kieran.¡±


    Treyton burst intoughter. ¡°Silly Kiddo, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. All these years, Kieran has been


    completely absorbed in medical research and has not gotten close to a single woman. Dad has even


    scolded him countless of times because of it, but it seems like he listens to you the most.¡±


    ¡°But he got angry¡­¡±


    Treyton shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t understand him. He may seem cold, but he¡¯s just shy. Anyway, you


    shouldn¡¯t worry about it. If he and Inez are truly meant to be, they¡¯ll find their way to each other


    eventually.¡±


    Gwendolyn finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Then, Treyton seemed to have thought of something as his expression gradually became serious.


    ¡°Kiddo, I¡¯ve considered something carefully, and I think I should tell you.¡±


    Seeing the serious look on his face, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help but be serious as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s about¡­ your ex-husband.¡±


    Maverick? Isn¡¯t that guy reported missing? I¡¯ve sent Shadow Bell to investigate the matter thoroughly,


    but they couldn¡¯t find any trace of him. All they knew was that he had suddenly disappeared the day


    before Natasha¡¯s press conference.


    Doubtfully, Gwendolyn asked, ¡°Did you find him?¡±


    Treyton nodded.


    ¡°Asher discovered he is in the mountain range between Faike and Lightspring.¡±


    Well, Asher has connections with both the mob and the authorities. Naturally, hiswork is more


    extensive than Shadow Bell¡¯s. It¡¯s no surprise that he was able to find him. However¡­


    ¡°What is he doing there?¡±

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    Chapter 100 Seriously Injured


    Samantha nodded earnestly and began making arrangements the very next day.


    +50 Bonus


    Unexpectedly, when she discussed the partnership with the person in charge of Oceanic Constructions,


    the person in charge said regretfully, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Lane, but Amryn Real Estate has already raised


    their offer to a hundred million from the original price. We can¡¯t possibly give you this deal. Unless¡­


    you¡¯re willing to increase your offer as well?¡±


    Amryn Real Estate is willing to raise the price to a hundred million to obtain thisrge batch of building


    materials? Are they crazy? Well, it¡¯s good that they¡¯ve invested all their money in the construction on


    the western outskirts of the city. It shows that they value this piece ofnd very much. and are willing to


    risk the entirepany¡¯s survival on it. Once their coborationes to a halt, they will only end up


    losing everything, dering bankruptcy. That piece ofnd will inevitably fall into the hands of Wright


    Construction Group.


    Upon thinking this, she smacked the table without hesitation. ¡°Wright Construction Group will offer a


    hundred and fifty million for this batch of goods.¡±


    The person in charge of Oceanic Constructions clicked their tongue disapprovingly, showing a bit of


    disdain.


    ¡°Well, doing business is all about maintaining credibility, after all. You only want to add fifty million. and


    expect us to breach our contract with Amryn Real Estate? That¡¯s a bit unreasonable, isn¡¯t it? Besides, it


    won¡¯t be easy for us to speak to them as well!¡±


    Samantha¡¯s face turned grim, but before she could retort, the assistant of the person in charge of


    Oceanic Constructions pushed the door open and entered the room. The assistant leaned close to the


    person in charge¡¯s car and whispered, ¡°Amryn Real Estate has added another hundred million.¡±


    Although it was meant to be a whisper, it was not soft at all.


    Samantha heard it loud and clear, and her face turned dark.


    As the future heir of Lane Group, she would soon be merging the organization with Wright Construction


    Group. There was no way she would submit to a smallpany like Amryn Real Estate.


    The desire to win got the better of her. She abruptly stood up and mmed the empty coffee cup on


    the table in front of the person in charge.


    Hearing the loud bang, the person in charge jumped in shock. Samantha, with her chin up high in


    arrogance, dered powerfully, ¡°Five hundred million! In cash!¡±


    The person in charge¡¯s eyes


    in charge¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Deal!¡±


    Meanwhile, also at Oceanic Constructions, Gwendolyn was sitting in the main seat in the conference


    room next door with an exquisite coffee brewing set on the table.


    She calmly emptied the first pot of brewed coffee and began the second round of brewing with the used


    coffee beans.


    The room was filled with the aroma of coffee.


    Yulia sat on the left side, quietly watching Gwendolyn¡¯s leisure and skillful movements.


    Chapter 100 Seriously Injured


    .66%


    +50 Bonus


    Impressive! She truly is the Harris family¡¯s precious daughter. Even after leaving Salinsburgh for a full


    six years, she can still remember clearly how to brew nice cup of coffee.


    The sound of the door opening broke the silence in the conference room.


    The person in charge¡¯s assistant walked in with a delighted expression. ¡°You guessed correctly! Wright


    Construction Group indeed followed through with five hundred million, and it¡¯s in cash! My supervisor


    said that as soon as Wright Construction Group¡¯s funds arrive, we will immediately split the profits with


    you ording to the contract. You will receive eighty percent, and Oceanic Constructions is getting


    twenty percent.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent, focusing on savoring her coffee.


    Yulia stood up and shook hands with the assistant. ¡°Great, it¡¯s a pleasure working with you.¡±


    Most bigpanies mainly used checks and let the banks handle the rest so their cash reserves would


    not be too affected.


    The fact that Wright Construction Group coulde up with so much cash at once showed their


    remarkable strength. Unfortunately, once all the cash was invested, the subsequent vulnerabilities


    would only grow.


    Late at night, thunder and lightning raged as torrential rain poured down.


    In the mountain range between Faike and Lightspring, a group of people ran along the narrow


    mountain path as if their lives depended on it.


    ¡°Boss, there¡¯s a cave over there!¡±


    Several people quickly rushed into the narrow, pitch-ck cave. They cut some wild vegetation to


    conceal the entrance, making it a good ce to hide temporarily.


    Maverick¡¯s initially neat short hair was soaked by the rain and drooped down onto his forehead.


    His handsome face was unnaturally pale. Even his lips were devoid of any color. As he finally caught


    his breath, a sudden, intense pain in his waist made him feel lightheaded. When he could no longer


    bear it, he dropped onto one knee for


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    support.


    Just now, the group of people was focused on running Even though Maverick was clearly injured, he


    did not say a word about it from beginning to end.


    His subordinates only realized then that he had been stabbed in the waist at some point. It was a long


    and deep gash, and the wound had turned pale from being washed by the rain. However, blood was


    still oozing out from it.


    On the way here, Maverick got caught in the rain, and now he was starting to feel hot all over, as


    though he was running a fever.


    If he could not stop the bleeding and treat the fever in time, his life would be in danger!


    Fortunately, all his subordinates had fought their way through life and death in the army and were


    familiar with self-tending methods for injuries sustained in the wilderness.


    Chapter 100 Seriously Injured


    +50 Bonus


    The group bustled in and out. Due to ack of resources, it took almost an hour to bandage Maverick¡¯s


    wound.


    Maverick woke up from his groggy state, and the first words that came out of his dry, pale lips were,


    ¡°Tomorrow¡­ we¡¯re going back to Faike!¡±


    His subordinate, Nico Larson, was growing increasingly anxious.


    Everyone is almost at their wit¡¯s end, yet you are still thinking about returning to Faike?


    ¡°Boss, your body is too weak right now, and those people outside are still looking for us. If you act


    recklessly, your wound will tear open. Do you really not care about your life?¡±


    Maverick bit his thin lip. I¡¯ve endured much worse injuries before. This is nothing.


    He got over the pain and began to analyze the incident. ¡°When you guys fought with that group, did you


    notice that they all had the same small tattoo on the inner part of their arms?¡±


    After some thought, Nico grabbed a piece of leftover torn cloth that he had originally ripped off to


    bandage Maverick¡¯s wound. With the muddy water on the ground, Nico relied on his memory to draw


    the tattoo and handed it to Maverick.


    A group of people gathered around this piece of tattooed cloth and engaged in a lively discussion.


    ¡°It seems like some kind of animal.¡±


    ¡°Right! It¡¯s an animal. Don¡¯t these two sides look like two horns? A rhinoceros!¡±


    Neville Landon had just finished speaking when Nico smacked him on the head. ¡°Idiot! A rhino has ears


    on both sides of its head and only one horn!¡±


    Maverick listened to their animated chatter as his eyes focused on the piece of cloth.


    After briefly thinking about it, he spoke weakly. ¡°It¡¯s a deer.¡±


    Although his voice was soft, his subordinates heard it loud and clear. Their expressions turned


    extremely solemn.


    Many years ago, during a mission, they had coborated with the Harris family¡¯s team from


    Salinsburgh. It seemed that the subordinates of the Harris family also had a simr tattoo.


    If that¡¯s true, that means our former allies have be enemies. But why?


    A long silence fell upon the cave as everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on Maverick. Mayerick¡¯s dark eyes


    narrowed, deep in thought, leaving everyone wondering what was on his mind.


    After the long silence, Nico was the first to speak up. ¡°Boss, maybe it¡¯s a misunderstanding. We¡¯ve


    been living incognito since we left the army, and hardly anyone knows about our existence. Perhaps it¡¯s


    a misunderstanding.¡±


    Maverick did not speak, and his eyes were extremely cold.


    That group of people was clearly very purpose-driven, and it was obvious that they wereing


    straight for them.


    To the best of his knowledge, there was currently a well-established team capable of detection and


    concealment, led by the eldest son of the Harris family, Asher. Asher was known to have connections


    with both the mob and the authorities.


    Treyton and Asher were also brothers.


    Moreover, when Maverick was fighting the group leader previously, the man said, ¡°You want to know


    who I am? You should be asking who you¡¯ve let down!


    Upon hearing these words, Maverick somehow suddenly thought of Gwendolyn. His mind wandered for


    a moment, and that was when the other person¡¯s de struck him.


    Is this matter rted to Gwendolyn in any way? If Treyton would go to such lengths for her, then who


    exactly is she?Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    Chapter 101 More Anxious Than Gwendolyn


    Complex emotions were pooling in Maverick¡¯s eyes.


    +5 Bonus


    After pondering for a while, he uttered in a tone that was even more firm, ¡°We must return to Faike


    tomorrow!¡±


    Nico didn¡¯t respond, gritting his teeth. Suddenly, he made up his mind. He took advantage of


    Maverick¡¯s current state and struck his palm toward the back of thetter¡¯s head.


    With a grunt, Maverick fainted on the spot.


    The other subordinates were scared to death after seeing the scene. ¡°Nico, do you have a death wish?


    Once Boss wakes up, he¡¯ll definitely not let you off the hook!¡±


    With a firm gaze, Nico obediently knelt beside Maverick¡¯s legs.


    ¡°Boss is a reckless person. If I don¡¯t stop him, he¡¯ll surely want to return to Faike, even if he were to


    crawl there. He¡¯s seriously injured and has a fever right now. I can¡¯t let him risk his life like this. Even if


    he wants to beat me to death after gaining consciousness, I¡¯ll let him do so!¡±


    Upon hearing that, everyone sighed helplessly and said nothing in the end.


    Two dayster, inside the CEO¡¯s office of Wright Construction Group, a sharp sound of things being


    thrown in the room could be heard even with the door closed.


    Samantha nced at the shattered pieces of the coffee cup on the floor and gentlyforted, ¡°Aunt


    Frida, please calm down. We were definitely tricked by Amryn Real Estate this time. They paid such a


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t even take down such a smallpany. How on earth do you handle tasks!¡± Frida fumed


    angrily.


    What she was even more enraged about was Samantha had spent 500 million in cash only to end up


    with a bunch of practically unusable defective products. Besides that, the main reason that led to this


    consequence was that the contract seemed to have been premeditated in which the type of goods was


    ambiguously mentioned on it. Although Samantha had checked the contract several times before


    signing, she still failed to discover the w. As a result, she couldn¡¯t use the contract to argue with


    Oceanic Constructions, letting the defective goods go to waste in her hands.


    ¡°A whopping 500 million down the drain! If any issues arise in thepany¡¯s other projects, the


    company will face difficulties in cash turnover!¡±


    Although Frida wasn¡¯t good at running a business, she was still quite quick-witted when it came to


    losses.


    Samantha knew she was at fault, so she could only apologize to Frida obediently in a partially


    coquettish attitude. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aunt Frida. I let my guard down this time. Rest assured; I¡¯ll do my best to


    make an ¨C amend for this loss. Please put faith in me once more. Although I messed up this time, I¡¯ve


    still done a lot


    for thepany before. Please think about my good qualities.¡±


    Samantha was telling the truth. Before this incident, she had managed all thepany¡¯s affairs quite


    efficiently.


    Frida¡¯s rage faded away a lot. ¡°Fine. Whatever means you use. Just hurry up and make up for this


    deficit.¡±


    Chapter 10! More Anxious Than Gwendolyn


    ¡°All right, Aunt Frida. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Samantha replied.


    She walked out of the offer with a calm expression. Later, her face suddenly became solemn


    Whatever means, huh? This is the only option, then!


    1 Borus


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn sat in her car in the garage of Amryn Real Estate. She recently went to an auto


    shop to modify her Volkswagen Passar¡¯s windows. Not only did the new windows provide privacy by


    blocking the view from outside, but they also offered soundproofing to prevent eavesdropping.


    Yulia leisurely walked over. Before getting into the car, she ensured no one was around.


    ¡°Boss, Samantha took on tons of projects and collected the corresponding advance payments to cover


    the losses in the contract she signed with Oceanic Constructions,¡± Yulia reported.


    ¡°Should I admire how courageous Samantha is for taking on so many projects? She studied abroad


    before. though¡­ I can now confirm she¡¯s someone with knowledge without practical experience. She


    gets flustered easily when encountering even the slightest problem. Her approach of taking in new


    funding to cover the debts will only lead her to more serious matters.¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips, pondering for a moment before continuing to ask, ¡°How is the progress that


    I asked you to acquire all the scattered shares of Wright Construction Group at high prices recently?¡±


    ¡°Here. Take a look,¡± Yulia uttered.


    She handed the organized documents to Gwendolyn and stated, ¡°In order to avoid suspicion, we


    acquired the shares in a few amounts at one time, Over the past two days, we¡¯ve transferred a total of


    15% of the shares to your name.¡±


    Gwendolyn focused on reading the documents.


    Yulia continued to say, ¡°Now, in Wright Construction Group¡¯s holdings, Maverick owns 40% of the


    shares, making him thergest shareholder, CEO, and head of the business group. As for the other


    45%, the 15% is held by one of the rtives of the Wright family, Dexter Wright, Maverick¡¯s uncle.¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned and shook her head. ¡°No, we can¡¯t acquire that 15% of the shares. Dexter is a sly


    old. fox with high vignce. We should try our best not to alert him.¡±


    Yulia suggested, ¡°Then that leaves the 10% and 20% of the shares Sheralyn and Frida own. If we can


    acquire both of their shares, your total stake would be 5% more than Maverick¡¯s, making you the


    largest shareholder with the most say in Wright Construction Group. However¡­¡±


    She paused for a moment, looking a bit worried. ¡°Getting shares from Sheralyn and Frida won¡¯t be


    easy. They won¡¯t just hand them over. Boss, do you have any idea for this n?¡±


    Gwendolyn lowered her head in deep thought as if something hade to her mind. She slightly


    curved. her lips into a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Someone else is more anxious than us right now!¡±


    Just as Gwendolyn said, Samantha was indeed anxious now. She had just taken on arge number of


    projects and received a ton of down payments. Because of that, she ordered the employees to finish


    the old projects as soon as possible. She also took money from the old projects¡¯ material costs to


    barely cover the owed amount in the Oceanic Constructions contract.


    Consequently, the next day, a construction site made headlines due to issues with the quality of


    materials. The building, which was scheduled to bepleted within the month, suddenly copsed,


    and it even affected the neighboring buildings.


    Chapter 101 More Anxious Than Gwendolyn


    That meant the demolition and reconstruction were necessary. In turn, the project was required to


    provide more funds than the losses incurred by Oceanic Constry


    During this period, she had secretly pocketed a lot of money through various small projects for her


    spending Yet, now that thepany was riddled with debts, she didn¡¯t have enough cash to cover


    such a massive deficit


    Frida, too, always asked Samantha about the deficit, giving off an air ofplete distrust toward the


    latter.


    Samantha sat in her office, feeling incredibly anxious.


    Just as she was thinking about a solution, the office phone on the desk rang


    It was Frida who made the call from the CEO¡¯s office.


    Samantha had no choice but to force herself to smile as she picked up the phone. ¡°Aunt Frida, is there


    anything I can do for you?¡±


    Frida, on the other end of the line, seemed a bit unhappy. ¡°Samantha, why didn¡¯t youe to me and


    report your work today? Did something go wrong again?¡±


    Samantha was taken aback and quickly pleased Frida, uttering srailingly. ¡°No, Aunt Frida. If there are


    any issues, I¡¯ll definitely discuss them with you right away. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been quite busytely, so I


    haven¡¯t had the chance to report to you. Just give me a few more hours. I¡¯lle to you after I finish


    checking all the projects.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Frida hung up the phone after responding tly.


    Samantha clenched her fists, feeling incredibly restless inside.


    Didn¡¯t she say she trusted me the most? If she does put faith in me, why does she still interrogate me


    every day? I suspect she¡¯s just trying to win my loyalty to work for her with these worthless lies all this


    while! If. that¡¯s the case, she can¡¯t me me for doing this!


    Samantha¡¯s gaze gradually grew sinister, and she quickly arranged for someone to twist the truth of the


    construction ident.


    A few hourster, she gathered the documents and went to find Frida.


    As soon as she pushed the door open, she rushed to Frida¡¯s desk. ¡°Aunt Frida, there¡¯s bad news!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Frida questioned.


    ¡°We actually had an old project, Balmoral Grand, copsed half a month ago, and it was quite a serious


    ident. However, the person in charge of the project was afraid of taking responsibility, so they kept it


    hidden. If it weren¡¯t for me thoroughly investigating today, I¡¯m afraid this matter would remain


    undiscovered!¡± Samantha answered.


    ¡°There¡¯s such a thing?¡± Frida was shocked and quickly flipped through the documents.


    Samantha took in Frida¡¯s reaction and continued, ¡°The amount of money needed for this remedial


    project is huge, and there are other ongoing projects that also require a lot of funding. If we can¡¯t keep


    up with the capital flow, all projects will be forced to stop, leading thepany to face a semi-


    bankruptcy crisis!¡±


    Chapter 101 More Anxious Than Gwendolyn


    Frida slumped into the boss¡¯s chair, feeling disheartened.


    Oh no. It¡¯s over! Could it be that the efforts of several generations of the Wright family destroyed so


    quickly in my hands¡­


    +5 Bonus


    ¡°If my husband and Old Mr. Wright were still alive, they would be so angry that they¡¯d strangle me!¡±


    Frida


    mumbled.


    Her hands trembled with fear. Suddenly, she had an idea. She grabbed her phone. ¡°No. I can¡¯t just let


    matters be! I must find my precious son to take control of the situation immediately!¡±


    Samantha firmly grabbed Frida¡¯s hand to halt thetter¡¯s n. ¡°Aunt Frida, we don¡¯t even know where


    Maverick is now. Even if we do, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be toote for him to solve everything. If we don¡¯t cover


    this. huge deficit in time, the crisis of Wright Construction Group will only be more severe.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ what should we do?¡± Frida queried.


    Samantha¡¯s lips curled up slightly. A sinister glint shed in her eyes. ¡°I have a n!¡±

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    Chapter 102 The Reason You Like Me


    ¡°What¡¯s the solution?¡±


    +5 Bonus


    Samantha gently held her hand to soothe her, then took the phone from her hand to quietly ce it


    aside.


    Take advantage of the fact that Wright Construction Group hasn¡¯tpletely fallen into crisis yet. You


    should sell your shares at a high price!¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Frida¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I absolutely cannot sell my shares! I need it for my retirement.


    Besides, if I sell my shares, I¡¯ll lose my say in Wright Construction Group! I will definitely not sell it!¡±


    Samantha sighed and continued to reassure her, ¡°Aunt Frida, you¡¯re confused. If Wright Construction.


    Group really can¡¯t survive this crisis, your shares will be worthless. And don¡¯t worry; selling the shares


    is only temporary!¡±


    Frida was feeling a bit hesitant.


    ¡°Temporary?¡±


    Samantha saw that she had piqued Frida¡¯s interest and continued, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to find a reliable


    buyer overseas. Once we get this funding andplete all our ongoing projects, we¡¯ll be able to earn


    the money back and buy back the shares. Aunt Frida, just think of it as temporarily leaving the shares


    in the buyer¡¯s hands. Once this crisis is over and Maverick returns, he¡¯ll definitely be happy to see that


    you¡¯ve managed thepany so well.¡±


    Frida didn¡¯t speak as she was lost in thought for a long time.


    Samantha wanted to seize the opportunity to persuade Frida. ¡°Aunt Frida¡­¡±


    However, thetter raised her hand to stop Samantha. ¡°Samantha, this is no small matter. Please allow


    me to think about it some more.¡±


    Samantha was a bit displeased, but it wasn¡¯t appropriate for her to say anything else. If she pushed


    Frida too hard, her motive would easily be noticed.


    ¡°All right, Aunt Frida, but don¡¯t take too long to think about it. We can¡¯t afford to dy this matter.¡±


    After she finished speaking, she turned around and left.


    Frida sat alone in her office, feeling the immense pressure from being in her position for the first time.


    This decision could be said to have cost her half her life.


    No matter whether it was thepany or the shares, she didn¡¯t want to give them up.


    Yet, she felt that Samantha made a valid point. The only option left for her to save thepany was to


    sell her shares. However, if she chose to keep her shares, the shares would be meaningless once


    thepany went under.


    With reddened eyes, she sat quietly for half an hour before calling Samantha. ¡°Go ahead and sell it.¡±


    Samantha suppressed the ecstasy in her heart and said solemnly, ¡°Aunt Frida, don¡¯t worry. I will make


    sure there are no mistakes in this matter.¡±


    The next morning, Samantha found a buyer.


    Chapter 102 The Reason You Like Me


    +5 Bonus


    She brought Frida to the agreed-upon location to sign the contract. The buyer¡¯s name was Toidi, and


    both she and herpany were based overseas. Therefore, this time they were signing an electronic


    contract


    online.


    While on the way, Frida dawdled down the street.


    Samantha noticed her hesitation and reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aunt Frida. Toidi is the heiress of a


    huge corporation with a worth of hundreds of billions I pulled some strings to find such a reliable


    buyer. She has also promised me that she won¡¯t easily resell the shares. If you want to buy back the


    shares after you¡¯ve recouped your funds in the future, she¡¯s willing to sell you back the shares.¡±


    Frida was a bit skeptical. ¡°Is there really such a good thing and such a foolish person? What¡¯s her


    motive for doing this?¡±


    Samanthaughed. ¡°She really doesn¡¯t need the money. She just wants to move back to her homnd,


    so she buys the shares to pave the way. Don¡¯t worry. There won¡¯t be any problems.¡±


    Frida followed her in skeptically.


    However, after reading the contract, Frida was furious!


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to sell only the twenty percent of shares I own? Why did you include Sheralyn¡¯s ten


    percent shares and the Wright residence in the deal? I won¡¯t sign it! I absolutely won¡¯t sign it!¡±


    Samantha gently patted her back to soothe her.


    ¡°Aunt Frida, if we don¡¯t do this, considering the current critical situation Wright Construction Group is in,


    your twenty percent share alone is not enough to fill this huge gap! Besides, she said that the house.


    wouldn¡¯t be sold as it¡¯s just temporarily used as coteral. You can still live in that vi. Once the project


    ispleted and the money is earned back, you can buy it all back, right?¡±


    Although what Samantha said is true, but¡­


    ¡°But this price is way too low!¡±


    Frida pointed at the contract, her heart aching. ¡°Only eight billion eight hundred million for all three?


    Previously, just my twenty percent share alone would have been worth more than this!¡±


    ¡°Oh, Aunt Frida! With her wealth and influence, she must have looked into Wright Construction Group¡¯s


    background. Given the current on Wright Construction Group is in, this is already the best offer.


    You shouldn¡¯t hesitate anymore! Aunt Frida¡­¡±


    ¡°All right, then.¡±


    Samantha spent a long time persuading and cajoling Frida until she finally got thetter to sign the


    share transfer agreement, reluctantly hand over the property deed for the Wright residence, and sign


    the mortgage contract.


    After everything was settled, Frida looked frustrated and said, ¡°Now that the funding issue is resolved,


    you need to be more attentive during this period. Make sure to properly fix any existing problems and


    closely follow up on other projects. Don¡¯t let the workers cut corners and cause any more quality


    issues. Help me buy back my shares as soon as possible!¡±


    ¡°Roger that. Aunt Frida. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle everything properly and efficiently.¡±


    Samantha clung to Frida¡¯s arm like a kid, her face beaming with uncontroble joy.


    Chapter 102 The Reason You Like Me


    The two of themughed and got into the car, driving away.


    Bonus


    However, as soon as they left, Gwendolyn, who was sitting in her office in Angle, received a text


    message.


    The text message had only one word: Seeded.


    She breathed a sigh of relief.


    In just three days, the Wright family would experience a tremendous change!


    She was filled with anticipation.


    Just as she was thinking, there was a knock on the office door, and Sherman walked in right after that.


    Unlike his usual gentle and refined demeanor, he was wearing a grim expression with a frown.


    Before Gwendolyn could ask him anything, he walked straight to the guest chair opposite her and sat


    down, separated from her by an office desk.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gwendolyn asked, feeling puzzled.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to enter the real estate business because of him.¡± His face was gloomy, and there


    was even a hint of destion in his


    eyes.


    I can¡¯t believe he found out so quickly. Come to think of it, although the Ferguson family may not be as


    powerful as the Harris family, they are still a prestigious family, so it¡¯ll be easy for him to investigate.


    However, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t intend to hide it from him either.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Seeing her actually admit it with an unbelievably calm expression, Sherman felt really frustrated.


    ¡°Why? If you look around, you¡¯ll find that there¡¯s someone better waiting for you. Can¡¯t you just-


    ¡°Are you talking about you?¡± Gwendolyn interrupted him, her calm eyes meeting his gaze.


    Sherman¡¯s face turned slightly red.


    He mustered up the courage to confess his feelings, but Gwendolyn spoke before he could. ¡°You


    should know, though, that it¡¯s impossible for us to be together. Even Joaquin stands a better chance


    than you.¡±


    Sherman¡¯s heart sank, and a hint of hurt could be seen in his eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why?¡± He pondered, ¡°Is it because of Eloise? She was indeed wrong before, but


    she has been groundedtely and behaving herself. She knows her mistake, and she won¡¯t pick on you


    again in the future.¡±


    Gwendolyn shook her head with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve known for many years that you like me, but your is


    merely due to the discontentment of not being able to have me.¡±


    affection


    Sherman didn¡¯t speak, while his charming eyes slightly reddened as he gazed at her.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn continued, ¡°You are gentle, humble, and treat everyone with kindness, but you have one


    w -you turn a blind eye to the ws of someone close to you! You know how badly Eloise treated me


    back then, but you didn¡¯t mention it at all these days.¡±


    15:16 HI, May 19


    E


    Chapter 102 The Reason You Like Me


    ¡°1¡­¡±


    +5 Bonus


    Sherman choked up, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling resentful. ¡°What about Maverick? His sister and


    mother were once cruel to you too. Isn¡¯t he turning a blind eye to that too?¡±

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    Chapter 103 Take Over Wright Construction Group


    +5 Bonus


    After a brief silence, Gwendolyn smiled and said, ¡°Everyone eventually has to pay the price for their


    action, and Maverick is no exception.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Sherman finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    06


    She will seek revenge on Maverick for past grievances, but she didn¡¯t mention taking vengeance on me


    because of Eloise. In the end, she still cares about me, doesn¡¯t she? Now, she¡¯s just mad at me


    because of Eloise, so I still have a chance!


    Having figured it out, Sherman stood up happily. ¡°Gwendolyn, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll change, and I¡¯m willing to


    wait. As long as you turn around, I¡¯ll always be here.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he left..


    Gwendolyn pressed her palm against her forehead, her face filled with exasperation.


    It seems he still hasn¡¯t fully understood what I meant. Forget it; I¡¯ll exin it when there¡¯s a chance in


    the future.


    In the following days, Samantha constantly imed that she was visiting various construction sites and


    barely spent any time at the office. She did not go to the office to report on her work progress.


    If Frida called her and asked her, she would say she was busy.


    Frida was displeased by her attitude.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Frida needed people to help her, she would have exploded long ago.


    Just as she was thinking, the phone rang. It was a call from Sheralyn.


    ¡°Hello, my girl, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Sheralyn sounded extremely dissatisfied, and she was full of


    comints.


    ¡°Why has my allowance decreased so much recently? It¡¯s so embarrassing that when I went shopping


    with the two socialites from the Xenos family, my card showed insufficient bnce. How am I supposed


    to survive in my social circle now?¡±


    Frida felt a bit guilty.


    She had given all her money to Samantha to invest in various projects, so she had no choice but to


    secretly reduce Sheralyn¡¯s pocket money.


    ¡°Mom! You used to say that daughters should be raised in wealth. How can you treat me like this now?¡±


    Frida had no choice but tofort Sheralyn with the things Samantha had previously said to her.


    ¡°Sweetheart, thepany has been facing some financial difficulties recently, and I¡¯m left with no


    choice. Once everything gets better, I¡¯ll double your allowance and buy you anything you want!¡±


    ¡°I also want the full set of limited edition skincare products from Lae¡¯s pre-sale!¡±


    ¡°All right, all right. We¡¯ll buy them all!¡±


    Chapter 103 Take Over Wright Construction Group


    After hanging up the phone, Frida thought of Samantha.


    +5 Bonus


    Thetter hadn¡¯t returned to thepany to report her progress for a few days, nor had she made any


    phone calls. Frida had a hunch that her niece was hiding something from her.


    Unable to put her mind at ease, Frida decided to give Samantha a call personally.


    Just as she opened her phone¡¯s contact list, the door was suddenly pushed open forcefully by her


    assistant,


    Leslie.


    Frida was annoyed and red at her angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that you should knock before entering?¡±


    Leslie couldn¡¯t care less about all that and anxiously said. ¡°Mrs. Wright, we have a problem! The


    construction team from Linderson Constructions is causing trouble at our doorstep, and they¡¯ve blocked


    the entrance to the building!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Frida thumped the table and stood up in shock. ¡°How dare they be so arrogant! What are the security


    guards doing?¡±


    ¡°There are too many people. The entire construction team of over a hundred people is gathered


    downstairs. They said the agreed-upon payment for the project hadn¡¯t been transferred to their ount


    yet, and the person in charge was even fired by Ms. Lane for poor supervision! Now they¡¯re leaderless,


    wielding construction tools as weapons and demanding an exnation from you!¡±


    The payment hasn¡¯t been transferred to their ount? Where is my money, then? What on earth is


    Samantha up to?


    An extremely bad assumption crossed her mind, and Frida¡¯s face turned pale with fright.


    She couldn¡¯t believe Samantha would do this to her. After all, Samantha was her niece!


    To verify her assumption, she nervously dialed Samantha¡¯s phone number.


    The call went through.


    The ringtone was heard, but the sound grew closer and stronger.


    It seemed as if it came from outside the door.


    Leslie, who was standing nearby, noticed it too. Seeing that the door wasn¡¯t fully closed, she was about


    to open itpletely when a pair of slender hands opened it from the outside.


    Samantha¡¯s makeup was exquisite, and she wore a strikingly colorful cocktail dress. Behind her


    followed a man dressed like awyer.


    Seeing that she was unhurried and even deliberately dressed up, Frida thought it was clear that she


    hade prepared.


    Leslie sensed that the mood was off and quietly sneaked away.


    Inside the office, Frida was shocked that her eyes were bloodshot.


    Samantha was amused by her expression.


    2/


    Chapter 103 Take Over Wright Construction Group


    ¡°Aunt Frida, did you miss me so much after just a few days of not seeing me?¡±


    +5 Bonus


    Frida clenched her teeth, still holding onto a glimmer of hope. ¡°Samantha, why haven¡¯t you sent the


    additional payment to the construction team of Linderson Constructions? What have you been doing


    these past two days?¡±


    Didn¡¯t you just guess it right, Aunt Frida?¡±


    She smiled and walked over to sit in the guest chair opposite Frida. ¡°That¡¯s right; I didn¡¯t use a single


    penny


    of that eight billion eight hundred million on thepany. I¡¯ve asked the finance department to quietly


    transfer it all to my ount. By the way, at least Half of the people in thepany are now on my


    side.¡±


    ¡°You! How dare you!¡±


    Such a huge amount of money is actually taken by her! She can even make more than half of the


    company¡¯s staff take her side! Could it be that she has nned it all along?


    Frida was so angry that her heart ached, and she painfully slid into the chair. ¡°How could Louis


    condone your shameless behavior? Or did you hide it from him?¡±


    Samantha sneered, ¡°Aunt Frida, did you forget that my father is the one in charge at home? But on this


    matter, he still supports me. Do you think just because you married into the Wright family, you can act


    all high and mighty when youe back to your parent¡¯s home? Do you think he doesn¡¯t dislike you?¡±


    Frida¡¯s family background wasn¡¯t the best, but it was her campus romance and her impressive


    academic achievements as a top finance student that gave her the opportunity to marry into the Wright


    family.


    Frida¡¯s brother, Louis Landers, wasn¡¯t as fortunate. He fell in love with the heiress of the Lane family,


    but due to their difference in social status, he had no choice but to marry into the Lane family. As a


    result, even his children couldn¡¯t carry hisst name.


    Frida was furious as she clutched her chest tightly with both hands to help herself catch her breath,


    barely managing to alleviate the suffocating feeling.


    ¡°You¡¯ve embezzled so much money from Wright Construction Group. What on earth are you trying to


    do?¡±


    Samantha smiled faintly and raised her hand to signal thewyer toe forward.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Thewyer, facing Frida¡¯s skeptical gaze, ced a contract on the office desk.


    Frida took it and opened it, only to exim, ¡°Samantha! You¡¯re actually nning to devour Wright


    Construction Group!¡±


    ¡°Why would you phrase it that way?¡±


    Samantha chuckled and continued, ¡°Aunt Frida, let me make myself clear. I¡¯m willing to pay ten billion


    for the management rights of Wright Construction Group. You don¡¯t know how to run a business, and I


    think Wright Construction Group would be better off in my hands.¡±


    Ten billion?


    Frida gritted her teeth. It seemed to her that the Lane family indeed supported this matter. On top of the


    eight billion eight hundred million, they had given Samantha an additional one billion two hundred


    million.


    Chapter 103 Take Over Wright Construction Group


    Oh my goodness! These are my rtives from my parent¡¯s family! My own brother and niece!


    +5 Bonus


    Frida was so angry that she couldn¡¯t speak. After calming down for a while, she finally said through


    gritted teeth. ¡°You wish! Wright Construction Group is a joint-stockpany! My son is thergest


    shareholder! If you want to buy Wright Construction Group, you should ask him!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve sent people to look for Maverick, but he¡¯s been missing for so long that he¡¯s probably dead out


    there. Dexter, that sly old fox, was also sent away by me. Tsk, tsk. So only you, the person in charge¡¯s


    mother, can help me out.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Frida eximed in anguish.


    Only now did she clearly see Samantha¡¯s step-by-step n. First, she was lured into selling her shares


    and mortgaging her house. After obtaining a huge amount of funds, Samantha brought down Wright


    Construction Group and got it transferred to her name.


    Seeing that Frida remained silent, Samantha became a bit impatient. ¡°Aunt Frida, dragging this on


    won¡¯t help. Just make it snappy and sign it! After Wright Construction Group merges with Lane Group,


    its status will only improve!¡±


    Frida was filled with immense despair.


    Is Wright Construction Group really going to meet its end at my hands?


    She bit her lower lip until it bled while her trembling hand reached for the pen.


    Suddenly, a cold and arrogant voice sounded from outside the door.


    ¡°Ms. Lane, you get too excited too early. You should have asked me before trying to buy Wright


    Construction Group!¡±


    Upon hearing this extremely familiar voice, both Frida and Samantha were taken aback!

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    Chapter 104 Someone You Can Never Mess With


    +5 Bonus


    As the two women looked in the direction of the voice at the door, Gwendolyn appeared in a stunning


    ck satin gown with a smirk, looking indescribably gorgeous,


    Two handsome and well-built bodyguards followed closely behind her, exuding an imposing presence.


    Upon seeing her, Samantha was filled with hatred, gritting her teeth in anger. The humiliation of being


    given a p in the face in public at thest banquet was still fresh in her memory.


    ¡°This is Wright Construction Group. What brings you here?¡± Samantha asked.


    Gwendolyn walked over to Samantha and said, ¡°With such a major issue happening in thepany,


    whereby someone is trying to help Lane Group take over Wright Construction Group from the inside, of


    course, I shoulde and take charge of the situation.¡±


    ¡°Take charge of the situation? You?¡±


    Samantha burst intoughter.


    ¡°You¡¯re already divorced from Maverick and no longer a part of the Wright family. The shares that Old


    Mr. Wright gave you were taken away by Aunt Frida. What right have to speak here? Get out!¡±


    to you


    As she spoke, Samantha couldn¡¯t help but nce at the bodyguards behind Gwendolyn. For now, I


    can¡¯t do anything about this despicable woman. But once I take control of Wright Construction Group,


    I¡¯ll make that wretched woman¡¯s life a living hell!


    Frida was also very dissatisfied. Did Gwendolyne here just to make fun of me?


    ¡°Let¡¯s see who should be the one to get out of here.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face was adorned with a smile,pletely unfazed by Samantha¡¯s words. She walked


    straight to the guest sofa, took a seat, and gently pped her hands.


    A few secondster, Yulia emerged from the corridor.


    Upon seeing Yulia, Frida pointed at the two of them in disbelief. ¡°You two! You really do know each


    other! You must be the one messing with the bidding of thend on the western outskirts of the city!¡±


    I knew it!


    At that time, she suspected there was something wrong with Gwendolyn. The Zipper family had no.


    interest in that piece ofnd, so she did not understand why Gwendolyn was there.


    So it turns out that Mr. Joaquin was just a decoy, and her real goal is to help Amryn Real Estate win the


    bid!


    Samantha didn¡¯t go that day and didn¡¯t know what had happened. She stood with her hands in her


    pockets, looking back and forth between the two sides.


    Yulia acted as if she hadn¡¯t heard Frida¡¯s words and proceeded to show the materials in her hands to


    everyone.


    ¡°Take a good look at this. This is the share register of Wright Construction Group. Mr. Wright holds forty


    percent of the shares, while my boss, Ms. Shalders, holds forty-five percent, making her thergest


    shareholder of Wright Construction Group. Now that Mr. Wright has gone missing, Ms. Shalders, as the


    +5 Bonus


    Chapter 104 Someone You Can Never Mess With


    Yulia¡¯s words contained too much information.


    Frida and Samantha both took a long time to digest it.


    Gwendolyn is actually Yulia¡¯s boss? So, does it mean she is the mysterious boss behind Amryn Real


    Estate? She even holds a forty-five percent stake in Wright Construction Group. How could this be


    possible? Frida suddenly thought of something and quickly stood tip, reaching out to tug on


    Samantha¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you sold my and Sheralyn¡¯s shares to a foreign buyer? Why does she still hold so many


    shares? Samantha, you ungrateful wretch, give me a reasonable exnation!¡±


    Samantha waspletely baffled. She pushed Frida away and looked at Gwendolyn. ¡°How is this


    possible? I specifically asked someone to find a foreign buyer. Toidi is a billionaire, so there¡¯s no way


    she would give her shares to you¡­¡±


    She suddenly stopped midsentence.


    Toidi? Idiot! When spelled backward, the name is like calling mean idiot! So, was the image of a


    wealthy woman worth billions created just to gain my trust? Was it all fabricated on purpose?


    ¡°You lied to me! There¡¯s no person called Toidi. It¡¯s you! All of this was nned by you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ever since the piece ofnd in the western outskirts of the city was snatched away from Wright


    Construction Group by Amryn Real Estate, every move Samantha made was urately predicted by


    Gwendolyn, who even prepared countermeasures in advance!


    She thought she had it in the bag, but little did she know there was a dark horse waiting in the wings.


    The true hunter turned out to be someone she could never have thought of-Gwendolyn!


    Gwendolyn, sitting leisurely on the sofa, poured herself a cup of coffee. She brought it to her nose and


    took a gentle whiff but didn¡¯t take a sip.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    After putting down the coffee cup, she smiled and said, ¡°You caught on pretty quickly, so you¡¯re not too


    foolish.¡±


    Samantha stared at her face, carefully examining her from head to toe for the first time.


    She noticed that every move thetter made exuded an unparalleled air of pride and elegance.


    It was not easy to fake one¡¯s temperament.


    Moreover, Treyton and Joaquin were both more than willing to protect and please her. Even Rory, her


    apprentice, held her in high esteem.


    One by one, these big shots revolved around her, and she could easily take out eight billion eight


    hundre million to purchase shares in Wright Construction Group.


    How could an orphan from an orphanage possibly aplish all these things?


    Fear gradually filled Samantha¡¯s eyes. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡±


    Chapter 104 Someone You Can Never Mess With


    +5 Bonus


    Gwendolyn looked up and met her gaze, the corner of her mouth curling up slightly in a hint of


    mockery.


    ¡°I am someone you can never mess with.¡±


    Samantha was intimidated by her imposing aura, feeling waves of uneasiness in her heart.


    Frida listened to their conversation, feeling bewildered.


    Gwendolyn continued, ¡°As the current major shareholder and person in charge of Wright Construction


    Group, I can tell you clearly that you¡¯re dreaming if you want to acquire Wright Construction Group with


    ten billion. As for the eight billion eight hundred million, you better hold onto it for now. I will take into


    ount all old scores and settle them with you!¡±


    Does she mean her next target is Lane Group?


    Samantha swallowed hard and mustered up her courage to reply, ¡°Just you wait! No matter who you


    are, Lane Group won¡¯t be easily taken advantage of!¡±


    After saying that, she sheepishly ran out of the office.


    She had to go back and thoroughly investigate this matter. Only by understanding the background of


    Gwendolyn could she muster the confidence to fight her to the end.


    Seeing that his employer had left, thewyer picked up the transfer contract from the table and followed


    suit.


    Left alone and helpless, Frida slumped in her chair. Upon learning about Gwendolyn¡¯s high status, she


    shook her head and sighed with tears streaming down her face.


    ¡°Who would have thought this would happen? Old Mr. Wright probably had no idea what kind of perso


    he had brought home six years ago. After keeping everyone in the dark for so many years, you turned


    traitor and took over Wright Construction Group! What kind of karma is this!¡±


    She suddenly remembered that not long ago, Gwendolyn hade to their door and threatened to ma


    the Wright family go bankrupt!


    At first, she didn¡¯t take it seriously. But now that she found out the shares were sold to Gwendolyn by th


    sneaky Samantha, she realized that the Wright residence had also fallen into Gwendolyn¡¯s hands.


    She lost her shares, her money, and even the Wright residence. She was left with nothing.


    The Wright family is really going downhill!


    Frida was both angry and tearful, pounding her chest and stomping her feet.


    Gwendolyn enjoyed the look of despair on Frida¡¯s face. ¡°In the three years since I married into the Wri


    family, you¡¯ve always been so high and mighty. Have you forgotten you were once just a child from an


    ordinary family after being the wife of a wealthy man for a long time?¡±


    Frida red at her fiercely. ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯re a big shot, I¡¯ll be afraid of you! It was y


    who hid the truth from me in the first ce. An orphan from an orphanage is never good enough for:


    son! Stop trying to put me down!¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t say anything as she just shook her head andughed, feeling that Frida¡¯s way of


    thinking was beyond redemption.


    Chapter 104 Someone You Can Never Mre Wah


    Sering the che dudes arend Fridsbat boson The Me Weight was


    Wegle Comment Denings defeweight¡¯s


    afraid bring her back by bus from being on amponfal


    gesest to you?


    me of hard work tromp

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    Chapter 105 Never Remarrying In This Lifetime


    Gwendolyn could not help butugh when she heard that.


    +5 Bonus


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me. Wright Construction Group might have been renamed to Lane Construction Group.


    Yet, you¡¯re trying to provoke me instead of thanking me?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    It was still no different from giving the Wright Construction Group to an outsider by having it given to


    her.


    Frida was puzzled for a moment before she seemed to realize something. She softened her tone and


    asked. ¡°Could it be that¡­ you want to remarry my son?¡±


    If Gwendolyn were to remarry Maverick, she would then still be considered a member of the Wright


    family, and with that. Wright Construction Group would naturally still belong to the Wright family.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze gradually turned cold. She retorted, ¡°It would be impossible for me to remarry. Not


    chance in this lifetime.¡± Her tone was stern as she replied, leaving no room for discussion about this


    matter.


    After all, Maverick did not deserve to have her hand in marriage again.


    ¡°So, what exactly are you trying to do?¡± Frida could not understand.


    ¡°Out of respect for Old Mr. Wright, I will not make changes to thepany¡¯s general policy, and I will


    keep the group¡¯s name as Wright Construction Group. You could also buy back the Wright


    Construction. Group from me If you have the ability.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to¡­¡±


    Frida was at a loss for words even though she was cursing Gwendolyn to be struck by lightning just


    now. She never expected that Gwendolyn would do that much for Den, despite Gwendolyn having


    already obtained Wright Construction Group.


    Gwendolyn paid no attention to her surprised expression. She looked at Yulia, who was standing


    quietly at the side, and instructed, ¡°Have someone to calm down the construction team who is causing


    amotion. downstairs. Also, remove Samantha¡¯s spies from all departments within two days.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Yulia immediately headed off to make the arrangements.


    Gwendolyn then looked around the CEO¡¯s office before she instructed the bodyguard, ¡°Throw away all


    the old things in this office and rece them with new ones, including the chairs and paintings. Don¡¯t


    miss any single one.¡±


    The bodyguards sprang into action right away. They began moving items under Frida¡¯s astonished


    gaze.


    The first thing that was getting thrown away was the chair that Frida was sitting on right under her


    buttocks.


    Hence, Frida had no other choice but to stand.


    Faced with the predicament of ending up with nothing in the future, she had to let go of her airs of


    being


    +5 Bonus


    Chapter 105 Never Remarrying In This Lifetime


    a wealthy wife and previous mother-inw. Frida spoke with a somewhat ingratiating tone.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, considering our past rtionship as inws, could you please return the vi of the Wright


    family to me? You surely would not want to see Sheralyn and me live on the streets, would you?¡±


    Responding to Frida¡¯s words with a gentle smile, Gwendolyn answered, ¡°You can have it, of course, as


    long as you redeem it back with money.¡±


    Her words left Frida stuck in a difficult position. ¡°You knew all my money was taken by that scoundrel


    Samantha. Why would I have any money left¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn then responded, ¡°I won¡¯t return it to you just like that. However, I can offer you a great ce


    to stay instead.¡±


    Frida was perplexed.


    Although she did not believe that Gwendolyn would really be so kind-hearted, she had no other option


    but to trust thetter for now.


    Following that, Gwendolyn brought Frida out of Wright Construction Group and headed straight to the


    Wright residence.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Frida felt even more confused.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    In turn, Gwendolyn shed a smile as she answered, ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    She called out all of the housekeepers in the entire vi, then had them stand in several rows at the


    garden¡¯s open space.


    ¡°All of you must have already heard the news about Wright Construction Group, I believe.¡±


    Hearing her words, the housekeepers lowered their heads while exchanging nces with one another.


    Gwendolyn continued, ¡°From now on, Frida and Sheralyn will no longer be the owners of this vi but


    the lowest-ranking housekeepers!¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, the housekeepers began to whisper among themselves.


    Frida¡¯s face turned pale immediately. She scowled at Gwendolyn. ¡°You! How could you!¡±


    Gwendolyn ignored her using re and continued to give orders. ¡°From now on, anyone who has


    ever been bullied by them can instruct them to do anything. If they cannot do the work ording to the


    instructions, you may report them to me at any time.¡±


    With that, the voices from the crowd of housekeepers grew louder.


    Frida¡¯s expression changed drastically. She would rather die if she had to allow these lowly people to


    climb over her head and bully her as they please in the future.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡±


    Gwendolyn turned around and met her murderous re. With a sneer, she uttered, ¡°I can let both of


    you continue to live in the Wright residence, but you should know very well that there¡¯s no such thing as


    a free lunch in this world.¡±


    That was the fact, indeed. Frida did not have any words to retort to that, but she knew it would be a


    Chapter 105 Never Remarrying In This Lifetime


    +5 Bonus


    humiliation to her!


    She would never allow any possibility for that to happen!


    Gwendolyn clearly knew that Frida would not back down easily.


    ¡°You were arrogant and overbearing before and even offended your maternal family. Since Lane Group


    failed their scheme this time, they must be holding a lot of grudges. If you go to seek refuge with your


    brother, Louis, do you think he might take advantage of your situation and make your life even more


    difficult than it is now?¡±


    Frida bit her lower lip and was rendered speechless because Gwendolyn guessed it right.


    ¡°Other than me, you do not have other option.¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled and continued. ¡°I can allow you and Sheralyn to stay at the Wright residence as


    housekeepers. You would not need to worry about meals, and you would even be given the


    compensation you deserve. Once you¡¯ve saved enough money, you cane to me to buy back the


    vi anytime. So, it¡¯s up to you to choose-living in a vi or under a bridge.¡±


    Frida clenched her fist so tightly that her entire arm was trembling.


    With no news about her son¡¯s whereabouts and that both she and her daughter were now penniless,


    Sheralyn would surely break down if they had to live under a bridge.


    However, if these housekeepers could walk all over them in the future, Sheralyn would likely not be


    able to ept that either.


    How should I choose¡­


    Frida was caught in a dilemma for a long time.


    On the other hand, Gwendolyn was not in a hurry. She gave Frida plenty of time to think.


    ¡°All right, I agree to that.¡±


    Upon hearing the answer, Gwendolyn curled her lips into a delighted beam. She then turned to look at


    Hannah, who was the highest-ranking maid, and ordered, ¡°Starting from today, you will be in charge of


    this vi. Remember, Frida and Sheralyn are no longer the owners of the vi, so you don¡¯t need to fear


    them as you did before.¡±


    Hannah was surprised by the honor. ¡°All right, Ms. Shalders. From now on, you are the one and only


    owner of this vi!¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded in satisfaction. Just then, her phone suddenly chimed with a text message


    notification. After taking a nce, the twinkle in her eyes grew even brighter. Without further ado, she


    turned away and left the Wright residence.


    As soon as she left, the group of housekeepers shot angry res at Frida with despised looks.


    Feeling intimidated by their oppressive feeling. Frida gulped as she rified, ¡°Don¡¯t just listen to


    anything she ordered. Thend you¡¯re standing on still belongs to the Wrights. It won¡¯t be long before I


    take it


    back!¡±


    If it were in the past, her words might have had some deterrent effect. However, the group of people


    Chapter 105 Never Remarrying In This Lifetime


    standing in front of her now had been displeased with her for a long time. How could they possibly miss


    this opportunity to deal with her?


    Hannah snickered. ¡°Bring it up when you can actually get it back. At least for now, you have to listen to


    us!¡±


    group of people instantly grabbed onto Frida and was about to drag her away.


    ¡°What are you trying to do? Are you rebelling against me?¡± Frida screamed out in fear as she struggled


    with all her might.


    Hannah then exined. ¡°Sorry to say this, Mrs. Wright, but only the master of the house is entitled to


    stay in the bedroom. As you are now a low-ranking housekeeper, you are only allowed to sleep in the


    basement.¡±


    The basement is filthy, messy, and cold, with no air conditioning or heated floors. There is even no bed.


    How can anyone sleep there?


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to! Let me go!¡±


    Unfortunately, Frida¡¯s strength was no match for the experienced housekeepers who always did the


    chores. She was forcibly dragged to the basement.


    In addition, Hannah also mentioned that if Frida did not behave, she would be locked up and not be


    given food. Furthermore, she would only be let out when she learned to be obedient.


    The group of housekeepers felt delighted as they listened to Frida incessantly banging on the


    basement door and continued to make a ruckus.


    All of a sudden, one of them remembered that they were missing someone. ¡°Sheralyn is still sleeping in


    her room on the second floor. Let¡¯s wake her up now! She used to love to berate us, so let¡¯s give her a


    taste of her own medicine and see how she likes being humiliated!¡±


    ¡°Good idea! We¡¯ll look for Sheralyn! Let¡¯s teach her a lesson!¡±


    The group of people cheered while they moved away as if they were having a long-repressed wild


    party.


    In the afternoon, Maverick, who was still yet to recover from the waist injury, finally managed to


    completely shake off the relentless pursuit of that group of people. He had sessfully arrived at


    Faike.


    Due to going through the cycle of searching for people, hiding, getting drenched in the rain, and getting


    injured for a few days continuously, he had be extremely pale.


    Unlike his previous handsome and distinct appearance, this paleness added a touch of enchanting


    charm


    to him.


    Once Maverick returned to Faike, the first thing he did was go back to his ce and take a hot


    shower. He then changed into a clean suit which made him look impably elegant once again.


    His phone was turned off to prevent the battery life from being used up since there was no signal while


    he


    was in the mountains.


    To his surprise, the call history bombarded his phone the moment he turned on the device.


    All the calls were from Zachary.


    +5 Bonus


    15.10 FII, Midy


    Chapter 105 Never Remarrying In This Lifetime


    Maverick dialed back, and the other end picked up almost instantly, sounding extremely anxious.


    ¡°Maverick, you finally answered the phone! If you still do not return to Faike by now, I might even.


    think that you are dead!¡±


    Maverick frowned and questioned, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Come back to Wright Construction Group quickly! Something major has happened!¡±

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    Chapter 106 A Thoughtful Little Gift She Prepared


    #5 Bonus


    After hanging up the phone, Maverick instructed Nico and the others to return to their respective.


    positions and await further orders. Meanwhile, he hurriedly made his way to Wright Construction


    Group.


    It was about time to clock out, and there were only a few people left in thepany. He made his way


    smoothly into the building and went straight to the CEO¡¯s office on the top floor.


    Upon opening the door, he noticed the entire room had been redecorated.


    Unlike the ck and white style he used to favor, the sofa was now green, and even the tablecloth on


    the coffee table was green.


    He instinctively frowned as he hated this color.


    In front of the desk, a slender figure was sitting with her back toward him.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, long time no see!¡±


    As if she heard him enter, the woman turned her chair and radiantly smiled when she looked at him.


    ¡°Are you surprised to see me sitting in your seat? Did you expect this?¡±


    Maverick pursed his thin lips and stared unwaveringly at the woman before him.


    After not seeing her for half a month, her face seemed even more beautiful. Her skin was delicate and


    wless, and her red lips were always bold and unrestrained whenever she smiled. However, all that


    remained in her eyes was coldness.


    He had been searching for her for so long, and she now appeared before him unharmed. He thought


    he would be overjoyed but realized he couldn¡¯t even muster a smile.


    While Maverick was observing Gwendolyn, she was also sizing him up..


    It had been a while since theyst saw each other, and he seemed to have lost weight. She wondered


    what he had been through during this time.


    Seeing him staring at her with a gloomy expression, Gwendolyn smirked with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°You


    must be disappointed to see that I not only survived but also caused the Wright family to go bankrupt


    and became the person in control of Wright Construction Group, right?¡±


    Maverick remained silent, his darkened eyes fixed on her.


    Gwendolyn felt annoyed under the intensity of his gaze.


    Despite losing everything, he could still put on an appearance ofposure and grandeur.


    However, she was determined to shatter his prideful facade.


    ¡°In fact, it¡¯s not just that. Your beloved fianc¨¦e, Natasha, and thatckey, Noah, have both been sent to


    rot in jail by me. Now even the Wright residence is mine.¡±


    She propped her chin on her hand while her elbow rested on the desk. Her delicate face lifted slightly


    as she smiled audaciously and locked eyes with the motionless man standing not far away.


    Beneath this innocent and enchanting expressionys an extremely wicked heart.


    Chapter 106 A Thoughtful Little Gift She Prepared


    Maverick¡¯s face turned cold, his expression grave.


    He had spent over half a month searching for her in the mountains from Faike to Lightspring.


    And how did she repay him?


    -She had Treyton bring Asher¡¯s men to hunt him down and meticulously orchestrate the downfall of the


    Wright family.


    It was simply outrageous!


    ¡°Why?¡±


    His voice was slightly hoarse due to a fever he had had a few days ago as he spoke, and his deep


    ck eyes. brimmed with anger.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression turned cold in an instant.


    He didn¡¯t say anything when she mentioned the downfall of the Wright family.


    It seemed that only Natasha, whom he cherished, could elicit a different reaction from him.


    ¡°You know exactly what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Maverick was baffled, yet his eyes still glimmered with anger.


    Ignoring the anger in his eyes, Gwendolyn recalled the surprise gift she had prepared for him, and a


    smile once again adorned her red lips.


    ¡°To celebrate your return, apart from the Wright family¡¯s downfall, I¡¯ve specially prepared a surprise gift


    just for you!¡±


    She calmly retrieved an agreement from the drawer and lightly pushed it in Maverick¡¯s direction with


    her slender fingertips.


    Maverick stepped forward and opened the agreement before carefully reading through it.


    The contents were unbelievably absurd!


    He chuckled, a hint of irony ying on his pale lips. ¡°What makes you think I would sign this?¡±


    Gwendolyn leisurely took a sip of her coffee..


    ¡°I was a full-time wife in the Wright family for three years. Now, if you serve as my personal butler for a


    full year, I¡¯ll return both Wright Construction Group and the Wright residence to you. Isn¡¯t this at


    profitable deal? Or do you think you¡¯re incapable of fulfilling the role?¡±


    Maverick sneered, ¡°I don¡¯t need a year to regain control of Wright Construction Group.¡±


    Gwendolyn apuded. ¡°Well said. I certainly believe you have the capability. But your mother and


    sister have already signed employment contracts. Don¡¯t you care about their well-being?¡±


    His face suddenly turned icy and stern.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you used them as leverage against me. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s despicable?¡±


    Chapter 106 A Thoughtful Little Gift She Prepared


    Both of them exuded strong, unyielding auras. They were evenly matched.


    +5 Bonus


    ¡°Why should I adhere to morals dealing with unreasonable people like you and your family? You¡¯re the


    one who didn¡¯t properly assess your position and mistakenly believes you have the qualifications to


    negotiate terms with me. Besides signing this agreement, you have no other choice because this is the


    debt you¡¯ve umted over three years!¡±


    Debts?


    His past indifference had hurt her.


    His disregard had led to her being mistreated by Frida and Sheralyn for years. Also, what happened


    with Natasha¡­


    Maverick fell silent.


    Back then, he had thought Natasha was the little girl who had saved him years ago.


    Natasha wanted him to be her protector, and he became one.


    Natasha wanted a status, to be the legitimate Mrs. Wright, and he gave her that too.


    Regarding this, he really owed Gwendolyn.


    C


    He had wanted to divorce her early on but held on because of Den. He reluctantly dragged it out and


    wasted three years of her youth.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll sign it.¡±


    His well-defined fingers took the pen from the desk, and he signed his name at the bottom right corner


    of the agreement without hesitation.


    He thought it would end there.


    However, Gwendolyn pulled out a beautifully wrapped small gift box from the drawer, her eyes curving.


    into a smile. ¡°This is also for you. Would you like to open it and have a look?¡±


    Maverick hesitantly took the gift and opened the lid. Insideid a syringe about the size of his pinky


    finger.


    The syringe was filled with an unknown transparent substance.


    It was obviously not something good.


    Seeing his furrowed brow, Gwendolyn exined, ¡°I know you¡¯re skilled in martial arts, and I can¡¯t defeat


    you. So I have to be cautious.¡±


    Indeed, it wasn¡¯t something good!


    Maverick¡¯s expression grew even more serious as he stared intently at the tiny syringe.


    Gwendolyn seemed to understand what he was¡¯thinking. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not poison. It will only


    weaken your physical strength for two months, making you unable to defeat me. It won¡¯t affect you in


    doing normal household chores and tasks. It may sting a little during the injection, but you¡¯ll have to


    self- administer it every two months.¡±


    Chapter 106 A Thoughtful Little Gift She Prepared


    She spoke as if she was describing an ordinary matter.


    The smile on her face seemed as if she were discussing what to have for dinner.


    Shepletely disregarded Maverick¡¯s increasingly cold and icy expression.


    +5 Bonus


    hint of danger sparked in Maverick¡¯s dark eyes. ¡°Since you know you can¡¯t defeat me, are you not


    afraid of provoking me? Should I take action against you right now?¡±


    Gwendolyn waved her hand nonchntly.


    ¡°You¡¯re in my territory, and if you make any moves, the building¡¯s security guards will storm in. I know


    you¡¯re strong and capable of effortlessly handling ten opponents. But what about twenty? Or thirty?¡±


    She paused, her lips curling up into a wicked smile. ¡°Would you like to give it a try?¡±


    Maverick remained silent.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Their eyes locked, sparks flying between them. Neither of them was willing to back down an inch.


    ¡°Once your strength wanes and you get knocked down, I will still have someone inject the syringe into


    your body. Don¡¯t forget. You¡¯ve already signed the agreement. You have to obey me. The choice is


    yours. Do you want to be forcibly injected by me or maintain your dignity and do it yourself? I¡¯ll leave


    the decision to you.¡±

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    Chapter 107 Be Good And Call Me Master


    Maverickughed sarcastically.


    This so-called right of choosing actually did not offer any real options to be chosen at all.


    +5 Bonus


    As he had been standing for a long time, the wound on his waist split open, and blood oozed out of it.


    The pain caused him to feel dizzy.


    The innermost white shirt was stained with blood and stuck to the wotind, making him feel very


    ufortable.


    Fortunately, the ck suit jacket concealed the blood, so Gwendolyn did not notice at all.


    Maverick bit his thin and crimson lips tightly and strived to steady his breath, making it difficult for


    others. to notice anything unusual. Alright, it¡¯s just one year. I can endure it!


    He picked up the syringe and rolled up his suit jacket and shirt sleeve, aiming at the spot on his arm.


    He injected the syringe into his arm fiercely as if he was venting out his emotions.


    Gwendolyn watched in silence. Noticing how Maverick was torturing himself with so much force, she


    furrowed her eyebrows.


    How arrogant. Gwendolyn heard that the pain from the injection was rather unbearable, so she wanted


    to see how long the man could maintain his pride.


    In just a few seconds, the small thumb-sized tube of drug waspletely emptied.


    Plop!


    The sound of a syringe falling to the ground was emitted.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Maverick bit his lips tightly. The bite on his lower lip had left a row of bloody marks, and intense pairi


    rushed through his entire body. Soon, cold sweat drenched his forehead.


    Every part of his body ached painfully, and with an existing injury on the waist, the immense painsted


    for almost two minutes before it gradually subsided.


    However, what came afterward was a sense of fatigue as if it seeped deep into his bones.


    Maverick felt exhausted that he could not even stand steadily. He fell to the ground weakly like a fallen


    leaf in the wind.


    When he closed his eyes, there was a brief buzzing sound in his ears.


    As soon as the buzzing sensation ended, a woman¡¯s crisp and pleasant voice entered his ears. ¡°When


    you first get this injection, the reaction you will get might be quite intense. Bear with it for a while.¡±


    Maverick hung his head weakly and pursed his thin pale lips lightly together.


    As he closed his eyes, his long eyshes trembled slightly as if he was enduring some immense pain.


    After the pain eased down slightly, the sound of high heels could be heard as it approached him.


    Gwendolyn nced down at Maverick and then crouched down, forcefully lifting thetter¡¯s chin up to


    observe him closely.


    Chapter 107 Be Good And Call Me Master


    Unlike his previous looks with a domineering and masculine demeanor, his handsome face at this


    moment was pale, and his sickly appearance made one want to tease him.


    5 Bonus


    As Maverick slowly opened his eyes, a hint of vulnerability, which was barely noticeable, appeared in


    hist once overbearing dark pupils.


    How rare indeed! Gwendolyn admired the man¡¯s delicate and frail appearance, like that of a sickly


    beauty. With a satisfied smile, she said, ¡°Good boy. How about you try to call me ¡®Master¡¯?¡±


    The teasing words made Maverick very displeased, and a strong sense of humiliation welled up in his


    mind.


    He red at Gwendolyn angrily and used all his strength to break free from her hand, stubbornly


    turning his face away.


    He seemed like a furious tiger that had been provoked.


    Gwendolyn stopped teasing him and did not continue to push him any


    further.


    He had been arrogant for the first half of his life, so it was quite normal for him not to be able to get


    used to the current situation in a short time.


    It would need time to guide and teach him slowly, and Gwendolyn had the patience to do that.


    Then, Gwendolyn got up, no longer paying attention to Maverick, who was feeling weak on the floor.


    She gave him time to adjust to the drug on his own.


    She returned to her desk and began to settle her work.


    Now, in addition to handling trivial matters of Angle, she also had to deal with the matters of Wright


    Construction Group that she had recently taken over.


    Wright Construction Group was nearly ruined by Samantha, a toxic employee within thepany.


    Because of that, almost all of the core employees had to be reced.


    It seemed Gwendolyn would be kept busy every day for a while.


    The sky outside the floor-to-ceiling window gradually darkened, and before Gwendolyn knew it, she


    had been busy until eight o¡¯clock in the evening.


    The office was very quiet except for the sound of her typing on the keyboard.


    She closed herptop and rubbed the back of her sore neck. Suddenly, she realized that more than an


    hour had passed. Why hadn¡¯t I heard any sound from Maverick? What tricks is he ying?


    She walked around the office desk to take a look. The man was lying on his side on the floor, and his


    long legs were slightly bent. His eyes were tightly closed, and his eyebrows furrowed together as if he


    was experiencing immense pain even in his sleep.


    Gwendolyn was a bit skeptical and called out to him. ¡°Maverick, stop pretending and get up quickly


    now.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyebrows furrowed even tighter, showing no response.


    Gwendolyn felt weird. His state¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem quite right.


    F


    Although the man¡¯s reaction to the injection was very strong at first, the pain onlysted for half an


    hour.


    Chapter 107 Be Good And Call Me Master


    Unless Gwendolyn frowned, reaching out to remove Maverick¡¯s suit jacket, and she identally


    brushed her hand against his waist.


    The man let out a grunt in pain.


    The frown on Gwendolyn¡¯s face deepened even more. Is there an injury on his waist?


    As Gwendolyn was about to continue removing his coat, a pair of big hands abruptly gripped her wrist.


    Maverick had woken up.


    Despite the throbbing pain in his head, which made him feel dizzy, his hands reacted subconsciously.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Gwendolyn withdrew her hand, but she did not answer his questions. She asked in an indifferent tone.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already healed,¡± Maverick replied.


    Both of their tones were very indifferent.


    After that sentence, there was a long period of silence.


    Gwendolyn was just casually asking that question and only showing concern for her little servant boy. If


    he doesn¡¯t appreciate my concern, then let it be.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re feeling fine and have enough rest, let¡¯s get up and get going.¡± After Gwendolyn finished


    speaking, she picked up her bag without looking back and pushed the door open to leave.


    ¡°Where to?¡± Maverick asked.


    Gwendolyn replied, ¡°If you don¡¯t keep up with me soon, you¡¯ll have to go home barefootter.¡±


    Go home? This sentence left Maverick in a trance for a few seconds.


    Looking up. Gwendolyn had already walked quite a distance away.


    After more than an hour of rest, Maverick¡¯s physical condition had improved. He quickly got up from the


    floor and caught up with Gwendolyn¡¯s pace.


    Gwendolyn took Maverick back to Bay Vi, the ce that carried three years of unpleasant memories.


    When she first agreed to ept Maverick¡¯s vi, she did so with the mentality that it would be a waste


    if she did not ept it. After all, who would have a problem with epting such a valuable asset?


    Who would have guessed that she would walk back into the vi again one day.


    They were still the same even after so many years.


    However, their roles had switched, and so was their state of mind.


    Gwendolyn stood in front of the vi and was not in a hurry to go in. Instead, she looked at Maverick


    and said. ¡°From now on, you will be the only servant here. You must prepare three meals a day before I


    return, regardless of whether I would eat ore back. You must have the meals ready and have them


    set on the table.¡±


    Chapter 107 Be Good And Call Me Master


    She added, ¡°When I¡¯m not at home, clean the entire hose thoroughly and make sure it¡¯s spotless.


    When Ie home from work every day, you must be standing at the door to greet me. Have my


    shippers rearly and say. You¡¯ve worked hard today?


    The more she talked about it, the smile on Gwendolyn¡¯s face grew deeper


    Meanwhile. Maverick¡¯s expression grew increasingly unpleasant, and his face darkened to the point


    that it almost blended into the night.


    All the tasks mentioned were clearly not what a man should do. It was obvious that Gwendolyn did that


    out of malicious revenge.


    She¡¯s humiliating me! ¡°You¡¯re trampling on my dignity. Maverick¡¯s voice was low, and he was almost


    gritting his teeth.


    Gwendolyn chuckled, ¡°What else do you think a servant is supposed to do? Do you expect me to


    provide with food for free? You should have thought about this when you signed the agreement. Do you


    want to go back on your word now? Well, I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s toote.¡±


    you


    Maverick¡¯s face darkened, and his hawk-like sharp eyes fixated on her.


    Gwendolyn was amused by his expression. Did he think we were till in the past?


    Now, no matter how fierce Maverick¡¯s expression was, he was just like a husky with its teeth pulled out


    in her eyes.


    ¡°You consider this humiliation? Do you think women are supposed to take care of household chores, do


    laundry, and the cooking? But when a man does them, it¡¯s called trampling on his dignity?¡±


    She scoffed and continued. ¡°Well, I insist on breaking the norms! Whatever I did three years ago,


    you¡¯re not allowed to miss any single one of them!¡±

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    Chapter 108 I Am Your Master


    So, are these all the things she has done in the past three years? Maverick was left speechless


    instantly


    He knew that Frida was rather mean towards Gwendolyn. Could it be that Frida had deliberately


    dismissed the vi¡¯s housekeepers in the past and left all the household chores to Gwendolyn alone?


    At that time, every time Maverick came home from work, he could see that the house was clean and


    tidy, with steaming hot meals prepared, but he never paid attention to the details.


    Due to his repulsion of Den¡¯s insistence on him marrying Gwendolyn, he would always choose to


    ignore her presence subconsciously. Moreover, he would even make a few sarcastic remarks at her


    whenever he was in a bad mood¡­


    Gwendolyn noticed that Maverick was in a daze, so she waved her hand in front of his eyes before she


    continued, ¡°However, you should be mentally prepared for it. With one year offsetting to three, the tasks


    you¡¯ll need to aplish will also double.¡±


    Maverick shook his head and let out a coldugh. She is adamant to give it all back to me.


    Gwendolyn walked ahead, not noticing the man¡¯s expression. Then, she remembered something and


    said, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. I forgot to buy a washing machine, so you have to hand wash and put up the


    laundry from now on. Some clothes were made from different materials and needed to be washed


    separately, so don¡¯t mix them up.¡±


    Maverick stared at her back and mercilessly exposed her lousy excuse. ¡°Are you the type to do


    something like that? I remember when the property was transferred to you, a woman named Joanne


    was running around and recing all the furniture and appliances in the entire house.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    After being exposed, Gwendolyn turned around and gave Maverick a cold stare, not intending to cover


    her lies up.


    Maverick was right. Gwendolyn had intentionally donated the washing machine to the orphanage.


    The children in the orphanage needed the washing machine more than Maverick.


    The two of them entered the hall side by side in silence.


    Gwendolyn fumbled slightly along the wall and instantly turned on the light. This was an action guided


    by her muscle memory.


    The living room was brightly lit. The house maintained its original structure, but the furniture and the


    matching style were no longer in the ck-and-white tones like the past.


    Gwendolyn headed straight for the kitchen with Maverick quietly following behind her.


    Upon entering the kitchen, she took a thick book out from the cab and handed it to Maverick.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a cookbook. From now on, you must prepare each meal ording to the recipes in this book.


    Each meal should consist of one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and one soup. You must make


    different dishes every day with no repetition.¡±


    Maverick took the book and roughly flipped through two pages.


    Seeing that he did not object, Gwendolyn nced at the time. It was already half past eight, and she


    had not eaten dinner yet.


    Chapter 108 I Am Your Master


    ¡°Let¡¯s start tonight with your cooking. Let me know when it¡¯s ready. As for the room for your sleeping


    arrangements, you can choose any room on the second floor but not the third floor.¡±


    After she finished speaking, she went upstairs to her study. There was still a pile of documents from the


    office to be read, so she had to work overtime.


    Maverick watched her figure disappear from the staircase, and only then did he let out the breath he


    had been holding. The pain was so intense that he arched his back, barely managing to steady himself


    by leaning on the table.


    The bloodstains on the white shirt had long since dried up. The shirt was stuck to the wound and


    couldn¡¯t peel off.


    After wetting the shirt with hot water, he applied a warm towel topress it for a few minutes before


    carefully separating it from the skin bit by bit.


    To avoid being discovered by Gwendolyn, he quickly took off his shirt and washed away the


    bloodstains.


    If it were before, Maverick would probably wring the clothes until it was almost dry. Nevertheless, due


    to the injection today, he had be too tired just after wringing it half dry.


    not to leave Since there was no other choice, he could only put on the damp shirt that was just dry


    enough. water droplets on the floor and then wore his original dark-colored suit jacket over it. If one did


    not look closely, it should not be noticeable.


    After doing all of these, he felt as if he had used up all his energy and was too exhausted.


    The special drug was indeed effective.


    He had not even started cooking dinner, and half an hour had already been wasted. Maverick had no


    choice but to grit his teeth and start studying the cookbook.


    Opening the refrigerator, he found all kinds of fresh vegetables and meats in their freshest condition.


    It was very clear that everything that happened today had been nned by Gwendolyn in advance.


    Maverick¡¯s gaze darkened, but it was unclear what he was thinking.


    At the study upstairs, Gwendolyn sat in front of theputer with full concentration.


    The girl groups talent show she created had already progressed until the third season, and its


    poprity and trending topics on the inte remain consistently popr.


    As for her friend Jennifer from the orphanage, she seemed to be unaffected since returning to continue


    recording for the show after recovering from her injury. She quickly got into the groove and consistently


    ranked within the top fifteen. If everything went well, she should be able to make it to the finals without


    any issues.


    Everything seemed to be moving in a good direction.


    After watching the talent show, she called Hannah at the Wright residence.


    Hannah said, ¡°I arranged for the two of them to mop the floor tonight, but Sheralyn was making a big


    fuss, even cursing at you. I locked them back in the basement. Did I do the right thing?¡±


    Gwendolyn spoke seriously, ¡°No problem. Since they¡¯ve be housekeepers, restrain them by what


    is


    Chapter 108 I Am Your Master


    Borus


    required of a housekeeper. If they don¡¯t listen to the instructions, punish them ordingly. However,


    there¡¯s one thing you need to take note of: Make sure to discipline the male housekeepers at the


    Wright residence well. They must not have any dirty thoughts!¡±


    Hannah replied, ¡°Yes, Ms. Shalders. Please be rest assured, I will definitely handle everything properly


    and well.¡±


    Hannah was still incessantly assuring from the other side of the phone. The window remained open,


    and Gwendolyn suddenly caught a whiff of a burned smell in the air. It seems like¡­ It¡¯sing from


    downstairs?


    She hung up the phone in a panic and dashed downstairs, only to find the kitchen filled with thick, ck


    smoke.


    Maverick tried to fan away the smoke while coughing from inhaling the smoke.


    Gwendolyn was speechless. ¡°You are supposed to cook a meal but look what you have done. Are you


    trying to burn the house down?¡±


    She covered her nose and mouth as she entered the kitchen. She turned off the stove and switched on


    the smoke extractor and venttion fan.


    After quite a while, the suffocating smell finally dissipated just slightly.


    She pointed at the charred, coal-like ck object in the pan and asked, ¡°What is this supposed to be?¡±


    Maverick honestly answered, ¡°Pork ribs,¡±


    Gwendolyn took another nce. Oh, my. This is such an eyesore!


    She asked, ¡°Did you put a catty of barbecue sauce on this? It¡¯s burned too! Not even a cookbook can


    save you from cooking anything now. How terrible are your cooking skills?¡±


    Maverick expressed innocently, ¡°I just followed the cookbook. It said to simmer on low heat for an hour


    and a half, but I thought that was too slow. So, I figured that using higher heat would be faster. That¡¯s


    why¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn asked, ¡°So, you thought you would not fail by doing that?¡±


    Maverick did not respond. Howe it feels like her words are not only about the dish but also seem


    to be criticizing me indirectly?


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face was sullen, and she sighed before continuing to ask, ¡°Do you really expect me to


    have this for dinner?¡±


    Maverick replied, ¡°I have also grilled some vegetables.¡±


    Gwendolyn asked again, ¡°Where¡¯s the dish?¡±


    Maverick led her to the dining table.


    Although the grilled vegetables may appear nd, the color looked normal and they appeared to be


    cooked, which should be edible.


    Gwendolyn sighed. Alright, I¡¯ll just have to make do with this meal.


    Chapter 108 I Am Your Master


    Seeing that Gwendolyn wanted to have a taste, Maverick helped her pull out a dining chair and went to


    the kitchen to get a set of cutleries for her.


    Gwendolyn watched his figure strangely as thetter entered and exited the kitchen. Just an hour ago,


    he felt humiliated and ufortable because he had to do the chores, and now he had adapted to the


    job that quickly?


    On the other hand, Maverick stood quietly to the side afterpleting all those tasks, behaving so well


    that it was almost unbelievable.


    Is he a little too attentive? Gwendolyn felt that his behavior was strange.


    ange.


    Hence, she picked up a piece of grilled vegetable, but she caught a glimpse of an almost imperceptible


    gleam shining in the other¡¯s eyes. Hmm¡­ Something¡¯s definitely not right.


    She furrowed her eyebrows almost inaudibly and brought the grilled vegetable to her lips, ready to take


    a bite.


    The man gently raised his eyebrows, seemingly anticipating something.


    However, when Gwendolyn looked over, the other¡¯s face returned to his cold and icy expression.


    6


    Gwendolyn put down her fork and yfully curled her lips. She said, ¡°You eat first.¡±


    Maverick lowered his head. ¡°I dare not.¡±


    Although bowing his head, his attitude was not respectful. Gwendolyn thought that Maverick¡¯s behavior


    was indeed all just an act.


    She smiled slyly, and her sharp gaze swept toward him, leaving no room for discussion in her tone.


    ¡°Now, in this vi, I am the master, and you are the servant. Therefore, this is an order. Come here now


    and sit. down!¡±

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    Chapter 109 No Dinner For You Tonight


    If Maverick kept refusing, it would be obvious that something was fishy.


    +5 Boma


    Maverick went to the kitchen with a cold expression on his face and brought out a new set of cutleries.


    Ender Gwendolyn¡¯s intense fierce gaze, he picked up a piece of grilled vegetable and stuffed it into his


    mouth without hesitation, chewing emotionlessly for a moment before swallowing it.


    The whole set of actions went smoothly, like moving clouds and flowing water.


    Maverick replied, ¡°It tastes just like regr grilled vegetables. Want to give it a try?¡±


    Gwendolyn propped her chin with one hand and pointed at the te of vegetables with the other. She


    whispered in a devilish tone, ¡°Finish this entire te.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression changed slightly, and then he smiled. ¡°You said that you¡¯re the master here, so


    this is made for you. How could I eat it?¡±


    Gwendolyn did not feel like wasting time talking nonsense with him. ¡°If you don¡¯t eat, I¡¯ll getthe


    bodyguards to help you with it.¡±


    4


    ¡°You!¡± Maverick¡¯s dark eyes narrowed, and he stared at her without flinching. ¡°Are you trying to use


    your power to suppress me?¡±


    Gwendolyn did not deny it. ¡°Exactly. When dealing with a disobedient servant, one must take firm


    measures. So, do you want to cat by yourself, or should I have theme in and feed you?¡±


    Another multiple-choice question without a choice.


    Maverick¡¯s face darkened gradually under her gaze.


    Maverick¡¯s pride and hostility all these years had been ground by the woman before him four times in


    just a few hours this afternoon. How detestable and despicable!


    However, just as Gwendolyn was staring at him, she smiled with her eyes curved, which looked


    innocent, like there was no such thing as using power to oppress others.


    It made his anger seem overly petty.


    It was impossible for him to refuse.


    Maverick picked up the fork again and reached for the te of grilled vegetables on the table. He didn¡¯t


    even realize that his arm was slightly trembling.


    He held his breath and stuffed arge piece of vegetable into his mouth. It was incredibly difficult to


    swallow down the food as his entire mouth seemed to reject the bizarre taste.


    In order to teach Gwendolyn a lesson and vent his frustration, he almost added a big amount of every


    bottle of seasonings with inconspicuous color.


    Who would have guessed that she would be so cautious, and not eat a single bite? That half-smile


    expression on her face seemed to tell him that she had already seen through his trick.


    Maverick refused to give up, so he tried to maintain a calm demeanor as he tasted the dish. However,


    as soon as he took a bite of the dish, his stomach felt sick.


    Chapter 109 No Dinner For You Tonight


    Unable to hold it in any longer, he rushed to the kitchen and threw up violently.


    + Bonu


    Gwendolynughed while pping her hands, greatly admiring Maverick¡¯s endurance as he managed


    to take three bites of the food before spitting it out. Trying to torture me with this little trick? Just how


    childish is this man?


    Gwendolyn said, ¡°Mr. Wright, it¡¯s not right to waste food. As a punishment, you¡¯re not allowed to have


    dinner tonight.¡±


    Maverick had vomited until his stomach was empty, but he still could not help but continue to retch.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s words had reached him, but he did not feel like responding.


    Even stomach acid had been vomited out, leaving a burning sensation in Maverick¡¯s throat. If she


    doesn¡¯t allow me to eat, then so be it.


    He might choose not to eat, but Gwendolyn still needed to.


    After the hideous episode, it was already past nine o¡¯clock, and Gwendolyn was indeed feeling a bit


    hungry.


    With Maverick¡¯s cooking skills, there was no hope for him to prepare dinner for tonight.


    Therefore, she decided to cook a simple bowl of pasta for herself.


    The pot on the stove was already burned, so Gwendolyn had no choice but to take out another pot


    from the cab.


    She boiled some water and added the pasta. She was apt in what she was doing.


    Maverick just stood quietly by the door, watching her.


    Seeing her serious and calm figure, Maverick¡¯s mind was in a daze.


    If time could rewind to the day we got married three years ago and start over again, would everything


    be different? If I hadn¡¯t agreed to divorce her back then, and we just lived a simple and ordinary


    life together, things might turn out fine too¡­


    His thoughts came to an abrupt halt, and heughed at himself mockingly. If Gwendolyn knew what he


    was thinking, given her personality, she would probably say, ¡°You wish, id ot! Do you even deserve to


    remarry me?¡±


    He was just a servant who signed a contract and was truly undeserving to do that.


    As he was thinking, Gwendolyn had already prepared a delicious bowl of spaghetti Bolognese.


    There was only one bowl of spaghetti, with no extra sauce left.


    In fact, not a single drop was left in the pot.


    What a heartless woman. She really would punish me for not getting dinner ready without any


    hesitation. Maverick felt quite awkward, but seeing Gwendolyn enjoying her meal, there was nothing he


    could do there. He decided to go upstairs to the guest room on the first floor and tidy up a room for


    himself to stay


    1.


    ¡°Stop right there.¡± Gwendolyn called out to him, ¡°Come here. Stand in front of me and watch me until I


    Chapter 109 No Dinner For You Tonight


    finish rating


    Maverick, stood in position as she requested with a cold expression on bir face


    At first, he did not understand her meaning until the aroma of the pasta invaded his nostrils mercilessly.


    The pasta smells so good.


    She¡¯s really enjoying her meal too.


    Maverick¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple rolled slightly, yet his face remained stern, standing there like a doorkeeper.


    The impact of the smell was very strong. After he vomited, his stomach was almostpletely


    emptied.


    At this moment, letting him ¡°appreciate¡± how she was eating was nothing less than cruel torture.


    Maverick finally understood the wicked thoughts Gwendolyn had in wanting to torment him.


    After finishing the bowl of spaghetti Bolognese, Gwendolyn felt full. She elegantly wiped her mouth with


    a napkin and looked at the man standing before her, whose face was as dark as coal.


    ¡°Remember to clean the kitchen thoroughly before going to bed It should look exactly as it was before


    you started using it, and don¡¯t even think about cking off.¡± After she finished speaking, she stood up


    and prepared to go upstairs.


    However, her gaze caught sight of the man¡¯s unusually white shirt.


    Gwendolyn furrowed her eyebrows and walked over, gently lifting up the cor of his shirt. There was a


    faint hint of pink on it. Why does it look like bloodstains?


    Maverick noticed her eyes narrowing dangerously and quickly exined, ¡°It¡¯s blood from the pork ribs.


    It identally stuck on my shirt while I was cleaning the ribs.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not believe it at all. With a forceful twist, her hand felt the wet water stains. She looked


    up again, scrutinizing Maverick.


    Then, she showed him the water stains on her hands.


    Maverick said without blinking an eye, ¡°I washed it because it got dirty.¡±


    Gwendolyn watched him lie with a straight face as she could not understand what was going on.


    Why hide it when you¡¯re clearly injured? Does he think that I might not only be unsympathetic but rub


    salt in his wounds instead? Haha.


    However, it was true that if she were really being pushed to the limit, she could not guarantee that she


    would not do that.


    Since the man did not want to say more, Gwendolyn also decided not to ask further and turned around


    to head upstairs.


    As she passed by the cab in the living room¡¯partition, she stopped in her tracks and took out the


    first- aid kit from the inside, cing it in an obvious spot. Then, she returned to her room without


    looking back.


    Upon seeing her movements, Maverick¡¯s pupils quivered slightly.


    Chapter 109 No Dinner For You Tonight


    Bonus


    Has she guessed that I am injured, or¡­ she knew all along? Does the group Asher sent to kill me have


    anything to do with her? Who is she anyway? How many more secrets about her that I am not aware


    of?¡±


    Maverick looked upstairs with his mind filled with doubts and concerns. His deep, dark eyes looked like


    they were nning something, but it was unclear what he was pondering.


    Gwendolyn went upstairs and took a long shower. Just as she finished, she heard a knock on the door.


    Only two people were living in the vi, so it was obvious who that was. Gwendolyn could only quickly


    change into her pajamas.


    The sound of door knocking continued, and the noise was quite disturbing. Then, Gwendolyn went to


    open the door with an unfriendly expression. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Maverick who was standing outside the door was taken aback. It seemed he had not expected her to


    change her outfit so quickly.


    Gwendolyn was wearing pink cartoon pajamas with her hair wet, and her face without makeup made


    her skin appear even more fragile as if it could be broken with just a touch. Her tiny mouth was pinkish,


    but her eyes were ring at him with displeasure.


    This scene is surprisingly¡­ a bit adorable? Maverick lowered his gaze and let go of those inexplicable


    thoughts that had entered his mind. He said, ¡°All my luggage is at Sky Vi, where I was staying


    before, so


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Like to go out and get them.¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned almost imperceptibly and subconsciously nced at the time.


    It was already eleven o¡¯clock at night.

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    Chapter 110 A Plot


    ¡°You are not allowed to go,¡± Gwendolyn said in a firm tone before moving to shut the door.


    ¡°Wait a minute, ouch¡­¡± Maverick instinctively reached his hand out to block the door and winced in


    pain. His face twisted and his forehead broke out in cold sweat.


    Gwendolyn was startled. ¡°Are you out of your mind? How can you stop a door with your


    hands?¡±


    Eww¡­ There are a lot of nerves in the fingers, so this has to hurt a lot.


    Maverick covered his reddened right hand and felt sorry for himself. ¡°Can you at least let me finish


    speaking now that I¡¯m injured? We might have signed an agreement, but you can¡¯t take away my basic


    rights. Don¡¯t you think¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn interrupted him and said, ¡°Speak in innguage.¡±


    ¡°I want to go back to Sky Vi,¡± he said without hesitation, with his eyebrows slightly furrowed.


    In the past, this expression would intimidate anyone who saw it.


    However, due to the injection of the special drug, his skin color remained a shade paler than usual,


    exuding a sickly impression with a sense of fragility to it that was rather aesthetically pleasing to the


    eyes.


    Despite his height of one hundred and eighty-eight centimeters, he did not give much of an intimidating


    presence. Instead, he resembled a big hound that was pretending to be a sheep.


    Gwendolyn felt a twinge of sympathy at first when she saw his injured hand, but instantly changed her


    mind once she heard what he said.


    Huh! Do you think you can y me with a self-inflicted wound and use my sympathy against me? Just


    wait until tomorrow!


    ¡°No way. Go to bed now. I will have the bodyguard pack and send it over tomorrow morning,¡±


    Gwendolyn rejected him.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Maverick wanted to argue, but the only response he got was the heavy sound of the door


    mming shut.


    ¡°What a heartless and merciless woman,¡± he muttered as his expression instantly darkened.


    He turned and headed down the stairs. He went straight to the first floor, intending to go to the front


    door


    and assess the situation.


    As soon as he stepped out of the living room, two bodyguards suddenly emerged from the shadows


    even before he had a chance to set foot in the garden.


    ¡°You are not allowed to go out at night. Mr. Wright. Please go back,¡± warned one of the bodyguards.


    Maverick¡¯s expression darkened further, and he was left with no choice but to turn around and return to


    his room.


    Since the bodyguard could monitor his actions at any time, it was clear that Gwendolyn was wary of


    him.


    He nced at his phone and saw a missed call from Nico. After deleting the call history, he decided to


    turn off his phone.


    Chapter 110 A Plot


    + Cons


    He had been spending sleepless nights searching for people in the mountains for several days and


    was even injured. On top of that, he had to cook and do other household chores earlier that day,


    leaving himpletely drained.


    As soon as hey down in bed, he quickly drifted off to sleep.


    Sometimeter, he was suddenly awakened by the chirping of birds outside the window.


    He jolted awake in the darkness.


    He recognized that it was his unique secret code with Nico.


    He quickly got out of bed and walked towards the window. Suddenly, the overhead chandelier made a


    clicking sound and turned on.


    When he turned around, he saw Gwendolyn leaning against the door with a faint smile on her lips.


    Maverick stood still and stared at her. D¡¯mn! I have be so numb to the surrounding after injecting


    the drug.


    He did not even notice it when she entered the room.


    Gwendolyn continued to smile as her sharp gaze fixed on him.


    ¡°Are you not sleeping yet?¡± Gwendolyn asked.


    Maverick forced a smile. ¡°I am feeling a little hungry and can¡¯t seem to sleep, so I am thinking of


    heading to the kitchen.¡±


    ¡°Is the kitchen located outside the window?¡± Gwendolyn asked with amusement. ¡°Are you nning to


    jump from the second floor to get something to eat?¡±


    She noticed something was wrong when she heard the chirping of a bird.


    After all, she had set up top-grade security for the yard, so not even a fly could get in, let alone a bird.


    Maverick remained silent, as he could not think of a good reason to argue with her.


    She did not bother with exposing his lies and simply said. ¡°It is already one in the morning. I suggest


    that you get some sleep. You will need to wake up at six tomorrow to make breakfast. Do not try


    anything, or you won¡¯t be allowed to eat for the whole day.¡±


    With that, she turned around and went back to the third floor.


    After the dy, Nico did not make any more noises as he had likely noticed that something went


    wrong, Maverick closed the curtains and decided to look for another opportunity to contact Nico.


    The next morning, Maverick got up on time ording to Gwendolyn¡¯s instructions and saw the


    bodyguards rushing around as they carried something into the living room from outside.


    He walked over and found that they were carrying his belongings into the house.


    Wow, they are being delivered so early?


    ¡°Mr. Wright, please pack and move these things upstairs before Ms. Shalders wakes up. Ms. Shalders


    does


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Chapter 110 A Plot


    not like to see her house in a mess, and she will be unhappy if she sees all theseying around, the


    bodyguards said with a slightly gloating tone as they pointed to the stack of paper boxes that were piled


    up as high as a person when they saw Mavericking over.


    Maverick did not say anything as he knew the bodyguards were deliberately trying to provoke him.


    With his current strength, he knew he would be exhausted halfway through carrying all the boxes, and


    it would take a considerable amount of time to finish the task on top of preparing breakfast before


    Gwendolyn woke up.


    Seeing how Maverick was not moving, the bodyguards looked at him tauntingly and hinted, ¡°Mr. Wright,


    a man should never admit to hisck of ability, but if you really can¡¯t do it, you can also ask us for help.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes narrowed coldly, and he immediately began to move the boxes.


    By the time Gwendolyn¡¯s emerged from her room, she found Maverick drenched in sweat with his white


    shirt clinging to his body, revealing his well-defined muscles.


    Although she always knew that he had an attractive physique, it no longer interested her.


    ¡°Is breakfast ready?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I have onest box to bring up. Please give me a moment,¡± Maverick gritted out as if any distraction


    would intensify the fatigue he was feeling.


    Gwendolyn nodded and headed downstairs to the living room.


    Suddenly, she noticed that the first-aid kit she had taken out of the cabst night was nowhere to be


    found.


    Without a flicker of emotion, she averted her gaze and settled into the sofa to watch the morning


    dramas.


    After about ten minutes, Maverick took a refreshing shower and changed into a clean outfit before


    heading downstairs.


    As he passed by Gwendolyn, he did not bother sparing a nce at her and went straight to the kitchen.


    Gwendolyn assumed that he had not started cooking yet and walked over to him.


    To her bewilderment, she saw Maverick carrying two tes of warm food out and putting them on the


    dining table, before heading back to the kitchen to fetch another dish and some cutleries.


    She froze in ce and felt slightly surprised by the sight of him rushing in and out.


    In just one night, Maverick had adapted to all the arrangements she made. Not only did he move heavy


    objects, but also cooked breakfast. Besides, he managed to arrange his time so well that he solved the


    problems she presented swiftly.


    Gwendolyn had a sneaking suspicion. This man is anything but ordinary. He is also hiding something.


    Just as she was absorbed in her thoughts, Maverick arranged the cutleries and stood silently to the


    side, waiting for her to take a seat.


    ¡°Why is he acting so obedient all of a sudden? Is he hiding something?¡± Gwendolyn observed his meek


    demeanor and wondered.


    Chapter 110 A Plot


    Despite her doubts, she sat down and started eating her breakfast without saying a word.


    ¡°The oatmeal was too runny, and the bacon was under seasoned,¡± Gwendolynmented inwardly.


    Since it was still ediblepared tost night¡¯s dinner, Gwendolyn did not deliberately make things


    difficult for him.


    She put down her fork after only a few bites, and Maverick tactfully cleared the table and started doing


    the dishes.


    There was plenty of time left, so Gwendolyn sat back down on the sofa, snacked on some fruit, and


    watched a drama.


    Meanwhile, she couldn¡¯t help but asionally cast a nce at Maverick, who was on his hands and


    knees, cleaning the floor. Her appetite and mood were greater than ever.


    In the past. Frida deliberately made things difficult for Gwendolyn by not allowing any mops in the vi,


    insisting that cleaning the floors by hand was more effective.


    She would never know that one day, her beloved son, whom she was so proud of, would be crouching


    at the feet of the woman she despised most to scrub the floor.


    The pleasure of retribution surged through Gwendolyn as she grinned andnguidly savored a cherry.


    Just as she was lost in the moment, her phone buzzed. It was a call from Yulia.


    ¡°Boss, Dexter is causing a scene at your office. He is demanding to see you and won¡¯t leave until he


    does,¡± Yulia informed Gwendolyn urgently over the phone.

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    Chapter 111 Is His Death Rted to Her


    After a few seconds of silence, Gwendolyn finally said, ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±


    I thought Samantha kicked that cunning old fox Dexter out of town. How did hee back so quickly?


    Gwendolyn thought and subconsciously nced at Maverick, who was still wiping the floor.


    With broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and wearing a white shirt and ck pants, Maverick looked


    oddly at peace.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    His quick adaptation from being Faike¡¯s leading CEO to a servant boy made Gwendolyn wonder if he


    had gone through simr experiences before or been subjected to inhuman treatment in the past.


    Despite the fact that he was being humiliated, he still exuded an air of nobility, as if it were ingrained in


    his bones.


    Gwendolyn noticed that because of his tall stature, he had to crouch and kneel to wipe the floor. He


    seemed to be sweating again after only a short while, and there was a faint bite mark on his thin lips.


    It looks like this pose isn¡¯t just making him feel tired. He seems to be in pain around the waist


    Gwendolyn mumbled inwardly.


    ¡°Stop cleaning for now. You can continueter when wee back. Come with me to thepany.¡±


    Gwendolyn walked up and said in a t tone.


    When she turned her head, she caught sight of Maverick sighing a breath of relief, as if he was


    liberated. When he stood up, he ced a hand on his back to support his lower right back and quietly


    rubbed his knee.


    Gwendolyn said nothing and withdrew her gaze gently, before taking the lead to walk out of the door.


    Maverick followed her silently and got into the car. Soon, they arrived at Wright Construction Group.


    The door was left slightly ajar, as they approached the CEO¡¯s office, and Dexter¡¯s furious voice could


    be heard through the gap.


    ¡°Call and find out where she is. Get her toe over here to see me! The Wright family isn¡¯t extinct


    yet. Since when a divorced woman like her can get to run the show?¡± Dexter shouted angrily.


    Gwendolyn stood at the door and listened for a moment, before turning to Maverick and asked, ¡°Do you


    know what to do when we go in?¡±


    Maverick nodded and answered, ¡°Tell the truth.¡±


    Gwendolyn was content with the response and retracted her gaze. She pushed the door open, stepped


    inside, and gazed at the person sitting on the visitor¡¯s sofa.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, it is been a long time since west spoke, and it seems like your explosive temper has not


    waned at all. I can see why Old Mr. Wright did not feelfortable entrusting Wright Construction


    Group to you,¡± Gwendolyn said with a hint of sarcasm.


    With her words, Gwendolyn had delivered a direct hit that put salt in Dexter¡¯s wounds. He had long felt


    indignant about not being valued by Den, so his expression instantly darkened with fury at her


    words.


    ¡°Have you no respect for your elders?¡± Dexter asked angrily.


    ¡°Well, polite and courteous elders certainly deserve respect, but are you one of them?¡± Gwendolyn sat


    Chapter 11 Is His Death Rted to Her


    calmly on the sofa across from him. Her face remained expressionless with the exception of the sneer


    ying on her lips.


    ¡°How dare you?¡± Dexter snapped at her, his lips trembling with anger.


    Though the two were seated, Gwendolyn¡¯s casual demeanor left Dexter feeling inferior.


    Dexter was about to continue lecturing her when he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure standing next


    to her out of the corner of his eye.


    Upon closer examination, he realized it was Maverick, who had been missing for quite some time.


    ¡°When did you return, Maverick? Since you are back, why did you allow this woman to take over Wright


    Construction Group?¡± Dexter queried.


    ¡°Uncle Dexter, I only came back yesterday afternoon, and everything was already settled by then,¡±


    Maverick stated inly with any emotion.


    ¡°Stop with this it is all settled¡¯ nonsense!¡± Dexter spat out in anger.


    ¡°You hold forty percent of the shares that your grandfather gave you, and you have been rumming


    Wright Construction Group for years. You have considerable power among the shareholders. How


    could you allow this woman to take away the position of thepany¡¯s leader?¡± Dexter¡¯s frustration


    boiled over as he mmed his hand on the coffee table and shouted.


    ¡°Uncle Dexter, all the other small shares of thepany have been purchased by her, except for your


    fifteen percent, so she¡¯s now the biggest shareholder of Wright Construction Group,¡± Maverick


    exined.


    ¡°What?¡± Dexter asked as he was confused.


    Dexter could not help but notice the difference between Maverick¡¯s exnation and the story


    Samantha had told him.


    Yulia, who was standing next to him, astutely ced thepany¡¯s share register on the coffee table.


    After examining it closely, Dexter¡¯s expression darkened.


    He was not in Faike yesterday, so it would make sense for Gwendolyn to take charge if Maverick


    was not around. However, he had been coveting the position of the top executive for so many years


    that he refused to let an outsider take over so easily.


    He shifted his gaze back to Maverick who stood there and said, ¡°What are you standing there for?


    Come and sit down. You are the secondrgest shareholder of thepany, after all.¡±


    Gwendolyn also nced at Maverick.


    Maverick kept his lips tightly shut without saying anything and lowered his head like a once prideful lion


    that had its ws removed.


    ¡°I speak for him as he is my housekeeper now. He only gets to stand since his master is talking to a


    guest.¡± Gwendolyn was rather satisfied with Maverick¡¯s obedience and turned to Dexter with a smile.


    Dexter could not believe what he heard and gaped. His eyes shifted back and forth between the two as


    he tried to process what Gwendolyn had just said.


    As soon as he realized the situation, he was incensed. ¡°You stupid fool! Did you sign a contract to sell


    yourself? Acting all meek and obedient in front of a woman, with your head bowed and agreeing to


    Chapter III Is His Death Rted to Her


    everything, you¡¯ve brought dishonor upon the Wright family!¡± Dexter eximed in anger.


    5 Bonus


    Dexter was a man of traditional values, and on top of that, Maverick was the only child the Wright


    family had raised with such high hopes.


    Despite his initial reluctance to let Maverick take over as the head of Wright Construction Group.


    Dexter eventually relented, knowing that Maverick had the ability to lead thepany to great sess.


    Indeed, under Maverick¡¯s leadership, thepany had reached new heights, which had enabled


    Dexter to live quitefortably off of his share dividends. However, Maverick had ended up being


    wrapped around at woman¡¯s fingers.


    ¡°Today, I will teach you a lesson on behalf of your grandfather and my brother!¡± Dexter shouted angrily


    as he rushed forward and pped Maverick hard across his face.


    Maverick remained motionless and did not move an eyebrow as Dexter charged towards him.


    There was a crisp sound of a ¡°snap¡±.


    Maverick emitted a muffled grunt as his left cheek became visibly swollen, with blood starting to trickle


    from the corners of his mouth.


    The strength of the p overwhelmed his weakened physical condition, and he instantly lost bnce.


    Gwendolyn quickly caught him as he fell.


    However, Dexter was not done venting his anger yet. He lifted his palm again, ready to deliver another


    p.


    ¡°This is not the Wright family¡¯s meeting room, nor is it yourpany. If you want to hit someone, go


    back and do it there. Don¡¯t try to act tough in front of me.¡± Gwendolyn grabbed his hand and pushed


    him back hard.


    The bodyguards at the side intervened swiftly and forced Dexter back onto the couch.


    Maverick regained his bnce and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with a calm


    expression. He did not even flinch when Dexter rushed up to him. His deep ck gaze was unreadable


    as though he was nning something.


    Gwendolyn was a little angry when she saw Maverick¡¯s pitiful state.


    ¡°In case you did not know, the Wright residence is no longer the exclusive property of the Wright family.


    The traditional and rigid rules in the meeting room should be done away with!¡± Gwendolyn cast a


    venomous re at Dexter and jeered.


    ¡°Did this woman take over the Wright residence as well?¡± Dexter asked.


    Dexter felt frustrated and exasperated. Then, he thought of Frida, and looked at Maverick¡¯s indifferent


    expression, before pointing and cursing at him.


    ¡°Do you realize that you are abetting the wicked? I left Faike a few days ago because I found


    evidence that suggests this woman is involved in your grandfather¡¯s death!¡± Dexter said.


    Upon hearing that, Maverick finally lifted his gaze and focused on Dexter.


    ¡°This woman was responsible for my father¡¯s death! And now she is scheming to take over the Wright


    family¡¯s business. She is a cunning and vicious woman! We cannot let such a woman stay!¡± Dexter


    gnashed


    Chapter 111 Is His Death Rted to Her


    his teeth as he spoke.


    He gave Maverick a pointed look.


    ¡°Do not be indecisive, or you will pay the price. Maverick, you must make up your mind soon, Dexter


    warned.

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112


    Chapter 112 The Drama Between Two Men


    *5 §£§à§Ý§Ú


    After saying his piece in front of Gwendolyn, Dexter let out a deep sigh, put his hands behind his back.


    and walked out of the CEO¡¯s office angrily without looking back.


    As soon as he left Wright Construction Group, his worried expression transformed intoughter of joy.


    Meanwhile, in the office, Gwendolyn turned on her heel and made her way over to Maverick. She saw


    the swell around the corner of his mouth and ¨¤ clear thumbprint on the left side of his face.


    How dare Dexter beat up such an adorable face?


    I¡¯m going to get rid of that old fox sooner orter!


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Gwendolyn asked as she pinched his chin, examining his wound.


    Without showing any sign of pain or anger, Maverick kept quiet with a serene expression on his face as


    if he was not the one who had been pped.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s anger grew as she saw Maverick¡¯s indifferent expression, so she viciously pinched the


    soft flesh on his left check.


    Maverick scowled, grimacing in pain and attempting to dodge her grasp.


    Finally, he is showing some kind of emotion. I thought he was immune to pain. Gwendolyn mused


    inwardly.


    ¡°So


    you do feel pain. Why didn¡¯t you dodge when Dexter hit you earlier, then? Don¡¯t tell me you were too


    slow to react!¡± Gwendolyn questioned with a disapproving tone.


    Gwendolyn wondered how many ps Maverick could have handled before falling had she note to


    his defense.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Maverick pursed his lips and retorted, ¡°Where were you on the day Grandpa died?¡±


    As Gwendolyn locked gazes with him, she marveled at how dark his eyes were.


    Does he believe Dexter¡¯s words and suspect that I killed Den?


    ¡°I was with Old Mr. Wright. I was thest person he saw before he died.¡± Gwendolyn answered


    truthfully.


    ¡°What did he say to you?¡± Maverick continued asking.


    Gwendolyn remained silent for a moment.


    Before he passed away. Den asked her to help maintain the Wright Construction Group. He also told


    Gwendolyn that Maverick had a proud temperament, but was also a loyal man deep down. If Maverick


    discovered Gwendolyn¡¯s good qualities and fell in love with her, he would be willing to give her


    everything. He made Gwendolyn promise to take care of Maverick and never divorce him.


    However, she had failed to keep that promise. After trying to warm Maverick¡¯s stone-cold heart for three


    years, she no longer cared. Therefore, protecting Wright Construction Group was the only thing she


    could do to honor her promise to Den.


    Maverick noticed that she was lost in her thoughts, and narrowed his eyes before asking again, ¡°What


    did he say exactly?¡±


    Chapter 112 The Drama Between Two Ment


    Gwendolyn took a seat on the sofa once again, her eyes regaining their usual coldness.


    ¡°Noment,¡± Gwendolyn said indifferently.


    Her tone was slightly taunting as she uttered those words.


    A sh of anger flickered in Maverick¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What? Do you also think I was the one who killed Old Mr. Wright?¡± she continued with a smile.


    Maverick paused for a moment, before answering seriously, ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t a fool. I guess he¡¯s notpletely dim-witted.


    5 Bonus


    Her anger had subsided somewhat. Then, she looked up and saw Maverick standing there stiffly,


    looking rather ufortable with the left side of his face swollen, which detracted from his previously


    charming


    appearance.


    His temperament may be wed and in need of guidance, but this pretty boy is still easy on the eyes. It


    won¡¯t be eptable if he gets hurt.


    Gwendolyn reached under the coffee table and retrieved a spare first-aid kit, before pushing it toward


    Maverick. ¡°You look terrible. There are ice cubes in the small fridge at that corner over there. Take


    some and apply them to your face.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Maverick replied.


    Without any objection, Maverick fetched the ice from the small fridge in the corner, and sat down on the


    sofa, skillfully applying the medicine.


    Gwendolyn walked up to her desk and began working on her tasks.


    The bodyguard and Yulia took the hint and exited the room, closing the door behind them.


    The only sounds in the office were the clicking of the keyboard and the asional sound Maverick


    made while applying medicine to his wounds, creating an eerie atmosphere.


    Neither of them was willing to break the silence, and the tense ambiancested for almost an hour and


    a half until Yulia knocked on the door again.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, Mr. Ferguson has arrived,¡± Yulia reported.


    Why is Sherman here?


    She considered it for a moment and said. ¡°Let him in.


    Maverick, who was sitting on the sofa, suddenly scowled.


    Mr. Ferguson? Which Mr. Ferguson is that? Is he another man she¡¯s newly acquainted with?


    Maverick stood up just as Sherman pushed the door open.


    Even though they were quite far apart, they noticed each other¡¯s presence right away.


    Seeing each other as rivals, they were both instantly consumed by jealousy.


    15:17 Fr


    Chapter 112 The Drama Between Two Men


    ¡°Well, look who it is. The heir to the Ferguson family in Salinsburgh. My apologies for not recognizing


    you sooner.¡± Maverick spoke first with a smirk.


    Upon seeing him, Sherman felt a surge of anger in his heart.


    Sherman had intended to dissuade Gwendolyn from signing the agreement with Maverick, and he did


    not expect her to bring Maverick into thepany so brazenly. After all, they were at Wright


    Construction Group.


    Sherman¡¯s expression darkened as he approached Maverick. ¡°Gwendolyn has divorced you, and the


    one- unrealistic year agreement she signed with you is just for you to repay your debt. You must not


    have any thoughts about her because of this. Don¡¯t you agree, Mr. Wright?¡± Sherman whispered.


    His expression was gentle, yet his tone was threatening.


    Maverick paused when he heard Sherman mentioning the agreement. Does he know about the


    agreement? It seems that he has a rather close rtionship with Gwendolyn.


    ¡°I wonder what gives you the right to warn me, Mr. Ferguson?¡± Maverick asked sarcastically.


    ¡°She is single now, and I am pursuing her. I believe she will soon agree to be with me, so I am warning


    you as her future boyfriend,¡± Sherman retorted.


    ¡°You are trying to show your dominance already, Mr. Ferguson, but it sounds like she has not even


    agreed to be with you yet,¡± Maverick countered.


    ¡°What difference does it make? At least I have a chance, whereas you will never have one!¡± Sherman


    said with a scowl.


    Maverick was instantly rendered speechless.


    Gwendolyn rubbed her temples as the two men in front of her traded insults and resentful res. Once


    again, her office had turned into a battlefield.


    Here I thought only women cause drama. Why are these two guys causing drama as well?


    The two men were still engaged in a heated debate in front of the couch.


    ¡°Even if you are unwilling to admit it, you cannot deny the fact that I was her former husband, and I was


    closer to her than you ever were!¡± Maverick dered.


    He enunciated thest four words slowly as he shot Sherman a pointed look.


    ¡°How many years have you known her? How well do you know her? I grew up with her since we were


    kids, so I know her better than you do!¡± Sherman eximed in a loud, furious tone.


    Maverick¡¯s pupils contracted and his brows furrowed even tighter at Sherman¡¯s words.


    ¡°That is enough!¡± Gwendolyn intervened as she could no longer stand their bickering. All she wanted


    was for them to leave her office as soon as possible.


    She turned her gaze at Sherman. ¡°What brings you here today, Sherman?¡±


    Sherman originally intended to persuade her to terminate the agreement with Maverick, but he knew


    better than to mention that in front of Maverick.


    Chapter 112 The Drama Between Two Men


    In the end, he used work as an excuse. ¡°It is about the film studio. I went to Angle to look for were not


    there, so I came here when I found out that you are at Wright Construction Group¡±


    Sherman had brought up a matter of work.


    + Bonus


    you. but you


    Gwendolyn turned to Maverick. ¡°You have not visited your mom and Sheralyn since yesterday


    afternoon, have you? I will have the bodyguard take you to the Wright residence to visit them, and you


    can calm them down so they stop causing trouble.¡±


    Is she deliberately sending me away? Is she choosing Sherman over me?


    Maverick was annoyed and refused, ¡°No way!¡±


    Gwendolyn did not care whether he was willing to leave and directly called for the bodyguards toe


    in and take him away.


    As they brushed by each other, Sherman fixed his gaze on Maverick¡¯s left cheek, which was still


    somewhat swollen, and grinned tauntingly, as though he had emerged as the winner of their


    altercation.


    Maverick left the office with a dark expression, took the elevator down, and was shoved into the car by


    the bodyguards.


    Nevertheless, his jealousy towards Sherman had dissipated and he was preupied with thest


    words that Sherman had uttered.


    Maverick could not help but recall the time when Treyton said something simr to intentionally agitate


    him.


    He did not think much of it at the time, and thought Treyton said it just to make him mad but looking


    back, he could not help but feel that something was not right.

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    Chapter 113 Solidify Your Rtionship


    05 §£§à§ã§ä§à


    In Gwendolyn¡¯s records, there was only a single mention of an orphanage when she was fifteen years


    old. Yet, the young masters of the two powerful and influential families in Salinsburgh imed to have


    known her since childhood.


    Gould she alsoe from one of the major families in Salinsburgh? But why did she end up at Faike


    Orphanage and coincidentally saved Den?


    Not long after she married him, she suddenly initiated a divorce. While he was away, she swiftly seized


    control of the Wright family¡¯s power and imed their residence as her own, even going as far as to


    send Asher¡¯s men to kill him.


    Could it be that everything was premeditated from the very beginning?


    If that is the case, is her so-called debt just an act?


    Is her insistence that he pay her back for three years of her youth merely an attempt to dispel


    suspicion. and provoke his guilt?


    Maverick¡¯s dark eyes grew serious as the doubts in his heart deepened.


    Maverick was lost in thought. Before he knew it, the car had arrived at the entrance of the Wright


    residence.


    Maverick wanted to go in by himself, so he turned to the two bodyguards and said, ¡°You two, wait at the


    door. I¡¯ll enter and have a quick look. I¡¯ll be out shortly after exchanging a few words.¡±


    The bodyguard¡¯s expression was resolute. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Ms. Shalders has instructed us to not move a


    step from you and protect you at all times. Mr. Wright, please don¡¯t make our job difficult.¡±


    To not move a step from me? Gwendolyn really is guarding against me cautiously.


    ¡°Alright, you maye along, but when I engage in conversation with my mother and Sheralyn, can


    yout kindly maintain a bit of distance and refrain from eavesdropping on our conversation?¡± Maverick


    requested.


    The two bodyguards exchanged nces and nodded in agreement.


    Due to Frida¡¯s seniority and her personal experience of hardships during her childhood, she understood


    the value of persevering through difficulties. As a result, Hannah and the other housekeepers did not


    deliberately make things difficult for her. On the other hand, Sheralyn was young and impetuous and


    had been resistant to Hannah¡¯s orders. Consequently, Frida and Sheralyn were assigned different


    tasks.


    Sheralyn was assigned to clean the toilets, even having to scrub the dirty ones in the servants¡¯


    quarters.


    Since she was closer, Maverick decided to visit her first.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Upon receiving the news, the housekeeper promptly released Sheralyn from her duties ahead of


    schedule and arranged for her to wait for Maverick in the hallway.


    Sheralyn, dressed as a maid, had red-rimmed eyes, suggesting that she had been crying for an


    extended period of time.


    The moment she saw Maverick, she rushed over to embrace him as if she had seen her savior,


    seekingfort in his embrace.


    Chapter 113 Solidify Your Rtionship


    ¡°Maverick! You¡¯re finally back! Are you here to rescue me? Please take me away. The Wright residence


    has be a living hell for me. I don¡¯t want to stay here for even a second longer.¡±


    She tried to drag Maverick to the door, but he didn¡¯t budge an inch.


    She waspletely baffled.


    The bodyguard beside Maverick exined, ¡°He is now Ms. Shalders¡¯ personal butler. He can¡¯t save


    you. He¡¯s just here to check on you.¡±


    ¡°What? He¡¯s her personal butler?¡± Sheralyn was utterly shocked as she felt her hope crumbling.


    She couldn¡¯t ept the revtion. ¡°Maverick, how could you give in to her? You¡¯re my brother! You¡¯re


    the backbone of the Wright family! Why would you do this¡­¡±


    The bodyguards wanted to say something, but Maverick red at them fiercely. Sensing the cue, the


    bodyguards sealed their lips and distanced themselves by two meters.


    Only after the bodyguards left did Maverick speak softly, ¡°Sheralyn, please stay calm for a while longer.


    I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±


    Sheralyn broke down in tears, eximing, ¡°What can you possibly do? You¡¯re nothing more than her


    housekeeper now, just like my mother and me. What difference does it make in our statuses?¡±


    She paused, suddenly thinking of something, and a wicked expression slowly formed on her face.


    ¡°I understand now, Maverick! Do you have frequent opportunities to be alone with her? If so, Maverick,


    you must find a chance to eliminate her. She has caused me so much harm, and we cannot coexist!¡±


    Maverick looked at Sheralyn¡¯s current state. She waspletely blinded by hatred, and he deduced


    that no matter how much he tried to reason with her, she would not listen.


    After reminding her once again to lie low, Maverick turned around and made his way to check on Frida.


    Sheralyn, being persistent, was still shouting from behind, ¡°Maverick! Remember this! You must kill her!


    1 want her dead!¡±


    The two bodyguards¡¯ expressions changed slightly.


    Maverick noticed the expressions on their faces but didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he made his way to


    Frida without looking back.


    Frida was found in the backyard, diligently clearing away weeds.


    Seeing her son safe and sound in front of her, Frida felt the overwhelming joy of regaining what was


    lost. Embracing Maverick, she cried and tenderly asked how he was doing whileforting him.


    ¡°Good to have you back, Maverick. You¡¯ve lost so much weighttely. Haven¡¯t you been eating well?


    Your face looks pale too. Are you sick? I know things haven¡¯t been easy with Gwendolyn around, but


    you must take care of yourself. Otherwise, it will break my heart.¡±


    Frida gently caressed Maverick¡¯s face. Although the swelling had subsided, she still noticed something


    was


    amiss.


    ¡°What happened to your left cheek? Who hit you? Was it Gwendolyn?¡±


    Chapter 113 Solidify Your Rtionship


    Maverick held her hand and said, ¡°No, it was Uncle Dexter.¡±


    + Bonus


    ¡°How dare that old man, Dexter,y a hand on you? Once the Wright family¡¯s crisis is resolved, I¡¯ll


    make sure to teach him a lesson!¡±


    She was visibly annoyed.


    However, Frida couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Gwendolyn still cared for her son since she hadn¡¯t harmed.


    him.


    She quickly surveyed her surroundings and saw that the two bodyguards were engaged in their own


    conversation at a distance, oblivious to their interaction. Leaning in close to Maverick¡¯s ear, she


    whispered, ¡°Maverick, Gwendolyn is not an ordinary woman. She has orchestrated everything


    wlessly, from Natasha¡¯s imprisonment to the downfall of the Wright family. Samantha had her


    suspicions about Gwendolyn¡¯s true identity, but she never revealed anything in the end. I believe


    there¡¯s something extraordinary about Gwendolyn¡¯s background.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as he quietly listened to Frida.


    ¡°Maverick, you must seize the opportunity to thoroughly investigate her identity. If she turns out to be


    the daughter of a prominent family, make sure to treat her with attentiveness and strive to remarry her.


    If all else fails, consider finding a way for her to bear your child, as it would solidify your rtionship


    with her.¡±


    Erida initially married into the Wright family using this tactic.


    Although Maverick was a man, she believed it was eptable for him to utilize his appealing


    appearance to aplish the objective.


    Maverick¡¯s expression grew darker as he promptly removed Frida¡¯s hand from his face.


    ¡°Exploiting someone¡¯s vulnerability? If I were to do such a thing, what kind of man would I be? Please


    don¡¯t ever say such things again.¡±


    Frida remained unconvinced. ¡°What¡¯s the harm? If you manage to remarry her, I promise I won¡¯t cause


    any


    trouble for her. If she truly is from a prestigious family, I wouldn¡¯t mind serving her!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable!¡± Maverick eximed coldly, and with that, he turned around and departed,


    leaving his mother behind.


    Frida watched his retreating figure, stomping her foot in anger.


    Howe this child didn¡¯t inherit my fine qualities?


    Seeing their conversation hade to an end, the two bodyguards resumed their close proximity to


    Maverick.


    Maverick wore a solemn expression as he slowly walked past the lobby on the first floor.


    The Wright residence was his best chance. Once he returned to Bay Vi, it would be difficult to contact


    Nico.


    With that thought, he clutched his stomach, feigning difort. ¡°I need to use the restroom. Please


    wait here, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    The two bodyguards remained unwavering, continuing to shadow Maverick closely, to the extent that


    they contemted apanying him into the restroom.


    34


    Chapter 113 Solidify Your Rtionship.


    Maverick stood at the restroom door, stopping the two individuals just in time.


    +5 Bona


    ¡°This is a private residence, and each floor has only one restroom with a single toilet bowl. Are you


    you find that genuinely nning to stand in front of me and watch me while I use the restroom? Don¡¯t


    weird?¡±

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114


    Chapter 114 Investigate Her Identity Thoroughly


    Upon hearing this, the bodyguards hesitated.


    They could almost imagine the unpleasant odor of him doing the business. Oh, no¡­.


    However, if they didn¡¯t go in and keep an eye on Maverick, allowing him to escape, they would face


    challenges in exining the situation to Gwendolyn.


    + Bonus


    While the two were caught in a double bind, Maverick, wearing a sly smile, added, ¡°In order to ensure


    safety, all the restroom windows in the Wright residence are sealed. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can go


    and verify it yourselves.¡±


    As he spoke, he entered the restroom and made an attempt to open the window right in front of the


    bodyguards.


    After that, the bodyguards personally tested the window, only to confirm that it was indeed sealed. They


    thoroughly inspected the entire restroom and found nothing significant except a small venttion duct


    on the ceiling. The duct was very small and didn¡¯t seem like it could serve as an escape route.


    Seeing them hesitate, Maverick spoke up again, ¡°I¡¯m suffering from an upset stomach, and I might


    need about fifteen minutes. I apologize for the inconvenience.¡±


    The two of them agreed.


    ¡°Then you only have fifteen minutes. If you haven¡¯t emerged by then, we will barge in straightaway and


    won¡¯t be concerned about what you¡¯re doing inside.¡±


    Maverick nodded, and the bodyguard turned around and left, standing guard at the door.


    He gently locked the door behind him, quickly stepped onto the sink, and opened the venttion duct


    on the ceiling.


    In fact, during the initial design of this venttion duct, an escape route was discreetly incorporated for


    the sake of any emergencies.


    From the exterior, the duct appeared deceptively small. However, upon closer examination, one would


    notice half a brick¡¯s length of the duct was cleverly concealed behind the metal mesh, making it


    challenging to detect at first nce.


    Once inside, two distinct passages awaited. One led to the vi¡¯s rooftop while the other led to the back


    door.


    When he entered the Wright residence, he heard an unusual bird call emanating from above. So, he


    decided to take the passage leading to the rooftop.


    However, despite the venttion duct being spacious enough to amodate him, it was still a tight fit.


    With his towering height of one hundred and eighty-eight centimeters, he had no choice but to move


    forward by bending his knees. Halfway through the arduous journey, exhaustion began to set in, and


    his waist injury started to throb.


    However, with only fifteen minutes left, he had to grit his teeth and endure the pain while quickening his


    pace.


    As he finally opened the rooftop venttion, Nico, who was hiding in the shadows, spotted him and


    immediately ran over to help him.


    Chapter 114 Investigate Her Identity Thoroughly


    Seeing that Maverick¡¯s body was already drenched in a cold sweat and how his hands were trembling.


    despite having only crawled through a short distance; Nico immediately sensed something was amiss.


    ¡°Boss, there¡¯s something not right. Even if your waist injury hasn¡¯t fully healed, it shouldn¡¯t be this


    exhausting, right?¡±


    ¡°I was injected with the improved version of the 023 special drugs.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Nico shuddered. ¡°Did Ms. Shalders give you the injection? She¡¯s really ruthless.¡±


    Maverick remained silent, his dark eyes bearing an enigmatic depth, and his expression inscrutable.


    Although Gwendolyn hadn¡¯t disclosed the drug¡¯s name, he recognized the effects from his prior


    encounters with the 023 special drug during wartime interrogations. However, the version administered


    by Gwendolyn was an adjusted prescription with reduced potency.


    Nico was agitated. ¡°Boss, since you¡¯re already out, let¡¯s leave the ce. We don¡¯t need to put up Our


    men are all waiting outside, ready for yourmand.¡±


    Maverick had a determined attitude.


    with her.


    ¡°She holds a secret, possibly connected to the Wright family. I intend to remain by her side to uncover


    any pertinent clues. Time is running short, so I¡¯ll keep it brief.¡±


    Nico nodded.


    Maverick continued, sharing all the doubts he had previously with Nico.


    ¡°Get in touch with Zachary. I have a hunch that Gwendolyn may have ties to one of the four prominent


    families in Salinsburgh. Given the attention and importance Sherman and Treyton ce on her, we can


    exclude the Harris and Ferguson families. The Jenson family is highly unlikely to be tied to her too.


    Therefore, concentrate your investigation on the Newton family. Look for any girls who vanished or


    went missing approximately six years ago, aligning with the timeline when Gwendolyn went missing.


    Report all findings to me promptly.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Nico thought for a moment before he asked, ¡°So, did you believe it when Mr. Wright said that Ms.


    Shalders is responsible for the death of Old Mr. Wright?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, a glint of danger flickering in his dark pupils.


    ¡°I believe it, yet I also have doubts. That cunning fox. Dexter, is attempting to incite a fierce conflict


    between Gwendolyn and me, all for his own gain. However, Gwendolyn¡¯s true identity is undeniably


    complex, which is why I must look into this matter.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Nico took a moment to reflect before speaking his thoughts. ¡°If Ms. Shalders is orchestrating all of this


    intentionally, the likelihood of her being the daughter of a prominent family seems slim. Is it possible


    that she¡¯s actually a spy sent by a family who has discovered your location? Judging by her abilities,


    she appears to be a highly skilled agent who can hide her true identity very well.¡±


    If she were really a spy, then it would be difficult to uncover who she actually is¡­


    Chapter 114 investigate Her Identity Thoroughly


    Maverick contemted for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s why we need to be prepared for both possibilities. If the


    truly is a daughter of a prominent family, perhaps all of this is mere coincidence, and my suspicions are


    unfounded. Tonight, I will seek an opportunity to test her further. Additionally, I have arranged for you to


    visit two individuals in prison¡­¡±


    After Maverick finished his sentence, Nina nodded respectfully. ¡°All right, Boss.¡±


    ¡°All right, you can go now.¡±


    ¡°Boss¡­¡±


    As time was running out, Maverick turned to leave, but Nico called out to him, his expression hesitant.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you suspect before that Ms. Shalders was the girl who saved you years ago?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s dark eyes narrowed, his tone indifferent as he responded, ¡°But she denied it. It¡¯s possible


    that I have made a mistake and she isn¡¯t the one. We can¡¯t jump to conclusions until we have


    thoroughly investigated her identity and her past.¡±


    Ever since Maverick detected Noah¡¯s unusual attitude toward Nansha, he feigned ignorance and let


    Noah conduct the investigation while also discreetly assigning Zachary to look into the matter as well.


    It was confirmed that Natasha had indeed visited Saffron Street on that day. However, the timeline.


    indicated that her visit urred after the incident when he was rescued by the girl.


    Over the span of more than a decade, Natasha deceived Maverick by iming that he owed her for


    saving his life. She took advantage of his sense of responsibility as a man and created a whole mess of


    problems. He had originally intended to confront her and settle the score, but since Gwendolyn had


    already sent her to prison, he decided to let her rot in there.


    But if the girl who saved him back then was truly Gwendolyn¡­


    Aplex blend of emotions swirled within Maverick¡¯s heart, and it was hard to tell what he was feeling


    from the depths of his dark eyes.


    If so, he owed her more than the three years of toxic marriage she went through.


    Meanwhile, at the entrance of the restroom on the first floor.


    The bodyguards, Elven and Quinton Harris, were getting a bit impatient.


    Quinton leaned against the door, straining his ears to catch any sounds from inside. Surprisingly, there


    was absolute silence. ¡°Elven, it doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s anyone in there. Could this kid have actually


    managed to escape?¡±


    Elven checked his watch and noticed that exactly fifteen minutes had passed.


    Elven knocked on the door. ¡°Mr. Wright, it has been fifteen minutes. Are you finished? I hope you¡¯re not


    constipated, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    He then proceeded to knock three times in a row.


    There was still no sign of movement.


    Chapter 114 Investigate Her Identity Thoroughly


    Elven¡¯s face paled as he swiftly tried to twist the doorknob, only to realize that it had been locked from


    the other side.


    ¡°Oh no! Quinton, kick the door!¡±


    Quinton quickly followed Elven¡¯smand, stepping back two steps beforeunching a forceful kick at


    the lock. The locked handle was instantly damaged by the powerful impact.


    The two of them took a look inside.


    Maverick stood calmly, adjusting his belt with elegant and natural movements.


    Upon seeing the two people forcefully break through the door, his face turned a bit cold and stern,


    clearly displeased.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it rather inappropriate for the two of you to break something on your very first visit to the Wright


    residence?¡±


    The two bodyguards meticulously surveyed the restroom, their eyes fixed on Maverick with caution.


    ¡°This is now Ms. Shalders¡¯ property. If any damage urs, we¡¯ll take responsibility and offer our


    apologies. However, why didn¡¯t you respond when we knocked just now since you were inside?¡±

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115


    Chapter 115 Are You Going To Kneel


    Maverick¡¯s expression remained calm andposed as he said indifferently. ¡°I prefer not to talk while


    I¡¯m attending to my personal needs.¡±


    Elven and Quinton were taken aback by this statement.


    Could he be¡­ It was only fifteen minutes. Did he take the time to jerk off while using the restroom?


    Isn¡¯t the time a bit too short for a man?


    Their gazes instinctively shifted downward from Maverick¡¯s face.


    Seeing their astonished expressions, Maverick¡¯s face grew increasingly stern. F*ck, that was what he


    meant. when he said he wanted to use the bathroom.


    But since he had been misunderstood anyway, Maverick saw no point in trying to exin himself.


    Instead, he simply walked to the sink and began to wash his hands with his usual graceful demeanor.


    The two bodyguards watched him washing his hands.


    Well, every man understands what this gesture means. Why should men make things difficult for each


    other?


    Elven and Quinton werepletely convinced by his nonsense.


    After leaving the Wright residence, they escorted Maverick back to the car and drove him back to Bay


    Vi.


    Upon arriving at the vi, Elven and Quinton informed Maverick before they discreetly positioned


    themselves in the shadows again. ¡°Mr. Wright, we have approximately four hours before Ms. Shalders


    returns. Despite your absence earlier today, there are still household chores that need to bepleted.


    before shees home.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Maverick maintained his stoic demeanor as he spoke and pushed the door open, stepping


    into the vi.


    Gwendolyn finally got off work an hourter than usual.


    Wright Construction Group had been facing significant challenges as a result of Frida and Samantha¡¯s


    extravagant spending. Thepany was grappling with numerous unresolved issues, and its stock


    market performance had declined significantly.


    Gwendolyn had to put in extra effort in order to restore Wright Construction Group to its former glory


    within a short timeframe so that she could settle the score with Lane Group as soon as possible.


    Upon returning to Bay Vi, she didn¡¯t rush inside. Instead, she summoned Elven and Quinton who


    were hiding in the shadows.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders,¡± the two of them respectfully greeted, before starting their report. ¡°Mr. Wright didn¡¯t


    disy any unusual behavior today.¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Is he really that well-behaved? Are you sure you never let him out of your


    sight?¡±


    Both of them said in unison. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Chapter 115 Are You Going To Kneel


    ¡°Tell me everything he said to Frida and Sheralyn today, without leaving out a single word¡±


    The two exchanged nces and began to report.


    After listening to their report, Gwendolyn¡¯s expression remainedposed. ¡°All right. Thank you for


    your update. You may go now.¡±


    After gaining a general understanding of the situation, Gwendolyn gracefully made her way through the


    front yard garden to the living room.


    The living room was brightly lit, and there was a faint aroma of food in the air.


    In the kitchen, Maverick heard some noise and stepped out to find Gwendolyn entering the living room.


    Without a word, he swiftly retrieved her slippers from the shoe cab and ced them neatly in front


    of


    her feet.


    ¡°Wee home.¡±


    Gwendolyn stood quietly at the door, observing him. Although he spoke with a somewhat reluctant


    tone. and his expression was icy cold as if she owed him three million dors, he hadpleted all his


    assigned tasks. After a long day of work, Gwendolyn was too tired and couldn¡¯t be bothered to continue


    nitpicking


    at him.


    After humming a reply, she turned her head and walked upstairs.


    Maverick said. ¡°The meal is ready. Let¡¯s eat before you go upstairs.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze fell upon the steaming dishes served on the dinner table. She suddenly recalled


    Maverick¡¯s past mockery and ridicule when she had diligently waited for him to return home for dinner


    ¡°Go ahead and eat, I¡¯ve already eaten.¡±


    With that, she tried to leave again. Maverick stepped forward, a peculiar expression adorning his face.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already eaten? Who did you eat with? Treyton or Joaquin?¡±


    Thinking about the encounter she had earlier that day, a slight frown appeared on Maverick¡¯s face. ¡°It


    was Sherman, wasn¡¯t it? After discussing work, you two went to have dinner together?¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned.


    This tone and this expression¡­ Why does he look like a wife who is suspicious of her husband who


    comes homete?


    ¡°Maverick, know your ce. You¡¯re just my housekeeper now, so you have no right to question who I


    dine with.¡±


    After she finished speaking, she walked past him and went upstairs.


    As he watched her figure gradually disappear into the stairwell, Maverick¡¯s demeanor underwent a


    drastic shift. An intense and sinister aura emanated from him, filling the air with an unsettling energy.


    As he contemted the test tonight, Maverick¡¯s gaze shifted toward the fruit knife nestled within the


    fruit basket on the coffee table. His expression became inscrutable.


    It was three in the morning.


    Chapter 115 Are You Going To Kneel


    The entire vi was enveloped in deep slumber, as this was the time when people were in their deepes


    stage of sleep


    The silvery moonlight spilled through the window, painting delicate patterns of light upon the sleeping


    man in the bed.


    However, in the next moment, the man¡¯s eyes snapped open with full alertness. There was no trace of


    sleepiness in his deep, dark pupils.


    He turned over and sat up, quietly leaving the room. He then reached the first floor and retrieved the


    fruit krite from the basket. After that, he went up to the third floor¡­.


    That night. Gwendolyn had a rather restless sleep.


    She kept having this unsettling sensation that something was watching her from the shadows.


    This feeling¡­ Why is it so simr to the night before the divorce?


    Startled by a sudden realization, Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes snapped open, and an rming gust of wind


    suddenly brushed past her cars.


    Without a second thought, she instinctively reached out and tightly gripped the de. The sharp de


    cut through her palm, and the crimson droplets cascaded down her arm, staining the pristine


    bedsheets.


    Ignoring the pain, she quickly sat up. After assessing the distance between herself and the attacker,


    she swung her uninjured left hand, and soon her palm connected with a resounding p against the


    man¡¯s face.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    The pnded squarely on the man¡¯s face. He let out a muffled grunt and fell to the ground, his grip


    on the knife handle loosening.


    Gwendolyn hardly needed to guess the attacker¡¯s identity. In the entire vi, aside from Maverick, no


    one else would dare to sh a knife at her.


    She threw the fruit knife aside and quickly turned on the tablemp to take a look.


    As expected, it was Maverick.


    She couldn¡¯t contain her anger. ¡°Do you have a death wish? Do you truly believe that with your current


    strength, you can actually seed in killing me?¡±


    Maverick wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with effort. As he looked up, his eyes fixated on


    the vivid red blood staining the bedsheets and Gwendolyn¡¯s hands.


    Is this woman foolish? She actually tried to grab the de with her hand!


    He suddenly felt a bit guilty and didn¡¯t speak.


    Gwendolyn noticed his bewildered expression and shot him a fierce re. ¡°What are you daydreaming


    about? Go fetch the first-aid kit immediately!¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°All right¡­¡±


    Maverick quickly rose from the ground and swiftly made his way downstairs to retrieve the first-aid kit.


    Chapter 115 Are You Going To Kneel


    As he stepped out of the room, he came to a clear realization about something.


    A well-trained spy should have been alerted the moment he entered the room. Despite Gwendolyn¡¯s


    timely reaction, he realized that she wasn¡¯t quick enough to avoid his attack.


    In fact, Maverick¡¯s actions tonight were merely a test. If Gwendolyn had reacted quickly enough and


    attempted to harm him, he would have immediately sent a secret signal to notify Nico and the others


    who were lying in ambush outside.


    If there was no reaction from Gwendolyn, he had nned to stop the knife just before it pierced her


    skin.


    But this foolish woman¡­


    He sighed. It seemed highly unlikely for Gwendolyn to be a spy. In that case, her series of retaliations


    against the Wright family must have been a coincidence.


    Maverick¡¯s guilt deepened as he ced a hand to his lips, making a birdcall signal for retreat. Then, he


    pace up the stairs. quickened his


    In the room, Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze turned icy cold as she watched him enter the room again.


    When he came closer, she finally spoke, her voice carried a somler tone. ¡°Kneel now!¡±


    Maverick hesitated for two seconds, his face reflecting his resistance,


    While he acknowledged his wrongdoing, he was not willing to let her trample his dignity on the ground.


    ¡°A true man stands firm in the face of poverty and adversity, and remains unbowed by force and power!


    He kneels only to the heavens, the earth, and his parents, but never to anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Fine, you don¡¯t want to kneel, huh? Seems like you enjoy being watched. I guess I¡¯ll have to call the


    bodyguards in to assist you,¡± Gwendolyn said coldly, reaching out to press the rm button by the


    bedside.


    As soon as the words were spoken, a muffled thud resounded.


    It was the sound of Maverick¡¯s kneecaps hitting the floor.


    Maverick spoke with his chin held high. ¡°But I¡¯m the kind

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    Chapter 116 Your Apology Came Too Late


    Gwendolyn was initially furious, but his witty response almost made herugh in spite of herself.


    His proud yet submissive expression, as if to convey, ¡°I may have kneeled, but my resolve remains


    unyielding.¡± made her snort. She scolded, ¡°What are you waiting for? Apply the medicine now!¡±


    Maverick quickly opened the first-aid kit and began to apply medicine to the wound on her palm.


    carefully.


    The cut wasn¡¯t too deep, but it stretched almost across the entire palm.


    Her once fair and delicate hand now appeared somewhat menacing due to the long, deep wound


    etched across it.


    Maverick was suddenly ovee with a pang of guilt, and his movements while applying the medicine.


    became gentler and more cautious.


    Gwendolyn looked coldly at the man kneeling obediently at her feet and asked with curiosity, ¡°Since


    you know that you can¡¯t possibly kill me, why did you still engage in such a foolish act?¡±


    Maverick kept his head down, tightly pursing his lips without speaking.


    Was it to aid Sheralyn in seeking revenge, or did you genuinely believe Dexter¡¯s words that I was


    responsible for the death of Old Mr. Wright?¡±


    Maverick remained silent as he focused on applying the medicine for her.


    Gwendolyn fixed her gaze on him, thoughtfully organizing her thoughts for once. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have killed


    Old Mr. Wright. He was already battling cancer, so it was unnecessary for me to go to such lengths.


    You must be aware of this fact as well. So, was it all for Sheralyn¡¯s sake?¡±


    The man responded to her question with silence once more.


    Gwendolyn firmly hooked the man¡¯s chin with her uninjured left hand, forcing him to lift his head and


    meet her unwavering gaze.


    ¡°You should know my personality by now. Sheralyn might be happy that my hand got injured, but you¡¯ll


    have to pay the price. Is it worth it for you to do this?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes grew slightly red at that. ¡°It¡¯s not worth it. That¡¯s why I deeply regret my actions.¡±


    Gwendolyn lowered her gaze to meet his, her sharp eyes keenly noting the traces of redness around


    his eyes. Well, he certainly looks sincere.


    She wondered if Maverick was indeed feeling guilty because of her injured hand or if it was just part of


    his


    act.


    Her eyes darted around and met his swollen right cheek.


    ¡°Great, now the ps on both sides of your face have created a perfect symmetry.¡± She paused for a


    moment before continuing with a determined tone, ¡°Do you remember not long ago when you cornered


    me in thedies¡¯ room? I warned you then that one day you would find yourself kneeling before me and


    facing the consequences. Little did I know that day would arrive so soon.¡±


    A Maverick listened to her teasing tone, he felt a surge of annoyance. He forcefully pulled himself away


    436148


    Chapter 116 Your Apology Came Too Late


    from her and resumed applying the medicine with his head lowered.


    Despite his irritation, his movements remained precise and gentle, ensuring that he didn¡¯t cause her


    any further difort. He skillfully wrapped the wound with a bandage.


    Gwendolyn watched his skilled movements and tentatively asked. ¡°As the precious son of the Wright


    family, you must have been pampered since childhood, right? If you ever got even the slightest burp or


    scrape, Frida would surely be heartbroken. Howe you¡¯re so proficient in applying medicine and


    bandaging wounds?¡±


    Maverick paused for a moment. He wore a natural expression as he began to exin. ¡°When I was


    younger, I had a mischievous streak, and I often ended up getting hurt. Over time, I learned how to take


    care of my own injuries.¡±


    Gwendolyn knew he was just humoring her and hiding something, but she didn¡¯t bother to ask any


    further.


    The room fell silent for a moment.


    The atmosphere was eerily quiet.


    After gently applying the medicine, Maverick tactfully remained kneeling, choosing not to get up,


    Gwendolyn gave him a cold nce, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the bloodstains on the bed.


    ¡°Tonight, you will wash the entire set of bedding by hand. Wash it in the backyard. You are not allowed


    to sleep until it is done.¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± Maverick replied, hardly hesitated.


    His eyes lowered. He looked so obedient that Gwendolyn found it almost unbelievable.


    However, her anger simmered within her as she thought about the audacity of his actions. How dare he


    sneaks into my room with a knife? This man is so good at hiding.


    Every time Maverick acted obedient, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that he was holding back


    some mischief.


    She was very annoyed and was determined to slowly wear away all the dignity and pride of this man.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I can sleep now!¡± With that, she walked toward the door.


    Maverick quickly grabbed her wrist. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m staying with Mr. Harris for a few nights.¡± Her tone was indifferent.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± he blurted out subconsciously.


    After receiving Gwendolyn¡¯s angry re, Maverick quickly softened his tone as he said, ¡°I mean, it¡¯s qu


    late, and it might not be appropriate for you to disturb him at this hour. It¡¯s better to go to him at a me


    suitable time and in a more appropriate setting.¡±


    He hated Treyton, and Treyton hated him as well.


    Perhaps his action stemmed from his inherent possessiveness as a man. Although he knew he had no


    to stop her, he felt a pang of jealousy and couldn¡¯t ept the idea of Gwendolyn seeking out Treyton.


    Chapter 116 Your Apology Came Too Late


    ¡°Let go¡±


    As Gwendolyn took a determined step forward, Maverick matched her movement, his knees pressing


    tra the floor, and he tightened his grip on her wrist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go! I¡¯m sorry I shouldn¡¯t have hurt you. It won¡¯t happen again. Don¡¯t go to Treyton.


    Gwendolyn cast a curious nce back at him.


    She had known him for so many years, and this was the first time she had heard him apologize.


    He had failed to apologize upon discovering that Natasha had falsely used her of drugging her.


    Even after realizing that he owed her a debt for three years, he didn¡¯t offer an apology.


    Furthermore, even after hurting her with a knife, he only expressed regret without extending a formal


    apology.


    Only now you think of apologizing. Haha!


    ¡°Your apology came toote. I don¡¯t ept it. Get lost!¡± she roared in anger and shook off his hand.


    Maverick¡¯s physical condition was not as good as before, and she easily flipped him onto the ground


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t spare him another nce. She turned around and left the vi without looking back.


    Maverick didn¡¯t chase after her.


    He sat on the ground, lost in thought for a moment,


    Only when the sound of a car engine starting reached his ears did he rise and make his way to the


    window to look outside.


    A few bodyguards followed Gwendolyn and got into the car.


    Two minutester, the peaceful night was shattered by the roaring engines of two cars.


    After Gwendolyn departed, an eerie silence enveloped the entire vi.


    Maverick quickly snapped out of his slightly jealous mood and looked around Gwendolyn¡¯s room.


    She left, taking all her bodyguards with her. Could there be any clues in her room that could verify her


    true identity?


    Since it was uncertain if Gwendolyn would return halfway through her journey, Maverick understood


    that now was the best moment to conduct a search and look for any potential clues in her room.


    Maverick stared intently out the window, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions.


    Right then, two hundred meters ahead of Bay Vi, as the two cars approached an intersection, they


    came


    to a halt.


    Gwendolyn sat in silence in the car, waiting patiently.


    The surroundings were incredibly tranquil, so quiet that one could hear their own heartbeat,


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Chapter 116 Your Apology Came Too Late


    Gwendolyn fixed her gaze straight ahead. Her face was devoid of any expression as she was lost in


    her own thoughts.


    About half an hour went by.


    She called the bodyguard who was hiding and observing from a concealed spot in the vi.


    ¡°Did he touch anything in my room after 1 left?¡±


    The bodyguard responded, ¡°He reced your bedding with a fresh set of sheets and a duvet cover. He


    took the soiled ones to the backyard for washing, but he hasn¡¯tpleted the task yet. It appears that


    he¡¯s struggling to wring out the heavy, wet duvet cover.¡±


    ¡°Besides changing the duvet cover, did he touch anything else in the room?¡±


    The bodyguard thought for a moment before replying, ¡°No. When you left, he just stood by the window


    and stared out for a while.¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips, deep in thought.


    She wondered why he didn¡¯t take the chance of her leaving the vi to make his move.


    D


    When he went to get the first-aid kit just now, she clearly heard the birds chirping again.


    She couldn¡¯t help but wonder what his true intentions were. His peculiar actions and behavior often left


    her feeling suspicious and uncertain.


    Did he sign the agreement so quickly back then just to repay the debt?

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117


    Chapter 117 Face The Consequences For Hurting Her


    Gwendolyn fell silent for a moment before continuing her instructions. ¡°Keep an eye on hum. Also.


    Quinton, stay behind and guard the vi. Make sure he doesn¡¯t leave the house for the next few days.


    He needs to clean up the house and does his share of the chores¡±


    Understood.¡± Quinton replied


    He opened the car door and got out of the car, watching as the two vehicles drove off in the direction of


    Teryton¡¯s vi.


    The next morning. Treyton saw Gwendolyn sitting in the restaurant, enjoying the breakfast that Flora


    had prepared. Only then did he realize she had returned to the vi.


    He intended to walk over and tease her a bit, but he suddenly noticed something strange. She was


    using her left hand to hold the spoon to eat.


    Her right hand hung naturally at her side, not on the dining table.


    Treyton circled her and sat down next to her at the dining table. Just then, he noticed her right hand


    was wrapped in a bandage.


    ¡°Kiddo, what happened to your hand?¡± he asked.


    Gwendolyn nonchntly continued eating her oatmeal. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just got bitten by a dog.¡±


    Hearing that, Treyton felt his heart ache. ¡°What kind of dumb dog dares to bite my precious little sister?


    I¡¯ll take care of it for you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a useless big wolfhound. I can handle it,¡± she replied.


    Treyton wanted to ask more, but Gwendolyn had already put down her spoon and finished her


    breakfast. ¡°Treyton. I¡¯m heading to Wright Construction Group now, and then I have to go to Angle


    Corporation in the afternoon. I won¡¯t disturb your meal further.¡±


    ¡°All right, be safe,¡± Treyton replied.


    After Gwendolyn left, Treyton called Elven in.


    He sat on the dining chair, his face cold and stern as he red at Elven. ¡°What exactly happened to


    Gwendolyn¡¯s hand?¡±


    Elven lowered his head, trembling as he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s just like Ms. Shalders said. She was bitten¡­ by a


    dog.


    ¡°Elven, you know the consequences of lying to me. She¡¯s living well in Bay Vi, so where did the dog


    come from? It must be Maverick, that dog, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already figured it out, so why do you ask me?¡± Elven felt wronged getting scolded by Treyton.


    It was initially just spection, but it had been confirmed. Treyton was furious. ¡°That d¡¯mn guy! It was a


    mistake to let Asher spare his lifest time. How dare he hurt my sister? I¡¯ll make him pay with his life!¡±


    Pulling out his phone, he was about to make a call, but Elven quickly intervened.


    ¡°Mr. Harris, please calm down. Ms. Shalders is ?n datormined.


    Chapter 117 Face The Consequences For Hurting Her


    158


    Narrowing his eyes, Treyton pondered for a moment. ¡°Kiddo can slowly torture him to death, but if he


    harms Kiddo, he must suffer greatly!¡±


    He called Elven toe closer and whispered a few instructions to him. ¡°Do you understand?¡± he


    added.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Harris!¡± Elven replied.


    For the past two days, Gwendolyn had been constantly running back and forth between Angle


    Corporation and Wright Construction Group.


    With Thanksgiving approaching, the talent show had stopped recording for a day, giving the girls a day


    off.


    Gwendolyn was nning to head back to Treyton¡¯s vi early to have a nice dinner with her brother. As


    she was tidying up her desk, her assistant, Joanne, burst into the room in a panic.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, we have a problem! The person in charge of the talent show base said Jennifer has


    gone missing again!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression turned very serious. Who could it be this time? Samantha?


    She immediately drove to the base with Joanne and checked all the surveince footage.


    This time, the situation was quite different from thest. Jennifer hadn¡¯t even left the base. Hence, she


    should still be there somewhere rather than being kidnapped.


    The staff at the base searched almost every corner of the ce. Yet, they couldn¡¯t find her. It was as if


    she had vanished into thin air.


    At that instance, the remaining staff and contestants were all on edge.


    Nevertheless, Gwendolyn never believed in ghosts or supernatural things.


    Unless, someone is trying to deceive us!


    She called all the contestants who hadn¡¯t gone home for Thanksgiving into her office and questioned


    the one by one.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything. I¡¯m not in the same dorm as her, and I¡¯ve never seen her.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t usually talk to us. She seems to get along better with the other girls in her dorm. Maybe


    you should ask them. I don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    After questioning everyone, it seemed like no one was telling the truth. Gwendolyn did not find out


    anything.


    As such, she had no choice but to seek help from Charmaine, who had just been eliminated in the


    previous episode.


    Charmaine said, ¡°I didn¡¯t get enough votes, so I¡¯ve already been eliminated. How would I know what


    happened? But I can tell you that Samantha never came to me. This doesn¡¯t seem like something she


    would do. However, I do know that Sylvia Lindsay used to bully her when the cameras weren¡¯t rolling.


    They have a bad rtionship. Maybe you could start there.¡±


    Sylvia?


    !


    Chapter 117 Face The Consequences For Hurting Her


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes and responded, ¡°All right¡±


    She immediately asked the person in charge to investigate Sylvia¡¯s departure record and found out that


    she had just left this morning. Half an hour after she left, they received news of Jennifer¡¯s


    disappearance.


    Could this be a bullying incident?


    Without dy, Gwendolyn found a reason to summon Sylvia back to the base.


    Upon arrival, Sylvia was forcefully taken to the conference room.


    Gwendolyn sat in the main seat of the conference room, her cold gaze staring at Sylvia, startling the


    latter.


    ¡°Who are you? Who gives you the right to restrict my personal freedom and bring me here?¡± Sylvia


    asked.


    Gwendolyn shed a charming smile and responded, ¡°I am the talent director of Angle Corporation and


    the nner of this show.¡±


    After hearing Gwendolyn¡¯s statement, Sylvia sneered, ¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m under the


    protection. of Yvette Faraday, the rich heiress of this base! How dare you treat me like this? One call


    from me, and you¡¯ll get fired from Angle Corporation right away!¡±


    ¡°Want to give it a try? You can¡¯t get me fired from Angle Corporation with one phone call, but I can get.


    you disqualified from thepetition with just one call.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Sylvia fell silent.


    She had struggled through the first phase to reach this point. With her current ranking, she had a


    chance to debut. Thus, she couldn¡¯t afford to be eliminated at this critical moment.


    Fearful of losing everything, she didn¡¯t dare to gamble with Gwendolyn.


    Seeing her wavering, Gwendolyn began to question, ¡°Where is Jennifer?¡± ¡°I¡­ I locked her in that small,


    secluded restroom on the east side.¡±


    The moment they found Jennifer, she was soaking wet, curled up on the ground, and shivering. Her


    voic had be hoarse from screaming for help for too long.


    Gwendolyn was beyond infuriated. First, she had the staff take Jennifer to the base¡¯s medical room for


    treatment. Then, she made Sylvia apologize to Jennifer.


    As Jennifer slowly woke up, she saw Sylvia gnashing her teeth and kneeling by her bedside.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I shouldn¡¯t have bullied you!¡±


    Hearing Sylvia¡¯s agitated tone, Jennifer turned her face away, ignoring the former entirely.


    Gwendolyn nced at Sylvia on the ground and said with a sarcastic smirk, ¡°It seems your apology


    isn¡¯t sincere enough. She doesn¡¯t forgive you.¡±


    Sylvia panicked, and her eyes immediately welled up with tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jennifer. I really know I was


    wrong now. I just wanted to tease you, and I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. Please forgive me. I¡¯ve made it


    through the preliminary rounds to get here. I don¡¯t want to be disqualified!¡±


    After Jennifer heard Sylvia¡¯sst sentence, her eyes darkened slightly as she let out a sigh. ¡°Forget it. I


    Chapter 117 Face The Consequences For Burting Her


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    forgive you. Just get lost.¡±


    Sylvia was overjoyed as she nced at the cold and confident Gwendolyn next to her.


    ¡°You heard her. She said she won¡¯t hold it against me anymore!¡±


    426114


    Gwendolyn hummed in agreement. Still, she turned to instruct the person in charge to arrange for


    Sylvia¡¯s disqualification.


    Thetter was dumbfounded. ¡°Why? You promised that as long as I apologized to her, you would let


    me go!¡±


    ¡°She forgave you, but you caused her to lose her voice. We don¡¯t know if it will affect her performance


    during next week¡¯spetition, so I definitely won¡¯t forgive you!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Sylvia protested.


    ¡°Not all apologies are worth forgiving! And I am the one who calls the shots here!¡±

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    Chapter 118 Stand Up For Her


    15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn had been feeling troubled and upset these past few days, and now Sylvia only added to her


    problems.


    Sylvia was dragged out while she was crying.


    The room finally quieted down. Gwendolyn sat beside Jennifer¡¯s bed, carefully peeling an apple for her.


    Jennifer stared at her intently and smiled with relief. ¡°It¡¯s been so many years since west met, and


    you¡¯ve changed so much. You¡¯re very determined in handling things now. I really like that.¡±


    ¡°You can actually do it too.¡±


    Jennifer¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°No. I¡¯m not the same. I¡¯m different from all the other trainees here. Behind


    them are eitherpanies or wealthy families, but I only have myself.¡±


    Gwendolyn put down the apple and held her hand. ¡°You managed to stand out from a hundred trainees


    all by yourself and made it to the finals step by step. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re amazing?¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m only ranked fifteenth. I can¡¯t debut. Sylvia told me that the debut slots have already been filled


    by majorpanies through under-the-table deals. I don¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    Gwendolyn burst intoughter.


    That was herpany, and she organized the event. She had specifically instructed her staff not to


    ept any bribes or reserve spots. No one would know better than her.


    Jennifer was not bad-looking. Although she was not bedazzling at first nce, she was always pleasing


    to the eyes.


    She was a lovely and innocent girl.


    With such a look and talent, Jennifer had the potential to go a long way in the entertainment industry.


    Regardless of whether it was for the sake of friendship or thepany¡¯s interests, she decided to


    support Jennifer wholeheartedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There will never be any predetermined oues in my show. As long as you work hard,


    you¡¯ll have a chance. Moreover, even if you don¡¯t sessfully debut this time, I¡¯ll make sure you sign


    with Angle Corporation as an S-level artist.¡±


    Jennifer¡¯s eyes glistened with tears.


    She bit her lip in disbelief and held her tears from rolling down her cheeks.


    Gwendolyn gently patted her head. ¡°This time, go all out and strive toward your goal with everything


    you¡¯ve got.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Gwendolyn¡­ Even though you never told me who you are, I know you¡¯re an amazing


    woman.¡± Jennifer hugged her, feeling touched.


    ¡°If any trainees bully you in the future, confront them directly! The more you show weakness, the more


    they¡¯ll take advantage of you. Only when you stand up for yourself will they fear you. Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll


    have your back from now on!¡±


    1


    Chapter 118 Stand Up For Her


    Jennifer hugged her tightly, feeling her heart grow stronger.


    After Gwendolyn left that night, Jennifer was cornered in the restroom by Yvette and her twockeys as


    soon as she stepped out of the medical room.


    Since it was the Thanksgiving holiday, there were no cameras filming at the base, and it was even


    more unlikely for there to be surveince in a ce like a restroom.


    Upon learning that Sylvia had been inexplicably disqualified, Yvette hurried back to the base, intending


    to teach Jennifer a lesson and make sure she wouldn¡¯t dare to tattle again.


    Jennifer was forced into a corner, shivering with fear. Suddenly, Gwendolyn¡¯s words from earlier in the


    day shed through her mind.


    She gritted her teeth, picked up the dirty mop from the corner, and waved it threateningly at the three


    people.


    ¡°Listen well, Yvette. I used to give in to you in the past, but from now on, don¡¯t even think aboutying a


    finger on me!¡±


    ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s y a game, then. We¡¯ll see if you can beat the three of us all at once!¡±


    The fourdies quickly got into a fight, with continuous shrieks filling the chaotic restroom.


    Gwendolyn found out about it the next morning.


    Yvette, with a bruised and swollen face, had been severely beaten. She threatened to hire awyer and


    sue Jennifer for causing her physical injury.


    Joanne, who was at the side, said, ¡°Three against one and she still couldn¡¯t win, yet she has the nerve


    to y the victim.¡±


    Gwendolynughed. ¡°I¡¯ll leave this matter to you. Whether Yvette wants to hire awyer or use any


    other tricks, we¡¯ll deal with her by giving Jennifer full support.¡±


    ¡°No problem, Ms. Shalders!¡±


    Gwendolyn had been busy with work for a few days while someone hadn¡¯t been idle either.


    Gwendolyn hadn¡¯t returned to Bay Vi for three consecutive days.


    Maverick couldn¡¯t figure out what was bothering him, but he felt really annoyed.


    As soon as he closed his eyes, the image of Gwendolyn and Treyton being alone together would


    appear before him.


    Whenever he thought of that scene, it would make him feel ufortable all over as if something was


    just not right.


    He could not wrap his head around it.


    He used to think that he liked Natasha, butter, he realized that his feelings for her were merely a


    man¡¯ sense of responsibility and brotherly care for a younger sister.


    Gwendolyn, however, was different. She could always evoke a myriad of emotions in him like anger,


    surprise, heartache, and guilt.


    Chapter 118 Stand Up For Her


    It seemed that she was a special existence in his heart.


    Although his mind was in turmoil, he hadn¡¯t been idle these past few days.


    -61%8


    He had pretended to leave the house to lure the hidden bodyguards out to stop him. Besides, he had


    managed to find the hiding spots of the two bodyguards left at the vi and figured out their routines. If


    Gwendolyn did not return tonight, it would be a great opportunity to meet Nico.


    He sat on the couch, deep in thought, Suddenly, therge door connecting the living room to the


    garden swung open.


    Thinking that Gwendolyn had returned, Maverick got up, intending to greet her.


    To his surprise, it wasn¡¯t Gwendolyn who entered but Elven.


    Elven walked in with three men as tall as him following closely behind him. They entered with an


    imposing presence, staring at Maverick with hostile looks.


    Maverick felt a hint of danger. He looked at Elven and asked calmly. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, the three menacing men behind Elven suddenly approached him.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Two of them walked up behind him and restrained his shoulders.


    4


    Another man walked up to him and raise his hand viciously, ready to p his cheek that had just


    recovered a couple of days ago.


    Elven quickly intervened, ¡°Mr. Harris said not to hit his face! With his current frail body, how many blow


    can he withstand? Don¡¯t hurt his face and disfigure him.¡±


    Mr. Harris?


    Maverick narrowed his eyes slightly and sneered, ¡°I wonder what I have done that offended Mr. Harris.


    Did he tell you to whack me?¡±


    Elven mimicked Treyton¡¯s cold tone and said, ¡°You may not have offended Mr. Harris, but you hurt Ms.


    Shalders. Mr. Harris will definitely want you to be punished!¡±


    Ha! Is Treyton feeling sad for Gwendolyn and wanting to stand up for her?


    Maverick felt quite strange.


    ¡°So, this is just Mr. Harris¡¯ idea and not Gwendolyn¡¯s?¡±


    Elven fell silent for a moment.


    ¡°Is there any difference? As a servant who signed an agreement with Ms. Shalders, you shouldn¡¯t have


    ha any ill intentions! But not only did you sneak into her roomte at night, you also caused her harm.


    Dor you think you deserve to be punished?¡±


    Although he did not intend to hurt Gwendolyn in this matter, her injury was indeed caused by him.


    He should take responsibility for that.


    Moreover, judging by the attitude of the men Treyton had brought with him, it seemed that things wou!


    not end well today.


    Chapter 118 Stand Up For Her


    ¡°Tell them to let go of me I¡¯ll ept whatever punishment that is necessary¡±


    ¡°Great! You¡¯re really courageous, Mr. Wright¡±


    Elven cast a meaningful nce at the two men restraining Maverick, and they let him go.


    ¡°The punishment is quite simple. Considering your current physical condition, Mr. Harris decided to give


    you only a hundred cane strikes as a warning. How does that sound? It¡¯s not too difficult for


    Elven pulled out two canes as thick as his index finger and stared at him with a grin.


    Treyton had nned to use a horsewhip at first.


    you.


    However, that thing could pierce the thick skin of a tough horse, let alone Maverick, who had been


    injected with a special drug and was extremely vulnerable. They were afraid that if he couldn¡¯t


    withstand after a few hits, it would be difficult for them to exin to Gwendolyn.


    However, a cane was quite different. It was not easy for it to cause someone to bleed profusely, but it


    could make them suffer unbearable pain, especially the next day when the wounds would swell and


    be inmed.


    That was torturing.


    Maverick was well aware of that, too. The corner of his lips curled into a sarcastic smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple indeed. Mr. Harris is truly magnanimous.¡±

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119


    Chapter 119 Cunning


    Elven detected the sarcasm in his words and responded with a smile, ¡°Mr. Wright, I apologize.¡±


    #15 Bonus


    Maverick hummed lightly and found himself walking toward the wall. Facing the wall, he ced both


    hands on it for support.


    As soon as he stood up, a cane whipped through the air like a gust of wind.


    The blownded directly and mercilessly on his straightened back, producing a crisp sound.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Maverick gritted his teeth, his hands instinctively clenching into tight fists.


    Before he could even recover from the pain brought by the first stroke, the second and third blows


    quickly followed. They mercilessly hit his back without giving him a chance to catch his breath.


    Indeed, it hurt.


    Due to the injection of a special drug, his physical constitution had weakened and his skin had be


    thinner. Thus, his sense of pain intensified.


    The 023 special drug was originally designed to treat prisoners of war who hadmitted grave


    mistakes Once injected, the individual would be unable to resist. The pain experienced during


    interrogation and punishment would be intensified. This would ultimately lead to extreme physical and


    mental torment.


    Never did he expect that one day the 023 drug, albeit an adjusted prescription, would be used to


    torment him.


    It was ironic, indeed.


    The intense pain from the cane striking his back snapped him back to reality.


    After just over twenty strokes, it was obvious that several bruises had appeared underneath the white


    shir


    With sheer determination, Maverick held his breath to avoid making any humiliating cries. He bit down


    on his lower lip so hard that it left a row of bloody marks. Cold sweat covered his forehead, while the


    vei in his arms bulged prominently.


    By the fortieth stroke, his arms, which were propped against the wall, began to tremble uncontrobly.


    By the seventieth stroke, his back was in so much pain that it had almost gone numb. His skin was


    more fragile than before. Several spots on his back had been whipped open, leaving scattered


    bloodstains on h white shirt.


    He began to feel rather light-headed and unsteady. His legs, originally slender and straight, started to


    tremble uncontrobly.


    Elven watched from the side. He could not help but admire how cunning Treyton¡¯s beating was.


    The cane could really hurt and torture its victim without actually killing them.


    Moreover, since he was secretly looking for trouble with Maverick behind Gwendolyn¡¯s back, all the


    injuries on his back would not affect his walking. This way, Gwendolyn would not know.


    Chapter 119 Cunning


    As he was deep in thought, he suddenly heard something plop.


    Maverick had fallen onto the floor due to intense pain, passing out on the spot.


    The two aggressors looked at each other with bewildered expressions, ultimately turning to Elven for


    help.


    ¡°Elven, what should we do?¡±


    Elven nced at the pale-faced Maverick on the floor and asked, ¡°How many times have you caned


    him?¡±


    ¡°Ny.¡±


    Elven clicked his tongue twice, suddenly feeling a sense of admiration for the unconscious man before.


    him.


    ¡°He actually managed to endure ny strokes without making a sound before passing out. He really is


    a tough guy. You two didn¡¯t go easy on him, did you?¡±


    The two hurriedly shook their heads. ¡°You know how strong our hands are. Besides, this is Mr. Harris¡¯


    order. How could we dare to go easy?¡± They paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Elven, what


    should we do now? Should we give him thest ten strikes or not? If we do, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to


    ssh water o him to wake him up before we continue, right?¡±


    Elven did not speak. He lowered his head to take another look at Maverick on the floor.


    His entire face, devoid of color, was as pale as paper, yet his lips were covered in bright red


    bloodstains.


    Because of his distinct and handsome features, his miserable appearance surprisingly did not make


    him look bad. Instead, it gave off a unique sense of fragile beauty,


    Elven sincerely wanted to exim how unfair God was. The man was really handsome.


    It was no wonder Gwendolyn liked to keep him around. He was at least pleasing to the eye.


    ¡°Elven?¡±


    The two people holding canes were at a loss.


    Elven snapped back to reality and focused his gaze on Maverick¡¯s dreadful-looking back.


    ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s quite a miracle that he¡¯ssted this long with his weak constitution. If we ssh water on


    him to wake him up and continue, he¡¯ll probably pass out again in no time. Mr. Harris said we should


    make it quick, so let¡¯s get going.¡±


    ¡°How should we exin things to Mr. Harris, then¡­¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Elven replied, ¡°I will tell him the truth.¡±


    They were getting ready to return home.


    Before leaving, Elven called out Quinton and Ryan, who had been staying hidden in the shadows.


    ¡°What did you two just see?¡±


    Quinton and Ryan lowered their heads. ¡°Mr. Wright passed out in the living room because he was too


    from doing housework. We didn¡¯t see anything else.¡±


    Chapter 11 Cunning


    Elven nodded in satisfaction. ¡°If Ms. Shalders asks about it, you tell her exactly this If she doesn¡¯t ask,


    then just act as if nothing happened. Got it¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    After setting the story straight, everyone left. Quinton and Ryan returned to their posts after receiving


    their orders,pletely ignoring the man who had fainted in the living room.


    Gwendolyn was the apple of the eyes of the Harrises. If anyone dared to hurt her, they would have to


    face the consequences of their own actions.


    Maverick curled up on the cold marble floor of the living room.


    His head was foggy and heavy. He felt that he was caught in a cycle of being jolted awake by pain and


    then slipping back into dizziness. Over and over, he endured this torment.


    Nico secretly visited someone in prison.


    When Natasha was brought out by the police, Nico waspletely stunned.


    In just a short time, a third of her hair had turned gray, and her skin looked terrible as if she had aged


    ten years. She appeared like a madwoman, with bruises clearly visible on her face and body, indicating


    that she had not been doing well during this period.


    Upon seeing him, Natasha was so overwhelmed with emotion that she nearly burst into tears.


    ¡°Mave has returned to Faike? Was it Mave who asked you to save me? I knew it. He wouldn¡¯t forget


    about me¡­¡± she sobbed.


    Nico was speechless for a few seconds. He gave it some thought but eventually decided not to reveal


    that Maverick had already known that Natasha had deceived him.


    He simply said, ¡°Ms. Mossey, I came here to rify a few things with you. I hope you can be open with


    m and tell me the truth!¡±


    Natasha stared at him nkly for a moment. Then, she suddenly growled like a maniac.


    ¡°You mean you¡¯re not here to rescue me? How could Mave be so heartless? He¡¯s going back on his


    promis isn¡¯t he? Why? Is it because I¡¯ve grown old and ugly, and he doesn¡¯t love me anymore?¡±


    Nico was startled by her crazed appearance.


    Upon recollecting himself, he decided to deceive her first. ¡°That¡¯s why you have to tell me the truth


    without holding anything back. Only then will the boss have a chance to help you.¡±


    Natasha gradually calmed down and began to recount her story earnestly.


    ¡°I¡¯m innocent! It¡¯s all Gwendolyn¡¯s fault! She wanted to ruin my reputation, so she personally went to


    the hospital in Lightspring and found a doctor who actually managed to cure Inez. Then, she and Inez


    team up to frame me at the press conference, and-¡±


    ¡°Hold up!¡±


    Upon hearing the crucial information, Nico quickly interrupted her, ¡°Which hospital in Lightspring did


    Gwendolyn go to? Which doctor was it?¡±


    6126


    Chapter 119 Cunning


    Natasha gave it some thought and said. ¡°All I know is that it¡¯s a major city hospital Inez was in such a


    terrible condition, yet they managed to wake her up. The doctor must be incredibly famous!¡°


    After chatting for a while, seeing that there really wasn¡¯t much else to ask, Nico made some polite


    conversation with Natasha before he went to check on Noah.


    The ounts given by Noah and Natasha regarding Gwendolyn¡¯s visit to the hospital in Lightspring


    were essentially consistent.


    After the prison visit, Nico quickly had someone conduct a thorough check on all the doctors in the


    major hospitals in Lightspring who were capable of performingrge-scale bra

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120


    Chapter 120 Another Performance


    It was nine o¡¯clock at night. Maverick was awakened by the crisp chirping of two birds.


    Bearing the excruciating pain in his back, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand up from the


    ground.


    He had to stay alert, as there were important matters to attend to in the evening.


    He leaned on the railing as he returned to his room on the second floor and headed straight to the


    bathroom. He then turned the shower temperature up to its highest setting.


    1 Bona


    As his shirt was stained with blood and he had fainted for six hours without changing it in time, the


    blood from the wound had stuck to the fabric of the shirt. If he tried to forcefully change his clothes, it


    would peel off ayer of skin on the spot. Only by using hot water could he quickly remove the shirt.


    However, when the hot water showered on the wounds on his back, it was like enduring a second


    round of torture, as if millions of needles were piercing his bat


    Maverick trembled in pain.


    He gritted his teeth as the hot water washed over him. Although his body was in excruciating pain, his


    mind was bing increasingly clear.


    After washing up for a few minutes, he changed into clean clothes, turned off the light, and took


    advantag of the limited view from the bodyguard¡¯s hiding spot. He pretended to lie down on the bed to


    sleep and quietly stuffed the extra bedding he had prepared in advance onto the bed, making it look as


    though he was sleeping.


    Then, he quietly rolled to the foot of the bed from the other side. When his back identally touched


    the ground, he shuddered in pain, and his vision became momentarily blurred.


    After waiting for two minutes, he finally left through the slightly ajar door and went to the room on the


    other side, which was in the blind spot of the bodyguard¡¯s view. He climbed down the pipe next to the


    window to reach the first floor.


    This location just happened to be the back door.


    Nico heard a faint sound and quietly reported through the iron door, ¡°Boss, the Newton family had only


    one missing daughter six years ago, but that girl was found three years ago. Her photos can be found


    online, and she¡¯s definitely not Ms. Shalders. Other than that, there¡¯s no one else with a simr timeline


    t Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes, which were originally filled with pain, gradually dimmed.


    Nico continued, ¡°But when I went to visit the prison, I found out that Ms. Shalders was in Lightspring to


    personally bring back a doctor to treat Inez¡¯s heart. I gathered all my subordinates to investigate and


    eventually discovered that the doctor she was looking for was¡­ Kieran.¡±


    Kieran? Maverick was stunned on the spot.


    Kieran held a significant position in the medical field, which spoke volumes about his status. However,


    rumors suggested that he had a reclusive and arrogant personality, being a man of few words. He was


    als known as a medical fanatic, with no women ever seen by his side.


    Gwendolyn able to persuade someone like that?


    1


    Chapter 120 Another Performance


    The only three sons of the Harris family have an indescribable rtionship with Gwendolyn. They are


    even wholeheartedly helping her!


    It seems that the Zipper family is also a distant rtive of the Harris family, which is why they have the


    audacity to show off their power and influence in Faike.


    Her rtionship with the Harris family is not simple. Could she also be a member of the Harris family?


    Maverick¡¯s expression grew colder and colder. ¡°Investigate the Harris family! Whether it¡¯s the side.


    branches of the Harris family or their distant rtives, as long as their timeline matches up with


    Gwendolyn¡¯s, report them all!¡±


    Nico thought for a moment and said, ¡°Boss, do you still remember that six years ago, daughter of the


    head of the Harris family seemed to have-¡±


    Honk, honk!


    Before Nico could finish speaking, the headlights of a car shed by.


    Gwendolyn is back! How could she suddenly return at this particr moment?


    the youngest


    ¡°Boss, please take care on your way back and stay safe! I will definitely investigate this thoroughly!¡±


    Nico cast a worried nce at him, then quickly disappeared into the night.


    This rascal! He slipped away so quickly!


    Maverick immediately turned around, intending to enter through the front door connecting the garden t


    the living room. However, Gwendolyn had already gotten out of the car, and there were lights in the


    garden. He was sure to be exposed.


    There was no other choice. Maverick looked helplessly at the pipe on the wall that he had just climbed


    down from. This was the only way.


    He didn¡¯t care about the pain in his back and immediately started to climb upward.


    As Gwendolyn walked from the garden into the living room, she asked her bodyguard, Quinton, ¡°Has


    he been behaving himself these past few days?¡±


    Quinton honestly replied, ¡°Mr. Wright tried to go out twice, but after we refused him, he didn¡¯t ask agair


    He¡¯s already in bed asleep now.¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned.


    She nced at the time. It was only half past nine at night. Would he really go to bed this early?


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe he¡¯s really that well-behaved!¡± Gwendolyn spoke as she climbed the stairs, with Quinton


    and Ryan following closely behind her.


    The door to Maverick¡¯s room was left open, which Gwendolyn found a bit odd, but she didn¡¯t give it mu


    thought.


    She pushed open the door. With the help of the corridor light, she saw Maverick lying on the bed with 1


    back to the door. He was sound asleep.


    Was 1 overthinking it?


    Chapter 120 Another Performance


    Gwendolyn closed the door again. Seeing that she hadn¡¯t noticed anything. Quinton and Ryan quietly


    breathed a sigh of relief


    However, Gwendolyn had barely taken two steps when she suddenly stopped in her tracks.


    When she opened the door just now, she seemed to have noticed that the color of Maverick¡¯s shirt


    cor was a bit darker than usual.


    Is it wet?


    Is he sweating?


    There is a problem!


    Gwendolyn immediately turned back. This time, without any hesitation, she switched on the light,


    clearly revealing the man curled up on the bed with his back facing her.


    She walked to the side of the bed and confirmed that the back of his cor was indeed wet. A mocking


    smile yed on her lips. ¡°Maverick, you must have been working hard in your sleep to be sweating like


    this.¡±


    The man on the bed kept his eyes tightly shut, not responding to her.


    Gwendolyn was a bit annoyed. ¡°Stop pretending. I know you aren¡¯t sleeping. You¡¯re sweating so much.


    What on earth were you doing just now?¡±


    He had been exposed.


    Maverick remained silent, his eyebrows suddenly furrowing tightly.


    He murmured in a low, hoarse voice, ¡°It hurts so much¡­¡±


    ¡°Hurt? What are you trying to pull with this fake suffering act?¡± Gwendolyn said while pushing his back


    unintentionally.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The man let out a miserable scream through gritted teeth, suddenly drenched in a cold sweat.


    Hi facial features were contorted, and his expression was full of agony.


    Standing behind Gwendolyn, Quinton and Ryan were puzzled. ¡°Huh?¡±


    During the day, the two of them had been outside, listening to the whistling sound of the cane and the


    repeated strikes that reached his flesh. They had been terrified by what they had heard.


    However, this man had endured it all without making a single sound.


    During the day, he had seemed quite brave, but now he was both crying out in pain and screaming


    miserably. Is he deliberately pretending to be weak and helpless?


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    He really deserves an Oscar with that acting skills of his! Even the best actor can¡¯t outperform him! Isn¡¯t


    obviously trying to mess with Treyton?


    Quinton and Ryan were so frustrated that they felt as if they were about to cough up blood, but they


    couldn¡¯t show even the slightest hint of it in front of Gwendolyn.


    Standing in front, Gwendolyn was unaware of what the two of them were thinking.


    6154


    Chapter 120 Another Performance


    Maverick¡¯s condition did seem a bit poor. He did not seem to be faking it


    She unfastened two buttons of his shirt and gently pulled it toward his back.


    Upon closer inspection, one could see the crisscrossing purple welts, with hardly any intact skin left.


    Several areas bore deep bruises that had turned into dark, purple clots of blood. There were even open


    wounds that had broken skin and were oozing blood droplets.


    Quinton and Ryan noticed her expression growing colder and colder and were prepared for her to


    explode in anger any second. They were ready to kneel down on the spot.


    However, Gwendolyn merely asked calmly, ¡°Who did this?¡±


    The two of them couldn¡¯t quite figure out whether she was actually angry or not, so they could only


    respond honestly. ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Harris.¡±


    ¡°What did he hit him with?¡±


    ¡°With a cane. He was whipped ny times,¡± Quinton said. ¡°Ms. Shalders, Mr. Harris was just upset


    that you got hurt and couldn¡¯t help it in a moment of anger¡­¡±


    ¨C


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression was indifferent. ¡°All right. Since it was Mr. Harris who took action, then he


    deserved it.¡±


    When Maverick heard that, he clenched his hands that were inside the nket.

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121


    Chapter 121 Speak Like A Person


    So, if Treytonid his hand on me, then I deserved it?


    Is Treyton really that important to her?


    Maverick was very annoyed.


    If he could, he would love to throw Treyton in a sack and into the sea to feed the sharks.


    Gwendolyn could sense the sudden resentment emanating from the person lying in bed with his back


    turned. The corner of her mouth curved into a slight smile.


    However, she couldn¡¯t ignore the ring wound on his back.


    ¡°Quinton, apply some ointment on him.¡±


    Quinton had a baffled expression on his face. ¡°Huh? Me?¡±


    Gwendolyn nced at him and said, ¡°Do you expect me to do it myself?¡±


    ¡°All right¡­¡±


    Quinton looked unhappy.


    This unscrupulous person just tried to harm Treyton. Can I poison him?


    Although he was very unwilling in his heart, he had no choice but to reluctantly fetch the first-aid kit


    since Gwendolyn was watching him closely.


    Having made the arrangements, Gwendolyn turned to leave, but her wrist was unexpectedly gripped by


    a pair of broad, strong hands from behind.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, chat with me for a while¡­¡±


    Maverick had shifted his position and was now lying with his head down. His voice sounded muffled


    under the nket, and his long, quivering eyshes, together with his paleplexion, gave him a


    rather frail appearance.


    Gwendolyn gave him a cold nce. ¡°My time is precious. I don¡¯t have time to apany you to chat.


    Let


    go.¡±


    She deliberately emphasized the word ¡°apany¡± to subtly remind him of his current status.


    Maverick didn¡¯t move, nor did he let go.


    ¡°Gwendolyn. I spent six hours alone this afternoon, and it was excruciating. Lying on the cold marble


    tiles in the living room made my entire body stiff. I¡¯ve already epted my punishment. Can¡¯t we just


    chat for a little while?¡±


    His voice was soft, like a feather gently brushing past, or more like a wounded little creature seeking


    sce.


    Lying on the living room floor alone for six hours?


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. Her gaze shifted toward Ryan who was standing nearby.


    Chapter 121 Speak Like A Person


    +15 Bonus


    Ryan lowered his head in fear. ¡°I¡­ I thought Mr. Wright had fainted while doing housework, so I


    didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    The more he tried to exin, the worse it got.


    Fearing that all the me would be ced on him, Ryan quickly shut his mouth, backed out of the


    room, and closed the door behind him.


    As the door closed, the room fell intoplete silence.


    Gwendolyn nced down at Maverick, who was wrapped in a nket, and asked, ¡°What do you want


    to say?¡±


    Maverick held onto her wrist tightly and asked, ¡°Have you been doing well these past few days while


    you were at Treyton¡¯s?¡±


    Huh? Gwendolyn wondered why he was pretending to be weak and pitiful just to bring up such trivial


    matters.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Life has been quite pleasant without someone annoying me, and Mr. Harris has been gentle and


    considerate,¡± she replied sarcastically.


    Knowing she was mocking him, Maverick put on a serious face and asked tentatively, ¡°I heard that the


    Shalders family has very high standards for their descendants¡¯ spouses. Do you think Treyton would go


    against his entire family for you?¡±


    Will Treyton marry me? Haha, what a huge joke.


    Gwendolyn scoffed at the idea of Treyton marrying her and replied, ¡°That¡¯s my business, and you don¡¯t


    have the right to meddle in my affairs.¡±


    Maverick noticed the sarcastic expression on her face, and a faint smile appeared on his thin lips.


    ¡°It seems he had no intention of letting the Harris family know about your existence. So, are you being


    secretly supported and provided for by him?¡±


    Gwendolynughed. ¡°I doubt there¡¯s a man in this world who could support and provide for me. If


    anything, I am more likely to be the one supporting and providing for others.¡±


    Although that statement was undeniably outrageously arrogant, it was surprisingly not out of ce


    when spoken by her.


    Maverick narrowed his eyes slightly as he carefully pondered the profound implications behind her


    words.


    If she truly possesses such resources, she must really be a member of the Harris family.


    Could she be rted to Treyton by blood? They can¡¯t possibly be lovers then, and all of their intimate


    behavior before must have just been merely those between family members.


    Although that was just his conjecture and had not been substantiated, deep down, Maverick selfishly


    hoped that it was true.


    Lost in thought, Maverick kept muttering sarcastic remarks that Gwendolyn found meaningless. She


    turned her head, contemting leaving once again.


    However, since Maverick was holding her wrist, she couldn¡¯t leave, and her irritation grew. ¡°Maverick,


    Chapter 12! Speak Like A Person


    what on earth are you trying to do?¡±


    The man she had shouted at looked up at her with a piteous expression on his pale face and said,


    ¡°Gwendolyn, my back hurts so much. Can you blow on it for me?¡±


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn was taken aback by his request. How had she never noticed how annoying he could be


    before?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Did you get hit on the back, or on the head? Is your brain not working


    anymore? You need to speak like a person.¡±


    Maverick remained silent.


    He was truly in pain and exhausted. He just wished for herforting words.


    Seeing that he stopped talking. Gwendolyn forcefully pried open his grip on her wrist, intending to


    leave.


    Behind her, just as she was about to leave, Maverick said calmly, ¡°I was away these past days because


    I went to the mountain range on the border of Lightspring and Faike. I returnedte because I was


    being pursued by a group of people sent by Asher.¡±


    Gwendolyn abruptly halted her steps, wondering if Asher had dispatched someone to kill Maverick.


    At that time, Treyton had only told her about Maverick¡¯s whereabouts and that he would not be able to


    return anytime soon.


    However, he had failed to mention that Asher was the reason why Maverick had stayed behind.


    She suddenly recalled the day when Maverick returned and his reaction after she had injected him with


    the special drug. So, the wound on his waist was inflicted by Asher¡¯s people?


    After pausing by the door for a moment, Gwendolyn responded with a smile. ¡°Why are you suddenly.


    telling me all this? Do you think I care about you?¡±


    She opened the door and left the room as soon as she finished speaking.


    Quinton was waiting outside the door, and when he saw here out, he noticed the strange


    expression. on her face.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders?¡±


    She snapped out of her thoughts and nced at the first-aid kit in Elven¡¯s hand. ¡°Go in and apply the


    medicine for him,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Quinton bowed slightly and watched her leave the second floor before entering Maverick¡¯s room.


    Maverick was lost in thought.


    Judging from Gwendolyn¡¯s reaction earlier, it seemed that she was quite surprised by the matter


    concerning Asher, so it didn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with her.


    He let out a gentle sigh, feeling as if the stone in his heart had been lifted.


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Wright?¡± Quinton interrupted his thoughts with an annoyed expression. ¡°Take off your shirt


    and lie down. I¡¯m about to apply the medicine!¡±


    Chapter 121 Speak Like A Person


    Maverick picked up the first-aid kit and replied, ¡°No, thanks. I can do it myself. You can go now.¡±


    +15 Bonus


    ¡°You¡¯re injured on your back. How can you apply it yourself? If Ms. Shalders can touch you, then why


    can¡¯t I?¡±


    Maverick showed no emotion and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not used to men touching me.¡±


    What kind of strange habit is this?


    Despite thinking that, Quinton said, ¡°Well, you said it yourself. Don¡¯t goining about me to Ms.


    Shalderster on.¡±


    Even though he said that, Quinton still felt uneasy as he left the room. He went to the third floor to


    report. the matter to Gwendolyn first.


    ¡°Let him enjoy his suffering if he wants to. Don¡¯t worry about it and just go about with your own


    business,¡± Gwendolyn said loudly while standing by the window with the door open.


    Downstairs, Maverick could hear everything clearly and furrowed his eyebrows tightly.


    It seems that the beating I have taken was not worth it at all. Not only did I fail to gain even a hint of


    sympathy from her, but I also received a bunch of sarcastic remarks about deserving it and being at


    masochist.


    I¡¯m not seeing the rewards for my efforts!


    He applied some anti-inmmatory cream to his back and went to sleep.


    He woke upter than usual the next morning.


    Having been beaten and having climbed the pipes yesterday, Maverick was truly exhausted.


    When he woke up, Gwendolyn was no longer in the vi, and surprisingly, she didn¡¯t give him a hard.


    time.


    Maverick still found it a bit peculiar, but he began to do the household chores as usual.


    He was delighted ever since learning that Gwendolyn and Treyton might be rted, and his mood was


    quite the opposite of what it had been a few go.


    He hoped that once Nico finished investigating, many of the mysteries surrounding Gwendolyn would


    be unraveled.


    He prepared a delicious meal like he normally did that afternoon and waited for Gwendolyn to get off


    work.


    Gwendolyn returned, but she was apanied by two men he really disliked-Treyton and Sherman.

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    Chapter 122 A Helping Hand


    What are they here for?


    Maverick froze in ce, glowering at the duo behind Gwendolyn.


    +15 Bonus


    At that moment, Sherman¡¯s visage mirrored that of Maverick¡¯s. The former could barely conceal the


    animosity and hatred in his eyes.


    Treyton, too, regarded Maverick with an unkind countenance.


    It was as though they were having a staredown with one another. Neither of them had the slightest


    intention of averting their gazes.


    Gwendolyn sensed the hostility in the air and could not help but roll her eyes. Must these men be this


    childish?


    If looks could kill, they would have already murdered one another hundreds of times.


    She let out a sigh and thought for a moment before directing her line of sight at Maverick. ¡°You don¡¯t


    need to cook today, and there¡¯s not much you can help with here. The leaves in the garden have been


    falling like crazytely, so why don¡¯t you go sweep them?¡±


    Me? Go outside to sweep the fallen leaves and leave her chitchatting with these two? I could let it go if


    it was only Treyton, but on what grounds does Sherman get to stay?


    Maverick¡¯s face darkened. He refused to move a muscle.


    Gwendolyn walked away to fetch a bottle of fine red wine from the liquor cab, but when she turned


    around, she found Maverick still standing in the same spot. She urged him, ¡°Hurry up! If you can¡¯t walk,


    I¡¯ll summon Ryan and let him push you there.¡±


    It looks like I really have to go.


    Maverick¡¯s mien was as grim as death. On his way out, he mmed the door with all his might,


    seemingly venting his dissatisfaction.


    Pointing at the door, Treyton turned to Gwendolyn andined. ¡°Just look at him! He has such a


    bad temper! The cheek of him to throw a tantrum in front of you. He really deserves a beating¡±


    Gwendolyn, in turn, pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°Ignore him. Sooner orter, I¡¯ll make sure he learns


    how to behave.¡±


    Treyton did not react to that remark. Sherman, however, had displeasure written all over his face. ¡°He¡¯s


    full of pride, Gwendolyn. Even a ferocious wild beast will back off when it¡¯s injured, but once it seizes


    an opening, it¡¯ll bite back. Look at how he hurt you this time! Isn¡¯t it obvious that he premeditated all


    this? It¡¯d be toote if you failed to teach him a lesson and wound up hurting yourself instead.¡±


    Treyton nodded in agreement as well.


    As Gwendolyn opened the refrigerator to look for ingredients, sheughed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I


    know what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    In the garden, Maverick¡¯s mind wandered as he swept the ground. Curiosity got the better of him when


    he pondered how Gwendolyn would interact with other men.


    Chapter 122 A Helping Hand


    +15 Bonus


    He slowly paced toward the edge of the window and peeked through the ss, only to find an


    extremely harmonious scene at the dining table. Gwendolyn was all smiles, appearing to be happy


    from the bottom of her heart.


    He remembered she had also been full ofughter in the first year of their marriage. She had always


    had a sweet smile ying about her lips, and her eyes would shine with affection whenever they were


    together.


    He could only wonder when exactly all her smiles began to fade away.


    Worse still, her gaze was incredibly frosty and indifferent every time she looked at him.


    Ever since the divorce, she had be breathtakingly gorgeous and distant, exuding an air of nobility


    and nonchnce. No matter what difficulties she encountered, she always remained poised and


    confident.


    Is this her true self, after all?


    Maverick felt a tightness in his chest as a suffocating sensation crept up on him. He could not quite


    describe the feeling, but it was rather ufortable,


    As he was deep in thought, he suddenly saw Elven hurriedly push open the door to the living room and


    stride toward Gwendolyn to say something to her.


    C


    Unconcerned, Maverick looked away and was about to continue sweeping the fallen leaves when he


    noticed Elven stepping out and walking in his direction.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, Mrs. Wright fell down the stairs at the Wright residence. She asked to see you. Please


    follow me to the car.¡±


    Frida fell down? But it¡¯s only been a few days! How could she suddenly fall down the stairs?


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Maverick nced back through the window at that group of three inside the house who were chatting


    cheerily. A hint of mixed emotions flitted across his dark eyes. Then, he followed Elven to the Wright


    residence.


    Frida had been sent to her previous private ward to recuperate. With a cast on her leg, shey in bed in


    a daze, bored out of her mind.


    Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, she looked up and caught sight of her beloved son. Tears


    immediately welled up in her eyes.


    ¡°Mave! I thought I¡¯d never get to see you again¡­¡± she wailed.


    Maverick gently tapped Frida¡¯s leg in the cast, and Frida instantly cried out in pain.


    Seeing that woman¡¯s exaggerated reaction, Maverick could tell what was going on. He walked to the


    chair beside the bed and took a seat.


    ¡°How on earth did you fall for no reason?¡±


    Aggrieved, Frida wanted to exin when her gazended on Elven standing behind her son. ¡°Young


    man, I haven¡¯t seen my son for so long, and I¡¯d like to have a word with him alone. It won¡¯t take too


    long, is that okay?¡±


    Elven hesitated for a moment and did not take a step.


    Chapter 122 A Helping Hand


    +15 Bonus


    Maverick turned around and reassured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t make things difficult for you. I¡¯ll just have a


    quick chat with my mom.¡±


    Thest time he was beaten up, it was Elven who had to carry out the orders. Although Maverick was


    currently serving under Gwendolyn. Elven was somewhat in awe of Maverick¡¯s dignity, so he chose not


    to put Maverick in a tough spot. Spinning on his heel, he exited the ward and closed the door behind


    him.


    As soon as Elven left, Maverick asked, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the deal with your injury? I just checked it out,


    and it¡¯s not as serious as your wailing made it seem.¡±


    A chuckle escaped Frida on that note.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that I slipped and fell down the stairs by ident. I stumbled about five or six steps, really. It¡¯s


    not a big deal, but if it weren¡¯t for this incident, how could I have had the chance to catch a glimpse of


    your face?¡±


    ¡°How did you make people think that you¡¯re gravely injured?¡±


    Frida returned a mysterious smirk and whispered close to his ear, ¡°I naturally have a way of doing this,


    but that¡¯s not the point right now. Maverick, how¡¯s the progress on the matter I mentioned to you


    previously?¡±


    Maverick frowned at that. ¡°What was that again?¡±


    Erida gently pushed his forehead with her finger. She was exasperated that her son could not meet her


    expectations.


    ncing outside the door, she uttered softly, ¡°Bedding the woman!¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression darkened on the spot while his dark eyes turned as cold as the winter.


    ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no way this could happen. I don¡¯t want to hear it from you for the third time, and


    you¡¯d better not mention it to anybody else.¡±


    That warning did nothing except frustrate Frida.


    Judging from the current circumstance, should they fail to win Gwendolyn over, their entire family might


    be stuck as housekeepers for the rest of their lives. She had endured enough humiliationtely and


    needed to find a way out to reim Wright Construction Group and the Wright residence as soon as


    possible.


    As for that clueless, silly son of hers, she reckoned that she must offer him a helping hand.


    ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t talk about it anymore,¡± she agreed with a grin.


    Aftering up with an idea in her head, she picked up the cup of water from the table and feigned to


    take a sip.


    As she put Maverick.


    the cup back in ce, she pretended that it slipped out of her hand and spilled water on


    ¡°Oh, dear! I¡¯m sorry, Maverick. It must¡¯ve slipped from my hand. Let me help you clean it up,¡± she said


    while wiping the water droplets off Maverick¡¯s clothes. As Maverick was busy cleaning the stains, she


    quickly slipped two small packages into his pocket.


    Maverick watched his mother wipe the stains for quite some time, only to mess up his white shirt event


    more. Worried that she might discover the wound on his back, he rose to his feet and went to the


    ividj


    Chapter 122 A Helping Hand


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    bathroom in the private ward to clean up a bit.


    All of a sudden, he heard the familiar sound of a bird chirping.


    It must be Nico.


    Wearing a serious expression. Maverick began to contemte ways to meet up with Nico.


    Gwendolyn had only assigned Elven to keep an eye on him. He wondered if it was because she had


    +15 Bonus


    lowered her guard toward him or she was simply too busy having a meal with Sherman and Treyton,


    thus leaving her no time to make other arrangements.


    Either way, that only presented him with a great opportunity.


    The moment he came out of the bathroom, someone pushed open the door to the ward at the same


    time.


    A man d in the housekeeper¡¯s uniform stepped inside, carefully closing the door behind him.


    As that man turned around, his face came into sight. It was none other than Nico.

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    Chapter 123 A Private Confession


    +15 Bonus


    ¡°Boss, I just got close to the bodyguard that Gwendolyn brought with her and knocked him out when


    he¡¯s distracted, but that bodyguard has a strong constitution, so he¡¯ll probably wake up soon. Let¡¯s


    keep our conversation brief!¡± Nico spoke softly with a cautious expression.


    Son, who¡¯s at the door?¡±


    Upon hearing the sound, Frida sat up and looked in Nico¡¯s direction.


    Maverick blocked her view and said in a stern voice, ¡°Mom, I need to go back to the vi. Be on your


    best behavior, and don¡¯t bring up what just happened again. Remember what I said.¡±


    ¡°All right!¡±


    Frida was a bit impatient, but thinking of her own n, she smiled and waved at him. ¡°Hurry up and go.


    It¡¯s gettingte. You should head back quickly.¡±


    Maverick didn¡¯t notice her unusual behavior, so he went out with Nico to have a conversation on the


    rooftop terrace at the old mansion.


    Nico continued where he left off, ¡°Boss, I found out that there¡¯s someone in the Harris family with a


    simr timeline to Ms. Shalders, and that is the youngest daughter of the head of the Harris family,


    Marcus¡¯ only daughter and the youngest of the family. However, she didn¡¯t go missing. She was


    suddenly dered dead by the Harris family six years ago, and the cause of death remains unknown.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s brow furrowed tightly when he heard that.


    The better it was hidden, the more suspicious it was.


    Maverick asked, ¡°Can we find a photo of this youngdy in the database?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t. Not only are there no photos, but even her name couldn¡¯t be found. I¡¯ve even heard that the


    Harris family held a very simple funeral for her, but there¡¯s no information about where the gravestone


    is Boss, do you think this girl really died?¡±


    Maverick pursed his lips.


    After giving it some thought, he shook his head and said, ¡°On the surface, the actions of the Harris


    family may seem like they don¡¯t care about their daughter and don¡¯t value her enough, but in fact, it¡¯s


    quite the opposite. These actions prove that the Harris family loves their daughter very much and is


    doing everything they can to protect her safety.¡±


    Nico thought for a moment and found what Maverick said quite reasonable. ¡°So, could this youngdy


    really be Ms. Shalders?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t bepletely sure, but I think it¡¯s her.¡±


    -As Maverick spoke, his deep ck eyes shimmered with a burning light.


    His heart was now filled with overwhelming joy,


    Maverick remembered how Treyton had massaged Gwendolyn¡¯s calves, how he had helped her


    massage her palms, how Gwendolyn had yfully pushed Treyton away, and how she had acted like a


    child in front of Treyton.


    Chapter 123 A Private Confession


    They did all that because they were both rted by blood. They were siblings.


    Maverick had even doubted Gwendolyn¡¯s fidelity in their marriage before. He really wanted to end


    himself now that he thought about it.


    However, his expression turned serious once again.


    15 Bonus


    If Gwendolyn is the daughter of the Harris family, then why did she end up at the Faike Welfare


    Home back then? What exactly happened then? Perhaps this was also the reason why the Harris


    family wanted to protect her.


    ¡°If Ms. Shalders is truly the heiress of the Harris family, then¡­¡±


    Nico suddenly thought of something. He hurriedly took out his phone from his pocket, and after he


    checked it, his eyes lit up.


    ¡°Boss, Zachary found out that the Harris family¡¯s heiress took a ne to Faike thirteen years ago.


    Shended at the airport owned by Zachary¡¯s family, so that¡¯s how he identally discovered this


    record. Butter on, when he learned that she had already died, he didn¡¯t pursue it any further. If Ms.


    Shalders really is the Harris family¡¯s daughter, then she¡­ could very well be the girl you¡¯re looking for!¡±


    As Nico spoke, he handed over his phone to show the information he had at that time, and Maverick


    carefully read through it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find another opportunity to confirm this information.¡±


    The amount of information was overwhelming tonight, leaving Maverick feeling somewhat at a loss.


    If Gwendolyn really was the little girl who had saved him thirteen years ago, then he had done


    something unsalvageable.


    He had actually mistaken Natasha for Gwendolyn and hurt her for so many years, wearing down her


    loving heart until all that was left was indifference and vengeance.


    Maverick¡¯s heart ached with a throbbing pain.


    Is it toote to make amends now?


    After exchanging information with Nico, Maverick went downstairs to the living room with mixed


    emotions.


    Elven had beenid down on the couch by Nico. It would take some time for him to wake up.


    Maverick quietly walked over and sat down beside him.


    However, he didn¡¯t sit for long before Elven starteding to his senses. As soon as he opened his


    eyes, he saw Maverick¡¯s expressionless face.


    Maverick said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to actually fall asleep.¡±


    Elven had a puzzled expression on his face. ¡°How could I possibly fall asleep!¡±


    Maverick replied earnestly, ¡°You were already sleeping when I came out after I finished my


    conversation. You were all alone. I waited for a whole five minutes before you woke up. What would


    happen if. Gwendolyn found out about this? But don¡¯t worry. I promise I won¡¯t tell her.¡±


    Chapter 123 A Private Confession


    Elven woke up groggily, scratching his head.


    +15 Bonus


    Maverick didn¡¯t give him a chance to react and immediately stood up as he headed outside.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re already five minuteste because of your nap.¡±


    Hmm, I clearly remembered that a male servant came over and chatted with me, but I ignored him¡­


    ¡°Hurry up! Gwendolyn won¡¯t be happy if we¡¯rete!¡±


    Elven was sorting through his memories when Maverick interrupted him, leaving him no choice but to


    reluctantly follow Maverick and get into his car.


    By the time they returned to Bay Vi, the sky had already turned dark.


    Maverick stood by the window in the living room on the first floor and took a look outside.


    Treyton had left at some point, leaving only Sherman and Gwendolyn at the dinner table drinking wine.


    In the living room, Sherman downed one drink after another, looking slightly intoxicated and his face


    showing a sullen expression.


    ED


    ¡°Gwendolyn, they say alcohol can drown your sorrows, but why is it that the more I drink, the more


    bitter I feel inside?¡±


    Gwendolyn had a high alcohol tolerance and never got drunk.


    She justughed. ¡°How can we believe what the people of old times said? There¡¯s also the saying that


    drowning one¡¯s sorrows in alcohol only leads to more sorrow. Sherman, you¡¯re drunk. I¡¯ll have Quinton


    and Ryan take you home.¡±


    ¡°No, Gwendolyn! I¡¯m not drunk! I have something to tell you¡­¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherman shook his head and reached out to touch her hand, but she quietly withdrew her hand


    expressionlessly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in what you have to say. It¡¯ste, so go home.¡±


    Sherman¡¯s warm eyes were filled with rejection. He stood up and swayed as he walked toward her.


    When he reached her, he knelt on one knee with an expression as serious as ever.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, I know you¡¯re upset with me because of Eloise. I¡¯ll definitely talk to her when I return to


    Salinsburgh. I really like you. Maverick hurt you in the past, but I never will. I¡¯ll cherish and care for you.


    Will you give me a chance to love you?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression remained neutral, and she didn¡¯t say a word.


    She poured herself a full ss of wine and drank it all in one go.


    The dark red wine slid down the edge of her crimson lips.


    She gently wiped it off, still looking incredibly elegant, and this scene etched deeply into Sherman¡¯s


    heart.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, if you¡¯re still notpletely sure about your feelings, we can get engaged first, or we can


    start with dating.¡±


    Chapter 123 A Private Confession


    15 Bonus


    Just as Maverick reached the door, he overheard everything loud and clear through the door he had


    just cracked open.


    His face was ashen, and his fists were clenched tightly.


    That little¡­ Did he send Treyton away so that he could create a chance for a private confession?


    Seeing Gwendolyn getting ready to answer, Maverick clutched his stomach and bent over, then


    pinched. the flesh on his thighs hard. His face instantly turned extremely pale, and a few beads of cold


    sweat appeared on his forehead.


    Then, looking fragile, he leaned against the door and said, ¡°Gwenny, my stomach hurts¡­¡±

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    Chapter 124 Master Or Gwendolyn


    Gwendolyn was shocked to hear him call her ¡°Gwenny. She wondered why Maverick was behaving


    differently today.


    She didn¡¯t speak, and anger surged within Sherman when he heard Maverick.interrupting his own


    confession.


    +15 Bonus


    Taking advantage of his drunken state, he got up from the ground and rushed over, fiercely grabbing.


    Maverick¡¯s cor with one hand while clenching the other into a fist, ready to swing it at Maverick¡¯s


    face.


    ¡°It was you who hurt her just a couple of days ago! What right do you have to still be hanging around


    her?¡±


    Maverick remained still, not offering any exnation. His dark eyes showed no sign of weakness as he


    held his gaze firmly.


    Sherman was furious. He was about to throw a punch until Gwendolyn shouted, ¡°Quinton! Ryan!¡±


    Quinton and Ryan immediately jumped in through the open window, separating the two people who


    were confronting each other.


    Sherman didn¡¯tnd a hit and was quite frustrated. ¡°Gwendolyn, why won¡¯t you let me teach him a


    lesson?¡±


    Gwendolyn gave Quinton and Ryan a meaningful nce. ¡°Mr. Ferguson is drunk. Please take him


    home.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk, really! Gwendolyn, I¡¯m not drunk¡­¡± Sherman muttered under his breath and stumbled


    along, supported by two bodyguards on either side of him. His voice gradually faded into the distance.


    Atst, it was finally quiet. Maverick stopped pretending to have a stomachache, and his face returned


    to its usual calm expression.


    Gwendolyn nced at him sarcastically. ¡°Why have you stopped pretending?¡±


    Maverick pursed his lips, not uttering a word as he walked to where she was. He lowered both knees


    and knelt before her.


    This time, he chose to kneel on his own.


    Sherman had got down on one knee to express his love, whereas Maverick had got down on both


    knees to seek redemption.


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t understand his actions. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Maverick lifted his head to meet her gaze, and there was a glint of resolution in his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s


    something that has been bothering me for years, so can you tell me the truth tonight?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Did you go to Saffron Street thirteen years ago on the fourteenth of March? Did you save a little boy?¡±


    Gwendolyn was just about to open her mouth to deny it when Maverick continued, ¡°I won¡¯t stop


    investigating if you keep brushing me off like before. I won¡¯t rest until I get to the bottom of this!¡±


    Gwendolyn had never paid much attention to that matter. ¡°Does my honesty really matter? Is it truly


    Chapter 124 Master Or Gwendolyn


    important to you that you get an answer?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡±


    +15 Bonus


    ??158


    As their eyes met, Gwendolyn saw anticipation and carnestness in his dark pupils, as well as the


    longing. for her to speak the truth.


    ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯ll stop investigating once you get my answer?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The man spoke with unwavering conviction.


    Fine. Since saving someone was just an ident and a trivial matter for me, it won¡¯t hurt to tell him.


    ¡°Yes, I did. I¡¯ve been there. I think I saved a boy from a car ident that day, but I can¡¯t remember


    anything else.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes were slightly red when he heard that, and there was a slight tremble in his deep voice


    as he said, ¡°This is enough.¡±


    Over the years, he had made an outrageous mistake.


    S


    He surprisingly discovered that the girl he liked and the one he was grateful for were the same person.


    Even though he had her once before, he didn¡¯t cherish her as he should have.


    A sharp pain gripped Maverick¡¯s heart.


    He took a step toward Gwendolyn, and his eyes were red as he called out to her, ¡°Gwenny, I-¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Gwendolyn felt a chill down her spine when he started saying that. Every time he spoke softly, she felt


    as if there was a hidden agenda. Can¡¯t he just speak like a normal person? And¡­ did he just call me


    Gwenny? Might as well call me Lynny at this point!


    With a serious expression, Gwendolyn said, ¡°You have two choices now. You either call me Master or


    Gwendolyn.¡±


    go


    with


    Maverick¡¯s face turned pale, and he struggled internally for a moment before he answered, ¡°I¡¯ll


    Gwendolyn.¡± After struggling, he continued with a trembling voice, ¡°These days, I¡¯ve finally understood


    my own feelings and realized how wrong I was before¡­ Gwendolyn, it turns out that the one I¡¯ve


    always liked, loved, and appreciated was you, from the very beginning to the end! It was me who was


    foolish. Back then, it was-¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, Gwendolyn yfully lifted his chin with her fingertips.


    Maverick really seemed to be genuinely remorseful. His face was filled with regret, and his dark eyes.


    brimmed with frustration.


    ¡°Let me guess. You¡¯ve figured it out and wanted to bed me right away?¡±


    An undisguised mockery shone in her eyes as the corner of her lips lifted.


    Other than sarcasm and coldness, no other emotions could be found in those eyes of hers, and


    Maverick¡¯s heart ached intensely.


    Chapter 124 Master Or Gwendolyn


    +15 Bonus


    He was not at all surprised that the bodyguard had overheard Frida¡¯s words that day and ryed them


    to Gwendolyn. However, he would never do something so despicable.


    ¡°I will never stoop that low as to have that kind of coercive behavior. From now on, I will not deceive or


    manipte you anymore, and I will prove it to you, whether you believe me or not. Whatever I owe you,


    be itpensation or a price to pay, I am willing to give as long as you can give me another chance.¡±


    ¡°Chance?¡± Gwendolyn burst intoughter when she heard that. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you ate something wrong


    or if your nerves are messed up today, but let me make one thing crystal clear: I will never go back on


    my decision, and remarrying you is absolutely impossible in this lifetime unless you die!¡±


    Is it truly impossible?


    Maverick couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly. He knew her personality well, yet he still couldn¡¯t give her up.


    He insisted on giving it a try even if it meant causing himself pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who hurt you so deeply, and I know I don¡¯t deserve your forgiveness. Let me stay by your


    side for the rest of my life and serve you as your lifelong servant to atone for my sins.¡±


    A lifetime? Gwendolyn raised her eyebrows slightly, a mocking smile on her lips. ¡°So, if I were to marry


    another man in the future, could you bear to watch me and him being affectionate every single day of


    our lives?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s spine stiffened abruptly, and his entire face turned pale in an instant.


    Upon seeing his reaction, Gwendolyn sneered, released her grip on his chin, and stood up to head


    upstairs.


    ¡°Maverick, a lifetime is too long. Who knows what will happen? Try to get through this year first, then


    we¡¯ll see.¡±


    Maverick knelt on the ground, and the words Gwendolyn had just said echoed in his ears for a long


    time.


    Can I really bear to watch her being affectionate with another man every day? No way!


    He stayed in the living room for quite a long time, and gradually, he figured something out.


    Since Gwendolyn didn¡¯t believe his confession, he would just need to show her.


    After tidying up the leftovers and tes on the table. Maverick went back to his room to take a shower.


    Just as he stepped into the bathroom and began to undress, two small objects suddenly fell to the floor.


    Maverick bent down to pick them up and discovered that they were three packets of coffee sugar.


    He didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, thinking that he had put them in his pocket while making coffee


    during the day. Casually, he ced them on the bedside table and continued to take a shower.


    After taking a bath and putting on a bathrobe, he had just finished drying his hair when Gwendolyn¡¯s


    voice echoed from upstairs. ¡°Maverick,e to the study for a moment.¡±


    He immediately changed his clothes and went upstairs. As he opened the door to the study, he saw


    Gwendolyn still working overtime in front of theputer.


    Her cheeks were flushed with a captivating rosy hue because she had just drunk some wine, yet her


    eyes remained bright and clear.


    Chapter 124 Master Or Gwendolyn


    Upon seeing him enter, Gwendolyn said in a low voice, Make me a cup of coffee.¡±


    Coffee? At this hour? Maverick furrowed his brows.


    +15 Bonus


    He wanted to dissuade her. ¡°You¡¯ve had some alcohol tonight, so you should rest early. Drinking coffee


    and staying upte at this hour is too harmful to your body.¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned and gave him a cold nce. ¡°Hurry up.¡±


    The talent show woulde to an end the day after tomorrow, and she nned to make the final


    performance a live broadcast.


    She had to finish drafting the proposal within these two days, as she couldn¡¯t trust anyone else with it.


    Maverick saw the determination in her eyes. She had always been decisive, and once she made up her


    mind, she wouldn¡¯t easily change her stance.


    ¡°How long do you n on staying up? I¡¯ll stay up with


    you.¡±


    Maverick turned around and went downstairs to the kitchen.


    After brewing a nice cup of coffee without any fuss, he realized the sugar packet was empty.


    Recalling the few packs in his room. Maverick went back and casually picked one, then ced it on the


    coffee tray.


    Gwendolyn was extremely focused in front of theputer. Maverick ced a cup of coffee next to her


    and left the room. After closing the door, he leaned against it and stayed up all night to keep her


    company.


    About half an hourter, a strange panting sound suddenly came from the study.

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125


    Chapter 125 Just An Act


    Sensing something amiss, he opened the door to take a look.


    There was no one in front of theputer on the desk.


    Gwendolyn?¡±


    Maverick looked alert. He walked in to investigate and heard heavy breathing from under the desk.


    He lifted the tablecloth abruptly and saw Gwendolyn curled up in the small space. Her face was


    abnormally flushed.


    Crouching down, he lightly touched her neck to find her body was unbearably hot.


    This is¡­


    The cup


    +15 Bonus


    of coffee on the table was half-drunk, and the sugar packet on the tray had been torn open. He recalled


    Frida¡¯s unusual behavior when he visited her a few hours ago and instantly realized what was


    happening.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    He lifted Gwendolyn from under the desk.


    His cool body feltfortable against her. An indescribable thought shed through her drug-


    influenced mind for the first time.


    She clung to his neck, driven by the scent of male hormones. It was as if they werepelling her to


    sin. Maverick carried her back to the bedroom, feeling her restless movements against his body. He


    loosened his grip, afraid of hurting her.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, hang in there a little longer. Everything will be all right soon.¡±


    Upon hearing the familiar voice, she mustered her consciousness and lifted her gaze to take a look.


    She swelled in anger when she realized it was Maverick. Suppressing the burning feeling in her chest,


    she raised her hand and pped him across his face.


    The p wasn¡¯t particrly hard as she was drugged, but it was enough to catch Maverick, who was


    about to head to the bathroom, off guard.


    Gwendolyn struggled, slipping from his grasp, but her hand still grasped his shirt tightly.


    The two suddenly lost their bnce and fell to the ground.


    Seeing that Gwendolyn was about to hit her head on the corner of the bed, Maverick wrapped his arms


    around her neck without a second thought and pulled her into his embrace, using his body to cushion


    the fall.


    ¡°Ouch,¡± he hissed in pain.


    His back mmed into the corner of the bed, right where his swollen, still-healing wound was. He broke


    into a cold sweat from the pain and almost lost consciousness.


    Chapter 125 Just An Act.


    +15 Bonus


    Before he could process the intense pain, another harsh pnded heavily on his face with a


    resounding


    smack.


    Gwendolyn struggled free from his embrace, dragging his upper body to the floor as she did so. She


    pressed her knee hard against his chest and gripped his cor tightly.


    She stared at him, her eyes filled with immense hatred.


    ¡°Maverick, you¡¯re despicable and shameless! Your wordsst night were all just an act! You thought I


    would lose control if you drugged me so you could get away with your disgusting intentions? Dream


    on!¡±


    ¡°Gwendolyn, calm down. This is-¡±


    p!


    Gwendolyn mustered all her remaining strength andnded another p on his face.


    Frustration and anger intertwined in her heart and threatened to burn her rationality to ashes.


    The p left Maverick¡¯s ears ringing for a moment. Coupled with the pain in his back that had yet to


    subside, he felt dizzy.


    His face contorted in agony. He was just about to catch his breath when he noticed that Gwendolyn¡¯s


    hand that was gripping his cor was trembling. A murderous intent rose in her eyes.


    ¡°I want you to suffer a fate worse than death!¡±


    She released him, struggling to stay conscious as she reached to activate the rm by the bed.


    Suddenly. the heat from earlier surged in her chest again, causing her to curl up on the floor and shiver


    uncontrobly. A wicked voice inside her head taunted and urged her to throw herself at Maverick to


    release her frustration.


    I can¡¯t! Absolutely not!


    She pressed her skin firmly against the frigid floor, hoping its icy temperature would awaken her


    consciousness.


    Maverick endured the pain and struggled to sit up, only to see her suffering silently on the floor.


    She¡¯ll continue to suffer if the drugs are not expelled in time! She¡¯s already suffering so much, yet she¡¯s


    still unwilling to use me to relieve the effects of the drugs. Is she that disgusted with me?


    He smiled wryly and walked over to pick her up again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    His hand stiffened for a second, but he still decided to carry her. ¡°All right. You can do whatever you


    want once the drugs have worn off.¡±


    Gwendolyn no longer had the strength to break free from his grasp. Her mind was hazy, and her head


    felt heavy. She could only let him carry her to the bathroom.


    Maverick turned on the showerhead and filled the bathtub with cold water.


    Worried that her body wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the temperature difference, he carefully lowered


    her into the water, gritting his teeth as he tried not to tremble. He was afraid of dropping her. It wasn¡¯t


    until


    Chapter 125 Just An Act


    the water reached her corbone that he retracted his sore arms.


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyny in the bathtub, feeling the cool water envelop her body. The heat in her chest subsided


    at little, and her furrowed brows began to rx. She felt so drained that she fell into a deep slumber


    right


    away.


    Maverick sat by the edge of the bathtub, keeping watch.


    +


    He could still remember how he had falsely used her of drugging him the night before their divorce


    and even ridiculed her relentlessly the next day.


    Now, it was his turn to be wrongly used. He didn¡¯t expect karma to strike so quickly.


    He gave a bitter smile.


    Given Gwendolyn¡¯s personality, she won¡¯t let this matter go once she sobers up.


    This must be karma. I owe it to her.


    He gathered his thoughts and quietly gazed at her sleeping form. Her cheeks were still flushed, making


    her appear intoxicated. She looked alluring with her graceful body immersed in water, almost as if


    tempting him.


    However, Maverick was not the kind of man to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state. He


    averted his gaze and focused solely on observing her condition.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s body was still flushed and oddly warm.


    Soaking in cold water took too long to take effect. This won¡¯t work.


    He got up and left the bathroom. He searched the first-aid kit for medicine and rummaged through the


    entire house but couldn¡¯t find any sedatives or glucose solution.


    He walked to the garden and shouted, ¡°Elven, Quinton, Ryan! Come out!¡±


    Elven appeared out of nowhere a minuteter. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and asked, ¡°Why are you


    shouting in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?


    ¡°Why are you the only one here?¡±


    ¡°Quinton and Ryan sent Mr. Ferguson home, but I don¡¯t know why they haven¡¯t returned yet. Ezra is


    with Mr. Harris, and Gwendolyn assigned William to run errands, so I¡¯m the only one here tonight.¡±


    There was usually no need to stand guard at night since Gwendolyn was quite skilled in martial arts.


    She would sound the rm in the event of an emergency.


    Maverick didn¡¯t beat around the bush any further. ¡°There¡¯s no sedatives or glucose solution at home. I


    need you to go buy them.¡±


    ¡°Where am I supposed to find them at thiste hour?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care how you do it, but you must buy these two items as soon as possible! This is important!¡±


    Maverick furrowed his brows, a grave expression on his face.


    Elven decided to trust Maverick this time when he saw how serious and anxious the man was.


    .


    Chapter 125 Just An Act


    +15 Bonus


    About half an hourter, he returned and handed the two medicines to Maverick. ¡°What are these for?


    Clinics and smaller hospitals don¡¯t have it. I had to go to a bigger hospital to find-hey¡­¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Maverick took the medicines and immediately dashed to the third floor.


    He finally heaved a sigh of relief after administering the medicine to Gwendolyn. He leaned against the


    bathtub and continued to watch over her. He had been busy for most of the night. His energy was


    almost


    depleted, and he unknowingly fell asleep.


    Gwendolyn woke up in a daze just as the sky began to brighten.


    The burning heat in her body had disappeared. She opened her eyes, only to realize that she was lying


    in the bathtub and Maverick was asleep, leaning against the side of the tub.

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126


    Chapter 126 The Mastermind


    It seemed that Maverick was worn out fromst night, as he was sleeping soundly now.


    Gwendolyn stared at him for a moment.


    +15 Bonus


    ????158


    She saw the faint traces of a p mark on his left cheek, apanied by slight swelling and the


    uncleaned. bloodstain at the corner of his mouth. He appeared quite miserable, not much better off


    than her.


    Although she had exhausted all her strengthst night and couldn¡¯t remember what had happened.


    afterward, judging from the current situation, she supposed Maverick did not do anything to her.


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips and suddenly tasted a hint of sweetness in her mouth. Is this the taste of


    glucose? He was the one who drugged my coffee, but now he¡¯s pretending to be a good guy?


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes had a bone-chilling coldness to them.


    Is he putting on a show for me? I¡¯ll wait and see what¡¯s next!


    She stepped out of the bathtub and tiptoed out of the bathroom without waking Maverick up


    A sharp pain in his back jolted Maverick out of sleep.


    He almost dislocated his arm from sleeping so soundly against the edge of the bathtub.


    I was so busy helping Gwendolyn bring down her feverst night that I forgot to apply medicine to


    myself. To make matters worse, I identally bumped into the sharp corner of the bed, which probably


    aggravated the swelling on my back.


    He sighed, propped himself up to sit, and suddenly realized that the person in the bathtub had


    disappeared.


    When did she wake up?


    Surprisingly, he had no idea at all. It appeared that the 023 special drug had significantly decreased his


    acuity.


    He got up and walked over to the sink, where he looked in the mirror and wiped the trace of the blood


    from the corner of his mouth. Then, he went downstairs to find Gwendolyn.


    The atmosphere in the living room was extremely tense.


    Gwendolyn sat on the couch with her arms folded across her chest and a cold expression on her face.


    The four bodyguards, Elven, William, Quinton, and Ryan, stood neatly behind the couch with equally


    grim expressions.


    Maverick noticed the tension in the living room as soon as he came downstairs. He knew that what was


    -destined to happen would eventually happen.


    He walked over with heavy steps and stood in front of Gwendolyn across the coffee table.


    Gwendolyn looked up coldly and met his gaze, but she didn¡¯t say a word.


    Quinton, who was standing behind her, was the first to point at the two packets of coffee sugar on the


    table. ¡°Mr. Wright, Ms. Shalders asked you to make her coffeest night, and while you did make it, you


    Chapter 126 The Mastermind


    +15 Bonus


    added something nasty to it, didn¡¯t you? We found another packet of coffee sugar containing the


    ecstasy in your room. How do you intend to exin this?¡±


    Maverick stared at Gwendolyn intently and exined, ¡°It¡¯s true that I ced the sugar packets in the


    coffee tray and served it to you. I won¡¯t deny that, but I had no prior knowledge of the presence of the


    ecstasy.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curled slightly, and her eyes were full of sarcasm.


    How does he intend to persuade me with that?


    Maverick knew in his heart that she wouldn¡¯t believe him, but he couldn¡¯t help trying again. ¡°I said I


    would never deceive or manipte you against night, and I meant it. Can you¡­ just trust me this


    time?¡± Gwendolyn chuckled softly. ¡°You entered my roomte one night when Natasha drugged you,


    but the next day you thought I was the one who did it. Did you give me a chance to exin then?


    Would believed me if I hadn¡¯t shoved the evidence in your face?¡±


    He knew that she would never recover from that.


    Maverick pursed his thin lips together as he was at a loss for words.


    .


    you have


    Gwendolyn continued, ¡°You promised not to deceive me against night, but then you drugged me! You


    made this coffee, and you were the first one to rush in after I drank it by mistake. Can you honestly say


    you had nothing to do with it? Honestly, if this one-year agreement is too hard for you to bear, I can


    give you a chance topete fairly and allow you to reim Wright Construction Group and the Wright


    residence from my hands.¡±


    She paused, and her expression suddenly turned cold and stern. ¡°However, you just had to resort to


    such despicable tactics. Then you¡¯ll have to forgive me, but Fabsolutely despise deception!¡±


    Maverick had guessed it would turn out like this as he smiled miserably. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple.¡± Gwendolyn smiled and gently lifted her hand. Quinton immediately brought a cup of


    warm water from the kitchen and ced it on the coffee table. ¡°I know that Frida gave you the medicine


    pouch when you went to the Wright residence. Here are two packets of coffee sugar on the table that


    were taken from your room. One packet tested positive for ecstasy, while the other was found to


    contain real sugar. You get to decide which of you two will be the mastermind.¡±


    Maverick frowned, looked down at the coffee sugar packets on the coffee table, and remained silent.


    Gwendolyn continued, ¡°If you can choose the sugar from this fifty-fifty chance, then I¡¯ll believe that


    you¡¯re just an aplice or that you¡¯ve been deceived and used by Frida. In that case, I¡¯ll let you off


    the hook. Go ahead and choose one, Mr. Wright.¡±


    Her words were dripping with sarcasm.


    Maverick stood still as he fixed his gaze on her and tried to search for any other emotions in her eyes.


    Unfortunately, there was none.


    Fair enough. Isn¡¯t it my fault that she doesn¡¯t trust me?


    Heughed self-deprecatingly, walked over to the coffee table, and picked up the two packets of coffee


    sugar to examine closely.


    Chapter 126 The Mastermind


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    +15 Bonus


    Maverick ripped both packets of coffee sugar apart under the watchful eyes of everyone present and


    poured them into the cup of warm water. He gave it a good stir, tilted his head back, and drank it all in


    one gulp.


    ¡°Mr. Wright!¡± Elven trusted him, but his face turned pale when he realized that he had actually


    consumed. both packets.


    Ms. Shalders felt so sick even though she consumed half a cup of the drugced coffeest night. This


    is the infamous ecstasy sold on the ck market and renowned for its powerful effects. Yet he drank


    the whole packet. Is he not afraid of death? Ms. Shalders only asked him to choose. Isn¡¯t there still a


    fifty percent chance of choosing the right one? He¡¯s such a fool!


    ¡°Very well, I respect your decision, Mr. Wright.¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s expression darkened as well. ¡°Quinton,


    Ryan, bring Mr. Wright to the basement.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Quinton and Ryan were about to step forward and put their hands on Maverick¡¯s


    shoulder.


    Maverick refused, ¡°That¡¯s all right. I can walk by myself!¡±


    He headed toward the basement after he said that, and Gwendolyn and the others followed him to the


    basement entrance.


    His silhouette appeared somewhat deste as he entered the basement alone.


    A bodyguard brought Gwendolyn a chair, and she sat down on the steps leading to the basement,


    waiting for the drug to take effect.


    The basement was quite spacious as Gwendolyn had just moved in and didn¡¯t have many belongings.


    The bodyguards didn¡¯t leave a light on for Maverick before closing the door.


    He was enveloped in darkness.


    In just five minutes, he gradually began to feel his body heating up. The effect of the drug kicked in so


    fast


    The effects of the drug this time were much stronger than the night before the divorce.


    At first, Maverick could still stand, but as time went on, the burning sensation that ignited from his chest


    grew stronger. He finally understood why Gwendolyn had curled up under the table when he found her


    last night.


    This medicine was truly unbearable. He felt as though that ball of fire could devour his heart alive if the


    effects weren¡¯t relieved.


    Maverick was drenched in sweat and appeared as though he had just been fished out of the water after


    enduring for half an hour. His entire body felt scorching hot, and the fire inside of him was gradually


    chipping away at his sanity.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face remained expressionless as she sat quietly outside the door with her hands


    clenched tightly.


    The bodyguards stood behind her and listened as the basement went from beingpletely silent to


    gradually filling with someone¡¯s heavy breathing.


    In almost an hour, a gut-wrenching, beast-like growl suddenly echoed from within.


    +15 Bonus


    Chapter 126 The Mastermind.


    Everyone outside the door was startled.


    That¡¯s a whole pack of ecstasy! If he can¡¯t find relief, that kind of pain will be fatal!


    Elven couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. ¡°Ms. Shalders, it¡¯s been an hour! I believe Mr. Wright has learned his


    lesson by now. If we let him continue like this, he¡¯ll dicl¡±

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127


    Gwendolyn clenched her hands tightly as she listened to the low growlsing from inside.


    However, her face was still cold and emotionless when she looked at Elven. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve gone too


    far?¡±


    Elven knelt down on the spot. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. You were druggedst night. It¡¯s only fair to


    make up for the suffering you endured, but I know that you don¡¯t really want to kill Mr. Wright.¡±


    Gwendolyn felt much better after she heard that.


    She looked at Quinton after contemting for a while. ¡°Go to the Wright residence and bring Frida over


    here. Be quick.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Shalders.¡± Quinton set off immediately.


    The rest of them stood at the basement door, listening as the growling and struggling sounds grew


    more intense as though Maverick was on the brink of despair.


    Even the tall and burly bodyguards found it difficult to continue listening and felt as though they were


    also being subjected to a cruel form of torture.


    Ten minutester, Gwendolyn finally spoke up. ¡°Open the door. Get a bucket of ice water and bring it


    over. It¡¯ll help him cool down.¡±


    The bodyguards obeyed Gwendolyn¡¯s orders after a brief moment of shock and went to get some ice


    cubes to mix with a bucket of water.


    Creak.


    The basement door opened, allowing a sliver of light to seep in. That beam of light stretched Maverick¡¯s


    shadow long and thin in the center.


    Mavericky curled up on the floor, just like a baby in its mother¡¯s womb.


    The floor beneath him was soaked with sweat, and his hair was also damp from perspiration as it hung


    limply over his forehead. He looked like a helpless and pitiful puppy that had been injured.


    Maverick had struggled through this hour to the point of exhaustion, yet his body still trembled violently,


    and his face was horrifyingly red.


    He struggled to open his eyes as he felt the blinding light on his eyelids.


    Maverick saw a slender and familiar figure although his vision was blurry.


    He reached out with trembling hands without hesitation and looked at that figure longingly. His voice


    was hoarse as he said, ¡°Gwendolyn¡­ I-I feel¡­ terrible¡­¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel heartbroken after seeing how ufortable the drug made her feelst night.


    Would she feel a little bit better knowing that I¡¯ve suffered through the effects of the drug as well? Can


    this lessen some of the disgust she feels toward me in her heart?


    Even though his hands trembled violently, he stubbornly tried to reach out and touch the figure before


    him. It seemed so close that he could touch it as soon as he reached out, yet it felt so distant as if there


    was an insurmountable barrier forever separating the two of them.


    Maverick couldn¡¯t see Gwendolyn¡¯s expression because of the backlight, but he could feel the coldness


    emanating from her.


    The intense coldness made his heartthrob painfully, which was a hundred times worse than when the


    drug took effect.


    Gwendolyn did not budge as she watched him quietly from a distance.


    Her eyes narrowed slightly as she noticed that Maverick¡¯s gaze hadn¡¯t left her since he opened his


    eyes, but she remained silent.


    Maverick was still waiting, hoping that she would at least utter a single sentence that contained a hint of


    sympathy.


    However, what came next was Ryan pouring ice-cold water over his head.


    His sweltering body couldn¡¯t bear the sudden, drastic change in temperature. He was ice cold to the


    core after being poured the bucket of ice water. His entire body trembled even more violently, and his


    teeth chattered from the cold. His consciousness began to fade away.


    ¡°Ryan, who told you to pour it directly on his head!¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s grip on the armrest of the chair


    tightened abruptly.


    ¡°Huh? Wasn¡¯t that what you ordered, Ms. Shalders?¡± Ryan was shocked by her aggressive demeanor.


    His hand trembled, and he identally poured the remaining half bucket of water all over Maverick.


    The massive impact caused Maverick to cough violently.


    The heart-wrenching sound of coughing echoed throughout the basement as if his lungs were about to


    be coughed out. It sounded incredibly terrifying.


    Gwendolyn was extremely frustrated by Ryan¡¯s approach, which seemed to cause more harm than


    good. She was about to stand up to check on Maverick when a woman¡¯s scream sounded from behind


    her. ¡°Ah! Maverick! My dear Maverick!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s grip on the armrest loosened slightly when she heard that.


    She settled back into her chair, her usual icy haughtiness returning to her face.


    Frida had still been in a cast, lying in the private ward of the Wright residence.


    When Quinton showed up at the door with a scowl on his face, Frida could easily tell that it wasn¡¯t


    going to be anything good, and she tried her best to y the victim, acting as though she really didn¡¯t


    want to be involved.


    In the end, she was forcefully dragged over by Quinton.


    Frida could no longer pretend to be crippled after seeing her son, who was on the brink of death after


    being tortured in the basement. She stepped on the ground and ran as quickly as she could with her


    leg in a cast.


    She copsed to the ground next to Maverick as she felt how cold and lifeless his body was. She


    panicked as she noticed his uncontroble trembling. ¡°Where¡¯s the doctor? Hurry up and find a doctor!


    My son is dying! He can¡¯t die! He mustn¡¯t die!¡±


    Frida had been arrogant for most of her life, and this was the first time she had broken down in tears in


    front of Gwendolyn and disregarded her image. ¡°Gwendolyn, I¡¯m begging you! Please save him! He


    hasn¡¯t done anything wrong. Why are you treating him like this? You were once a couple. Why are you


    being so cruel?¡±


    I can¡¯t be cruel to him because we were once a couple?


    Gwendolyn sneered, ¡°Despite being married into the Wright family for all these years, I have never


    experienced any kindness. People also say that a daughter-inw is like half a daughter, but not only


    did you not treat me as a daughter, you even said that I was worse than your pet dog. How do you feel


    knowing that the woman you despise the most is torturing your most precious son?¡±


    Frida was stunned for two seconds before crying out in despair, ¡°I feel awful! I feel like I¡¯m about to


    suffocate from the pain. It¡¯s all my fault for being so harsh on you, but my son is innocent. Please, save


    him, Gwendolyn! I¡¯m begging you!¡±


    Gwendolyn sighed helplessly. ¡°I can¡¯t save him. Only you are able to save him.¡±


    Frida stopped crying and froze for a few seconds. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°The reason why Maverick ended up like this is because he used the thing you gave him in my coffee,


    and you¡ª¡±


    Frida yelled before Gwendolyn could finish, ¡°No! It has nothing to do with him! He rejected my


    suggestion when I brought it up. I secretly gave it to him when he wasn¡¯t paying attention! It really has


    nothing to do with him. He doesn¡¯t know anything! I mean it!¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Gwendolyn stood up, walked over to Frida, and looked down at her condescendingly.


    ¡°So, who gave you the drug? Who gave you the idea to pretend to be sick?¡±


    Frida was taken aback and didn¡¯t respond.


    Gwendolynughed. ¡°The most intelligent thing you coulde up with is to bring us back together.


    The person who instigated you to cause all this trouble just wants to sit back and watch the fight from a


    safe distance. You didn¡¯t even realize you were being used. It¡¯s quite foolish of you.¡±


    It was the first time that Frida had been reprimanded in this manner, but this time she felt that


    Gwendolyn was absolutely right. ¡°That¡¯s right. I was used! Dexter said that the Wright family could


    regain its former glory as long as I could bring Maverick and you back together. I shouldn¡¯t have


    believed his nonsense!¡±


    Dexter? As expected, it¡¯s that old fox. He¡¯s incredibly shameless to still be resorting to these despicable


    tactics at such an old age.


    Frida held Maverick in her arms and cried, ¡°Gwendolyn, his body¡¯s getting colder. Please save him! He


    means the world to me! He mustn¡¯t die!¡±

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128


    Gwendolyn did not spare a nce at Maverick on the ground. Instead, she warned Frida with a cold


    voice, ¡°This is thest time, Frida! Go back and make sure to keep a close eye on Sheralyn. If you two


    cause any trouble in the future, I¡¯ll hold your precious son responsible! Try me, and we¡¯ll see how much


    longer your son can endure with his current condition!¡±


    ¡°No! Never again! I will never cause trouble again!¡± Frida¡¯s face turned pale as she shook her head


    vehemently.


    Gwendolyn noticed the older woman¡¯s spirits had indeed diminished quite a bit, so she let Quinton take


    thetter back to the old mansion.


    As soon as Frida left, Elven hurried over to inspect Maverick¡¯s condition. ¡°Ms. Shalders, Mr. Wright has


    passed out! His breathing is getting weaker and weaker!¡±


    His breathing is getting weaker?


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes widened in rm. ¡°Hurry! Go get the doctor, William!¡±


    ¡°Got it! I¡¯m going right away!¡±


    Upon hearing themand, William immediately dashed out the door.


    Then, Gwendolyn asked Elven and Ryan to help Maverick back to his room and even prepared a warm


    water bag to keep him warm.


    Thinking of the bucket filled with ice-cold water and seeing the helpless Ryan beside her made


    Gwendolyn quite furious.


    ¡°Ryan, you¡¯re suspended for a year with a half-year sry penalty. Get out!¡±


    Ryan was on the verge of tears. He was about to beg for mercy when Elven threw him a look and


    signaled for him not to add fuel to the fire.


    Gwendolyn did not have time to deal with him as she observed Maverick¡¯s condition. Maverick¡¯s body


    was still freezing cold despite using a warm water bag. His entire face was pale without a trace of vigor,


    as if life was slowly draining from his body.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t William back yet?¡±


    Gwendolyn carefully checked Maverick¡¯s breathing, which was very faint.


    If we keep waiting like this for William to return, Maverick will be dead by then!


    She quickly lifted the nket and helped the person on the bed sit up while Elven hurriedly stepped


    forward to assist.


    ¡°Ryan, carry him downstairs. Elven, get the car ready. We¡¯re going to the hospital!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Shalders!¡±


    Ryan, who had been about to exit the door, instantly perked up and returned to hoist Maverick onto his


    back. Gwendolyn supported him from behind, ensuring Maverick would not lose bnce and fall.


    After cing Maverick in the back seat, Elven quickly started the engine and sped off.


    Ryan sat in the passenger seat while Gwendolyn sat in the back, letting Maverick¡¯s head rest on her


    lap.


    Mavericky peacefully in her embrace as she caressed his pale face, which was almost devoid of


    warmth. She might have thought he was already dead if it were not for his faint breathing.


    ¡°Maverick, you¡¯re not allowed to die! As long as you still owe me, you¡¯ll be in debt to me forever! If you


    dare to die, I¡¯ll make sure the Wright family dies with you!¡± she practically roared the words.


    Up at the front of the car, Elven and Ryan shuddered in fear.


    After all, if she was truly infuriated, she was the kind of ruthless person who would actually carry out


    such an act.


    Lying on herp, Maverick seemed to have heard those words as well. Suddenly, he let out a series of


    heart-wrenching choking coughs, though he remained unconscious.


    Gwendolyn patted his back to soothe him.


    At least he showed some reaction, so he probably would not die. ¡°Elven, hurry up.¡±


    Elven sped up, running through countless red lights on the way and finally arriving at the hospital.


    After Maverick was rushed into the emergency room, Gwendolyn sat in the waiting area with mixed


    emotions.


    Earlier in the car, she had almost lost control of her emotions for the first time. When she found out she


    was druggedst night, she genuinely wanted to kill him.


    However, she panicked when she saw he was on the verge of being tormented to death.


    Why should I panic? Was he not ruthless when he ordered Noah to hijack a ne to assassinate me


    for Natasha¡¯s sake?


    After the divorce, she had nned to go their separate ways, remaining strangers for the rest of their


    lives.


    However, Sheralyn, Frida, and Natasha repeatedly harmed her. Maverick continued to provoke her,


    even attempting to kill her for Natasha¡¯s sake.


    These people just would not let her live a peaceful life.


    She was not wrong for making them pay the price they deserved, given she was not the type to take a


    beating or verbal abuse without fighting back.


    As she was thinking, Elven finished a phone call and reported, ¡°Ms. Shalders, your assistant at Angle,


    Joanne, said there¡¯s an urgent work matter that needs your attention.¡±


    Gwendolyn nced at the emergency room¡¯s still-lit lights and did not respond immediately.


    Beside her, Ryan suddenly fell to his knees.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, I admit it was my mistake this time. I was foolish and almost harmed Mr. Wright. I¡¯m


    willing to stay at the hospital to take care of him. Once he recovers, I¡¯ll return home and ept my


    suspension as punishment.¡±


    Gwendolyn pondered for a moment. ¡°All right. Stay here and let me know if there¡¯s any news from him.


    Elven, let¡¯s go.¡±


    After speaking, she hurriedly left the hospital with Elven as if escaping and went straight to Angle.


    She was frustrated with the mess Frida caused, which had dyed her work for two days. Gwendolyn


    still had yet to finalize the n for the talent show. As soon as she returned to her office, she started


    working diligently, focusing all her attention on the task at hand.


    At eight o¡¯clock that night, all the employees had left, but the lights in her office were still on. Treyton


    found out she was working overtime and specifically headed down from the top floor to see her.


    Up ot the front of the cor, Elven ond Ryon shuddered in feor.


    After oll, if she wos truly infurioted, she wos the kind of ruthless person who would octuolly corry out


    such on oct.


    Lying on her lop, Moverick seemed to hove heord those words os well. Suddenly, he let out o series of


    heort-wrenching choking coughs, though he remoined unconscious.


    Gwendolyn potted his bock to soothe him.


    At leost he showed some reoction, so he probobly would not die. ¡°Elven, hurry up.¡±


    Elven sped up, running through countless red lights on the woy ond finolly orriving ot the hospitol.


    After Moverick wos rushed into the emergency room, Gwendolyn sot in the woiting oreo with mixed


    emotions.


    Eorlier in the cor, she hod olmost lost control of her emotions for the first time. When she found out she


    wos drugged lost night, she genuinely wonted to kill him.


    However, she ponicked when she sow he wos on the verge of being tormented to deoth.


    Why should I ponic? Wos he not ruthless when he ordered Nooh to hijock o plone to ossossinote me


    for Notosho¡¯s soke?


    After the divorce, she hod plonned to go their seporote woys, remoining strongers for the rest of their


    lives.


    However, Sherolyn, Frido, ond Notosho repeotedly hormed her. Moverick continued to provoke her,


    even ottempting to kill her for Notosho¡¯s soke.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    These people just would not let her live o peoceful life.


    She wos not wrong for moking them poy the price they deserved, given she wos not the type to toke o


    beoting or verbol obuse without fighting bock.


    As she wos thinking, Elven finished o phone coll ond reported, ¡°Ms. Sholders, your ossistont ot Angle,


    Joonne, soid there¡¯s on urgent work motter thot needs your ottention.¡±


    Gwendolyn glonced ot the emergency room¡¯s still-lit lights ond did not respond immediotely.


    Beside her, Ryon suddenly fell to his knees.


    ¡°Ms. Sholders, I odmit it wos my mistoke this time. I wos foolish ond olmost hormed Mr. Wright. I¡¯m


    willing to stoy ot the hospitol to toke core of him. Once he recovers, I¡¯ll return home ond ept my


    suspension os punishment.¡±


    Gwendolyn pondered for o moment. ¡°All right. Stoy here ond let me know if there¡¯s ony news from him.


    Elven, let¡¯s go.¡±


    After speoking, she hurriedly left the hospitol with Elven os if escoping ond went stroight to Angle.


    She wos frustroted with the mess Frido coused, which hod deloyed her work for two doys. Gwendolyn


    still hod yet to finolize the plon for the tolent show. As soon os she returned to her office, she storted


    working diligently, focusing oll her ottention on the tosk ot hond.


    At eight o¡¯clock thot night, oll the employees hod left, but the lights in her office were still on. Treyton


    found out she wos working overtime ond specificolly heoded down from the top floor to see her.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, Kiddo. You can work on the proposal tomorrow. We still have several days before the


    final live broadcast of the show.¡±


    Gwendolyn softly hummed in response, but her hands still tirelessly typed away.


    Treyton knew he could not persuade her, so he sighed and was about to turn away when he noticed


    herplexion did not look too good.


    ¡°Have you been sicktely, Kiddo? Why is your face so pale?¡±


    Gwendolyn paused momentarily, recalling the cold bath she had soaked in for half the night yesterday.


    She figured that was probably the reason herplexion appeared a bit pale.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Treyton. Continue with your work. I¡¯ll head back after I finish up here.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Treyton¡¯s expression was solemn. How could he possibly not understand his sister? From the slight


    shifting of her eyes, he knew there must be more to this matter than met the eye.


    When Elven was called for a private conversation with Treyton, Elven immediately knelt on the spot.


    ¡°Mr. Harris, please spare me! I really don¡¯t know anything! It might be because Ms. Shalders has been


    so busy with work these past few days¡­ She¡¯s been staying upte quite often.¡±


    Elven felt bitter being caught in the middle.


    Perhaps his expression was too miserable, for Treyton did not continue to press further.


    ¡°All right. Continue protecting Gwendolyn¡¯s safety, and keep a particrly close eye on that brat,


    Maverick. If he dares to hurt Gwendolyn again, I won¡¯t rest until he¡¯s dead, whether she agrees or not.


    Got it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Harris.¡±


    That night, Gwendolyn did not return to Bay Vi. Rather, she nned to pull an all-nighter in her office.


    Elven knocked on the door and entered.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, Mr. Wright was transferred from the emergency room to a regr ward an hour ago.


    He¡¯s awake now. Would you like to go see him?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s fingers paused slightly while she typed, and she hesitated.


    ¡°No need. Let Ryan look after him now that he¡¯s awake. After he¡¯s fully recovered, send him back to


    Bay Vi.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Elven did not leave, his face showing a troubled expression.


    Gwendolyn was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Was I not clear enough?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. No one knows why, but Mr. Wright kept refusing the nurse¡¯s attempts to give him an IV


    drip after he woke up, and no amount of persuasion seemed to work.¡±


    Gwendolyn was speechless. ¡°He¡¯s just a patient right now. Can¡¯t you all handle a weak man? Are you


    going to let him be since he refuses? Can¡¯t you hold him down or tie him up?¡±


    Elven was lost for words, unsure how to respond to that.


    Has Ms. Shalders always been this crude and violent?

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129


    Elven could note up with an answer, and Gwendolyn said nothing more. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s go and


    see what¡¯s wrong with him.¡±


    She casually tidied up her table and drove to the hospital.


    In the hospital room.


    A certain someone had wrapped themselves up like a burrito, burying their head deep into the nket.


    The nurse sighed as she looked at him, ¡°Mr. Wright, you still have a fever. Wrapping yourself in a


    nket will make it hard for you to breathe, and¡­ Please just let me give you an IV drip!¡±


    No matter how the medical staff and Ryan persuaded him, the bundle on the bed stubbornly refused to


    respond.


    Gwendolyn immediately saw this peculiar scene after entering and let out a mockingugh.


    ¡°Oh, my. I¡¯m afraid tomorrow¡¯s news will be about the former CEO of Wright Construction Group


    committing suicide due to refusing an IV drip.¡±


    Upon seeing her arrival, Ryan respectfully greeted her, ¡°Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Gwendolyn gave a slight nod in response and walked over to Maverick¡¯s bedside.


    Before she could say anything more, the ¡°burrito¡± suddenly reached out and firmly grabbed her wrist.


    Maverick poked his head out from under the nket. Due to his fever, his dark eyes were misty and


    lacked their usual domineering coldness. Instead, he appeared somewhat vulnerable and pitiful.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    He gazed at Gwendolyn¡¯s face intently, making sure he had not grabbed the wrong person.


    From now on, he would never mistake her for another person again.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯re finally here. I didn¡¯t see you when I woke up. I missed you.¡±


    His voice was a little nasally because of the fever, sounding somewhat soft and even carrying a hint of


    a coy tone.


    The medical staff present and Ryan were both puzzled.


    ¡°Is this the same man who had a fierce and menacing expression on his face ten minutes ago, as if he


    wanted to devour someone? Didn¡¯t his attitude change too quickly?


    ¡±


    His words sent a chill down Gwendolyn¡¯s spine. ¡°Did the fever fry your brain? You can¡¯t use it anymore


    after it¡¯s broken, so you should throw it away.¡±


    Maverick was speechless.


    The emotions he had prepared mentally were nowpletely gone.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, I¡¯d like to chat with you in private for a moment.¡±


    Gwendolyn pondered briefly and did not refuse. Turning to look at the nurse, she said to Maverick,


    ¡°First, allow the nurse to administer the IV drip, or we have nothing to discuss.¡±


    Maverick said in a deep, nasally voice, ¡°Fine.¡±


    The nurse immediately stepped forward, only to see him tightly gripping Gwendolyn¡¯s wrist, making it


    impossible for the nurse to put in the needle.


    Gwendolyn also noticed this and frowned. ¡°Let go. How will you receive the IV drip like this?¡±


    Maverick did not say a word. He decisively pulled out his other hand from under the nket while


    clutching Gwendolyn¡¯s wrist with his right.


    When he was being tormented by the drug in the basement, he felt mentally disoriented.


    As the basement door opened and light poured in, his only thought was to grasp the figure he had once


    lost. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, the seemingly close distance appeared forever out of reach.


    That feeling was even more despairing than suffering through the sleeping drug.


    Now that he was fully awake, he had finally managed to catch her again, and he would absolutely


    never let go.


    Deep in thought, he suddenly felt a force trying to push his hand away vigorously.


    It was Gwendolyn.


    After the nurse administered the IV drip, Gwendolyn asked everyone to leave the room.


    She furrowed her brows as she saw her skin turning purple from Maverick¡¯s tight grip. ¡°You¡¯re hurting


    me. I won¡¯t leave until I finish talking to you, but I¡¯ll leave immediately if you keep holding on like this.¡±


    Maverick hesitated for a moment but eventually admitted defeat and withdrew his hand under her cold


    gaze.


    Gwendolyn sat on the chair next to the sickbed, getting straight to the point with a calm tone,


    ¡°Maverick, you¡¯re clearly a proud person, but I don¡¯t understand you. Why did you agree to sign the


    agreement so easily back then? Was it really to pay off your debt? Was it worth putting yourself in such


    a humiliating and miserable situation?¡±


    Maverick looked up and locked eyes with her.


    ¡°You once loved me so deeply, giving me your whole heart and soul, but I didn¡¯t cherish it. Now, I¡¯ve


    finally realized my own feelings and walked the path you once took. Only then did I understand how


    much pain you must have felt back then.¡±


    He paused, his dark eyes filled with sincerity. ¡°Gwendolyn, I know I¡¯ve been thoughtless with my words


    in the past and have said many hurtful things to you. From now on, you can scold me and vent your


    anger on me every day. I won¡¯t talk back. Whatever I owe you, even if it¡¯s just a single sentence, I¡¯ll


    make it up to you! Can you give me onest chance, please?¡±


    I can scold him every day? Is there something wrong with his head? Does he like looking for trouble?


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face was cold as she spoke her mind for the first time. ¡°Ever since the divorce, I thought


    we would just be strangers to each other, but your mother, your sister, and your beloved fianc¨¦e


    wouldn¡¯t leave me alone. You even sent Noah to kill me for Natasha¡¯s sake. Why should I give you or


    the Wright family a chance?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes widened slightly in surprise. ¡°Wait, what did you just say?¡±


    Moverick did not soy o word. He decisively pulled out his other hond from under the blonket while


    clutching Gwendolyn¡¯s wrist with his right.


    When he wos being tormented by the drug in the bosement, he felt mentolly disoriented.


    As the bosement door opened ond light poured in, his only thought wos to grosp the figure he hod once


    lost. Yet, no motter how hord he tried, the seemingly close distonce oppeored forever out of reoch.


    Thot feeling wos even more despoiring thon suffering through the sleeping drug.


    Now thot he wos fully owoke, he hod finolly monoged to cotch her ogoin, ond he would obsolutely


    never let go.


    Deep in thought, he suddenly felt o force trying to push his hond owoy vigorously.


    It wos Gwendolyn.


    After the nurse odministered the IV drip, Gwendolyn osked everyone to leove the room.


    She furrowed her brows os she sow her skin turning purple from Moverick¡¯s tight grip. ¡°You¡¯re hurting


    me. I won¡¯t leove until I finish tolking to you, but I¡¯ll leove immediotely if you keep holding on like this.¡±


    Moverick hesitoted for o moment but eventuolly odmitted defeot ond withdrew his hond under her cold


    goze.


    Gwendolyn sot on the choir next to the sickbed, getting stroight to the point with o colm tone,


    ¡°Moverick, you¡¯re cleorly o proud person, but I don¡¯t understond you. Why did you ogree to sign the


    ogreement so eosily bock then? Wos it reolly to poy off your debt? Wos it worth putting yourself in such


    o humilioting ond miseroble situotion?¡±


    Moverick looked up ond locked eyes with her.


    ¡°You once loved me so deeply, giving me your whole heort ond soul, but I didn¡¯t cherish it. Now, I¡¯ve


    finolly reolized my own feelings ond wolked the poth you once took. Only then did I understond how


    much poin you must hove felt bock then.¡±


    He poused, his dork eyes filled with sincerity. ¡°Gwendolyn, I know I¡¯ve been thoughtless with my words


    in the post ond hove soid mony hurtful things to you. From now on, you con scold me ond vent your


    onger on me every doy. I won¡¯t tolk bock. Whotever I owe you, even if it¡¯s just o single sentence, I¡¯ll


    moke it up to you! Con you give me one lost chonce, pleose?¡±


    I con scold him every doy? Is there something wrong with his heod? Does he like looking for trouble?


    Gwendolyn¡¯s foce wos cold os she spoke her mind for the first time. ¡°Ever since the divorce, I thought


    we would just be strongers to eoch other, but your mother, your sister, ond your beloved fionc¨¦e


    wouldn¡¯t leove me olone. You even sent Nooh to kill me for Notosho¡¯s soke. Why should I give you or


    the Wright fomily o chonce?¡±


    Moverick¡¯s eyes widened slightly in surprise. ¡°Woit, whot did you just soy?¡±


    Send Noah to kill her? When did that happen?


    Gwendolyn did not pay attention to his question and continued speaking.


    ¡°In my eyes, you are just my housekeeper right now. Once this one-year agreement is up, I will let you


    go forever. We will owe each other nothing and go our separate ways.¡±


    Will we be even?


    Maverick¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. ¡°You mean, as long as I pay off this year¡¯s debt, we can put our past


    behind us, and I¡¯ll have a chance to start over with you?¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered coldly.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know why you always act like you¡¯re madly in love with me now. You lost your chance the


    morning we got our divorce certificate. Don¡¯t you find it ridiculous to act all affectionate and lovey-dovey


    in front of me now?¡±


    Having said that, she stood up and turned to leave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡±


    Maverick lunged over to grab her wrist again. Due to his weak body and the inertia of his movement, he


    easily pulled her down to the ground.


    There was the painful sound of a knee hitting the ground with a thud.


    Maverick¡¯s face contorted in pain, and he was unable to speak. It took him a few seconds to regain his


    composure and lift his head again.


    ¡°Back then, I was blind for not recognizing you as the girl who saved me on Saffron Street, even after


    you stayed at the Wright residence for three years and married me for another three. I admit my


    mistake, and I repent. I understand if you don¡¯t forgive me, but I swear I never asked Noah to kill you!¡±


    Gwendolyn scoffed. He had been constantly putting on an act in front of hertely. This time, his show


    was the longest yet most fake.


    ¡°Saving you was just a simple act of kindness. I didn¡¯t think much of it. Besides, if I had known that the


    boy in the car would grow up to be you, I might have even added another blow. You don¡¯t need to dwell


    on this false sense of gratitude.¡±


    After speaking, she ruthlessly pried Maverick¡¯s hand off without hesitation.


    Before leaving, she left him with a final threat. ¡°Behave and stay in the hospital to recover. If you try to


    refuse the IV or medication again, you¡¯ll have to face the consequences yourself!¡±


    As soon as Gwendolyn left, a man dressed as a doctor entered the ward.


    Seeing Maverick sitting on the ground with the IV needle having slipped out, the man hurried over to


    help him.


    ¡°Boss, it¡¯s me!¡±


    The man removed his mask, revealing himself to be Nico.


    Maverick¡¯s expression turned freezing cold when he saw Nico and a bone-chilling malicious aura


    exploded from him. ¡°Investigate Noah! Even if he¡¯s in prison, I want him strung up and beaten to


    death!¡±

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130


    Nico sympathized more with Maverick than Noah, as Nico was aware of the incident when Gwendolyn


    drugged and tortured Maverick in the basement.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since west saw each other, Boss, and you¡¯re already in such bad shape. Why


    don¡¯t we leave Faike? There¡¯s no need for you to put up with this treatment,¡± Nicomented.


    After Maverick was assisted back onto the bed, the malicious expression on his pale face gradually


    faded. ¡°Okay, you stay here in Faike and help me win back my wife. I¡¯ll go back.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Nico was rendered speechless after he heard Maverick¡¯s reply.


    Nico was well aware that Gwendolyn was not someone to be trifled with. She had a sharp tongue, a hot


    temper, and a tendency to get physical. He simply did not have what it took to handle her.


    After a moment of silence, Nico put on an ingratiating smile. ¡°No problem, Boss. Take your time


    chasing her. We can figure something out once you get tired. No rush at all.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Maverick replied.


    Maverick¡¯s face reverted to its usual icy demeanor, and his ck eyes narrowed. ¡°As for Noah, I don¡¯t


    care how you do it. Just get him to spill everything. You know how to deal with this kind of treacherous,


    double-crossing scum.¡±


    ¡°You can count on me, Boss.¡±


    After Nico finished talking to Maverick, he pressed the call button and asked the nurse toe in and


    readminister Maverick¡¯s IV drip.


    Maverick did not protest this time.


    When Maverick woke up earlier and did not see Gwendolyn, he got annoyed. Not getting the injection


    was simply an excuse to vent his frustration. Yet, now that Gwendolyn had spoken up, he had to listen


    to her and be a good patient.


    Due to his attractive appearance and remarkable skills, Noah was a favorite of the boss at Faike


    Male Prison.


    Noah had it rtively easypared to Natasha. He only had to endure a bit of difort at night and


    during shower time, but otherwise, things were going well. He was relieved that he did not have to


    sleep hungry in the bathroom or be subjected to violent attacks.


    Little did Noah know that his peaceful and easy days were numbered and were about toe to an


    end.


    The exclusive Papilio Girls talent show, founded by Angle Company, was drawing to a close atst.


    For thest recording, Gwendolyn decided to take an innovative approach, inviting one thousand


    fortunate audience members to experience the girls¡¯ fantastic performances and hold two votes.


    Moreover, she made use of live online streaming to enable audiences from all over the country to


    witness the final selection and support the girls.


    The start of the final selection program was only ten minutes away.


    As she watched from backstage, Gwendolyn felt a little nervous. It was her first time leading such a


    talent show project on her own, and if it went well, Angle¡¯s stock market value would rise by at least


    three points.


    The program officially started with the host¡¯s opening speech, followed by the twenty finalists, who


    made their entrance one by one while being greeted by continuous cheers from the audience.


    Following that, the host then announced the highly anticipated guest of the night, ¡°Please wee the


    inte sensation, Joaquin Zipper!¡±


    The starstruck female fans in the audience went wild, and the trainee girls on stage also got caught up


    in the excitement.


    As the cheers erupted, Joaquin made a bold entrance, his handsome and radiant looks capturing


    everyone¡¯s attention.


    But much to everyone¡¯s surprise, he did not make his way to the topmost seat in the special invited


    mentor section. Could it be that there was someone even more formidable than Joaquin?


    To the audience¡¯s surprise, the host revealed the next major guest, Treyton. He was a phenomenon in


    the entertainment industry as he was a mysterious figure that was more popr than a movie star


    despite not having mainstream fame.


    More than half of the audience stood up and cheered as Treyton appeared, weing him even more


    enthusiastically than Joaquin. However, even Treyton did not take the center seat in the mentor


    section.


    As the show progressed, many people in the audience began to wonder who the most prestigious seat


    in the mentor section was reserved for.


    Gwendolyn was fully immersed in the backstage screen, closely observing the spectacle. After


    checking the online viewer count, she saw a huge increase in the number of viewers due to the grand


    entrance of the two major guests. She smiled with contentment.


    Indeed, having such a perfect male specimen by her side was something to be utilized to the fullest


    extent; otherwise, it would be such a waste.


    As it was the final round, each of the twenty girls had the opportunity to showcase their talent before


    the official performance began.


    Soon it was Jennifer¡¯s turn. Because of the bullying incident a few days ago, her voice was slightly


    affected, so she chose to showcase a dance instead.


    As the music started, Jennifer quickly got into the zone and performed a self-choreographed dance that


    blended contemporary and ssical elegance, earning cheers from the audience.


    To Treyton¡¯s surprise, he noticed Jennifer, who was not drop-dead gorgeous but had a sweet and


    genuine look. Her talent was also impressive, and he felt she would go far in the entertainment


    industry.


    Treyton then perused the file on Jennifer and learned that Gwendolyn had already signed her with


    Angle. He smiled contentedly and returned his attention to thepetition without any further


    comment.


    The progrom officiolly storted with the host¡¯s opening speech, followed by the twenty finolists, who


    mode their entronce one by one while being greeted by continuous cheers from the oudience.


    Following thot, the host then onnounced the highly onticipoted guest of the night, ¡°Pleose wee the


    inte sensotion, Jooquin Zipper!¡±


    The storstruck femole fons in the oudience went wild, ond the troinee girls on stoge olso got cought up


    in the excitement.


    As the cheers erupted, Jooquin mode o bold entronce, his hondsome ond rodiont looks copturing


    everyone¡¯s ottention.


    But much to everyone¡¯s surprise, he did not moke his woy to the topmost seot in the speciol invited


    mentor section. Could it be thot there wos someone even more formidoble thon Jooquin?


    To the oudience¡¯s surprise, the host reveoled the next mojor guest, Treyton. He wos o phenomenon in


    the entertoinment industry os he wos o mysterious figure thot wos more populor thon o movie stor


    despite not hoving moinstreom fome.


    More thon holf of the oudience stood up ond cheered os Treyton oppeored, weing him even more


    enthusiosticolly thon Jooquin. However, even Treyton did not toke the center seot in the mentor


    section.


    As the show progressed, mony people in the oudience begon to wonder who the most prestigious seot


    in the mentor section wos reserved for.


    Gwendolyn wos fully immersed in the bockstoge screen, closely observing the spectocle. After


    checking the online viewer count, she sow o huge increose in the number of viewers due to the grond


    entronce of the two mojor guests. She smiled with contentment.


    Indeed, hoving such o perfect mole specimen by her side wos something to be utilized to the fullest


    extent; otherwise, it would be such o woste.


    As it wos the finol round, eoch of the twenty girls hod the opportunity to showcose their tolent before


    the officiol performonce begon.


    Soon it wos Jennifer¡¯s turn. Becouse of the bullying incident o few doys ogo, her voice wos slightly


    offected, so she chose to showcose o donce insteod.


    As the music storted, Jennifer quickly got into the zone ond performed o self-choreogrophed donce thot


    blended contemporory ond clossicol elegonce, eorning cheers from the oudience.


    To Treyton¡¯s surprise, he noticed Jennifer, who wos not drop-deod gorgeous but hod o sweet ond


    genuine look. Her tolent wos olso impressive, ond he felt she would go for in the entertoinment


    industry.


    Treyton then perused the file on Jennifer ond leorned thot Gwendolyn hod olreody signed her with


    Angle. He smiled contentedly ond returned his ottention to thepetition without ony further


    comment.


    After an hour of intensepetition, it was time to announce the final results based on the votes.


    Jennifer made aeback with over 900 votes, rising from 15th ce to secure a spot in the debut


    lineup andnding in 6th ce with an impressive result.


    As the program drew to a close, the host reappeared and announced, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please


    wee the owner of Angle to deliver the closing speech!¡±


    All eyes turned to Treyton as the host called for the founder of Angle to give the closing speech.


    However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, Treyton showed no sign of moving, leaving the audience to specte


    why the CEO of Angle was not taking the stage.


    As the audience was left baffled, the host then announced with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s wee Ms. Shalders


    with a big round of apuse!¡±


    As the spotlight focused on the end of the red carpet, Gwendolyn emerged from backstage, dressed in


    a long, dark red gown thatplemented her snow-white skin. Her entire presence exuded an air of


    elegance and royalty as she gracefully walked toward the stage, with the spotlight following her every


    step.


    The crowd watched Gwendolyn in shock, and some recognized her immediately.


    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that the same woman who confronted Ms. Natasha from the Mossey family at the press


    conferencest time?¡±


    ¡°Wow, she¡¯s so beautiful and cool! No wonder she had the guts to confront the Mossey family; she¡¯s


    actually a wealthy woman herself!¡±


    ¡°I remember hearing rumors that she was a rich guy¡¯s abandoned ex-wife, but those were clearly just


    lies. I mean, why would a woman with her own wealth be scared of getting divorced? She could do so


    much better anyway.¡±


    ¡°Come on, guys! All I care about is that she killed it with her Lover performance. Please, can she debut


    already?


    ¡°Girl, you¡¯re incredible! She¡¯s not only an amazing dancer but also the boss of Angle!¡±


    The audience erupted in excitement.


    The fact that even Treyton was happy to take a backseat and let her have the main spot at the


    mentors¡¯ table showed that she must be extraordinary.


    The girls who had already secured their spots in the debut lineup were unfamiliar with Gwendolyn,


    except for Jennifer, who appeared to be the most surprised among them.


    Oh my god, Gwendolyn is the owner of Angle? Is she really the kind of domineering CEO that you only


    see in books? Jennifer eximed inwardly.


    It was unbelievable how Jennifer had managed to grab hold of such a wonderful opportunity and still


    remained oblivious to it.


    With all eyes on her, Gwendolyn walked steadily onto the stage, took the microphone handed to her by


    the host, and smiled faintly. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Gwendolyn, the behind-the-scenes owner of Angle.¡±

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    Meanwhile, at the hospital, Maverick was lying in bed, his lips curling into a smirk as he watched the


    live broadcast on the television across the room.


    So, it looks like she¡¯s decided to reveal one of her alter egos after so long.


    The broadcast was done to inform everyone that even Treyton and Joaquin were more than happy to


    let her have the spotlight.


    Samantha and Dexter must be extremely anxious right now. I bet they¡¯re scrambling to uncover her real


    identity.


    A corner of his lips lifted into a smile as he gazed at the stunning woman speaking on live television.


    She might never look back or consider remarrying him, but he was happy enough to spend the rest of


    his life peacefully like this.


    Ryan was presently sitting on the chair by Maverick¡¯s bed. He had propped his chin up with one hand


    while his elbow rested on his knee,pletely captivated by Gwendolyn¡¯s stunning beauty.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders looks so attractive when she¡¯s serious!¡± he remarked.


    However, when he thought about being suspended, his face fell. ¡°But she can be really scary when


    she¡¯s mad, too. If only she could be gentle like this all the time.¡±


    Maverick had been admiring Gwendolyn¡¯s beauty in silence until Ryan started rambling on next to him.


    Eventually, he got quite annoyed and proceeded to grab the remote control from the bedside table,


    then decisively turned off the television.


    Ryan had been daydreaming moments ago, but before he knew it, he was staring at a pitch-ck


    screen instead of Gwendolyn¡¯s pretty face.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, what gives?¡± he asked disgruntledly.


    Maverick didn¡¯t speak or pay any attention to him. His expression was somewhat cold, and due to


    being sick and having been injected with the special drug previously, his skin had taken on an


    unhealthy pallor. This only entuated his intimidating presence.


    Ryan looked at the somber man. Could it be that he¡¯s¡­ He decided to ask outright, ¡°Mr. Wright, you¡¯re


    not jealous because I praised Ms. Shalders, are you?¡±


    ¡°I only turned it off because I got bored watching it,¡± Maverick lied impassively.


    Ryan knew the man was lying, so he pointed out kindly, ¡°Honestly, Mr. Wright, there¡¯s no chance for


    you and Ms. Shalders to be together again, especially since you¡¯ve divorced her and now work as her


    housekeeper. Don¡¯t go getting your hopes up.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s face instantly darkened.


    Unfazed and oblivious, Ryan continued, ¡°Moreover, Ms. Shalders and Mr. Ferguson have had feelings


    for each other since they were young. They are both verypatible in terms of personality, family


    background, age, and appearance. So, why don¡¯t you just see through this one-year agreement without


    kicking up a fuss and then go back to being good old Mr. Wright?¡±


    ¡°Sherman Ferguson,¡± Maverick bit out the name through gritted teeth.


    He would bepletely fine with Gwendolyn dating Sherman if that man were trustworthy. However,


    Maverick had met Sherman twice, and while the meetings had ended up in an argument between the


    two, he could tell from their conversations that Sherman was quite promiscuous.


    Not to mention, he waspassionate, too.


    Knowing how Gwendolyn made a habit out of returning a favor tenfold, she might end up getting hurt


    by Sherman, whether he did so intentionally or not.


    There was no way Maverick could entrust Gwendolyn to a man like that!


    ¡°Mr. Wright?¡± Ryan probed when he noticed Maverick was spacing out.


    Maverick immediately threw off the nket and made to get out of bed. He even pulled out the IV drip


    needle without hesitation.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Ryan panicked and stood up.


    Maverick put on his shoes, and without so much as a backward nce, he walked out of the door as


    he said coldly, ¡°To get discharged.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You¡¯ve only been here for a few days! The doctor will have to do another check-up on you and


    issue discharge paperwork before you can leave!¡± Ryan cried out after Maverick.


    He hurriedly chased after Maverick, only to see thetter suddenly stop at the door of the hospital


    room.


    When Ryan drew closer, Maverick held out his hand and said, ¡°Give me your phone.¡±


    The talent show this time was a huge sess,rgely due to Gwendolyn¡¯s stunning revtion. As a


    result, Angle¡¯s stock market soared, and the show received rave reviews.


    That evening, Gwendolyn was discussing resource issues with Jennifer backstage when her phone


    suddenly rang.


    She nced down and saw that it was Ryan.


    What mischief is Maverick up to now?


    Her previously ted mood instantly turned sour.


    She picked up the call calmly, but before she could say anything, a deep voice came down the other


    line.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Although Gwendolyn found it strange that Maverick was calling her, she didn¡¯t bother to press him


    further and merely asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been discharged from the hospital. To celebrate the sess of your first show, I¡¯ll prepare a feast


    for us to enjoy together when you return. How does that sound?¡±


    He spoke cautiously, the end of his sentence tinged with the fear of rejection, but there was anticipation


    in his undertone, too.


    Gwendolyn sensed this and fell silent for a beat or two.


    In the few minutes where she did not say anything, he waited anxiously, his heart racing. Nheless,


    he kept quiet and gave her time and space to consider his suggestion.


    ¡°I can¡¯t make it tonight. I have a celebration party nned. Let¡¯s talk about it another day,¡± she finally


    said.


    She was just about to put down her phone when Maverick interjected anxiously, ¡°Wait, don¡¯t hang up!


    Are you¡­ going to eat with Joaquin, Treyton, and the others?¡±


    She did not bother lying. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, then¡­¡± Maverick hesitated for a moment, ¡°Will Sherman be there, too?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered curtly.


    It was just one word delivered with cold indifference, but it was enough to stoke the mes of


    Maverick¡¯s jealousy into a raging fire.


    Not to mention, he wospossionote, too.


    Knowing how Gwendolyn mode o hobit out of returning o fovor tenfold, she might end up getting hurt


    by Shermon, whether he did so intentionolly or not.


    There wos no woy Moverick could entrust Gwendolyn to o mon like thot!


    ¡°Mr. Wright?¡± Ryon probed when he noticed Moverick wos spocing out.


    Moverick immediotely threw off the blonket ond mode to get out of bed. He even pulled out the IV drip


    needle without hesitotion.


    ¡°Where ore you going?¡± Ryon ponicked ond stood up.


    Moverick put on his shoes, ond without so much os o bockword glonce, he wolked out of the door os


    he soid coldly, ¡°To get dischorged.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You¡¯ve only been here for o few doys! The doctor will hove to do onother check-up on you ond


    issue dischorge poperwork before you con leove!¡± Ryon cried out ofter Moverick.


    He hurriedly chosed ofter Moverick, only to see the lotter suddenly stop ot the door of the hospitol


    room.


    When Ryon drew closer, Moverick held out his hond ond soid, ¡°Give me your phone.¡±


    The tolent show this time wos o huge sess, lorgely due to Gwendolyn¡¯s stunning revelotion. As o


    result, Angle¡¯s stock morket soored, ond the show received rove reviews.


    Thot evening, Gwendolyn wos discussing resource issues with Jennifer bockstoge when her phone


    suddenly rong.


    She glonced down ond sow thot it wos Ryon.


    Whot mischief is Moverick up to now?


    Her previously eloted mood instontly turned sour.


    She picked up the coll colmly, but before she could soy onything, o deep voicee down the other


    line.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Although Gwendolyn found it stronge thot Moverick wos colling her, she didn¡¯t bother to press him


    further ond merely osked, ¡°Whot¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been dischorged from the hospitol. To celebrote the sess of your first show, I¡¯ll prepore o feost


    for us to enjoy together when you return. How does thot sound?¡±


    He spoke coutiously, the end of his sentence tinged with the feor of rejection, but there wos onticipotion


    in his undertone, too.


    Gwendolyn sensed this ond fell silent for o beot or two.


    In the few minutes where she did not soy onything, he woited onxiously, his heort rocing. Nheless,


    he kept quiet ond gove her time ond spoce to consider his suggestion.


    ¡°I con¡¯t moke it tonight. I hove o celebrotion porty plonned. Let¡¯s tolk obout it onother doy,¡± she finolly


    soid.


    She wos just obout to put down her phone when Moverick interjected onxiously, ¡°Woit, don¡¯t hong up!


    Are you¡­ going to eot with Jooquin, Treyton, ond the others?¡±


    She did not bother lying. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, then¡­¡± Moverick hesitoted for o moment, ¡°Will Shermon be there, too?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she onswered curtly.


    It wos just one word delivered with cold indifference, but it wos enough to stoke the flomes of


    Moverick¡¯s jeolousy into o roging fire.


    He bit down on his pale lower lip and said in an appeasing, coquettish manner, ¡°Can¡¯t you take a rain


    check? I know my cooking was bad before, but I promise I¡¯ll do better. Why don¡¯t youe back to Bay


    Vi tonight?¡±


    Gwendolyn could not stand it when he used that tone on her. ¡°No, there¡¯s no room for negotiation.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s jaw hardened. ¡°If you don¡¯te back, I¡¯ll hold a press conference tomorrow and tell the


    whole nation that I belong to you!¡±


    She nearlyughed.


    I¡¯ve never seen a self-destructing idiot before.


    Despite her amusement, she told him tersely, ¡°You¡¯re just my housekeeper.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a housekeeper who belongs to you! Don¡¯t you dare im otherwise!¡± he argued.


    ¡°Maverick!¡± She was furious now, and the ferocity of her voice made Jennifer jump.


    It was only after he heard how angry Gwendolyn was that Maverick gave in. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just wanted


    you toe back to Bay Vi for a meal. You might not think I¡¯m worthy enough to eat with you, but I


    wouldn¡¯t mind standing and watching you eat¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn pressed her palm against her forehead. What the heck is wrong with him these days? It¡¯s


    like his shamelessness knows no bounds!


    She didn¡¯t feel like arguing with him any further, so she casually agreed, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to Bay Vi, but


    not until the celebration party is over. It might be quitete by the time I get back.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can wait, no matter how long it takes for you to get home,¡± he said cheerily.


    Although he couldn¡¯t stop her from attending the celebration party, at least Sherman would not be the


    only one there. He foundfort in the thought that Sherman would not be able to take any liberties


    with Gwendolyn.


    After hanging up the phone, Maverick excitedly went to handle the discharge procedures.


    Since Ryan had previously agreed to take care of Maverick until he recovered, there was no reason for


    him to follow Maverick back to Bay Vi following thetter¡¯s discharge from the hospital. As such, he


    called William and Quinton to pick Maverick up, then went home to serve his suspension.


    Upon returning to Bay Vi, Maverick made a beeline for the kitchen and began to read up on recipes.


    Someone had been hired to stock up the refrigerator with fresh ingredients every day, so he could


    experiment with any dish he liked as long as the recipe did not call for anything tooplicated.


    It took him nearly three hours to prepare a table full of delicious dishes. He tasted each dish


    beforehand to ensure the vors were well-bnced and perfect for Gwendolyn¡¯s pte.


    Not knowing exactly when Gwendolyn would return, he covered each dish with a te to prevent them


    from getting cold.


    When he was done, he sat on the couch and waited patiently for Gwendolyn toe home.


    Two hours had passed, and the food was getting cold. Seeing this, Maverick took the food back to the


    kitchen to reheat it. Once he was done, he covered it and continued to wait.

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132


    That happened several times.


    When he looked up at the clock again, he realized it was already four in the morning.


    It¡¯s already sote, and she¡¯s not back yet. How long does a celebration party take to finish?


    Maverick sat on the couch, and suddenly, out of nowhere, the scene of Gwendolyn¡¯s dinner party


    appeared before his eyes. Everyone was cheering and urging Gwendolyn and Sherman to drink from


    the same cup.


    He sprang to his feet in an instant.


    No way! Absolutely not!


    He turned his head and headed for the door, but before he could even reach the garden, he was


    stopped by William and Quinton.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, it¡¯s quitete, and it¡¯s not safe to go out at this hour.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to find Gwendolyn.¡±


    William and Quinton remained motionless. ¡°Ms. Shalders will be back once she¡¯s done with her


    business. Besides, she has Elven protecting her, so please just wait patiently.¡±


    Maverick frowned. His expression was cold.


    If Elven were there that night, maybe it would be easier to talk. However, William and Quinton had


    always disliked him, and they would not even bother to speak any more than necessary with him.


    Having no other choice, Maverick had to go back and continue waiting.


    The time spent waiting often felt the longest and most unbearable.


    During this time, he thought about many things.


    He vaguely recalled that during the past three years, Gwendolyn had called him numerous times,


    hoping he woulde home for dinner. Sometimes he would respond with a few perfunctory words,


    while other times, he could not be bothered to talk to her and would hang up the phone directly, not


    returning home for two or three days in a row.


    So this is what it feels like to endure a sleepless night of waiting¡­


    He lifted his head, gazing at the clock hanging on the wall across the room. His eyes followed the


    minute hand as it moved, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep on the couch.


    After an unknown amount of time had passed, he was awakened by the sound of a door opening.


    Sure enough, it was Gwendolyn who came in. His face lit up with delight as he stood up to greet her,


    ¡°You¡¯re back! The food has gone cold, so I¡¯ll go warm it up right now.¡±


    Gwendolyn declined emotionlessly. ¡°No need. I¡¯ve already had breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Breakfast?¡±


    Maverick nced at the clock on the wall, only to see it was already seven o¡¯clock in the morning.


    He could not believe that she did note back at allst night while he sat on the couch waiting for


    her the entire night.


    Maverick felt quite puzzled. ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe backst night? Did you get drunk? Where did you


    sleep? Were you with Sherman the whole night? He didn¡¯t try anything with you, did he?¡±


    Gwendolyn was speechless.


    What does Sherman have anything to do with this? And with so many questions, which one should I


    answer first?


    As she changed into her slippers, she said, ¡°Jennifer got drunkst night, so I took her back to her


    ce. Since she was dizzy and vomiting all night, I stayed and took care of her.¡±


    Maverick stood there,pletely stunned.


    Jennifer? The trainee who just made her debut? D*mn it, will I have to be on guard not only against


    men but women too?


    Gwendolyn rubbed her sore and swollen shoulders, preparing to go upstairs.


    Maverick grabbed her wrist. ¡°Gwendolyn, I spent nearly three hours preparing that table of dishesst


    night. I¡¯m sincere. Do you want to¡ª¡±


    He did not even get to finish his sentence when it was interrupted by Gwendolyn¡¯s cold gaze.


    ¡°So what? I¡¯ve already eaten. If you haven¡¯t had breakfast, go ahead and eat that.¡±


    His heart suddenly ached, as if this sentence weighed heavily on his chest, making it difficult to


    breathe. He was stunned for a long time, unable to utter a single word.


    Seeing that he had nothing else to say, Gwendolyn forcibly broke free from his grip and went back


    upstairs to her room.


    Maverick watched her walk away. Then, he turned his head to look at the meal he had carefully


    preparedst night that was neatly arranged on the table and remained untouched.


    The presentation of the dishes was still exquisite, but the food had gonepletely cold, just like his


    heart.


    Suddenly, a feeling of indescribable emptiness and guilt welled up in him.


    Gwendolyn went upstairs to change her clothes, and as soon as she walked to the stairway, she saw


    him standing there, looking utterly disheartened and lost.


    She coughed gently, bringing Maverick¡¯s thoughts back to the present. ¡°Hurry up and finish your meal,


    then change into clean clothes ande with me on an errand.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curved into a sly smile. ¡°The Wright mansion.¡±


    A loud bang rang out in the air.


    The residents of the Wright Mansion were still asleep when they were suddenly awakened by the loud


    noise.


    Dexter hurriedly led his wife, Cecelia Xander, downstairs to have a look.


    His daughter, Carol Wright, was terrified as well. As she ran downstairs, she asked, ¡°Mom, Dad! Is that


    an earthquake? Is that an earthquake?¡±


    The three of them looked baffled. It was not until they reached the first floor that they discovered a


    large crowd gathered in the living room.


    Gwendolyn was sitting on the main seat of the couch, having tea as though she were the mistress of


    the house.


    Four well-trained, tall, and handsome bodyguards stood behind her couch, while Maverick stood at the


    side.


    They all had serious expressions and an intimidating presence, as if they were there to collect a debt.


    Dexter and his family looked at each other, all with bewildered expressions on their faces.


    As she chonged into her slippers, she soid, ¡°Jennifer got drunk lost night, so I took her bock to her


    ploce. Since she wos dizzy ond vomiting oll night, I stoyed ond took core of her.¡±


    Moverick stood there,pletely stunned.


    Jennifer? The troinee who just mode her debut? D*mn it, will I hove to be on guord not only ogoinst


    men but women too?


    Gwendolyn rubbed her sore ond swollen shoulders, preporing to go upstoirs.


    Moverick grobbed her wrist. ¡°Gwendolyn, I spent neorly three hours preporing thot toble of dishes lost


    night. I¡¯m sincere. Do you wont to¡ª¡±


    He did not even get to finish his sentence when it wos interrupted by Gwendolyn¡¯s cold goze.


    ¡°So whot? I¡¯ve olreody eoten. If you hoven¡¯t hod breokfost, go oheod ond eot thot.¡±


    His heort suddenly oched, os if this sentence weighed heovily on his chest, moking it difficult to


    breothe. He wos stunned for o long time, unoble to utter o single word.


    Seeing thot he hod nothing else to soy, Gwendolyn forcibly broke free from his grip ond went bock


    upstoirs to her room.


    Moverick wotched her wolk owoy. Then, he turned his heod to look ot the meol he hod corefully


    prepored lost night thot wos neotly orronged on the toble ond remoined untouched.


    The presentotion of the dishes wos still exquisite, but the food hod gonepletely cold, just like his


    heort.


    Suddenly, o feeling of indescriboble emptiness ond guilt welled up in him.


    Gwendolyn went upstoirs to chonge her clothes, ond os soon os she wolked to the stoirwoy, she sow


    him stonding there, looking utterly disheortened ond lost.


    She coughed gently, bringing Moverick¡¯s thoughts bock to the present. ¡°Hurry up ond finish your meol,


    then chonge into cleon clothes onde with me on on errond.¡±


    ¡°Where ore we going?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curved into o sly smile. ¡°The Wright monsion.¡±


    A loud bong rong out in the oir.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    The residents of the Wright Monsion were still osleep when they were suddenly owokened by the loud


    noise.


    Dexter hurriedly led his wife, Cecelio Xonder, downstoirs to hove o look.


    His doughter, Corol Wright, wos terrified os well. As she ron downstoirs, she osked, ¡°Mom, Dod! Is thot


    on eorthquoke? Is thot on eorthquoke?¡±


    The three of them looked boffled. It wos not until they reoched the first floor thot they discovered o


    lorge crowd gothered in the living room.


    Gwendolyn wos sitting on the moin seot of the couch, hoving teo os though she were the mistress of


    the house.


    Four well-troined, toll, ond hondsome bodyguords stood behind her couch, while Moverick stood ot the


    side.


    They oll hod serious expressions ond on intimidoting presence, os if they were there to collect o debt.


    Dexter ond his fomily looked ot eoch other, oll with bewildered expressions on their foces.


    As they approached, Gwendolyn was the first tough and say, ¡°It seems that your family hasn¡¯t been


    doing too welltely, Mr. Wright. You¡¯ve even let go of your housekeepers. The Wright mansion is huge,


    yet there¡¯s not even one person to pour me tea, so I had to trouble my bodyguard to do it.¡±


    Dexter knew she was deliberately belittling him, but he could not find a way to refute her.


    The Wright family relied on the monthly dividends from Wright Construction Group to make a living.


    However, after what Samantha and Frida did to thepany, it was uncertain how long it would take


    for Wright Construction Group to regain its former glory and provide substantial dividends for the family.


    Hence, during this period, they had been living quite frugally.


    Dexter¡¯s face darkened, and his tone was unpleasant as he said, ¡°Are you always this rude when


    entering someone¡¯s home? Don¡¯t you know how to knock? What was that loud noise just now? What


    did you do?¡±


    ¡°Oh dear! My door! What a disaster! You¡¯ve gone too far!¡±


    His wife, Cecelia, quickly reacted and hurriedly went out to check. Upon noting the state of the door,


    she felt her heart aching.


    Gwendolyn tilted her head and gave a wry smile, expressing her helplessness. ¡°Your door is old and


    has been neglected for a long time. When my bodyguard William knocked on it, he only used a tiny bit


    of force, and it just broke on its own. What can I do, right? I¡¯m just helping Mr. Wright clean up some


    trash.¡±


    Dexter was so frustrated that he felt like he was going to have a heart attack.


    How could knocking on such a thick steel door with your hand possibly break the whole thing down?


    It¡¯s obvious that it was kicked open!


    However, after watching the talent show with Carolst night, he now knew that this woman was not


    only the boss behind Angle but also the current CEO andrgest shareholder of Wright Construction


    Group. It was clear that both Treyton and Joaquin were powerful figures supporting her from behind the


    scenes.


    He had absolutely no chance of winning if he went head-to-head with her.


    Therefore, he shifted his focus toward Maverick.


    With a worried expression, he said, ¡°Maverick, look at her! Even though she¡¯s your ex-wife, she used to


    listen to you the most. Are you just going to let her bully us now?¡±


    The sentence ¡°she used to listen to you the most¡± sent a shiver down Maverick¡¯s spine.


    It turned out that everyone knew she used to love him deeply, but he was the only one unaware of that,


    and he even ignored all her efforts and sacrifices.


    He suppressed the emotions welling up in his heart. Staring at Dexter with cold eyes, he spoke in a


    frosty tone.


    ¡°Uncle Dexter, you secretly gave my mom some bad advice and handed her two packets of shady stuff,


    which almost led to a disaster. How do you exin this?¡±

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133


    What? Did they guess it? Or did Frida betray me?


    Dexter stumbled back in shock.


    After calming down, he grinned, revealing eight teeth, and yed dumb. ¡°Maverick, what do you mean


    by that? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression was icy cold, showing no interest in his ingratiation.


    Seeing Maverick remain silent, Dexter secretly nced at the bodyguards behind Gwendolyn. Each of


    them had a cold expression, looking fierce and menacing as if they wanted to devour someone.


    Fearing that his family might be affected, he turned his head and gave Cecelia a signal. ¡°Carol hasn¡¯t


    freshened up yet, right? You should quickly take her upstairs to wash up. We have to show a good


    image in front of distinguished guests.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cecelia understood and turned to grab her beloved daughter. ¡°Carol, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Before they could even approach the stairs, Gwendolyn¡¯s four bodyguards swiftly stepped forward to


    block their way.


    Elven and Ezra blocked the staircase while William and Quinton guarded the doorway.


    ¡°W-What are you doing? This is ridiculous! I¡¯m in my own house!¡±


    Dexter¡¯s face turned red with anger.


    Carol felt a little scared, so she shrank back into Cecelia¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°No one can leave today before everything is exined clearly.¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled as she picked up her cup from the table and gently sipped the coffee.


    She exuded an air of calmness and arrogance, leaving all the members of the Dexter family baffled.


    Dexter sighed, his expression slightlyplicated, before saying, ¡°Actually, it isn¡¯t like what you think.


    When I found out Frida was the housekeeper at the Wright residence, I went to visit her. I don¡¯t know


    where she got those two packets of drugs from. She told me about her n and asked for my help, but


    I didn¡¯t agree and even tried to persuade her otherwise¡­¡±


    He paused as ifing to a sudden realization. ¡°It seems that she has seeded? Did anything


    happen to you, my ex-niece-inw? I heard that the drug is quite strong. It¡¯s all my fault! I should have


    persuaded her more.¡±


    As he spoke, he sighed and expressed his ¡°regret.¡±


    What he had said not only drew a clear line between himself and the matter but also reminded


    Gwendolyn that they were once rtives.


    Gwendolyn frowned slightly. ¡°In the future, please address me as Ms. Shalders. The words ¡®ex-niece-


    inw¡¯ make me feel quite ufortable.¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    After she finished speaking, she nced at Maverick standing next to her with an amused look in her


    eyes. ¡°He said Frida asked him for it, while Frida imed he encouraged her. Who do you think I


    should believe?¡±


    Maverick stared sternly at Dexter and sneered, ¡°Uncle Dexter, a man shouldn¡¯t me a woman for


    everything that goes wrong.¡±


    This sentence was an affirmative statement.


    Dexter¡¯s face flushed with anger as he pointed at the man and scolded, ¡°You¡¯re just Ms. Shalders¡¯


    housekeeper now. What right do you have to interrupt our conversation? Stand aside!¡±


    His change in attitude was sudden and rapid.


    Gwendolyn most detested those cunning old foxes who spoke differently in different situations and to


    different people.


    She waved her hand, not wanting to listen to his nonsense any longer. In response, Elven ced an


    exquisite ck-and-gold box on the coffee table.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Dexter asked in perplexity.


    Gwendolyn smiled slightly. ¡°This is the modest gift I brought to the Wright Mansion today. Mr. Wright,


    would you like to open it and take a look?¡±


    Dexter didn¡¯t respond. Although he had no idea what she was trying to do, he felt that there was a hint


    of ill intent in her smile.


    Upon hearing that there was a gift, Cecelia smiled politely and said, ¡°Ms. Shalders, it¡¯s already so nice


    of you toe, and you even brought a gift. That¡¯s too kind of you.¡±


    She walked forward to take a closer look. Upon seeing the exquisitely crafted ck-and-gold box on


    the coffee table, she thought that the contents inside must be equally impressive.


    Out of curiosity, she opened the box. Yet, she waspletely baffled by its contents.


    There were thirty small bottles, each only half the size of a fist, neatly arranged in rows.


    She casually picked one and opened it. In the small bottle was transparent liquid with a strange smell.


    ¡°W-What is this?¡±


    Elven replied, ¡°These were specifically prepared by Ms. Shalders for you and your family, Mr. Wright.


    Each of you will have to choose one bottle to drink every day.¡±


    Dexter couldn¡¯t figure out what trick Gwendolyn was ying. As he stepped forward and took a sniff,


    his face changed drastically. He quickly grabbed the bottle in Cecelia¡¯s hand and put it back.


    ¡°Are these all the sleeping drug?¡±


    Gwendolyn rested her chin on her hand, smiling radiantly.


    ¡°Well, not all of them are. Nothing here can poison you to death, but there arexatives, itch drugs, and


    others. Out of the thirty bottles, five are syrup. The odds of getting syrup are much higher than winning


    the lottery, right?¡±


    ¡°Y-You¡­¡±


    Dexter and his wife were left speechless by her words, and they were unable to utter a single sentence


    for a while.


    Carol finally understood what was going on and was terrified. ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t want to drink them! I don¡¯t


    want to drink that kind of stuff¡­¡±


    The family of three huddled together, shivering in fear.


    ¡°You¡¯re really ruthless! Even if you don¡¯t care that we used to be rtives, this has nothing to do with


    me. I¡ª¡±


    Gwendolyn raised her hand to cut off Dexter¡¯s attempt to defend himself. ¡°You and I both know the truth


    of this matter. Besides, it¡¯s not just because of this matter.¡±


    Dexter asked in puzzlement, ¡°What else have I done to you?¡±


    His chonge in ottitude wos sudden ond ropid.


    Gwendolyn most detested those cunning old foxes who spoke differently in different situotions ond to


    different people.


    She woved her hond, not wonting to listen to his nonsense ony longer. In response, Elven ploced on


    exquisite block-ond-gold box on the coffee toble.


    ¡°Whot is thot?¡± Dexter osked in perplexity.


    Gwendolyn smiled slightly. ¡°This is the modest gift I brought to the Wright Monsion todoy. Mr. Wright,


    would you like to open it ond toke o look?¡±


    Dexter didn¡¯t respond. Although he hod no ideo whot she wos trying to do, he felt thot there wos o hint


    of ill intent in her smile.


    Upon heoring thot there wos o gift, Cecelio smiled politely ond soid, ¡°Ms. Sholders, it¡¯s olreody so nice


    of you toe, ond you even brought o gift. Thot¡¯s too kind of you.¡±


    She wolked forword to toke o closer look. Upon seeing the exquisitely crofted block-ond-gold box on


    the coffee toble, she thought thot the contents inside must be equolly impressive.


    Out of curiosity, she opened the box. Yet, she wospletely boffled by its contents.


    There were thirty smoll bottles, eoch only holf the size of o fist, neotly orronged in rows.


    She cosuolly picked one ond opened it. In the smoll bottle wos tronsporent liquid with o stronge smell.


    ¡°W-Whot is this?¡±


    Elven replied, ¡°These were specificolly prepored by Ms. Sholders for you ond your fomily, Mr. Wright.


    Eoch of you will hove to choose one bottle to drink every doy.¡±


    Dexter couldn¡¯t figure out whot trick Gwendolyn wos ploying. As he stepped forword ond took o sniff,


    his foce chonged drosticolly. He quickly grobbed the bottle in Cecelio¡¯s hond ond put it bock.


    ¡°Are these oll the sleeping drug?¡±


    Gwendolyn rested her chin on her hond, smiling rodiontly.


    ¡°Well, not oll of them ore. Nothing here con poison you to deoth, but there ore loxotives, itch drugs, ond


    others. Out of the thirty bottles, five ore syrup. The odds of getting syrup ore much higher thon winning


    the lottery, right?¡±


    ¡°Y-You¡­¡±


    Dexter ond his wife were left speechless by her words, ond they were unoble to utter o single sentence


    for o while.


    Corol finolly understood whot wos going on ond wos terrified. ¡°Dod, I don¡¯t wont to drink them! I don¡¯t


    wont to drink thot kind of stuff¡­¡±


    The fomily of three huddled together, shivering in feor.


    ¡°You¡¯re reolly ruthless! Even if you don¡¯t core thot we used to be relotives, this hos nothing to do with


    me. I¡ª¡±


    Gwendolyn roised her hond to cut off Dexter¡¯s ottempt to defend himself. ¡°You ond I both know the truth


    of this motter. Besides, it¡¯s not just becouse of this motter.¡±


    Dexter osked in puzzlement, ¡°Whot else hove I done to you?¡±


    ¡°You helped Frida harm me in front of Old Mr. Wright before, and I haven¡¯t forgotten that. You shouldn¡¯t


    have forgotten either, right? Besides, you pped Maverick. And now, this sleeping drug incident.


    That¡¯s three strikes against you. You deserve this.¡±


    Maverick, who was standing aside, keenly heard the second crime Dextermitted, and his heart


    suddenly filled with warmth.


    She still remembers Uncle Dexter hitting me and wants to help me get revenge. I wonder if she still has


    feelings for me deep down.


    Dexter also noticed she had mentioned Maverick. ¡°Maverick is a member of the Wright family. As an


    elder, what¡¯s wrong with me giving him a p? You¡¯re going too far by including this!¡±


    Gwendolyn responded, ¡°He¡¯s my housekeeper, so only my people can teach him a lesson. The Wright


    family can¡¯t do that.¡±


    She said ¡°only my people,¡± not ¡°only me,¡± which means Treyton can do anything to me, too.


    Maverick wasn¡¯t so happy after hearing that.


    Dexter was speechless.


    He would rather be outright killed than drink a bottle of drugs every day like participating in a lottery.


    ¡°Anyway, you can give up on that idea. I won¡¯t admit to a single word you said, and I definitely won¡¯t


    drink those bottles!¡±


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to negotiate with you today.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she nced at Elven.


    Elven quickly ced a stack of photocopies in front of the three people. ¡°Take a good look. Here we


    have Mrs. Wright¡¯s confession, the evidence of you hiring someone to buy the sleeping drugs from the


    ck market, and a timeline of the entire incident. Do you want to take this to the police and face a


    conviction, or do you want to ept Ms. Shalders¡¯ gift?¡±


    The expressions of the three people changed dramatically.


    Dexter was shocked and was unable to utter a word. He couldn¡¯t believe that in such a short time, this


    woman had already done a thorough investigation and found out so much information.


    After all, he did pay the ck-market hush money.


    Cecelia said, ¡°Oh, Hubby. You can¡¯t go to jail! You¡¯re the backbone of our family. If something happens


    to you, what will Carol and I do?¡±


    Carol also said, ¡°Mom is right. Dad, you can¡¯t go to jail! If you have a criminal record, how can I hold my


    head up in front of my high-society friends? And no wealthy man would want to marry me. I won¡¯t be


    able to get married, Dad!¡±


    Dexter was caught between a rock and a hard ce. His eyes turned red as he looked at his wife and


    daughter. ¡°But making you two drink that torturous stuff every day breaks my heart too!¡±


    Cecelia and Carol exchanged nces. ¡°Why should we drink? You are the one who did wrong. Can¡¯t


    you just choose three bottles at once?¡±


    Dexter was dumbfounded.

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Did they just sell me out?


    Dexter was quite frustrated.


    However, this matter indeed had nothing to do with Cecelia and Carol, so he could understand their


    refusal to take the drugs with him.


    Regardless, if he had to choose three bottles a day, what if he had bad luck and all three turned out to


    be the sleeping drugs? Would he survive that?


    In case he ended up choosing both the sleeping drug and thexative, wouldn¡¯t he be tormented to


    death from both ends?


    No way! I have to drag someone down with me, even if I die!


    He clenched his teeth in anger, ring at Maverick. ¡°You little brat! You¡¯re helping an outsider set up


    your own uncle! Have you forgotten that your mother is involved in this too? If I¡¯m found guilty, she


    should be punished as well! If I¡¯m going to be tormented by all this, she shouldn¡¯t be faring any better!¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression remained indifferent. ¡°She made a mistake, so of course she should be


    punished. I won¡¯t show favoritism. Besides, I¡¯ve already taken the punishment Gwendolyn gave to her


    on her behalf.¡±


    That drug had almost sent him to hell.


    He would never forget the heart-wrenching pain in his lifetime.


    In other words, he was expressing how he would uphold justice even at the expense of his own family,


    and he had even been punished on behalf of his mother. That way, Dexter had nothing else he could


    say.


    Dexter was unwilling to ept the situation, but when he looked at the four bodyguards Gwendolyn


    had brought with her, he realized that none of them would be easy to deal with. Even if he counted


    heads, his side was still outnumbered.


    Since there was no other way, Dexter said with a sigh, ¡°My ex-niece-inw¡ªWait, no. Ms. Shalders,


    could you please give me a discount? Please take into ount my old age. I can¡¯t withstand this kind


    of torment.¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled joyfully. ¡°Mr. Wright, since you¡¯ve asked for it, of course, it¡¯s possible.¡±


    Before Dexter could even feel happy, he heard her continue, ¡°But you¡¯ll have to exchange it for the


    Wright Construction Group shares you hold. One percent of Wright Construction Group shares can


    save you from two bottles.¡±


    In other words, he wouldn¡¯t need to drink a single bottle if he gave up all his shares.


    Cecelia and Carol both thought this was a good idea.


    ¡°Hubby, now that the stock market for Wright Construction Group has plummeted and the shares are


    hardly worth anything, why not use them to waive off the drugs? That way, you don¡¯t have to suffer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a woman¡¯s perspective!¡± Dexter rejected her idea right away.


    It was obvious that Gwendolyn hade today with her sights set on his shares!


    That was the source of ie for his entire family, and it was also thest thing Den had left for


    him. There was no way he could easily hand it over to an outsider.


    ¡°Have you decided yet?¡± Gwendolyn asked, pursing her lips.


    ¡°Absolutely not! There¡¯s no way I¡¯m giving up any shares, not in this lifetime or the next!¡±


    He nced at the opened ck-and-gold box on the table, took a deep breath, and bravely chose


    three bottles. Opening them, he swallowed their contents without even paying attention to the taste.


    After finishing, he immediately squatted on the ground, retching.


    Cecelia and Carol hurried over to hold him. His face paled from the fright as he eximed, ¡°Quick! Go


    call a doctor! Otherwise, it¡¯ll be toote when the drugs start to take effect!¡±


    Seeing that he still acted so cowardly despite his old age, the bodyguards burst into uproarious


    laughter.


    Previously, when it was Maverick¡¯s turn, he drank it without even blinking an eye despite being aware


    that it was a sleeping drug.


    Both of them had thest name Wright, but there was a significant difference when it came to their


    pride.


    Gwendolyn said, ¡°From now on, William and Quinton will watch you drink three bottles every day. Only


    when you finish them all will it count.¡±


    After she finished speaking, she left the Wright mansion without looking back.


    Maverick immediately followed her.


    After dealing with Dexter, it was almost time to go to work.


    This time, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t n on letting Maverick go straight home. Instead, she took him along with


    her to visit the construction site of Wright Construction Group.


    In the car, Gwendolyn exined, ¡°Wright Construction Group faced some issues at the Balmoral Grand


    construction site. Due to Frida¡¯s poor management and Samantha cutting corners, the building


    copsed. It even affected the newly built structure next to it. Samantha has been dying the


    payment, causing the construction team to be disheartened, which led to them causing problems


    for thepany. If you were in this situation, what would you do?¡±


    After giving it some thought, Maverick sinctly said, ¡°Compensate and appease the workers.¡±


    Gwendolyn had thought he woulde up with some awe-inspiring solution, but now it seemed that


    she had overestimated him.


    ¡°It¡¯s pointless. Yulia tried that from the very beginning, but the workers have lost trust in thepany


    and aren¡¯t putting in their best efforts anymore. However, if we rece all the workers, I¡¯m afraid it will


    dishearten the entire staff of the Balmoral Grand project.¡±


    Soon, the car arrived at the Balmoral Grand construction site.


    Maverick looked up at the buildings outside the window and made eye contact with Gwendolyn. His


    expression was sincere when he stated, ¡°If you¡¯re willing to trust me once, you can leave the entire


    project to me. I can handle it.¡±


    Gwendolyn pondered for a moment but didn¡¯t agree.


    Just then, Joanne called again. There was an issue at Angle¡¯s ce that required her attention.


    She had been constantly running between Angle and Wright Construction Group during this period,


    which made her somewhat overwhelmed, especially since Wright Construction Group was in a slump.


    It would take quite some time to return thepany to its former glory and to get back the eight-point-


    eight billion from Samantha, along with the interest.


    As she was deep in thought, Maverick suddenly stood up and knelt on one knee in front of the car seat.


    His dark eyes were intently gazing at her.


    Cecelio ond Corol hurried over to hold him. His foce poled from the fright os he excloimed, ¡°Quick! Go


    coll o doctor! Otherwise, it¡¯ll be too lote when the drugs stort to toke effect!¡±


    Seeing thot he still octed so cowordly despite his old oge, the bodyguords burst into uproorious


    loughter.


    Previously, when it wos Moverick¡¯s turn, he dronk it without even blinking on eye despite being owore


    thot it wos o sleeping drug.


    Both of them hod the lost nome Wright, but there wos o significont difference when ite to their


    pride.


    Gwendolyn soid, ¡°From now on, Williom ond Quinton will wotch you drink three bottles every doy. Only


    when you finish them oll will it count.¡±


    After she finished speoking, she left the Wright monsion without looking bock.


    Moverick immediotely followed her.


    After deoling with Dexter, it wos olmost time to go to work.


    This time, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t plon on letting Moverick go stroight home. Insteod, she took him olong with


    her to visit the construction site of Wright Construction Group.


    In the cor, Gwendolyn exploined, ¡°Wright Construction Group foced some issues ot the Bolmorol Grond


    construction site. Due to Frido¡¯s poor monogement ond Somontho cutting corners, the building


    collopsed. It even offected the newly built structure next to it. Somontho hos been deloying the


    poyment, cousing the construction teom to be disheortened, which led to them cousing problems


    for thepony. If you were in this situotion, whot would you do?¡±


    After giving it some thought, Moverick sinctly soid, ¡°Compensote ond oppeose the workers.¡±


    Gwendolyn hod thought he woulde up with some owe-inspiring solution, but now it seemed thot


    she hod overestimoted him.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s pointless. Yulio tried thot from the very beginning, but the workers hove lost trust in thepony


    ond oren¡¯t putting in their best efforts onymore. However, if we reploce oll the workers, I¡¯m ofroid it will


    disheorten the entire stoff of the Bolmorol Grond project.¡±


    Soon, the cor orrived ot the Bolmorol Grond construction site.


    Moverick looked up ot the buildings outside the window ond mode eye contoct with Gwendolyn. His


    expression wos sincere when he stoted, ¡°If you¡¯re willing to trust me once, you con leove the entire


    project to me. I con hondle it.¡±


    Gwendolyn pondered for o moment but didn¡¯t ogree.


    Just then, Joonne colled ogoin. There wos on issue ot Angle¡¯s ploce thot required her ottention.


    She hod been constontly running between Angle ond Wright Construction Group during this period,


    which mode her somewhot overwhelmed, especiolly since Wright Construction Group wos in o slump.


    It would toke quite some time to return thepony to its former glory ond to get bock the eight-point-


    eight billion from Somontho, olong with the interest.


    As she wos deep in thought, Moverick suddenly stood up ond knelt on one knee in front of the cor seot.


    His dork eyes were intently gozing ot her.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, please believe me. Wright Construction Group was entrusted to me by my grandfather a


    long time ago. It is the foundation of the entire Wright family. I have been in charge of Wright


    Construction Group for a long time and still have great credibility among many employees. I would


    never harm Wright Construction Group, nor would I take advantage of the situation to seize your


    power.¡±


    Gwendolyn lifted his chin with her slender fingertips and said with a cold tone, ¡°Considering what


    you¡¯ve done recently, why should I believe you?¡±


    Maverick was at a loss for words for a moment.


    Previously, in order to test her identity, he had hurt her. No one would believe his intentions were true,


    regardless of who was involved.


    ¡°I admit that when I first agreed to sign the agreement, I did want to test you. But as I spent time with


    you, I realized that I truly like you, and I¡¯ve only ever liked you! So, I genuinely want to be by your side,


    Gwendolyn. I¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn ced her index finger on her red lips, making a silencing gesture, not wanting to hear him


    continue with such cheesy words.


    Maverick sensibly kept quiet.


    Gwendolyn asked, ¡°If you were to handle the Balmoral Grand project, what would you need from me?¡±


    ¡°Delegate authority.¡±


    As soon as these two words were spoken, Gwendolynughed. ¡°You said you had no ulterior motives,


    but Maverick, you are good at acting. It would be a waste if you don¡¯t sign with Angle to be an


    artist.¡±


    She cast him a cold nce and opened the door, ready to get out of the car.


    Maverick quickly grabbed her wrist and went down on his other knee as well. With his back straight, he


    rified, ¡°I want power, not to take back Wright Construction Group, but to make those people believe


    in me. If you¡¯re worried, you can have William and Quinton keep an eye on me. I won¡¯t do anything


    sneaky.¡±


    There was an unprecedented sincerity in his dark eyes and even a hint of vulnerability that was not


    easy to detect.


    Gwendolyn nced at her phone, and Joanne was still continuously sending her messages.


    She hesitated slightly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll trust you once. You¡¯ll have to deal with the entire Balmoral Grand


    project, from pacifying the team to construction andpleting the basic structure. I¡¯ll give you one


    month. If you can¡¯t finish it or dare to y any tricks, then¡­¡±


    Maverick nodded. ¡°If I can¡¯tplete it, you can have my life.¡±


    Is this a matter of life and death?


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who said that. But there¡¯s one more thing. You can¡¯t let your work interfere with the


    housekeeping at the vi. Before I return home every day, the vi must be spotless, and dinner should


    be piping hot. Can you manage that?¡±


    There were only twenty-four hours in a day, and after ounting for eating and sleeping, he was


    essentially left with just half the time.


    In the limited time avable, it was challenging for him to aplish tasks on both sides


    simultaneously.


    However, Maverick did not hesitate. His dark eyes were fixed on her as he smiled dotingly. ¡°Okay. A


    real man won¡¯t say no!¡±

 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135


    Gwendolyn frowned slightly, sensing a hint of flirtation in those words.


    She snorted coldly and retorted with a hint of sarcasm, ¡°I don¡¯t remember if you were any good before,


    but now, I guess you¡¯re just¡­¡±


    Maverick¡¯s face turned pale instantly as he understood her meaning. Due to the injection of the special


    drug, his physical strength was no longer what it used to be.


    But as a man, how could he possibly admit defeat in that aspect?


    Without hesitation, he responded, ¡°Why don¡¯t we try it now? See if I¡¯m still as good?¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind!¡±


    Gwendolyn was furious and red at Maverick. She viciously pinched his left cheek with her hand and


    twisted it hard.


    ¡°Ouch, that hurts¡­¡±


    Maverick¡¯s face scrunched up in pain, but he didn¡¯t dare to dodge. All he could do was whine and cry


    out in pain.


    Only then did Gwendolyn let go angrily.


    Arge red mark appeared on the left side of his face. Though it hurt so much that he was almost in


    tears, he didn¡¯t dare to rub it in front of Gwendolyn and could only sh her an aggrieved expression.


    Even though she knew he was putting on an act for her, she felt much better when she saw his sad


    face, and her anger subsided.


    ¡°Get out and start your first day. I¡¯m going back to Angle.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Maverick first brushed off the thinyer of dust on his knee and pant leg, then sat back in the car seat.


    After adjusting his cor slightly, he put on a cool expression as he opened the car door and stepped


    out of the vehicle.


    Gwendolyn watched as the man effortlessly switched between expressions. Such a waste he didn¡¯t go


    on to be an actor!


    She then called to arrange for William and Ryan, who were in a car behind hers, to follow Maverick


    while she went straight to Angle.


    Time seemed to fly by when one was working diligently.


    It was almost the end of the work day, and Gwendolyn was getting ready to call Yulia to ask about the


    situation with the Balmoral Grand project.


    Before she could dial the number, she received an iing call from Yulia.


    The woman sounded very excited as she told Gwendolyn, ¡°Boss, I don¡¯t know what Mr. Wright did, the


    situation at Balmoral Grand has already returned to normal, and it¡¯s only his first day! The atmosphere


    among the construction team is also very harmonious. It¡¯s truly amazing!¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned slightly upon hearing that. ¡°You¡¯ve only known him for a day, and you¡¯re already


    calling him Mr. Wright?¡±


    ¡°Huh? No, no, no! I will always be loyal to you, Boss! My heart belongs to you, whether in life or death.¡±


    Gwendolyn rubbed her forehead and said, ¡°Enough. I don¡¯t need a beautiful ghost hovering around me


    in the afterlife.¡±


    A chuckle escaped Yulia¡¯s mouth at that.


    Gwendolyn quickly regained herposure and instructed, ¡°Continue working with him and review all


    his decisions personally. Let him be in charge in public, but you call the shots behind the scenes. Also,


    learn from the way he handles problematic projects.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±


    After she hung up the phone, Gwendolyn continued to arrange Jennifer¡¯s schedule.


    With Jennifer¡¯s rising poprity, apart from the group¡¯s performance schedule, Gwendolyn also helped


    her secure some brand endorsements.


    As this was Jennifer¡¯s first endorsement photoshoot, Gwendolyn was worried the former might get


    stage fright, so she nned to keep an eye on Jennifer that night.


    However, at the same time, Gwendolyn was also nning to leave work half an hour early to go home


    and check on Maverick¡¯s progress with the household chores.


    She had arranged for Joanne to be in charge of the other artists. So, after much thought, Gwendolyn


    felt it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to have Treyton personally keep an eye on things.


    Treyton was quite surprised when he received her call. ¡°Kiddo, you want me to look after a new artist


    during their endorsement photoshoot? Am I really that insignificant to you?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve got it wrong, Treyton. Jennifer is the artist I¡¯m currently focusing on. Only with your


    presence will we be able to demonstrate thepany¡¯smitment to her. In a way, this also shows


    how much we value you.¡±


    Treyton knew she was merely coaxing him, but when he heard his beloved little sister say she valued


    him the most, his heart felt warm and fuzzy.


    ¡°Such a smooth talker. I¡¯ll help you out this time.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Treyton.¡±


    After she finished arranging everything at hand, Gwendolyn drove back to Bay Vi.


    As soon as she entered the garden, she asked Quinton and Ryan, ¡°When did Maverick return?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wright arrived home an hour ago, and he hasn¡¯t stopped working since.¡±


    Gwendolyn thought for a moment before asking, ¡°What about during the day?¡±


    ¡°Everything was normal during the day, and we were always by his side.¡±


    Will he really behave himself and not cause any trouble?


    Gwendolyn was doubtful about it.


    However, it was only the first day. If he wanted to gain her trust, he would have to restrain himself for a


    few days at least.


    She pushed the door open while deep in thought.


    Maverick came out of the kitchen upon hearing some movement. When he saw it was Gwendolyn, his


    eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re early today.¡±


    Gwendolyn raised her eyebrows. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Maverick stepped forward, took a pair of slippers from the shoe cab, and ced them next to her


    feet. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard today.¡±


    Gwendolyn could hear the slight panting in Maverick¡¯s voice, and his white shirt cor was soaked with


    sweat. Clearly, in the hour before she arrived home, he had been on his feet,pletely swamped with


    work.


    ¡°Is dinner ready?¡±


    ¡°Almost. Can you give me another twenty minutes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±


    After she hung up the phone, Gwendolyn continued to orronge Jennifer¡¯s schedule.


    With Jennifer¡¯s rising populority, oport from the group¡¯s performonce schedule, Gwendolyn olso helped


    her secure some brond endorsements.


    As this wos Jennifer¡¯s first endorsement photoshoot, Gwendolyn wos worried the former might get


    stoge fright, so she plonned to keep on eye on Jennifer thot night.


    However, ot the some time, Gwendolyn wos olso plonning to leove work holf on hour eorly to go home


    ond check on Moverick¡¯s progress with the household chores.


    She hod orronged for Joonne to be in chorge of the other ortists. So, ofter much thought, Gwendolyn


    felt it wouldn¡¯t be o bod ideo to hove Treyton personolly keep on eye on things.


    Treyton wos quite surprised when he received her coll. ¡°Kiddo, you wont me to look ofter o new ortist


    during their endorsement photoshoot? Am I reolly thot insignificont to you?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve got it wrong, Treyton. Jennifer is the ortist I¡¯m currently focusing on. Only with your


    presence will we be oble to demonstrote thepony¡¯smitment to her. In o woy, this olso shows


    how much we volue you.¡±


    Treyton knew she wos merely cooxing him, but when he heord his beloved little sister soy she volued


    him the most, his heort felt worm ond fuzzy.


    ¡°Such o smooth tolker. I¡¯ll help you out this time.¡±


    ¡°Thonk you, Treyton.¡±


    After she finished orronging everything ot hond, Gwendolyn drove bock to Boy Villo.


    As soon os she entered the gorden, she osked Quinton ond Ryon, ¡°When did Moverick return?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wright orrived home on hour ogo, ond he hosn¡¯t stopped working since.¡±


    Gwendolyn thought for o moment before osking, ¡°Whot obout during the doy?¡±


    ¡°Everything wos normol during the doy, ond we were olwoys by his side.¡±


    Will he reolly behove himself ond not couse ony trouble?


    Gwendolyn wos doubtful obout it.


    However, it wos only the first doy. If he wonted to goin her trust, he would hove to restroin himself for o


    few doys ot leost.


    She pushed the door open while deep in thought.


    Movericke out of the kitchen upon heoring some movement. When he sow it wos Gwendolyn, his


    eyes widened in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re eorly todoy.¡±


    Gwendolyn roised her eyebrows. ¡°Is there o problem?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Moverick stepped forword, took o poir of slippers from the shoe cob, ond ploced them next to her


    feet. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hord todoy.¡±


    Gwendolyn could heor the slight ponting in Moverick¡¯s voice, ond his white shirt collor wos sooked with


    sweot. Cleorly, in the hour before she orrived home, he hod been on his feet,pletely swomped with


    work.


    ¡°Is dinner reody?¡±


    ¡°Almost. Con you give me onother twenty minutes?¡±


    When she saw that he hadn¡¯t been idle, Gwendolyn decided not to give him a hard time. She gently


    hummed in acknowledgment and then went upstairs.


    In the evening at Faike Male Prison, the inmates were granted half an hour of free time after they


    had their meal.


    The most respected person in prison had a visitation that night, so Noah nned to take advantage of


    his absence to sneak off to the bathroom for a shower.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    There weren¡¯t many people taking showers during that time. Just as he finished taking off his shirt,


    someone covered his mouth with a white cloth from behind and forcefully dragged him to the corner.


    Although his martial arts skills weren¡¯t bad, Noah couldn¡¯t withstand the surprise attack from eight


    strong men who were pinning him down from behind.


    He tried to make a sound, but it was all muffled up. By the time he realized there was a sedative on the


    white cloth, it was already toote, and hepletely lost consciousness.


    When Noah woke up again, he noticed that his surroundings had changed entirely.


    He was in a dpidated and dimly-lit house.


    Evidently, he had been transported out of the prison.


    Noah struggled with his wrists, only to find that both of his hands were tightly bound with ropes. He was


    hanging upside down from the beam of the dpidated house, with his toes barely able to touch a


    surface and maintain bnce.


    The position was quite tiring. As both of his hands were suspended, it would cause his entire whole


    body to tire quickly.


    Creak.


    The door of the house swung open. Noah¡¯s gaze flickered upon seeing who had entered.


    ¡°Nico, Neville, you guys¡­¡±


    Nico ignored him, but Neville walked up and punched him. ¡°Traitor! Why do you care so much about


    Natasha? How dare you help her frame Boss in front of Ms. Shalders. Are you stupid, Noah?¡±


    At the mention of Natasha was mentioned, Noah became agitated. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk about her like


    that! What has she done wrong? It¡¯s all Gwendolyn¡¯s fault! You and Boss have been deceived by that


    despicable woman!¡±


    Neville was so enraged that he felt like he was about to have a stroke.


    I thought only girls be foolish when they are in love. Howe his intelligence went straight to


    negative?


    ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable! How can you still be so dim after many years of being at Boss¡¯ side? Your


    stupidity can¡¯t even be described by mere words!¡±


    Neville was stomping his feet in anger, but Noah remained stubborn. He would not allow them to say


    anything bad about Natasha.


    At that point, Nico let out a sigh in exasperation. ¡°He¡¯s not listening at all. Anything you say will simply


    go to waste. Since he thinks Natasha is that great, let¡¯s just show him the evidence!¡±


    Stubbornness was written all over Noah¡¯s face until Neville presented the evidence against Natasha¡­

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    ¡°H-How is this possible¡­¡±


    Before Noah could finish speaking, his gaze fell on the evidence that Neville had ced in front of him.


    The evidence showed the incident at the Mossey residence, where Noah had encountered a killer


    disguised as a doctor.


    Natasha was the one behind it? So she pretended to take me in but was secretly nning to kill me?


    As realization dawned upon him, he couldn¡¯t help but shed tears. The evidence that Nico and Neville


    had gathered was undoubtedly genuine, and Noah was well aware of that.


    For that reason, he was extremely heartbroken. His heart was in so much pain that he felt like he was


    suffocating.


    Natasha had been deceiving me for so long¡­ How could she do this to me¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve let Boss down and betrayed his trust. For that, I¡¯ll ept whatever punishment that


    awaits me.¡±


    Hearing Noah¡¯s miserable wails, Nico sighed. ¡°Tell me everything you¡¯ve done for Natasha previously,


    and don¡¯t get a single detail wrong.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Nico listened as Noah recounted everything. Meanwhile, Neville was at the side, recording Noah¡¯s


    every word with hisptop.


    ¡°That¡¯s all. Ever since the hijacking incident, I¡¯ve been put in jail by Gwendolyn¡¯s subordinates.¡±


    Neville handed theptop over to Nico, who gave the contents one thorough look-through before


    closing the device and casting a slightlyplicated gaze at Noah.


    Nico began, ¡°As friends who once fought side by side, this is thest time we meet you. Is there


    anything you¡¯d like to say?¡±


    Noah closed his eyes, feeling utterly devastated.


    ¡°I have nothing to say. I me it all on my stupidity. Go ahead and do it.¡±


    Hearing this, Nico instantly burst intoughter. ¡°You thought Boss wanted to kill you? He¡¯d much prefer


    you stay alive and repent.¡±


    He then nced at the time before instructing Neville, ¡°Get two people to whip him a hundred times but


    keep him barely alive to be sent back to the prison. Also, tell the leaders of the two prison factions that


    whoever dares to treat him well in the future will be going against Boss.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    At that, Nico picked up theptop and left the dpidated house without looking back.


    Before long, the sounds of a whip hitting one¡¯s skin could be heard echoing from the house, mixed with


    the agonizing wails of a man. The noise was both spine-chilling and tragic.


    The next day, Gwendolyn headed straight to work after finishing her breakfast.


    Maverick did the dishes, then left the house after her.


    Although he was no longer in charge of Wright Construction Group, he had the prestige that he¡¯d


    developed from his years of managing the group. Coupled with the fact that he still had forty percent of


    thepany¡¯s shares in his hands, he remained argely influential figure.


    Besides, the only difference was that his office had been moved from the twenty-eighth floor to the


    twenty-third floor¡ªa minor change in Maverick¡¯s books, as it was merely superficial. On the other hand,


    if it was something Gwendolyn wanted, he would go all out to help her.


    That said, it didn¡¯t mean others shared the same sentiments as him.


    During lunchtime, Andie and Branson knocked on the door to Maverick¡¯s office.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Wright.¡± The two smiled tteringly at him.


    Maverick¡¯s gaze fell on them, though his tone remained icy-cold when he questioned, ¡°What¡¯s the


    matter?¡±


    Andie and Branson exchanged nces. ¡°We came to discuss something with you, Mr. Wright.¡±


    ¡°Talk to Ms. Shalders if it¡¯s a major issue and Ms. Sullivan if it¡¯s something minor.¡± The man didn¡¯t even


    bother lifting his head as he spoke.


    Both of their faces¡¯ stiffened as they exchanged yet another nce.


    Then, Branson hurriedly exined, ¡°Ever since the change in ownership at Wright Construction Group,


    Ms. Sullivan has been trying to suppress us senior employees who have been with you for years.


    Moreover, Ms. Shalders is like a ghost. We can¡¯t even look for her to raise our concerns. Now that


    you¡¯re back, haven¡¯t you thought about regaining control over thepany?¡±


    Maverick paused for a moment but did not say anything.


    Nevertheless, Andie seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire upon noticing the man¡¯s reaction. ¡°The


    newly appointed Ms. Shalders seems to have no clue about the real estate industry, nor does Ms.


    Sullivan seem to have an opinion. Thepany can¡¯t keep going like this, can it?¡±


    Maverick rested his hand on the table, drumming his fingers on the surface and seemingly lost in


    thought.


    ¡°Just get straight to the point and tell me what you¡¯re nning to do,¡± he said.


    ¡°If you have any thoughts of reiming Wright Construction Group, we will give you our full support.


    No, not just us but many senior employees are willing to follow your lead. Ms. Shalders may have five


    percent more shares than you do, but you¡¯ve been in charge of thepany for a long time. The


    chances of you winning against her won¡¯t be low!¡±


    After a moment of silence, Maverick finally responded, ¡°Who are the people who are willing to lend me


    their support? Give me a name list.¡±


    Andie and Branson were pleasantly surprised. ¡°So, does this mean you agree?¡±


    Maverick pursed his lips, his expression indecipherable. He did not respond to them.


    The two men were well aware of his quiet and indifferent temperament, so they took the silence as an


    agreement and obediently handed over a name list.


    When Maverick regains control over Wright Construction Group, perhaps senior employees like us,


    who¡¯ve defended thepany tirelessly, might be awarded some of thepany¡¯s shares.


    At that thought, Andie and Branson were filled with delight. ¡°We¡¯ll let you get back to your work, Mr.


    Wright. Please let us know if there¡¯s anything you need us to do, anything at all!¡±


    Maverick merely hummed an acknowledgment.


    At that, the two men tactfully closed the door and left.


    While Maverick was looking at the name list, a graceful figure, d in a pair of high heels, quietly


    opened the door.


    He seemed to notice something out of the corner of his eyes and instinctively raised his head.


    It was Gwendolyn, who was wearing a white figure-hugging dress. She leaned against the doorframe


    with her hands crossed in front of her chest, looking at him with a half-smile. However, the smile didn¡¯t


    quite reach her eyes, and her gaze was icy.


    From Maverick¡¯s angle, he had a great view of the woman¡¯s exquisite figure.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I own this entire building now, so can¡¯t Ie here? Or¡­ did Ie here at the wrong time and


    happened to hear something I shouldn¡¯t have?¡± was Gwendolyn¡¯s indifferent response.


    Andie ond Bronson exchonged glonces. ¡°Wee to discuss something with you, Mr. Wright.¡±


    ¡°Tolk to Ms. Sholders if it¡¯s o mojor issue ond Ms. Sullivon if it¡¯s something minor.¡± The mon didn¡¯t even


    bother lifting his heod os he spoke.


    Both of their foces¡¯ stiffened os they exchonged yet onother glonce.


    Then, Bronson hurriedly exploined, ¡°Ever since the chonge in ownership ot Wright Construction Group,


    Ms. Sullivon hos been trying to suppress us senior employees who hove been with you for yeors.


    Moreover, Ms. Sholders is like o ghost. We con¡¯t even look for her to roise our concerns. Now thot


    you¡¯re bock, hoven¡¯t you thought obout regoining control over thepony?¡±


    Moverick poused for o moment but did not soy onything.


    Nevertheless, Andie seized the opportunity to odd fuel to the fire upon noticing the mon¡¯s reoction. ¡°The


    newly oppointed Ms. Sholders seems to hove no clue obout the reol estote industry, nor does Ms.


    Sullivon seem to hove on opinion. Thepony con¡¯t keep going like this, con it?¡±


    Moverick rested his hond on the toble, drumming his fingers on the surfoce ond seemingly lost in


    thought.


    ¡°Just get stroight to the point ond tell me whot you¡¯re plonning to do,¡± he soid.


    ¡°If you hove ony thoughts of recloiming Wright Construction Group, we will give you our full support.


    No, not just us but mony senior employees ore willing to follow your leod. Ms. Sholders moy hove five


    percent more shores thon you do, but you¡¯ve been in chorge of thepony for o long time. The


    chonces of you winning ogoinst her won¡¯t be low!¡±


    After o moment of silence, Moverick finolly responded, ¡°Who ore the people who ore willing to lend me


    their support? Give me o nome list.¡±


    Andie ond Bronson were pleosontly surprised. ¡°So, does this meon you ogree?¡±


    Moverick pursed his lips, his expression indecipheroble. He did not respond to them.


    The two men were well owore of his quiet ond indifferent temperoment, so they took the silence os on


    ogreement ond obediently honded over o nome list.


    When Moverick regoins control over Wright Construction Group, perhops senior employees like us,


    who¡¯ve defended thepony tirelessly, might be oworded some of thepony¡¯s shores.


    At thot thought, Andie ond Bronson were filled with delight. ¡°We¡¯ll let you get bock to your work, Mr.


    Wright. Pleose let us know if there¡¯s onything you need us to do, onything ot oll!¡±


    Moverick merely hummed on ocknowledgment.


    At thot, the two men toctfully closed the door ond left.


    While Moverick wos looking ot the nome list, o groceful figure, clod in o poir of high heels, quietly


    opened the door.


    He seemed to notice something out of the corner of his eyes ond instinctively roised his heod.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    It wos Gwendolyn, who wos weoring o white figure-hugging dress. She leoned ogoinst the doorfrome


    with her honds crossed in front of her chest, looking ot him with o holf-smile. However, the smile didn¡¯t


    quite reoch her eyes, ond her goze wos icy.


    From Moverick¡¯s ongle, he hod o greot view of the womon¡¯s exquisite figure.


    ¡°Why ore you here?¡±


    ¡°I own this entire building now, so con¡¯t Ie here? Or¡­ did Ie here ot the wrong time ond


    hoppened to heor something I shouldn¡¯t hove?¡± wos Gwendolyn¡¯s indifferent response.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that.¡±


    Maverick rose to his feet, led her to the couch, then poured her a cup of coffee.


    After that, he handed over the name list he had gotten from Andie and Branson moments earlier. ¡°Have


    a look at this.¡±


    Gwendolyn skimmed through the document and was slightly surprised.


    ¡°These are the people who are confidently supporting you in reiming Wright Construction Group,


    and you sold them out just like this?¡±


    With his lips pursed, Maverick slowly knelt on one knee and lifted his gaze to look at her.


    The woman was puzzled by his actions. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°From now on, I won¡¯t allow you to look up at me when we¡¯re conversing. I¡¯m the one who should be


    looking up at you.¡±


    As he uttered those words, sincerity filled his dark, obsidian eyes. His striking features resembled a


    work of art.


    Because he had received an injection of the special drug, his countenance was slightly pale.


    Nevertheless, there was an otherworldly beauty about him.


    Gwendolyn was stunned for two seconds, unable to believe that such words could actuallye out of


    Maverick¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°You¡¯re really going all out to gain my trust,¡± she remarked.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t believe me right now, but as time goes by, you¡¯ll understand I¡¯m not lying to you.¡±


    A sneer escaped the woman¡¯s mouth as she viciously gripped his lower jaw. ¡°Maverick, I hate being


    deceived the most. Back then, you had a sharp tongue and hated me to your bones, but at least you


    were honest. If I find out you¡¯re lying to me, it will not end well for you!¡±


    Maverick was rendered speechless. But I was being truthful when I said all that!


    After that, she loosened her grip around his jaw and shifted her gaze back onto the name list. ¡°What do


    you think I should do with these employees who are utterly devoted to you?¡±


    Maverick sighed. ¡°They¡¯re all senior employees who have been working in Wright Construction Group


    for many years, and we can¡¯t just terminate them all. Besides, all humans are selfish. If you provide


    senior employees with excellent benefits, they¡¯ll support you just as much in the long run.¡±


    ¡°So you want me to turn a blind eye to this and pretend I have no idea about this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. With the name list, you¡¯ll have a clearer idea of who to target and guard against. You can


    give them bonuses where deemed appropriate while having your guard up against any signs of


    disloyalty.¡±


    Gwendolyn pondered for a moment, somewhat skeptical of the man¡¯s words. ¡°So you had Andie and


    Bransonpile this name list with the intention of handing it over to me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If you hadn¡¯te today, I would¡¯ve handed it to you when we were back at Bay Vi.


    Coincidentally, you came over and even almost misunderstood me¡­¡±


    As Maverick reached the end of his speech, the corners of his lips curved downward ever so slightly,


    disying a hint of grievance.


    Gwendolyn ignored his expression and continued to ask, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not giving me this name list


    without expecting anything in return. What do you want in exchange?¡±


    The man looked up to meet her eyes. With no intention of concealing his motive, he cut straight to the


    chase. ¡°I want to hire an assistant.¡±


    That¡¯s it? Upon hearing this, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Nico.¡±

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137


    Nico? This name sounds rather familiar.


    ¡°How is he rted to Noah?¡± Gwendolyn asked.


    Maverick did not intend to hide it from her and truthfully responded, ¡°He¡¯s my subordinate.¡±


    The woman propped her chin on her hand, resting her elbow on her knee. Tilting her head to one side,


    she observed him.


    Her mannerism was exceptionally charming. Maverick had the opportunity to look at her delicate


    features from a close distance, and his heart skipped a beat at that.


    Does she realize how enchanting she looks right now?


    Just when he was lost in his thoughts, Gwendolyn piped up, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that your subordinates are


    still willing to stand by you during such a difficult time. You must have some private assets, am I right?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s private assets were nothingpared to his other secrets. However, he could not reveal


    them to her at this moment.


    Nevertheless, he was a little happy. ¡°Are you trying to manage my private assets as well? I don¡¯t care


    much about money. If you want them, I can hand them all over to you.¡±


    Gwendolyn rolled her eyes at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your money. I¡¯m just curious why you didn¡¯t use your money to reim the Wright


    residence. At least your mother and your sister can live morefortably.¡±


    The man simply lowered his head. ¡°My mother is a mean woman, and my sister is spoiled. They bullied


    you, so I want to punish them.¡±


    His words were slightly startling. ¡°I¡¯m only your ex-wife, but they¡¯re your family. How can you treat them


    so callously?¡± asked Gwendolyn.


    Nevertheless, Maverick had always been a man of principles.


    ¡°A mistake is a mistake. I won¡¯t show favoritism. This is also a good opportunity for them to improve


    their characters.¡±


    Although there was nothing wrong with what he said, Gwendolyn still felt something was not right.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about Sheralyn, but Frida is your mother. Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll berate you for being


    unfilial?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s head hung lower, and Gwendolyn could no longer see his expression.


    He fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°She can endure this hardship. I¡¯ll help her if she can¡¯t take it


    anymore.¡±


    Hearing this, she had to admit that the way he handled the matter was impressive.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading back to Angle now. You should get back to your work.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Gwendolyn got up and walked toward the door. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that Maverick


    was still on his knee. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Aren¡¯t you going to stand up?¡±


    His face turned pale at her words. ¡°My¡­ legs have gone numb.¡±


    The woman gave a little chuckle. Ignoring him, she opened the door and walked out of the office.


    Before leaving, she told Yulia that Maverick asked for an assistant.


    Yulia was an efficient worker. That afternoon, Nico eagerly went into Maverick¡¯s office to report for


    work.


    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re really awesome! From now on, we won¡¯t have to sneak around to see each other. Ms.


    Shalders did not suspect a thing at all. You¡¯re amazing!¡±


    Maverick was busy working on hisputer when he was suddenly piqued by his subordinate¡¯s words.


    He then eyed Nico suspiciously.


    ¡°What do you mean by sneaking around? I¡¯m dealing with serious matters.¡±


    At that, Maverick picked up a ballpoint pen from the table and threw it at Nico with all his might.


    Nico did not dodge, causing the pen to hit his forehead. He rubbed his head, whimpering in pain.


    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re really cruel. I¡¯ve got a concussion now. I demandpensation for my work injury.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still fooling around?¡± Maverick cast an icy gaze at Nico as he picked up another pen.


    Thetter instantly cowered in fear. ¡°My bad! I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Although they liked to fool around with each other, they got down to business eventually.


    Nico first inspected the office to make sure that no one was eavesdropping and that there were no


    surveince devices in the room. Only after doing so did he hand over the information he obtained from


    Noah.


    Maverick read through the well-organized materials carefully. The documents even included a timeline


    of events and Noah¡¯s confession.


    ¡°Boss, you can now prove your innocence to Ms. Shalders with this confession from Noah.¡±


    Maverick did not say a word, but his deep dark eyes narrowed.


    He pondered for a while before tearing the document into pieces right in front of Nico.


    Nico was astonished.


    ¡°Boss! What are you doing? This document can prove that you didn¡¯t harm Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s face was devoid of emotion as he uttered, ¡°If I show her this evidence, the little bit of trust


    she has gained in me will be destroyed.¡±


    Nico did not understand what Maverick meant. Nevertheless, it broke his heart to see his hard work,


    which had now been reduced to torn pieces of paper, on the ground.


    He had put in much effort intopiling the evidence, after all.


    Yet, Maverick didn¡¯t even spare the torn pieces of paper a second nce. ¡°When you handed the


    information to me, I realized that it¡¯s not impossible for Gwendolyn and her capable brothers to find out


    the truth. However, she didn¡¯t even bother to investigate this matter. This shows that in her heart, she¡¯s


    already convinced that I am the one who harmed her.¡±


    He sighed. It seemed that Gwendolyn did not trust him at all, and it would not be easy to regain her


    trust.


    ¡°Moreover, if I show this piece of evidence to her, she¡¯ll know that I¡¯ve been investigating this matter


    behind her back. She¡¯ll also know that I¡¯ve gone to look for Noah. Gwendolyn will only be more guarded


    against me in the future,¡± Maverick added.


    Realization struck Nico when he heard this, and he felt a little sorry for Maverick. ¡°Well, in that case,


    Boss, you¡¯ll have to take the me this time. I think one hundredshes of the whip is not enough for


    that rascal, Noah. He deserves to be whipped two hundred times.¡±


    Half a monthter, after a series of downturns, several projects of Wright Construction Group seemed


    to have picked up gradually.


    Moverick wos busy working on hisputer when he wos suddenly piqued by his subordinote¡¯s words.


    He then eyed Nico suspiciously.


    ¡°Whot do you meon by sneoking oround? I¡¯m deoling with serious motters.¡±


    At thot, Moverick picked up o bollpoint pen from the toble ond threw it ot Nico with oll his might.


    Nico did not dodge, cousing the pen to hit his foreheod. He rubbed his heod, whimpering in poin.


    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re reolly cruel. I¡¯ve got o concussion now. I demondpensotion for my work injury.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still fooling oround?¡± Moverick cost on icy goze ot Nico os he picked up onother pen.


    The lotter instontly cowered in feor. ¡°My bod! I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t do it ogoin.¡±


    Although they liked to fool oround with eoch other, they got down to business eventuolly.


    Nico first inspected the office to moke sure thot no one wos eovesdropping ond thot there were no


    surveillonce devices in the room. Only ofter doing so did he hond over the informotion he obtoined from


    Nooh.


    Moverick reod through the well-orgonized moteriols corefully. The documents even included o timeline


    of events ond Nooh¡¯s confession.


    ¡°Boss, you con now prove your innocence to Ms. Sholders with this confession from Nooh.¡±


    Moverick did not soy o word, but his deep dork eyes norrowed.


    He pondered for o while before teoring the document into pieces right in front of Nico.


    Nico wos ostonished.


    ¡°Boss! Whot ore you doing? This document con prove thot you didn¡¯t horm Ms. Sholders.¡±


    Moverick¡¯s foce wos devoid of emotion os he uttered, ¡°If I show her this evidence, the little bit of trust


    she hos goined in me will be destroyed.¡±


    Nico did not understond whot Moverick meont. Nevertheless, it broke his heort to see his hord work,


    which hod now been reduced to torn pieces of poper, on the ground.


    He hod put in much effort intopiling the evidence, ofter oll.


    Yet, Moverick didn¡¯t even spore the torn pieces of poper o second glonce. ¡°When you honded the


    informotion to me, I reolized thot it¡¯s not impossible for Gwendolyn ond her copoble brothers to find out


    the truth. However, she didn¡¯t even bother to investigote this motter. This shows thot in her heort, she¡¯s


    olreody convinced thot I om the one who hormed her.¡±


    He sighed. It seemed thot Gwendolyn did not trust him ot oll, ond it would not be eosy to regoin her


    trust.


    ¡°Moreover, if I show this piece of evidence to her, she¡¯ll know thot I¡¯ve been investigoting this motter


    behind her bock. She¡¯ll olso know thot I¡¯ve gone to look for Nooh. Gwendolyn will only be more guorded


    ogoinst me in the future,¡± Moverick odded.


    Reolizotion struck Nico when he heord this, ond he felt o little sorry for Moverick. ¡°Well, in thot cose,


    Boss, you¡¯ll hove to toke the blome this time. I think one hundred loshes of the whip is not enough for


    thot roscol, Nooh. He deserves to be whipped two hundred times.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Holf o month loter, ofter o series of downturns, severol projects of Wright Construction Group seemed


    to hove picked up groduolly.


    Gwendolyn was pleased to see the information Yulia gave her. ¡°The operations in Wright Construction


    Group have stabilized based on the current situation. Looks like the matter of settling our scores with


    Lane Group can be put back on the agenda.¡±


    Yulia nodded. ¡°What do you n to do, Boss?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curled into a smile as she responded, ¡°From now on, whatever projects Lane Group


    wants to be involved in, we¡¯ll snatch them all away as long as it¡¯s within Wright Construction Group¡¯s


    means.¡±


    She had just finished speaking when an assistant knocked on the door. As the assistant walked in, she


    told Gwendolyn, ¡°Ms. Shalders, Mr. Ferguson is here.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Yulia wisely took her leave just as Sherman entered the office. Both of them greeted each other


    politely.


    When Yulia left the office, Sherman walked over and sat down on the chair opposite Gwendolyn¡¯s desk.


    Without looking up, Gwendolyn asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Sherman was smiling, his ears a tinge of red. ¡°Gwendolyn, have you forgotten? My birthday is in three


    days.¡±


    Gwendolyn had forgottenpletely about it.


    ¡°Should I wish you a happy birthday in advance? I remember that your parents used to throw parties for


    you on your birthdays. When do you n to return to Salinsburgh?¡±


    A faint blush formed on the man¡¯s face. ¡°That was when we were kids. My parents told me not to go


    home unless I bring a partner back.¡±


    Gwendolyn instantly understood the purpose of his visit.


    ¡°You are the darling of the Ferguson family. How can your parents not allow you to go home? Don¡¯t


    make up stories to fool me.¡±


    Sherman was not discouraged even though his lies were exposed. ¡°I know you won¡¯t be going back to


    Salinsburgh for the time being. How about having dinner alone with me in three days¡¯ time? Treat it as


    your birthday gift to me. I don¡¯t think that would be a problem. Am I right?¡±


    His exnation sounded reasonable since they were friends. Gwendolyn did not have any reason to


    reject him and hence agreed to his request.


    Meanwhile, on the twenty-third floor of Wright Construction Group¡¯s office building, Nico discreetly


    made his way into Maverick¡¯s office.


    ¡°Boss, I heard that Mr. Ferguson is here again. He¡¯s in the office on the top floor, talking to Ms.


    Shalders alone.¡±


    ¡°Alone?¡± Maverick frowned, and his expression became stern.


    There was bound to be trouble whenever Sherman visited Gwendolyn.


    At that, Maverick sprang to his feet, pushed open the office door, and took the elevator to the top floor.


    Meanwhile, Sherman had just left Gwendolyn¡¯s office and was waiting for the elevator to go downstairs.


    As soon as the elevator reached the top floor, the two men met face-to-face when the door opened.


    Sherman smiled and took the initiative to greet Maverick, ¡°Mr. Wright, what a coincidence!¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression was icy, his tone impassive. ¡°It¡¯s not a coincidence. I came here to look for you.¡±

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    In the end, the two men went to a quiet exit passageway within the building.


    Maverick and Sherman brought their respective assistants, who guarded both sides of the passage as


    the two men engaged in a conversation.


    Thetter then casually leaned against the railing and asked, ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡±


    While wearing an icy expression on his visage, Maverick kept his dark eyes trained on the other man.


    ¡°If Eloise and Gwendolyn can¡¯t get along well with each other in the future, who will you side with?¡±


    Sherman pondered for a moment before responding, ¡°No, that won¡¯t happen because Eloise already


    knows Gwendolyn¡¯s identity. As long as Eloise still cares about Treyton, she won¡¯t argue with


    Gwendolyn again.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Maverick sneered, ¡°From what I know, Treyton and Eloise have been engaged for two


    years but still haven¡¯t registered their marriage yet. That¡¯s because Treyton hasn¡¯t given his approval.


    Some time ago, he requested to call off the engagement, but Mr. Ferguson convinced him to keep it


    going.¡±


    ¡°So what,¡± Sherman said, feeling baffled.


    ¡°You know Gwendolyn¡¯s personality well. Eloise hurt her in the past, using rather vicious methods.


    There¡¯s no way Gwendolyn can ever get along with Eloise in this lifetime, nor can Eloise ept being


    on the losing side. Thus, between your own sister and Gwendolyn, you can only choose one.¡±


    At that point, Sherman¡¯s patience was wearing thin.


    ¡°What¡¯s the issue here? Can¡¯t I have both of them? I¡¯ll help mediate any problems between the two of


    them,¡± he insisted.


    Maverickughed upon hearing the man¡¯s words. ¡°You don¡¯t like Gwendolyn as much as you think you


    do. You¡¯re just fooling yourself. Your sister will eventually get married. The fact that you¡¯re hesitating on


    this matter shows that you¡¯re not worthy of Gwendolyn at all.¡±


    Sherman retorted, ¡°Ha! You¡¯re the one who¡¯s not worthy of her. From the day you signed that


    agreement with her, it¡¯s destined that you and she can never remarry.¡±


    A nonchnt smile tugged at the corners of Maverick¡¯s lips. ¡°So be it. It doesn¡¯t matter if we can¡¯t


    remarry. At least I can protect her using other means. Before shepletely rejects me, I need to find


    a man who truly loves and cares for her, but that man will definitely not be you.¡±


    Sherman¡¯s expression softened considerably when he heard that. However, he continued to argue,


    ¡°The person you¡¯re talking about is me! I¡¯m a great match for her in every aspect, and I¡¯ve been


    secretly in love with her for many years. Besides, I don¡¯t mind that she¡¯s a divorcee, so how am I not


    good enough for her? How many men can say they¡¯d do the same for her?¡±


    Maverick frowned, shooting Sherman several nces. He even mentioned the fact that Gwendolyn¡¯s


    been divorced. Deep down inside, he does mind that she¡¯s a divorcee. It¡¯s just that he has been


    numbing himself to fall in love with her and convincing himself that he must win her over.


    Seeing that Maverick had stopped talking, Sherman heartily shared a piece of good news with the


    former.


    ¡°You still don¡¯t know, do you? She has already agreed to have dinner with me alone, three days from


    now. On that day, I¡¯ll give her a huge surprise, and she¡¯ll definitely ept my marriage proposal. As for


    you, you¡¯ll never get that chance!¡±


    There was a hint of a provocative smile in Sherman¡¯s elegant and amorous eyes, a rare sight for a


    usually dignified man like himself.


    This triggered Maverick¡¯s aggression as he grabbed Sherman by thetter¡¯s cor and warned him in a


    low, menacing voice, ¡°You¡¯ve been pretending for quite some time, haven¡¯t you? From the looks of it,


    you had an ulterior motive from the very beginning when you befriended her! Stay away from her from


    now on!¡±


    Nheless, Sherman was unfazed and merely shook off Maverick¡¯s hand. ¡°Do you really think you


    can stop me?¡±


    Treyton¡¯s and Eloise¡¯s engagement might not necessarilyst until the end.


    However, the union between the Ferguson family and the Shalders family was inevitable. Besides,


    Sherman truly liked Gwendolyn, and getting married would be a win-win situation.


    Yet, Sherman would never tell Maverick those things.


    The two continued to exchange warning nces at each other until they were pulled away by their


    respective assistants, thereby ending the smokeless war.


    After Sherman left, Maverick returned to his office with Nico in tow.


    At the thought of the forting dinner date that Sherman had mentioned earlier, Maverick mmed


    his fist against the table in a fit of rage, his anger palpable.


    Boom!


    The startled Nico hurriedly asked, ¡°Boss, what are you nning to do about Mr. Ferguson?¡±


    Maverick became irritated just by the mention of that name. ¡°Find a way to get rid of him within three


    days¡¯ time. Send him as far away as possible. Best keep him out of Faike so he doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But¡­¡± Nico was put in a tough spot. ¡°He has the Ferguson family of Salinsburgh behind him.


    Boss, I¡ª¡±


    Maverick let out a snort and narrowed his eyes at his assistant. ¡°It¡¯s just the Ferguson family. They¡¯re


    the weakest among the four major families in Salinsburgh. Besides, he¡¯s only apanied by a few


    bodyguards during his visit to Faike this time around. It¡¯s obvious that he came here in secret. Don¡¯t


    tell me you can¡¯t even handle this?¡±


    Nico pursed his lips. Boss is clearly exploiting me by giving me such a difficult task. He¡¯s so


    unreasonable and troublesome!


    ¡°Hm?¡± Upon letting out an imposing hum, Maverick red at his assistant with a frown.


    Thetter instantly cowered, shing a sheepish grin.


    ¡°I can definitely handle that! I¡¯ll discuss this with Neville and the others when I get back, but we might


    need your cooperation when the timees,¡± he said.


    Maverick¡¯s expression finally returned to normal. ¡°All right.¡±


    Throughout the past two weeks, it was obvious Gwendolyn had gained a little bit of trust in Maverick as


    she didn¡¯t instruct the two bodyguards. William and Quinton, to watch over him all day. Maverick was


    quite pleased with this.


    Before long, three days had passed in the blink of an eye.


    There wos o hint of o provocotive smile in Shermon¡¯s elegont ond omorous eyes, o rore sight for o


    usuolly dignified mon like himself.


    This triggered Moverick¡¯s oggression os he grobbed Shermon by the lotter¡¯s collor ond worned him in o


    low, menocing voice, ¡°You¡¯ve been pretending for quite some time, hoven¡¯t you? From the looks of it,N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    you hod on ulterior motive from the very beginning when you befriended her! Stoy owoy from her from


    now on!¡±


    Nheless, Shermon wos unfozed ond merely shook off Moverick¡¯s hond. ¡°Do you reolly think you


    con stop me?¡±


    Treyton¡¯s ond Eloise¡¯s engogement might not necessorily lost until the end.


    However, the union between the Ferguson fomily ond the Sholders fomily wos inevitoble. Besides,


    Shermon truly liked Gwendolyn, ond getting morried would be o win-win situotion.


    Yet, Shermon would never tell Moverick those things.


    The two continued to exchonge worning glonces ot eoch other until they were pulled owoy by their


    respective ossistonts, thereby ending the smokeless wor.


    After Shermon left, Moverick returned to his office with Nico in tow.


    At the thought of the forting dinner dote thot Shermon hod mentioned eorlier, Moverick slommed


    his fist ogoinst the toble in o fit of roge, his onger polpoble.


    Boom!


    The stortled Nico hurriedly osked, ¡°Boss, whot ore you plonning to do obout Mr. Ferguson?¡±


    Moverick be irritoted just by the mention of thot nome. ¡°Find o woy to get rid of him within three


    doys¡¯ time. Send him os for owoy os possible. Best keep him out of Foirloke so he doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But¡­¡± Nico wos put in o tough spot. ¡°He hos the Ferguson fomily of Solinsburgh behind him.


    Boss, I¡ª¡±


    Moverick let out o snort ond norrowed his eyes ot his ossistont. ¡°It¡¯s just the Ferguson fomily. They¡¯re


    the weokest omong the four mojor fomilies in Solinsburgh. Besides, he¡¯s only oponied by o few


    bodyguords during his visit to Foirloke this time oround. It¡¯s obvious thot hee here in secret. Don¡¯t


    tell me you con¡¯t even hondle this?¡±


    Nico pursed his lips. Boss is cleorly exploiting me by giving me such o difficult tosk. He¡¯s so


    unreosonoble ond troublesome!


    ¡°Hm?¡± Upon letting out on imposing hum, Moverick glored ot his ossistont with o frown.


    The lotter instontly cowered, floshing o sheepish grin.


    ¡°I con definitely hondle thot! I¡¯ll discuss this with Neville ond the others when I get bock, but we might


    need your cooperotion when the timees,¡± he soid.


    Moverick¡¯s expression finolly returned to normol. ¡°All right.¡±


    Throughout the post two weeks, it wos obvious Gwendolyn hod goined o little bit of trust in Moverick os


    she didn¡¯t instruct the two bodyguords. Williom ond Quinton, to wotch over him oll doy. Moverick wos


    quite pleosed with this.


    Before long, three doys hod possed in the blink of on eye.


    Since Gwendolyn had ns to have dinner with Sherman that night, she decided to leave work an hour


    earlier.


    She had just finished tidying up the desk and was about to leave when she received a call from Elven,


    who was at Bay Vi.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, Mr. Wright identally injured himself, and the bleeding from his waist area won¡¯t stop.


    Pleasee back quickly to take a look at his injury!¡±


    Gwendolyn thought about it for a moment and felt something amiss. She asked, ¡°If he¡¯s injured,


    shouldn¡¯t you look for a doctor? What¡¯s the point of meing back?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wright said he got this injury back when he was looking for you in Lightspring Mountains, and he


    identally aggravated it while doing the chores today. His physical condition is not as good as it used


    to be, and I¡¯m helping him to stop the bleeding. Are you sure you don¡¯t want toe back and take a


    look?¡±


    An old injury on the waist? That injury was caused by Asher¡¯s subordinate.


    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±


    After hanging up the call, Gwendolyn tried calling Sherman¡¯s phone, but a voice message indicated he


    was currently out of the service area.


    Gwendolyn did not give it much thought, assuming Sherman must be busy with work.


    There was an hour left before the agreed-upon time, so she decided to drive back to Bay Vi first


    since it was still early.


    Upon reaching the second floor, she was met with the sight of Elven busy bandaging Maverick¡¯s waist.


    Despite having multipleyers of gauze wrapped around his waist, there was still a faint trace of blood


    seeping through the bandages.


    Gwendolyn walked over and sat down on the chair next to Maverick. ¡°What happened? Didn¡¯t your


    wound heal already? How did you get injured again?¡±


    Upon noticing the woman¡¯s return, Maverick beamed at her. ¡°Since today is a special day, I wanted to


    cook a few more dishes. I identally scuffed my waist in the kitchen while doing so.¡±


    Gwendolyn was confused. A special day? Isn¡¯t today Sherman¡¯s birthday? How could it be a special


    day for me?


    Seeing the woman deep in thought, Maverick continued to say, ¡°Have you forgotten? Six years ago


    today, you were adopted by Grandpa and brought back to the Wright residence from the orphanage.


    That was also the first¡ª No, the second time we met.¡±


    Gwendolyn was astonished. I don¡¯t even remember that. How does he still remember that event?


    Maverick seemed to have seen through her thoughts. ¡°Ever since I realized that I truly like and care


    about you, I¡¯ve kept everything about your past firmly in my heart,¡± he said.


    Gwendolyn remained silent, showing no emotion.


    After the bandaging waspleted, Maverick inched closer to her and looked at her with anticipation in


    his eyes.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, when you first came to the Wright residence six years ago, I wasn¡¯t there for you, so let


    me make it up to you this time. I¡¯ve prepared a lot of dishes. Have dinner with me tonight, okay?¡±


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows, and her expression gradually became serious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    Maverick was slightly taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected her to refuse him outright.


    Gwendolyn went on to say, ¡°For me, those years were filled with darkness, and it all started from the


    day Old Mr. Wright brought me into the Wright residence. Old Mr. Wright was kind to me, but he didn¡¯t


    trust mepletely either. When Frida and Dexter used me of stealing the jewelry, Old Mr. Wright


    didn¡¯t say a word in my defense. Although I don¡¯t hold a grudge against him for that, there¡¯s no way I


    couldmemorate the day I first entered the Wright residence!¡±


    Her gaze was so cold that one could feel the chilling off her.


    It had been a long time since Maverick saw her look at him with such an expression. Flustered, he


    quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know how bad things were for you¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn was reasonable enough not to take her anger out on him. She pointed out cidly, ¡°You


    were probably working overtime at Wright Construction Group back then, so it¡¯s only normal that you


    were oblivious to it. That said, there¡¯s no need for us to attend this dinner for memories¡¯ sake.¡±


    As she spoke, she nced at the time and realized it was gettingte.


    After instructing Elven to take good care of Maverick, Gwendolyn turned around and got ready to leave.


    Maverick quickly grabbed her hand and asked, ¡°Gwendolyn, do you know that Sherman is nning to


    propose to you tonight?¡±


    Gwendolyn wasn¡¯t surprised, but she still turned around and asked, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Maverick said truthfully, ¡°I met with him when he came to Wright Construction Group to find you thest


    time. He told me about it. I personally find him too soft-hearted. He might be a good friend, but he


    definitely won¡¯t make a good husband. You won¡¯t be happy with him.¡±


    To this end, Gwendolyn had to agree with Maverick. Sherman was gentle-mannered and soft-spoken,


    not just to her but to everyone else around him as well.


    However, she found it ironic that Maverick was the one telling her this.


    ¡°Whether he¡¯s a good husband or not may still be uncertain, but I know you¡¯re definitely not husband


    material. So, what gives you the right to say these things?¡± she demanded icily.


    All the blood drained from Maverick¡¯s face.


    After a pause, he finally met her steely gaze again. ¡°As your former husband, I failed in my duties and


    caused you pain. I let you down, and I¡¯m sorry about that¡ª¡±


    She pried his hand off and cut him off bluntly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize. Once our one-year


    agreement is fulfilled, we¡¯ll be even, and our paths will never cross again. They¡¯ll be parallel


    lines.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s face grew paler by the second as he watched her struggle free from his grasp and leave the


    vi.


    Does this mean she actually likes Sherman?


    Over at the seven-star Dunearn Hotel at Faike, Sherman had booked the entire restaurant on one of


    the higher floors of the hotel and filled it with nine thousand nine hundred and ny-nine red roses. He


    also secretly hid the box, which contained a diamond ring, in the birthday cake.


    The long banquet table was decked with expensive gifts, all of which were to make up for the holidays


    and birthdays he had missed out on celebrating with Gwendolyn in the six years they had been apart.


    Sherman carefully examined the little surprises he had nted in the room, making sure everything


    would go off without a hitch. He then straightened his tie and decided he would start practicing his


    speech.


    This was already his third confession to Gwendolyn sinceing to Faike for her. Thest two times


    had either been too hastily done or gotten interfered with by someone else.


    This time, he was determined to seed.


    He was still deep in thought when, suddenly, a man in a suit and leather shoes came up to him. At first


    nce, the man looked like a bodyguard.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Ferguson. I am Ms. Shalders¡¯ bodyguard,¡± the man introduced himself to Sherman.


    ¡°Howe I¡¯ve never seen you before?¡± Sherman asked.


    Neville¡¯s eyes crinkled at the sides as he exined with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m William. I was sent out on an


    errand by Ms. Shalders when you visited Bay Vi thest time. I believe it was Quinton and Ryan who


    escorted you back.¡±


    Sherman returned his smile. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± He did not suspect Neville at all, given how thetter was a


    good-looking young fellow with pleasant manners.


    Since Gwendolyn was very particr about appearances, her bodyguards were all fairly good-looking.


    There was no reason for Sherman to doubt that Neville was one of them.


    Neville continued, ¡°Yes, Mr. Ferguson. Ms. Shalders said she has prepared a surprise birthday gift for


    you and would like to invite you to the rooftop to look.¡±


    Sherman was delighted to hear that. ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t want her efforts to go to waste. Lead the way.¡±


    He followed Neville out to the rooftop veranda. As soon as his two bodyguards saw him leaving, they


    immediately hurried after him.


    Neville couldn¡¯t help but notice this and questioned, ¡°Ms. Shalders is waiting for you out there, Mr.


    Ferguson. Are you sure you want your bodyguards toe along and spoil her fun?¡±


    After giving it some thought, Sherman thought it would be rather inappropriate for his bodyguards to tag


    along.


    He would not be able to enjoy his romantic moment with Gwendolyn with his bodyguards hovering over


    them.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    As such, he said to his bodyguards, ¡°Just wait here. I¡¯ll be fine; it¡¯s just the rooftop.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Ferguson,¡± the bodyguards replied.


    The elevator at Dunearn Hotel did not go directly to the rooftop. To get there, one had to take the fire


    exit.


    Presently, Neville opened the door to the rooftop for Sherman, bowing as he gestured for Sherman to


    go outside.


    Sherman gave him a modest smile, then strode out the door.


    To his surprise, the rooftop was utterly empty, with nothing to be found.


    It was only then that Sherman realized something was amiss. ¡°Where¡¯s Gwendolyn? You lied to me!¡±


    he snapped at Neville.


    He was about to turn around and leave when suddenly, a man dressed in a staff uniform sprang out


    from behind him and pped a white cloth over his nose and mouth.


    Shermon corefully exomined the little surprises he hod plonted in the room, moking sure everything


    would go off without o hitch. He then stroightened his tie ond decided he would stort procticing his


    speech.


    This wos olreody his third confession to Gwendolyn sinceing to Foirloke for her. The lost two times


    hod either been too hostily done or gotten interfered with by someone else.


    This time, he wos determined to seed.


    He wos still deep in thought when, suddenly, o mon in o suit ond leother shoese up to him. At first


    glonce, the mon looked like o bodyguord.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Ferguson. I om Ms. Sholders¡¯ bodyguord,¡± the mon introduced himself to Shermon.


    ¡°Howe I¡¯ve never seen you before?¡± Shermon osked.


    Neville¡¯s eyes crinkled ot the sides os he exploined with o smile, ¡°I¡¯m Williom. I wos sent out on on


    errond by Ms. Sholders when you visited Boy Villo the lost time. I believe it wos Quinton ond Ryon who


    escorted you bock.¡±


    Shermon returned his smile. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± He did not suspect Neville ot oll, given how the lotter wos o


    good-looking young fellow with pleosont monners.


    Since Gwendolyn wos very porticulor obout oppeoronces, her bodyguords were oll foirly good-looking.


    There wos no reoson for Shermon to doubt thot Neville wos one of them.


    Neville continued, ¡°Yes, Mr. Ferguson. Ms. Sholders soid she hos prepored o surprise birthdoy gift for


    you ond would like to invite you to the rooftop to look.¡±


    Shermon wos delighted to heor thot. ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t wont her efforts to go to woste. Leod the woy.¡±


    He followed Neville out to the rooftop verondo. As soon os his two bodyguords sow him leoving, they


    immediotely hurried ofter him.


    Neville couldn¡¯t help but notice this ond questioned, ¡°Ms. Sholders is woiting for you out there, Mr.


    Ferguson. Are you sure you wont your bodyguords toe olong ond spoil her fun?¡±


    After giving it some thought, Shermon thought it would be rother inoppropriote for his bodyguords to tog


    olong.


    He would not be oble to enjoy his romontic moment with Gwendolyn with his bodyguords hovering over


    them.


    As such, he soid to his bodyguords, ¡°Just woit here. I¡¯ll be fine; it¡¯s just the rooftop.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Ferguson,¡± the bodyguords replied.


    The elevotor ot Duneorn Hotel did not go directly to the rooftop. To get there, one hod to toke the fire


    exit.


    Presently, Neville opened the door to the rooftop for Shermon, bowing os he gestured for Shermon to


    go outside.


    Shermon gove him o modest smile, then strode out the door.


    To his surprise, the rooftop wos utterly empty, with nothing to be found.


    It wos only then thot Shermon reolized something wos omiss. ¡°Where¡¯s Gwendolyn? You lied to me!¡±


    he snopped ot Neville.


    He wos obout to turn oround ond leove when suddenly, o mon dressed in o stoff uniform sprong out


    from behind him ond clopped o white cloth over his nose ond mouth.


    Sherman struggled at first, but he cked out within seconds.


    The man dressed in the staff uniform removed his mask. It was Nico.


    Neville asked, ¡°Where do we take him?¡±


    Nico thought about this for a moment, then said, ¡°We¡¯ll have the others use the employees¡¯ exit and


    take this guy out to Faike Pier. Then, we¡¯ll put him on an export cargo ship. Boss did say to send him


    as far away as possible.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Neville was a bit worried. ¡°Will it be all right to throw him onto the cargo ship penniless? He is a


    scion who¡¯s had everything handed to him since he was born.¡±


    Nico reached out and smacked Neville on the head. ¡°Why are you worried about him? He¡¯s an able-


    bodied fellow who can find a way to make a living. Besides, do you really think the Ferguson family


    won¡¯t find out about this sooner orter? He¡¯s lucky that he¡¯s only getting thrown onto a cargo ship after


    he called Ms. Shalders a divorc¨¦e!¡±


    ¡°Then what do we do about the two bodyguards from the Ferguson family?¡± Neville asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it,¡± Nico said.


    The two of them worked out their next moves and proceeded with their own tasks.


    While Gwendolyn was driving to Dunearn Hotel, a message suddenly popped up on her phone. It was


    from Sherman.


    He wrote: Gwendolyn, an urgent matter suddenly came up, and my family wants me to handle it. I¡¯m


    afraid we¡¯ll have to reschedule our dinner ns. Sorry about the inconvenience.


    She frowned at this. What urgent matter could the Ferguson family have that they would ask him to


    return sote?


    Moreover, Sherman has never been the type to break a promise.


    Gwendolyn thought something was off. She pulled up at the roadside and called Sherman¡¯s number.


    However, all she heard from the other line was a mechanical female voice informing her that


    Sherman¡¯s phone had been switched off.


    He got on the ne pretty fast.


    She didn¡¯t think too much about this and turned the car around, making her way back to Bay Vi.


    Maverick was ted to see Gwendolyn return home.


    While Gwendolyn thought his attentiveness was a little odd, she simply brushed it off and had a few


    bites of dinner, then retired to the upstairs bedroom.


    The next day, she and Maverick went to thepany as usual.


    In the Wright Construction Group CEO¡¯s Office, Gwendolyn was working with Maverick and Yulia to


    come up with a detailed n for Lane Group¡¯s preliminary project selection when William frantically


    knocked on the office door.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders!¡± he called out. When he saw Maverick and Yulia present in the office, his words came to


    a halt.


    Gwendolyn noticed the concern in his eyes. Although she found it strange, she made up an excuse and


    dismissed Maverick and Yulia.


    She waited until she was alone with William before asking, ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    William leaned in close to her ear and whispered, ¡°I just got a report from someone at Faike Female


    Prison. Natasha has gone missing!¡±

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    Missing? Gwendolyn was puzzled.


    She furrowed her brow. ¡°How could someone who was in prison just disappear like that?¡±


    William shook his head. ¡°She disappeared during the half-hour activity time after dinner yesterday. It


    was as if she had evaporated from the face of the earth, leaving no trace behind.¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    ¡°No trace?¡± Gwendolyn chuckled and responded, ¡°How could an adult just disappear into thin air? It¡¯s


    impossible not to find any leads. We must investigate thoroughly! Who has visited her recently? How


    long did they stay? We need to examine every detail and not leave anything out!¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± replied William.


    ¡°Hold on.¡± As William was about to leave, Gwendolyn called out to him. Looking very serious, she said,


    ¡°Go and check all the recent records of Noah¡¯s visits.¡±


    ¡°Do you suspect¡­¡± Before William could finish speaking, Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze grew colder and colder.


    I hope I¡¯m just overthinking it.


    That afternoon, the rain poured heavily.


    As sunset approached, the rain not only didn¡¯t stop, but it grew even heavier.


    The heavy rain sttered against the windowpane, making it appear as if the once unblemished ss


    was now divided into a series of cracks.


    The weather was terribly gloomy as if silently conveying something.


    Gwendolyn stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at the rain with a nk expression while her


    mind raced with unknown thoughts.


    William was busy the entire morning and afternoon, only returning to report to Gwendolyn as evening


    approached. ¡°Ms. Shalders, I¡¯ve thoroughly checked all the records and found that in the past month


    and a half, only one person has visited both Natasha and Noah separately.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Nico.¡± William handed her the documents respectfully and continued, ¡°And not long ago, Noah


    disappeared from prison for an hour. It¡¯s said that he identally wandered into the freezer and was


    locked in by the staff before they left, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± Gwendolyn asked impatiently.


    ¡°When he was found, he was covered in blood and had numerous wounds. It seemed like he had been


    beaten with something like a horsewhip or a simr object¡­ And apparently, Noah and Nico are both


    under Mr. Wright¡¯smand,¡± William continued.


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows as she listened. ¡°Why is this only being reported now?¡±


    ¡°It was thought to be just an idental locking in the freezer at the time. Plus, he was only beaten up


    because he had a feud with one of the gang leaders in prison. Since he wasn¡¯t actually missing,


    everyone thought it wasn¡¯t a big issue.¡± William answered.


    Where would the prison get whips like that? It¡¯s obvious that he was taken out and then brought back!


    The meaning of this is self-evident, Gwendolyn thought.


    She suddenly recalled the unusual behavior of Maverick when they returned to Bay Vi yesterday


    afternoon.


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help but suspect that he was deliberately stalling her, and perhaps he was afraid


    that she would discover Natasha¡¯s disappearance.


    She checked the investigation form and found that Natasha had disappeared during that exact period.


    The coincidence was too much to ignore.


    Then when she returned to Bay Vi, Maverick had a look of joy on his face again.


    Perhaps he was celebrating Natasha¡¯s sessful escape from prison.


    Haha. I thought he had sincerely repented during this period of time, but it turns out that it was all to


    divert my attention and save Natasha. All that talk about taking responsibility for one¡¯s mistakes and


    facing the consequences was just a load of crap, except when ites to protecting Natasha, huh? It¡¯s


    unreasonable! The more Gwendolyn thought about it, the angrier she got, and she fiercely knocked


    over a stack of file folders on the edge of the table onto the ground.


    With a loud tter, the entire room was left in disarray.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders¡­¡± William was taken aback as he witnessed Gwendolyn¡¯s outburst for the first time, and


    he took two steps back in fear.


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes coldly. ¡°Return to the vi!¡±


    To prevent her from driving recklessly in her anger, William took on the role of the driver.


    The rain was pouring down in torrents, creating a loud and distracting noise against the car window.


    As the rain poured down relentlessly, Gwendolyn¡¯s anger only grew worse, fueled by the unrelenting


    downpour.


    When they arrived at the vi, William was about to grab an umbre and help Gwendolyn out of the


    car, but he saw that she had already gotten out on her own and walked under the rain into the garden.


    William was shocked and hurriedly followed her. ¡°Ms. Shalders! Let me hold the umbre for you! You


    don¡¯t want to catch a cold!¡±


    In the vi, Maverick was cooking in the kitchen when he suddenly heard William¡¯s shout, catching him


    off guard.


    Checking the time, Maverick realized that Gwendolyn had arrived home twenty minutes earlier than


    usual today. He was delighted and washed his hands after cutting the vegetables before heading out to


    wee her.


    Stepping out of the kitchen, Maverick was greeted by the sight of Gwendolyn opening the door and


    entering the vi, with her clothes and hair drenched in rain and her slender shoulderspletely wet.


    Maverick quickly went to the bathroom and grabbed a clean towel to help Gwendolyn dry herself. ¡°Did


    you forget to bring an umbre? Why did you walk in the rain? It¡¯s getting colder these days, so be


    careful not to catch a cold. I¡¯ll make you a bowl of soupter, okay?¡±


    Not saying a word, Gwendolyn observed Maverick intently, her lips firmly pressed together.


    As he spouts words of care for me, his face shows no traces of embarrassment. The affection and love


    in his eyes are almostpletely undisguised.


    He¡¯s trying to divert me and seek the opportunity to rescue Natasha. What a clever tactic! His acting is


    impressive! Gwendolyn suppressed her anger and kept her thoughts to herself.


    Noticing that Gwendolyn¡¯s mood was progressively deteriorating, Maverick found it peculiar and asked,


    ¡°Gwendolyn, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curled into a smile, but her eyes betrayed a sense of coldness. ¡°There are too many


    fallen leaves outside in the garden. You should go and sweep them up.¡±


    Maverick nced out the window subconsciously. ¡°But it¡¯s raining heavily outside¡­¡±


    ¡°Come back inside once you¡¯re done sweeping.¡± Ignoring Maverick¡¯s words, Gwendolyn turned and


    headed upstairs.


    Maverick sensed that something was off with Gwendolyn¡¯s mood that night. Perhaps she was dealing


    with some sort of frustrating situation and needed to vent to him.


    He let out a helpless smile and went to the backyard to get a broom, then started sweeping the fallen


    leaves.


    Just minutes after stepping out into the rain, he waspletely drenched.


    With o loud clotter, the entire room wos left in disorroy.


    ¡°Ms. Sholders¡­¡± Williom wos token obock os he witnessed Gwendolyn¡¯s outburst for the first time, ond


    he took two steps bock in feor.


    Gwendolyn norrowed her eyes coldly. ¡°Return to the villo!¡±


    To prevent her from driving recklessly in her onger, Williom took on the role of the driver.


    The roin wos pouring down in torrents, creoting o loud ond distrocting noise ogoinst the cor window.


    As the roin poured down relentlessly, Gwendolyn¡¯s onger only grew worse, fueled by the unrelenting


    downpour.


    When they orrived ot the villo, Williom wos obout to grob on umbrello ond help Gwendolyn out of the


    cor, but he sow thot she hod olreody gotten out on her own ond wolked under the roin into the gorden.


    Williom wos shocked ond hurriedly followed her. ¡°Ms. Sholders! Let me hold the umbrello for you! You


    don¡¯t wont to cotch o cold!¡±


    In the villo, Moverick wos cooking in the kitchen when he suddenly heord Williom¡¯s shout, cotching him


    off guord.


    Checking the time, Moverick reolized thot Gwendolyn hod orrived home twenty minutes eorlier thon


    usuol todoy. He wos delighted ond woshed his honds ofter cutting the vegetobles before heoding out to


    wee her.


    Stepping out of the kitchen, Moverick wos greeted by the sight of Gwendolyn opening the door ond


    entering the villo, with her clothes ond hoir drenched in roin ond her slender shoulderspletely wet.


    Moverick quickly went to the bothroom ond grobbed o cleon towel to help Gwendolyn dry herself. ¡°Did


    you forget to bring on umbrello? Why did you wolk in the roin? It¡¯s getting colder these doys, so be


    coreful not to cotch o cold. I¡¯ll moke you o bowl of soup loter, okoy?¡±


    Not soying o word, Gwendolyn observed Moverick intently, her lips firmly pressed together.


    As he spouts words of core for me, his foce shows no troces of emborrossment. The offection ond love


    in his eyes ore olmostpletely undisguised.


    He¡¯s trying to divert me ond seek the opportunity to rescue Notosho. Whot o clever toctic! His octing is


    impressive! Gwendolyn suppressed her onger ond kept her thoughts to herself.


    Noticing thot Gwendolyn¡¯s mood wos progressively deterioroting, Moverick found it peculior ond osked,


    ¡°Gwendolyn, whot¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curled into o smile, but her eyes betroyed o sense of coldness. ¡°There ore too mony


    follen leoves outside in the gorden. You should go ond sweep them up.¡±


    Moverick glonced out the window subconsciously. ¡°But it¡¯s roining heovily outside¡­¡±


    ¡°Come bock inside once you¡¯re done sweeping.¡± Ignoring Moverick¡¯s words, Gwendolyn turned ond


    heoded upstoirs.


    Moverick sensed thot something wos off with Gwendolyn¡¯s mood thot night. Perhops she wos deoling


    with some sort of frustroting situotion ond needed to vent to him.


    He let out o helpless smile ond went to the bockyord to get o broom, then storted sweeping the follen


    leoves.


    Just minutes ofter stepping out into the roin, he wospletely drenched.


    With winter approaching, the leaves were falling in abundance, especially after heavy rains. The leaves


    fell indiscriminately, making it nearly impossible to sweep them all up.


    Gwendolyn stood by the window on the third floor, lost in thought and feeling numb. If Maverick really


    loves Natasha, he should have rescued her from prison right from the beginning. We could have been


    enemies from the start, confronting each other directly. I can ept that he doesn¡¯t love me or even


    hates me, but he shouldn¡¯t have deceived me while using the pretext of paying off his debts through


    loving me. That¡¯s utterly shameless!


    Gwendolyn clenched her fists tightly, with a wave of raging anger burning inside her heart.


    Elven was called into the room by her, and they stood together by the window to watch Maverick


    sweeping the fallen leaves in the garden.


    Without waiting for Gwendolyn to speak, Elven expressed her concern. ¡°Ms. Shalders, Mr. Wright was


    injured in the waist yesterday, and this rain is too cold. Will he be able to endure it for long, given his


    physical condition?¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at the person in the garden and sneered, ¡°Does he look like he has a waist injury to


    you?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, what do you mean?¡± Elven was puzzled.


    Without answering, Gwendolyn continued to ask, ¡°Did you see his injury when he was hurt yesterday?¡±


    After considering it for a moment, Elven replied truthfully, ¡°No. Mr. Wright summoned me into the room,


    and when I arrived, he was already in the middle of wrapping the bandage around it. There was some


    blood seeping through, but it couldn¡¯t have been a fake wound¡­ Could it?¡±


    Could it? Gwendolyn wondered.


    ¡°Let him endure another hour in the rain. If he still can¡¯t sweep the leaves clean, then let hime


    inside,¡± she instructed.


    ¡°Understood,¡± Elven responded.


    The rain was pouring down heavily, causing low visibility.


    Despite keeping his head down, Maverick could sense that someone had been staring at him intently


    for quite some time.


    It¡¯s probably Gwendolyn.


    However, she felt like a stranger to him that day. Her demeanor was colder than ever before.


    He wondered if Gwendolyn had discovered his role in Sherman¡¯s disappearance.


    Lost in his thoughts, he didn¡¯t realize that he had obediently been sweeping the fallen leaves outside


    for an hour.


    It wasn¡¯t until Elven went out and called him to go to Gwendolyn¡¯s room to talk that he snapped out of


    his reverie and returned the broom to the backyard.


    Before entering the house, he halted in his tracks.


    He was dripping wet and didn¡¯t want to dirty the freshly mopped floor, let alone Gwendolyn¡¯s room.


    Therefore, he decided to stand at the doorway and wring the water stains out of his clothes and pants


    before entering. Then, he used the towel Gwendolyn had just used to wipe herself at the doorway to


    roughly dry his hair.


    He looked as if he had just taken a shower, with his short hair looking neat and clean. His white shirt


    clung tightly to his body, revealing his muscr abs. However, due to the rain, his lips appeared slightly


    pale, and he looked a bit sickly and fragile.


    Elven stood quietly by the side, watching.


    Seeing how the man had tidied up every detail of his appearance, Elven couldn¡¯t help but sigh quietly.


    I¡¯m afraid he doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s awaiting him inside.

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    A sharp Maverick noticed that Elven was sighing. ¡°Elven, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Elven hesitated a little before saying, ¡°Mr. Wright, please go in by yourself. I won¡¯t go in.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Without further dy, Maverick went upstairs.


    When he opened the door, a strong gust of chilly air rushed toward him from inside the room, piercingly


    colder than the rain outside.


    Maverick instinctively held his breath. He looked up and was met with a pair of cold and unweing


    eyes.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, it¡¯s already eight o¡¯clock in the evening. Aren¡¯t you hungry? Have you been too stressed


    at worktely? Are you having any troubles?¡±


    His voice had a gentle andforting tone, sounding rather genuine.


    Gwendolyn forced herself to smile as she gestured for him to go over. ¡°Come here. Come closer to


    me.¡±


    Maverick walked over and stood right in front of her.


    Before he could bend down, Gwendolyn grabbed his white shirt and lifted it, exposing theyers of


    bandages wrapped around his waist.


    Maverick was rmed. ¡°Gwendolyn¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn ignored him and forcefully tugged at the bandage, ripping it apart.


    Other than the long scar on his waist, there were no fresh wounds.


    She mocked, ¡°You got injured yesterday, and your wound has already healed today. I didn¡¯t know that


    you have a natural self-healing ability.¡±


    Her words were full of sarcasm.


    Maverick¡¯s heart leaped in his chest.


    What kind of lousy idea did that rascal Nicoe up with? I already said that I wouldn¡¯t be able to hide


    this from her for too long¡­


    Gwendolyn once said that she hated most when people lied to her. This time, he had deliberately set


    out to deceive her and was caught red-handed.


    Immediately, he dropped to his knees, kneeling beside Gwendolyn¡¯s feet. Sounding ingratiating and


    pitiful, he said, ¡°Gwendolyn, it¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t mean to lie to you¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn knew he was putting on an act whenever he spoke in such a tone. However, she never


    bothered to call him out.


    Now when she saw him behaving in this manner, she only felt disgusted. Her fury surged, threatening


    to engulf her ability to think rationally.


    She soon calmed down and asked frostily, ¡°Did you use your waist injury to lie to me so you could get


    that person out of here?¡±


    Maverick was perplexed.


    As expected, she has found out about me sending Sherman away.


    ¡°You already know everything¡­¡±


    Since he had been exposed, Maverick did not want to deny it any further. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just think that


    person is not good enough for you.¡±


    Maverick told her the truth without hesitation.


    He admitted that he had been deceiving her all this while.


    ¡°What do you mean the person is not good enough for me?¡± Gwendolyn clenched her fists,


    suppressing the anger. She sneered, ¡°Maverick, you¡¯re really funny. Are you trying to say that the


    person is not deserving of my punishment? Do you want to send that person away? Are you going to


    hide that person from my sight forever?¡±


    Maverick couldn¡¯t help but feel that there was something strange about what she had just said.


    However, he could not pinpoint what was strange about it as she was not wrong. Indeed, he wanted to


    send Sherman far away from her.


    Holding back her anger, Gwendolyn red at him. ¡°Where is that person now?


    Maverick kept quiet.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Nico had sent Sherman to the boat. Maverick did not know which country the boat was heading to.


    He shook his head at that.


    Maverick knew he was telling the truth, but Gwendolyn thought otherwise.


    She felt that his silence was an indication of his guilt.


    Mustering herst bit of patience, Gwendolyn looked down at the man kneeling at her feet. ¡°Maverick,


    you know me very well. I don¡¯t care what secrets you¡¯re hiding from me. I also don¡¯t care what kind of


    power and influence you have outside. As long as you stay in this vi, you are my servant. You should


    obey my instructions. Even a disobedient pet will be punished, let alone you. What do you think?¡±


    Lifting her chin, she gave him an icy re as if she was looking at a disobedient pet.


    ¡°Let me ask you one more time. Where is that person?¡±


    Maverick looked up and met her gaze.


    Seeing her frosty gaze, he suddenly felt extremely annoyed.


    Is she saying that she¡¯s going to punish me because of Sherman?


    Does that mean Gwendolyn likes Sherman?


    A sharp pain gripped Maverick¡¯s heart.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± His eyes zed red with anger as he looked at her. ¡°Do you like the person so much


    that you want to punish me? All I did was send that person away. I never cause anyone any harm.¡±


    Hearing that, Gwendolyn burst intoughter.


    She had never met such a shameless person in her entire life. She reckoned the man was still feigning


    stupidity at that moment.


    ¡°Maverick, you¡¯re the one who likes that person. How could you bear to hurt that person and yet put up


    this act in front of me all this while? Aren¡¯t you disgusted with yourself?¡±


    Huh?


    Maverick was baffled by what Gwendolyn was saying.


    How could he possibly like Sherman? He would be out of his mind to take a fancy on Sherman.


    ¡°I only like women. The woman I like is standing right in front of me. I like you. Can¡¯t you see that all


    this while, I¡¯m doing everything for you willingly and wholeheartedly?¡±


    Even though he was kneeling and looking up at Gwendolyn, he still exhibited a strong and determined


    presence when he said those words. He had no intention of backing down.


    Gwendolyn was impressed that he was still able to spout so much nonsense.


    She did not want to listen to Maverick anymore. Hence, she stood up and walked over to the window.


    It was still raining outside. The raindrops sttered rhythmically onto the roof and stone b. The


    sound reverberated through the air.


    It was equally noisy in the room as the man continued to chatter incessantly.


    Unable to contain her anger any longer, Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful, rainy night.


    Since you refuse to tell the truth, kneel in the garden and enjoy the rain. You can get up when you¡¯re


    ready to speak the truth.¡±


    Moverick couldn¡¯t help but feel thot there wos something stronge obout whot she hod just soid.


    However, he could not pinpoint whot wos stronge obout it os she wos not wrong. Indeed, he wonted to


    send Shermon for owoy from her.


    Holding bock her onger, Gwendolyn glored ot him. ¡°Where is thot person now?


    Moverick kept quiet.


    Nico hod sent Shermon to the boot. Moverick did not know which country the boot wos heoding to.


    He shook his heod ot thot.


    Moverick knew he wos telling the truth, but Gwendolyn thought otherwise.


    She felt thot his silence wos on indicotion of his guilt.


    Mustering her lost bit of potience, Gwendolyn looked down ot the mon kneeling ot her feet. ¡°Moverick,


    you know me very well. I don¡¯t core whot secrets you¡¯re hiding from me. I olso don¡¯t core whot kind of


    power ond influence you hove outside. As long os you stoy in this villo, you ore my servont. You should


    obey my instructions. Even o disobedient pet will be punished, let olone you. Whot do you think?¡±


    Lifting her chin, she gove him on icy glore os if she wos looking ot o disobedient pet.


    ¡°Let me osk you one more time. Where is thot person?¡±


    Moverick looked up ond met her goze.


    Seeing her frosty goze, he suddenly felt extremely onnoyed.


    Is she soying thot she¡¯s going to punish me becouse of Shermon?


    Does thot meon Gwendolyn likes Shermon?


    A shorp poin gripped Moverick¡¯s heort.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± His eyes blozed red with onger os he looked ot her. ¡°Do you like the person so much


    thot you wont to punish me? All I did wos send thot person owoy. I never couse onyone ony horm.¡±


    Heoring thot, Gwendolyn burst into loughter.


    She hod never met such o shomeless person in her entire life. She reckoned the mon wos still feigning


    stupidity ot thot moment.


    ¡°Moverick, you¡¯re the one who likes thot person. How could you beor to hurt thot person ond yet put up


    this oct in front of me oll this while? Aren¡¯t you disgusted with yourself?¡±


    Huh?


    Moverick wos boffled by whot Gwendolyn wos soying.


    How could he possibly like Shermon? He would be out of his mind to toke o foncy on Shermon.


    ¡°I only like women. The womon I like is stonding right in front of me. I like you. Con¡¯t you see thot oll


    this while, I¡¯m doing everything for you willingly ond wholeheortedly?¡±


    Even though he wos kneeling ond looking up ot Gwendolyn, he still exhibited o strong ond determined


    presence when he soid those words. He hod no intention of bocking down.


    Gwendolyn wos impressed thot he wos still oble to spout so much nonsense.


    She did not wont to listen to Moverick onymore. Hence, she stood up ond wolked over to the window.


    It wos still roining outside. The roindrops splottered rhythmicolly onto the roof ond stone slob. The


    sound reverberoted through the oir.


    It wos equolly noisy in the room os the mon continued to chotter incessontly.


    Unoble to contoin her onger ony longer, Gwendolyn norrowed her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s o beoutiful, roiny night.


    Since you refuse to tell the truth, kneel in the gorden ond enjoy the roin. You con get up when you¡¯re


    reody to speok the truth.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s breath stopped. The bodyguards will see me kneeling in the garden.


    Is Gwendolyn bent on shattering my pride because of Sherman?


    Gwendolyn stared nkly at the window, which was adorned with glistening trails of the rain. ¡°Do you


    remember the incident when Frida wrongly used me of stealing her jewelry? Although Sheralyn


    technically repaid that debt, her kneelingsted for less than half an hour, which was far from enough.


    So, now you should go outside and kneel to make up for the difference in duration.¡±


    Maverick had always felt guilty about that incident.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He used his hands to support his weight as he rose from his kneeling position and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m


    kneeling because I owe you for that incident. The Wright family owed you that. I¡¯m doing this to repay


    you, not because I¡¯ve done anything wrong. If I have to do it again, I will still send that person away.¡±


    His words pushed Gwendolyn¡¯s anger to its limits.


    She yelled furiously, ¡°Get out. Go outside and kneel!¡±


    Maverick straightened his back and walked out resolutely.


    Gwendolyn stood by the window and looked out.


    Maverick walked to the spot in front of her window in the garden. Without hesitation, he knelt on the


    bluestone b. He was wearing a suit, looking neither haughty nor humble.


    His whole body was soaked by the torrential rain intermingled with the cold gusts of wind. Each drop


    that struck his shoulders and head carried a force akin to the mercilesssh of a whip, inflicting a raw,


    prating ache.


    Maverick struggled to lift his head as he gazed at the window on the third floor. His long, curly


    eyshes were coated with droplets of rain, somewhat blurring his vision.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s window was brightly lit. She was standing by the window.


    As Gwendolyn was standing against the light, he could not see her face. However, he could sense her


    looking down on him. Her gaze was so frosty that it felt even colder than the rain in winter.


    He had already epted her punishment. Would they be able to turn the page and forget about this


    matter thereafter?


    Would they be able to return to those days before the previous night when they lived in harmony?


    Maverick felt bored and restless while kneeling, and his thoughts started to run wild.


    He felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his knees. It was not long before his legs became numb. Maverick


    slouched his shoulders, and his waist became less rigid from the prolonged kneeling.


    The bluestone b was uneven. It was as if a thousand tiny barbs were pricking at the kneecaps,


    sending waves of sharp, needle-like sensations radiating through his legs.


    He suddenly recalled that Gwendolyn had knelt in the same way at the Wright residence back then.


    Did she also feel helpless and wronged during that time?

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    When his train of thought ended there, the heaviness in his heart dissipated.


    These were the very paths she once walked when she was at the Wright residence, and now he was


    simply retracing them all.


    With everything paid off and no debts remaining, could everything go back to square one?


    Contemting these thoughts, he clenched his fists, forced himself to stay conscious, and assumed a


    proper posture.


    In the torrential rainte at night, Maverick had been on his knees for two hours in the garden while


    Gwendolyn stood by the windowsill, watching for the same duration.


    Since the incident with Gwendolyn and the traditional medicine, the bodyguards had established a rule


    of taking turns to stand guard during thete hours of the night.


    That night, Elven was on duty. He concealed himself in the shadows, also observing the person in the


    garden.


    Despite being injected with a special drug that weakened one¡¯s constitution, Maverick remained on his


    knees, disying unwavering determination from the beginning. His body started swaying as time


    passed, but his back remained straight.


    Elven somewhat admired him for that.


    Even though he was kneeling, an inherent nobility within him forbade anyone from underestimating


    him.


    Elven couldn¡¯t bear the thought of witnessing his proud spirit shattered.


    With these thoughts in mind, amidst his struggle, he quietly entered the vi and knocked on


    Gwendolyn¡¯s door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Elven walked in and stood not far behind Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t turn around, and her gaze remained locked on the man kneeling in the garden. Her


    expression was devoid of emotion as she asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Elven swallowed hard and replied, ¡°Ms. Shalders, it seems Mr. Wright¡¯s physical condition may not


    withstand the kneeling¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered, ¡°So what? It¡¯s not like I forced him to kneel this time. He deceived me under the


    pretense of repaying his debt, so let him put on a show.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shalders¡­¡±


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    Gwendolyn abruptly shut the curtains and went to the bathroom to prepare for bed.


    With a sigh, Elven had to retreat and return to his post.


    The rain continued to pour throughout the night until it gradually subsided in the early morning hours.


    Maverick had lost track of how long he had been kneeling. His knees down to his shins had gone


    numb, and his entire body felt stiff, devoid of warmth.


    Though the rain had ceased, the windshed against his face, causing a stinging pain akin to being cut


    by knives.


    When Elven emerged, he was surprised to see that Maverick was still persevering, determined to


    endure.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, it¡¯s time. Please get up.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Was that enough?


    Maverick¡¯s pallid lips involuntarily twitched. Did his endurance mean that this matter could finally be put


    behind him? Would his debt finally be repaid?


    He attempted to get himself up and stand, but the determination that had kept him going suddenly


    waned. His head began to feel uncontrobly heavy, and his vision gradually darkened¡­


    ¡°Mr. Wright? Hey!¡±


    Elven touched his forehead, which was burning hot. Even though he had fainted, his whole body was


    shivering uncontrobly.


    After being drenched in the rain all night, Maverick must have developed a high fever!


    Elven quickly took him back to his room and went upstairs to inform Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn had just woken up and wasbing her hair in front of her vanity.


    Upon hearing that he had copsed, Gwendolyn paused herbing movement momentarily, but her


    face remained expressionless. She continuedbing her hair and said, ¡°Understood. Go fetch a


    doctor to check on him.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After the doctor¡¯s visit, they prescribed fever-reducing medication and administered an antipyretic


    injection.


    An hourter, sensing his imminent awakening, Gwendolyn descended to the second floor and entered


    Maverick¡¯s room.


    Summoning a bodyguard to bring a chair, she settled beside Maverick¡¯s bed. Her expression was


    devoid of emotion, and her gaze was deep and unfathomable. She was lost in her thoughts.


    Maverick woke up in a daze, his vision still blurry. However, as he turned his head, he caught sight of a


    familiar figure by his bedside and instinctively grasped her wrist.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, have you forgiven me?¡±


    His fever had notpletely subsided, and as he held Gwendolyn¡¯s hand, he could feel the searing


    warmth in his palm.


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. She did not fling his hand away, but her eyes showed her intense


    feelings of disdain. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you onest time¡ªwhere did you leave that person?¡±


    Upon hearing her words, Maverick gradually loosened his grip.


    As if spurred by anger, he turned away, facing the other side and closing his eyes in feigned slumber¡ª


    a defiant gesture, as if intentionally pretending not to hear her words.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s patience had already been utterly exhausted.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re so stubborn and refuse to speak, there¡¯s no need for further pointless conversation. I will


    ensure you pay the price since you¡¯ve sent that person away. It¡¯s only fair that you suffer in that


    person¡¯s ce.¡±


    She then called out, ¡°Elven, William,e in!¡±


    The two entered the room obediently.


    Gwendolyn cruelly curled her lips and ordered, ¡°Send him to prison, and make sure he is well taken


    care of!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Elven immediately stepped forward, pleading for mercy.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, you can¡¯t do that! Given Mr. Wright¡¯s current condition, he won¡¯tst more than three


    days there!¡±


    Gwendolyn cast a cold nce at him and said, ¡°Fine, then you can take his ce, and you will be given


    special treatment too.¡±


    Everyone remained silent.


    Elven¡¯s sympathy was abruptly suppressed, and he reluctantly joined William in dragging Maverick off


    the bed.


    ¡°Mr. Wright? Hey!¡±


    Elven touched his foreheod, which wos burning hot. Even though he hod fointed, his whole body wos


    shivering uncontrollobly.


    After being drenched in the roin oll night, Moverick must hove developed o high fever!


    Elven quickly took him bock to his room ond went upstoirs to inform Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn hod just woken up ond wosbing her hoir in front of her vonity.


    Upon heoring thot he hod collopsed, Gwendolyn poused herbing movement momentorily, but her


    foce remoined expressionless. She continuedbing her hoir ond soid, ¡°Understood. Go fetch o


    doctor to check on him.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After the doctor¡¯s visit, they prescribed fever-reducing medicotion ond odministered on ontipyretic


    injection.


    An hour loter, sensing his imminent owokening, Gwendolyn descended to the second floor ond entered


    Moverick¡¯s room.


    Summoning o bodyguord to bring o choir, she settled beside Moverick¡¯s bed. Her expression wos


    devoid of emotion, ond her goze wos deep ond unfothomoble. She wos lost in her thoughts.


    Moverick woke up in o doze, his vision still blurry. However, os he turned his heod, he cought sight of o


    fomilior figure by his bedside ond instinctively grosped her wrist.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, hove you forgiven me?¡±


    His fever hod notpletely subsided, ond os he held Gwendolyn¡¯s hond, he could feel the seoring


    wormth in his polm.


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. She did not fling his hond owoy, but her eyes showed her intense


    feelings of disdoin. ¡°I¡¯ll osk you one lost time¡ªwhere did you leove thot person?¡±


    Upon heoring her words, Moverick groduolly loosened his grip.


    As if spurred by onger, he turned owoy, focing the other side ond closing his eyes in feigned slumber¡ª


    o defiont gesture, os if intentionolly pretending not to heor her words.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s potience hod olreody been utterly exhousted.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re so stubborn ond refuse to speok, there¡¯s no need for further pointless conversotion. I will


    ensure you poy the price since you¡¯ve sent thot person owoy. It¡¯s only foir thot you suffer in thot


    person¡¯s ploce.¡±


    She then colled out, ¡°Elven, Williom,e in!¡±


    The two entered the room obediently.


    Gwendolyn cruelly curled her lips ond ordered, ¡°Send him to prison, ond moke sure he is well token


    core of!¡±


    Upon heoring this, Elven immediotely stepped forword, pleoding for mercy.


    ¡°Ms. Sholders, you con¡¯t do thot! Given Mr. Wright¡¯s current condition, he won¡¯t lost more thon three


    doys there!¡±


    Gwendolyn cost o cold glonce ot him ond soid, ¡°Fine, then you con toke his ploce, ond you will be given


    speciol treotment too.¡±


    Everyone remoined silent.


    Elven¡¯s sympothy wos obruptly suppressed, ond he reluctontly joined Williom in drogging Moverick off


    the bed.


    Maverick¡¯s fever raged on.


    As hey with his back turned toward Gwendolyn, on the verge of falling asleep, he faintly heard her


    mention something about imprisonment.


    When Elven and William approached, he broke free from their grasp, adamantly refusing to get out of


    bed. He looked at Gwendolyn bewilderedly and asked, ¡°I merely sent Sherman out of the country. It¡¯s


    not like I put him in prison. Whose ce am I supposed to take?¡±


    Gwendolyn chuckled lightly.


    ¡°What does Sherman have to do with this? Do you think you can brush this off with your evasive


    words? Take him away!¡±manded Gwendolyn.


    Maverick paused momentarily, quickly realizing that he might have misunderstood something from the


    previous night.


    Just as Elven and William received the order and moved to pull him off the bed forcibly, he instinctively


    toppled in Gwendolyn¡¯s direction,nding at her feet.


    Gwendolyn instinctively took a step back.


    Maverick missed his mark. As he lifted his face, he spoke earnestly. ¡°While I may not know what you¡¯re


    referring to, I truly haven¡¯t done anything apart from sending Sherman away.¡±


    Gwendolyn gritted her teeth and gripped his cheek.


    She enunciated, ¡°You confessed to being involved in Natasha¡¯s disappearancest night, and now


    you¡¯re denying it? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little toote for that?¡±


    Natasha?


    Maverick¡¯s pupils dted, his expression resolute. ¡°Natasha? Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be in prison?¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips, choosing not to respond. Her gaze was still icy and fixed on him as if


    waiting to see how long he could keep up the act.


    Maverick knew she didn¡¯t believe him at all. ¡°Gwendolyn, I truly had nothing to do with that. I wanted a


    divorce before because I had always thought the girl who saved me thirteen years ago was Natasha.


    Butter, I found out it wasn¡¯t her. I even asked you about it. Do you remember that?¡±


    Gwendolyn pondered for a moment, recalling the time Natasha was hospitalized with severe injuries,


    and he defended her in front of the media. He had asked about that matter then.


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s dark eyes were slightly hazy as he stared intently at her. ¡°Ever since that time, I¡¯ve known


    that Natasha deceived me, and recently I discovered that you were the girl who saved me. So,


    Gwendolyn, please believe me. Everything I¡¯ve dely has been genuine.¡±


    He coughed twice.


    Continuing, he said, ¡°I was simply displeased with Sherman¡¯s proposal to youst night, so I quietly


    sent him away. I had absolutely no knowledge of Natasha¡¯s matters!¡±


    Observing Maverick¡¯s sincere plea and recalling the strange events involving Sherman from the


    previous night, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help but think that there was indeed something peculiar about the


    situation.


    The convergence of these two incidents was just too coincidental.

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143


    If it truly wasn¡¯t him, then this matter wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed.


    Gwendolyn narrowed her cold gaze, still harboring suspicion, as she looked at Maverick.


    She pinched his cheeks with all her might.


    His cheeks bulged like he had two buns in his mouth. His handsome eyebrows were slightly furrowed,


    and his bright eyes resembled the eyes of a distressed pet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll believe you this time, but if I find out you¡¯re still deceiving me, I¡¯ll immediately throw you into prison.


    Let¡¯s see how long you canst and how long your subordinates would take to get you out.¡±


    She finished speaking and angrily retracted her hands.


    Maverick slumped down on the floor, feelingpletely drained.


    He wanted to say something, but a bitter taste abruptly surged up his throat, causing him to choke and


    cough violently.


    It felt as if his lungs were about to be coughed out.


    He wasn¡¯t afraid of being imprisoned; even if Gwendolyn locked him inside, few would dare to harm


    him.


    However, he didn¡¯t want Gwendolyn to continue misunderstanding him.


    Cough! ¡°I-I will go to hell if I lie.¡±


    Gwendolyn turned her head and nced down at him once again.


    His face had turned pale from coughing, and he still ran a fever. The expression of pain on his face was


    evident when he frowned.


    Perhaps it was due to the effects of the special drug, but he appeared like a long-suffering patient who


    couldn¡¯t recover.


    Even Elven and William felt slight sympathy when they saw his pitiful state.


    Gwendolyn, however, remained expressionless. Her gaze was on him, and no one knew what was on


    her mind.


    After a while, she turned to Elven and William and said, ¡°Which of you can cook some oatmeal for him


    and bring it over?¡±


    Elven and William exchanged nces, clearly perplexed.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, you might as well ask me to start a fight. Cook oatmeal? I have no idea how¡­¡± Elven


    voiced his hesitation.


    William chimed in, ¡°I don¡¯t know how either. Really!¡±


    Gwendolyn was speechless.


    Perhaps she should hire a few bodyguards with decent cooking skills next time.


    She looked at the person on the floor and contemted asking him to handle it himself.


    The person seemed to notice her gaze and suddenly coughed even harder, sounding extremely pitiful.


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips.


    ¡°Fine, help him back to bed, and I¡¯ll take care of it myself.¡±


    ¡°All right!¡±


    After giving the orders, Gwendolyn headed downstairs, found the oats in the pantry, and started


    cooking oatmeal.


    After helping Maverick return to bed, William descended to the kitchen and sought Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, do you believe Mr. Wright¡¯s words?¡±


    ¡°I do, but not entirely. I only trust conclusive evidence. If it wasn¡¯t him, there should be some clues left


    behind.¡±


    She pondered momentarily and continued with her instructions, ¡°Since he ims to have sent Sherman


    away, investigate the matter further and see if it aligns with his ount.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± replied William.


    Then, he hesitated for a moment and continued, ¡°Honestly, I do believe in Mr. Wright.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s hand, stirring the oatmeal, paused briefly. ¡°Tell me more,¡± she urged.


    ¡°Considering his ability to discreetly bring Noah in and out of prison, it¡¯s clear that he possesses


    formidable power. Removing Natasha would have been a simple task for him, and if he truly wanted to


    do so, he would have done it long ago. Then he could have taken Natasha and disappeared to a small


    country overseas, where even gods would struggle to find them. There was no need for him to risk


    staying in the vi afterpleting such a task, risking your discovery.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent.


    In the heat of the moment yesterday,bined with Maverick¡¯s misinterpretation, Gwendolyn had


    readily epted it without delving deeper into the matter.


    Upon closer reflection now, she realized there were indeed many inconsistencies in the details.


    If it wasn¡¯t Maverick, then who could it be?


    A sudden thought crossed Gwendolyn¡¯s mind.


    Could it be the person from the Harris family who had harmed her?


    If it was that person, when did that person discover she was still alive and in Faike?


    And why would he go through the trouble of freeing Natasha from prison?


    What was that person¡¯s next step?


    While she was lost in her thoughts, a terrified expression showed on William¡¯s face.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders! The oatmeal! Ah!¡±


    Huh? What was that?


    ¡°The oatmeal! Ms. Shalders, it¡¯s burnt!¡±


    A waft of a burnt odor infiltrated her nostrils, and she btedly realized what had happened. Hastily,


    she turned off the stove.


    Thankfully, while the bottom of the pot had charred, the rest of the oatmeal was salvageable, albeit


    barely.


    Instructing William to carry out her previous orders and investigate further, Gwendolyn retrieved a small


    bowl and carefully portioned the cooked oatmeal into it.


    While going up the staircase, her attention was drawn to Maverick¡¯s partially ajar door.


    Contemting whether to push the door open, she paused and peered through the narrow gap. Her


    gaze fell upon Maverick, who was rolling up his pant leg and applying ointment to his knee.


    His skin had be quite delicate, and the impact ofst night¡¯s kneeling had left his knees and lower


    legs covered in dark bruises.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s brows knitted together in concern. Despite them kneeling for around the same amount of


    time, Maverick looked much more injured.


    Ever since he had signed the agreement, Gwendolyn had lost track of the countless instances where


    Maverick knelt on his own ord or was made to kneel, and the wounds he sustained seemed to


    persist without respite.


    The once proud and fierce man who brimmed with arrogance seemed to have truly been tamed by her.


    But why didn¡¯t she feel particrly happy about it?


    Upon careful consideration, it seemed that he had paid off his debt.


    Gwendolyn brought her thoughts back to the present, pushed the door open, and stepped inside.


    Then, he hesitoted for o moment ond continued, ¡°Honestly, I do believe in Mr. Wright.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s hond, stirring the ootmeol, poused briefly. ¡°Tell me more,¡± she urged.


    ¡°Considering his obility to discreetly bring Nooh in ond out of prison, it¡¯s cleor thot he possesses


    formidoble power. Removing Notosho would hove been o simple tosk for him, ond if he truly wonted to


    do so, he would hove done it long ogo. Then he could hove token Notosho ond disoppeored to o smoll


    country overseos, where even gods would struggle to find them. There wos no need for him to risk


    stoying in the villo ofterpleting such o tosk, risking your discovery.¡±


    Gwendolyn remoined silent.


    In the heot of the moment yesterdoy,bined with Moverick¡¯s misinterpretotion, Gwendolyn hod


    reodily epted it without delving deeper into the motter.


    Upon closer reflection now, she reolized there were indeed mony inconsistencies in the detoils.


    If it wosn¡¯t Moverick, then who could it be?


    A sudden thought crossed Gwendolyn¡¯s mind.


    Could it be the person from the Horris fomily who hod hormed her?


    If it wos thot person, when did thot person discover she wos still olive ond in Foirloke?


    And why would he go through the trouble of freeing Notosho from prison?


    Whot wos thot person¡¯s next step?


    While she wos lost in her thoughts, o terrified expression showed on Williom¡¯s foce.


    ¡°Ms. Sholders! The ootmeol! Ah!¡±


    Huh? Whot wos thot?


    ¡°The ootmeol! Ms. Sholders, it¡¯s burnt!¡±


    A woft of o burnt odor infiltroted her nostrils, ond she belotedly reolized whot hod hoppened. Hostily,


    she turned off the stove.


    Thonkfully, while the bottom of the pot hod chorred, the rest of the ootmeol wos solvogeoble, olbeit


    borely.


    Instructing Williom to corry out her previous orders ond investigote further, Gwendolyn retrieved o smoll


    bowl ond corefully portioned the cooked ootmeol into it.


    While going up the stoircose, her ottention wos drown to Moverick¡¯s portiolly ojor door.


    Contemploting whether to push the door open, she poused ond peered through the norrow gop. Her


    goze fell upon Moverick, who wos rolling up his pont leg ond opplying ointment to his knee.


    His skin hod be quite delicote, ond the impoct of lost night¡¯s kneeling hod left his knees ond lower


    legs covered in dork bruises.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s brows knitted together in concern. Despite them kneeling for oround the some omount of


    time, Moverick looked much more injured.


    Ever since he hod signed the ogreement, Gwendolyn hod lost trock of the countless instonces where


    Moverick knelt on his own ord or wos mode to kneel, ond the wounds he sustoined seemed to


    persist without respite.


    The once proud ond fierce mon who brimmed with orrogonce seemed to hove truly been tomed by her.


    But why didn¡¯t she feel porticulorly hoppy obout it?


    Upon coreful considerotion, it seemed thot he hod poid off his debt.


    Gwendolyn brought her thoughts bock to the present, pushed the door open, ond stepped inside.


    As Maverick noticed her approach, he let go of his rolled-up pant leg, adjusted the covers, and leaned


    against the headboard, waiting for her.


    Holding the bowl of oatmeal, she sat on the chair next to his bed. She stirred it gently with the spoon.


    Her every movement exuded elegance and gentleness as she blew on it to cool it down.


    Maverick¡¯s gaze was intense, and his heart fluttered when he looked at her.


    He licked his pale lips, and his dark eyes gleamed with anticipation. He was obediently waiting for her


    to feed him.


    Gwendolyn noticed his gaze, but her expression remained unchanged as she blew on the oatmeal in


    the bowl, devoid of any emotions in her eyes.


    Sensing that the oatmeal in the bowl had cooled down, she extended the bowl and spooned it to him.


    Maverick hesitated for a moment, not reaching out to take them.


    ¡°Take the food and eat it yourself. I won¡¯t feed you.¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s tone was icy.


    Maverick felt a sting in his heart, suddenly overwhelmed by a profound sense of disappointment and


    grievance.


    He didn¡¯t take it, his eyes slightly red as he looked at her. ¡°It hurts. I can¡¯t eat it by myself.¡±


    Gwendolyn mercilessly exposed his pretense. ¡°It¡¯s your knees that are injured, not your hands. How


    can you suddenly be unable to eat?¡±


    Maverick didn¡¯t want to give in.


    ¡°But I have a fever, and I feel dizzy.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°Look at how eloquent you are. Your brain seems unaffected by the


    fever. You don¡¯t have to eat it if you want to keepining!¡±


    She made a motion to get up, intending to take the oatmeal away with her.


    Maverick quickly snatched the bowl from her. Although he couldn¡¯t get what he ultimately wanted, at


    least she cooked the oatmeal herself. Not eating it would be a loss.


    But as he took a mouthful of oatmeal, he almost spit it out on the spot.


    ¡°Why does it taste burnt?¡±


    Gwendolyn felt a bit embarrassed.


    There was no way she could say she was so preupied with Natasha¡¯s matter that she forgot to


    watch the me.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, then don¡¯t eat it. You can cook for yourselfter,¡± she said, reaching out to take the


    bowl.


    Maverick dodged to the side, not letting her take it away. A protective expression soon shed across


    his face.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Then, under Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze, he directly gulped down the entire bowl of oatmeal.


    Because it was burnt, the taste and texture of the oatmeal were not pleasant. Maverick endured the


    urge to retch and showed her the empty bowl of oatmeal he had finished.


    Gwendolyn knew it wasn¡¯t good, and seeing his reaction, her lips involuntarily turned downward.


    Since he had finished his meal, it was time for the next step.


    She took out a piece of paper that Elven had printed and handed it to him with an indifferent


    expression.


    ¡°Take a look and sign it.¡±


    Maverick unknowingly took it from her.


    After reading the words on it, he became angry.


    ¡°You want to terminate our employment agreement?¡±

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Her tone was calm.


    As Gwendolyn observed his intense reaction, she continued with a steady voice, ¡°I¡¯ve made a rough


    calction, and it seems you¡¯ve more or less repaid your debt. Shouldn¡¯t you be happy about


    terminating the agreement? You can continue being the Wright family heir.¡±


    What she said was true, as his goal was to repay the debt.


    But¡­


    ¡°Remember when you said that once the debt was settled, we would go our separate ways and


    be strangers to each other? Was that true?¡±


    Her gaze was serious and unwavering as she responded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t sign it. You also mentioned that one year would count as three years. It¡¯s only been a little


    over half a month. I haven¡¯t evene close to repaying it all!¡±


    Maverick¡¯s brows furrowed, and his cheeks puffed up with frustration as he returned the termination


    agreement to her.


    Gwendolyn did not reach out to take it. Her expression turned cold once again. ¡°Maverick, don¡¯t be


    unreasonable. Sign it,¡± she demanded.


    Being scolded by her, Maverick grew increasingly disheartened. He shifted closer to her and grasped


    her delicate wrist. His voice filled with uncertainty.


    ¡°Are you still mad about me driving Sherman away and pretending to be injured to deceive you? I


    promise I won¡¯t lie to you again. Besides, you punished mest night and wrongly used me of the


    Natasha incident. This makes us even now. Please, don¡¯t be angry anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry. In fact, my rationality has led me to believe it¡¯s time to release you from our


    entanglement. From now on, let¡¯s embark on separate paths and seek tranquility. I believe this is for


    the best for the both of us.¡±


    If she isn¡¯t angry, does that mean what I do doesn¡¯t make her feel any emotions anymore? Does she


    not care about me anymore? Does she not even have feelings of resentment toward me?


    Maverick was thoroughly exasperated.


    ¡°Well, then I¡¯d rather you be angry because I don¡¯t intend to let you off the hook. I won¡¯t sign this


    termination agreement,¡± he retorted.


    ¡°Maverick!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s brows snapped together as she red at him. ¡°I¡¯m merely informing you, not seeking your


    opinion. Whether you sign it or not, it doesn¡¯t matter. You will need to sign it anyway.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Maverick tore the paper into shreds right before her, tossing the


    pieces up into the air. The torn pieces of paper scattered around the room like falling snowkes.


    Agreeing to sign the divorce papers back then was the biggest regret of his life.


    He was determined not to let himself regret his decisions ever again!


    Locking eyes with her defiantly, he challenged, ¡°I¡¯ve torn it. Does it make you mad? If you dare, bring in


    William and Quinton to beat me up. Even if they leave me half-dead, as long as I¡¯m still alive, I will


    never sign the document!¡±


    Some shredded papernded on Gwendolyn¡¯s head, igniting her fury that surged to her temples.


    ¡°Very well! Seems like you enjoy seeking trouble, huh?¡±


    She gritted her teeth, taking deep breaths to control the urge to charge at him and squash him like a


    pumpkin.


    ¡°You¡¯d better hope your injury drags on while my fury fades swiftly, or I can¡¯t guarantee what lengths


    William and the others might go to with you!¡±


    With those words hanging in the air, she rose from her seat, cast a scornful nce his way, and


    departed.


    Maverick couldn¡¯t shake off the unsettling feeling that her anger was all too real.


    Enduring a beating wouldn¡¯t be a pleasurable experience; after all, he wasn¡¯t a masochist.


    Yet, signing that document was undoubtedly out of the question.


    In the Lane residence, Samantha sat in her study, poring over reports. In a fit of anger, she swept


    everything off her desk with a resounding crash.


    ng! The servant, startled by Samantha¡¯s sudden outburst, trembled and identally spilled the


    coffee on the floor before breaking the cup.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Lane! I didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡±


    Samantha shot her a cold nce. The servant¡¯s clumsiness was worsening her already troubled mood.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even handle a simple cup of coffee! What use are you to me? Get out of here today and


    disappear from my sight forever!¡±


    The servant turned pale, crying and begging for mercy. ¡°Ms. Lane, I¡¯m truly sorry. Please don¡¯t dismiss


    me. I need this job! Please!¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    With a harsh rebuke, themotion caught the attention of the butler outside. He hurriedly entered the


    room, dragging the sobbing servant out.


    Finally, the room fell quiet. Samantha grabbed her phone and made a call.


    The Wright family was making a swifteback, and Gwendolyn had wasted no time targeting her.


    During this period, all the Lane family¡¯s ongoing business endeavors had faced suppression, with pre-


    secured projects snatched away by either Wright Construction Group or Amryn Real Estate.


    As a result, the Lane Group¡¯s revenue took a nosedive.


    Samantha was infuriated. She had spent a fortune investigating Gwendolyn¡¯s background but in vain.


    Just as she was contemting, the call went through.


    ¡°Ms. Lane, we¡¯ve checked three times. Her background indicates that she was an orphan at Faike


    Orphanage, without parents or other rtives.¡±


    How could Samantha possibly believe that? ¡°What about before she was sent to the orphanage? What


    happened then? If she never left the orphanage, how could she be Rory¡¯s mentor? How can you


    be so ipetent in your investigations?¡±


    ¡°I apologize, Ms. Lane. We have done our best. This is the result of our investigation.¡±


    Enraged, Samantha hung up the phone and hurled the cup on the table against the wall.


    Who exactly is this despicable woman?


    After dispatching so many people, they still couldn¡¯t discover her true identity!


    ¡°Very well! Seems like you enjoy seeking trouble, huh?¡±


    She gritted her teeth, toking deep breoths to control the urge to chorge ot him ond squosh him like o


    pumpkin.


    ¡°You¡¯d better hope your injury drogs on while my fury fodes swiftly, or I con¡¯t guorontee whot lengths


    Williom ond the others might go to with you!¡±


    With those words honging in the oir, she rose from her seot, cost o scornful glonce his woy, ond


    deported.


    Moverick couldn¡¯t shoke off the unsettling feeling thot her onger wos oll too reol.


    Enduring o beoting wouldn¡¯t be o pleosuroble experience; ofter oll, he wosn¡¯t o mosochist.


    Yet, signing thot document wos undoubtedly out of the question.


    In the Lone residence, Somontho sot in her study, poring over reports. In o fit of onger, she swept


    everything off her desk with o resounding crosh.


    Clong! The servont, stortled by Somontho¡¯s sudden outburst, trembled ond identolly spilled the


    coffee on the floor before breoking the cup.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Lone! I didn¡¯t do it on purpose!¡±


    Somontho shot her o cold glonce. The servont¡¯s clumsiness wos worsening her olreody troubled mood.


    ¡°You con¡¯t even hondle o simple cup of coffee! Whot use ore you to me? Get out of here todoy ond


    disoppeor from my sight forever!¡±


    The servont turned pole, crying ond begging for mercy. ¡°Ms. Lone, I¡¯m truly sorry. Pleose don¡¯t dismiss


    me. I need this job! Pleose!¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    With o horsh rebuke, themotion cought the ottention of the butler outside. He hurriedly entered the


    room, drogging the sobbing servont out.


    Finolly, the room fell quiet. Somontho grobbed her phone ond mode o coll.


    The Wright fomily wos moking o swiftebock, ond Gwendolyn hod wosted no time torgeting her.


    During this period, oll the Lone fomily¡¯s ongoing business endeovors hod foced suppression, with pre-


    secured projects snotched owoy by either Wright Construction Group or Amryn Reol Estote.


    As o result, the Lone Group¡¯s revenue took o nosedive.


    Somontho wos infurioted. She hod spent o fortune investigoting Gwendolyn¡¯s bockground but in voin.


    Just os she wos contemploting, the coll went through.


    ¡°Ms. Lone, we¡¯ve checked three times. Her bockground indicotes thot she wos on orphon ot Foirloke


    Orphonoge, without porents or other relotives.¡±


    How could Somontho possibly believe thot? ¡°Whot obout before she wos sent to the orphonoge? Whot


    hoppened then? If she never left the orphonoge, how could she be Rory¡¯s mentor? How con you


    be so ipetent in your investigotions?¡±


    ¡°I opologize, Ms. Lone. We hove done our best. This is the result of our investigotion.¡±


    Enroged, Somontho hung up the phone ond hurled the cup on the toble ogoinst the woll.


    Who exoctly is this despicoble womon?


    After dispotching so mony people, they still couldn¡¯t discover her true identity!


    She slumped into her chair, filled with anger that had no way of being released.


    Unable to uncover Gwendolyn¡¯s identity meant that she would never know the woman¡¯s hidden trump


    cards. Without that knowledge, she couldn¡¯t have continued the fight against Gwendolyn.


    However, she couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch Gwendolyn destroy the Lane family!


    Samantha was at a loss when suddenly the butler knocked on the door and entered.


    ¡°Ms. Lane, there¡¯s someone outside asking to speak to you. He ims to be from the Harris family in


    Salinsburgh.¡±


    Samantha massaged her temples, feeling dizzy from anger. ¡°Someone from the Harris family? I don¡¯t


    know them. Tell them I¡¯m not avable.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The butler bowed and turned to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    Samantha stopped him.


    Why would someone from the Harris familye looking for her?


    After a moment¡¯s thought, she decided to meet the person. ¡°My office is too messy right now. I can¡¯t


    scare off an important guest. Take them to the most discreet small reception room.¡±


    After giving the instructions, Samantha returned to her room and changed into an elegant outfit. She


    touched up her makeup, ensuring she looked her best, before making her way to the reception room.


    She pushed open the door, finding the man already waiting inside.


    He was tall and burly, standing at least six feet tall. His facial features were quite pleasing to the eye,


    and he wore a ck suit.


    As he noticed her enter, the man greeted her with a slight smile. ¡°Nice to meet you, Ms. Lane!¡±


    Samantha nodded politely and curiously asked, ¡°May I know which member of the Harris family you


    are?¡±


    The man smiled and replied, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know my identity. All you need to know is that I am


    here to help you.¡±


    ¡°To help me?¡± Samantha inquired.


    She was puzzled. ¡°Although the Lane family is far inferior to the Harris family, we still hold a


    respectable position in the elite cliques of Faike. I don¡¯t have any pressing needs for assistance.¡±


    The man directly exposed her and responded, ¡°Ms. Lane, there¡¯s no need to pretend. My employer


    knows the troubles you¡¯ve been facing recently with the Wright family and a certain someone. Hence,


    he sent me here to lend you a helping hand.¡±


    Samantha found it hard to believe.


    If Treyton treated Gwendolyn so well, why would someone from the Harris family want to make things


    difficult for her?


    ¡°Your employer?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The man continued, ¡°To show our goodwill, I have brought you a gift. I believe you will be quite pleased


    with it.¡±


    He pped his hands, and someone immediately entered the room carrying arge sack.


    Samantha approached with suspicion and opened it, only to be utterly shocked. She fell to the ground


    in disbelief.

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    ¡°Ahh! What is this¡­¡±


    Inside the hemp sack was an unconscious woman. Her hair was so messy, resembling a bird¡¯s nest,


    covering her face. Her body emitted a sour odor.


    There were bruises all over the woman¡¯s arms and legs, indicating that she must have suffered from


    some abuse before.


    Samantha looked up at the man with a puzzled expression on her face.


    The man did not speak and just smiled. However, that smile was meaningful.


    Samantha covered her mouth and nose, suppressing the urge to vomit, and lifted the woman¡¯s messy


    hair.


    ¡°Is¡­ this Natasha?¡±


    Wasn¡¯t she sent to jail by Gwendolyn? I heard she was sentenced to ten years. How did she get out so


    soon?


    ¡°She was divorced by the Wright family and disowned by the Mossey family. She¡¯s nothing now, just a


    useless person. How useful can she be?¡±


    The man was still smiling. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    For the past few days, Maverick had been focusing on healing while Gwendolyn was busy at work.


    Though they lived in the same vi at night, they hardly ever saw each other.


    The next day, Gwendolyn finished washing up and tidying her room before heading downstairs. As she


    walked through the stairwell, she was greeted by the delightful aroma of delicious food.


    In the dining room, breakfast was already set up nicely and still steaming, indicating it must have been


    freshly prepared not too long ago.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curled into a smile. In such a short time, someone¡¯s cooking skills have improved


    rapidly.


    Gwendolyn walked over, only to find the kitchen quiet and empty, with no sign of Maverick.


    So Gwendolyn called out, ¡°Elven, where¡¯s Maverick?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, Mr. Wright got up earlier this morning to prepare breakfast for you and then went to


    work at Wright Construction Group.¡±


    Could it be that this damn guy knows he¡¯s almost healed and that I maye to find fault with him, so


    he¡¯s simply avoiding me by hiding?


    Gwendolyn chuckled and shook her head. She ate a few bites of breakfast as she pleased before


    heading off to work at Angle.


    Just when Gwendolyn sat in her office chair, William knocked on the door and went in to report the


    investigation results to her.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, Mr. Wright wasn¡¯t lying. Mr. Ferguson, indeed, was taken from Dunearn Hotel, wrapped


    up, and carelessly thrown onto a cargo ship at Faike Pier. As for his current whereabouts, it¡¯s quite


    difficult to determine.¡±


    William paused for a second, then continued, ¡°Although the surveince camera at Dunearn Hotel


    during that time was destroyed, I identally discovered a familiar face that had been overlooked in


    the deletion.¡±


    William handed Gwendolyn a photo extracted from the surveince footage with both hands.


    ¡°Even though this person is wearing a mask, Ms. Shalders, don¡¯t you think his eyes and eyebrows


    resemble Nico?¡±


    Gwendolyn took the photo and carefully examined it for a while.


    Since Gwendolyn had previously allowed Nico to be Maverick¡¯s assistant nominally, they had


    asionally worked together for more than half a month. As a result, she had seen Nico a few times


    and had a slight impression of him.


    If it really was Nico, then I could basically rule out the possibility that Maverick was the one who took


    Natasha away.


    It felt as if a weight had been lifted from her heart. Gwendolyn put down the photo and continued giving


    orders. ¡°Keep searching for Natasha¡¯s whereabouts until we find her. Also, investigate if there have


    been any recent personnel movements within the Harris family.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded, signaling William to leave and continue his work.


    Watching William walk away, Gwendolyn was lost in thought.


    If William gather the people from Shadow Bell to investigate thoroughly and still can¡¯t find anything,


    then such a meticulous modus operandi could very likely be the work of the person from the Harris


    family who harmed me before. So, what exactly does that person want to achieve by using Natasha?


    For some unknown reason, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy about Natasha¡¯s disappearance.


    She even sensed something serious was going to happen.


    As Gwendolyn anxiously pondered, her hands remained busy.


    While checking thetest schedules and shooting progress of all the artists, Gwendolyn unexpectedly


    found out Joaquin¡¯s filming had mysteriously halted since yesterday afternoon, and he did not show up


    for shooting at the film production set that morning.


    Gwendolyn immediately called Joaquin¡¯s manager.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, I¡¯m innocent! Yesterday, Joaquin was filming just fine, but somehow, he had a conflict


    with Mr. Joseph Xanthos from the neighboring film production team. Mr. Xanthos is not someone to be


    messed with. So they fought, and Mr. Xanthos ended up in the hospital. Many spectators who visited


    Faike Film Studios witnessed the incident. I¡¯m currently discussing a solution with the two film


    production teams.¡±


    As Gwendolyn listened further, her frown deepened. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t this incident reported yesterday?


    Where¡¯s Joaquin?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Ms. Shalders. I was considering since Joaquin had experienced simr incidents before, I


    nned to settle it directly with the film production team. However, I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Xanthos¡¯ injury to


    be quite serious this time, and Joaquin was taken away from the hotel by someone from the Zipper


    family early this morning. We haven¡¯t been able to contact him since¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn fell silent for a moment.


    Given Patrick¡¯s temper, once the troublemaker, Joaquin, returned home, thetter would definitely face


    a round of domestic discipline.


    ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±


    Gwendolyn held her forehead and decided to pay a visit to the Zipper residence in person. That was to


    prevent Patrick from getting too upset and hitting Joaquin too hard, which might dy the spoiled brat¡¯s


    uing filming.


    Gwendolyn drove all the way to the Zipper residence. Since Gwendolyn hod previously ollowed Nico to


    be Moverick¡¯s ossistont nominolly, they hod osionolly worked together for more thon holf o


    month. As o result, she hod seen Nico o few times ond hod o slight impression of him.


    If it reolly wos Nico, then I could bosicolly rule out the possibility thot Moverick wos the one who took


    Notosho owoy.


    It felt os if o weight hod been lifted from her heort. Gwendolyn put down the photo ond continued giving


    orders. ¡°Keep seorching for Notosho¡¯s whereobouts until we find her. Also, investigote if there hove


    been ony recent personnel movements within the Horris fomily.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sholders.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded, signoling Williom to leove ond continue his work.


    Wotching Williom wolk owoy, Gwendolyn wos lost in thought.


    If Williom gother the people from Shodow Bell to investigote thoroughly ond still con¡¯t find onything,


    then such o meticulous modus operondi could very likely be the work of the person from the Horris


    fomily who hormed me before. So, whot exoctly does thot person wont to ochieve by using Notosho?


    For some unknown reoson, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help but feel uneosy obout Notosho¡¯s disoppeoronce.


    She even sensed something serious wos going to hoppen.


    As Gwendolyn onxiously pondered, her honds remoined busy.


    While checking the lotest schedules ond shooting progress of oll the ortists, Gwendolyn unexpectedly


    found out Jooquin¡¯s filming hod mysteriously holted since yesterdoy ofternoon, ond he did not show up


    for shooting ot the film production set thot morning.


    Gwendolyn immediotely colled Jooquin¡¯s monoger.


    ¡°Ms. Sholders, I¡¯m innocent! Yesterdoy, Jooquin wos filming just fine, but somehow, he hod o conflict


    with Mr. Joseph Xonthos from the neighboring film production teom. Mr. Xonthos is not someone to be


    messed with. So they fought, ond Mr. Xonthos ended up in the hospitol. Mony spectotors who visited


    Foirloke Film Studios witnessed the incident. I¡¯m currently discussing o solution with the two film


    production teoms.¡±


    As Gwendolyn listened further, her frown deepened. ¡°Why wosn¡¯t this incident reported yesterdoy?


    Where¡¯s Jooquin?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Ms. Sholders. I wos considering since Jooquin hod experienced similor incidents before, I


    plonned to settle it directly with the film production teom. However, I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Xonthos¡¯ injury to


    be quite serious this time, ond Jooquin wos token owoy from the hotel by someone from the Zipper


    fomily eorly this morning. We hoven¡¯t been oble to contoct him since¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn fell silent for o moment.


    Given Potrick¡¯s temper, once the troublemoker, Jooquin, returned home, the lotter would definitely foce


    o round of domestic discipline.


    ¡°Okoy, I got it.¡±


    Gwendolyn held her foreheod ond decided to poy o visit to the Zipper residence in person. Thot wos to


    prevent Potrick from getting too upset ond hitting Jooquin too hord, which might deloy the spoiled brot¡¯s


    uing filming.


    Gwendolyn drove oll the woy to the Zipper residence.


    After exining her identity to the bodyguards outside the entrance, the group immediately let


    Gwendolyn in.


    Since Patrick had mentioned before that whenever the daughter of the Harris family wanted toe in,


    she did not need to notify anyone and could enter directly anytime.


    So, Gwendolyn went in smoothly without any obstacles, headed by the butler, Adam.


    Before Gwendolyn even reached the meeting room door, she heard loud beating sounds mixed with


    Joaquin¡¯s painful moans. Just listening to it was enough to make one shudder.


    Gwendolyn instinctively walked faster.


    In the meeting room, Joaquin knelt on the ground, gritting his teeth to endure the pain. His expression


    showed he was defiant.


    Patrick was enraged. Although he felt a little distressed, he wondered how that troublemaker, who


    would cause mischief if not disciplined for three days, could never learn to behave.


    Patrick waved his hand, and the sound of scolding stopped. ¡°I¡¯m asking you; do you know you¡¯re at


    fault?¡±


    Joaquin took a couple of deep breaths, and the expression in his eyes was still rebellious. ¡°I did nothing


    wrong. He deserved to be beaten. I¡¯ll do it again next time. I¡¯ll beat him every time I see him!¡±


    When Gwendolyn reached the meeting room door, she heard Joaquin¡¯s words loud and clear.


    Silly boy, even if you¡¯re dissatisfied, don¡¯t you know to at least pretend to give in?


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    As expected, the sounds of scolding and beating inside became even more intense than before, one


    after another.


    ¡°Hit him! Beat him to death! Keep beating until he admits his mistake!¡±


    Adam hurriedly went inside and whispered to Patrick about Gwendolyn¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°Old Mr. Zipper, it¡¯s been so long since west met! You really haven¡¯t aged a bit and still look so


    young.¡±


    Gwendolyn walked in with a smile at the right moment and took over the cane made of intertwined


    vines from the servant conducting the punishment. ¡°Old Mr. Zipper, this thing sure inflicts a lot of pain


    when used to beat people, am I right? Joaquin is still young. Please don¡¯t punish him too hard.¡±


    Patrick¡¯s face was full of affection when he saw Gwendolyn walk in, and he could not help but grin from


    ear to ear. ¡°Oh my! Gwendolyn, you have grown up so much! Quicklye over here and sit down. Let


    me have a good look at you.¡±


    Gwendolyn obediently walked over and sat down next to Patrick.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this kid. I¡¯ve been disciplining him since he was little, and he¡¯s tough as nails! While


    my Gwendolyn is the apple of our Zipper and Harris families¡¯ eyes, you deserve all the pampering!¡±


    Upon hearing that, Joaquin hissed as he drew in a cold breath, secretly straightening his back to


    massage the wound behind.


    Joaquinined about Patrick silently. My grandfather doesn¡¯t care about me, his grandson, but


    only dotes on someone else¡¯s granddaughter! Is there something wrong with him?

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    Patrick seemed to sense the resentful gaze and red back fiercely, ¡°What are you looking at? Kneel


    properly! You are such a pain in the *ss! This is not over yet!¡±


    When Gwendolyn heard what he said, she realized they didn¡¯t n on letting Joaquin off the hook so


    easily.


    Gwendolyn thought momentarily and smiled, ¡°Old Mr. Zipper, the main reason I came today is to bring


    Joaquin back to the film set. His shooting is almost finished, and it wouldn¡¯t be good if something went


    wrong. I¡¯ll take him to apologize to Joseph and ensure Joaquin knows his ce.¡±


    Patrick nced at Gwendolyn, then at Joaquin, and nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Alright, I trust you will


    take care of this.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for trusting me, Old Mr. Zipper. So, can I take Joaquin now?¡± she said while attempting to


    signal Joaquin with her eyes.


    Joaquin clutched his swollen back and struggled to get up from the ground.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Adam became concerned when he saw Joaquin¡¯s condition. ¡°Old Mr. Zipper, why don¡¯t we let Mr.


    Joaquin get treated before he leaves? It would be quite unbearable for him to continue with the shoot in


    this state.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! Why should my Gwendolyn wait for him? He should just bear with the pain; only then will


    he learn his lesson. Not only must he continue filming, but he also cannot miss tonight¡¯s charity g.


    Do you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Joaquin pursed his lips, and his face looked somewhat weak.


    Gwendolyn held back herughter and looked toward Patrick. ¡°Well, Old Mr. Zipper, I¡¯ll be leaving with


    him now. We¡¯lle to see you again when we have time.¡±


    After she spoke, she stepped forward to help Joaquin up, and they left the meeting room together, with


    Joaquin limping beside her.


    Once they were far away from the meeting room, Joaquin asked, ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯re not seriously


    going to make me apologize to that scumbag at the hospital, are you? Please don¡¯t do that!¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips and raised the corner of her mouth. ¡°Then you have to tell me why you two


    got into a fight in the first ce.¡±


    Joaquin lowered his head looking all gloomy.


    As his buttocks and thighs were hit terribly, Joaquin was walking with great difficulty and was in so


    much pain that he broke out in cold sweat.


    He hesitated for a moment and replied, ¡°Because I heard him badmouthing you behind your back, and


    it was really nasty, so I beat him up every time I see him. Ouch¡­¡±


    He got so worked up as he spoke that he identally aggravated his wound, causing him to grimace in


    pain.


    Gwendolyn chuckled, suddenly found him a bit silly and even looked a little adorable.


    ¡°Since that was the reason, why didn¡¯t you tell Old Mr. Zipper directly?¡±


    Joaquin continued, ¡°If Grandpa finds out, I might get a lighter punishment. However, once Grandpa and


    Adam heard those nasty things Joseph said about you, it won¡¯t be long before the entire Zipper family¡¯s


    servants know. I don¡¯t want to ruin your reputation.¡±


    When Gwendolyn heard that, her curiosity grew tremendously. What exactly did Joseph say about me?


    ¡°Is there a recording? Let me listen to it.¡±


    Joaquin followed Gwendolyn to her car and yed Joseph¡¯s recording for her while they were inside.


    ¡°I heard Joaquin¡¯s talent agency boss is actually a wealthy divorcee. I heard she¡¯s even an orphan.


    What a weirdo! I wonder how she managed to get the rights to manage Angle. She must have slept


    with Treyton! I¡¯ve seen her at thest talent show finals, and she¡¯s quite a beauty. What a shame that


    she¡¯s a whore!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face darkened significantly after she heard the recording.


    Joaquin spat, ¡°Man, my fiery temper is getting the best of me. Hearing it makes me want to beat him up


    again!¡±


    Gwendolyn stopped him. ¡°Go back to the set and focus on the shoot. Don¡¯t worry about this.¡±


    ¡°Really, Gwendolyn? You¡¯re just going to let him off the hook like that?¡±


    Gwendolyn raised an eyebrow, and a mischievous smile formed at the corner of her mouth. ¡°Who said I


    was going to let him off the hook?¡±


    The hardest thing to control would be to put a stop to gossip, but there would be different ways to


    handle the matter.


    Since Gwendolyn had heard what Joseph say, her personality would make it impossible for her not to


    retaliate.


    She pondered as she drove to Faike Film Studios and called her assistant toe out and get


    Joaquin.


    Joaquin held on to the car handle, reluctant to get out. ¡°Gwendolyn, do we have to shoot today? It


    seems like there¡¯s an action scene. I just got beaten up. I won¡¯t be able to do it.¡±


    Gwendolyn took a tube of anti-inmmatory cream from the car¡¯s glovepartment and handed it to


    him.


    ¡°I bought this for you when I went to get you. Go back to the crew¡¯s resting room, apply some medicine,


    and get some rest. I¡¯ll give you a day off today, but we¡¯ll have to catch up on the filming scheduleter.¡±


    Joaquin was deeply touched. ¡°I knew you favored me the most! I will always be your most loyal


    supporter!¡±


    ¡°Stop joking around. Hurry up and go,¡± Gwendolyn replied with annoyance.


    Joaquin chuckled and was about to open the car door when he suddenly thought of something. He


    turned his head and said, ¡°If I continue the shoot for today and try my best not to slow down the


    progress, will you be my partner for tonight¡¯s charity g?¡±


    Since Joaquin had asked so sincerely, Gwendolyn had no heart to turn down his request.


    Hence, she nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    After Joaquin left in a good mood, Gwendolyn called Elven.


    ¡°Arrange for someone to keep an eye on Joseph, the young master of the Xanthos family, at the


    hospital. Once he¡¯s discharged, put a sack over his head and give him another round of beating. I think


    he prefers staying in the hospital. Just remember not to leave any traces or evidence behind.¡±


    When Gwendolyn heord thot, her curiosity grew tremendously. Whot exoctly did Joseph soy obout me?


    ¡°Is there o recording? Let me listen to it.¡±


    Jooquin followed Gwendolyn to her cor ond ployed Joseph¡¯s recording for her while they were inside.


    ¡°I heord Jooquin¡¯s tolent ogency boss is octuolly o weolthy divorcee. I heord she¡¯s even on orphon.


    Whot o weirdo! I wonder how she monoged to get the rights to monoge Angle. She must hove slept


    with Treyton! I¡¯ve seen her ot the lost tolent show finols, ond she¡¯s quite o beouty. Whot o shome thot


    she¡¯s o whore!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s foce dorkened significontly ofter she heord the recording.


    Jooquin spot, ¡°Mon, my fiery temper is getting the best of me. Heoring it mokes me wont to beot him up


    ogoin!¡±


    Gwendolyn stopped him. ¡°Go bock to the set ond focus on the shoot. Don¡¯t worry obout this.¡±


    ¡°Reolly, Gwendolyn? You¡¯re just going to let him off the hook like thot?¡±


    Gwendolyn roised on eyebrow, ond o mischievous smile formed ot the corner of her mouth. ¡°Who soid I


    wos going to let him off the hook?¡±


    The hordest thing to control would be to put o stop to gossip, but there would be different woys to


    hondle the motter.


    Since Gwendolyn hod heord whot Joseph soy, her personolity would moke it impossible for her not to


    retoliote.


    She pondered os she drove to Foirloke Film Studios ond colled her ossistont toe out ond get


    Jooquin.


    Jooquin held on to the cor hondle, reluctont to get out. ¡°Gwendolyn, do we hove to shoot todoy? It


    seems like there¡¯s on oction scene. I just got beoten up. I won¡¯t be oble to do it.¡±


    Gwendolyn took o tube of onti-inflommotory creom from the cor¡¯s gloveportment ond honded it to


    him.


    ¡°I bought this for you when I went to get you. Go bock to the crew¡¯s resting room, opply some medicine,


    ond get some rest. I¡¯ll give you o doy off todoy, but we¡¯ll hove to cotch up on the filming schedule loter.¡±


    Jooquin wos deeply touched. ¡°I knew you fovored me the most! I will olwoys be your most loyol


    supporter!¡±


    ¡°Stop joking oround. Hurry up ond go,¡± Gwendolyn replied with onnoyonce.


    Jooquin chuckled ond wos obout to open the cor door when he suddenly thought of something. He


    turned his heod ond soid, ¡°If I continue the shoot for todoy ond try my best not to slow down the


    progress, will you be my portner for tonight¡¯s chority golo?¡±


    Since Jooquin hod osked so sincerely, Gwendolyn hod no heort to turn down his request.


    Hence, she nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    After Jooquin left in o good mood, Gwendolyn colled Elven.


    ¡°Arronge for someone to keep on eye on Joseph, the young moster of the Xonthos fomily, ot the


    hospitol. Once he¡¯s dischorged, put o sock over his heod ond give him onother round of beoting. I think


    he prefers stoying in the hospitol. Just remember not to leove ony troces or evidence behind.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Shalders.¡±


    After Gwendolyn gave the orders, she drove back to Angle.


    ¡­


    Maverick was also investigating Natasha¡¯s case.


    The investigation results were simr to Gwendolyn¡¯s, with no actual progress.


    Maverick¡¯s furrowed brows revealed an unbridled ferocity, while his deep, dark eyes were filled with


    coldness.


    ¡°That woman suddenly disappeared at this critical moment. Things are more sinister than they seem to


    be. I don¡¯t know if they are targeting Gwendolyn or me, so we must investigate! We need to find out


    everything!¡±


    Nico sighed. ¡°But it¡¯s like she just vanished into thin air without a trace or clue. Boss, do you think it¡¯s


    possible that she never left the prison at all?¡±


    Maverick fell silent for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s impossible. I can be certain she¡¯s not in prison anymore, but she


    might still be in Faike, hidden away by someone.¡±


    But who could this person be?


    Just as Maverick was deep in thought, his phone rang.


    He nced at the notification and realized the call was from a number he had saved in his phone but


    had nevermunicated with.


    It was Samantha.


    When the call was connected, a woman¡¯sughter, as musical as silver bells, came through. ¡°Maverick,


    it¡¯s been so many years since west met. I wonder if you still remember me?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Maverick went straight to the point, his tone indifferent.


    Samanthaughed. ¡°Oh, Maverick, you¡¯re still so aloof with people. But there¡¯s indeed something


    important today. There¡¯s a charity g tonight, and I sincerely invite you to be my partner. I wonder if


    you will be willing to do me this favor?¡±


    Maverick frowned almost imperceptibly, not bothering to hide his disgust.


    He was prepared to reject Samantha outright.


    It was as if Samantha could guess what he was about to say, so she took the initiative to continue the


    conversation.


    ¡°Maverick, don¡¯t reject me just yet. I heard that Gwendolyn will be attending the dinner with Mr. Zipper


    tonight, and I also heard that Mr. Zipper¡¯s attitude towards Gwendolyn is quite special.¡±


    Maverick fell silent when he heard this.


    Samantha continued, ¡°One is the boss of Angle, and the other is the face of Angle. If they disy any


    intimacy at the charity g and rumors about a romantic rtionship between them spread, could it


    be a trending online topic? Are you sure you don¡¯t want to reconsider, Maverick?¡±


    Joaquin¡¯s interest in Gwendolyn was not a recent affair.


    Maverick¡¯s dark eyes narrowed slightly as if he was pondering something.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    That evening, at the charity g.


    It was held at Faike¡¯s most luxurious hotel, Gardens Hotel.


    The hotel was splendid with opulent decor. Only prominent business tycoons and wealthy scions of


    Faike were invited to attend the g.


    As it was a charity event, Gwendolyn chose a ck gown adorned with golden clouds embroidery. Her


    hair was elegantlybed to one side, giving her a mature and charming appearance that was both


    sensual and enticing.


    Ever since the talent show, everyone knew she was the boss of Angle. So there were far fewer


    prejudiced gazes when they looked at her.


    As soon as she and Joaquin appeared, they became the center of attention. With Joaquin¡¯s poprity


    in the entertainment industry, the two of them instantly dominated the conversation.


    Initially, Gwendolyn was determined to keep a low profile. However, she drew attention as soon as she


    appeared.


    Joaquin saw that she wasn¡¯t too happy and chuckled.


    ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. You just look stunning. This gown is very demanding on one¡¯s figure, but it looks


    like it was tailor-made for you. As expected, attending an event with you never disappoints. I¡¯m so


    proud!¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at him and whispered, ¡°You¡¯re teasing me already? So it seems the beating you took


    during the day doesn¡¯t hurt anymore, huh?¡±


    Joaquin¡¯s expression instantly changed, and he looked pitifully at Gwendolyn as he wrapped his arm


    around hers. ¡°No, it still hurts so much. This afternoon, I shot an action scene, and the pain was


    unbearable!¡±


    Gwendolyn was amused by him, so she yfully flicked his forehead.


    In the meantime, Maverick was observing the interaction of the two from afar.


    His eyes were cold, and the scene before him made him feel a sudden tightness in his chest as if his


    heart was fiercely gripped.


    But he knew he had no right to be jealous.


    But he just couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of annoyance.


    I¡¯m so pissed!


    Samantha, standing beside him, sensed the wrath emanating from his body, especially when she saw


    the bulging veins on his clenched fists.


    ¡°Maverick, shall we say hello to Ms. Shalders and Mr. Zipper?¡±


    Maverick remained silent.


    He neither agreed nor refused.


    So Samantha decided to leave him there and headed off in Gwendolyn¡¯s direction.


    Gwendolyn and Joaquin were having a lively conversation when they were suddenly interrupted by a


    friendly voice.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, long time no see. You¡¯ve be even more beautiful, and even such heavy makeup


    can¡¯t hide the foxy charm you possess.¡±


    Joaquin was enraged when he heard thement. ¡°Everyone knows Gwendolyn¡¯s beauty is


    unbeatable. She can outshine you even without makeup. And if her makeup is heavy, what do you call


    that stered mess on your face?


    Besides, not everyone can be a fox. Someone like you can only be a wild boar.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Samantha was infuriated. Did he just call me a wild boar?


    How in the world am I that fat and ugly!


    However, it wasn¡¯t Gwendolyn who made the snarky remark but Joaquin. Samantha didn¡¯t want to


    offend the Zipper family in Faike, so she had no choice but to swallow her pride.


    Gwendolyn wasn¡¯t paying attention to their yful banter; instead, she noticed Maverick walking up


    from behind Samantha.


    In just an instant, her aura changed.


    She became cold and distant.


    A hint of anger flickered in her eyes like warning signs of a storm.


    Didn¡¯t he know that Samantha had hurt me before?


    And that I hate her!


    And now he¡¯s here at the charity g with Samantha, leaving all his chores undone?


    As he stood opposite Gwendolyn, Maverick could almost instantly sense the anger emanating from her.


    He subconsciously gulped, feeling the tension in his throat.


    Maverick no longer cared about being angry at her interaction with Joaquin.


    Because he realized Gwendolyn was furious.


    He would have a tough time when he got hometer.


    Samantha sensed the exchange of nces between Gwendolyn and Maverick. Thus, she exined


    with a smile, ¡°Maverick misses you, but you¡¯re already Mr. Zipper¡¯s partner, so he could only pair up


    with me to see you. Please don¡¯t be jealous, Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Gwendolyn responded with a coldugh, ¡°Ms. Lane, you must be joking. He¡¯s just someone


    insignificant to me. There¡¯s absolutely no reason for me to be jealous.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s words painfully scorched Maverick¡¯s heart.


    His face instantly turned deathly pale.


    As he tried to ease the tightness in his chest, he approached Gwendolyn without caring about his


    surroundings and gently grasped her wrist.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, our employment contract hasn¡¯t been terminated yet, so I¡¯m still at your service. I¡¯ve been


    well-behaved today, but once we¡¯re home, you can do whatever you want with me, okay? No matter


    how harshly you punish me, I¡¯ll take it¡­¡±


    Maverick¡¯s dark eyes gazed at Gwendolyn with a hint of grievance. Then, he turned her wrist over


    gently, and his well-defined knuckles drew circles in her palm.


    Maverick did everything so naturally.


    Joaquin who was standing nearby was shocked. He was so disgusted. F*ck!


    How could someone say something so embarrassing and shameful in public?


    Samantha was also taken aback.


    Is this coquettish man the same Maverick who once held power in Wright Construction Group, who¡¯s


    also known for his aloof and fierce demeanor?


    Could it be that someone has cast a curse on him? Samantha thought in disbelief.


    However, Maverick continued to draw circles in Gwendolyn¡¯s palm as if no one else was around.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t show any emotion. After all, she wasn¡¯t the one who got embarrassed for saying


    something like that in public.


    Nevertheless, Maverick¡¯s circr drawing motion made her palms ticklish.


    How in the world om I thot fot ond ugly!


    However, it wosn¡¯t Gwendolyn who mode the snorky remork but Jooquin. Somontho didn¡¯t wont to


    offend the Zipper fomily in Foirloke, so she hod no choice but to swollow her pride.


    Gwendolyn wosn¡¯t poying ottention to their ployful bonter; insteod, she noticed Moverick wolking up


    from behind Somontho.


    In just on instont, her ouro chonged.


    She be cold ond distont.


    A hint of onger flickered in her eyes like worning signs of o storm.


    Didn¡¯t he know thot Somontho hod hurt me before?


    And thot I hote her!


    And now he¡¯s here ot the chority golo with Somontho, leoving oll his chores undone?


    As he stood opposite Gwendolyn, Moverick could olmost instontly sense the onger emonoting from her.


    He subconsciously gulped, feeling the tension in his throot.


    Moverick no longer cored obout being ongry ot her interoction with Jooquin.


    Becouse he reolized Gwendolyn wos furious.


    He would hove o tough time when he got home loter.


    Somontho sensed the exchonge of glonces between Gwendolyn ond Moverick. Thus, she exploined


    with o smile, ¡°Moverick misses you, but you¡¯re olreody Mr. Zipper¡¯s portner, so he could only poir up


    with me to see you. Pleose don¡¯t be jeolous, Ms. Sholders.¡±


    Gwendolyn responded with o cold lough, ¡°Ms. Lone, you must be joking. He¡¯s just someone


    insignificont to me. There¡¯s obsolutely no reoson for me to be jeolous.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s words poinfully scorched Moverick¡¯s heort.


    His foce instontly turned deothly pole.


    As he tried to eose the tightness in his chest, he opprooched Gwendolyn without coring obout his


    surroundings ond gently grosped her wrist.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, our employment controct hosn¡¯t been terminoted yet, so I¡¯m still ot your service. I¡¯ve been


    well-behoved todoy, but once we¡¯re home, you con do whotever you wont with me, okoy? No motter


    how horshly you punish me, I¡¯ll toke it¡­¡±


    Moverick¡¯s dork eyes gozed ot Gwendolyn with o hint of grievonce. Then, he turned her wrist over


    gently, ond his well-defined knuckles drew circles in her polm.


    Moverick did everything so noturolly.


    Jooquin who wos stonding neorby wos shocked. He wos so disgusted. F*ck!


    How could someone soy something so emborrossing ond shomeful in public?


    Somontho wos olso token obock.


    Is this coquettish mon the some Moverick who once held power in Wright Construction Group, who¡¯s


    olso known for his oloof ond fierce demeonor?


    Could it be thot someone hos cost o curse on him? Somontho thought in disbelief.


    However, Moverick continued to drow circles in Gwendolyn¡¯s polm os if no one else wos oround.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t show ony emotion. After oll, she wosn¡¯t the one who got emborrossed for soying


    something like thot in public.


    Nevertheless, Moverick¡¯s circulor drowing motion mode her polms ticklish.


    As she was about to pull her hand back, she suddenly realized that there was something off about the


    movement of his knuckles.


    He wasn¡¯t just drawing circles but also writing words.


    Gwendolyn focused intently and took a moment to experience the sensation.


    Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t decipher the words he had written, let alone understand what he was trying


    to convey.


    Joaquin cleared his throat lightly and said, ¡°Gwendolyn, I can¡¯t stand the stuffy air in here any longer.


    How about we go over there for a ss of red wine?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gwendolyn withdrew her hand and walked away with Joaquin without looking back.


    She didn¡¯t even spare a nce at Maverick.


    Maverick lowered his head and felt rather dejected.


    Since Gwendolyn didn¡¯t manage to get what he was trying to convey, it meant that he wouldn¡¯t be let off


    so easily when they returned home.


    Samantha just stood beside him and quietly observed him for a while.


    ¡°You have changed so muchpared to before! I remember it used to be her chasing after you every


    day. But after the divorce, you willingly became her loyal follower instead. I heard that you were


    tortured and abused by herst time and even ended up in the hospital. How can you put up with this?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s initially frustrated expression instantly turned cold as she spoke. There was a hit of malice in


    his dark eyes.


    ¡°This is my personal matter.¡±


    Samanthaughed. ¡°You¡¯re right. I shouldn¡¯t be prying, but I¡¯m just curious. You used to really like Ms.


    Mossey, and now that she¡¯s been sent to jail by Gwendolyn, shouldn¡¯t you be affected by it?¡±


    As she spoke, her fingers gently climbed up his arm, ¡°If I can, I¡¯d like to help you break free from


    Gwendolyn¡¯s clutches sooner. Maverick, you¡­¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, Maverick grabbed her wrist abruptly.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    His fierce ck eyes met hers, conveying a warning. ¡°I¡¯ve always been cold-blooded and have no


    regard for family ties. So if you dare to cause trouble, not only will Gwendolyn not spare you, I won¡¯t


    either.¡±


    Samantha broke free from his grasp and gave Maverick a cunning smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see if she


    will feel jealous because of you?¡±


    Maverick frowned, sensing trouble in those words.


    Before he could say anything, shrill screams suddenly erupted from the back hall of the charity g,


    one after another!


    ¡°Who is this? How did she end up lying here covered in injuries!¡±


    ¡°Is she a human or a ghost? She looks so terrifying!¡±


    Awakened by the screams and murmurs, the woman slowly regained consciousness. Beneath her


    messy, dry, and tangled hair, bloodshot, ferocious eyes were seen.


    She brushed the hair away from her forehead, revealing her pain-stricken face to the crowd.


    Someone with sharp eyes recognized her.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Ms. Natasha from the Mossey family?¡±

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    Someone countered, ¡°The Mossey family has already publicly cut ties with her a long time ago. She¡¯s


    no longer Ms. Natasha of the family!¡±


    ¡°But wasn¡¯t she sentenced to prison? How could she be here?¡±


    ¡°How did she be so ugly now? Her skin is so wrinkled. It feels like she has aged ten years¡­¡±


    There was a lot of discussion among the crowd.


    Natasha felt the gaze from the crowd, and her entire body trembled helplessly.


    She nced around at everyone, trying to find the most familiar figure among them.


    ¡°Mave! I want Mave! Where¡¯s my Mave?¡±


    Meanwhile, outside the crowd, Samantha¡¯s eyes flickered, and she nced in that direction curiously.


    ¡°Maverick, it¡¯s so lively over there. Let¡¯s go check it out.¡±


    Before Maverick could respond, she walked over, made her way through the crowd, and even kindly


    left a spot for Maverick.


    ¡°Hey, Maverick! Isn¡¯t this Ms. Mossey?¡±


    Maverick frowned tightly upon hearing the name, and his face exuded a cold aura.


    His eyes darkened, and he walked over with an imprable expression.


    Upon seeing him, Natasha¡¯s emotions surged with excitement. She sobbed and said, ¡°Mave! I¡¯ve finally


    found you! You have no idea how much I¡¯ve suffered in this period of time. I¡¯ve endured so much


    torment in order to see you again¡­¡±


    Her voice was a bit hoarse, and she cried out in deep sorrow.


    However, her face was covered in bruises and wounds. On top of that, her bloodshot eyes made her


    look pitiful yet terrifying.


    As she sobbed, she excitedly moved closer to Maverick¡¯s feet, trying to grab the leg of his suit pants.


    Maverick¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he almost took a big step backward instinctively.


    Joaquin, who was enjoying red wine in the main banquet hall, faintly heard themotion in the back


    of the hall. He pulled Gwendolyn along to see what was going on.


    As soon as they arrived at the back hall, they saw Natasha persistently crawling towards Maverick¡¯s


    feet.


    Maverick¡¯s face looked terrible. He kept backing away as though he was trying to avoid a jinx until his


    back bumped into Gwendolyn, who just walked over.


    Gwendolyn quickly supported his lower back with her hand, the corner of her mouth slightly lifted, and


    she sneered, ¡°Trying to fake an ident?¡±


    Maverick didn¡¯t feel embarrassed. His face was slightly pale as he bent down to rub his leg.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, my knee hurts¡­ I want to go back to the vi.¡±


    His brows furrowed tightly, and when he turned to look at Gwendolyn, he quickly concealed the


    maliciousness in his eyes, recing it with a pitiful and aggrieved expression.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t bother to expose him. She casually nced at Natasha, who was stunned by his


    words on the ground.


    She put on a yful smile and teased, ¡°No way! This is your personal matter, and you should deal with


    it properly yourself.¡±


    After saying that, she forcefully pushed him toward Natasha with the hand that supported his lower


    back.


    Then, she watched the show with her arms crossed and watched on casually.


    The person I¡¯ve been searching for so long unexpectedly appears at Gardens Hotel charity g.


    She was happy to watch the y as long as someone was willing to make the show.


    Natasha, who was on the ground, looked pitiful as she reached out toward Maverick. ¡°Mave¡­¡±


    Maverick managed to bnce himself in time, and as he looked down at Natasha, his dark eyes were


    filled with nothing but coldness and hostility. In a low voice, he warned, ¡°Stay right there, and don¡¯t


    come any closer.¡±


    Natasha felt hurt when she saw his cold gaze. She began to sob uncontrobly, without caring about


    her image.


    ¡°Mave, don¡¯t you recognize me? I¡¯m your Tasha, your fianc¨¦e! Because of you, I was framed and


    imprisoned by that despicable Gwendolyn! Do you have any idea how much I¡¯ve suffered?¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Maverick¡¯s eyes became colder. ¡°When I left Faike, Mother made the decision to call off the


    engagement. So, you and I have nothing to do with each other now.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for everyone watching, he would have wished to kick the lier beneath his feet and vent his


    anger on her badly.


    She pretended to be Gwendolyn and imed she was the one who saved Den. She even tried to


    put Gwendolyn in grave danger several times, and now she was suddenly brought out by someone to


    intensify the animosity between him and Gwendolyn.


    D*mn it!


    Joaquin, standing nearby, tutted and leaned in to whisper in Gwendolyn¡¯s ear. ¡°Gwendolyn, did you


    hear that? He is the epitome of a bad man! When he loves someone, he loves her passionately, but


    when he doesn¡¯t, he¡¯s more ruthless than anyone else. Thankfully, you got a divorce in time!¡± He was


    adding fuel to the fire.


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips, remaining silent.


    Those once bright and clear eyes now stared deeply and silently at Maverick, who was standing not far


    away.


    ¡°Mave! How could you do this to me? I love you so much¡­¡±


    Natasha was full of hope when she was taken out of prison, but now, seeing his cold and heartless


    expression, her feelings of despair and resentment were hard to suppress and almost burst out.


    Maverick¡¯s expression remained unchanged.


    Under the watchful eyes of the whispering onlookers, he dered loudly, ¡°Natasha, I¡¯m telling you for


    thest time, the one I¡¯ve always loved and cherished is Gwendolyn. And it will always be her in the


    past, now, and forever. Since you¡¯ve been sentenced, you should stay in prison and repent your past


    sins!¡±


    He took out his phone to contact Nico as he spoke.


    Unexpectedly, those words hadpletely stirred up Natasha¡¯s emotions.


    She covered her head, screaming madly. Her voice was sharp and piercing, which was shrilled and


    terrifying.


    After soying thot, she forcefully pushed him toword Notosho with the hond thot supported his lower


    bock.


    Then, she wotched the show with her orms crossed ond wotched on cosuolly.


    The person I¡¯ve been seorching for so long unexpectedly oppeors ot Gordens Hotel chority golo.


    She wos hoppy to wotch the ploy os long os someone wos willing to moke the show.


    Notosho, who wos on the ground, looked pitiful os she reoched out toword Moverick. ¡°Move¡­¡±


    Moverick monoged to bolonce himself in time, ond os he looked down ot Notosho, his dork eyes were


    filled with nothing but coldness ond hostility. In o low voice, he worned, ¡°Stoy right there, ond don¡¯t


    come ony closer.¡±


    Notosho felt hurt when she sow his cold goze. She begon to sob uncontrollobly, without coring obout


    her imoge.


    ¡°Move, don¡¯t you recognize me? I¡¯m your Tosho, your fionc¨¦e! Becouse of you, I wos fromed ond


    imprisoned by thot despicoble Gwendolyn! Do you hove ony ideo how much I¡¯ve suffered?¡±


    Moverick¡¯s eyes be colder. ¡°When I left Foirloke, Mother mode the decision to coll off the


    engogement. So, you ond I hove nothing to do with eoch other now.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for everyone wotching, he would hove wished to kick the lier beneoth his feet ond vent his


    onger on her bodly.


    She pretended to be Gwendolyn ond cloimed she wos the one who soved Declon. She even tried to


    put Gwendolyn in grove donger severol times, ond now she wos suddenly brought out by someone to


    intensify the onimosity between him ond Gwendolyn.


    D*mn it!


    Jooquin, stonding neorby, tutted ond leoned in to whisper in Gwendolyn¡¯s eor. ¡°Gwendolyn, did you


    heor thot? He is the epitome of o bod mon! When he loves someone, he loves her possionotely, but


    when he doesn¡¯t, he¡¯s more ruthless thon onyone else. Thonkfully, you got o divorce in time!¡± He wos


    odding fuel to the fire.


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips, remoining silent.


    Those once bright ond cleor eyes now stored deeply ond silently ot Moverick, who wos stonding not for


    owoy.


    ¡°Move! How could you do this to me? I love you so much¡­¡±


    Notosho wos full of hope when she wos token out of prison, but now, seeing his cold ond heortless


    expression, her feelings of despoir ond resentment were hord to suppress ond olmost burst out.


    Moverick¡¯s expression remoined unchonged.


    Under the wotchful eyes of the whispering onlookers, he declored loudly, ¡°Notosho, I¡¯m telling you for


    the lost time, the one I¡¯ve olwoys loved ond cherished is Gwendolyn. And it will olwoys be her in the


    post, now, ond forever. Since you¡¯ve been sentenced, you should stoy in prison ond repent your post


    sins!¡±


    He took out his phone to contoct Nico os he spoke.


    Unexpectedly, those words hodpletely stirred up Notosho¡¯s emotions.


    She covered her heod, screoming modly. Her voice wos shorp ond piercing, which wos shrilled ond


    terrifying.


    ¡°I just love you! What¡¯s my crime? It¡¯s all because of this b*tch who stole you from me! If it weren¡¯t for


    her, you would have been with me long ago, and we wouldn¡¯t have all these matters now! It was all


    because of her that I ended up in prison. I won¡¯t let her off the hook. I¡¯m going to kill her!¡±


    Her red eyes red at Gwendolyn, and suddenly, a strong murder intent filled her. She reached into


    her sleeve, pulled out a knife she had prepared beforehand, and swiftly charged toward Gwendolyn.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you! B*tch! I¡¯ll send you to hell!¡±


    Gwendolyn watched the approaching madwoman without flinching, her eyes remaining calm and


    undisturbed.


    Joaquin and Maverick immediately stepped in front of Gwendolyn, closely followed by Elven, Ezra,


    William, and Quinton, who all rushed into the banquet hall.


    Natasha couldn¡¯t even touch a piece of Gwendolyn¡¯s clothing before she was restrained by several


    bodyguards.


    She could only yell and struggle, ¡°You just wait, b*tch! Even if I die, I won¡¯t let you off! Do you think I¡¯m


    the only one who hates you? There are a lot of people who want to take you down in this world! Even if


    you don¡¯t die by my hand, you¡¯ll die by someone else¡¯s! I¡¯ll be waiting for that day!¡±


    Her words made Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes narrow sharply.


    Judging from the meaning of her words, Natasha seems to know something more.


    Elven turned to look at Gwendolyn and asked, ¡°Ms. Shalders, how should we handle this?¡±


    ¡°Disperse the crowd, let the charity g continue, and take Natasha away!¡±


    Upon hearing she was going to be taken away, Natasha struggled desperately. ¡°Ah! You b*tch! It¡¯s all


    your fault that I ended up like this, and now you want to take me back to continue torturing me? I won¡¯t


    go! I¡¯d rather die than go!¡±


    Seeing that Gwendolyn¡¯s bodyguards were tall, strong, and difficult to deal with, Samantha quickly


    spoke up. ¡°Gwendolyn, she¡¯s a fugitive! No matter what, she should be handed over to the police. You


    can¡¯t take her away, and you definitely can¡¯t take matters into your own hands!¡±


    Some people chimed in, ¡°Exactly! We live in a society governed byw now. Your people are not the


    police, so what gives you the right to take her away?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! We can¡¯t let them take her away. Someone hurry up and call the police, let the police


    come and uphold justice!¡±


    Amid the bustling crowd, not only did people show no intention of leaving, but they also gathered even


    more closely together.


    Gwendolyn nced through the crowd, finally setting her sights on the arrogant Samantha standing


    before her.


    In order to pave the way for this drama, did she arrange for someone to mislead the crowd¡¯s opinion


    beforehand?


    Hmm, this is interesting.

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    Elven, Ezra, and the others were trapped amid the crowd and unable to move. They did not dare to


    push the people away as they were afraid that they might identally hurt them.


    Moreover, that group of people were not ordinary people. They were significant and powerful young


    heirs and heiresses of prominent families.


    Samantha took the opportunity to shoot Natasha a meaningful gaze.


    Natasha understood her intentions. Seizing the opportunity when the bodyguards were putting their


    attention on the crowd, she quickly broke free from their grasp and ran away from the crowd.


    The bodyguards¡¯ expressions changed drastically. When they were about to chase after her, they were


    blocked by the crowd.


    Quinton was furious and scolded, ¡°Are you guys blind? Even if you disagree to let us take her away,


    you shouldn¡¯t condone letting a fugitive like Natasha escape.¡±


    Samanthaughed and replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for you guys to chase after her. I¡¯ve already informed


    the police. I doubt she¡¯ll go far. Let the police handle her. We won¡¯t need Ms. Shalders¡¯ pet dogs to take


    action against her.¡±


    Pet dogs?


    Quinton and the others were gritting their teeth in anger. However, they did not retort since Gwendolyn


    hadn¡¯t said anything.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips tightly, with her expression darkened.


    Upon seeing her expression, Maverick softly called out, ¡°Gwendolyn.¡±


    She raised her eyes in response, giving him a cold gaze without any traces of warmth.


    ¡°She¡¯s your woman. This matter¡­¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, Maverick quickly interrupted as he retorted, ¡°She¡¯s not mine.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression remained indifferent as she continued, ¡°In any case, I¡¯ll let Mr. Wright handle


    this matter personally. Once it¡¯s resolved, you can return to the vi.¡±


    Maverick knew she was still angry. He wanted to reach out and grab her wrist to beg for forgiveness.


    However, he was interrupted by the hurried arrival of Nico.


    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯mte!¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression darkened swiftly.


    Resisting the urge to turn around and beat up Nico, he calmly instructed, ¡°Natasha ran toward the path


    leading to the remote bamboo forest at the back. She¡¯s injured and hasn¡¯t recovered. So she can¡¯t run


    far away from here. Go and chase after her.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After Nico said that, he immediately sprinted in the direction Maverick had mentioned.


    Maverick took a moment to calm himself down. When he was about to reach for Gwendolyn¡¯s wrist


    again, she subtly turned her body to dodge it.


    Gwendolyn looked at Elven, Ezra, and the other bodyguards, who were surrounded by the crowd.


    ¡°Disperse the crowd and let the charity g continue,¡± she instructed.


    The main performers had escaped. So, the crowd soon dismissed since there was nothing interesting


    to watch.


    Gwendolyn only approached Samantha when most people left the scene.


    Her beautiful eyes exuded a coldness that was both sharp and reckless.


    When she locked eyes with Samantha, she gave her a mysterious smile and said, ¡°Ms. Lane,


    considering our past grievances, my original n was just to make the Lane family go bankrupt. If you


    behave yourself, I can spare your life. However, if I find out that you collude with someone and try to


    pull any tricks, I bet you might not be able to bear the consequences.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s warning made Samantha slightly taken aback.


    After a few seconds, Samantha finally returned to her senses and responded with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s no


    rush for that, Ms. Shalders. It¡¯s still uncertain who the victor is and who will be taught a lesson at the


    end.¡±


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    After saying that, she left the charity g without looking back, apanied by Elven, a few


    bodyguards, and Joaquin.


    Maverick, who was left alone, wanted to catch up, but Samantha stopped him.


    ¡°Maverick, the charity g isn¡¯t over yet. Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Please stay and keep


    mepany for a little while longer.¡±


    Maverick red furiously at her.


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    After saying that coldly, he immediately ran out of the hotel.


    Gwendolyn had just gotten into the car and was about to close the door.


    Maverick quickly grabbed the car door as he shouted, ¡°Gwendolyn, don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    At first, Maverick nced into the car. He saw Elven was the one driving while Ezra sat in the


    passenger seat. However, Quinton was not there with them. He guessed that he went to send Joaquin


    back to the Zipper residence.


    Therefore, Gwendolyn was sitting in the back seat alone.


    He clung to the car door tightly while keeping his tone soft. It was as if he was afraid that he would


    make her angry if he increased the volume slightly.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, I want to go back to the vi too. Can you please move over there a bit?¡±


    Since Gwendolyn had just gotten into the car, she sat on the right side next to the road, leaving the left


    seat unupied.


    Under the dim yellow streetlight, there was a flicker of light in Maverick¡¯s dark eyes. When he looked at


    her, he was cautious yet filled with slight anticipation.


    Gwendolyn shot him a cold gaze as she answered, barely hesitating, ¡°No, can¡¯t do it. Whoever brought


    you here should send you back as well. Or you can walk back.¡±


    Her tone was as cold as ice, devoid of warmth.


    Ever since he refused to sign the termination of the employment agreement, Gwendolyn had been


    treating him indifferently. That night, the cold treatment she gave him was exactly the same as the night


    she was punished by kneeling in the rain.


    Maverick¡¯s eyes darkened, and he looked down slightly. It seemed he was enduring bitter feelings of


    resentment.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, there was a reason Samantha and I came over tonight. Can you please let me exin?¡±


    Gwendolyn averted her gaze, refusing to look at him. She just said, ¡°Someone will wait up and open


    the door for you until eleven o¡¯clock. If you can¡¯t return by then, you can just sleep on the streets. Now,


    let go.¡±


    When she locked eyes with Somontho, she gove her o mysterious smile ond soid, ¡°Ms. Lone,


    considering our post grievonces, my originol plon wos just to moke the Lone fomily go bonkrupt. If you


    behove yourself, I con spore your life. However, if I find out thot you collude with someone ond try to


    pull ony tricks, I bet you might not be oble to beor the consequences.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s worning mode Somontho slightly token obock.


    After o few seconds, Somontho finolly returned to her senses ond responded with o smile, ¡°There¡¯s no


    rush for thot, Ms. Sholders. It¡¯s still uncertoin who the victor is ond who will be tought o lesson ot the


    end.¡±


    Gwendolyn norrowed her eyes ond smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be woiting.¡±


    After soying thot, she left the chority golo without looking bock, oponied by Elven, o few


    bodyguords, ond Jooquin.


    Moverick, who wos left olone, wonted to cotch up, but Somontho stopped him.


    ¡°Moverick, the chority golo isn¡¯t over yet. Why ore you in such o hurry to leove? Pleose stoy ond keep


    mepony for o little while longer.¡±


    Moverick glored furiously ot her.


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    After soying thot coldly, he immediotely ron out of the hotel.


    Gwendolyn hod just gotten into the cor ond wos obout to close the door.


    Moverick quickly grobbed the cor door os he shouted, ¡°Gwendolyn, don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Whot ore you doing?¡±


    At first, Moverick glonced into the cor. He sow Elven wos the one driving while Ezro sot in the


    possenger seot. However, Quinton wos not there with them. He guessed thot he went to send Jooquin


    bock to the Zipper residence.


    Therefore, Gwendolyn wos sitting in the bock seot olone.


    He clung to the cor door tightly while keeping his tone soft. It wos os if he wos ofroid thot he would


    moke her ongry if he increosed the volume slightly.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, I wont to go bock to the villo too. Con you pleose move over there o bit?¡±


    Since Gwendolyn hod just gotten into the cor, she sot on the right side next to the rood, leoving the left


    seot unupied.


    Under the dim yellow streetlight, there wos o flicker of light in Moverick¡¯s dork eyes. When he looked ot


    her, he wos coutious yet filled with slight onticipotion.


    Gwendolyn shot him o cold goze os she onswered, borely hesitoting, ¡°No, con¡¯t do it. Whoever brought


    you here should send you bock os well. Or you con wolk bock.¡±


    Her tone wos os cold os ice, devoid of wormth.


    Ever since he refused to sign the terminotion of the employment ogreement, Gwendolyn hod been


    treoting him indifferently. Thot night, the cold treotment she gove him wos exoctly the some os the night


    she wos punished by kneeling in the roin.


    Moverick¡¯s eyes dorkened, ond he looked down slightly. It seemed he wos enduring bitter feelings of


    resentment.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, there wos o reoson Somontho ond Ie over tonight. Con you pleose let me exploin?¡±


    Gwendolyn overted her goze, refusing to look ot him. She just soid, ¡°Someone will woit up ond open


    the door for you until eleven o¡¯clock. If you con¡¯t return by then, you con just sleep on the streets. Now,


    let go.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes were slightly reddened.


    What a heartless and ruthless woman! How can her heart be as hard as a stone?


    He was so frustrated that his chest hurt, but he could only reluctantly let go of his hand that was holding


    onto the car door.


    As soon as he let go, the car door was mmed shut loudly. Then, the car sped off like an arrow


    released from its bow.


    Maverick was left behind with a face full of exhaust fume.


    He was choked by the exhaust fume and coughed twice. All he could do was stood there all alone,


    watching the car disappear into the night.


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    Nico came looking for him.


    Maverick regained his usual coldness and asked with extreme annoyance, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Nico lowered his head, and his expression was gloomy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Boss. I couldn¡¯t catch Natasha. By


    the time I got there, she hadpletely disappeared, as if someone had taken her away in advance.¡±


    ¡°Check the surveince footage.¡±


    Nico lowered his head even more as he replied, ¡°The path through the bamboo forest in Gardens Hotel


    is a blind spot for surveince cameras. Moreover, the cameras that could capture the entrance were


    hacked in advance. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Maverick did not intend to me him too much as he uttered, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. The whole incident


    from Natasha¡¯s appearance, stabbing Gwendolyn with a knife, to the final escape, was all pre-nned.


    What I don¡¯t understand is the motive of the mastermind for doing all these things?¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than his phone rang.


    Upon seeing that it was Samantha, he hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to answer the call.


    ¡°Maverick, you haven¡¯t left yet, have you? The charity g isn¡¯t over yet, and as my plus one, you


    shouldn¡¯t just leave me alone, right?¡±


    Maverick did not want to say a single word to her.


    Just as he was about to hang up, Samantha continued, ¡°Do you want to know where Natasha is?¡±


    He narrowed his cold eyes.


    ¡°You know where she is, do you?¡±


    Samantha grinned wickedly, ¡°Not only do I know that, but I can also take you there. I bet you have a lot


    of questions about Natasha too. Why don¡¯t you go and solve these mysteries personally?¡±


    Maverick pursed his thin lips, and he narrowed his deep dark eyes. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I hope you can apany me for thest five minutes of the charity g. You won¡¯t refuse such a


    small request, right?¡±


    Samantha smiled faintly and continued, ¡°As soon as the charity g is over, I¡¯ll take you to Natasha


    right away. What do you think?¡±


    Maverick did not respond immediately.


    He looked at his watch and found that there was still more than half an hour left until eleven o¡¯clock.


    ¡°All right, where are you?¡±

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    At half past ten that night, the charity g at Gardens Hotel finally came to an end.


    As Samantha was walking toward the entrance, she nced sideways at the man beside her.


    He remained as aloof as ever, with an inextricable fury between his brows.


    Samantha felt slightly curious when she thought about how Maverick had just pretended to be


    aggrieved and weak in front of Gwendolyn.


    ¡°At first, I thought you had changed, but it turns out that you only changed how you behave in front of a


    certain someone. I¡¯m really curious. Are you just putting on an act before her? Or, have you truly fallen


    for her?¡±


    Maverick walked nobly in an upright posture with his expensive suit. It was as if he hadn¡¯t heard her as


    he continued walking without a word.


    Despite being ignored, Samantha did not feel embarrassed. She continued walking forward and got in


    the car with him.


    Nico sat in the middle of the two people in the back seat.


    That was because Maverick was very reluctant to sit with Samantha, so Nico was forced to be a


    human barrier between them.


    Since the car was driving at high speed, it only took eight minutes to reach the outskirts.


    They arrived at a ce where the surroundings were deste, yet the cabin before them was quite


    exquisite.


    Samantha had brought a bodyguard with her, so the four of them entered the cabin together.


    With only an oilmp lit, the lighting was dim in the cabin.


    Maverick looked around the room and noticed that the sheets, bedding, tabletops, and bedside were


    clean while also showing traces of someone living there.


    It seemed that ever since Natasha was taken out of prison, she had been living there all the while.


    When Maverick thought about that, he nced at Samantha and sneered. ¡°I never expected the Lane


    family to have such capability as to manage to get someone out of prison without anyone noticing.¡±


    Samantha chuckled and replied, ¡°Of course. She¡¯s your sweetheart. Saving her means I¡¯m helping you


    as well.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not my sweetheart,¡± Maverick answered without hesitation. He was sure she had never been the


    one he loved.


    At that moment, Natasha was sitting on the wooden bed, looking nothing like how she had at the


    charity g with her messy hair and crazy behavior. Apart from the injuries on her face, it was as if she


    had be apletely different person.


    Upon hearing Maverick¡¯s negation without hesitation, Natasha wept uncontrobly.


    ¡°Mave, why? You used to love me so much. What exactly has Gwendolyn done to you? Have you


    forgotten the promise you made to me? Have you forgotten that I saved you decades ago?¡±


    The moment that matter was brought up, a terrifyingly hostile aura exploded from Maverick.


    It was precisely because of that so-called promise that he had neglected Gwendolyn¡¯s love for him over


    the years. Moreover, he had even wronged and verbally insulted her.


    Whenever he thought of the insults he had once hurled at Gwendolyn, he wished to p himself hard


    across the face.


    He lowered his head to conceal the sudden surge of guilt in his eyes, not paying attention to Natasha¡¯s


    words.


    Nico answered for him, saying, ¡°Ms. Mossey, Boss already knows that you¡¯re not the girl who saved


    him back then. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s quite foolish that you still bring up the matter now?¡±


    Natasha was stunned for a moment before she suddenly fell to her knees weakly by Maverick¡¯s feet as


    if she was boneless.


    ¡°Mave, you were deceived by her! It really was me who saved you back then. I was there at the scene


    of the car ident, but I was young and scared, so I didn¡¯t rush to save you immediately. Another girl


    was first to drag you out of the car and left afterward. In the end, it was me who came forward and


    saved you. It truly was me!¡±


    She cried in deep sorrow earnestly, and her eyes shone with sincerity.


    Maverick remained silent.


    Samantha handed a document to him.


    ¡°Maverick, she¡¯s telling the truth. I sent someone to look into your past ident. If you don¡¯t believe


    me, take a look for yourself.¡±


    He took it and carefully flipped through it. His cold and stern expression remained unchanged, and his


    dark eyes were as deep as a dark abyss.


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it was. I thought Gwendolyn was the one who saved me. It seems she lied to me.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Natasha breathed a sigh of relief and continued to cry. ¡°Mave, she is such a


    despicable woman with a vicious heart. She was the one who got me into this mess. You must not let


    her get away with it!¡±


    Samantha agreed with her and said, ¡°Mave, I heard that she often mistreats and torments you after you


    signed the employment contract with her. She has caused so much harm to Ms. Mossey, who is your


    lifesaver, the Wright family, and you. Don¡¯t you want to get back at her?¡±


    The look in Maverick¡¯s eyes grew increasingly dark.


    He lowered his head to browse the documents in his hand and deliberately concealed the anger in his


    eyes.


    With a cold tone, he asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Samantha grinned and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we join forces? You continue to gain her trust and inform


    me of her every move. Then, we can seize the perfect opportunity to eliminate her with ourbined


    efforts.¡±


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t outright kill her!¡± shouted Natasha as malice gradually surfaced in her eyes. ¡°Hand her over


    to me. She has to suffer everything I went through in prison. I want her to experience the ultimate


    torment and die with resentment in the end!¡±


    Maverick pursed his thin lips, showing no emotions on his face. However, his hands, which were


    hidden in his sleeves, were tightly clenched, which led to his knuckles turning pale from the pressure.


    Turning to Samantha, he asked calmly, ¡°Why should I join forces with you if I can handle it myself?


    However, Tasha¡¯s appearance at the charity g this time was well-nned, unlike your usual


    methods, Sammy. If you want to coborate with me, you need to show your sincerity and show me the


    value of working with you.¡±


    He lowered his heod to conceol the sudden surge of guilt in his eyes, not poying ottention to Notosho¡¯s


    words.


    Nico onswered for him, soying, ¡°Ms. Mossey, Boss olreody knows thot you¡¯re not the girl who soved


    him bock then. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s quite foolish thot you still bring up the motter now?¡±


    Notosho wos stunned for o moment before she suddenly fell to her knees weokly by Moverick¡¯s feet os


    if she wos boneless.


    ¡°Move, you were deceived by her! It reolly wos me who soved you bock then. I wos there ot the scene


    of the cor ident, but I wos young ond scored, so I didn¡¯t rush to sove you immediotely. Another girl


    wos first to drog you out of the cor ond left ofterword. In the end, it wos me whoe forword ond


    soved you. It truly wos me!¡±


    She cried in deep sorrow eornestly, ond her eyes shone with sincerity.


    Moverick remoined silent.


    Somontho honded o document to him.


    ¡°Moverick, she¡¯s telling the truth. I sent someone to look into your post ident. If you don¡¯t believe


    me, toke o look for yourself.¡±


    He took it ond corefully flipped through it. His cold ond stern expression remoined unchonged, ond his


    dork eyes were os deep os o dork obyss.


    ¡°So thot¡¯s how it wos. I thought Gwendolyn wos the one who soved me. It seems she lied to me.¡±


    Upon heoring thot, Notosho breothed o sigh of relief ond continued to cry. ¡°Move, she is such o


    despicoble womon with o vicious heort. She wos the one who got me into this mess. You must not let


    her get owoy with it!¡±


    Somontho ogreed with her ond soid, ¡°Move, I heord thot she often mistreots ond torments you ofter you


    signed the employment controct with her. She hos coused so much horm to Ms. Mossey, who is your


    lifesover, the Wright fomily, ond you. Don¡¯t you wont to get bock ot her?¡±


    The look in Moverick¡¯s eyes grew increosingly dork.


    He lowered his heod to browse the documents in his hond ond deliberotely conceoled the onger in his


    eyes.


    With o cold tone, he osked, ¡°Whot do you wont?¡±


    Somontho grinned ond suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we join forces? You continue to goin her trust ond inform


    me of her every move. Then, we con seize the perfect opportunity to eliminote her with ourbined


    efforts.¡±


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t outright kill her!¡± shouted Notosho os molice groduolly surfoced in her eyes. ¡°Hond her over


    to me. She hos to suffer everything I went through in prison. I wont her to experience the ultimote


    torment ond die with resentment in the end!¡±


    Moverick pursed his thin lips, showing no emotions on his foce. However, his honds, which were


    hidden in his sleeves, were tightly clenched, which led to his knuckles turning pole from the pressure.


    Turning to Somontho, he osked colmly, ¡°Why should I join forces with you if I con hondle it myself?


    However, Tosho¡¯s oppeoronce ot the chority golo this time wos well-plonned, unlike your usuol


    methods, Sommy. If you wont to colloborote with me, you need to show your sincerity ond show me the


    volue of working with you.¡±


    Samantha was slightly happy at being called ¡°Sammy.¡±


    After pondering for a while, she felt that they needed to be honest with each other if they were to


    coborate.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I admit that I didn¡¯t n everything myself this time. I was just in charge of execution. But don¡¯t worry,


    Maverick. The person who nned everything is very meticulous and can set up traps that connect


    seamlessly. If you cooperate with us, you definitely won¡¯t suffer any losses.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± He smiled faintly and asked, ¡°So, who is that person?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you yet, Maverick. Let¡¯s wait until you uncover the first piece of information from Gwendolyn.


    When we can trust each other, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Maverick nced at Nico, and he could no longer hide the surging anger deep in his eyes.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t have the patience to wait until then. I want to know it now!¡±


    No sooner had the words left his mouth than the bodyguard behind Samantha suddenly let out a


    muffled groan. His eyes bulged, and he clutched his neck with a hideous expression. Blood flowed out


    continuously through his fingers.


    After struggling for less than a second, the bodyguard died on the spot, copsing to the ground


    without getting up again.


    Nico, who was standing behind him, took out a tissue and gently wiped the knife in his hand, his face


    expressionless.


    The two women, Samantha and Natasha, were appalled by the sudden turn of events.


    ¡°Mave!¡±


    ¡°Maverick, what are you doing?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes were filled with intense hostility. He tore the documents in his hands that were the so-


    called truth before ring coldly at Natasha on the ground.


    ¡°The truth of who saved me back then doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Even if it was you, I¡¯ve already repaid


    my debt of gratitude by providing you with money for your education and satisfying all your vanity. Now,


    the person I love is her, and the one I want to protect is also her. You¡¯ve harmed her many times, so it¡¯s


    time to settle the score.¡±


    Natasha copsed to the ground. She covered her mouth in disbelief as she burst into tears.


    Samantha gritted her teeth in anger. ¡°You deliberately deceived me when you said you wanted to


    cooperate with me just now. You wanted to catch me off guard so you could kill my man, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Maverick did not deny it. Instead, he turned to Nico and instructed, ¡°Bring them back to the vi. We¡¯ll


    leave them to Gwendolyn. She can get even with them personally.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±


    Nico took out a drug-soaked handkerchief and walked toward Samantha first.


    Samantha took two steps back and leaned against the door. Then, she let out a chuckle.


    ¡°Maverick, do you think my backer didn¡¯t anticipate that this would happen? Since you refuse to join


    forces, then we¡¯ll see whether you can take us away unscathed!¡±

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151


    After she finished speaking, she swiftly pushed open the wooden door, revealing several bodyguards


    holding sharp machetes. They rushed in and blocked the entrance while exuding murderous intent.


    Upon seeing that, Natasha quickly got up and went past Maverick to hide behind the group of


    bodyguards. In an using tone, she said, ¡°Mave, that woman has totally bewitched you! I truly love


    you, but you insist on choosing her over me. It breaks my heart so much. Don¡¯t worry. After you die, I¡¯ll


    do my best to torment her to death to avenge you.¡±


    Her eyes reddened, and her heart was simmering with anger and resentment.


    Nico immediately stood in front of Maverick, assuming a defensive stance.


    Now that the tables had turned, Samantha felt smug.


    ¡°I heard she injected Maverick with a special drug before, which made him physically weak and unable


    to fight. If that¡¯s true, your little sidekick not only has to take on ten men barehanded but also has to


    protect you. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too much for him to handle?¡±


    Samantha was right.


    Maverick¡¯s current physical condition was so weak that he couldn¡¯t even fight a single person, let alone


    ten.


    He reckoned he would only hold Nico back if a fight broke out.


    The atmosphere in the cabin became subtly darker. One could turn the table anytime.


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    Nico red at her in displeasure. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business whether I can handle it. So what if there


    are ten of them? I could take on twenty more!¡±


    Samantha didn¡¯t even bother to look at him. Instead, she stared at Maverick behind him, continuing to


    entice him.


    ¡°It seems that the news was true. She¡¯s been so cruel to you. What is it about a woman like her that is


    worth your protection, Maverick? You are my family, and I would never treat you like this. I can¡¯t bear to


    see you die here today, so why don¡¯t you join us and help us get rid of her?¡±


    At the thought of Gwendolyn¡¯s delicate face, Maverick subconsciously curled his lips slightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Not only is she cruel, but she¡¯s also very cunning. She¡¯s only gentle and adorable when


    she¡¯s with Treyton and the rest, while all her anger and cruelty are directed at me. Nevertheless, I¡¯m


    willing to ept that. You can¡¯tpare to her at all.¡±


    His remark infuriated Samantha. ¡°Fine. Then don¡¯t think of leaving this ce alive today!¡±


    The bodyguards behind her stepped forward aggressively.


    Maverick, whose gaze was cold, narrowed his eyes. Even at such a critical moment, his deep ck


    eyes showed no trace of panic.


    He gazed intently at Samantha, his lips curving into a sly smile. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you really think I came


    here without making any preparations of my own?¡±


    Nico ced his hand over his mouth and let out a loud chirping sound like a bird.


    A few secondster, the wooden windows were violently smashed open.


    The loud noise startled Samantha and Natasha.


    Neville, apanied by five or six of his men, climbed in through the window and stood beside Nico


    before casually handing him a machete.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Due to the strict control of firearms in Chanaea and the fact that gunshots attracted attention easily,


    both parties resorted to using machetes.


    Otherwise, as soon as a gunfight began, it was just a matter of time who would take down their


    opponent first.


    Maverick¡¯s men had been with him for many years, fighting and risking their lives in actual battles


    together. Although they may be fewer in number, winning or losing was still uncertain if a real fight


    broke out.


    With the two groups of people in a standoff, the atmosphere was tense.


    Samantha felt indignant.


    Things won¡¯t be easy tonight.


    After feeling annoyed for two seconds, she thought of something and startedughing again.


    ¡°Maverick, there¡¯s something I forgot to tell you. I wasn¡¯t targeting you when I staged the act at the


    charity g. I¡¯m afraid that b*tch Gwendolyn might be unable to return home now. She hardly stands a


    chance.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyebrows furrowed while anger swirled in his dark gaze. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Samantha giggled. ¡°I meant it literally! Come on now. Let¡¯s see whose men are better!¡±


    She waved her hand, and the machete-wielding bodyguards quickly rushed forward to fight Nico and


    Neville¡¯s men.


    The scene was chaotic with blood sttering everywhere.


    Meanwhile, Elven drove the car with more care than usual as Gardens Hotel was quite far from Bay


    Vi, and it was nighttime. Besides, Gwendolyn had drunk a little.


    Despite so, Gwendolyn used the idle time to review the recent financial reports of Wright Construction


    Group on theptop on herp.


    Ezra repeatedly yawned as he was already sleepy while Elven focused on driving.


    As the traffic was light and the car windows were closed, it was silent inside the vehicle.


    Elven suddenly heard a faint beeping sound as he drove across Crane Bridge.


    Moreover, the sound wasing from inside the car. The beeping started slowly but gradually became


    quicker, as though it was counting down the time.


    Elven¡¯s face turned pale when he realized what the sound meant.


    ¡°Oh no! Ms. Shalders, get out of the car!¡±


    The three of them quickly came to their senses, opened the doors, and jumped out.


    The red Volkswagen Passat exploded with a loud bang a second after they leaped out of the car.


    The shockwave was so great that it sent them flying two meters away.


    Debris from the exploded car shot everywhere. A piece of the flying ss shards cut Gwendolyn¡¯s right


    shoulder.


    Intense pain quickly spread from her shoulder to every limb and joint.


    Blood streamed down Gwendolyn¡¯s fair arm. It was a shocking sight to see.


    Shocked by the sudden events, Elven and Ezra quickly got up to check on her.


    Neville, oponied by five or six of his men, climbed in through the window ond stood beside Nico


    before cosuolly honding him o mochete.


    Due to the strict control of fireorms in Chonoeo ond the foct thot gunshots ottrocted ottention eosily,


    both porties resorted to using mochetes.


    Otherwise, os soon os o gunfight begon, it wos just o motter of time who would toke down their


    opponent first.


    Moverick¡¯s men hod been with him for mony yeors, fighting ond risking their lives in octuol bottles


    together. Although they moy be fewer in number, winning or losing wos still uncertoin if o reol fight


    broke out.


    With the two groups of people in o stondoff, the otmosphere wos tense.


    Somontho felt indignont.


    Things won¡¯t be eosy tonight.


    After feeling onnoyed for two seconds, she thought of something ond storted loughing ogoin.


    ¡°Moverick, there¡¯s something I forgot to tell you. I wosn¡¯t torgeting you when I stoged the oct ot the


    chority golo. I¡¯m ofroid thot b*tch Gwendolyn might be unoble to return home now. She hordly stonds o


    chonce.¡±


    Moverick¡¯s eyebrows furrowed while onger swirled in his dork goze. ¡°Whot do you meon?¡±


    Somontho giggled. ¡°I meont it literolly! Come on now. Let¡¯s see whose men ore better!¡±


    She woved her hond, ond the mochete-wielding bodyguords quickly rushed forword to fight Nico ond


    Neville¡¯s men.


    The scene wos chootic with blood splottering everywhere.


    Meonwhile, Elven drove the cor with more core thon usuol os Gordens Hotel wos quite for from Boy


    Villo, ond it wos nighttime. Besides, Gwendolyn hod drunk o little.


    Despite so, Gwendolyn used the idle time to review the recent finonciol reports of Wright Construction


    Group on the loptop on her lop.


    Ezro repeotedly yowned os he wos olreody sleepy while Elven focused on driving.


    As the troffic wos light ond the cor windows were closed, it wos silent inside the vehicle.


    Elven suddenly heord o foint beeping sound os he drove ocross Crone Bridge.


    Moreover, the sound wosing from inside the cor. The beeping storted slowly but groduolly be


    quicker, os though it wos counting down the time.


    Elven¡¯s foce turned pole when he reolized whot the sound meont.


    ¡°Oh no! Ms. Sholders, get out of the cor!¡±


    The three of them quicklye to their senses, opened the doors, ond jumped out.


    The red Volkswogen Possot exploded with o loud bong o second ofter they leoped out of the cor.


    The shockwove wos so greot thot it sent them flying two meters owoy.


    Debris from the exploded cor shot everywhere. A piece of the flying gloss shords cut Gwendolyn¡¯s right


    shoulder.


    Intense poin quickly spreod from her shoulder to every limb ond joint.


    Blood streomed down Gwendolyn¡¯s foir orm. It wos o shocking sight to see.


    Shocked by the sudden events, Elven ond Ezro quickly got up to check on her.


    ¡°How could I let Ms. Shalders get hurt? I truly deserve death!¡± Elven eximed in frustration, pping


    himself in the face.


    Gwendolyn endured the pain and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    It dawned on her that a timed bomb had been installed in the car beforehand, which caused it to


    explode.


    At that moment, Gwendolyn suddenly understood why her enemy had staged the act at the charity


    g.


    Natasha knew she couldn¡¯t hurt Gwendolyn but deliberately made a move in public to make thetter¡¯s


    bodyguards show up so that she could tamper with her car.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and take Ms. Shalders to the hospital!¡± Ezra shouted at Elven.


    The two of them helped Gwendolyn up, but before they could take more than a few steps, they


    suddenly heard rapid and heavy footsteps approaching them.


    Tall men in ck suits, looking well-trained and wielding machetes, appeared.


    In the dark night, the streetlights were dim as killing intent filled the air.


    The exits on both sides of Crane Bridge had been blocked, so Gwendolyn and the other two found


    themselves trapped in the middle of the bridge.


    nking Gwendolyn, Elven and Ezra assumed a defensive stance while facing the approaching


    assassins from both sides.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t remain idle either. After doing a rough headcount, she realized there were twenty


    men on each side of the bridge.


    When she was done counting, sheughed and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to bring me a surprise gift this


    soon. Forty elite assassins just to kill a weak woman like me. He really has high regard for me.¡±


    The assassins on both ends wore solemn expressions and remained silent as they marched forward.


    ¡°Forty against three. Besides, my shoulder is injured. There¡¯s a slim chance of winning this fight.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curved into a smile that looked extraordinarily charming and seductive. Her voice was


    soft and delicate as she spoke. ¡°I¡¯m about to die anyway. Can you at least tell me who he is? So that I


    can die in peace.¡±


    The leader of the assassins, who walked up to her from the right side of the bridge, eximed, ¡°Ms.


    Shalders, there¡¯s more than one person in the Harris family who wants you dead.¡±


    Does this mean that they conspired to scheme all of this?


    Her long, curled eyshes drooped as she let out a soft sigh. The faint sheen in her eyes made her


    starry gaze look colder while an unparalleled aggrieved expression lingered on her wless face.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know what I did wrong. They¡¯ve tried to kill me several times, and I¡¯ve already left


    Salinsburgh. Why won¡¯t they just let me go?¡±


    The lead assassin lowered his head.


    When he looked up again, his expression was cold and void of emotions.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! You¡¯ll get your answers in hell! Kill them!¡±

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    Over forty men dressed in ck charged forward from both sides at the leader¡¯smand.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression was solemn as she grasped Elven¡¯s and Ezra¡¯s hands and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve


    already informed Treyton. Don¡¯t risk your lives to fight them. I want both of you to stay alive!¡±


    Just a moment ago, she had secretly sent a message using her phone while speaking to the assassins.


    She only needed to hold on for ten more minutes before Treyton¡¯s men arrived.


    Upon hearing this, Elven and Ezra became even more determined to protect her at all costs and


    attacked the approaching assassins brutally, showing no mercy.


    The tight-fitting gown made it difficult for Gwendolyn to lift her legs.


    She immediately tore off a small strip of fabric from the slit of her gown and quickly wrapped it around


    her right shoulder to stop the bleeding.


    While she was doing this, an assassin suddenly charged at her.


    She swiftly dodged to the side and kicked the man¡¯s groin with her twelve-centimeter stilettos. His face


    turned pale from the pain, and Gwendolyn knocked him out by hitting the back of his neck before he


    could react.


    With forty men against three, the scene was extremely chaotic.


    Meanwhile, a fierce and bloody fight broke out in the cabin.


    Nico and Neville were strong, but Samantha¡¯s men were too. The chaossted for five minutes.


    As Maverick thought of Samantha¡¯s earlier words, his heart twisted in pain.


    He couldn¡¯t wait any longer. The longer he stayed here, the more danger Gwendolyn would be in.


    ¡°Nico,e with me to save Gwendolyn. Everyone, cover us and retreat!¡±


    The scent of blood permeated the air on Crane Bridge.


    Elven and Ezra had each snatched a machete from their opponents. Their gazes were filled with rage


    as they attacked relentlessly.


    However, too many enemies were charging at them, one after another. Their strength was drained


    within just a few minutes, leaving them barely able to fend off the onught. Although the des


    shed their backs and legs, they simply gritted their teeth and withstood the pain.


    Gwendolyn was already injured, so her strength depleted fast. A momentarypse of concentration had


    her being shed in her arm again.


    Her fair and slender arm was stained with a long trail of blood. The pain caused her entire arm to


    tremble uncontrobly.


    She pressed on her bleeding wound with her hand, bit her lower lip to endure the pain, and quickly


    read the situation.


    Elven and Ezra, wounded and covered in blood, were still fighting back despite suffering numerous


    cuts.


    If this continues, we will die before Treyton can even get here!


    As she watched blood sttering everywhere, rage stirred within her.


    I will surely make them pay a thousand-fold, even a million-fold, for the pain I suffer tonight one day!


    She stood on one of the stone pirs on Crane Bridge, her hair disheveled by the wind.


    However, the smile on her bloodstained face still looked stunningly beautiful.


    As she looked down with a cold gaze from above, her pride and aloofness remained undiminished


    despite her being wounded, as if they were carved into her bones.


    ¡°I can¡¯t escape from those who want to kill me, but even if I have to die, I¡¯ll decide how!¡±


    After yelling, she jumped off the ten-meter-high Crane Bridge.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders! No!¡±


    Elven¡¯s desperate scream was thest thing she heard before plunging into the water.


    As it was dusk, she couldn¡¯t see anything in the water. The dim yellow glow from the streetlights on the


    bridge became her only light source.


    As the light gradually faded, she suddenly experienced an intense headache while unclear images


    continuously shed before her eyes.


    A tender and crisp voice also sounded, saying, ¡°Miss, please buy a bouquet. You¡¯re as beautiful as


    these flowers! Miss, why do you have a dad, but I don¡¯t? Can you share your dad with me, please?


    Miss, I really like you but can only choose between you and a dad. Miss, Miss¡­¡±


    Who is it? Who exactly is she?


    Gwendolyn¡¯s head throbbed with unbearable pain. A blurry image of a young girl staring at her and


    laughing non-stopped appeared in her head.


    Aside from theughter and the little girl¡¯s blurry face, she couldn¡¯t hear or see anything else.


    She forgot to struggle, so her body sank deeper into theke due to the loss of buoyancy.


    Am I going to die?


    Her consciousness gradually faded.


    Just before she passed outpletely, she felt someone grabbing her tightly before giving her oxygen


    through his mouth, thus pulling her back from the brink of death.


    When Gwendolyn groggily woke up, the first thing she saw was a pristine white ceiling.


    ¡°Kiddo, are you feeling better now?¡±


    Treyton¡¯s familiar, low, raspy voice rang in her ears.


    Gwendolyn turned her head, and Treyton¡¯s handsome face gradually came into focus before her eyes.


    With a hoarse voice, she called out, ¡°Treyton.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak for now. Your fever just subsided. Don¡¯t hurt your throat.¡±


    Treyton, whose eyes were slightly red, gently rubbed her head. Although distraught, he couldn¡¯t bear to


    raise his voice at her as he scolded, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Winter is just around the corner, and


    theke is freezing cold. Besides, you were injured. What if you get a wound infection? Don¡¯t you care


    about your life at all?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s pale lips curled into a faint smile, reassuring him. Then she asked, ¡°How are Elven and


    Ezra?¡±


    Treyton was annoyed to see her worrying about others immediately after waking up but still replied


    softly, ¡°They¡¯re fine. Although they have many cuts, none of the injuries are critical. They will recover


    after resting some time.¡±


    Gwendolyn breathed a sigh of relief and was about to continue asking when Treyton stopped her.


    ¡°You just woke up. Why do you have so many questions? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to sleep a bit more?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face turned pale, and she didn¡¯t speak. Instead, she stared at him quietly.


    Under her gaze, Treyton gave in. ¡°All right, kid. You win. I know what you want to ask. How about you


    drink some soup while I tell you everything?¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled, looking pleased.


    Sighing, he adjusted her pillow so she could lean against the headboard and drink the soup.


    ¡°As soon as I received your message, I immediately rushed over with my men. Before we even got


    close, I heard you shouting on the edge of the bridge. You really scared the hell out of me. Please don¡¯t


    do this ever again!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes curved as she smiled and nodded obediently.


    Treyton continued, ¡°I looked into the identities of those assassins but got nothing. They were all raised


    by a secret organization, so there was no way to find anything out. However, it¡¯s most likely someone


    from the Harris family since they¡¯re always targeting you and are more than able to spend so much


    money.¡±


    Previously, Treyton, Asher, Kieran, and Marcus had conducted private investigations but never found


    any clues. Asher even resorted to using underground connections in his search but still couldn¡¯t


    discover anything.


    Gwendolyn took a couple of sips of the soup and said weakly, ¡°There¡¯s more than one person in the


    Harris family who wants me dead, so their ns are well thought out. That was how they did everything


    perfectly.¡±


    Treyton furrowed his brows. ¡°But why do they only target you?¡±


    Gwendolyn thought momentarily and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but perhaps it has


    something to do with the right of inheritance to Harris Group.¡±


    Since she was the youngest and the only daughter in the family, Marcus had consulted awyer to draft


    his will long ago. She would eventually inherit the Harris family¡¯s assets¡ªa huge fortune no one could


    resist.


    Her words made sense to Treyton. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, those old geezers rted to the Harris family


    must be involved in this. Catching them red-handed is just a matter of time.¡±


    These are just spections. Then, Gwendolyn recalled the little girl¡¯s face shing across her mind


    before she lost consciousness.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    The girl¡¯s words kept repeating in her ears as if they had happened to her before.


    Although she had experienced amnesia before, she eventually recollected her memories after some


    time.


    Why is this happening?


    Gwendolyn was utterly baffled.


    ¡°Treyton, does Dad have another daughter besides me?¡±

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    Treyton sank into deep thought.


    After pondering for a while, he shook his head.


    ¡°No. You should know that Dad is not young anymore. He was already well advanced in age when you


    were born. Lori has been trying all ways and means to get pregnant, but we never heard that she


    seeded.¡±


    Lori Sablich was Gwendolyn¡¯s stepmother, who was only three years older than her. Lorelei and


    Gwendolyn could never get along. Whenever they crossed paths, it seemed inevitable that they would


    argue.


    Gwendolyn thought hard for a moment.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    She always had a strong feeling that the image of the little girl in her mind was somehow connected to


    how she ended up in Faike after losing her memory.


    However, she could not remember anything about it.


    Gwendolyn decided that she had to spend some time investigating that matter.


    For the time being, she had to put it aside.


    ¡°Treyton, what did you do to that group of peoplest night?¡±


    Treyton did not say anything.


    By the time he got to the bridge that night, the situation had already concluded. Maverick had arrived


    with his men first.


    Treyton then cleaned up the mess at the scene. He kept a few men alive and brought them back for


    interrogation.


    After mulling over it, Treyton chose not to inform Gwendolyn that Maverick was present at the scene.


    ¡°They hurt my sister, so I have to kill them to seek justice for you. I spared two of the men and locked


    them up. Once you¡¯ve recovered, you can interrogate them and try to gather any relevant information.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Gwendolyn ced the chicken soup on the table by the bed. She remembered vaguely that someone


    had saved herst night.


    ¡°Did you jump into the water to save mest night?¡±


    The thought of that got Treyton all riled up.


    By the time he arrived at the scene, Maverick had already jumped into the water.


    When he carried Gwendolyn out of the water, Treyton noticed that the slits on both sides of her gown


    were torn. Treyton wondered if Maverick had done something inappropriate to her.


    ¡°Uh, yes, I did.¡± He looked away, somewhat uneasy.


    Gwendolyn stared at Treyton, frowning. ¡°Really? I remember someone kissing me and delivering air


    through my mouth so I could breathe.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Just as Treyton expected, Maverick had been up to no good.


    Treyton berated himself for being too softhearted. He should have thrown Maverick into the water and


    let him freeze to death that night.


    ¡°You were not in the right state of mind then. You must be mistaken.¡±


    Gwendolyn stared into his eyes. ¡°Treyton, you¡¯d better not lie to me.¡±


    ¡°Why would I deceive you? It¡¯s true.¡± He looked up and met her gaze resolutely.


    Gwendolyn knew her brother very well.


    Even if she knew Treyton was not telling the truth, she would not be able to get any answers if he


    refused to say anything.


    She then tried to ask him in a roundabout way, ¡°What about Maverick? Where was hest night?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea where he wentst night. He¡¯s such an irresponsible guy. Natasha caused this mess,


    and it¡¯s all because of him. Don¡¯t bother about him. I¡¯ve locked him up in Bay Vi so he can¡¯t leave.¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned. She was about to say something when Treyton picked up the bowl of soup,


    cutting her off.


    ¡°Here, Kiddo, drink up. Flora made the soup personally. Your injuries will heal faster if you drink it.¡±


    Meanwhile, in the basement of Bay Vi, loud, intense coughing could be heard. It sounded severe and


    forceful, reverberating throughout the room eerily.


    Maverick curled up on the cold floor. His eyes were dull and tired, looking like he was in a state of


    profound illness.


    His face was ashen as a result of continuous coughing. He looked weary and exhausted.


    His body was covered in a cold sweat, yet it felt excessively hot when touched.


    Besides that, Maverick¡¯s level of awareness was diminishing.


    Elven had the closest rtionship with him. However, he was in the hospital, recovering from his


    injuries.


    Treyton had instructed William and Quinton to lock Maverick in the basement. They did not give him


    any water or food. There was not even a light in the room.


    Maverick had been locked up in the basement for more than ten hours.


    If this continued, his life might be in danger due to the persistently high fever and his weakened


    physical condition.


    They still had not found the person who attacked Gwendolyn, and Samantha and Natasha had gotten


    away scot-free. Hence, Maverick had to stay alive.


    Mustering all his strength, he ced his hand on his lips.


    As he was not sure if Nico was in the vicinity, he whistled repeatedly.


    William and Quinton heard some noises from the basement and opened the door.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, stop making trouble for us. Mr. Harris said that as soon as Ms. Shalders is well enough to


    leave the hospital, we¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    Both William and Quinton did not want to stay in the basement any longer after warning Maverick. They


    mmed the door shut and locked it.


    Maverick was suddenly hit by a gust of cold wind that rushed in as the door opened, causing him to


    have a severe coughing fit.


    He coughed so hard that his shoulders hunched forward, and he was visibly trembling all over his body.


    The night before, Maverick had insisted on jumping into the river to save Gwendolyn. Worried about his


    safety, Nico had been hiding around Bay Vi to monitor the situation.


    When he heard Maverick¡¯s faint and weak signal for help, a wave of fury crashed through Nico.


    ¡°Damn it! They¡¯re not humans!¡±


    He led Neville and a few men straight to the basement of the vi.


    William and Quinton did their best to stop Nico and his men.


    However, both of them were no match for the ferocious group. Within a few minutes, William and


    Quinton were defeated and beaten unconscious.


    Nico kicked open the basement door. The moment he saw Maverick, a surge of anger welled up in his


    chest.


    ¡°Damn it! Is this how you repay someone who saved a life? I want to kill them all!¡±


    Neville was equally infuriated. ¡°Let¡¯s get rid of those two bodyguards! I¡¯ll freaking suffocate if I don¡¯t let


    my anger out!¡±


    Just as Nico was about to answer Neville, Maverick¡¯s scorching hot hand gripped his wrist tightly.


    Maverick¡¯s voice had be hoarse due to the long hours of coughing. He could hardly make a


    sound. Neither did he have the energy to speak.


    However, Nico understood what he meant.


    Maverick did not want him to kill William and Quinton.


    Nico struggled internally before sighing. Maverick was his boss, after all. He had no choice but to obey


    thetter¡¯s instructions.


    However, Nico also knew that his men needed an outlet to vent their frustrations. He asked Neville to


    bring William and Quinton to the basement and lock them up.


    They then carried Maverick to the room on the second floor before cing a cooling patch on him.


    Upon testing Maverick¡¯s temperature, they realized he was running a fever of 38.9 degrees Celsius. A


    cooling patch would not be enough to bring down his fever.


    Nico asked his men to buy some antipyretics and administer them, along with fever-reducing injections,


    to Maverick.


    It was onlyte at night when a frail Maverick regained consciousness.


    Nico took Maverick¡¯s temperature again to see that his fever had subsided.


    Fortunately, his life was not in danger.


    Nico sat by the bed as he let out a sigh of relief. He did not look too pleased, though.


    ¡°Boss, this is what you get for risking your life to rush to the scene. Treyton locked you up and did not


    allow you to visit Ms. Shalders at the hospital. I bet she doesn¡¯t even know you are the one who saved


    her. This is absurd!¡±


    Maverick half-closed his eyes, his eyshes fluttering lightly.


    Due to the high fever and fatigue, his spirited and lively eyes had lost their luster. His once vibrant and


    striking countenance now bore a pallor, while an undeniable fragility marked his features.


    Treyton had always disliked Maverick, so it was not surprising that he would treat Maverick this way.


    Maverick could not help but feel guilty toward Treyton now that he knew thetter was his former


    brother-inw.


    He was not too worried about Gwendolyn. Treyton would undoubtedly take good care of her in the


    hospital.


    Nico looked at a silent Maverick. His heart wrenched at seeing his boss looking so pale and weak.


    ¡°Boss, I don¡¯t want to nag at you. You know your body isn¡¯t as strong as it used to be, and you can¡¯t


    withstand the cold. The water in the river was so cold, yet you jumped in to save Ms. Shalders. Couldn¡¯t


    you have waited for Treyton to save her instead?¡±


    Nico wondered if Maverick was stupid or crazy.


    However, he did not dare to say his thoughts out loud.


    He was afraid of the consequences when Maverick recovered.

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    Maverick¡¯s voice had gone hoarse, and he did not feel like talking. He turned over and continued to


    sleep.


    When he rushed overst night, he happened to hear Gwendolyn¡¯s shout and watched helplessly as


    she jumped into the river.


    That feeling of his heart pounding away uncontrobly was so unbearably suffocating.


    Just thinking about it made his heart ache.


    He would never let this happen again.


    Nico noticed he was being ignored and knew he simply could not get through to Maverick.


    After so many years of working for Maverick, this was the first time Nico had seen him going all out for


    someone.


    Boss, please take a good rest. If you need anything, just call me. Don¡¯t force yourself.


    Nico sighed helplessly, poured Maverick a cup of warm water, and ced it on the bedside table. Then,


    he turned around, left the room, and gently closed the door behind him.


    Maverick was still feverish, and his mind was already groggy. He quickly fell back asleep.


    The vi was silent and pitch-ck in the dead of night.


    Nico made his way down to the basement, his face gloomy.


    Neville and a few other subordinates were guarding the basement door.


    William and Quinton had been awake for quite some time. They were extremely furious about being


    locked up and kept banging on the door while shouting.


    Neville saw Nico approaching and walked up. ¡°How¡¯s it going? Is the boss feeling better now?¡±


    Nico nodded.


    Neville breathed a sigh of relief. He gritted his teeth and continued, ¡°Can we just get rid of these two?


    They¡¯ve been cursing non-stop since they woke up. I don¡¯t think I can hold it in any longer!¡±


    Nico¡¯s expression was grim, too. Although he could do nothing to Treyton, at least he could vent his


    anger on the twockeys of the Harris family.


    After all, it did not matter as long as their lives were spared.


    Open the door. Let me in.


    The basement door swung open. William and Quinton tried to make a run for it the moment they had


    the chance. However, they did not get far before they were caught, tied up, and thrown back onto the


    floor.


    Just as Quinton was about to make a scene, his mouth was stuffed with a cloth.


    Since William had reluctantly spoken up for Maverick before, Nico appreciated his favor and did not


    forcefully silence him.


    Moreover, William himself was much quieter than Quinton, who acted like an aggressive monkey.


    Even with his mouth covered, Quinton continued making annoying muffled sounds. With a fierce look in


    his eyes, Nico pulled out a knife and forcefully stabbed it into the floor between Quinton¡¯s legs, stopping


    just a millimeter short of cutting through his flesh.


    Quinton¡¯s pupils constricted with fear.


    Just a little closer, and he might have to spend the rest of his life castrated.


    What a ruthless person!


    Seeing his anger fade away, Nico sneered. ¡°Can you please listen to me seriously?¡±


    William remained silent while Quinton nodded his head vigorously.


    Mr. Wright saved Ms. Shalders, but instead of thanking him, Mr. Harris locked him up and left him to


    suffer from a high fever. Isn¡¯t that a bit too much? This really made us frustrated.


    William and Quinton did not know what he wanted to do, so they kept quiet.


    Nico continued, ¡°Since the Harris family pays you, and you two work for Mr. Harris, you should also


    ept this punishment for him.¡±


    The two could barely perceive the sense of threat emanating from him.


    Nico smirked and patted the two on their arms. ¡°Well, sorry about this, but you two will have to let our


    subordinates each throw a few punches to let off some steam, and then we¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Let off some steam? They¡¯re going to use us as punching bags!


    Knowing he could not escape, William said, ¡°Don¡¯t hit the face!¡±


    Nico smiled. ¡°Sure, as you wish.¡±


    If their faces were badly bruised, it would be even more difficult to exin the situation to Gwendolyn if


    she saw them.


    Nico got up and leaned against the door. He added, ¡°Mr. Wright doesn¡¯t know about this, so don¡¯t snitch


    and let him take the me. Can you do that?¡±


    William was already feeling a bit guilty when he found out Maverick was running a high fever while he


    was locked up. Without hesitation, he said, ¡°Okay, but¡­ can you go easy on us?¡±


    Nico did not say a word and turned to leave the basement. Soon after, a terrible wail echoed from


    behind him.


    After lying in the hospital for two days, Gwendolyn was discharged.


    The first thing she did was to meet the two assassins Treyton had captured alive.


    As the weather gradually grew colder, she wore a ck trench coat with a red velvet long skirt. Paired


    with a touch of red lipstick, she looked dashing and charming, exuding an aura like a queen gracing her


    presence.


    The two assassins were locked in the basement of Treyton¡¯s mansion and tied to chairs with iron


    chains. Their faces and bodies were covered in wounds, indicating they had been tortured several


    times before. Their mouths were slightly open and stuffed with cloth strips to prevent them from biting


    their tongues.


    A bodyguard brought a chair for Gwendolyn, and she sat down just three meters away from the two


    assassins.


    Upon seeing the face of one of the assassins, she was slightly taken aback, and her red lips curved


    into a smile.


    Oh, it¡¯s you. The only man who answered my question that day.


    His gaze was icy cold, and he turned his face away.


    Gwendolyn had always been very patient.


    She rested her cheek on one hand, her face beaming with an enchanting smile. ¡°Hey, Handsome.


    Others may not know the inside story, but you definitely do. If you share the secret with me, I can


    persuade them to let you go and even give you money to live a carefree life. What do you say?¡±


    Her voice was incredibly soothing.


    The person shuddered at the nickname and nced at her subconsciously, almost getting sucked into


    her innocent, harmless, glistening eyes.


    What a vixen!


    Clearly annoyed, he turned his head away and closed his eyes, ignoring her.


    Their rules were stringent. If one were to leak a secret, they would only face a more miserable death.


    By gritting their teeth and staying silent, they might be able to survive this ordeal.


    Are you not going to say it? Gwendolyn pursed her lips and instructed the people beside her, ¡°Let them


    go.¡±


    Ms. Shalders, they haven¡¯t confessed anything yet. Should we really let them go?


    Gwendolyn nodded. She did not seem to be joking.


    The two looked utterly bewildered as they were blindfolded with a ck cloth and led out of the


    Shalders residence.


    After they left, Treyton came in and asked, ¡°Kiddo, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Find a few people to trail them. If someone tries to silence them, save them when necessary.


    If they were released directly, the other party would definitely think that the two of them had already


    leaked the secret. Adhering to the principle of ¡°better to kill by mistake than to let go,¡± the other party


    would undoubtedly cause trouble for the two again.


    The more often they took action over there, the easier it was for them to expose their weaknesses. It


    would be advantageous for her to investigate thoroughly.


    Treyton was an intelligent man, and he immediately understood her intentions. Without hesitation, he


    set out to get things done.


    After making sure everything was well-organized, Gwendolyn prepared to return to Bay Vi.


    Treyton asked, ¡°Kiddo, how about staying at my ce for a few days? You¡¯ve always loved Flora¡¯s


    cooking. I¡¯ll ask her to make some extra food to nourish your body.¡±


    That¡¯s all right. I¡¯m almost all better now.


    She smiled faintly, then stood up and left.


    Upon learning she was returning, William and Quinton came out with big smiles to wee her.


    Hello, Ms. Shalders.


    Mm.


    Gwendolyn nced at the two of them.


    Despite their excellent hiding skills, she still keenly noticed something was amiss.


    Quinton was beaten up quite hard, and she could see a faint bruise peeking out from under the cor of


    his shirt near the edge of his neck.


    What happened to your neck?


    Quinton suddenly clutched his neck and exchanged nces with William.


    I identally fell.


    Can one really injure that area from a fall?


    The two of them hung their heads, not speaking.


    Gwendolyn narrowed her cold eyes and said nothing more. She retracted her gaze and entered the


    living room.


    As soon as the door opened, Maverick happened to be walking down from the second floor.


    The gazes of the two people met from afar.


    Maverick¡¯s fever had subsided, but he was still a bit frail. His handsome face was pale, and his dark,


    deep pupilscked their usual vigor today.


    Gwendolyn also noticed his thin lips were slightly dry and somewhat pale.


    Why does he look so sickly?


    She stood at the door, frowning, and did not move.


    Maverick noticed she did not look well, so he quickly went downstairs and silently took out a pair of


    slippers from the shoe cab for her.


    Gwendolyn felt more puzzled.


    Why isn¡¯t he speaking? Is he trying something different by acting distant? I wasn¡¯t home for only two


    days, so why is everyone acting strangely?

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    As Gwendolyn slipped on her slippers, she observed him closely.


    She took off her trench coat and handed it to him.


    Maverick paused for a second. His long eyshes drooped slightly, and his handsome face was pale.


    He obediently took the trench coat from Gwendolyn and helped her hang it on the coat rack.


    He did not take the initiative to speak,pletely unlike his usual attentive and diligent self.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression grew darker and darker.


    Maverick did not notice at all and turned his head to nce at the clock on the living room wall.


    It was almost noon already.


    He eagerly headed to the kitchen to prepare a meal.


    Gwendolyn sat on the couch with an imposing posture.


    ¡°Come here.¡± Her tone was cold when she spoke, leaving no room for interruption.


    Maverick¡¯s broad back stiffened for a moment, then he turned around, walked to her, and stood still.


    She did not look up, her expression somewhat cold. ¡°I remember someone once said they wouldn¡¯t


    make me look up to them.¡±


    Maverick did not budge, feeling awkward as he noticed her attitude toward him remained icy cold.


    Did Treyton really not tell her that I was the one who saved her? Anyway, did Gwendolyne back


    today to settle the score of my attending the charity g with Samantha?


    He had thought he could bnce his merits and demerits. Suddenly, he felt a suffocating tightness in


    his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    It was an imposing hum, possessing a delicate, gentle tone produced uniquely by women.


    Gwendolyn was growing a bit impatient.


    Maverick froze for two seconds, then went down on one knee, slowly squatting in front of her feet. His


    eyes were still downcast, and his eyshes trembled gently.


    Gwendolyn sensed his awkwardness, which made her feel even more confused. She gently lifted his


    chin with her fingertips, forcing him to look up.


    Their eyes met.


    Maverick¡¯s eyes were tinged with a hint of red. Within his deep ck pupilsy a sense of vulnerability


    and grievance that he tried to conceal but could not quite hide.


    He looked as though he had been bullied.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s frown deepened.


    I haven¡¯t even asked anything yet, and he¡¯s already feeling aggrieved?


    ¡°What have you been up to these past couple of days? Mr. Harris seemed to have said you¡¯re not


    allowed to go out. Have you not done any housework during this time?¡±


    Maverick pursed his thin lips, feeling as if someone was clenching his heart, the pain making it difficult


    for him to catch his breath.


    Gwendolyn raised her chin a little higher. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Cat got your tongue?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m recuperating,¡± he responded curtly. His voice was deep and hoarse, yet his tone conveyed subtle


    grievances.


    Gwendolyn chuckled lightly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with your throat? Are you sick or something?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m running a fever.¡±


    He had been staying in the vi for two days without going out, and it had not rained during that time.


    How could he have caught a fever?


    He must have had a pretty high fever these past few days given his extremely pale face.


    Gwendolyn more or less had an idea.


    She released her grip on his chin. ¡°Don¡¯t just squat there. Sit on the couch over there.¡±


    Maverick epted the offer, stood up, and sat directly on the small couch nearby.


    He was already rtively weak. After he squatted for just a short while, his legs began to feel numb,


    and his head felt a bit dizzy.


    If he squatted for much longer, he was afraid he might be unable to hold on.


    Gwendolyn gracefully poured herself a ss of water and continued to ask, ¡°What happened to


    Quinton¡¯s injuries? Who did it?¡±


    Maverick watched her drink water as his Adam¡¯s apple unconsciously moved slightly. Without skipping


    a beat, he said casually, ¡°I¡¯ve been lying in my room for two days, so I¡¯m not sure. Maybe he fell.¡±


    No one was willing to tell her the truth.


    Gwendolyn did not want to dwell on the matter any longer and returned to the main topic. ¡°Why were


    you at the charity g that day?¡±


    Maverick had just parted his lips to speak when Gwendolyn stared at him intently, reminding him, ¡°I


    want to hear the truth.¡±


    ¡°I rode in Samantha¡¯s car and went to the countryside to meet Natasha.¡± He gulped and stole a nce


    at Gwendolyn¡¯s expression. Seeing no change in her demeanor, he went on, ¡°At the party, Samantha


    was just carrying out orders. There was someone behind her, scheming and nning everything


    meticulously. This person calcted every move urately. Samantha said she wanted to join forces


    with me but was also prepared for the possibility that I would refuse and had ns to silence me¡­¡±


    Here, he let out a cough. He had spoken too much that his throat felt as though it was on fire.


    Gwendolyn casually handed him a cup, gesturing for him to pour water for himself. Her eyes were filled


    with amusement as she stared at him. ¡°You¡¯re telling me about joining forces, but aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll


    be suspicious of you, thinking you¡¯re deliberately exposing yourself?¡±


    ¡°Since you want to hear the truth from me, I won¡¯t hide it from you.¡± As for whether she believed him or


    not, that was not something he could decide.


    ¡°Really?¡± Gwendolyn slightly curved her lips, resting her cheek on one hand while the other was


    propped on her knee. She tilted her head to look at him and gave a sly smile. ¡°Then, I want to know


    what happened to Quinton¡¯s injury. Be honest.¡±


    Maverick pondered momentarily, and his thin lips slightly parted. ¡°He offended me, so I had Nico hurt


    him.¡±


    Nico?


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows, sensing he was hiding something else.


    Frankly speaking, Gwendolyn had sorted things out and roughly figured it out at this point.


    It was likely rted to Treyton in some way.


    That aside, Samantha could be both the executor and nner this time.


    Gwendolyn could not feel at ease before she settled the ounts.


    She stood up and gently straightened her red velvet skirt. ¡°Since it was your subordinates who hurt


    mine, I¡¯ll have your people work for me today. I¡¯m going to collect a debt from the Lane family.¡±


    Her eyes sparkled like stars as she finished speaking, and her charming little face disyed a mix of


    cold arrogance and swagger.


    Maverick was stunned as he gazed into the faint glimmer in her eyes.


    By the time he came to his senses, Gwendolyn had already taken the ck trench coat from the coat


    rack, ready to head out.


    He hurriedly followed her and contacted Nico, arranging for Neville and his subordinates to work for her


    for a day.


    Once everyone had gathered, Gwendolyn took a nce and felt it was still not enough.


    Maverick exined, ¡°Gwendolyn, they¡¯ve all fought tooth and nail, crawling out of piles of corpses.


    Their skills are not weak. Nico alone is more than enough to deal with the useless bodyguards at the


    Lane residence.¡±


    That was still not enough.


    A couple of days ago, she was involved in a forty-against-three fight.


    She wanted Samantha to experience the overwhelming force of a mob.


    However, Elven and Ezra were still lying in the hospital, while William and Quinton seemed to have


    been injured.


    She decided to call Yulia. ¡°Get me some people from the organization who are good at fighting. Your


    boss is going to start a fight.¡±


    Maverick was listening closely nearby, keenly picking up on the words like ¡°organization¡± and ¡°your


    boss.¡±


    Soon, Gwendolyn had impressively gathered a group of fifty people. Together with Maverick¡¯s team and


    herself, there were a total of fifty-eight people.


    Even the ground quaked lightly beneath their feet as they marched.


    That domineering presence looked quite intimidating from afar.


    Gwendolyn was quite satisfied and ready to set off when someone suddenly grabbed her wrist.


    Maverick stared at her with a gloomy expression, his voice hoarse as heined, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going


    to take me to the fight?¡±


    Gwendolyn blinked and gently patted his pale cheek. She said yfully, ¡°Sweetie, you¡¯re sick. You can¡¯t


    fight.¡±


    Although that was not what Gwendolyn meant, thest sentence deeply hurt Maverick¡¯s nerves as it


    was uttered in front of the crowd.


    Maverick¡¯s face was solemn.


    ¡°I can!¡± He spoke with utmost seriousness, emphasizing his words through gritted teeth.


    At the Lane residence, a few bored bodyguards at the entrance suddenly felt an overwhelming


    marching sound that caused even the water cup on the table to tremble.


    They turned their heads in surprise and disbelief.


    They saw a woman with stunningly beautiful facial features wearing a trench coat and a red skirt and


    exuding an air of dominance.


    Arge group of tall and burly men followed closely behind. Their menacing presence was evident as


    they strode toward them from fifty meters away.


    Although she was much smaller in stature than the men behind her, her presence was not diminished


    in the slightest. She was like a queen high above, apanied by her ck knights as they arrived.


    ¡°Gosh!¡±


    The Lane family¡¯s bodyguards were terrified. ¡°Hurry and inform Ms. and Mrs. Lane!¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    While Samantha¡¯s mother, Shirley Lane, leisurely walked down the stairs, Gwendolyn and her


    companions had already entered the garden. There were so many people that the entire courtyard was


    crowded.


    Even though the bodyguard at the door wanted to stop them at first, he appeared so helpless and


    underpowered when faced with the overwhelminglyrge crowd, and he could not stop them from


    entering at all.


    Gwendolyn had someone bring over a lounge chair that was in the courtyard. Once it was ced in the


    center of the courtyard, she proceeded to sit on it, looking casual andid back.


    Meanwhile, Maverick went straight to the orange tree in the backyard of the Lane residence to pick


    some oranges, then stood quietly at the side as he peeled them for her.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    That scene left Shirley dumbfounded as soon as she stepped out of the vi.


    Still, with her years of experience being in charge of the Lane Group, both herposure and manners


    were excellent.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here, every¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, Shirley suddenly took notice of the orange in Maverick¡¯s hand. She


    instantly went as white as a sheet while eximing, ¡°Oh, no! Maverick, you clueless child! This is the


    Lane family¡¯s Fruit of Prosperity. It is not to be touched!¡±


    ¡°Not to be touched, you say?¡±


    Gwendolyn beamed charmingly at the older woman as her slender fingers reached for the peeled


    orange in Maverick¡¯s hand. Parting her rosy lips slightly, she tasted a segment of the fruit, her actions


    exuding grace and elegance. Upon tasing the orange, her lips curled into a wider smile.


    ¡°As expected of a fruit that¡¯s being meticulously taken care of by the Lane family. It¡¯s pretty tasty,¡± she


    remarked.


    The sight of Gwendolyn finishing the entire orange only made Shirley¡¯s heart bleed.


    Shirley had people airship the orange tree from Epea at great expense. The ever-thriving tree signified


    wealth and prosperity, and a single orange was worth its weight in gold.


    However, Maverick picked quite a few of them!


    Shirley dug her nails into her palm, trying her very best to tamp down the anger in her heart. Then, she


    curled the corner of her lips into a smile and spoke, ¡°You really are an incredible woman. Despite


    leaving your marriage with nothing, you managed to take control of Wright Construction Group in such


    a short time. There aren¡¯t many women in this world that I, Shirley Lane, consider to be admirable, but


    you¡¯re one of them. That said, you¡¯re always wee to visit me at the Lane residence, but what¡¯s the


    meaning of this, bringing so many people along with you?¡±


    Gwendolyn did not even lift her eyelids. She waited patiently for Maverick to finish peeling the orange,


    then after eating another one, she utteredzily, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking, Mrs. Lane. I¡¯m not here for a visit


    today; I¡¯m here to settle the score with Samantha.¡±


    ¡°Settle the score?¡± Shirley blurted, looking baffled.


    Just then, Samantha happened to descend the stairs. Upon seeing that it was Gwendolyn who came, a


    venomous look flitted across her eyes.


    However, she soon noticed the group of men behind Gwendolyn. They were all d in ck suits,


    standing tall and straight. Their stern expressions made them look as if they were ready to devour


    someone, which was quite a terrifying sight to behold.


    Samantha was afraid. Nevertheless, she approached them and stood beside Shirley before trying her


    best to muster her aura. Samantha then red at Gwendolyn and warned the other woman, ¡°You


    barged into my home with so many people in broad daylight. I can sue you for trespassing and


    malicious harassment!¡±


    Hearing that, Gwendolyn waved her hand nonchntly. ¡°Mrs. Lane just said that I¡¯m always wee


    to visit the Lane residence, so here I am. Is this considered trespassing?¡±


    The mother and daughter gritted their teeth, not uttering a word.


    On the other hand, the team of bodyguards behind Gwendolyn shouted in unison, ¡°It¡¯s not trespassing!¡±


    Their voice was loud and clear, and their presence was overwhelming.


    Shirley and Samantha were startled by the thunderous response, so much so that the colors drained


    from their faces.


    Satisfied with their reactions, Gwendolyn sat up gracefully before mentioning, ¡°A couple of days ago, I


    was returning home from a charity g when my car exploded all of a sudden. To my surprise, forty


    people emerged out of nowhere, wanting to kill me.¡±


    All that came from Samantha was a snort. ¡°What does that have to do with me? It¡¯s obviously because


    you didn¡¯t keep yourself in check and made others hate you. s, b*tches like you are lucky. It takes


    so many people to bring you down, yet you¡¯re still alive.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face remainedrgely devoid of emotions. ¡°Yeah, all thanks to you. I¡¯m not dying for the


    being, though I¡¯m a little injured. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here to settle the score. Otherwise, I won¡¯t feel at


    ease.¡±


    At the mention of Gwendolyn¡¯s injuries, the faces of the ¡°bodyguard team¡± behind her grew darker and


    darker, making them appear increasingly scarier and more terrifying.


    Maverick, however, kept his head down, focusing all of his attention on peeling an orange for


    Gwendolyn as if everything else was none of his business.


    There were fifty-nine gloomy-looking people standing in front of the mother-and-daughter duo. If it had


    not been for their strong mental fortitude, Samantha and Shirley would¡¯ve been scared out of their wits.


    Feeling threatened, Samantha instinctively gripped her mother¡¯s arm and cast a warning re at


    Gwendolyn. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    Gwendolyn maintained a smile on her face. Even her eyes curved into a smile, exuding a delicate


    charm.


    She then waved her hand gently, and the group of bodyguards simultaneously took a step forward.


    That frightened Samantha, causing her face to turn ashen as she instinctively stepped back. She shot


    a re at Gwendolyn, gritted her teeth, and said, ¡°There are strictws in Chanaea. You don¡¯t have the


    guts to kill me! Besides, I didn¡¯t do anything. You don¡¯t have any evidence, so how dare you try toy a


    finger on me!¡±


    ¡°Who said I wanted to kill you? Everything will be solved once and for all with your death. Where¡¯s the


    fun in that? As for evidence, I¡¯ll find it sooner orter. But for now, I suppose we can get down to


    settling the score.¡±


    As soon as those words left her lips, the smile on Gwendolyn¡¯s countenance vanished, and a cold glint


    flitted across her beautiful eyes as she ordered in a low voice, ¡°Hold her down.¡±


    With that, the bodyguards rushed forward to grab Samantha.


    Therge group advanced toward her at once. Samantha was a petite woman. The pressure from the


    intimidating group was enough to crush her.


    She was scared out of her wits. When Samantha recalled the time when she was being held down by


    Gwendolyn¡¯s bodyguards while the woman pped her, her entire body began trembling in fear.


    Shirley, on the other hand, was much moreposed. She quickly regained her senses and ordered


    her own bodyguards, ¡°What are you waiting for? Get all of the bodyguards and housekeepers out here


    to protect Ms. Lane!¡±


    The Lanes¡¯ bodyguards moved swiftly at her behest.


    However, they were no match for Gwendolyn¡¯s people. Less than a minute was all it took for


    Gwendolyn to put the Lanes¡¯ people under control.


    Samantha noticed that things were not looking good for her and immediately wanted to make a run for


    it. Before she could even lift her leg, however, her shoulders were restrained.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s people showed no mercy, treating Samantha roughly as they forced her to kneel on the


    ground.


    Samantha¡¯s face contorted in pain as she screamed at the top of her lungs, ¡°You wretch! I won¡¯t let you


    off easily if you dare to touch me! I¡¯ll make sure you die a horrible death, you hear me? Ah, it hurts! Let


    go of me!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far! The Lane family is a prominent family in Faike. You can¡¯t just bully us as you


    please!¡± Shirley, at the side, could only hurl threats and cusses at Gwendolyn, for she was also being


    restrained by the bodyguards.


    However, Gwendolyn ignored them and continued eating the orange.


    Her pair of pretty eyes under her long eyshes were staring intently at the mother and daughter.


    There was a grin tugging on her lips, though her cheeks were puffed up as she ate.


    Her yful mean-girl demeanor made Maverick¡¯s heart skip a beat. He had the impulse to discreetly


    pinch those pale and soft cheeks of hers.


    While he was staring intently at Gwendolyn, Shirley was looking and shouting at him, ¡°Maverick, Louis


    is your uncle! He¡¯s not home, so are you just going to let your ex-wife bully us, your family, like this?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s handsome face was pale as he uttered in an icy tone, ¡°Aunt Shirley, Samantha must¡¯ve told


    you that I signed an agreement with Gwendolyn. I¡¯m one of her people now, so there¡¯s nothing I can do


    to help.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ What you¡¯re doing now is no different than holding a candle to the devil. We¡¯re your family!¡±


    Shirley continued to say.


    Gwendolyn thought the older woman was too noisy, and a slight frown marred her countenance as she


    ordered, ¡°She¡¯s making too much noise. Shut her up.¡±


    One of the guards immediately went to find a piece of cloth and gagged Shirley¡¯s mouth with it. Since


    they still had to question Samantha, her mouth wasn¡¯t gagged.


    Gwendolyn took the dagger from Nico¡¯s hand and toyed with it as she approached Samantha until she


    was right at the woman¡¯s feet.


    She then gently lifted the woman¡¯s chin with the dagger.


    Feeling the slight stinging sensation on her chin, Samantha was so terrified that she dared not breathe,


    her pupils trembling helplessly.


    Finally, she softened her tone. ¡°Gwendolyn, it had nothing to do with me, really. It¡¯s useless to seek


    revenge on me.¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered. ¡°I know there¡¯s a mastermind behind you, who¡¯s nned everything. If you hand


    that person over, along with Natasha, I¡¯ll let you go. We can also call it even for everything else that


    happened in the past. How does that sound?¡±


    In other words, Gwendolyn was implying that she wouldn¡¯t touch Lane Group anymore, and the Lanes


    could finally live peacefully in the future.


    Yet, Samantha was still slightly hesitant.


    This b*tch pped me in public back then, utterly humiliating me! How can I just move past that


    incident?

 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157


    The humiliating memories were brought to mind.


    Samantha red at Gwendolyn while her gaze was filled with a fierce hatred that made her look


    murderous.


    ¡°I have no idea where they are. And even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t share that with you! In fact, I¡¯m still hoping


    for them to kill you!¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not telling, huh?¡±


    Despite the gentle tone of Gwendolyn¡¯s voice, her eyes held a trace of coldness.


    ¡°Well then, it¡¯s time for us to settle the score.¡±


    Gwendolyn paused briefly, retracting the dagger from Samantha¡¯s chin and shifting it slowly to her right


    shoulder de. ¡°When my car exploded that day, a shard identally cut my shoulder. Let¡¯s start


    there.¡±


    Fear filled Samantha¡¯s eyes as her face grew pale, and she vigorously shook her head. ¡°No, please! It


    had nothing to do with me! It was your own carelessness¡­ Ahh!¡±


    A piercing scream then echoed across the horizon.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    With icy brutality, Gwendolyn raised her hand and plunged the dagger down.


    Samantha shivered in agony, her body drenched in a cold sweat, while blood seeped from her


    shoulder, staining her white dress.


    Samantha red angrily at Gwendolyn with frustration and warned, ¡°Just wait and see, you wicked


    woman! I won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡±


    Gwendolynmented, ¡°You still have the energy to curse, so it seems you¡¯re not in much pain.¡± She


    then moved the dagger closer to Samantha¡¯s pale arm and offered, ¡°I¡¯ll give you onest chance.


    Where are the people backing you and Natasha?¡±


    Samantha bit her lip fiercely as Gwendolyn prepared to strike again.


    Samantha then hurriedly eximed, ¡°I have no clue; I swear! He never revealed his identity to me. He


    only informs me when there¡¯s a mission, and he also has Natasha with him. I genuinely don¡¯t know!¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at Samantha for a moment; she then put away the dagger and sat back down on the


    recliner.


    Samantha thought that Gwendolyn had spared her.


    However, she barely had a chance to rx when she saw Gwendolyn pass the knife to Nico, her voice


    calm yet chillingly merciless. ¡°I had a knife wound on my arm that day, but Elven and Ezra were


    shed countless times. Take care of this; you know what to do.¡±


    Having received that sudden instruction, Nico paused briefly and then happily received the dagger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll take care of it. You can count on me.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­ Ahh!¡±


    The air was filled with blood-curdling screams.


    Shirley, who was standing nearby, was deeply distressed by that and started crying.


    Gwendolyn remained calm and contented as she watched.


    As she reached for the peeled oranges that Maverick had prepared, someone unexpectedly grabbed


    her wrist. She turned her head and saw Maverick with a handkerchief, half-crouched by her side,


    tenderly wiping her fingers.


    Maverick caught Gwendolyn¡¯s nce and exined in a low, raspy voice, ¡°You¡¯ve got a little blood


    here. It¡¯s dirty.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent, contentedly indulging in Maverick¡¯s attentive service.


    As Gwendolyn finished eating thest orange, Nicopleted his task as well.


    Covered in wounds and drenched in fresh blood, Samantha¡¯s hair clung to her head, soaked with


    sweat. She looked disheveled and pitiful; her agony was so intense that she instantly lost


    consciousness.


    Nico¡¯s maneuvers were deviously calcted, pinpointing areas that inflicted intense pain without being


    life-threatening. At first sight, Samantha looked like a bloody rag doll, but in reality, her wounds were


    minor.


    Gwendolyn could not help but take a second nce at Nico. She had assumed he would be kind and


    compassionate, but it turned out he was pretty ruthless.


    As she pondered this, Gwendolyn subtly nced at Maverick but chose not to say anything.


    She stood up, smoothed her dress, and gestured for Shirley to be released.


    As Shirley regained her freedom, she hurried to Samantha¡¯s side, bawling her eyes out.


    Gwendolyn warned Shirley, ¡°This is just repayment for the debt from the charity g day. My eight


    billion and eight hundred million have been in the Lane family¡¯s hands for quite some time now. Do you


    want to return it yourselves, or should I take matters into my own hands?¡±


    Shirley remained silent as she red at Gwendolyn with resentment.


    Gwendolyn did not actually expect a response from Shirley. She thenmanded her people to


    prepare for their departure but then remembered the explosion that had urred in her car thest


    time. As a result, she ordered the destruction of all the luxury cars at the Lane residence and had the


    orange tree in the backyard taken away, as she had a fondness for its delicious taste.


    The housekeepers at the Lane residence were terrified by Gwendolyn¡¯s sudden raid, causing them to


    shake in fear. In their panic, theypletely forgot to attend to Samantha, who had copsed in front of


    the vi.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t over! I¡¯ll make sure you pay for this! I¡¯ll have you locked up for the rest of your life!¡± Shirley¡¯s


    enraged and vengeful cry could still be heard from behind as they left the entrance of the Lane


    residence.


    Gwendolyn, on the other hand, waspletely unfazed as she carried on without even ncing back.


    As winter drew near, Gwendolyn leisurely savored the glimmering sunlight along the street. Although it


    might not have been warm, she still found it refreshing, leaving her feeling revitalized.


    With the mission sessfully carried out, the members of Shadow Bell were given orders to silently


    return to their respective hideouts.


    As there was still plenty of time in the afternoon, Gwendolyn had Nico and Neville escort Maverick back


    to the vi while she made her way to the Angle Corporation.


    After casuallypleting her work tasks, Gwendolyn left the office half an hour ahead of schedule to


    meet up with Treyton.


    Treyton was already aware of Gwendolyn¡¯s afternoon incident at the Lane residence, finding it both


    amusing and ridiculous. He then handed her a freshly brewed cup of coffee.


    ¡°Kiddo, Shirley has been in charge of the Lane family for many years, and herwork in Faike is still


    quite extensive. She won¡¯t let this go easily, so be prepared for what ising for you.¡±


    Gwendolyn casually epted the coffee, her expression nonchnt. ¡°I¡¯d be more worried if Shirley


    didn¡¯t give me any trouble,¡± she said.


    After he heard Gwendolyn¡¯s words, Treyton recognized her determination and felt relieved. He


    affectionately tousled her hair, but Gwendolyn gently held his hand in ce as her expression turned


    serious.


    Treyton paused before saying, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Shouldn¡¯t you be happy that you¡¯ve just settled your


    scores at the Lane residence?


    ¡°Treyton¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn paused, her gaze meeting Treyton¡¯s as she asked, ¡°Did Maverick go to Crane Bridge on


    the night of the charity g? Was he the one who jumped into the river to rescue me?¡±


    Treyton¡¯s face then turned grave and serious in an instant.


    Treyton frowned as he replied with a deep voice, ¡°He clearly had ulterior motives. Even if he hadn¡¯t


    come, I would have rescued you. And now he has the audacity to take credit for it in front of you.¡±


    With a sigh, Gwendolyn ced her coffee cup down and headed for the door. She paused to say, ¡°He


    didn¡¯t say anything; it was just my guess.¡±


    As Treyton observed the coffee that remained untouched on the table, his face disyed a deep and


    complex expression that revealed nothing about his thoughts.


    Gwendolyn then left Treyton¡¯s residence and made her way back to Bay Vi. As soon as she opened


    the door, the delightful scent of food immediately hit her nose.


    Gwendolyn removed her coat expressionlessly and hung it on the coat rack.


    Maverick, in the kitchen, heard themotion and quickly came out to greet Gwendolyn. Before he


    could approach, he noticed that she was holding a document in her hand.


    The memory of thest time he was asked to sign the termination agreement was still fresh in


    Maverick¡¯s mind. His intuition told him that whatever Gwendolyn was holding was not good. The


    excitement he had initially felt was now reced with aplex mix of emotions, causing him to turn


    and head upstairs to his room.


    ¡°Stop right there,¡± Gwendolyn called out to Maverick coldly.


    Maverick then paused in his tracks. The icy tone of Gwendolyn¡¯s voice confirmed his suspicions that it


    was not something good.


    Maverick did not look back; instead, he pretended to weakly grasp the railing and let out a soft cough.


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit dizzy. I think I¡¯ll go and rest.¡±


    ¡°Why are you even pretending to be sick?¡±


    From the doorway, Gwendolyn watched Maverick intently, her gaze fixed on his broad back. Her tone


    carried a hint of seriousness. ¡°Come over here and sign; I won¡¯t repeat myself for the third time.¡±


    Maverick pressed his lips together and quickly turned back, locking eyes with Gwendolyn without


    showing any signs of weakness.


    ¡°I, too, will not repeat myself for the third time; I will not sign it!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s hand clenched around the file as she walked up to Maverick and spoke in a serious tone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like being indebted to anyone. You saved me this time, and I owe you one. Signing is the best


    way to settle this.¡±


    After Gwendolyn finished speaking, she handed the document to Maverick.


    The man did not take the document; instead, he lowered his gaze and nced at the words


    Termination of Employment Agreement on the document. Those few big words felt like a searing iron,


    stabbing at his heart and making it ache, almost leaving him breathless.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression remained neutral as she went on, ¡°This is also the final order you have to


    follow as my housekeeper, to obey your master.¡±

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    It was an order.


    There was no room for negotiation or discussion.


    No matter how hard I try, she won¡¯t ept me again. Does she truly want to draw a line between


    us so badly? So, she¡¯s genuinely determined to be strangers with me for the rest of our


    lives?


    Maverick¡¯s dark eyes welled up with tears as his eyshes trembled slightly.


    His eyes had long since lost the ferocity and hostility that once possessed them.


    Excruciating pain washed over him as though his heart was being ruthlessly kneaded and


    smushed.


    His pale, handsome face had a fragility that couldn¡¯t be concealed.


    Gwendolyn noticed his expression.


    However, there wasn¡¯t even the slightest change in the indifference on her face as she raised


    her hand, which was holding the documents, by an inch.


    Maverick, who was incredibly torn, held his breath while taking the document with shaking


    hands.


    As Gwendolyn turned around to reach for the pen on the coffee table, she heard a ripping


    sound behind her.


    The man¡¯s dark eyes were cold and ruthless as he once again tore the document to shreds


    without hesitation.


    This time, he even threw the torn document directly above her head, acting utterly outrageous.


    Snow-white scraps of paper fell onto her head.


    Is he provoking me?


    Gwendolyn was truly furious.


    Rage surged, boiled, and roared up from the pit of her stomach, ring to the top of her head.


    ¡°Do you have a death wish?¡± she asked through gritted teeth.


    Yet, the man across from her showed no signs of backing down. Maverick¡¯s deep, dark pupils


    were incredibly gloomy as their eyes met.


    Skillfully, he slid his well-defined hand to his waist and unbuckled his belt, motioning to pull it


    out.


    Gwendolyn stood still. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Is he going to hit me because he¡¯s infuriated? Hah. Does he really think he¡¯s strong enough to defeat


    me now?


    She waited for him to make a move while glowering at him and discreetly gritting her teeth.


    To her surprise, Maverick folded his belt in half and ced it in her hand forcefully.


    His broad back was remarkably straight, and he was dressed in nothing but a thin, white shirt as he


    turned around and knelt on one knee.


    ¡°I will not obey this order. You can punish me if you want to. Whip me! Whip me until your anger is


    subdued!¡± he dered.


    Gwendolyn was dumbfounded.


    What the heck is happening?


    Her pent-up rage, which was on the verge of erupting, suddenly turned into an exasperatedugh.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? Is this one of your fetishes? Are you a freaking masochist?¡±


    Maverick bit his lower lip tightly, his eyes a little red.


    He was definitely not a masochist.


    Even though he had previously experienced hardships and injuries in the army, he was still afraid of


    pain.


    However, he didn¡¯t want to lose her or grow distant from her, for that would make him feel even worse


    and more suffocated.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing all of this for you! I¡¯ve been working extremely hard to pay back the debt I owe you, not


    because I want us to go our separate ways but because I hope you can give me a chance to start over.


    I genuinely like you a lot!¡± Cough! Cough!


    Maverick had spoken too much at once, and his throat was dry and scratchy. His shoulders shook as


    he coughed, but his back was still straight.


    ¡°You like me?¡± Gwendolyn pursed her red lips and looked down at him in silence for a while.


    Her eyes were as deep and still as deathly silence, and her tone was cold and emotionless as she said,


    ¡°Your confession is three years toote. I don¡¯t need it anymore. That ship has sailed. You want us to


    start over? Impossible.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s breath was caught. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    He decided to give up and ept his fate as he clenched his fists firmly, closed his eyes, and sniffled.


    ¡°Go ahead and whip me, then. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m signing that, no matter what.¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned upon hearing that. ¡°Have you lost your mind due to the fever? How many hits can


    your frail body actually take if I were to strike you hard, especially when you¡¯ve only just recovered?¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    She still remembers that I¡¯ve just recovered from a fever¡­


    The man¡¯s obsidian-like eyes began to fill with even more tears as he felt ill at ease and aggrieved.


    He craned his neck and asserted, ¡°I¡¯ll endure it until you¡¯re no longer mad.¡±


    Hah. Let¡¯s see how stubborn you can be since you¡¯re the one who¡¯s asking for a beating.


    Gwendolyn gripped both ends of the folded belt, and with a sudden jerk, it snapped straight, making a


    crisp sound.


    Maverick didn¡¯t budge as he clenched his teeth and braced himself for the pain that coulde at any


    moment.


    Suddenly feeling like teasing him when she saw his pitiful appearance, the woman smirked slyly and


    remarked, ¡°Getting whipped while wearing a shirt isn¡¯t much fun. You¡¯ll have to buy a new one if it¡¯s


    torn. Besides, the pain is less intense with ayer of fabric in between, right?¡±


    He swallowed hard and got to work immediately, deftly undoing the thin shirt¡¯s buttons, removing it, and


    tossing it onto the coffee table in an elegant and carefree manner.


    With that, he maintained his posture without moving and waited for her to make a move.


    Gwendolyn was in no hurry; she stood quietly behind him and admired the view for some time.


    Although he had been injected with a special drug, it didn¡¯t have any effect on his physique. In fact, it


    made his skin two shades lighter, making him even more attractive.


    Additionally, his back muscles were naturally broad, and the lines and contours were wless.


    Simply taking a nce was quite a feast for the eyes.


    Gwendolyn took a moment to take in the view before gently tracing each muscle on his back with the


    folded tip of the belt.


    She took her time, being exceedingly patient.


    Maverick couldn¡¯t help but quiver. She¡¯s clearly teasing me intentionally!


    Her actions made him feel a bit parched and unbearably itchy.


    Just as he was getting fairly overwhelmed by the teasing, Gwendolyn loosened the end of the belt and


    gripped the metal sp.


    Then, she lifted it high in the air, wielded it like a whip, and swung it with all her strength.


    Whoosh!


    A gust of wind whistled as the belt approached the man.


    Maverick shut his eyes tightly, and his whole body shuddered almost reflexively.


    However, it didn¡¯t hurt.


    Gwendolyn had whipped the marble floor instead.


    She threw the belt away and scoffed, ¡°Coward!¡±


    I thought he was tough, but he still ended up trembling. Even if he¡¯s a masochist, I¡¯m not an


    unreasonable maniac.


    ¡°Put on your clothes. Since you won¡¯t sign it, stay here, then. Stay until you¡¯re willing to sign.¡±


    She turned her head and was about to leave after saying that icily.


    In a trice, Maverick got to his feet, turned around, and grabbed her wrist. ¡°It¡¯s already nighttime.


    Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not happy living here, so I¡¯ll find another ce to stay.¡±


    Her tone sounded nonchnt, but her words were heartless and stony.


    He tightened the grip around her wrist, refusing to let go.


    From what she¡¯s implying, she doesn¡¯t n on returning to Bay Vi and intends to dump me


    alone. So, she¡¯s gonna give me the cold shoulder until I sign that document?


    ¡°Let go.¡± Gwendolyn frowned and showed no mercy as she pried his hand open.


    Maverick¡¯s breath hitched, but he ultimately gave in.


    ¡°Give me one year! You cooked for me for three years when we were married. I¡¯ll repay you by


    cooking for you for a year and leave on my own after paying off all my debt. I won¡¯t bother you


    again. How does that sound?¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯ll leave me alone forever?¡± she asked to confirm.


    His breathing stilled, and a bitter smile spread across his pale, handsome face. ¡°Yes, you have


    my word.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± She raised her eyebrows and recorded his promise on her phone. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll


    remember what you¡¯ve said.¡±


    With a weary expression, he nodded, his deep and weak dark eyes seemingly in a trance.


    It was a whileter before he spoke again. ¡°Dinner is still warm. Would you like to have some?¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t refuse either. She would adhere to the agreement and do what needed to be


    done since this was thest year.


    Maverick¡¯s cooking skills had improved significantly, so Gwendolyn ate heartily. Afterward, she


    took care of some work in the study before going back to her room to take a bath and rest.


    The next morning, she went to work at Angle as usual.


    Unfortunately, a group of solemn-looking uniformed police officers approached her before she


    could leave Bay Vi¡¯s gates.


    The head police officer showed her his identification.


    ¡°Good day, Ms. Shalders. I¡¯m Matthew Scott, themander of the public security division at


    Faike Police Station. You¡¯ve been charged with trespassing, intentional assault, and


    malicious damage. Pleasee with us to the station.¡±

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159


    Police station? It sure didn¡¯t take them long toe, huh?


    Gwendolyn was not at all surprised. She smiled and extended her two fair, delicate hands voluntarily.


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Matthew had never seen a woman act so assertively andposedly when being arrested.


    Her smile, in particr, was enchanting¡ªcarefree yet utterly captivating.


    It was evident to him that the perpetrator was both skilled and ruthless after he viewed the gruesome


    photos of Samantha¡¯s injuries.


    Finding it difficult to believe that the seemingly innocent, naive girl in front of him was somehow


    involved in this case, he couldn¡¯t help but proceed cautiously as he stepped forward to put the


    electronic handcuffs on Gwendolyn.


    However, the man¡¯s hand was suddenly grabbed by someone before the handcuffs could be put on.


    Maverick was washing the dishes when he heard themotion. The moment he came out of the vi,


    this scene was what greeted him.


    He gave Matthew a menacing look. ¡°These things have nothing to do with her. I did them. You can


    detain me instead.¡±


    Gwendolyn had a puzzled look on her face. ¡°You merely peeled a few oranges yesterday. What does


    this have to do with you? Keep your butt out of this.¡±


    Yet, not only did Maverick not step back, but he moved forward and shielded her behind him.


    His deep, dark eyes remained fixed on Matthew as he spoke righteously. ¡°I know all the ins and outs of


    this case. If you want to uncover the truth, take me with you.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s patience was wearing thin. I can take care of my own affairs. It¡¯s none of his business.


    However, the man standing before her looked back and smiled reassuringly, seemingly unaware of her


    thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Go back into the house first. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡±


    She was rendered speechless.


    Why on Earth would you think that I¡¯m afraid?


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been inside a police station before. This is so exciting! I just want to grab a cup of coffee


    there.¡±


    Maverick and Matthew were lost for words.


    Did she mistake the police station for a caf¨¦? And she even finds this exciting?


    Matthew looked back and forth between both of them in an effort to decipher the meaning of their


    words. It seems like both of them were present at the scene when the incident happened.


    ¡°Since both of you are involved in this case, we¡¯ll all go together!¡± He took out another pair of


    handcuffs.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t object.


    Since Maverick enjoys being nosy, I¡¯ll let him join the fun, then. ¡°All right, but I¡¯d like to have a quick


    word with my bodyguard first,¡± she agreed smilingly.


    William was called out.


    She then rummaged through her bag, found that Centurion Card, and handed it to William, whispering


    something into his ear.


    In the end, the duo was cuffed with electronic handcuffs and escorted into a specialized police car.


    Gwendolyn sat quietly in the vehicle, her face expressionless. asionally, she would admire the


    scenery outside the window.


    Maverick watched her intently and noticed her wrists were red from the handcuffs.


    A hint of mncholy and distress gradually surfaced in his dark eyes.


    He held her wrists and gently caressed the red marks on them. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    Gwendolyn was, of course, not that fragile.


    Nheless, she didn¡¯t withdraw her hands, seeing as someone was willing to give her a massage.


    Shirley had already arrived when Gwendolyn and Maverick entered the special interrogation room at


    the police station, and Samantha, who was covered in bandages, insisted oning as well.


    Samantha wanted to witness this b*tch¡¯s imprisonment in person!


    As soon as Gwendolyn entered the interrogation room, she caught sight of Samantha, who was


    wrapped up like a mummy.


    She burst intoughter on the spot. ¡°Wow, Ms. Lane, you¡¯re truly inspiring. You still insist oning


    over even though you¡¯re in so much pain. I¡¯ve got to hand it to you!¡±


    Samantha was indeed in affliction, so much so that she could barely speak.


    She and her mother red at Gwendolyn with venomous looks in their eyes.


    Themander of the public security division, Matthew, entered the room and started a thorough


    interrogation. ¡°Mrs. Lane, who was the one who broke into your house and acted violentlyst night?


    Was it him or her?¡±


    He pointed at Maverick and Gwendolyn.


    At that moment, one of them was smilingposedly, whereas the other was calm and reticent.


    Both of them seemed like people not to be trifled with.


    After giving it a thought, Shirley pointed at Gwendolyn furiously but wasn¡¯t about to let Maverick off the


    hook either. ¡°She¡¯s the mastermind, but he¡¯s not guilt-free too. He¡¯s an aplice!¡±


    Matthew took out the picture of an injured Samantha again and handed it to Gwendolyn with a solemn


    expression.


    The woman looked puzzled. ¡°Who is this? How did she end up like this? She sure is ugly.¡±


    She smiled innocently as if she had nothing to do with this incident at all.


    Hearing Gwendolyn¡¯s particrly offensive final sentence, Samantha was so enraged that her blood


    started to flow backward. She endured the pain and cried out stammeringly, ¡°S-She¡¯s lying!¡±


    Gwendolyn behaved as though realization had dawned on her, and her beautiful eyes focused on


    Samantha once more. ¡°Oh, so the person in the picture is you, Ms. Lane. No wonder it¡¯s so ugly. You¡¯re


    truly strong-willed. Despite your injuries, you still insist on catching the real culprit yourself.¡±


    Maverick chuckled.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s attitude infuriated Shirley and Samantha to no end.


    Shirley mmed the table fiercely. ¡°It was clearly you who led people to break into the Lane residence


    yesterday. I thought you¡¯d have the guts to own up to it, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so disappointing.¡±


    Matthew furrowed his brows, tapping his fingers on the table. ¡°Quiet.¡±


    Gwendolyn rested her elbows on the table and gently supported her chin with her handcuffed hands.


    She blinked naively and looked at Matthew. ¡°Handsome, look at how fierce she is. She¡¯s forcing me to


    confess.¡±


    Handsome?


    At the side, Maverick frowned imperceptibly.


    She has never called me with such a loving and sweet voice before. Is she smiling so beautifully on


    purpose because she¡¯s attracted to Matthew?


    He was so jealous that he clenched his cuffed hands tightly, and it didn¡¯t take long for a swollen ring of


    marks to develop because of his delicate skin.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s current smile was indeed yful and charming.


    Matthew¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he saw her smile, and his tone softened when he spoke again.


    ¡°The surveince cameras at the Lane residence were destroyed yesterday, but all the housekeepers¡¯


    testimonies there point to you. How do you exin that?


    Her eyshes quivered a little. ¡°Handsome, the Lane family is one of the wealthiest in Faike. It¡¯s


    only natural for their housekeepers to be biased toward their own employers, right?¡±


    She paused before continuing, ¡°I¡¯ve looked at the evidence avable in the bureau, and it seems that


    neither the smashed luxury cars nor Ms. Lane¡¯s body has any fingerprints from Maverick or me. In


    addition, there are no witnesses other than the Lane family, so I¡¯m afraid the charges against me might


    not hold up.¡±


    Shirley snorted disdainfully.


    Meanwhile, Matthew flipped through the evidence collected and somewhat agreed with Gwendolyn¡¯s


    statement.


    Seeing him waver, Gwendolyn added, ¡°I¡¯ve been detained here for hours by you and can¡¯t even go to


    work. Shouldn¡¯t you at least take off these handcuffs if the evidence is insufficient?¡±


    She shook her thin wrists while speaking. Her originally snow-white skin had been tinged with red from


    the cuffs.


    He agreed, ¡°Indeed. There¡¯s insufficient evidence, so I¡¯ll just¡ª¡±


    ¡°Matthew!¡± Shirley abruptly interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. ¡°I don¡¯t think a


    commander of the public security division like you has the authority to make this decision!¡± she


    sneered.


    Mildly annoyed, Matthew was just about to retort when a police officer burst through the door, walked


    up to him, and whispered a few words in his ear.


    His expression gradually changed.


    After a brief hesitation, he said in a deadpan voice, ¡°My apologies, but the handcuffs can¡¯t be removed


    yet. Ms. Shalders, you¡¯re still the primary suspect and will need to be ced in the confinement cell


    before we proceed with the interrogationter.¡±


    The confinement cell was not a pleasant ce. It was usually reserved for criminals who had


    undoubtedlymitted heinous crimes but pled the Fifth.


    Just being in there for a day could risk one losing their life, for it was specialized in breaking down


    stubborn criminals, both physically and mentally.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    It was an extraordinary existence that was typically not used carelessly on criminals.


    Upon hearing that, Shirley and Samantha smiled triumphantly.


    Matthew then gestured for someone to bring Gwendolyn into the confinement cell.


    In the meantime, Gwendolyn smirked in amusement and made no effort to struggle or refute.


    As the police were about to apprehend her, Maverick stood up to block their way. The malicious aura


    that surrounded him was terrifying, like the harbinger of a violent storm, and his dark eyes were filled


    with intense ferocity and coldness. ¡°How dare you lot of this insignificant police station touch her?¡±


    Gwendolyn raised an eyebrow secretly at those words.


    Ha! Looks like he finally can¡¯t hold it in any longer and has decided to reveal his true colors.

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    Matthew¡¯s expression darkened as he could tell he was being looked down upon.


    ¡°Who do you think you are? You don¡¯t have a say in anything I do in the police station. Take her away!¡±


    He made a gesture, and all the police officers in the room swarmed over, seemingly determined to take


    Gwendolyn away immediately.


    Maverick was furious.


    A wicked yet deep male voice suddenly sounded from outside the door just as he was about to speak,


    stopping him before he even had a chance to start. ¡°Mr. Scott, you¡¯re speaking with such authority!¡±


    Matthew and all the police officers shuddered at the sound of that. The former sprang to his feet and


    his body stiffened instantly.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face darkened in mere seconds.


    I was so close. Whoever this is, arrived on time.


    Maverick silently sat back down after regaining hisposure.


    He knew who it was as soon as he heard that voice, and his handcuffed fists clenched even tighter


    subconsciously.


    Gwendolyn had a thing for people with good looks. She employed the most handsome ones, even


    when it came to her bodyguards.


    Maverick remembered that this man was exceptionally good-looking.


    Will Gwendolyn¡­


    His obsidian-like eyes darkened as he instinctively turned his head to look at Gwendolyn.


    It turned out that Gwendolyn was not paying attention to his appearance. She appeared to be


    somewhat unhappy and had a slightly upset expression on her face as though something else was


    bothering her.


    The door opened, and the man who entered was dressed in a solemn military uniform underneath a


    dark green and ck fur military coat.


    The man was burly and standing straight. He had delicate features and a sharp nose. With his slightly


    narrowed eyes, he exuded an intimidating aura.


    His deep blue, gem-like pupils, whichplemented his eyes, were his most stunning features and


    added a touch of charm to his looks. He appeared both righteous and wicked in his military uniform,


    making him even more attractive than a woman.


    All the policemen, including Matthew, respectfully bowed their heads and greeted him with reverence


    as soon as he entered, ¡°Greetings, Mr. Newton.¡±


    He was the fourth son of the Newton family in Salinsburgh, Charles Newton.


    Everyone who met him would address him formally. Charles held a very important position as the


    Director of the Central Intelligence Agency for Chanaea.


    He was born when the head of the Newton family went abroad, and his mother was his father¡¯s third


    wife. His mother was a woman of Epean and Alendor nationality, so he inherited a striking pair of deep


    blue eyes that were a beautiful blend of Chanaean and Epean bloodlines, making him exceptionally


    handsome.


    Matthew greeted him nervously as his mind was filled with confusion, and he was unable to fathom the


    situation.


    I¡¯ve just received a mandated order from my superiors, so how did this man show up so quickly?


    Only Asher and the mysterious head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation would likely have more


    power in this field than Charles in the entire Chanaea.


    However, no one had ever seen the true face of that mysterious man, and even his real identity and


    background remained a mystery. It was said that he left on a mission many years ago, and there hadn¡¯t


    been any word about him since.


    Matthew gathered his thoughts and put on a pleasing expression before bowing slightly in his direction.


    ¡°What brings you to our humble town of Faike, Mr. Newton? You should have let your subordinates


    inform us, so we at the Faike Police Station could have been better prepared. Please, take a seat.¡±


    Charlespletely ignored him.


    The interrogation room¡¯s heater was on, and it was warmer inside. Charles took off his coat and


    handed it to his subordinate. Then, he walked toward Gwendolyn with steady footsteps.


    It was only then did Gwendolyn noticed him.


    That wickedly handsome face gradually ovepped with the memories of her childhood.


    Her beautiful eyes widened slightly, and she had mixed feelings as she called out softly, ¡°Charles?¡±


    Charles responded with a smile, and his eyes were like a deep, brilliant blue ocean filled with stars.


    Shirley and Samantha looked utterly bewildered.


    Maverick was dumbfounded.


    He felt nauseous.


    Maverick was initially concerned that Gwendolyn might be drawn to Charles¡¯ appearance, but it turned


    out that they had known each other for quite some time.


    And she was calling him so intimately¡­


    Maverick stifled his feelings by remaining silent and biting his pale, thin lower lip, which resulted in a


    row of bloody marks.


    As Charles approached Gwendolyn, he gazed at her with warmth and tenderness. Surprisingly, she


    didn¡¯t shy away when he raised his hand to touch her delicate face.


    Maverick reached out and grabbed Gwendolyn¡¯s arm instinctively, drawing her attention to himself.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gwendolyn inquired.


    His deep, dark eyes welled up with tears, his brows furrowed slightly, and a look of grievance spread


    across his pale, handsome face. ¡°Gwendolyn, I don¡¯t feel so good¡­ Cough! Cough! It hurts¡­¡±


    It was only then Gwendolyn noticed the crimson-red bloodstain around his lower lip. Based on his


    feeble expression, it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s putting on an act. ¡°Where does it hurt?¡±


    Maverick froze for a moment and raised his arm without hesitation. ¡°My hand hurts¡­¡±


    His wrists were now swollen and had a deep red ring of blood around them from the handcuffs. The


    sight was shocking and distressing.


    However, Gwendolyn did not feel sorry for him. Instead, her expression turned cold instantly.


    Did this b*stard forget that I was also wearing an electronic handcuff? The fact that it¡¯s tightened like


    that clearly shows that he did it himself! Was he putting on a pitiful act again?


    She remained silent as she pursed her lips tightly and fixed her gaze on Maverick.


    Charles was the first to react, and his tone was icy as he looked at Matthew. ¡°You¡¯re already using


    handcuffs? Who taught you this method of handling cases, Mr. Scott?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Newton, both of them are suspects, so¡­¡± Matthew said hesitantly as his face turned pale with


    fright.


    Charles¡¯ eyes narrowed, and he repeated, ¡°I said, uncuff them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Matthew had no choice but to bite the bullet and order his subordinates to fetch the


    keys.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    A minuteter, the handcuffs were uncuffed.


    Maverick naturally took Gwendolyn¡¯s hand and gently massaged her wrist for her.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s wrist had a few faint red marks at first, but they quickly vanished.


    In light of Maverick¡¯s recent feigned distress, Gwendolyn withdrew her hand irritably and gazedzily


    ahead without looking at Charles. There was a hint of mixed emotions in her eyes as though her


    thoughts were a tangled web.


    Charles took Matthew¡¯s seat, lowered his head, and began to flip through the case files.


    A momentter, he sneered, ¡°The evidence you¡¯ve gathered up until this point is far from sufficient to


    hold them ountable. And you actually want to lock them up? Are you sick of being the captain


    already?¡±


    On the one hand, there were orders from his superiors and the temptation of a promotion, while on the


    other hand, it was a devastating blow from Charles.


    Matthew felt bitter and could only betray his superior. ¡°Mr. Newton, it wasn¡¯t me. I wanted to let them


    go, but Mrs. Lane and my superior disagreed. I have a low rank, so I had to follow orders. However,


    you have the final say now that you¡¯re here.¡±


    Shirley could tell that Charles hade to help Gwendolyn that day.


    With him around, it was likely that Gwendolyn and Maverick wouldn¡¯t even be ced in a detention cell,


    much less receive a direct prison sentence.


    Shirley couldn¡¯t ept it andined in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you, Mr. Newton, but this case


    doesn¡¯t seem to fall under the jurisdiction of the Central Intelligence Agency. It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re here to


    observe the case, but interfering with Mr. Scott¡¯s decisions doesn¡¯t seem quite appropriate, does it?¡±


    Charles didn¡¯t reply, but Matthew cursed, ¡°You don¡¯t know sh*t! Faike Police Station is nothing in


    front of Mr. Newton. As long as he wants to be in charge, everyone here has to listen to him and obey


    his orders at any time.¡±


    Shirley¡¯s expression darkened.


    Samantha, who was wrapped up like a mummy, was also quite unwilling to ept this situation.


    Gwendolyn rested her chin on her hand. Her beautiful eyes still exuded anguid charm as if she was


    the one casually watching the show as an outsider.


    The atmosphere in the interrogation room suddenly became a bit eerie, and itsted for two minutes


    until a man¡¯s disdainful chuckle echoed through the air.


    Charles scowled and looked at Maverick, who was seated across from him, with narrowed eyes. ¡°What


    are youughing at?¡±

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    At that moment, all eyes were on Maverick.


    Maverick didn¡¯t panic at all as he joked with a yful smirk, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just think Mr. Scott is a very


    impressive bootlicker.¡±


    He was subtly mocking Matthew for buttering him up and also expressed disdain for Charles.


    Maverick and Charles stared at each other and sensed the obvious hostility in each other¡¯s eyes.


    Sparks flew, and the air was thick with tension as the two of them traded blows.


    The atmosphere in the room was extremely tense, so much so that no one dared to make a sound.


    Gwendolyn tapped on the table amidst the strained atmosphere and reminded, ¡°Let¡¯s get down to


    business. My time is precious.¡±


    Both of the men instantly reined in their temper and returned their attention to the main issue at hand.


    Charles took another look at the documents before looking at Shirley and Samantha. ¡°Mrs. Lane, you


    should provide solid evidence since you¡¯re using Gwendolyn of being the mastermind. Otherwise,


    I¡¯ll have to let her go.¡±


    Shirley bit her lip.


    All the evidence had been destroyed by Gwendolyn¡¯s bodyguards before they left yesterday. Apart from


    the injuries on Samantha and the testimonies of the housekeepers and bodyguards at home, Shirley


    had nothing to present.


    I thought we could quietly pin the crime on Gwendolyn with the help of someone at Faike Police


    Station. Who would have thought that Charles would appear out of nowhere, leaving me with no other


    options?


    Shirley couldn¡¯t ept the oue, and all she could do was re at Gwendolyn angrily. ¡°Just


    because you have powerful backers doesn¡¯t mean that you can do whatever you want. If you overstep


    your bounds, sooner orter, you¡¯ll stumble!¡±


    Gwendolyn appeared rxed and carefree as she twirled her hair around her fingertips out of


    boredom.


    She raised her eyebrows when she heard Shirley¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Mrs. Lane.


    However, I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll stumble. The good days for the Lane family areing to an end


    soon.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Shirley was enraged. The Lane Group was the result of generations of hard work by the Lane


    family. She gritted her teeth at the thought of that and asked, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t admit to intentionally


    hurting my daughter or damaging our car, the fact remains that you stole our Fruit of Prosperity. If we


    search your ce, we¡¯ll find it. Don¡¯t you dare im otherwise!¡±


    ¡°Oh, about that.¡± Gwendolyn thought for a moment and graciously admitted, ¡°When you invited me to


    visit the Lane residence, I was captivated by the fresh orange tree, so I took it with me. If you¡¯re not


    happy about that, should I return it?¡±


    Return it? What a load of cr*p! She¡¯s eaten all of our Fruit of Prosperity!


    ¡°Since you took it, pay for it!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Gwendolyn agreed without hesitation.


    Shirley was momentarily taken aback because she hadn¡¯t anticipated Gwendolyn to be so


    straightforward. Then, she quickly added in a feisty manner, ¡°I want cash!¡±


    That tree was very expensive. I will multiply the price several times and rip this little girl off!


    ¡°As you wish, Mrs. Lane,¡± Gwendolyn said with a casual smile as she texted William before looking at


    Matthew. ¡°Mr. Scott, Mrs. Lane wants cash. I¡¯ve asked the bodyguards to bring the cash. Make sure


    your subordinates let them through when they arrive.¡±


    Matthew keenly noticed the mention of ¡°bodyguards.¡± How many people areing?


    However, pressured by Charles¡¯ presence, he dared not ask and could only nod stiffly. ¡°All right. Don¡¯t


    worry.¡±


    The interrogation room regained its¡¯ tranquility in the few minutes it took for the bodyguard to show up.


    Charles and Gwendolyn¡¯s gazes met from afar, and Charles smiled gently. His deep blue, almond-


    shaped eyes seemed to possess a bewitching charm that captivated people¡¯s hearts.


    However, Gwendolyn was expressionless, and the look in her eyes remained indifferent.


    Maverick keenly noticed the two of them exchanging nces.


    Did something happen between them?


    He discovered that Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes held a hint of indescribableplexity every time she looked at


    Charles.


    She didn¡¯t have much of a reaction when Sherman was sent away, so¡­ could it be that she likes


    Charles?


    Maverick¡¯s chest tightened slightly, and he coughed twice.


    It was so loud and abrupt that even Shirley, Samantha, and Matthew noticed it.


    However, Gwendolyn and Charles ignored him and continued to stare at each other until the door to


    the interrogation room opened.


    William was the first to walk in with tworge ck cases in his hands.


    Shirley was about to mock Gwendolyn for bringing too little money when she saw more men stepping


    in with ck cases after William.


    In the end, a total of twenty-five ck-d bodyguards stood in a neat row in front of the interrogation


    room, making for an intimidating scene.


    Matthew was dumbfounded, while Shirley and Samantha were already used to it.


    However, both women expressed strong dissatisfaction and disapproval toward Gwendolyn¡¯s shy,


    attention-seeking behavior.


    Maverick, who was standing next to Gwendolyn, keenly spotted Nico among the bodyguards.


    I can¡¯t believe this rascal actually disobeyed my orders. Since when did he take the liberty of bing


    Gwendolyn¡¯s bodyguard?


    Sensing the sharp gaze of his own boss, Nico shed Maverick a cheeky, silly grin while standing at


    the back of the entourage.


    Now that everyone had arrived, Gwendolyn looked at Shirley with a yful smirk in her captivating


    eyes. ¡°Mrs. Lane, I¡¯ve brought the money. Make sure you hold onto it firmly.¡±


    Shirley could vaguely sense a threat in her words.


    Gwendolyn waved her hand, and the bodyguards stepped forward and opened the suitcases one by


    one. They each contained a million in cash, neatly stacked in bundles. The bodyguards then proceeded


    to pour the money directly onto Shirley and Samantha¡¯s desks.


    The sound of rustling paper bills filled the air.


    The scene was picturesque.


    Shirley and Samantha¡¯s table couldn¡¯t hold the cash, and a lot of paper bills spilled all over the ce


    and even hit their legs and arms. Samantha¡¯s freshly bandaged wound began to bleed again after she


    was struck, which caused her to cry out in pain.


    The Lane family¡¯s bodyguard was unable to enter the interrogation room, leaving Samantha without


    any assistance. Shirley had no choice but to step forward and shield her daughter herself.


    The bodyguards were initially pouring the cash onto the table, but when the table could no longer hold


    the huge pile of cash that resembled a tiny hill, they started pouring it directly onto Shirley and


    Samantha.


    Shirley and Samantha were quickly buried by cash.


    All the police officers present in the interrogation room were astounded by the extravagant scene of


    money being dumped on people.


    Matthew quickly noticed that despite Shirley¡¯s protection, Samantha¡¯s wounds still bled. He gave


    Charles a worried look. ¡°Mr. Newton, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too much?¡±


    The act of literally burying people with cash in the police station¡¯s interrogation room was truly a first in


    history!


    It was simply shocking, outrageous, and utterly insane!


    Charles was admiring Gwendolyn¡¯s wicked expression as she reveled in her revenge, and he felt


    slightly annoyed at being interrupted. ¡°One asked for money, and the other provided. Yes, it¡¯s a lot of


    money, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with it.¡±


    Matthew couldn¡¯t do anything about it since even the person with the most authority insisted that there


    wasn¡¯t a problem.


    A single case held one million, and each of the twenty-five bodyguards carried two suitcases,


    amounting to a whopping fifty million in cash poured directly onto them. This was definitely enough to


    bury them alive.


    Such a ruthless act wasn¡¯t something anyone could do.


    Matthew had to re-evaluate Gwendolyn.


    The colossal amount of cash rendered Shirley and Samantha immobile as their bodies werepletely


    submerged beneath all the bills with only their heads exposed. That was their first time experiencing


    what it was like to be surrounded by cash.


    The interrogation room¡¯s floor was littered with plenty of loose change, but not a single police officer


    dared to bend down and sneak some into their pockets. However, their eyes were filled with envy as


    they looked at Shirley and Samantha.


    A whopping fifty million! We¡¯d be more than happy to be showered with that kind of money!


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn was admiring the scene, wearing a mischievous and unrestrained grin on her face. She


    waspletely unaware that two men were staring at her intently from the side.


    After a while, she got up and walked toward Shirley and Samantha before casually picking up a wad of


    cash from the ground and gently cing it on Samantha¡¯s head.


    Her actions were graceful and dignified, and her face exuded an icy, haughty charm.


    That wad of cash became thest straw that crushed Samantha¡¯s sanity.


    She screamed and sobbed when she could no longer tolerate the humiliation.


    Gwendolyn shushed her before saying, ¡°Hold onto my money carefully; I¡¯ll soon be taking it all back,


    principal and interest!¡±

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    This meant that the money would not be given away just like that; it would be fully recovered


    eventually. They would only be temporarily keeping the money in their pockets for now.


    Indeed, it was heart-wrenching.


    The group of police officers, who had been indulging in fantasies of being showered with Gwendolyn¡¯s


    money, instantly snapped out of their daydreams.


    What a ruthless woman. We cannot afford to mess with her!


    Shirley had intended to demand an exorbitant price for the Fruit of Prosperity from Gwendolyn.


    However, at this moment, she was utterly drained and couldn¡¯t even recollect this matter.


    Once she was done, Gwendolyn stretched out her hand and massaged her shoulderzily.


    Maverick noticed her movements and quickly stepped forward, carefully massaging her shoulders and


    neck with his slender hands.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t refuse and enjoyed his service as she turned her head to look at Charles and


    Matthew.


    ¡°Mr. Newton, Mr. Scott, the money has been paid. Can we leave now?¡±


    Gwendolyn referred to him as ¡°Mr. Newton¡± but not Charles.


    Matthew didn¡¯t hear Charles¡¯ response and unconsciously shot him a nce.


    He noticed that Charles was staring at Maverick giving Gwendolyn a shoulder massage, his pupils


    deep and focused, without uttering a word.


    Matthew could only answer himself, ¡°Yes, you and Mr. Wright are free to leave whenever you desire.¡±


    Having received their permission, Gwendolyn left without looking back, with Maverick following closely


    behind her. The bodyguards also began to move after them.


    That scene resembled a massive troop on the move.


    As soon as they stepped out of the interrogation room, Shirley was heard shouting from behind. ¡°Call


    an ambnce! Hurry!¡±


    Samantha had passed out from the pain.


    Gwendolyn curled her lips contentedly and walked away briskly.


    Aftering out of the police station, Gwendolyn dismissed therge group of bodyguards, leaving


    only William and Nico behind.


    The crowd had just dispersed when Charles, d in a dark green military coat, emerged from the


    police station. His captivating voice rang out. ¡°Gwendolyn, it has been many years since west met.


    How about having lunch together to catch up on old times?¡±


    Before Gwendolyn could answer, Maverick furrowed his brows, his dark eyes filled with gloom, and


    said, ¡°She¡¯s not avable!¡±


    Gwendolyn cast an annoyed nce at him.


    Maverick¡¯s cold expression from a second ago instantly transformed into an aggrieved one the moment


    he noticed her nce toward him.


    His long eyshes quivered gently.


    His paleplexion gave him the appearance of a pitiful little child longing for someone to care for


    him.


    He gently bit his thin lips as he quietly rolled up his sleeves, revealing the swollen blood marks on his


    wrist. ¡°Gwendolyn, I want to go back to the vi. How about I make you lunch when we arrive there?¡±


    William had long witnessed his Academy Award for Best Actor-worthy techniques in changing his


    expressions, so he was no longer surprised and simply rolled his eyes.


    This was, however, the first time Nico had ever witnessed his own boss acting like this. He was so


    shocked that his jaw almost dropped.


    Charles was frowning as well as he sized up Maverick.


    Gwendolyn, who was the center of attention, was also observing him.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    You b*stard, are you trying to act pitiful again?


    She clenched her teeth secretly. Her eyes curved with a smile as she reached out gently toward


    Maverick¡¯s face.


    Maverick¡¯s heart fluttered slightly when he saw that. Delighted, he lowered his head and brought his


    face closer instinctively, anticipating her gentle caress.


    However, the moment she touched his cheek, her smile froze and her expression instantly turned cold.


    Gwendolyn gripped his cheek firmly with her fair fingers and twisted it harshly, giving him a stern


    lesson. ¡°Another act again? How is it that you are so shameless? Seems like you need my help to


    manually thin out that thick skin of yours, huh?¡±


    Maverick gasped in pain, his facial features contorted, but he didn¡¯t dodge from her grasp. He allowed


    her to vent on him without any resistance.


    Beside him, William wore a gloating expression.


    Nico also grimaced, drawing in a sharp breath.


    Charles pursed his lips tightly together, his deep blue orbs growing darker and darker.


    Under the watchful eyes of the onlookers, Gwendolyn finally let go angrily.


    Having been bullied and realizing that his hope of being caressed by Gwendolyn was crushed,


    Maverick, whose dark eyes welled up with tears, looked both innocent and heartbroken.


    Since his originalplexion was already pale enough, the pinched red spot on his left cheek was


    particrly noticeable. The poor man looked miserable.


    He stared at Gwendolyn, using her silently.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression was cold and indifferent. Instead of looking at Maverick, she nced at Nico


    beside her. ¡°Send him back to the vi.¡±


    And then, she headed straight toward Charles.


    Charles¡¯ face instantly lit up with a smile when he saw her walking toward him. ¡°Let¡¯s go. What would


    you like to eat? I¡¯ll have someone make a reservation right away.¡±


    Upon witnessing this scene, Maverick suddenly felt suffocated in his chest, making it difficult for him to


    breathe. He even experienced a sense of dizziness. Whether it was his face, wrists, or heart, his entire


    body seemed to be in pain.


    He forced himself to push through despite the difort and followed behind Gwendolyn. ¡°If you insist


    on having a meal with him, I suppose it¡¯s not impossible either. I¡¯m hungry too, and I believe Mr.


    Newton won¡¯t mind,¡± Maverick said.


    Charles didn¡¯t respond, but his expression clearly showed his displeasure.


    ¡°I mind.¡± Gwendolyn turned around and red at him coldly. ¡°Since you insist on continuing with the


    employment agreement, you must obey the arrangements and return to the vi.¡±


    Maverick was left speechless.


    Under the sunlight, his face was so pale that it was almost transparent.


    Gwendolyn paid no attention to him whatsoever. She left with Charles without looking back, with


    William¡¯s and Charles¡¯ subordinates following closely behind the pair.


    Even after they had walked far away, Maverick remained in the same spot, dumbfounded.


    He clutched his chest, breathing heavily. Feeling light-headed, he stumbled backward.


    Nico hurriedly stepped forward to help him.


    ¡°Boss, why do I feel like your actions right now bear so much resemnce to¡­ vying for favor?¡±


    Maverick felt even more frustrated.


    He vied for her favor, but he still couldn¡¯t win back her heart, which desired to have lunch with Charles.


    She really was extremely heartless toward him.


    Nico noticed his boss¡¯ expression was getting worse and quickly tried to reassure him, ¡°Boss, don¡¯t


    worry. Ms. Shalders isn¡¯t a superficial woman. Although Mr. Newton does have a nice physique and a


    good temperament, and the main thing is his face, which is indeed very attractive¡­¡±


    It would have been better if he hadn¡¯t tried tofort Maverick. The more he spoke, the paler


    Maverick¡¯s face became, and his whole body started to feel weak and dizzy.


    Nico was terrified. ¡°No, no! Boss, what I meant was, you¡¯re not bad either. No! You¡¯re even better than


    Charles.¡±


    ¡°Which part of me is better than him?¡±


    Nico fell silent for a moment, scratching his head in thought.


    Maverick wasn¡¯t in a hurry either and waited patiently for his response.


    After pondering for a long time until Maverick¡¯s pale face gradually turned dark, Nico finally suggested


    hesitantly, ¡°What if, Boss¡­ our advantages are not enough, and we use an alternate way? You pretend


    to reveal your identity identally, letting Ms. Shalders realize how capable you actually are?¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    Maverick gritted his teeth. If he hadn¡¯t been injected with the 023 special drug, he would have reached


    out and given the idiot in front of him a powerful smack and knock him out.


    His identity was rted to a crucial mission, and it cannot be easily exposed.


    Moreover, Gwendolyn had never been the type of woman to treat people differently based on their


    social status.


    He pinched his own abs through his shirt, feeling aggrieved.


    Once again, he thought of Charles¡¯ wickedly charming face, with those rare and deep blue eyes carved


    in it. He, however, didn¡¯t have those eyes.


    Nico noticed that he seemed a bit disheartened and continued tofort him, ¡°Boss, don¡¯t be


    discouraged. When ites to pursuing a wife, no one is more shameless than you. In that aspect,


    Charles is no match for you!¡±

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163


    Chapter 163 Better To Rise As A Queen Than Be A Caged Pet


    Maverick clutched his chest tightly, feeling ufortable because of the tightness in his chest.


    Nico¡¯s words really hurt his heart!


    ¡°You¡¯ve been getting more and more unrulytely, acting on your own without my orders, and it sounds


    like you have a favorable opinion of Charles?¡±


    His whole body exuded a strong hostile aura as he coldly pushed Nico away and weakly pulled himself


    forward.


    Nico¡¯s face turned pale with fear, and he remorsefully pped his own mouth twice for not being able to


    express himself well.


    It was all because he had never been in a rtionship before and didn¡¯t know how tofort people.


    He hurriedly trotted forward, continuing to hold Maverick steady while exining himself, ¡°Boss, it¡¯s a


    misunderstanding! I came here with William because I was worried about you. Besides, Mr. Newton¡ª


    No! I mean Charles! How could I possibly think highly of him? Of course, I have higher hopes for you,


    Boss.¡±


    He leaned in close to Maverick¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Although Ms. Shalders was always picking on


    you, as the saying goes, ¡®sometimes harsh words or deeds can demonstrate one¡¯s love.¡¯ After all, she


    treats you differently than the others. Who knows, maybe one day you¡¯ll win her over?¡±


    Atst, he finally said something pleasant to the ear.


    Maverick felt much more at ease.


    Nico chuckled obsequiously, then caught a glimpse of the deep red pinch mark on Maverick¡¯s left


    cheek and winced slightly. ¡°However, Ms. Shalders¡­ she really didn¡¯t hold back with her pinch.¡±


    Maverick rubbed his face subconsciously, still feeling a lingering pain.


    Again, he thought about Gwendolyn and Charles having a meal together and couldn¡¯t help but wonder


    what they would talk about. He remained displeased about this matter, and his expression quickly


    turned somber.


    ¡°Send two people to follow them and find out what they¡¯re talking about.¡±


    Nico¡¯s face wore a horrified look, and he was on the verge of tears. ¡°Boss, please spare me! No matter


    what, Charles is still the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. His subordinates around him have


    top-notch techniques in preventing eavesdropping and stalking.¡±


    Maverick showed no expression.


    At that, Nico pouted his lips and continued to persuade Maverick, ¡°If we get caught, Ms. Shalders will


    find out, and it won¡¯t be easy for us to exin. Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll misunderstand you again?


    Wouldn¡¯t it be better for us to return to the vi and wait for her quietly?¡±


    He let out a quiet sigh.


    My boss is too stubborn. He acts like aplete fool, especially when ites to his love life. What


    should I do?


    After pondering for a moment, Maverick eventuallypromised and asked, ¡°Among the boys, is there


    anyone with a rich rtionship experience?¡±


    Nico contemted earnestly for a while.


    ¡°It seems that only Swain has been in a rtionship before. However, he¡¯s not in Faike; he¡¯s in


    Salinsburgh.¡±


    ¡°Swain?¡± Maverick was stunned for a moment, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. ¡°He¡¯s the youngest, but


    he¡¯s the first to be in a rtionship?¡±


    Nico grinned sheepishly.


    ¡°Boss, you don¡¯t understand. Despite his young age, he has high emotional intelligence and plenty of


    mischief in his head. From what I¡¯ve heard, his girl ispletely smitten with him.¡±


    Maverick fell silent for a moment, his deep ck orbs narrowing slightly. ¡°Once he¡¯s done with his tasks


    over there, ask him to meet me in Faike privately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±


    Charles had arranged for a well-furnished French restaurant, where he disyed his gentlemanly


    manners by pulling out the chair for Gwendolyn and assisting her in ordering the dishes.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression remained indifferent as she elegantly sipped her water.


    The man fixed his stare intently on her, his dark blue eyes sparkling with specks of light. ¡°I remember


    that you prefer a quiet dining environment, and I remember your taste preferences too. If there¡¯s


    anything I haven¡¯t taken into ount, just let me know.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded. ¡°You are quite thoughtful.¡±


    He softened his voice and continued, ¡°Gwen, ever since my family arranged for me to join the Central


    Intelligence Agency, seven years passed by in a sh, and we haven¡¯t met since then. This time, I


    happened to be in Faike, and Treyton told me you were at the police station. I rushed over


    immediately and, sure enough, I found you. It¡¯s great to see you again. I¡­ I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±


    Gwendolyn looked up and locked eyes with him, evoking a long-forgotten memory within her.


    She smiled. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s been seven years. You¡¯ve even reached the position of the Central Intelligence


    Agency¡¯s director and are still standing strong. Congrattions, Mr. Newton.¡±


    Charles turned pale.


    Instead of ¡°Charles,¡± she referred to him as ¡°Mr. Newton¡± again.


    ¡°Gwen, have we grown distant?¡±


    A faint smile remained on Gwendolyn¡¯s face as she continued, ¡°Mr. Newton, you must be joking. We¡¯ve


    never been that close.¡±


    Charles¡¯ eyes trembled, and he instinctively tried to grab her thin hand, but she noticed and dodged


    away.


    ¡°You won¡¯t even let me touch you? I know you still hold a grudge against me for what happened in the


    past, but I was so young back then, and I didn¡¯t have a choice¡­¡±


    ¡°Mr. Newton,¡± Gwendolyn interrupted him, her expression turning grim when he brought up the past. ¡°If


    you invited me out today just to talk about these things, then this meal ispletely unnecessary.¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°All right. Let¡¯s not talk about these things.¡±


    Charles sensibly kept quiet immediately.


    Right then, the waiter arrived with the dishes, conveniently easing the tense atmosphere between the


    two.


    Except for the sound of their knives and forks ttering, they remained very quiet.


    It was Charles who broke the silence once again. ¡°This time, I n to stay in Faike for a while more.


    I heard from Treyton that you¡¯ve been gathering evidencetely. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you out.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Gwendolyn was not pretentious either.


    This was a different matter. He had volunteered to help, and she had no reason to refuse.


    Upon noticing her quick response, Charles was very happy.


    Those deep, brilliant sapphire eyes were mesmerizing when they smiled.


    As Charles elegantly cut a piece of beef, he casually asked, ¡°I also heard that the man today is your ex-


    husband. Did you sign an employment agreement with him and turned him into your butler?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gwendolyn spoke candidly.


    Charles hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Do you still have any feelings for¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn raised her eyes, her expression instantly turning cold. ¡°This is my personal matter.¡±


    ¡°All right, I won¡¯t ask any more questions. In any case, now that I¡¯m here, I won¡¯t let anyone bully you.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes revealed a hint ofplexity as she nced at the half-eaten beef on her te. She


    smiled and said, ¡°People change. It¡¯s been seven years, and you still remember my taste, but you don¡¯t


    realize that my taste has already changed a long time ago. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    Charles¡¯ face stiffened.


    How could he possibly not understand what she meant? Yet, he was unwilling to ept it.


    It was just a mere seven years that has passed. Weren¡¯t they reunited again?


    Gwendolyn ate nonchntly as she continued, ¡°But you, on the other hand, haven¡¯t changed at all. You


    were always domineering, making decisions on my behalf, and you¡¯re still the same today. However,


    I¡¯m no longer that naive little girl who used to follow you around and knew nothing.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it desirable to be a bit domineering? Snuggling up in the arms of a strong man, being a pampered


    little woman¡ªisn¡¯t that the happiness many girls in this world are pursuing?¡±


    Gwendolyn simply smiled and didn¡¯t refute.


    Perhaps many girls were indeed like this.


    However, she had never cared to be a man¡¯s caged pet; she preferred to be her own queen.


    As for men and such, as long as she had the money, she was willing to keep a few men as her caged


    birds.


    Throughout the meal, Gwendolyn found her food to be nd and tasteless.


    Upon leaving the restaurant, the weather outside had changed. The strong wind blew, bringing a cool


    sensation to their faces.


    Charles took off his military coat, ready to drape it over her shoulders.


    Gwendolyn declined and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m not cold.¡±


    Charles curved his lips into a smile and still draped the dark green fur coat over her shoulders,


    enveloping her petite frame.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed, showing her displeasure.


    It seems that he still doesn¡¯t understand what I told him during the meal.


    As she was about to speak again, Elisha suddenly approached and whispered in her ear, ¡°Ms.


    Shalders, Mr. Harris sent me to reach out to you. As you guessed, in these past few days, they¡¯ve


    already sent three groups to hunt down the released assassin. Unfortunately, one of them died during


    the escape, but we managed to save the other one. He said he wants to meet you.¡±

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    Chapter 164 She Gives Names Casually


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡±


    She was about to leave with Elisha when Charles called out to her, ¡°Gwen, do you want me toe


    with you?¡±


    Without hesitation, Gwendolyn said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You must have your own business to attend to in


    Faike. Please excuse me first.¡±


    She had just taken two steps when she remembered that she was still wearing Charles¡¯ coat. So, she


    took it off, folded it, and walked back to return it to him.


    Charles didn¡¯t take the coat and instead gazed at her with warmth and tenderness. ¡°It¡¯s getting colder.


    You should keep it.¡±


    Gwendolyn handed the coat to the subordinate behind him. The subordinate nced at Charles, shook


    his head in fear, and dared not take it.


    Annoyed, she ended up hanging the coat on the flower stand by the entrance of the restaurant before


    striding off after Elisha without so much as a nce over her shoulder.


    Charles looked in the direction where she disappeared before ncing at the coat she left on the flower


    stand. He furrowed his brows as a dark look swirled in his eyes.


    Seemingly reminded of something, Charles turned to his subordinate while wearing a grim expression.


    ¡°Send two people to keep an eye on that Maverick. Report any movements immediately, and make


    sure to stay hidden. His subordinate isn¡¯t easy to deal with, too. Also, look into his identity and


    background.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Mr. Newton.¡±


    Charles¡¯ subordinate helped him take the coat off the flower stand and wanted to put it on him.


    ring viciously at his subordinate, Charles growled, ¡°How dare you touch something that¡¯s filthy?


    Throw it away!¡±


    Gwendolyn hurried to Treyton¡¯s residence. The patient was amodated in the private medical room


    that was previously used to treat Natasha.


    Upon entering the room, she saw the injured person lying in bed, receiving an IV drip.


    Upon seeing Gwendolyn enter the room, he slowly sat up.


    Gwendolyn sat down on a chair two meters away from him, smiling. ¡°I never expected you to be the


    one to survive out of forty people. That day, you were the only one who answered my question. You


    have the softest heart, and you¡¯re also the luckiest. What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?¡±


    The person pondered for a moment, then looked at her sincerely, ¡°I originally thought that if I kept quiet,


    the organization would let me off the hook. I didn¡¯t expect them to be even more ruthless than I


    imagined. I know that you were the one who sent people to save me these past few times. I am willing


    to reveal all the information I know.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Gwendolyn eximed in surprise. He¡¯s figured it out already?


    She asked, ¡°How much money do you want as a reward?¡±


    The man shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t want any money. They won¡¯t let me go. I¡¯m weak and powerless, and


    sooner orter, I¡¯ll die at their hands. But I don¡¯t want to die yet.¡±


    ¡°Do you want my protection?¡±


    The man stared into her eyes andughed, ¡°I love conversing with smart people like you. In exchange,


    I want to be your bodyguard. You have many powerful big shots around you, and only by doing this can


    I survive.¡±


    So he really wants to work for me?


    Gwendolyn¡¯s frown was barely noticeable as she held her head high gracefully, exuding an aloof


    charm.


    ¡°Just so you know, I won¡¯t just ept anyone to work for me. First, tell me what information you have. If


    it¡¯s all trivial stuff, then I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help you.¡±


    The man gazed at her face, somewhat captivated.


    She was breathtakingly pretty, had a fiery personality, and was ruthless and decisive. All those traits set


    her apart from ordinary women.


    The mere sight of such an outstanding woman like her was worth everything for him.


    He gathered his thoughts and began to exin.


    ¡°I saw the person who hired us to kill you as I was right there when he was talking to the boss. He¡¯s a


    tall man, probably close to two hundred meters in height, and he seemed solemn and formidable.¡±


    The man tried hard to recall and continued, ¡°Although he was wearing sunsses that day, I noticed a


    ck birthmark the size of a thumb on his temple. During their conversation, I vaguely heard him


    mention his master. If we can find him, he should know all the details about this matter.¡±


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes slightly.


    ck birthmark? His master?


    ¡°Aside from the birthmark, do you remember his facial features? The shape of his face and lips, or his


    overall appearance?¡±


    The person nodded but seemed a bit troubled. ¡°I remember his face but I can¡¯t draw well.¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn waved at Elisha, gesturing for him toe over.


    Elisha approached with a sketchbook and, based on the man¡¯s description, drew a fairly clear portrait


    of a man.


    Gwendolyn took a careful look and was sure she didn¡¯t recognize the man.


    ¡°Besides this, is there any other information you can provide?¡±


    The person pondered for a moment. ¡°Yes, I remember that the day before your ident, we had a


    meeting point¡­¡±


    Although he didn¡¯t provide much information, it was still considered useful.


    Gwendolyn stood up and walked over to the man before bending down to observe his face. ¡°Not bad.


    Although your face is injured and your skin is quite dark, you have handsome features. So, from today


    onward, you¡¯ll be known as Justin.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The man froze for a moment. ¡°But I already have a name¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn chuckled nonchntly. ¡°I don¡¯t need to know your real name. I wouldn¡¯t remember it


    anyway. So, Justin will be your code name, the name you¡¯ll use as my bodyguard.¡±


    Justin was taken aback.


    So that¡¯s how she came up with the names of her bodyguards? Well, that¡¯s kind of¡­ casual.


    Gwendolyn said, ¡°Come and report to me once you recover. Understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After resolving Justin¡¯s issue, Gwendolyn stepped out of the private medical room.


    Treyton was waiting for her in the living room downstairs with a solemn expression. ¡°Kiddo, he¡¯s one of


    them. Aren¡¯t you afraid that he¡¯s just pretending to be friendly, trying to lower your guard on purpose?¡±


    Gwendolyn sat down on the couch next to him and shed azy smile. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?


    I¡¯ll find an opportunity to sound him out. Even if he really is a spy trying to win our favor, we should


    keep him close so that it¡¯s easier for us to discover their intentions and know all their ns.¡±


    Treyton fell silent.


    Although it made sense logically, doesn¡¯t she know that by doing so, she would put herself in danger?


    He sighed as Gwendolyn handed him the sketchbook with the portrait. ¡°Asher is quite familiar with all


    the employees working for the Harris family. Could you please ask him to check the profile of this


    person?¡±


    Treyton took the sketchbook and said, ¡°All right.¡±


    In the evening, at Bay Vi, Maverick was in the kitchen preparing dinner when he suddenly heard a


    familiar bird call. It was Nico.


    He turned and exited the kitchen. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Nico swaggering through the


    garden and walking toward him.


    William went out with Gwendolyn but Quinton was still at the vi.


    Nico noticed his boss¡¯ icy re and quickly waved his hands in denial. ¡°Boss, don¡¯t get me wrong. I


    didn¡¯t beat anyone up and barge in here. I just walked in like any normal person this time.¡±


    Maverick chuckled lightly. ¡°You beat him up thest time, and now the two of you are already acting all


    lovey-dovey with each other?¡±


    Nico, the social butterfly, chuckled cheekily.


    However, his expression froze all of a sudden when he quickly realized something wrong with


    Maverick¡¯s words.


    ¡°Boss, what are you talking about? I¡¯m a straight guy. What do you mean by acting all lovey-dovey?¡±


    Maverick changed the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s get straight to the point.¡±


    Nico instantly put on a serious expression and leaned over, whispering softly into his ear, ¡°After you


    sent Neville to follow Natasha, he sent a message back saying that Natasha has been moved to two


    different ces in the past few days. She has not been moved after that, and no one hase by to


    check on her. It seems like¡­ they¡¯ve given up on Natasha?¡±


    There¡¯s no way they would give up so easily.


    ¡°Since we¡¯ve found her location and there¡¯s no one around her¡­¡±


    Maverick¡¯s voice trailed off as he nced down at his watch. There were still forty minutes left until


    Gwendolyn got off work. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look,¡± he said.

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    Chapter 165 He Is My Pet


    The two of them quickly left the vi.


    While they were en route to the suburbs, Maverick, feeling weary, closed his eyes for a brief respite,


    only to unexpectedly drift off into a deep sleep.


    He didn¡¯t sleep well and had a very strange dream.


    In his dream, he found himself in a small, empty, and modest cabin.


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a deafening gunshot rang out from outside the door.


    He felt a sharp pain in his chest, and as he looked down, he discovered that his heart had been pierced


    by a bullet.


    Instantly, his entire body became drenched in crimson, as blood spread and stained him in vivid hues


    of red.


    Agonizing pain emanated from his heart, surging through his limbs and coursing through every inch of


    his body.


    He turned around in shock.


    In the dim light, Gwendolyn stood by the door, aiming a gun at him.


    Her face was as frigid and lifeless as death, devoid of any warmth. Her once warm eyes now gleamed


    with a chilling cruelty and ruthless detachment.


    W-Why¡­


    His eyes reddened. He wanted to approach her to seek an answer to his predicament.


    As he took two steps forward, his vision suddenly blurred, and everything before his eyes became


    drenched in a deep crimson hue. Eventually, he could no longer discern the figure standing before him.


    ¡°Boss? Boss!¡±


    As Nico called out twice, Maverick gradually regained consciousness.


    ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve arrived. There¡¯s a small path up ahead. To avoid being noticed by Natasha, we need to


    walk.¡±


    Maverick blinked his tired, dark eyes, instinctively casting a downward gaze toward his heart.


    Beneath the suit and shirt, it was pulsating with life and vigor.


    However, the intense pain in the dream just now felt all too real.


    It was so realistic that he could hardly distinguish between the present and the past, wondering which


    one was actually an illusion.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s ruthless expression shed before his eyes, causing a sudden sharp pain in his heart.


    Nico felt that something was off with Maverick as thetter¡¯s face was pale. He used the back of his


    hand to feel Maverick¡¯s forehead.


    It felt refreshingly cool. There was no sign of a fever.


    ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Boss!¡±


    Nico¡¯s unceasing voice roused Maverick from the memory of the bizarre nightmare.


    Hisplexion gradually returned to its normal hue, and he gracefully stepped out of the car with his


    long legs. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As soon as the duo left Bay Vi to the suburbs, someone reported the news to Charles.


    Upon discovering Maverick¡¯s presence in the suburbs, Charles narrowed his deep blue eyes. ¡°What is


    he doing there?¡±


    The person who came to deliver the message replied with his head lowered, ¡°It seems like he went to


    meet a woman.¡±


    A woman?


    Charles¡¯ lips curled into a slight smile as he recalled Maverick¡¯s deliberate attempts to gain


    Gwendolyn¡¯s attention at the police station, and the way he had yfully acted pitiful and helpless at


    the entrance of the station.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    During that moment, his eyes were brimming with profound affection, as if his heart and gaze were


    solely dedicated to Gwendolyn, unable to epass anyone else.


    Yet, he now went behind Gwendolyn¡¯s back to secretly meet another woman.


    How interesting!


    ¡°Go and gather information about who he met and thoroughly investigate the entire situation. I want to


    have all the details as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Charles¡¯ deep blue eyes narrowed with amusement as he stood up and headed to Angle Corporation.


    Right then, Gwendolyn was sitting in the CEO¡¯s office, tidying up the desk and preparing to leave work.


    Having previously dered herself as the boss of Angle, Gwendolyn capitalized on her recent free time


    and requested Treyton to vacate the CEO¡¯s office. In response, Treyton returned to oversee his own


    industrialpany located in Faike.


    She had just finished tidying up the desk when Joanne knocked on the door and came in.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, there¡¯s a man in military uniform outside who wants to see you. He says his name is


    Newton.¡±


    What is Charlesing over for?


    ¡°All right. Let him in.¡±


    ¡°Okay then,¡± Joanne responded cheerfully and took two steps before turning her head back to look at


    Gwendolyn again.


    She then whispered with a hint of infatuation, ¡°This Mr. Newton is really good-looking, Ms. Shalders,


    you are truly¡­ something!¡±


    She gave a thumbs up, looking at Gwendolyn with an admiring expression.


    Gwendolyn showed no expression, gently waved her hand, and signaled for her to leave.


    When Charles entered the room, Gwendolyn was already seated on the small guest couch. She had


    courteously poured a cup of coffee for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m just about to get off work. Is there something you need?¡±


    Charles epted the teacup with a smile, taking a delicate sip before speaking, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.


    I¡¯m simply curious as to why you refused my pursuit earlier. Could it be because of that manservant in


    your vi?¡±


    Gwendolyn poured herself a cup of coffee as well, her expression turning serious. ¡°The reason I


    refused you is because I am well aware that you and I are cut from the same cloth. Therefore, it is


    destined to be impossible between us.¡±


    The Charles she knew was domineering and paranoid. He also seemed to have an obsession with


    cleanliness and a strong sense of possessiveness.


    But to what extent his possessiveness go, she wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°So, in that case, it has nothing to do with your manservant?¡±


    Gwendolyn thought for a moment.


    In order topletely eradicate any thoughts he might have of pursuing her, she needed to find an


    uncontroble factor that would sever his thoughts entirely.


    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t say it haspletely nothing to do with him. As you can see, for me, he¡¯s like a beautiful


    pet that I keep in my vi.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Charles frowned. ¡°Am I not better looking than him?¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she picked up the coffee cup and drank the beverage in one gulp.


    Charles thought of something, and the smile in his eyes grew broader. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t know your


    pet very well, unaware of what he does behind your back.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Charles stood up, gracefully adjusting the cor of his military uniform.


    ¡°Come on, let me show you what he does behind your back.¡±


    In the tranquil suburban cottage, the golden hues of the setting sun bathed the surroundings in a warm


    glow.


    The worn wooden door creaked open.


    As Nico concealed himself in the shadows, Maverick, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun,


    entered the house.


    Natasha was sitting on the small bed, lost in thought. Upon hearing the sound, she turned around and


    saw him. In that instant, her eyes filled with tears of joy.


    She struggled to get out of bed, and in her haste, she stumbled and fell to the ground. She scrambled


    up and clumsily made her way toward Maverick.


    ¡°Mave! I was wrong, Mave! I shouldn¡¯t have believed Samantha that day, and I shouldn¡¯t have allowed


    her bodyguard to attempt to harm you! I still love you deeply. They have left me here, abandoned and


    vulnerable. Only you can save me now!¡±


    Maverick stood tall and rigid; his gaze fixed on her without a hint of emotion.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to save you. However, if you can provide me with a full exnation of everything you


    know, I can ensure your safety in prison. You will be protected from any further mistreatment, and you


    will have the chance to live out the remainder of your life in rtive peace.¡±


    When she heard this, Natasha¡¯s tears fell heavily onto the floor.


    ¡°Mave, you¡¯re so heartless! Even if you disregard my attempt on saving your life, we were once


    childhood friends. How can you condemn me to return to that hellish existence?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s indifferent expression remained unchanged. ¡°Sending you back to prison and allowing you


    to live a peaceful life is the best oue. It¡¯s also an exchange for your confession. Isn¡¯t living better


    than dying?¡±


    Natasha¡¯s face was stained with tears.


    She never imagined that she would end up in such a situation. If she hadn¡¯t returned to the country and


    fought for the title of Mrs. Wright, she would probably still be living a carefree life abroad.


    The more she thought about it, the more upset she became, and she cried out with all her strength.


    Maverick stood there quietly, his gaze unwavering andpletely unfazed.


    Meanwhile, outside the cabin, Charles had his subordinates cunningly lure Nico away, who had been


    secretly protecting Maverick.


    Then, standing far away from the cabin with Gwendolyn, they peered through the small window to


    observe the situation inside the house.


    Charles shed a wicked grin and whispered, ¡°Gwen, behold your clever little pet. Not only did he find


    his long-lost lover, but he also ndestinely met with her in the suburbs. He¡¯s two-faced, putting on a


    facade in front of you while acting differently behind your back. You can¡¯t keep such a pet around.¡±

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    Chapter 166 Cruel Little Game


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips and fixed her cold eyes on Maverick inside the cabin, but she remained


    silent.


    Following her gaze, Charles looked into the cabin. His deep blue eyes narrowed slightly, and a wicked


    smile yed at the corners of his mouth.


    ¡°Gwen, how about we y an interesting game?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Gwendolyn turned to look at him. When she saw his expression, her heart was filled with a sense of


    foreboding.


    Without saying anything, Charles gently raised his hand.


    His subordinates understood immediately and quickly approached the cabin.


    Inside, Natasha was crying her heart out with deep regret.


    ¡°Mave, I don¡¯t want to die here, and I certainly don¡¯t want to go back to prison. Can you help me? I¡¯m


    willing to cooperate and tell you everything I know. In return, I only ask for enough money for a


    comfortable life and assistance in leaving the country. I promise that once I¡¯m gone, I¡¯ll never return to


    Chanaea and trouble you again.¡±


    Maverick fell silent for a moment before he spoke in a cold tone. ¡°That depends on how much you


    know and whether it¡¯s worth the money I¡¯m paying.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯ll tell you everything you want to know!¡±


    Natasha propped herself up with her hands, struggling to stand. As she straightened her body, a faint


    sound of wind reached her ears.


    Following that, she felt a slight sting on the side of her neck. She instinctively reached out to touch the


    source of the sensation and discovered something foreign embedded in her skin.


    Upon removing the object from her neck, she noticed that it was a syringe thinner than a pinky finger.


    Natasha was baffled.


    At the sight of the empty syringe in her hand, Maverick furrowed his brows and swiftly whipped his


    head around to look out the window. In that split second, he caught a glimpse of a swift figure shing


    by.


    ¡°Nico.¡±


    He called out, but there was no response from outside the cabin.


    Natasha¡¯s expression gradually turned numb. Blood vessels emerged in her pupils as a fleeting


    expression of pain crossed her face.


    Immediately after, she lifted her crimson eyes and red at Maverick with intense hatred. ¡°Do you


    really think I would tell you? In your dreams! If I can¡¯t have it easy, neither can you and Gwendolyn, that


    b*tch! I¡¯ll send you to your death first, and she¡¯ll soon join you!¡± she snarled, her voiceced with


    venom.


    Her face contorted ferociously, and with a piercing scream and her teeth bared, she lunged toward


    Maverick at an astonishing speed.


    It was as if the dormant beast within Natasha had been unleashed. Lethal intent brimmed in her eyes,


    which emanated an unwavering resolve to rend him apart right then and there.


    Maverick skillfully dodged to the side, making sure Natasha didn¡¯t even touch a single piece of his


    clothing.


    The house descended into sudden chaos.


    Seeing Natasha¡¯s condition, Gwendolyn shot Charles a re.


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    Charlesughed. ¡°Recently, a new drug called 545 special drug was developed. It can enhance the


    evilness within a person and turn them into a wild beast. Their attack power increases dramatically, and


    they desire to see blood. If they can¡¯t vent their aggression in time, their hearts will give out, and they


    will die. This drug has only been experimented on animals thus far. But Natasha, being a fugitive, will


    face a torturous experience once she is sent back to prison. Why not make use of her as an


    experiment subject instead, and let her meet a fitting end?¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at Charles in disbelief.


    After seven years apart, he was far more ruthless and vicious than she had ever imagined.


    Beneath his handsome, ethereal appearance was now a twisted soul. She couldn¡¯t help wondering


    what exactly he had experienced over the past seven years.


    ¡°This is outrageous. You¡¯re no longer the Charles I once knew.¡±


    Charles¡¯ expression was indifferent, but as he looked straight into her eyes, his blue pupils held a


    glimmer of intense possessiveness.


    He hooked his lips into a faint smile, took out a revolver from the back of his waistband, swiftly loaded a


    bullet, and handed it to Gwendolyn.


    When Gwendolyn looked down, her expression turned serious. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°Gwen, given your pet¡¯s physical strength, he won¡¯tst more than five minutes against this woman. I¡¯ll


    give you choices. You can stand by and watch as she brutally tortures him to death, which would serve


    as a fitting punishment for him.¡±


    He paused briefly before continuing, ¡°Alternatively, you can use this revolver, loaded with just one


    bullet, to end the life of the woman inside. Or, you can take matters into your own hands and personally


    eliminate your disobedient pet, giving him a swift and decisive end. What do you think?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at him incredulously. ¡°You must be crazy!¡±


    Charles chuckled, his eyes gleaming with a sinister light. ¡°Inside that room, there¡¯s only a fugitive and


    your servant. He¡¯s just a little pet. You can easily find a recement since he disobeyed you,¡± he said


    nonchntly.


    Gwendolyn gritted her teeth and stared at Charles coldly. ¡°He belongs to me, and you have no right in


    deciding what will happen to him.¡±


    With an innocent expression, Charles moved the gun in his hand closer to Gwendolyn. ¡°Of course.


    That¡¯s why the choice is yours.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression turned stern as she observed the situation inside the room. Maverick was


    skillfully evading Natasha¡¯s attacks, determined not to let hery a finger on him.


    However, Nico had been lured away by Charles¡¯ people, leaving Maverick isted and helpless. If the


    situation persisted, there would be no way for thetter to escape.


    Gwendolyn frowned. ¡°I choose neither!¡±


    Once her words fell, she made a move to rush into the cabin. Charles, with his quick reflexes, grabbed


    her arm and blocked her path.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes burned with fury. The next moment, she swung her hand back and pped Charles


    across the face.


    Charles stood his ground, facing her anger head-on with a smile still adorning his face. ¡°Feel free to


    p me if it brings you satisfaction, but I won¡¯t allow you to enter. Those who have taken the 545


    special drug go berserk and lose control. It¡¯s too risky, and I cannot jeopardize your safety. Your only


    option is to use a gun to end her life.¡±


    Gwendolyn stared daggers at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to use a gun.¡±


    ¡°You can do it. I personally taught you how to shoot back then. Come on, let me see if your shooting


    skills have regressed or not.¡±


    Once again, Charles moved the revolver closer to her. ¡°If you hesitate any longer, your little pet won¡¯t


    be able to hold on.¡±


    Pupils quivering, Gwendolyn looked toward the cabin.


    Maverick was gradually beginning to feel the strain on his body, and he struggled to keep up with the


    relentless assault.


    In contrast, Natasha appeared to be fueled by the injected substance, her movements bing more


    frenzied and her thirst for blood intensifying.


    Maverick quickly scanned the room and looked for any handy tools. When his eyes caught sight of a


    bowl on the wooden table, he darted over and knocked the bowl against the edge of the table.


    The bowl shattered in an instant.


    While he was doing this, Natasha screamed and rushed toward him at lightning speed.


    He instinctively tried to evade her, but his weakened physical state hindered his speed. Just a split


    second too slow, and Natasha¡¯s fingernails tore through his suit jacket.


    Maverick¡¯s gaze briefly flickered with disdain as he observed the tear on the fabric before his chest.


    Without hesitation, he removed his suit and tossed it toward Natasha¡¯s face.


    Natasha¡¯s eyes burned with an insatiable bloodlust, her thirst for violence palpable in the air. As if


    unable to find an outlet to vent her pain, she viciously tore apart the suit and lunged at him once again.


    Maverick was forced to retreat. Suddenly, he heard a loud sound reverberating through the air¡ªthe


    door of the locked wooden cabin had been kicked open.


    Upon turning around, he saw Gwendolyn.


    Her eyebrows were furrowed, her expression solemn. The revolver in her hand was aimed straight at


    him.


    This scene caused a sharp pain in Maverick¡¯s heart.


    The nightmare he had on the car was still vividly etched in his mind, and he couldn¡¯t believe it had


    actuallye true.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, please don¡¯t¡­¡± Maverick called out softly, his voice trembling and carrying a hint of


    pleading.


    However, Gwendolyn¡¯s hand holding the gun remained steady. All of a sudden, her eyes hardened, and


    she decisively pulled the trigger at him.


    With a self-mocking smirk on his thin lips, Maverick stood still and closed his eyes in resignation.


    Bang!


    A deafening boom erupted.

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    Chapter 167 A Pet For Her Revenge


    A sudden sharp pain coursed through Maverick¡¯s body as a gunshot sounded.


    The pain didn¡¯te from his chest, but from his right arm.


    His eyes shot open, and he looked down to see a streak of blood on his white shirt. A bullet had grazed


    his arm.


    All of a sudden, the mor behind him ceased.


    He nced back and saw Natasha still in the same aggressive stance, ready to attack. Her expression


    gradually turned from ferocious to numb as a bullet had pierced through her chest.


    Blood bloomed like a vibrant poppy flower and stained her dress crimson.


    Natasha paused for a moment. At the sight of blood on her chest, she turned deathly pale. Her eyes


    rolled back, and she copsed and fell unconscious.


    Slow, loud ps could be heard from the doorway just then.


    Charles looked at Gwendolyn with admiration shining in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re too modest, Gwen. You still


    have such urate aim even though you haven¡¯t touched a gun in years. You truly are my student,¡± he


    praised.


    Gwendolyn tossed the revolver in her hand aside. Her expression was stone cold under the dim light of


    the kerosenemp, and she didn¡¯t respond to Charles at all.


    Maverick remained in the same spot and met Charles¡¯ gaze.


    Charlesughed sarcastically, but it was unclear whether he wasughing at Maverick or himself. ¡°You


    win. We just yed a game where Gwen had to choose between you and this woman. Even after you


    came to the suburbs thiste to meet your ex-lover behind her back, she still chose you. It¡¯s making me


    envious,¡± he remarked.


    ¡°A game?¡± Maverick repeated, feeling a chill run down his spine.


    He pursed his thin lips and scrunched his brows as he looked at Gwendolyn.


    She didn¡¯t look at him but instead stared at Natasha, who had fallen to the ground. ¡°Is this what you


    wanted to see? Is it fun?¡± Gwendolyn asked Charles.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fun, because I¡¯ve upset you,¡± Charles replied.


    His eyes revealed a touch of destion, and his voice softened slightly. ¡°Gwen, you¡¯re still young, so


    it¡¯s understandable that you want a ything. But I can also y with you for as long as you want. The


    bond we¡¯ve had for so many years, isn¡¯t it deeper than your rtionship with this man?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s brow furrowed even more when Charles mentioned his long-time bond with Gwendolyn.


    Both men¡¯s gazes were fixed on Gwendolyn.


    She stared straight ahead, not looking at any of them. As she turned to leave the cabin, she said, ¡°It¡¯s


    gettingte, and I¡¯m tired. Mr. Newton, since you requested this game, I¡¯ll leave you to deal with


    Natasha.¡±


    Gwendolyn took a few steps forward before noticing Maverick wasn¡¯t following her. ¡°Are youing?


    Or do you want to walk back on your own?¡± she called.


    Maverick scrambled to catch up.


    When he passed by Charles, their gazes shed, sparks flying from the intensity. Their disdain for


    each other was obvious.


    The atmosphere was extremely tense on the way back to Bay Vi. No one took the initiative to break


    the silence.


    Maverick carefully turned his head to nce at Gwendolyn.


    She was watching the passing scenery outside the window with a nk expression and cold eyes. It


    was unclear what she was thinking.


    The streetlight cast a warm halo on her profile, etching her breathtakingly beautiful face into his heart.


    Earlier, when Maverick realized that Gwendolyn was aiming for Natasha and not him, he felt a sense of


    relief.


    However, the pressure in the car was too much at the moment as it was evident that Gwendolyn was in


    a bad mood. William, who was driving, didn¡¯t even dare to move.


    Maverick tentatively reached out, crossing the invisible boundary between them, and gently tugged on


    her sleeve.


    Gwendolyn showed no reaction, still staring out the car window and lost in thought.


    In an attempt to catch her attention, he let out light coughs andined, ¡°Gwendolyn, I¡¯m injured¡­¡±


    Still, he was met with silence.


    ¡°You¡¯re the cause of the injury,¡± he tried again.


    The air remained serene and quiet.


    Maverick looked at the wound on his right arm dejectedly. It wasn¡¯t a big issue, just a minor scratch.


    Yet it seemed like Gwendolyn was still angry.


    The tension was so thick that William felt he could cut through it.


    Oddly enough, Maverick waspletely unaware of it and began to speak honestly. ¡°After the charity


    gst time, I had Neville keep an eye on her. Tonight, I followed Natasha¡¯s trail. I didn¡¯t go there to


    have a date with her; there¡¯s nothing between us. I just wanted to get some clues from her to find out


    who harmed youst time.¡±


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes but continued to purse her lips without a word.


    She was actually thinking about Charles.


    She had admired him and always followed him around as a child.


    However, some unpleasantness urred between themter on. Charles then joined the Central


    Intelligence Agency for training, while she was met with misfortune the following year and ended up in


    Faike.


    Charles seems so unfamiliar this time¡­ There¡¯s something strange about him.


    While Gwendolyn was deep in thought, Maverick quietly watched her from the side.


    They soon arrived at the vi. Gwendolyn promptly opened the car door and walked to the front door.


    Suddenly, she remembered something and turned back to Maverick.


    ¡°If you¡¯re mostly recovered, return to work at Wright Construction Group. The deadline of the oath you


    made has not yet passed,¡± she instructed.


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Maverick followed closely behind her. The moment he returned to his room, his expression gradually


    turned cold.


    That Charles has got some guts.


    It was evident from the events from earlier that Charles had sent someone to follow him, messing up


    his ns at a crucial moment.


    Maverick would not be able to quell his anger if this grudge was left unaddressed.


    Since Gwendolyn had previously lifted the surveince on him, he sent amand to Nico through his


    phone.


    Everything was calm and peaceful for the next few days.


    After having breakfast, Gwendolyn headed to Wright Construction Group. Maverick also left after he


    was done washing the dishes.


    With Natasha¡¯s situation settled, Gwendolyn set her next target on Lane Group.


    Her money had been with the Lane family for too long. It was time for her to take it back.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Lane Group was also involved in the real estate and construction industry. Although its reputation and


    market value were iparable to that of Wright Construction Group, it was still considered a leading


    figure in Faike¡¯s industry.


    Furthermore, the eight point eight billion from Gwendolyn¡¯s previous acquisition of Wright Construction


    Group¡¯s shares went into Samantha¡¯s pocket. As a result, Lane Group didn¡¯t suffer significant damage


    during this period. To revise their ns, Gwendolyn called Yulia over.


    Meanwhile, Maverick quietly slipped away from Linderson Constructions¡¯ worksite and went to the


    private room he had booked to meet Charles.


    Charles had already changed out of his military uniform into a casual ck shirt. His top two buttons


    were undone, revealing his enticing corbone and chest muscles.


    When Maverick entered the room, Charles was lounging on the couch, leisurely sipping red wine.


    Without further ado, Maverick picked up the bottle of wine from the table, poured himself a ss, and


    downed it in one gulp.


    ¡°That hits the spot,¡± he remarked.


    Charles pped his hands lightly. He lifted his eyes to meet Maverick¡¯s gaze and spoke without


    reservation. ¡°I¡¯ve liked Gwendolyn since we were children. We might already be married if it weren¡¯t for


    those years I spent at the Central Intelligence Agency. I know you like her too, but you two are already


    divorced. She¡¯s just using you as a pet for her revenge now. Are you really okay with that?¡±


    Maverick remained silent, his dark eyes resembling a dark abyss.


    ¡°I looked into your background but couldn¡¯t find anything. There¡¯s clearly more to your identity than just


    being a member of the Wright family from Faike. Who exactly are you?¡± Charles questioned.

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    Chapter 168 Gambling With Life


    Charlesy on the couch with a half-smile, gazing at Maverick with his deep blue eyes.


    With hiszy posture, he oozed an aura of mischief.


    Charles had looked into the people around Maverick and found that they were no ordinary people. As


    for Maverick¡¯s background, it was too clean that he could not help but feel suspicious.


    ¡°I¡¯m just Maverick, that¡¯s all. Nothing more.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s dark eyes became serious as he took a step forward, his long legs carrying him to the


    couch next to Charles. Then, Maverick sat down, his posture straight and proper.


    With a casual nce, he first noticed Charles¡¯ exposed, perfectly sculpted chest muscles and


    corbones beneath the ck shirt. Paired with those deep, blue eyes, Charles looked absolutely


    enchanting like a fairy.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Even I, as a man, found him attractive. Gwendolyn probably finds him pleasing to the eye as well,


    right?


    Maverick suddenly thought of Charles mentioning his long-time bond with Gwendolyn, as well as the


    complex look in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes when she saw Charles at the police station.


    Gwendolyn¡­ She did like him, didn¡¯t she?


    When Charles noticed Maverick staring at his body, a wicked smile yed on his lips. ¡°I¡¯m the kind of


    person who insists on having what¡¯s mine. If anyone dares toy a finger on it, I¡¯ll chop them down and


    take back what belongs to me. Do you understand what I mean?¡±


    Hearing that, Maverickughed.


    Does Charles think he can chop me down?


    He poured himself another ss of wine and elegantly drank it.


    With a tone of provocation, he began, ¡°You can give it a try, and I¡¯ll y along. But¡­¡±


    Maverick paused for a moment, his expression serious and cautious. He then added, ¡°Gwendolyn is


    not anyone¡¯s personal possession. I learned this a long time ago. She has always been independent


    and full of ideas, and her decisions cannot be influenced by others.¡±


    ¡°Of course, but I can guide her in making choices, just likest night.¡±


    When the incident from the night before was mentioned, Maverick¡¯s dark eyes narrowed. As he exuded


    a fierce aura, the surrounding atmosphere chilled.


    Charles sat up and looked him in the eye. ¡°I taught her how to shoot. She¡¯s very smart and learns


    quickly. Last night, I was right behind her and saw her every move clearly.¡±


    Maverick realized what Charles wanted to say and suddenly furrowed his brows.


    Charles went on, ¡°If she didn¡¯t want to hurt you, she had the ability to keep you unharmed. So, she


    must have been angry with you and even harbored murderous intentions. To her, you are just a pet.


    She rewards you when you obey and punishes you when you don¡¯t. She stopped loving you a long


    time ago. Think back to the expression on her face when she first saw me. I have a ce in her heart.


    Once the misunderstanding between us is cleared up, she will no longer need her pet. Do you


    understand?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s thin lips tightened as his deep and cold eyes quivered slightly.


    Charles admired his expression andughed with arrogance.


    In the next moment, Maverick also burst into chuckles.


    ¡°No wonder you¡¯re the director of the Central Intelligence Agency. You¡¯re skilled at sowing discord,


    manipting emotions, and exploiting people¡¯s vulnerabilities. You can tear apart and crush people¡¯s


    fragile hearts, leaving them utterly devastated.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Charles narrowed his eyes and gazed at Maverick warily.


    Charles had only said a few sentences, yet Maverick already figured out what he was up to. This


    revealed that thetter did not look as simple as he appeared.


    Maverick continued, ¡°You didn¡¯t meet me secretly today just for something casual, right?¡±


    Charles resumed his light-hearted smile at that.


    He voiced, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to find out how much you truly mean to her? When faced with life and


    death, who will she care about more? Is it you or me?¡±


    The two men stared at each other.


    One had a look of cold and profound depth, while the other had a charming and unrestrained gaze.


    Gwendolyn and Yulia were in the middle of a meeting when suddenly, amotion erupted in the


    hallway outside.


    It was very noisy.


    After exchanging nces, Gwendolyn and Yulia stood up and opened the door to investigate.


    Outside the door, a man in a suit was arguing with the female assistant.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gwendolyn asked.


    The assistant hurried over and said, ¡°Ms. Shalders, I told this gentleman that you cannot meet visitors


    as you are in a meeting with Ms. Sullivan, but he insisted on barging in. I could barely stop him!¡±


    Turning around, the man nodded respectfully to Gwendolyn. ¡°Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Gwendolyn studied his face and found him familiar-looking. ¡°Are you Charles¡¯ subordinate?¡±


    The man was visibly pleased to be recognized.


    He answered, ¡°Yes, I am Mr. Newton¡¯s subordinate. I apologize for the intrusion, but this matter is quite


    urgent. You see, Mr. Newton and Mr. Wright are about to engage in a life-or-death game.¡±


    ¡°Life-or-death game?¡±


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes slightly. ¡°What is Charles up to now?¡±


    ¡°They are currently in a private room at Realm Bar. Pleasee with me to persuade them, or


    someone might actually die!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face darkened almost instantly.


    She turned around and told Yulia, ¡°You can go ahead and do your work. We¡¯ll continue the meeting


    tomorrow.¡±


    After giving the instructions, she quickly headed to Realm Bar.


    Once she opened the door to the private room, she saw the two men seated across from each other on


    a circr leather couch.


    Neatly arranged gun parts were disyed on the coffee table in between them.


    Their strong desire to win was evident in their eyes.


    Noticing Gwendolyn¡¯s arrival, Maverick, who was near the door, quickly stood up and blocked her line


    of sight.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression was frosty. With an unfriendly tone, she demanded, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Maverick nced behind him and said to Charles, ¡°Fix your clothes.¡±


    Charles raised an eyebrow and leisurely fastened the two loose buttons before his chest.


    It was only then that Maverick moved to the side, allowing Gwendolyn to take a seat on the couch.


    Gwendolyn took a seat right in the center. Folding her hands authoritatively, she cast a cold nce at


    the array of gun partsid out on the coffee table.


    A cold smile appeared on her red lips. ¡°Is this an assembling game, where the loser gets shot in the


    head? Whose idea was this?¡±


    The two men stayed quiet.


    Gwendolyn nced sideways, first looking at Maverick. ¡°He¡¯s the director of the Central Intelligence


    Agency who¡¯s been handling these things since he was a kid, yet you agreed topete with him in


    assembling? Do you even know guns?¡±


    She was testing him.


    Maverick¡¯s dark eyes held a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯ve had the fortune to use them a few times before. Although


    I¡¯m not very familiar with guns, he provoked me first. I¡¯m a man, so of course, I have to give it a shot.¡±


    ¡°Gwen, this is a game between us men,¡± Charles chimed in.


    Gwendolyn let out a cold snort. With her arms still crossed, she leaned against the back of the couch


    with an icy countenance.


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t care about your lives, I won¡¯t stop you. Go ahead. Let¡¯s see who will get shot in the


    head first,¡± she uttered heartlessly.


    Charles¡¯ subordinate from earlier was dumbfounded to hear that.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, I thought you¡¯re here to persuade them?¡± he protested.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression remained indifferent as if she was just there to watch the show.


    Charles nced at his subordinates and ordered, ¡°Get out. No matter what you hear and no matter


    what happenster, do note in.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    As soon as Charles¡¯ people left and closed the door, the atmosphere inside the room turned extremely


    tense.


    Charles looked at Maverick with a grin. ¡°We¡¯ve signed an agreement to waive the liabilities. Whoever


    finishes assembling first can shoot the other. There will be no regrets. Are you really willing to gamble?¡±


    Maverick had a light and carefree smile on his face as he responded, ¡°I¡¯ll y with you till the end.¡±


    Gwendolyn tightened her fists, her breath slightly heavy.


    Charles was more ruthless than Maverick. If the former won, he would definitely pull the trigger.


    However, since Maverick dared to gamble, it must mean that he was prepared.


    Firearms were strictly controlled in Chanaea. Even in the case of wealthy families, not many members


    had ever handled them. Yet, Maverick imed to have used them a few times.


    She was quite curious to see Maverick¡¯s understanding of firearms and how fast his hands were.


    Just as she was deep in thought, the men on both sides of the coffee table sat up straight, an intense


    aura of murderous intent surrounding them.


    Charles started with the countdown.


    Then, the game began.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    Chapter 169 Willing To Drown


    The two men quickly got to work, efficiently and without fuss. Their speeds were at par as their hands


    moved in a flurry of rapid movements.


    Gwendolyn knew nothing about assembling guns, so it left her feeling dizzy and confused.


    However, her gaze remained fixed on Maverick.


    He was too calm. Even though he imed to have only tried guns a few times, his skillful movements


    were clearly muscle memory.


    Moreover, he was able to assemble a gun without falling behind Charles in the slightest. It was


    impossible to achieve this without years of handling firearms.


    As Gwendolyn stared at Maverick intently, her expression grew increasingly serious.


    Across from her, Charles keenly sensed that her focus had been on Maverick the entire time. She did


    not even spare a second to look at him.


    When Charles reached the final step, he deliberately paused for half a second.


    In that split second, Maverick finished assembling the gun. He coldly raised it, aiming at Charles¡¯


    forehead with murderous eyes.


    His well-defined hand was poised to pull the trigger.


    Gwendolyn noticed Maverick¡¯s actions and almost instantly eximed, ¡°Maverick, no!¡±


    Maverick was taken aback. His dark eyes quivered uncontrobly, but he did not move.


    ¡°Put it down. That¡¯s an order!¡±


    Across him, Charles¡¯ eyes were filled with provocation.


    Maverick bit his lower lip hard, his heart trembling from the order yelled at him. At that moment, his


    entire body felt painful as if thousands of needles were pricking it.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    After struggling for two seconds, he finally put down the gun with a pale and dispirited face.


    On the contrary, Charlesughed heartily. ¡°Congrattions. You won the game but lost her. I told you.


    You¡¯re just a pet that has to obey its master. Now, it¡¯s time for you to quit.¡±


    Maverick looked down. His dark eyes were empty and lifeless, and even his hands and feet felt ice


    cold.


    Meanwhile, Charles turned his gaze back to Gwendolyn. With a delighted tone, he said, ¡°Gwen, I knew


    it. Even though you refuse to ept me verbally, you do care about me deep down. From now on, let¡¯s


    be good to each other and stop all the arguments. All right?¡±


    Gwendolyn nced at Maverick, then at thest part that Charles never managed to assemble.


    In an instant, it urred to her that Charles had just employed a little trick.


    She looked at him and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I just didn¡¯t want to see blood. If you had loaded the


    gun first, I would have stopped you from killing him just the same.¡±


    Charles¡¯ expression gradually froze.


    Gwendolyn continued, ¡°If I had to choose between you and him, I would choose Maverick.¡±


    When the one-year employment contract was over, she would not have any further involvement with


    Maverick. He had personally guaranteed it, and she even had the recording on her phone.


    However, Charles was different.


    If he was unable topletely cut off his strong possessiveness and longing for her, it would only bring


    her a lot of trouble in the future.


    Charles was more troublesome than Maverick.


    ¡°Gwen, I know you¡¯re still mad at me¡ª¡±


    Gwendolyn interrupted, ¡°The issue between us happened many years ago, and I¡¯m already over it.


    Besides, you and I could never be together.¡±


    Then, she looked at Maverick with a sultry and inviting smile and beckoned at him with her slender


    fingers. ¡°Come, sit on myp.¡±


    Both men were stunned in unison.


    Under the spell of Gwendolyn¡¯s enchanting eyes, Maverick found himself getting up and walking toward


    her.


    Gwendolyn gently pulled him into her embrace, allowing him to sit on herp.


    Despite her smaller staturepared to the two men, her aura was powerful and not inferior to theirs.


    The yful glint in her eyes made her seem more like a yboy than them.


    Maverick¡¯s body was rigid as his mind went nk and his heart pounded wildly. He was utterly


    confused about what Gwendolyn was trying to do.


    Did she actually make me sit on herp?


    Gwendolyn looked into his puzzled eyes, gently ruffled his short hair, and smiled with her eyes crinkled.


    When she spoke, her voice was soft and alluring, captivating himpletely.


    ¡°Hug me.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s fingers stiffened. It took him two seconds before he tentatively wrapped his arms around her


    waist.


    As he leaned close to her, Gwendolyn whispered softly into his ear at a volume only the two of them


    could hear. ¡°Put on a show with me.¡±


    Maverick frowned and stayed still, his head being forcibly pressed onto her shoulder.


    From Charles¡¯ perspective, Maverick was hunched over and nestled in Gwendolyn¡¯s arms.


    Gwendolyn, on the other hand, looked calm as if she were already ustomed to it.


    The scene was particrly ring. Charles¡¯ eyes narrowed, and he spoke with difficulty. ¡°Gwen, are


    you trying to provoke me on purpose?¡±


    Gwendolynzily shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Charles, you like a woman who can snuggle in your arms


    coquettishly. However, I have money and power. Why should I be a submissive woman? I also want to


    spoil a man and love him. You see, this is why we are not destined for each other.¡±


    She went on, ¡°Also, I remember you¡¯re a clean freak. After I put your coat on the flower stand that day,


    you never wore it again. You didn¡¯t like me putting your coat there, and you don¡¯t like your things being


    touched. But you should know that I never belonged to you. I belong to myself, so I will do what I want


    and touch other men.¡±


    Charles gritted his teeth. ¡°You enjoy roleying because you¡¯re still young. Well, I can y with you for


    as long as you want. Everyone does crazy and reckless things when they¡¯re young! I don¡¯t care about


    your past at all. All I want is you.¡±


    Once I find an opportunity to kill Maverick, she will belong to me again.


    Gwendolyn sighed quietly to herself.


    He¡¯s quite stubborn. It seems like the impact isn¡¯t enough.


    At that thought, she gently patted Maverick¡¯s back and signaled him to straddle her and face her.


    Without a word, Maverick followed hermand.


    Gwendolyn stroked his handsome face, a hint ofziness in her teasing voice. ¡°Maverick, you two may


    be done with your games, but I¡¯m exhausted from all themotion you guys caused. Don¡¯t you think


    it¡¯s time to do something about it?¡±


    Maverick stared into her eyes with his dark orbs. He did not quite understand what she meant, but he


    did not stop her either.


    No matter what Gwendolyn wanted to do, he would always unconditionally support and obey her.


    Even though he knew her gentle smile at that moment was just an act, it was still enough.


    When he snuggled in her arms and wrapped his arms around her slim waist just now, his nostrils were


    filled with her pleasant fragrance. It felt just like a dream.


    If this were a dream, I¡¯m willing to drown in it.


    Noticing his distraction, Gwendolyn pinched his chin with an arched brow and reminded him, ¡°Give me


    your belt.¡±


    Without hesitation, Maverick deftly unfastened the metal buckle, pulled out his belt, and handed it to


    her.


    ¡°Hand.¡±


    Does she want to vent her anger by giving me a good beating?


    Maverick extended his left hand with his palm facing upward and spread it t.


    ¡°Both hands.¡±


    Maverick did as he was toldpliantly.


    The next second, Gwendolyn skillfully wrapped the belt around his wrists, quickly bounding them


    together by tightening the buckle.


    She then raised his hands so that they were lifted high above his head before pulling his white shirt


    from his pant¡¯s waistband and bringing it to his thin lips.


    ¡°Bite it.¡±


    Maverick immediately held the fabric with his teeth like a docile pet.


    With his shirt lifted, his skin revealed a sickly pale hue under the dim light of the private room. It was


    the effect of the special drug.


    His sculpted abs were in full view, their intricate lines exquisitely defined.


    Needless to say, the scene was exceptionally pleasing to the eyes.


    Gwendolyn gently caressed Maverick¡¯s abs with her icy cool fingertips, savoring the sensation and


    taking her time to relish every moment as if she were enjoying a delicious delicacy.


    All this time, there was a mischievous smile on her face.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Maverick was tingling with desire because of her teasing. Unintentionally, he let out a soft whimper.


    As Charles watched from the side, he clenched his jaw so tightly that his teeth ached.


    The scene before him intensely provoked his nerves.


    With reddened eyes, he uttered, ¡°Gwen¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn ignored him.


    She still felt that the impact was not enough.

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170


    Chapter 170 Waking From The Dream


    Charles was truly on the verge of exploding.


    He suppressed the fury in his heart and spoke with a gentler tone.


    ¡°Gwen, I can do all those things too, and I¡¯m better looking than him. Wouldn¡¯t that make you happier?¡±


    Gwendolyn once again lifted Maverick¡¯s chin, examining his facial features.


    ¡°You are good-looking, but he is handsome. It¡¯s not the same,¡± she retorted.


    Charles had gentle and delicate features, with a pair of deep blue eyes that added a touch of color and


    made him look more beautiful than a gorgeous woman.


    On the contrary, Maverick¡¯s eyes were dark and deep, and his facial features were extraordinarily


    handsome.


    When he was not smiling, he would exude a cold aura.


    But when he softened the look in his eyes, feigning innocence and ying the victim, he gave off the


    vibe of a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, which made Gwendolyn want to punish him.


    His face was, above all, strikingly attractive.


    This time around, with his thin lips gently holding his shirt and his hands bound, he was the


    embodiment of desire and submission.


    This gave her a strong urge to tease him relentlessly.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s words fell softly into Maverick¡¯s ears, sounding especially pleasant and soothing.


    He obediently held his hands up high and kept the shirt in his mouth without moving an inch. Under


    Gwendolyn¡¯s teasing, his face turned slightly red.


    ¡°Such a good boy.¡±


    Gwendolyn was quite pleased with Maverick¡¯s performance. She picked up the ss of red wine on the


    table and brought it to his lips, saying, ¡°This is your reward.¡±


    Maverick parted his lips, and his shirt slipped off.


    With Gwendolyn feeding him, he drained the ss of red wine in one gulp.


    As the wine entered his throat smoothly, a sweet and intoxicating aroma filled his senses. It was the


    most delicious wine in the world.


    For a moment, Maverick waspletely immersed in the sweet aroma of the wine.


    Upon seeing the dark red wine dripping from the corner of his mouth, Gwendolyn gently wiped it away


    with her index finger.


    The drop of wine was transferred to her fingertip. She nced at it, then brought her finger to


    Maverick¡¯s lips. ¡°It¡¯s yours. Lick it clean.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s cheeks flushed. He gently extended his tongue, carefully licking the wine off her finger and


    sending a tingling sensation through it.


    Seeing him in this extremely obsequious manner delighted Gwendolyn.


    Throughout their three years of marriage, he always remained aloof, condescending, and full of


    sarcasm.


    Whenever she saw him, his face was cold, stern, and filled with arrogance. He had treated her as if she


    owed him money.


    Yet now, the man sat on herp, cautiously and attentively doing everything he could to please her. He


    was much like a big dog intoxicated by affection and waiting for its owner¡¯s loving touch.


    Such a scene was something she could never have imagined before.


    Feeling extremely satisfied, Gwendolyn let out a series of heartyughter.


    While Maverick took in her bright expression, he began to please her with his tongue more


    enthusiastically.


    Gwendolyn could not help but giggle.


    Meanwhile, Charles¡¯ eyes were red with anger as he red at Maverick furiously.


    There was a strong urge within him as he wished that he was the one sitting on top of Gwendolyn and


    making herugh so happily.


    He found it hard to ept the reality. ¡°Gwen, do you dare to say you¡¯ve never had feelings for me?


    Were all those years of affection just my wishful thinking?¡±


    Gwendolyn withdrew her finger. Then, she lifted Maverick¡¯s shirt and brought it back to his lips.


    Maverick, knowing better, bit down gently, while Gwendolyn¡¯s caresses over his body continued.


    As she yed with Maverick, she responded to Charles¡¯ words.


    ¡°Charles, I won¡¯t lie to you¡ªI did like you once. But you stepped back when I needed you the most.


    From that moment on, it was destined that we could never be together in this lifetime. Now, my


    fondness for you haspletely disappeared.¡±


    Charles looked dejected, unable to utter a single word for quite some time.


    Gwendolyn added, ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m doing quite well now. If you truly feel that you owe me


    something, you should stay far away from me and never disrupt my life again.¡±


    Pain brimmed in Charles¡¯ eyes as he stared at her nkly.


    He eagerly anticipated Gwendolyn to turn around, look at him, and reveal even the slightest hint of


    reluctance in her expression.


    Unfortunately, she did not.


    She was too busy teasing Maverick with a beaming smile.


    Maverick was growing increasingly restless due to Gwendolyn¡¯s actions. As his breathing became


    rapid, the frequency of his whimpers escted.


    Gwendolyn saw his struggle to hold himself back and gently asked, ¡°Do you want it?¡±


    Maverick bit down on his shirt, his lips trembling slightly. With his brows furrowed, he unconsciously let


    out a soft groan in affirmation.


    Gwendolyn appeared extremely patient and smiled indulgently. ¡°Okay. This isn¡¯t the right ce, so I¡¯ll


    satisfy you when we go home.¡±


    She gently patted Maverick¡¯s waist, signaling him to stand up, and then untied the belt that bound his


    hands. After that, she returned the belt to him.


    ¡°Put it on and straighten your clothes.¡±


    There were red marks on Maverick¡¯s wrists from the tight grip of the belt, but they were like a trophy to


    Charles¡¯ eyes.


    As the red marks moved around in Charles¡¯ vision, he felt his eyes sting. Not only that, his heart hurt


    even more.


    After Maverick tidied himself up, Gwendolyn gently took hisrge, well-defined hand in her small one.


    Her beautiful eyes were filled with warmth as she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back home.¡±


    The entire time, she did not nce at Charles on the couch even once.


    Soon, Gwendolyn and Maverick left Realm Bar hand in hand.


    They got into the car to head back to Bay Vi, and it was then that Gwendolyn finally withdrew her


    hand with a cold demeanor.


    It was particrly tiring to put on that show. While she gently closed her eyes to rest, her face regained


    its previous coldness, and her aura became solemn.


    The sudden change left Maverick a bit overwhelmed.


    In the private room of Realm Bar just now, he had heard the most beautiful words from Gwendolyn.


    If I had to choose between you and him, I would choose Maverick.


    You are good-looking, but he is handsome. It¡¯s not the same.


    Maverick¡¯s ears were still tinted red. Hesitantly, he reached out his hand, wanting to ask if there was


    even the slightest bit of sincerity in those words she had uttered.


    ¡°Gwendolyn¡­¡±


    Before he could touch her sleeve, Gwendolyn frowned in disgust and instinctively moved her arm away.


    Her face disyed the epitome of indifference.


    At least she had the patience to exin things to Charles. But when ites to me, she can¡¯t even be


    bothered to say an extra word.


    This indifference served as a reminder to Maverick that what had just happened was merely an act,


    that everything was fake, and that he should stop deceiving himself.


    She simply had a disagreement with Charles, and she did all those only to provoke him. To her, I mean


    nothing at all. I¡¯m just a disposable tool that can be easily discarded once used.


    Maverick endured the dull pain in his chest, remaining silent as he followed her out of the car.


    When they approached the entrance of the vi, Gwendolyn stopped in her tracks and turned around to


    give him an emotionless stare.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that I¡¯ll let you off so easily for skipping work to meet Charles today. Sweep the yard


    thoroughly. You may only go to sleep after you¡¯re done.¡±


    After she finished speaking, she coldly withdrew her gaze and entered the vi first.


    The door mmed shut with a loud bang.


    It was like a barrier between them that was impossible to ovee.


    All of a sudden, Maverick recalled Charles¡¯ words from earlier. To her, you are just a pet. She rewards


    you when you obey and punishes you when you don¡¯t. She stopped loving you a long time ago.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Maverick¡¯s heart ached so much that his chest was stuffy.


    He felt as if he had woken up from the dream.


    The realization was very painful.


    The flicker of hope that had just been ignited was mercilessly doused, causing heartache and


    disappointment far heavier than when there was no hope at all. The feeling was suffocating.


    Maverick clenched his chest tightly, leaning against the wall and trying to endure the intense pain in his


    chest.


    As he did that, the image of Gwendolyn¡¯s ultimate tenderness at Realm Bar kept shing in his mind.


    Even though he knew it was all just an act, he could not help but fall into it. In the end, he was the one


    who lost.


    ¡°What¡¯s taking so long?¡±


    A chilly voice suddenly questioned from behind.


    Gwendolyn had opened the door and was standing beside it, watching Maverick.


    He sniffled sadly, then turned to face her with his head hung low. In a muffled voice, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll sweep


    the yard right now.¡±


    Gwendolyn, with her keen perception, noticed that something was off with Maverick. She approached


    him and gently lifted his chin.


    The light at the entrance of the vi fully exposed his face to her eyes.


    His eyes were rimmed with red, and his long, curled eyshes trembled slightly, dotted with tiny


    droplets of moisture. The sadness in his gaze was too overwhelming to conceal.


    Gwendolyn sneered with amusement.


    Did he¡­ cry?

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    Chapter 171 asional Concern


    Gwendolyn had known Maverick for so long. Although he had put on the pitiful act a few times before,


    this was the first time Gwendolyn had seen him sniffling like an actual child.


    Is he genuinely sad?


    She sighed helplessly, her tone softening a bit. ¡°We agreed to put on a show. Did you get emotionally


    involved?¡±


    Maverick remained silent with his eyes lowered. Within those dark pupils, there was a hint of


    vulnerability.


    He was indeed emotionally involved, deeply immersed, andpletely captivated.


    In the end, he was left battered and bruised by the harsh reality, his heart aching intensely.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t have much to say; she knew that staying alert from beginning to end was the only


    way to avoid losing her rationality.


    Acting was just acting; the fake could never be real. She had always been able to distinguish


    between the two clearly.


    He wants me to coax him? Impossible.


    Moreover, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯te up with anyforting words to say.


    She turned around to leave decisively. Her tone regained its coldness as she urged, ¡°Hurry up and get


    to work. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    Just as she took a step forward, Maverick gripped her wrist from behind.


    With a weary expression on her face, she said, ¡°Let go. I¡¯m tired.¡± She just wanted to sleep.


    However, Maverick did not budge, his reddened eyes gazing at her with immense grievance.


    ¡°Gwendolyn¡­ Can you asionally show some concern and consider my feelings too? After all, a


    wounded heart will eventually ache.¡±


    There was a touch of imploration in his deep, quivering voice. His Adam¡¯s apple moved gently, and he


    held her wrist with force.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s back stiffened as she stood still.


    Of course, a wounded heart would ache, but these words felt strangeing from Maverick¡¯s mouth.


    She retorted, ¡°How ridiculous. It¡¯s natural for someone to choose to let go after feeling totally


    heartbroken and utterly disappointed. I¡¯ve experienced that pain before, too. If it hurts so much, you


    should let go sooner. The words I said to Charles today were also for you.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, she pried Maverick¡¯s hand off and entered the vi without looking


    back.


    But this time, she didn¡¯t close the door. Maverick watched her figure as she climbed up to the third floor,


    eventually disappearing around the corner.


    Gwendolyn was right. Once upon a time, she too had her sincere feelings hurt by him.


    Now, he was merely experiencing the pain she once endured.


    He deserved it.


    Maverick didn¡¯t waste any more time. He went to the backyard, grabbed a broom, and carefully swept


    up all the fallen leaves in the garden.


    Thete autumn night was bitingly cold.


    Maverick wore only a thin white shirt, his face pale. Even when he was holding a wooden broom and


    doing a mundane task, he exuded an air of nobility and dignity.


    In the room on the third floor, Gwendolyn did not turn on the lights.


    She stood quietly behind the window and watched him with icy eyes, seemingly lost in thought.


    After a few minutes, she indifferently withdrew her gaze and went to sleep.


    Maverick continued sweeping until two in the morning and finally cleaned the yard thoroughly.


    As expected, after being exposed to the cold wind for several hours, wearing only a thinyer of


    clothing, he caught a cold the next day.


    Gwendolyn woke up to the sound of coughinging from downstairs.


    After freshening up and putting on her makeup, she went downstairs and immediately saw a tall figure


    bustling in and out of the kitchen. On the table was a spread of freshly-made breakfast.


    Knowing that it was time for Gwendolyn to wake up, Maverick covered his lips with his fist every time


    he coughed, trying to keep it as quiet as possible.


    Gwendolyn stood in the stairwell for a while and watched his every little move. She pressed her red lips


    together and, without a word, quietly descended the stairs.


    Upon hearing footsteps, Maverick turned around and saw Gwendolyn in a ck velvet long-sleeved top


    and a snowy white tulle skirt. Her thin shoulders appeared quite delicate.


    He hurriedly grabbed the trench coat from the coat rack by the door and helped her put it on.


    ¡°The weather has turned chilly, so even when you¡¯re indoors, make sure to keep warm. You have a


    great figure, so you¡¯ll still look good with an extrayer of clothes on you,¡± he said.


    Gwendolyn did not refuse. Instead, she lifted her head to observe Maverick.


    He was carefully helping her put on the trench coat. In spite of the calm look in his dark eyes, he looked


    visibly sick, and his handsome face and lipscked color.


    ¡°If you¡¯re sick, take a day off and rest. There¡¯s no need to force yourself to go to Wright Construction


    Group.¡±


    Maverick stopped adjusting her cor. Following a second of hesitation, he responded, ¡°All right.¡±


    After putting on her coat, he pulled out a chair for her. Gwendolyn walked straight over and sat down,


    silently eating her breakfast.


    She was halfway through her meal when the yard outside became lively. It was the sound ofughter


    from a few bodyguards.


    Elven¡¯s and Ezra¡¯s knife wounds had almost healed, so they were discharged from the hospital that


    day. As for Justin, the neer, he had also recovered aside from some remaining bruises on his


    face.


    When Gwendolyn let them in, the three of them stood in the empty space of the living room.


    They had simr height, with well-built physiques, long legs, and narrow waists. Justin, in particr,


    had slightly tanner skin than the other two. In general, they were quite pleasing to the eye.


    Gwendolyn took a sip of oatmeal and smiled contentedly. ¡°This is great. Everyone¡¯s back here, so it¡¯s


    going to be lively from now on.¡±


    Maverick stood silently to the side, carefully sizing up the bodyguards one by one before his gaze


    paused on Justin¡¯s face.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    He furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    With his head lowered, Justin calmly replied, ¡°Mr. Wright, I am Ms. Shalders¡¯ new bodyguard, Justin


    Harris.¡±


    Maverick still had some impression of the incident that day on Crane Bridge. He couldn¡¯t help but stare


    at Justin¡¯s face cautiously as he found it familiar.


    Upon finishing her meal, Gwendolyn gracefully wiped her mouth with a napkin and calmly stated the


    day¡¯s schedule. ¡°Ezra and Justin wille with me to thepany, while the other three will stay


    behind to guard the vi.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Shalders,¡± they responded in unison.


    With that, Gwendolyn left for Wright Construction Group. Maverick, on the other hand, did not idle


    around even though he was given a day off.


    Just because he didn¡¯t have to go to the office didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t have to do the housework.


    He took two pills of cold medicine and busied himself. During mid-afternoon, he suddenly heard two


    crisp bird calls that carried a distinct secret code.


    It was Nico again.


    Maverick walked downstairs to the living room. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Nico


    swaggering over from the yard once again. Behind Nico was Swain, who had just arrived from


    Salinsburgh.


    Maverick looked at Nico helplessly.


    Howe he¡¯s treating Bay Vi as if it¡¯s his own home, freelying and going as he pleases? How


    did he get so close to the Harris family¡¯s bodyguards in such a short time?


    As Maverick was deep in thought, Nico approached him with a grin. The moment Nico noticed the


    former¡¯s pale and weak appearance, his expression turned serious. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s only been a few days


    since west met. Howe you look so sickly and frail?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes darkened, and he ground his back teeth together. ¡°I¡¯m doing just fine,¡± he asserted.


    Realizing he had misspoken, Nico quickly hit his mouth twice and apologized with a smile. ¡°I brought


    Swain over. Boss, why don¡¯t you have a chat with him? I¡¯ll deal with those bodyguards from the Harris


    family. I promise they won¡¯t eavesdrop or pass on any messages.¡±


    Hearing that, Maverick shot him a warning nce.


    Nico understood immediately and raised his right hand. ¡°I promise not to use force. I¡¯ll talk it out with


    them nicely.¡±


    It was only then that Maverick looked away and led Swain to the room on the second floor. After closing


    the window, he sat down on the armchair beside the bed with an icy demeanor.


    Swain obediently stood upright in front of Maverick. Noting thetter¡¯s solemn countenance, he quickly


    asked, ¡°Boss, is there something important that requires me to go on a mission?¡±


    Maverick gently touched his wristwatch. The words were at the tip of his tongue, but he could not bring


    himself to speak them out loud. His eyes were dark, and a troubled look marred his face.


    Seeing that, Swain couldn¡¯t help but put on a stern expression as well.


    The next second, Maverick inquired, ¡°How did you¡­ win over your wife before?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Swain¡¯s eyes momentarily widened.


    What kind of strange question is this?

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    Chapter 172 Take A Chance


    Is it because Boss got a divorce and all this talk about love hurt his feelings?


    He instantly felt weak in his knees. He cried out, ¡°Boss, I was wrong! I won¡¯t secretly date again. Please


    spare me this time¡­ or at least go easy on the punishment!¡±


    ¡°Who said you¡¯re going to be punished?¡±


    Huh?


    Swain had been halfway through bending his knee, striking an awkward pose. His expression clearly


    showed that he hadn¡¯t recovered yet, making him look somewhatical.


    Maverick was expressionless, but there was seriousness in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve recently encountered a


    simr problem, so I called you to Faike to ask for your advice.¡±


    Upon hearing his words, Swain felt a wave of apprehension. He observed him for a moment and,


    noticing that he didn¡¯t seem angry, cautiously spoke up.


    ¡°My girl has a good temper and is gentle, but you must not cross her bottom line, or she will get angry.


    As for making a girl happy, it¡¯s all about small gifts and attitude. Be a little sweeter with your words, and


    when she needs you, be able to step up decisively.¡±


    Maverick lowered his gaze in contemtion for a moment, his expression growing increasingly solemn.


    ¡°Gwendolyn is a wealthy woman herself; she doesn¡¯tck money. She can buy any gift she wants, and


    she doesn¡¯t care for even the most expensive or rare items. This approach won¡¯t work.¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Uh¡­


    Does this mean that he¡¯s going to pursue Ms. Shalders?


    Swain found himself in a difficult situation.


    He had previously heard from Nico that Maverick had been suffering quite a bit at the hands of


    Gwendolyn recently, and suffering was an understatement.


    The woman had a tough temperament and showed no mercy.


    Simply speaking, Maverick trying to win her back was even harder than plucking stars from the sky.


    Swain scratched his head, his face full of misery. ¡°Does Ms. Shalders have anything she wants to


    aplishtely? You could secretly help her, then pretend to be exposed, letting her know you


    helped her, so she¡¯ll be grateful to you.¡±


    Maverick thought about it seriously.


    Gwendolyn has been nning to bankrupt Lane Group. I could indeed give it a push from behind,


    but¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll help her, but there¡¯s no need to let her know. She doesn¡¯t like being indebted to others, and it won¡¯t


    change her perspective much.¡±


    ¡°In that case, the significance of you aplishing this task wouldn¡¯t be that great¡­¡±


    The two men fell silent at the same time.


    The room fell into a brief silence.


    Swain had a sudden thought, and he ventured, ¡°Considering the current situation and Ms. Shalders¡¯


    temperament, the chances of you reconciling with her are almost zero. Have you ever thought about


    facing her with your true identity?¡±


    Maverick remained silent, his dark eyes gloomy.


    Swain continued, ¡°You know what Mrs. Wright and Ms. Wright did to her before, and how tense the


    rtionship between these three women is. Even if all the previous debts have been settled, there will


    always be a barrier in their hearts. As long as they are around, Ms. Shalders will never consider


    remarrying.¡±


    ¡°You have a new idea?¡±


    Maverick looked up and met his gaze. Swain quickly approached him and continued in a low voice, ¡°I


    think you can take a chance with your life.¡±


    ¡°Life?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Some people are stubborn and only realize their true feelings after aplete loss. But this


    situation can¡¯t be staged or faked. Ms. Shalders is very astute, and it would take a genuine life-


    threatening situation to move her. But it¡¯s too dangerous, and if things go wrong, there might be no


    coming back¡­¡± He paused for a moment, then suddenly knelt down and pleaded, ¡°Whether you


    consider this n or not, please don¡¯t throw me out! I¡¯m getting married to my sweetheart next month,


    Boss, I don¡¯t want to die yet!¡±


    Maverick nced at his pathetic appearance.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with you. It¡¯s my own decision, and I¡¯ll think about it some more.¡±


    Swain finally breathed a sigh of relief and got up from the ground.


    The two of them discussed the n for a while longer before finally leaving the room.


    The vi was peaceful and quiet, as Nico had brought the Harris family¡¯s bodyguards with him to some


    unknown ce.


    Maverick and Swain searched around and finally, in a corner of the backyard, they saw four men sitting


    on small stools,pletely engrossed in ying poker cards.


    They were so engrossed in their game that they didn¡¯t even notice when Maverick and Swain walked


    over.


    Quinton dered, ¡°A pair of Queens!¡±


    Nico mmed down two cards with great enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯ve got a pair of Aces. Bet you didn¡¯t see that


    coming. Hahaha!¡±


    Quinton was furious. ¡°Damn it! You still had this trick up your sleeve!¡±


    Maverick and Swain stared at them speechlessly.


    They couldn¡¯t find neither hide nor hair of these people, and it turned out that they were holed up here


    ying poker cards. If Gwendolyn found out about this, there was no doubt that she would dock their


    pay.


    Swain, on the other hand, didn¡¯t think about that at all. He quickly ran over with an eager expression on


    his face. ¡°How can four people y poker cards? Are you still short of yers? Count me in!¡±


    ¡°Nico,e out!¡± Maverick called out and immediately walked toward the trees in the front yard.


    Swain¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement as he waited for Nico to step aside and make way for him.


    Nico hed no choice but to hend over the cerds in his hend to Swein for him to continue before hestily


    following efter Meverick.


    They mede sure they were fer ewey enough thet the cerd-pleying group couldn¡¯t heer them.


    Meverick¡¯s fece derkened end he esked quietly, ¡°How did you do with the tesk I essigned you lest


    time?¡±


    Nico hebituelly scenned the surroundings before leening in close to whisper in his eer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,


    Boss. I¡¯ve ceused some trouble for the Centrel Intelligence Agency using your neme. I estimete thet


    within three deys, Cherles will definitely leeve Feirleke end won¡¯t return for e while.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Meverick nodded, then remembered the new bodyguerd who hed just errived todey. ¡°Look into thet


    Justin guy,¡± he seid. ¡°I heve e feeling I¡¯ve seen him before, like on the dey et Crene Bridge. If thet¡¯s


    true, we need to be ceutious eround him.¡± Recelling thet Gwendolyn hed teken Justin out todey, he


    quickly edded, ¡°I need the informetion es soon es possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±


    At the CEO¡¯s office of Wright Construction Group, Gwendolyn received e cell from Cherles efter


    finishing e meeting with Yulie.


    She enswered end seid coldly, ¡°Mr. Newton, wes I not cleer enough lest night?¡±


    Cherles hesiteted for e moment end let out e soft sigh. ¡°Gwen, the Centrel Intelligence Agency needs


    me. I heve to leeve Feirleke, end I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll see eech other egein¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn showed no expression.


    ¡°Businesses first.¡±


    Cherles sighed egein, his tone heevy es he seid, ¡°Gwen, you¡¯re reelly heertless. Even if we cen¡¯t be


    lovers, besed on the reletionship between the Newton end Herris femilies, we¡¯re still friends. Moreover,


    en old friend of ours ceme from Selinsburgh lest night. Don¡¯t you went to know who it is? I went to invite


    you out for e gethering tonight, one lest time. You won¡¯t refuse me, right?¡±


    Gwendolyn fell silent.


    During this encounter, she couldn¡¯t help but feel thet Cherles wes ecting quite peculier, with his


    behevior being rether odd es well.


    How cen I know whet he¡¯s up to if I don¡¯t go end see for myself?


    ¡°All right. Where?¡±


    ¡°Reelm Ber. This time, let¡¯s just heve the three of us old friends. Don¡¯t bring your little pet elong.¡±


    ¡°Okey.¡±


    After henging up the phone, Gwendolyn spent e long time in deep thought, cerefully enelyzing


    everything thet hed heppened recently in e cleer end orgenized menner.


    She decided to cell in Ezre end Justin.


    ¡°I heve e gethering tonight, end I don¡¯t need too meny people. Just Justin will do. Ezre, you cen go


    beck to the ville first.¡±


    Nico had no choice but to hand over the cards in his hand to Swain for him to continue before hastily


    following after Maverick.


    They made sure they were far away enough that the card-ying group couldn¡¯t hear them.


    Maverick¡¯s face darkened and he asked quietly, ¡°How did you do with the task I assigned youst


    time?¡±


    Nico habitually scanned the surroundings before leaning in close to whisper in his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,


    Boss. I¡¯ve caused some trouble for the Central Intelligence Agency using your name. I estimate that


    within three days, Charles will definitely leave Faike and won¡¯t return for a while.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Maverick nodded, then remembered the new bodyguard who had just arrived today. ¡°Look into that


    Justin guy,¡± he said. ¡°I have a feeling I¡¯ve seen him before, like on the day at Crane Bridge. If that¡¯s


    true, we need to be cautious around him.¡± Recalling that Gwendolyn had taken Justin out today, he


    quickly added, ¡°I need the information as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±


    At the CEO¡¯s office of Wright Construction Group, Gwendolyn received a call from Charles after


    finishing a meeting with Yulia.


    She answered and said coldly, ¡°Mr. Newton, was I not clear enoughst night?¡±


    Charles hesitated for a moment and let out a soft sigh. ¡°Gwen, the Central Intelligence Agency needs


    me. I have to leave Faike, and I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll see each other again¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn showed no expression.


    ¡°Businesses first.¡±


    Charles sighed again, his tone heavy as he said, ¡°Gwen, you¡¯re really heartless. Even if we can¡¯t be


    lovers, based on the rtionship between the Newton and Harris families, we¡¯re still friends. Moreover,


    an old friend of ours came from Salinsburghst night. Don¡¯t you want to know who it is? I want to invite


    you out for a gathering tonight, onest time. You won¡¯t refuse me, right?¡±


    Gwendolyn fell silent.


    During this encounter, she couldn¡¯t help but feel that Charles was acting quite peculiar, with his


    behavior being rather odd as well.


    How can I know what he¡¯s up to if I don¡¯t go and see for myself?


    ¡°All right. Where?¡±


    ¡°Realm Bar. This time, let¡¯s just have the three of us old friends. Don¡¯t bring your little pet along.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Gwendolyn spent a long time in deep thought, carefully analyzing


    everything that had happened recently in a clear and organized manner.


    She decided to call in Ezra and Justin.


    ¡°I have a gathering tonight, and I don¡¯t need too many people. Just Justin will do. Ezra, you can go


    back to the vi first.¡±

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173


    Chapter 173 An Old Friend


    Ezra nced at Justin beside him, feeling a bit worried. He said hesitantly, ¡°Ms. Shalders¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn waved her handnguidly. ¡°You can leave now.¡±


    No sooner had the two left than she then received a call from Treyton.


    ¡°Kiddo, Asher has checked carefully, and there isn¡¯t a man with a simr appearance in the Harris


    family¡¯s list of members.¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips, deep in thought.


    Treyton continued, ¡°It¡¯s possible that your new recruit, Justin, is lying, or maybe this person is hiding


    something deep. In any case, you can¡¯t fully trust him, and you need to be cautious when dealing with


    Justin.¡±


    ¡°All right, Treyton. Don¡¯t worry. I know what to do.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, she took out the notebook from her drawer and flipped to the page with the


    sketch of the person in ck. She studied it carefully for a while before immersing herself back into her


    work.


    It wasn¡¯t until close to the end of the workday that she left with Justin to head to Realm Bar.


    Justin was driving, while Gwendolyn sat in the back seat.


    The atmosphere inside the car was serene, and every now and then, Justin would steal a nce at her


    through the rearview mirror.


    Gwendolyn noticed his gaze.


    ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    Justin hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Ms. Shalders, I was the one sent to kill you earlier. The


    people around you have always been suspicious of me. Why do you trust me? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I


    might actually do something to you tonight, especially since you only have me to protect you?¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled charmingly, herughter enchanting and captivating.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re already mine, of course, I¡¯ll trust youpletely. Besides, my own martial arts foundation


    isn¡¯t bad either. I could probably take you on by myself.¡±


    Justin alsoughed.


    She spoke candidly and refreshingly, which he quite liked.


    The two of them were chatting quite harmoniously when Justin suddenly felt like teasing her, ¡°What if I


    conspire with others and it¡¯s not just me trying to kill you?¡±


    Gwendolyn concealed the cold glint in her eyes and casually gazed out the window.


    ¡°Would you do that?¡±


    Before Justin had a chance to respond, they arrived at Realm Bar.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn instructed him to hide in the shadows, and onlye out when needed.


    After giving the instructions, she went into the bar on her own.


    Because she was wearing a gentle and ssical-looking ck velvet dress with a gauze skirt tonight,


    she seemed a bit out of ce with the men and women in the bar as soon as she walked in.


    However, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t care about any of that. She walked straight toward the private room


    Charles had reserved without ncing sideways.


    In the hallway, a very tall man wearing sunsses brushed past her.


    She suddenly stopped in her tracks, her expression turning quite serious.


    Just a moment ago, she seemed to have caught a glimpse of a mole near the man¡¯s temple under his


    sunsses. His appearance looked somewhat familiar.


    ¡°Excuse me, Sir.¡±


    She turned around, and as she looked at the man, her beautiful eyes sparkled.


    The man stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around.


    Beneath his sunsses, he had a prominent nose and seemingly well-proportioned features. He was


    tall and sturdy, appearing to be around six feet in height.


    Seeing Gwendolyn staring at him with a smile, the man felt a bit puzzled.


    ¡°Are you talking to me, Miss?¡± His voice was deep.


    Gwendolyn gracefully pursed her lips and took two steps toward him. ¡°Yes, Sir. Could you please tell


    me how to get to VIP Room 69?¡±


    The man¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with this ce. You can ask the bartender


    for directions, Miss.¡±


    ¡°Judging by your ent, Sir, it seems you¡¯re not a local from Faike. Are you here for a visit?¡±


    Gwendolyn asked softly, engaging the man in conversation.


    The man¡¯s eyes met hers from behind his sunsses. His expression was cold and aloof. ¡°Miss, if you


    need directions, please ask the staff. If you¡¯re just making small talk, I have things to do, so I¡¯ll be on


    my way.¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled and nodded, watching the man¡¯s figure disappearpletely down the hallway.


    It was only when she turned around that her eyes gradually grew cold.


    Upon opening the door to the private room, she saw that it was quite peaceful inside. Charles was the


    only one there, sitting on the couch and savoring a ss of red wine.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have lied to me about meeting an old friend just to get me out of the house, would you,


    Mr. Newton?¡±


    Charles poured her a ss of red wine with a wry look in his eyes. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m that kind of


    person, Gwen? Our old friends are indeeding. They just haven¡¯t arrived yet. In the meantime, we


    can enjoy some wine and chat.¡±


    He pushed a full ss of wine onto the coffee table in front of her eyes.


    Gwendolyn walked straight in and took a seat, but she didn¡¯t take the ss of red wine.


    Seeing that she didn¡¯t seem interested in drinking, Charlesughed and said, ¡°Come on, just one drink


    to send me off. Surely you wouldn¡¯t deny me this small favor, right?¡±


    After he finished speaking, he downed a ss of bitter wine with a mncholic expression on his face.


    His deep blue eyes had lost their usual brilliance as if he couldn¡¯t ept it. He poured himself another


    ss of red wine and raised it toward Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn picked up the wine ss, elegantly swirling the dark red liquid before bringing it to her nose


    for a sniff.


    She asked tentatively, ¡°I¡¯ve known you for so many years, Mr. Newton. You probably aren¡¯t the type of


    man to resort to despicable means, are you?¡±


    Cherles¡¯ expression greduelly turned serious. ¡°Are you suspecting thet I drugged the wine?¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t speek, nor did she deny enything. There wes e hint of e feint smile in her eyes.


    Cherles suddenly stood up from the couch, welked over to her, end picked up her gless of wine,


    drinking it ell in one gulp.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyeleshes quivered gently. Her feciel expression remeined unchenged.


    Seemingly provoked by her distrustful geze, Cherles picked up the helf-empty bottle of red wine from


    the teble. His Adem¡¯s epple moved es he poured the wine directly into his mouth.


    As he drenk too hestily, quite e bit of the liquid spilled from the corners of his lips, flowing down his


    neck end leeving petches of steins on his snow-white shirt.


    After finishing the entire bottle of wine, he hurled it egeinst the opposite well.


    It shettered into pieces.


    ¡°Do you believe me now?¡±


    His slender legs stumbled slightly es he gezed et Gwendolyn.


    Feeling e burning heet within his heert, he roughly end forcefully tore open the two buttons on his


    chest, reveeling e glimpse of his delicete collerbone. Peired with his fece, he looked incredibly


    ettrective.


    Unfortely, Gwendolyn could not be bothered to eppreciete his hendsome fece.


    ¡°It wes just e joke, Mr. Newton, but it ended up upsetting you. It¡¯s my feult. Since it¡¯s e ferewell, of


    course I heve to drink this gless of wine.¡± Her eyes curved with e smile, end her voice wes soft end


    sweet.


    She stood up, opened e new bottle of red wine, end filled e fresh gless. Grecefully, she reised it end


    geve Cherles e toest, end without hesitetion, she drenk the entire gless. After finishing, she showed


    him her empty wine gless.


    Cherles noticed thet her geze wes not focused on his subtle movements, end his heert senk. Could it


    be thet ever since she got thet little pet Meverick, she hes lost interest in looking et other men¡¯s


    bodies?


    He slumped beck onto the couch, seemingly unwilling to ept it, end esked one lest question, ¡°Gwen,


    is it reelly¡­ impossible for us now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t show e hint of hesitetion, her tone indifferent.


    Cherles lowered his heed even more.


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t see his expression, but she could cleerly sense the strong feeling of


    diseppointment end dejection eming from him.


    Heertbreek end diseppointment ere elweys there, but she could never offer enyforting words, nor


    could she give Cherles even the slightest chence.


    Just es the etmosphere in the privete room turned somber, the door wes gently pushed open by


    someone.


    A slender figure stepped in, weering high heels.


    Gwendolyn instinctively shifted her geze.


    Upon seeing the eppeerence of the neer, she wes slightly teken ebeck.


    Charles¡¯ expression gradually turned serious. ¡°Are you suspecting that I drugged the wine?¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t speak, nor did she deny anything. There was a hint of a faint smile in her eyes.


    Charles suddenly stood up from the couch, walked over to her, and picked up her ss of wine,


    drinking it all in one gulp.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyshes quivered gently. Her facial expression remained unchanged.


    Seemingly provoked by her distrustful gaze, Charles picked up the half-empty bottle of red wine from


    the table. His Adam¡¯s apple moved as he poured the wine directly into his mouth.


    As he drank too hastily, quite a bit of the liquid spilled from the corners of his lips, flowing down his


    neck and leaving patches of stains on his snow-white shirt.


    After finishing the entire bottle of wine, he hurled it against the opposite wall.


    It shattered into pieces.


    ¡°Do you believe me now?¡±


    His slender legs stumbled slightly as he gazed at Gwendolyn.


    Feeling a burning heat within his heart, he roughly and forcefully tore open the two buttons on his


    chest, revealing a glimpse of his delicate corbone. Paired with his face, he looked incredibly


    attractive.


    Unfortunately, Gwendolyn could not be bothered to appreciate his handsome face.


    ¡°It was just a joke, Mr. Newton, but it ended up upsetting you. It¡¯s my fault. Since it¡¯s a farewell, of


    course I have to drink this ss of wine.¡± Her eyes curved with a smile, and her voice was soft and


    sweet.


    She stood up, opened a new bottle of red wine, and filled a fresh ss. Gracefully, she raised it and


    gave Charles a toast, and without hesitation, she drank the entire ss. After finishing, she showed


    him her empty wine ss.


    Charles noticed that her gaze was not focused on his subtle movements, and his heart sank. Could it


    be that ever since she got that little pet Maverick, she has lost interest in looking at other men¡¯s


    bodies?


    He slumped back onto the couch, seemingly unwilling to ept it, and asked onest question, ¡°Gwen,


    is it really¡­ impossible for us now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t show a hint of hesitation, her tone indifferent.


    Charles lowered his head even more.


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t see his expression, but she could clearly sense the strong feeling of


    disappointment and dejection emanating from him.


    Heartbreak and disappointment are always there, but she could never offer anyforting words, nor


    could she give Charles even the slightest chance.


    Just as the atmosphere in the private room turned somber, the door was gently pushed open by


    someone.


    A slender figure stepped in, wearing high heels.


    Gwendolyn instinctively shifted her gaze.


    Upon seeing the appearance of the neer, she was slightly taken aback.

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174


    Chapter 174 Something Is Off


    ¡°Are you¡­ Jasmine?¡± Gwendolyn asked with uncertainty after searching through her memories.


    Upon seeing that the woman still remembered her, Jasmine Newton approached Gwendolyn with joy


    and held thetter¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, you look so beautiful! It¡¯s been so many years since west met. Did you miss me?


    Charles told me you were in Faike, so I couldn¡¯t wait any longer and came over to visit you right


    away.¡±


    Jasmine and Charles were half-siblings. The former was the seventh child of the family and the


    youngest daughter, a trait which she shared with Gwendolyn, though the woman was three years older.


    Since childhood, Jasmine had always been clingy toward Gwendolyn. She had an innocent and pure


    personality, though she sometimes behaved like an arrogant little princess.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curled into a smile as she tapped the tip of Jasmine¡¯s nose, teasing thetter, ¡°You¡¯re


    all grown up, but you¡¯re still as clingy as ever.¡±


    Jasmine swayed their connected arms softly and gently. ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯re teasing me. I act in such a


    way because I like you. I wouldn¡¯t let anyone else touch me like this. I finally got to go on a long trip this


    time, so you¡¯d better make sure to have fun with me.¡±


    At that, a thought crossed Gwendolyn¡¯s mind. Have fun with her? Won¡¯t this kiddo merely add to my


    troubles?


    ¡°Gwen, I received an urgent matter from the Central Intelligence Agency this morning, and it¡¯s


    something I have to attend to. Jasmine secretly came over. I¡¯ll be leaving Faike first thing tomorrow


    morning, so I¡¯ll leave her in your care,¡± Charles added just then.


    Gwendolyn could not help but furrow her brows slightly.


    Just as she was about to refuse, Jasmine yfully rested her head on Gwendolyn¡¯s arm, putting on a


    cutesy act. ¡°Gwendolyn, I haven¡¯t seen your house in Faike yet. Please let me stay with you for half


    a month. I promise I won¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±


    How could I let her stay with me for half a month? This little kiddo will drive me crazy. ¡°Three days at


    most,¡± said Gwendolyn in response.


    ¡°Fine, three days it is!¡± Jasmine pouted, deciding she would just rent a small ce to stay by herself if


    she needed to.


    Outside, one could hear the vague sound of a bar¡¯s bustling dance floor.


    Having gotten herself a temporary ce to stay, Jasmine enthusiastically extended an invitation to


    Gwendolyn. ¡°Gwendolyn,e with me to the dance floor outside. I¡¯m usually stuck at home, and my


    parents are very strict on me. This is my first time at a bar.¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Going outside?


    Gwendolyn recalled the man in the suit she had bumped into in the alleyway earlier, and suspicion


    began welling up in her heart.


    She subconsciously nced at Charles beside her.


    The man was pouring himself a drink without a word. His side profile sufficiently showcased his well-


    defined and exquisite facial features. His deep sapphire eyes were enchanting, though devoid of any


    emotions.


    On the other hand, Jasmine continued to put on her cute and childish act, her expression innocent and


    adorable.


    If she were hiding anything, her eyes would instantly betray her.


    Seeing that Gwendolyn had not responded for a long time, Jasmine emphasized again, ¡°Come on!


    Gwendolyn, you always treat me the best. Juste and y with me for a while.¡±


    Gwendolyn gently pinched her cheek. ¡°All right.¡±


    At Bay Vi, Maverick was preparing dinner in the kitchen.


    Nico sat in the living room, struggling on hisptop to look for information on Justin. At the same time,


    Swain and Elven, along with the other bodyguards, were in the backyard ying cards, and they were


    all having a great time.


    ¡°Boss,e and take a look at this.¡± Nico¡¯s tone was solemn.


    Upon seeing Maverick emerge from the kitchen, Nico spun theptop around so that the screen was


    now facing the former.


    ¡°Look, I pulled a screenshot from the surveince footage when Justin was at Wright Construction


    Group. I remember his face. On the day of the Crane Bridge incident, he was taken away by Mr. Harris.


    He was also the person who was sent to kill Ms. Shalders that day.¡±


    After a brief pause, Nico went on, ¡°Moreover, I couldn¡¯t find any information or a single topic on this


    person throughout the entire inte. My bet is that he¡¯s an assassin hired from the ck market.¡±


    Maverick scrutinized the mysterious man¡¯s face, his expression bing increasingly solemn.


    There¡¯s no way Gwendolyn didn¡¯t know about this person¡¯s past identity. If she knows, then why is she


    keeping such a dangerous person by her side? What on earth is she up to?


    As he was deep in thought, Ezra returned. Hearing somemotion in the backyard, he walked over


    from the living room window.


    Maverick noticed him keenly and hurriedly opened the door, only to find that Ezra was the only one who


    had returned to Bay Vi.


    He had a vague sense of foreboding and questioned Ezra in a deep tone, ¡°Where¡¯s Gwendolyn?¡±


    ¡°It seems Ms. Shalders has a party at Realm Bar tonight. She said there¡¯s no need for too many people


    to tag along, so she sent me back.¡± At the mention of this, Ezra couldn¡¯t help but feel dejected.


    Maverick¡¯s frown deepened when he heard this. If Ezra came back, wouldn¡¯t that mean she only


    brought Justin with her?


    All of a sudden, realization struck him, and an icy, hostile aura immediately enveloped his entire body.


    He headed straight to the backyard and brought all the card yers out with him.


    Meanwhile, the inside of Realm Bar was lit up by colorful lights. It was both a dazzling and mesmerizing


    sight to behold.


    Gwendolyn leaned gracefully against a pir, keeping her gaze fixed on Jasmine, who was dancing


    enthusiastically on the dance floor and moving to the music just like everyone else.


    Gwendolyn disliked such noisy ces.


    Therefore, she merely watched from the side and would asionally p and cheer for Jasmine,


    indicating that the other woman was dancing well.


    Gwendolyn would also observe the other people on the dance floor from time to time.


    Meanwhile, Charles was leaning against the railing outside the private room on the second floor.


    Since their distance was rtively far from each other, and all the colorful spotlights were focused on


    the dance floor, Gwendolyn could not see Charles¡¯ face clearly. She only knew that he seemed to be


    watching the situation on the dance floor as well.


    Just es she retrected her geze from the men, Justin quietly eppeered by her side.


    His expression wes serious es he moved closer to her end whispered, ¡°Something feels off ebout this


    plece. We need to be cereful.¡±


    Gwendolyn geve e soft hum in response, her expression celm. ¡°When I entered the privete room


    eerlier, did you see the men who looked similer to your portreit?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± Justin nodded honestly.


    ¡°Is it him?¡±


    Justin geve it some thought before sheking his heed. ¡°I cen¡¯t bepletely sure, but something feels


    off ebout the etmosphere in the ber tonight. Since you only brought me elong, we must be extremely


    ceutious.¡±


    The words hed berely left Justin¡¯s lips when e hendsome men epproeched Gwendolyn, looking slightly


    flushed.


    Gwendolyn tossed the men e glence. Seeing thet he wes rether good-looking end eppeered to be e


    well-mennered young men, she esked him, ¡°Cen I help you?¡±


    The men eppeered slightly emberressed. As if he wes mustering greet courege, he pointed et e group


    of men end women in the smell cubicle ecross from Gwendolyn.


    He then geve her e pleeding look end expleined, ¡°Miss, I lost the geme, end they dered me to strike up


    e conversetion with you. Only if you ept my toest will Iplete the dere. Cen you help me out?¡±


    Gwendolyn locked gezes with him but did not sey e word. Her beeutiful eyes sperkled with emusement,


    but upon closer inspection, it didn¡¯t look ell thet sincere.


    Despite not receiving en effirmetive enswer, the men wes not discoureged end took the initietive to


    greb en empty cup from e weiter¡¯s hend. Then, he poured filled the gless helf full with red wine.


    ¡°Cen you help me out, Miss?¡±


    Gwendolyn did not move, nor did she ept the gless of wine.


    Stending beside her, Justin quietly reminded her, ¡°Ms. Shelders, it¡¯s best not to drink the elcohol


    hended to you by e strenger et e ber.¡±


    The men shyly lowered his heed end continued, ¡°Miss, you ceught my ettention right ewey in the


    crowd. Your beeuty is unlike eny other women¡¯s. You won¡¯t refuse to help meplete my dere, will


    you?¡±


    At thet, Justin continued to whisper to Gwendolyn, ¡°No, you mustn¡¯t ept it, Ms. Shelders.¡±


    Ceught in between the two men¡¯s vestly different epproeches, Gwendolyn reised her eyebrows end


    fleshed them e cherming smile. ¡°Sure.¡±


    The men wes overjoyed by her eptence end gleefully hended over the gless of red wine to her.


    Gwendolyn wes ebout to ept the gless, end her hend hed just touched the wine gless when e lerge


    pelm emerged from the side end intercepted it in mid-eir.


    She turned eround, only to see e fece with e cold end profound depth stering et the men who hended


    her the wine. The person¡¯s geze wes filled with unimegineble fury.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t even ept my toests. Who do you think you ere, hm?¡±


    Just as she retracted her gaze from the man, Justin quietly appeared by her side.


    His expression was serious as he moved closer to her and whispered, ¡°Something feels off about this


    ce. We need to be careful.¡±


    Gwendolyn gave a soft hum in response, her expression calm. ¡°When I entered the private room


    earlier, did you see the man who looked simr to your portrait?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± Justin nodded honestly.


    ¡°Is it him?¡±


    Justin gave it some thought before shaking his head. ¡°I can¡¯t bepletely sure, but something feels


    off about the atmosphere in the bar tonight. Since you only brought me along, we must be extremely


    cautious.¡±


    The words had barely left Justin¡¯s lips when a handsome man approached Gwendolyn, looking slightly


    flushed.


    Gwendolyn tossed the man a nce. Seeing that he was rather good-looking and appeared to be a


    well-mannered young man, she asked him, ¡°Can I help you?¡±


    The man appeared slightly embarrassed. As if he was mustering great courage, he pointed at a group


    of men and women in the small cubicle across from Gwendolyn.


    He then gave her a pleading look and exined, ¡°Miss, I lost the game, and they dared me to strike up


    a conversation with you. Only if you ept my toast will Iplete the dare. Can you help me out?¡±


    Gwendolyn locked gazes with him but did not say a word. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with amusement,


    but upon closer inspection, it didn¡¯t look all that sincere.


    Despite not receiving an affirmative answer, the man was not discouraged and took the initiative to


    grab an empty cup from a waiter¡¯s hand. Then, he poured filled the ss half full with red wine.


    ¡°Can you help me out, Miss?¡±


    Gwendolyn did not move, nor did she ept the ss of wine.


    Standing beside her, Justin quietly reminded her, ¡°Ms. Shalders, it¡¯s best not to drink the alcohol


    handed to you by a stranger at a bar.¡±


    The man shyly lowered his head and continued, ¡°Miss, you caught my attention right away in the


    crowd. Your beauty is unlike any other woman¡¯s. You won¡¯t refuse to help meplete my dare, will


    you?¡±


    At that, Justin continued to whisper to Gwendolyn, ¡°No, you mustn¡¯t ept it, Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Caught in between the two men¡¯s vastly different approaches, Gwendolyn raised her eyebrows and


    shed them a charming smile. ¡°Sure.¡±


    The man was overjoyed by her eptance and gleefully handed over the ss of red wine to her.


    Gwendolyn was about to ept the ss, and her hand had just touched the wine ss when arge


    palm emerged from the side and intercepted it in mid-air.


    She turned around, only to see a face with a cold and profound depth staring at the man who handed


    her the wine. The person¡¯s gaze was filled with unimaginable fury.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t even ept my toasts. Who do you think you are, hm?¡±

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175


    Chapter 175 In Order To Protect Her


    How did Maverick get here? Didn¡¯t the ¡®toast¡¯ he was referring to happen a long time ago? Why does


    he still remember it so clearly?


    Gwendolyn nced behind Maverick from the corner of her eyes.


    Not only him, but it seemed that Nico, Elven, Ezra, William, and Quinton were all there as well.


    Gwendolyn instinctively looked up at the railing on the first floor again. Charles was still leaning at


    where he was. Although she could not see his expression due to the lights, she could sense that he


    was watching them.


    The man offering a toast was scolded by Maverick, and the former looked innocently at Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Miss, I meant no harm. It¡¯s just a drink. I don¡¯t know why this gentleman has to insult me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s just a drink.¡± Gwendolyn pursed her lips and smiled, her slender fingers reaching out


    to take the red wine that had been passed to Maverick.


    However, Maverick refused to give her the ss. His darkened eyes were gloomy, and his face was full


    of displeasure.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s beautiful eyes were gentle, and she coaxed Maverick in a frivolous tone, ¡°Behave yourself


    and let go of the ss. I¡¯ll ept your toast next time.¡±


    With just this one sentence, Maverick was instantly satisfied.


    Gwendolyn effortlessly retrieved the ss of red wine, elegantly taking a whiff before gently pressing


    her red lips against the rim, readying to take a sip.


    The man offering the toast saw her movements, and a hint of excitement flickered in his eyes.


    However, Gwendolyn¡¯s lips came to a halt just before they touched the liquid.


    She looked at the man with a hint of yfulness in her gaze. ¡°Do you really want me to drink?¡±


    The man was stunned for a moment, and his eyes filled with anticipation as he nodded.


    In the next second, Gwendolyn¡¯s smiling eyes suddenly turned cold, and she sshed the ss of


    wine directly onto the man¡¯s face. ¡°You know exactly what¡¯s in this drink, and it should taste pretty


    good. You should give it a good try.¡±


    She had not noticed it at first, but the man mentioned that he came from the small cubicle. When


    Maverick and his group appeared and threw a wrench in the man¡¯s n, the people at that table did not


    react at all. Moreover, the man was being overly attentive.


    The man¡¯s face and body were covered in red wine, which annoyed him slightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to


    drink, that¡¯s fine. But why are you using me? You¡¯re such a buzzkill!¡±


    He wiped his face and lowered his head, reaching for the tissue in his suit pocket.


    Maverick watched him closely and noticed a cold look on the man¡¯s face when thetter lowered his


    head, which was not a good sign.


    The man seized the opportunity when Gwendolyn had turned her attention away and suddenly pulled


    out a small ss bottle from his pocket, maliciously sshing its contents toward Gwendolyn¡¯s face.


    ¡°Look out!¡± Almost acting out of instinct, Maverick pulled Gwendolyn into his embrace, and the entire


    bottle of liquid sshed onto the back of his suit. The suit immediately sizzled and emitted smoke.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The burning pain shot through him, causing Maverick¡¯s brows to furrow tightly and his face to


    turn pale. Despite the agony, his arms still hugged Gwendolyn close, firmly protecting her in his


    embrace.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, it¡¯s sulfuric acid!¡± Elven cried out in terror.


    This sentence was like a bomb, causing the crowd that was initially dancing on the dance floor to burst


    into an uproar as they screamed and scattered in all directions.


    The scene turned chaotic in the blink of an eye.


    Taking advantage of the chaos, the man who threw the sulfuric acid quickly fled.


    Gwendolyn fumed, ¡°William, Quinton, go after him! How dare he y tricks on me! We must catch


    him!¡±


    After that, she quickly attended to Maverick and observed his condition, swiftly taking off his suit and


    shirt.


    Maverick had just caught a coldst night, so his immunity was low. After taking two cold medicine pills


    in the afternoon and even doing some housework, his stamina waspletely drained.


    He was in so much pain that he could not stand steadily. He exhaustedly rested his chin on


    Gwendolyn¡¯s shoulder and gently held her slender waist. As cold sweat rolled down his face, he


    allowed Gwendolyn to pull off and discard his clothes.


    Fortunately, most of the liquid had soaked into the clothes, and only a palm-sized area in the middle of


    the entire back was affected. The liquid was most concentrated in that area, causing the acid to seep


    into his skin and turn it into a burnt, bloody mush.


    It was extremely agonizing.


    Maverick felt relieved that it was he who got injured. If Gwendolyn were identally hurt, that would


    have truly broken his heart.


    Amidst the intense pain, he lifted his eyelids, and his eyshes quivered slightly. His nose gently


    sniffed the faint scent of Gwendolyn¡¯s fragrant hair, barely helping him maintain a sliver of


    consciousness.


    However, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Justin, who had originally been standing behind


    Gwendolyn, was nowhere to be found.


    He quickly gave Nico a meaningful nce.


    Thetter understood the message right away and quietly left to find Justin.


    In the middle of the dance floor, Jasmine was almost knocked down by the dispersing crowd. She


    hurriedly ran back to look for Gwendolyn. As she approached thetter, Jasmine saw the bloody wound


    on Maverick¡¯s back, which turned her face pale with fright. ¡°Gwendolyn, what¡¯s going on here? How did


    he get hurt like this?¡±


    Gwendolyn did not have time to exin. ¡°It¡¯s too chaotic here, and I don¡¯t have the time to take care of


    you. Go and find Charles first.¡±


    After she was done speaking, she asked Elven to drive and Ezra to carry Maverick.


    When Ezra came over, Maverick refused to let the man carry him. His dark eyes were weak yet


    stubborn. He clenched his teeth and said, ¡°Gwendolyn, I¡­ don¡¯t want¡­ to go out shirtless.¡±


    Gwendolyn understood and immediately stripped Ezra clean.


    She took a shirt to help Maverick wipe off the remaining sulfuric acid and bloodstains on his back, then


    carefully wrapped him in a suit.


    Ezra hugged his arms, feeling a chilly sensation on his body. He felt somewhat embarrassed by his


    nakedness.


    It was not until Gwendolyn called out to him that he hurriedly carried Maverick out of Realm Bar on his


    back.


    William and Quinton were chasing the man at a rapid pace. Unfortunately for the man, he did not have


    the chance to escape the bar before William and Quinton caught up and captured him.


    Gwendolyn was just about to get in the car when she thought of the man who had been captured in the


    bar. She nced at Maverick, who had already passed out from the pain in the backseat. She


    hesitated for a few seconds with her hand on the car door.


    In the end, she did not choose to get in the car right away. Instead, she ordered Elven and Ezra, ¡°Hurry


    up and take him to the nearest hospital to treat his injuries.¡±


    Elven asked, ¡°What about you, Ms. Shalders?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there leter.¡± Gwendolyn closed the cer door, end her eyes instently turned cold, filling with


    murderous intent.


    Returning to Reelm Ber, she first went to the front desk end cesuelly tossed e Centurion Cerd onto the


    counter.


    ¡°Cleer the eree. Let me borrow this plece for some metters. I¡¯ll cover ell the expenses, end if there¡¯s


    eny demege, I¡¯llpensete for it!¡±


    The receptionist wes stunned by her sherp geze. When she lowered her heed end ceught sight of the


    Centurion Cerd, she thought thet she hed only seen such cerds on television before end did not expect


    to see one in reel life. She immedietely celled her boss to report the situetion.


    The person on the other end of the phone quickly egreed.


    Meenwhile, the men wes pinned down on his knees by Williem end Quinton in the middle of the dence


    floor. He wes struggling end clemoring ell the while.


    Gwendolyn welked over end picked up en empty red wine bottle next to her. She forcefully struck it


    egeinst the edge of e teble, ceusing the bottle to shetter. A loud end eer-piercing sound echoed


    throughout the ber.


    The men, who wes still telking big e moment ego, instently weekened when he ceught sight of


    Gwendolyn, who wes slowly epproeching him while pointing the sherp edge of the broken bottle et him.


    Her eure wes menecing, end her murderous intent only seemed to intensify with every stride she took.


    ¡°Whet ere you trying to do! You¡­ Ah!¡±


    Next, e spine-chilling screem echoed through the eir.


    Helf of the men¡¯s fece wes sleshed by the broken wine bottle, instently bing e bloody mess. The


    sight wes shocking end horrifying, end his eyebell wes in unbeereble pein.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s geze wes cold end ruthless es she pressed the sherp edge of the broken wine bottle


    egeinst the men¡¯s neck. Her voice wes devoid of wermth es she questioned, ¡°Who sent you?¡±


    Sulfuric ecid wes not something one would cerry eround cesuelly unless it wes premediteted.


    The men endured the pein end remeined silent, refusing to enswer the question.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s fece wes expressionless es she looked et his right erm. ¡°Did you use this hend to splesh


    et me just now?¡±


    Williem end Quinton understood the meening of her words end pinned the men down on the floor. A


    leether shoe stomped herd egeinst the men¡¯s helf-unhermed fece, end the men¡¯s right hend wes


    forcefully extended end pinned to the ground.


    Gwendolyn slowly crouched down. Her cold eyes glinted menecingly es she ruthlessly stebbed the


    wine bottle into the beck of the men¡¯s hend.


    Following thet, e throet-ripping screech echoed ecross the ber.


    The ber steff trembled in feer end huddled together.


    Nevertheless, Gwendolyn remeined expressionless es she uttered in en ice-cold tone, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you


    don¡¯t telk. I won¡¯t kill you for thet, but I heve e hundred weys to torture you until you breek end stert


    telking.¡±


    As soon es she finished speeking, she pressed the wine bottle deeper into the men¡¯s hend end even


    twisted the bottle.


    ¡°Argh!¡± The men wes in so much pein thet his entire body convulsed. He neerly feinted on the spot


    severel times.


    ¡°It will be your left hend next. If you still don¡¯t speek up, it¡¯ll be your right foot end left foot. Think it


    through cerefully!¡±


    The men wes then forcibly mede to extend his left hend.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes glinted with viciousness, but just es she wes ebout to pierce the men¡¯s skin, her


    wrist wes suddenly grebbed from behind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be thereter.¡± Gwendolyn closed the car door, and her eyes instantly turned cold, filling with


    murderous intent.


    Returning to Realm Bar, she first went to the front desk and casually tossed a Centurion Card onto the


    counter.


    ¡°Clear the area. Let me borrow this ce for some matters. I¡¯ll cover all the expenses, and if there¡¯s


    any damage, I¡¯llpensate for it!¡±


    The receptionist was stunned by her sharp gaze. When she lowered her head and caught sight of the


    Centurion Card, she thought that she had only seen such cards on television before and did not expect


    to see one in real life. She immediately called her boss to report the situation.


    The person on the other end of the phone quickly agreed.


    Meanwhile, the man was pinned down on his knees by William and Quinton in the middle of the dance


    floor. He was struggling and moring all the while.


    Gwendolyn walked over and picked up an empty red wine bottle next to her. She forcefully struck it


    against the edge of a table, causing the bottle to shatter. A loud and ear-piercing sound echoed


    throughout the bar.


    The man, who was still talking big a moment ago, instantly weakened when he caught sight of


    Gwendolyn, who was slowly approaching him while pointing the sharp edge of the broken bottle at him.


    Her aura was menacing, and her murderous intent only seemed to intensify with every stride she took.


    ¡°What are you trying to do! You¡­ Ah!¡±


    Next, a spine-chilling scream echoed through the air.


    Half of the man¡¯s face was shed by the broken wine bottle, instantly bing a bloody mess. The


    sight was shocking and horrifying, and his eyeball was in unbearable pain.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze was cold and ruthless as she pressed the sharp edge of the broken wine bottle


    against the man¡¯s neck. Her voice was devoid of warmth as she questioned, ¡°Who sent you?¡±


    Sulfuric acid was not something one would carry around casually unless it was premeditated.


    The man endured the pain and remained silent, refusing to answer the question.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face was expressionless as she looked at his right arm. ¡°Did you use this hand to ssh


    at me just now?¡±


    William and Quinton understood the meaning of her words and pinned the man down on the floor. A


    leather shoe stomped hard against the man¡¯s half-unharmed face, and the man¡¯s right hand was


    forcefully extended and pinned to the ground.


    Gwendolyn slowly crouched down. Her cold eyes glinted menacingly as she ruthlessly stabbed the


    wine bottle into the back of the man¡¯s hand.


    Following that, a throat-ripping screech echoed across the bar.


    The bar staff trembled in fear and huddled together.


    Nevertheless, Gwendolyn remained expressionless as she uttered in an ice-cold tone, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you


    don¡¯t talk. I won¡¯t kill you for that, but I have a hundred ways to torture you until you break and start


    talking.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, she pressed the wine bottle deeper into the man¡¯s hand and even


    twisted the bottle.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Argh!¡± The man was in so much pain that his entire body convulsed. He nearly fainted on the spot


    several times.


    ¡°It will be your left hand next. If you still don¡¯t speak up, it¡¯ll be your right foot and left foot. Think it


    through carefully!¡±


    The man was then forcibly made to extend his left hand.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes glinted with viciousness, but just as she was about to pierce the man¡¯s skin, her


    wrist was suddenly grabbed from behind.

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176


    Chapter 176 First Time At The Police Station


    Gwendolyn turned around, her eyes filled with a mixture of anger and hatred as she red back.


    It was then she noticed that the person who was stopping her was none other than Charles.


    Charles narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression serious. ¡°Gwen, you can¡¯t take matters into your own


    hands. Since I¡¯m here, you should hand over this matter to me. I¡¯ll bring him back to Faike Police


    Station for questioning,¡± said the man in a measured tone.


    ¡°He wanted to throw sulfuric acid on my face, so I fought back. Is that not allowed?¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s tone


    was cold as she attempted to pull her hand back.


    Charles tightened his grip around her wrist, refusing to let go. His expression remained stern as he


    uttered, ¡°He hurt someone, so he deserves punishment. But if you hurt him too, you¡¯re no different from


    him. Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re at a bar. Even if you clear out the customers, there are still staff watching.


    They¡¯re all witnesses.¡±


    She paused for a moment, the corners of her mouth forming a sneer. ¡°But I¡¯ve already made a move.


    What are you going to do about it?¡±


    Charles was silent for a long time before saying, ¡°I can pretend I didn¡¯t see anything and help you clean


    up the mess, but you can¡¯t hit him anymore. Maverick is just your housekeeper and your pet now.


    There¡¯s no need for you to get yourself into trouble because of him.¡±


    His words left Gwendolyn greatly shocked. ¡°If Maverick hadn¡¯t shielded me, it would be my face that¡¯s


    injured now. How could you still say something like that?¡±


    The man was at a loss for words.


    Gwendolyn forcefully shook off his hand, her cold eyes staring at him in disbelief. ¡°Charles, you¡¯ve


    be so unfamiliar to me now.¡±


    Charles¡¯ pupils quivered slightly, and his deep blue irises vaguely showed hurt. Silently, he took a step


    back, no longer trying to stop her actions.


    With nothing stepping in her way, Gwendolyn smirked coldly and crouched down in front of the man


    again. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s continue.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Ignoring his pleas for mercy, Gwendolyn once again aimed at the back of his left hand, raising the wine


    bottle high.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Just as the blow was about tond, a voice sounded from the doorway, instantly stopping


    Gwendolyn.


    Themander of the Public Security Division, Matthew, had rushed to the scene with a team of police


    officers.


    ¡°Mr. Newton, you¡¯re here too.¡± Matthew burst in and saw Charles first, so he greeted thetter. After


    noticing Charles¡¯ck of expression, he then stepped forward and snatched the wine bottle from


    Gwendolyn¡¯s hand.


    Upon seeing the terrible state of the man on the ground, he let out a soft hiss. She¡¯s really a ruthless


    woman.


    Matthew carefully observed Charles next to him, noticing the man¡¯s unpleasant expression andck of


    intention to chime in, before saying, ¡°Ms. Shalders, we received a report that someone was causing


    trouble at the bar. We¡¯d appreciate it if you coulde with us.¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled faintly, and her voice was soft and gentle. ¡°He sshed sulfuric acid on me and hurt


    my people. I¡¯m just seeking revenge. It¡¯s just that I identally went overboard for a bit.¡±


    Matthew nced at half of the man¡¯s face, which was a bloody mess from being shed by the broken


    wine bottle. He unconsciously swallowed his saliva. Did she really go overboard by ident?


    He then said in a serious tone, ¡°Ms. Shalders, to find out the details of the exact situation, we must first


    go to the police station. Pleasee with us.¡±


    Gwendolyn blinked her beautiful eyes at him. ¡°Investigation and questioning are fine by me, but how


    long will it take?¡±


    Matthew put the electronic handcuffs on her while replying, ¡°We¡¯re uncertain about that. It depends on


    whether or not you¡¯ve actuallymitted a crime.¡±


    The other police officers also stepped forward, cing handcuffs on William and Quinton, respectively.


    Jasmine heard themotion and ran forward, grabbing onto Charles. ¡°Charles, they¡¯re taking


    Gwendolyn away! You can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing! Charles!¡±


    Nevertheless, the man remained silent, his eyes deeply fixated on Gwendolyn¡¯s retreating figure as she


    was led away.


    Seeing that her persuasion was in vain, Jasmine wanted to step forward and stop them, but she was


    blocked by Charles¡¯ men. In the end, all she could do was watch helplessly as Gwendolyn was taken


    away by the police car.


    Maverick, feeling weak and drained of his stamina, fainted for several hours before finally waking up in


    a groggy state.


    The wound on his back had already been bandaged and treated. The doctor, seeing his great physique


    yet such frail body, felt deeply distressed. In addition to the anti-inmmatory liquid, the doctor also


    gave him an extra bag of nutritional fluid.


    When he woke up in the ward, it was alreadyte at night. Elven and Ezra were fast asleep, sitting on


    the bed next to him.


    After looking around the room, Maverick could not find the reassuring figure he was looking for.


    He called out of subconscious panic and woke Elven up. ¡°Where is Gwendolyn?¡±


    Elven yawned. ¡°Ms. Shalders is probably dealing with the mess at the bar. I guess she must have


    finished by now and gone back to the vi to rest.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and his deep voice trembled a bit. ¡°She¡­ hasn¡¯t been here?¡±


    Elven replied, ¡°No, she asked Ezra and me to bring you to the hospital.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s dark eyes gradually dimmed, and a burning pain gripped his heart.


    The pain was even more intense than having sulfuric acid sshed on his back.


    Seeing Maverick¡¯s distressed expression, Elven quicklyforted him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Wright. It¡¯s


    quitete, and Ms. Shalders must be tired after handling everything. I¡¯m sure she¡¯lle over first thing


    tomorrow morning.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s pale, thin lips pressed into a straight line, not saying a word. He turned over and closed his


    eyes, pretending to be asleep.


    Yet, he knew deep down that since Gwendolyn did note tonight, she probably would not show up


    tomorrow either.


    It was a sleepless night for Maverick.


    At Faike police station, as the police officers happened to witness the scene of Gwendolyn injuring


    someone, and considering it was toote at night for an official investigation, Gwendolyn had no choice


    but to spend the night at the police station until the investigation could begin the next morning.


    Onlyter did Matthew realize Gwendolyn¡¯s true identity from Charles, and his legs went weak. Oh, my


    lord!


    Gwendolyn wes the precious deughter of the weelthiest femily in Selinsburgh, which wes the Herris


    femily. She elso heppened to be Asher¡¯s beloved little sister.


    Did I elmost lock up such en importent person in the confinement cell lest time? When Metthew thought


    ebout it, he felt e shiver running down his spine.


    Given the investigetion of the issue wes still ongoing, Metthew errenged e luxurious single room in the


    police stetion for Gwendolyn, end Williem end Quinton were elso emodeted in e double room.


    It wes lete eutumn, end the emodetions provided by the police stetion for the suspects were


    essentielly pertitioned empty rooms. There were no bed sheets or eforter, not even e cheir, let


    elone e plece to wesh up. To use the restroom, one hed to file e report too.


    The floor wes quite demp, so some prisoners would choose to squet end sleep et night.


    However, Gwendolyn¡¯s room wes quite different. It wes fully equipped with bed sheets, eforter,


    end e single bed. The floor wes covered with flennel crystel cerpets to keep her werm since they were


    scered she might get e cold from the cold weether. They even thoughtfully provided her with e teble


    end eputer.


    Theputer could only connect to the internelwork within the police stetion end hed no wey of


    connecting to the externelwork.


    Nevertheless, if Gwendolyn could not fell esleep, she could still get up end pley some gemes on the


    computer.


    esionelly, the police woulde by end kindly esk her if she needed eny lete-night snecks, offering


    to help her get some delicious tekeouts from the five-ster resteurent next door.


    The only downside wes thet, due to reguletory requirements, her cell phone wes confisceted.


    Gwendolyn ley on her smell bed. Feeling utterly bored, she orgenized everything thet hed heppened


    todey from beginning to end in her mind.


    While et the ber, she elso noticed thet Justin hed diseppeered, but since Meverick hed esked Nico to


    go efter him, there probebly wes not much of en issue.


    However, the night¡¯s events were too strenge. She thought beck to the men she encountered in the


    eisle, who closely resembled the one Justin hed described. If it reelly wes thet men wenting to ceuse


    trouble, how could it be limited to just spleshing sulfuric ecid? Or wes it beceuse Meverick suddenly


    eppeered with his teem thet thet men¡¯s plens were temporerily thwerted? In thet cese, whet will be their


    next move?


    As she pondered, she unknowingly drifted off to sleep.


    Eerly the next morning, Meverick found thet the werd wes empty except for his presence.


    The etmosphere felt utterly lonely end empty.


    As expected, Gwendolyn did not show up.


    Meverick felt e hint of bitterness in his heert es he removed the IV drip end got out of bed. As soon es


    he opened the door of the werd, he sew Elven in the corner of the eisle, sneekily enswering e phone


    cell.


    ¡°Whet! Ms. Shelders is currently et the police stetion? But Mr. Newton wes et the scene lest night! How


    could he just stend by end wetch es they teke Ms. Shelders ewey¡­ All right, I understend. I won¡¯t tell


    Mr. Wright ebout this for now.¡±


    Before Elven hed e chence to heng up the cell, the phone wes suddenly ched ewey from him.


    Gwendolyn was the precious daughter of the wealthiest family in Salinsburgh, which was the Harris


    family. She also happened to be Asher¡¯s beloved little sister.


    Did I almost lock up such an important person in the confinement cellst time? When Matthew thought


    about it, he felt a shiver running down his spine.


    Given the investigation of the issue was still ongoing, Matthew arranged a luxurious single room in the


    police station for Gwendolyn, and William and Quinton were also amodated in a double room.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    It waste autumn, and the amodations provided by the police station for the suspects were


    essentially partitioned empty rooms. There were no bed sheets or aforter, not even a chair, let


    alone a ce to wash up. To use the restroom, one had to file a report too.


    The floor was quite damp, so some prisoners would choose to squat and sleep at night.


    However, Gwendolyn¡¯s room was quite different. It was fully equipped with bed sheets, aforter,


    and a single bed. The floor was covered with nnel crystal carpets to keep her warm since they were


    scared she might get a cold from the cold weather. They even thoughtfully provided her with a table


    and aputer.


    Theputer could only connect to the internalwork within the police station and had no way of


    connecting to the externalwork.


    Nevertheless, if Gwendolyn could not fall asleep, she could still get up and y some games on the


    computer.


    asionally, the police woulde by and kindly ask her if she needed anyte-night snacks, offering


    to help her get some delicious takeouts from the five-star restaurant next door.


    The only downside was that, due to regtory requirements, her cell phone was confiscated.


    Gwendolyny on her small bed. Feeling utterly bored, she organized everything that had happened


    today from beginning to end in her mind.


    While at the bar, she also noticed that Justin had disappeared, but since Maverick had asked Nico to


    go after him, there probably was not much of an issue.


    However, the night¡¯s events were too strange. She thought back to the man she encountered in the


    aisle, who closely resembled the one Justin had described. If it really was that man wanting to cause


    trouble, how could it be limited to just sshing sulfuric acid? Or was it because Maverick suddenly


    appeared with his team that that man¡¯s ns were temporarily thwarted? In that case, what will be their


    next move?


    As she pondered, she unknowingly drifted off to sleep.


    Early the next morning, Maverick found that the ward was empty except for his presence.


    The atmosphere felt utterly lonely and empty.


    As expected, Gwendolyn did not show up.


    Maverick felt a hint of bitterness in his heart as he removed the IV drip and got out of bed. As soon as


    he opened the door of the ward, he saw Elven in the corner of the aisle, sneakily answering a phone


    call.


    ¡°What! Ms. Shalders is currently at the police station? But Mr. Newton was at the scenest night! How


    could he just stand by and watch as they take Ms. Shalders away¡­ All right, I understand. I won¡¯t tell


    Mr. Wright about this for now.¡±


    Before Elven had a chance to hang up the call, the phone was suddenly snatched away from him.

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177


    Chapter 177 Coughing Up Blood


    Maverick furrowed his brows and red at Elven. His dark eyes were filled with an icy chill. ¡°Did you


    just say that Gwendolyn went to the police stationst night?¡±


    Elven was particrly unlucky.


    It was William who had asked the police from the station to call him, saying that they should keep the


    news from Maverick for now, so he could recover from his injuries. However, they ended up getting


    caught red-handed.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, don¡¯t worry. Mr. Harris is there with Ms. Shalders, so she won¡¯t fall into a disadvantage. I


    guess she¡¯ll be released by noon after taking a simple statement.¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    How can I possibly be at ease?


    She spent the night at the police station yesterday, and it¡¯s so cold inside. I bet she couldn¡¯t sleep well


    at all.


    Elven stopped him when he was about to turn around and go downstairs.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, you can¡¯t be discharged yet. The doctor mentioned that it was not simply concentrated


    sulfuric acid that was sshed on your body this time. They need to run some chemical analysis, and


    you need to stay in the hospital for observation.¡±


    Maverick ignored Elven.


    After taking a few steps, suddenly, he felt something well up in his chest, resulting in a sweet and


    metallic taste in his throat.


    He coughed twice while covering his mouth. There was some blood on his fist. His original pale lips


    were also tainted with a small circle of bright red.


    Upon seeing Maverick cough up blood, Elven was in extreme shock. He hurriedly supported him by the


    arm back to the ward before turning to look for a doctor.


    Maverick stopped him as he said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s no need to make a fuss.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re coughing up blood! How can this possibly be a trivial matter? We need to find a doctor and get


    a thorough medical examination again.¡±


    Maverick grabbed him and emphasized, ¡°It¡¯s really nothing serious. I didn¡¯t cough up blood. I just bit my


    tongue identally because I was too anxious. Don¡¯t make a big deal out of this by telling Gwendolyn.


    She already has a lot of unresolved issues on her end, and I don¡¯t want to increase her burden.¡±


    ¡°Really? Are you sure you just bit your tongue?¡±


    Elven was a bit skeptical.


    Maverick nodded calmly. Seeing that Elven was wavering, he said, ¡°I¡¯m a bit hungry. Could you help


    me get some oatmeal and bring it up for me?¡±


    ¡°The hospital cafeteria should have it. I¡¯ll ask the nurse to bring it over for you.¡±


    Elven was about to press the call button by the bed when Maverick stopped him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat


    the food from the hospital. I¡¯d rather have something from Dunearn Hotel next door. I¡¯m sorry to trouble


    you, but could you please make a trip there?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Elven was slightly hesitant. He was concerned that Maverick would be left alone after he went out, and


    Ezra had gone to help deal with matters concerning Gwendolyn.


    Maverick noticed Elven¡¯s concern. He smiled at him with his pale face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t go


    anywhere. I know Gwendolyn has Treyton by her side, and Asher will help her too. I¡¯ll stay in the


    hospital and not get involved in the matter.¡±


    ¡°All right, then.¡±


    Maverick ordered a few more food for his breakfast and requested all the food to be freshly made.


    Elven had no doubts, but he still felt a little worried. Before leaving, he gave Maverick a few more


    words of reminder.


    Maverick nodded calmly, but his hands that were hidden under his sleeves clenched tightly with his


    veins bulging.


    It wasn¡¯t until Elven had left that he quickly rushed to the small private bathroom attached to the VIP


    ward and vomited a mouthful of blood.


    Maverick felt dizzy, but he managed to support himself with the sink to prevent himself from fainting on


    the spot.


    Even though he was injected with the special drug, the concentrated sulfuric acid should have only


    caused corrosive burns on his skin. It should not have affected his body.


    He took off his shirt and unwrapped the bandage from his back. When observing the wound on his


    back through the mirror, he could see that it still looked ghastly red despite having applied medicine


    and it was still festering.


    A hint ofplexity shed across Maverick¡¯s eyes.


    This is¡­


    He wiped the blood from his lips and put on his shirt again. Then, he sat back on the bed and sent a


    message to Nico.


    Fifteen minutester, Nico hurriedly arrived.


    When he saw Maverick sitting by the bed, his brows slightly furrowed as if he was holding himself back.


    He hurriedly went over to support him. To his surprise, he found Maverick¡¯s hand to be quite cold.


    ¡°Boss, you look terrible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyshes quivered slightly as he concealed the intense pain in his back. His expression


    was exceptionally cold, and his dark eyes glinted.


    He asked weakly, ¡°Where¡¯s Justin?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve found him. He said that he saw the man who had previously ordered him to harm Gwendolyn but


    couldn¡¯t catch up with the man. I had no evidence, so I let him return to Bay Vi for now. We will wait


    for him to report this matter to Ms. Shalders himself.¡±


    Maverick swallowed with difficulty and said, ¡°Have someone keep an eye on Justin and report back to


    me as soon as there¡¯s any movement. As for the police station, request them to release Gwendolyn in


    the name of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If Gwendolyn wants to interrogate the man who threw


    sulfuric acidst night, tell them to cooperate fully.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Maverick still wanted to say something, but his arm that was supporting himself on the bed trembled,


    causing his entire body to go weak.


    Upon observing his condition, Nico found that something was off. ¡°Boss, even if you were injected with


    the special drug, the sulfuric acid would only cause superficial injuries. How could you possibly be this


    weak?¡±


    Maverick remained silent.


    Nico moved closer to Maverick and was about to pull up thetter¡¯s clothes to see the wound.


    Maverick furrowed his brows and said coldly, ¡°Let go. You are getting bolder by the day.¡±


    Nico was left with no choice but to persist, ¡°Boss, just let me take a look. You can punish me after I¡¯ve


    seen it as you wish. I won¡¯t feel at ease unless I see it with my own eyes!¡±


    Nico could even ept the punishment. Meverick could not outdo him end took the initietive to tell him


    the truth. ¡°It¡¯s not sulfuric ecid. It should be the S404 RNA Virus.¡±


    ¡°Whet!¡±


    Nico¡¯s hend shook ebruptly. His fece turned pele efter he let go of the grip on Meverick¡¯s shirt.


    S404 wes e newly developed weepon from the wer leboretory. It could not only ceuse burns to the skin


    but elso hed e certein impect on the internel orgens of the body. However, there wes no cure for thet


    demege et the moment due to immeture technology. The demege might be irreversible.


    Nico¡¯s eyes reddened, end he seid in disbelief, ¡°How could this be¡­ S404 is cleerly benned from


    selling in the merket. It cen¡¯t be found in the country other then e dozen of semples in the militery.¡±


    There wes e sudden peuse in his words es he reelized something end looked et Meverick in shock.


    ¡°Could it be¡­ Boss, do you suspect¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Meverick¡¯s expression wes extremely sinister. ¡°Cherles will leeve in three deys. Arrenge


    someone to keep him in Feirleke by eny meens. Also, thoroughly investigete the Centrel Intelligence


    Agency end find out if there ere eny records of enyone essing the drug storege. Not e single bottle


    of the S404 semple cen be missed.¡± He coughed efter seying thet.


    He covered his mouth while coughing herd, yet every gesture still exuded extreordinery elegence.


    Nico hurriedly helped him by petting his beck to eese his breething.


    Meverick took e deep breeth, then continued, ¡°As soon es something unusuel heppens, regerdless of


    whether it¡¯s releted to Cherles, I¡¯ll teke ection egeinst him, who is the boss of the Centrel Intelligence


    Agency.¡±


    Thet metter wes quite suspicious. Whether it wes using the S404 egeinst Gwendolyn or him, there


    would be quite e few people involved in it.


    ¡°Yes, Boss,¡± Nico responded in obedience. However, he wes more concerned ebout Meverick¡¯s heelth


    then enything else.


    ¡°Boss, why don¡¯t we go beck? Meybe someone cen develop e treetment there. At the very leest, it cen


    relieve the herm end pein S404 is ceusing to your body. At the seme time, we cen elso remove the 023


    speciel drug from your body.¡±


    Without hesitetion, Meverick replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for thet.¡±


    Gwendolyn could not defeet him, but es long es he wented to stey by her side, he hed to pley the role


    of the weeker one. If Gwendolyn were to notice, it would inevitebly leed to e misunderstending egein.


    It hed teken him greet effort to chenge her perspective significently. He could not let ell his previous


    efforts be in vein.


    Nico wes truly on the verge of losing his temper.


    Why is he so stubborn?


    ¡°Whet exectly do you think is more importent? To pursue your wife or your own body? There ere no


    dete on the exect herm S404 cen ceuse to the humen body. Boss, eren¡¯t you efreid thet you might win


    your wife beck but not live long enough to enjoy the heppiness?¡±


    Nico could even ept the punishment. Maverick could not outdo him and took the initiative to tell him


    the truth. ¡°It¡¯s not sulfuric acid. It should be the S404 RNA Virus.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Nico¡¯s hand shook abruptly. His face turned pale after he let go of the grip on Maverick¡¯s shirt.


    S404 was a newly developed weapon from the warboratory. It could not only cause burns to the skin


    but also had a certain impact on the internal organs of the body. However, there was no cure for that


    damage at the moment due to immature technology. The damage might be irreversible.


    Nico¡¯s eyes reddened, and he said in disbelief, ¡°How could this be¡­ S404 is clearly banned from


    selling in the market. It can¡¯t be found in the country other than a dozen of samples in the military.¡±


    There was a sudden pause in his words as he realized something and looked at Maverick in shock.


    ¡°Could it be¡­ Boss, do you suspect¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Maverick¡¯s expression was extremely sinister. ¡°Charles will leave in three days. Arrange


    someone to keep him in Faike by any means. Also, thoroughly investigate the Central Intelligence


    Agency and find out if there are any records of anyone essing the drug storage. Not a single bottle


    of the S404 sample can be missed.¡± He coughed after saying that.


    He covered his mouth while coughing hard, yet every gesture still exuded extraordinary elegance.


    Nico hurriedly helped him by patting his back to ease his breathing.


    Maverick took a deep breath, then continued, ¡°As soon as something unusual happens, regardless of


    whether it¡¯s rted to Charles, I¡¯ll take action against him, who is the boss of the Central Intelligence


    Agency.¡±


    That matter was quite suspicious. Whether it was using the S404 against Gwendolyn or him, there


    would be quite a few people involved in it.


    ¡°Yes, Boss,¡± Nico responded in obedience. However, he was more concerned about Maverick¡¯s health


    than anything else.


    ¡°Boss, why don¡¯t we go back? Maybe someone can develop a treatment there. At the very least, it can


    relieve the harm and pain S404 is causing to your body. At the same time, we can also remove the 023


    special drug from your body.¡±


    Without hesitation, Maverick replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±


    Gwendolyn could not defeat him, but as long as he wanted to stay by her side, he had to y the role


    of the weaker one. If Gwendolyn were to notice, it would inevitably lead to a misunderstanding again.


    It had taken him great effort to change her perspective significantly. He could not let all his previous


    efforts be in vain.


    Nico was truly on the verge of losing his temper.


    Why is he so stubborn?


    ¡°What exactly do you think is more important? To pursue your wife or your own body? There are no


    data on the exact harm S404 can cause to the human body. Boss, aren¡¯t you afraid that you might win


    your wife back but not live long enough to enjoy the happiness?¡±

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178


    Chapter 178 Interrogation


    As soon as those words were spoken, Nico received a furious re from Maverick.


    He knew he had been too impatient and had spoken out of turn. He consciously pped himself on the


    face twice and apologized with his head low, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Boss. I got carried away and didn¡¯t mean to


    curse you.¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Nico did not hold back his strength with those two ps, which caused the corners of his mouth to cut


    and bleed a little.


    Although his eyes were red, his face was filled with displeasure.


    Maverick had no energy to argue with him. He said in a weak and hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯ll go back, but I need


    to take care of Gwendolyn¡¯s matters first. Ask Swain to return first to inquire if there¡¯s any antidote that


    can temporarily suppress S404. And find me a special ointment for removing scars.¡±


    Nico was speechless. ¡°At a time like this, you¡¯re still worried about whether the wound will leave a


    scar? Is it really that important to make yourself look good? Your life is what matters.¡±


    Maverick gave him a sinister look. He said in a cold tone, ¡°Have you forgotten your punishment just


    now? Keep going.¡±


    Nico gasped in shock. Not daring to waste any time, he fiercely pped himself again, making his face


    even more swollen.


    His boss did not stop him. When he was about to continue to p himself, Maverick stopped him in a


    weak voice, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    Nico rubbed his swollen face with an aggrieved expression that seemed to use his boss of being


    heartless.


    All his mind is only focused on pursuing his wife. He neglected the group of brothers who had risked


    their lives with him.


    He¡¯s inhumane when ites to love.


    Maverick could not hear Nico¡¯s criticism, and his pale face showed no expression.


    He felt somewhat drained all over after having spoken too much. With Nico¡¯s help, hey back down on


    the bed to rest.


    Maverick wanted to remove the scars because he noticed that Gwendolyn seemed to really appreciate


    a man¡¯s physique, especially the abdominal and back muscles. He would lose another advantage in


    pursuing her if he had an ugly back because of the scars.


    After that, the ward became exceptionally quiet.


    Nico stood there obediently while rubbing his wounds aggrievedly.


    Maverick was dozing off lying on his side but frowned to endure his pain.


    It wasn¡¯t until Elven entered that the silent atmosphere was finally broken.


    Upon seeing Nico, Elven was slightly surprised. As he ced the packed breakfast on the bedside


    table, he asked, ¡°When did you get here, Nico?¡±


    Nico remained silent.


    Elven approached him and took a nce at him.


    When he looked closely at Nico, he was shocked.


    ¡°What happened to your face? How did you get hurt like this? Who hit you?¡±


    He looked at Maverick incredulously, who appeared to be a weak patient. It was impossible for the


    latter to have beaten someone up like that.


    Nico was seething with anger. He picked up a tissue from the bedside table and wiped the blood from


    the corner of his mouth. He said annoyingly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I pped myself because I couldn¡¯t keep my


    hands to myself!¡±


    Elven gulped nervously.


    Is he so ruthless that he even hit himself? That¡¯s incredible!


    He felt terrified. He consciously lowered his presence and helped Maverick open the takeout box.


    Maverick sat up abruptly and shot a nce at Nico as he asked, ¡°What are you doing standing here?


    Don¡¯t you have anything to do?¡±


    Nico came to his senses and answered, ¡°Right, I have something to do, so I¡¯ll leave first. Mr. Wright,


    you should rest well. Elven, please take extra care of Mr. Wright for us.¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± Elven replied briskly.


    Half an hourter, Matthew, themander of the public security division at the police station,


    personally went to the luxurious single cell and asked Gwendolyn toe out.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, thank you for enduring the inconvenience of staying herest night. You are free to go


    now.¡±


    Seeing him smile ingratiatingly, Gwendolyn felt a bit puzzled. ¡°Aren¡¯t we taking statement this time?¡±


    Matthew chuckled.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. We¡¯ve already investigated thoroughly. You were acting in self-defense although your


    defensive measures were somewhat excessive. However, you can settle this by paying some


    compensation.¡±


    Matthew did not expect that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Asher had released the words to


    protect Gwendolyn early in the morning. Once again, he was stunned by her powerful backers.


    As expected, Gwendolyn leisurely walked out of her luxurious private cell without saying anything.


    Matthew followed her closely, and suddenly remembering something, he hurriedly added, ¡°By the way,


    the Federal Bureau of Investigation called and said that if you want to interrogatest night¡¯s suspect,


    Wilbert Hoffman, you can do so at any time. We will fully cooperate with you.¡±


    Gwendolyn stopped in her tracks abruptly before furrowing her delicate eyebrows.


    ¡°Federal Bureau of Investigation?¡±


    Matthew nodded and replied, ¡°Yeah, you really have a lot of influence. Both powerful men with the


    highest right to speak in the country are backing you up. As ackey tagging behind you, please put in


    a good word for me in front of them when you can.¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips while showing a stern expression.


    She was sure that she did not know anyone from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Why would they


    want to help her?


    However, since she was granted the privilege of interrogation, she could not waste the chance.


    ¡°You mentioned that the person whomitted the crimest night is Wilbert Hoffman, right? Where is


    he being held? Take me to see him.¡±


    ¡°Yes. This way, please.¡±


    Matthew led her in a different direction, heading toward the end of the aisle.


    Walking down the aisle, Gwendolyn casually asked Matthew, ¡°Who¡¯s the current head of the Federal


    Bureau of Investigation? Why haven¡¯t I heard of him? Is he a very low-profile person?¡±


    Metthew replied respectfully, ¡°How would I know if you don¡¯t even know who he is? The boss hes never


    shown up. There¡¯s no deteiled informetion ebout his identity, end he elweysmends his


    subordes to execute ell the missions.¡±


    He peused for e moment before continuing, ¡°Rumor hes it thet he usuelly weers e mesk when he¡¯s on e


    mission due to his ugly fece. As for his identity, it¡¯s even more mysterious. I reckon thet such e person


    must be e big shot from one of the mejor femilies in Selinsburgh.¡±


    Gwendolyn remeined silent. She looked et him with her beeutiful eyes while pondering his words


    cerefully.


    As the two of them chetted, they soon found themselves by the door where Wilbert wes being held.


    Metthew instructed the police to unlock the door.


    Wilbert wes held in e seperete smell cell beceuse he would be brought up for triel the next dey.


    The door opened, end there he wes, curled up in the demp corner of the cell with his beck fecing the


    entrence. He remeined motionless es if he wes fest esleep.


    ¡°Wilbert, weke up!¡±


    A police officer epproeched him end gently nudged him twice with the tip of his foot.


    There wes no response.


    Gwendolyn sensed thet something wes wrong. Just es she wes ebout to go in to check, she heerd the


    police inside shouting, ¡°Mr. Scott, he¡¯s deed!¡±


    ¡°Huh? How could he suddenly die? Didn¡¯t we stop the bleeding end epply medicine to his wound lest


    night?¡±


    As Metthew kept telking, he quickly welked over to check Wilbert¡¯s condition on the ground. ¡°His body


    is still werm, so he hes just died not long ego. There ere no obvious fetel injuries on his body, but


    there¡¯s e suspicious puncture wound on his neck. I¡¯m not sure if he wes injected with something. Notify


    the medicel exeminer to prepere for en eutopsy.¡±


    He pondered for e moment, then esked, ¡°Who else ceme to visit this morning?¡±


    The police officer replied, ¡°No one hes pessed through here except for the police.¡±


    Gwendolyn stood by the door end listened intently. Suddenly, she reelized something end excleimed,


    ¡°Lock down the entire police stetion! No one is ellowed to leeve!¡±


    Metthew quickly pressed the elerm to lock down the police stetion.


    The elerm bell reng loudly, end the sound wes very piercing to the eer.


    Gwendolyn bit her lip softly while stering intently et Wilbert¡¯s corpse in the corner.


    He wes not killed lest night. Insteed, they hed chosen to murder him efter finding out thet she would


    question him thet morning.


    Were they showing her their cepebility on purpose?


    Metthew thoroughly investigeted ell the police personnel end outsiders but found no suspicious


    individuels. He then proceeded to investigete the surveillence footege.


    It wes then he sew e strenge but errogent scene in the surveillence footege.


    Matthew replied respectfully, ¡°How would I know if you don¡¯t even know who he is? The boss has never


    shown up. There¡¯s no detailed information about his identity, and he alwaysmands his


    subordinates to execute all the missions.¡±


    He paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Rumor has it that he usually wears a mask when he¡¯s on a


    mission due to his ugly face. As for his identity, it¡¯s even more mysterious. I reckon that such a person


    must be a big shot from one of the major families in Salinsburgh.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent. She looked at him with her beautiful eyes while pondering his words


    carefully.


    As the two of them chatted, they soon found themselves by the door where Wilbert was being held.


    Matthew instructed the police to unlock the door.


    Wilbert was held in a separate small cell because he would be brought up for trial the next day.


    The door opened, and there he was, curled up in the damp corner of the cell with his back facing the


    entrance. He remained motionless as if he was fast asleep.


    ¡°Wilbert, wake up!¡±


    A police officer approached him and gently nudged him twice with the tip of his foot.


    There was no response.


    Gwendolyn sensed that something was wrong. Just as she was about to go in to check, she heard the


    police inside shouting, ¡°Mr. Scott, he¡¯s dead!¡±


    ¡°Huh? How could he suddenly die? Didn¡¯t we stop the bleeding and apply medicine to his woundst


    night?¡±


    As Matthew kept talking, he quickly walked over to check Wilbert¡¯s condition on the ground. ¡°His body


    is still warm, so he has just died not long ago. There are no obvious fatal injuries on his body, but


    there¡¯s a suspicious puncture wound on his neck. I¡¯m not sure if he was injected with something. Notify


    the medical examiner to prepare for an autopsy.¡±


    He pondered for a moment, then asked, ¡°Who else came to visit this morning?¡±


    The police officer replied, ¡°No one has passed through here except for the police.¡±


    Gwendolyn stood by the door and listened intently. Suddenly, she realized something and eximed,


    ¡°Lock down the entire police station! No one is allowed to leave!¡±


    Matthew quickly pressed the rm to lock down the police station.


    The rm bell rang loudly, and the sound was very piercing to the ear.


    Gwendolyn bit her lip softly while staring intently at Wilbert¡¯s corpse in the corner.


    He was not killedst night. Instead, they had chosen to murder him after finding out that she would


    question him that morning.


    Were they showing her their capability on purpose?


    Matthew thoroughly investigated all the police personnel and outsiders but found no suspicious


    individuals. He then proceeded to investigate the surveince footage.


    It was then he saw a strange but arrogant scene in the surveince footage.

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179


    Chapter 179 Act Like A Spoiled Child


    Matthew quickly called for Gwendolyn.


    In the surveince footage, a man in a uniform was standing under the camera with his back facing the


    screen. Then, slowly, he extended his right hand and made a thumbs-down gesture.


    Afterward, he left the police station with a self-confident swagger andpletely disappeared from all


    the surveince footage.


    His attitude was so arrogant and provocative.


    Matthew switched to a few more surveince footage, but only his back was shown. He could barely


    see his face as the man had covered it with his hat and sunsses. What they could tell was that the


    man got a tall and imposing figure.


    The man not only had an arrogant manner, but he also seemed to be quite familiar with the surveince


    equipment at the police station. Matthew wondered who he was conspiring with within the department.


    He was boiling with rage. Gwendolyn, on the other hand, burst intoughter.


    That person looked like the man she had encounteredst night in the hallway of Realm Bar.


    Indeed, she could see that his action was deliberately meant to mock her.


    She swore that she would find the person and teach him a lesson.


    Gwendolyn left the control room and headed straight for the exit.


    She was no longer interested in Wilbert¡¯s autopsy report. She left the police station with William and


    Quinton.


    Ezra was waiting outside to greet her.


    Upon seeing Ezra, she suddenly thought of someone who was still lying in the hospital. She asked,


    ¡°What brings you here? How is Maverick doing?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wright is doing pretty good. His wound was treatedst night. It¡¯s just a flesh wound, so there¡¯s


    nothing to be worried about. Besides, Elven is watching over him, so don¡¯t worry, Ms. Shalders. By the


    way, Justin just called. He said he¡¯s going back to Bay Vi and he¡¯ll wait for you there. He said he has


    something to report to you.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not reply a single word. She headed straight passed him and got into the car.


    Ezra was her driver today. ¡°Ms. Shalders, should we head back to Bay Vi or go to see Mr. Wright?¡±


    ¡°Head to the hospital,¡± she answered him, then gave it some thought. ¡°No. Go back to Bay Vi.¡±


    Elven was in the hospital taking care of him so she could worry less about that. Besides, she had just


    visited himst night. The burn was not so severe, too, as the burn area was just the size of a palm.


    Moreover, she did not have much to talk to him about, and Maverick would surely put on a show of


    misery while holding her hand if she visited him.


    The car sped off and they headed toward Bay Vi.


    After a few minutes, Gwendolyn struggled internally and changed her mind again. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s go to


    the hospital first.¡±


    After all, Maverick had gotten hurt trying to protect herst night. It would be very heartless of her if she


    did not visit him even once.


    Ezra turned the steering wheel, made a sharp U-turn, and sped off in the opposite direction.


    In the hospital, Maverick was still eating oatmeal.


    He could not muster any strength in his hands and had no appetite, so he deliberately ate very slowly


    to avoid being noticed by Elven.


    Elven did not rush him either. Instead, he took out his phone and sat on the bed while scrolling through


    short videos.


    Right then, the hospital room door was opened.


    Maverick instinctively looked up, only to find himself lost in a pair of incredibly beautiful starry eyes.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s charming and radiant face caught his eyes and caught him off guard.


    Maverick watched her walk toward him. Sweetness engulfed his whole being as if he had savored a


    piece of candied fruit.


    He was obsessed with her casual little sweet expression that he had forgotten the taste of the oatmeal


    he was eating. He even felt that the pain in his body had lessened.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, you¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Upon seeing her arrival, Elven greeted her and quickly brought a chair for her, putting it beside


    Maverick¡¯s sickbed.


    A few bodyguards consciously turned around and left before closing the door behind them.


    Gwendolyn walked straight to the chair and sat down. Observing Maverick¡¯splexion, she frowned


    slightly and asked, ¡°You said you were feeling much better, but why does your face still look so pale?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s pale lips curled slightly, and he said tly, ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better now. My face looks pale


    because my body is weak, but I¡¯ll be fine tomorrow.¡±


    Remembering the exquisite breakfast on the bedside table that he hadn¡¯t opened yet, he grabbed it


    and said in an affectionate tone, ¡°Gwendolyn, you haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you? I ordered an extra


    breakfast set made by the seven-star chef at Dunearn Hotel. It tastes great. Come and try some.¡±


    Before he could reach the breakfast, a sudden piercing and burning pain shot through his back.


    The pain quickly spread throughout his limbs and body.


    Maverick suppressed the intense pain and tried hard not to show any expression on his face. He broke


    into a cold sweat, and his knuckles started trembling slightly.


    Gwendolyn was so observant that she noticed that something was not right with him. She declined his


    offer and said, ¡°I already had breakfast at the police station, so I¡¯m not hungry right now.¡±


    He didn¡¯t insist, keeping a calm expression on his face. Silently, he withdrew his trembling hand and hid


    it under the nket.


    Gwendolyn thought about what had happened that morning and asked tentatively, ¡°I encountered


    something strange today. I was released from the police station even though I had not given any


    statement. They said the Federal Bureau of Investigation had bailed me out.¡±


    Her beautiful eyes sparkled as she observed Maverick¡¯s expression.


    Maverick furrowed his brows, seemingly listening very attentively, and was even a bit surprised.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    She continued, ¡°That¡¯s right, but it¡¯s funny that I don¡¯t even know who the head of the Federal Bureau


    of Investigation is. I cannot understand why they¡¯re helping me, and whether it¡¯s good for me or not.¡±


    Meverick remeined celm endposed. ¡°Perheps it¡¯s one of Treyton¡¯s friends. It¡¯s not surprising if they


    help you.¡±


    Gwendolyn remeined silent, stering unblinkingly et him.


    In the pest, when feced with such e situetion, he would heve been consumed by jeelousy, feeling


    unbeerebly sour in his heert. He would heve tried to ect like e spoiled child end seek her ettention.


    She wondered why he wes ecting so indifferently this time.


    Gwendolyn did not speek so Meverick took the initietive end esked her, ¡°Gwendolyn, you must not


    heve rested et the stetion lest night. Why don¡¯t you go beck to the ville end get some sleep? I¡¯m fine


    here, end I¡¯ll probebly be discherged tomorrow.¡±


    Is he deliberetely sending me ewey?


    She thought it wes too unusuel for him to ect like thet.


    She felt thet something wes off ebout him thet dey, but looking et his indifferent derk eyes end his


    lenguid, eloof expression, she couldn¡¯t pinpoint exectly whet the issue wes.


    ¡°Gwendolyn?¡± Meverick gently celled out to her.


    The soft voice pulled her beck to reelity. She replied, ¡°All right. I¡¯m e bit tired es well, so I¡¯ll heed beck


    first. You should get some good rest.¡±


    Meverick nodded without holding her beck. His pele lips were tightly pursed.


    Gwendolyn stood up end streightened her snow-white dress.


    Before leeving, she cerefully reminded him, ¡°If you feel unwell, remember to tell the doctor or et leest


    let me know. Don¡¯t try to tough it out.¡±


    Meverick gulped nervously. His lips were slightly perted es he enswered, ¡°All right.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not linger eround eny longer. She turned eround end heeded towerd the door.


    Gwendolyn hed just turned eround when e neuseeting feeling suddenly overceme Meverick. A thick


    rush of fluid filled his mouth. He quickly covered his lips with his hends es he spilled e mouthful of fresh


    blood, trying herd not to meke eny noise.


    However, Gwendolyn could heer the subtle sounds.


    She whipped his heed eround upon reeching the door.


    She ceught sight of Meverick, who wes lying in his sickbed while henging his heed low. His left hend


    remeined tucked under the blenket, while his right hend wes holding e spoon es he sipped on some


    oetmeel.


    He lowered his eyes, his long end curled eyeleshes quivering slightly. He did not even look et her.


    Gwendolyn furrowed her eyebrows in confusion but she still opened the door end left the werd.


    Aside from Elven, who wes still et the hospitel, the other bodyguerds followed silently behind her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. Just weit for me in the cer.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shelders?¡±


    Ezre didn¡¯t menege to stop her, but he sew her heeding in the opposite direction.


    Gwendolyn went to find the chief physicien secretly.


    At the office door, she welked streight into the room end gently tepped on the desk. She seid in e stern


    menner, ¡°Thenks for your herd work. I went to teke e look et Meverick¡¯s leb report.¡±


    Maverick remained calm andposed. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s one of Treyton¡¯s friends. It¡¯s not surprising if they


    help you.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent, staring unblinkingly at him.


    In the past, when faced with such a situation, he would have been consumed by jealousy, feeling


    unbearably sour in his heart. He would have tried to act like a spoiled child and seek her attention.


    She wondered why he was acting so indifferently this time.


    Gwendolyn did not speak so Maverick took the initiative and asked her, ¡°Gwendolyn, you must not


    have rested at the stationst night. Why don¡¯t you go back to the vi and get some sleep? I¡¯m fine


    here, and I¡¯ll probably be discharged tomorrow.¡±


    Is he deliberately sending me away?


    She thought it was too unusual for him to act like that.


    She felt that something was off about him that day, but looking at his indifferent dark eyes and his


    languid, aloof expression, she couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what the issue was.


    ¡°Gwendolyn?¡± Maverick gently called out to her.


    The soft voice pulled her back to reality. She replied, ¡°All right. I¡¯m a bit tired as well, so I¡¯ll head back


    first. You should get some good rest.¡±


    Maverick nodded without holding her back. His pale lips were tightly pursed.


    Gwendolyn stood up and straightened her snow-white dress.


    Before leaving, she carefully reminded him, ¡°If you feel unwell, remember to tell the doctor or at least


    let me know. Don¡¯t try to tough it out.¡±


    Maverick gulped nervously. His lips were slightly parted as he answered, ¡°All right.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not linger around any longer. She turned around and headed toward the door.


    Gwendolyn had just turned around when a nauseating feeling suddenly overcame Maverick. A thick


    rush of fluid filled his mouth. He quickly covered his lips with his hands as he spilled a mouthful of fresh


    blood, trying hard not to make any noise.


    However, Gwendolyn could hear the subtle sounds.


    She whipped his head around upon reaching the door.


    She caught sight of Maverick, who was lying in his sickbed while hanging his head low. His left hand


    remained tucked under the nket, while his right hand was holding a spoon as he sipped on some


    oatmeal.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    He lowered his eyes, his long and curled eyshes quivering slightly. He did not even look at her.


    Gwendolyn furrowed her eyebrows in confusion but she still opened the door and left the ward.


    Aside from Elven, who was still at the hospital, the other bodyguards followed silently behind her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. Just wait for me in the car.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shalders?¡±


    Ezra didn¡¯t manage to stop her, but he saw her heading in the opposite direction.


    Gwendolyn went to find the chief physician secretly.


    At the office door, she walked straight into the room and gently tapped on the desk. She said in a stern


    manner, ¡°Thanks for your hard work. I want to take a look at Maverick¡¯sb report.¡±

 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180


    Chapter 180 Invite Him To Dinner


    Xavier Xenakis hesitated for a moment and did not move.


    After Gwendolyn revealed her identity, Xavier immediately searched for Maverick¡¯s medical records on


    theputer.


    ¡°Besides having a rather weak constitution, basically there are no other issues with this patient.¡±


    He printed out theb report and handed it to her.


    Gwendolyn received it and carefully read through it before she asked, ¡°How is the wound on his back?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a burn caused by concentrated sulfuric acid. The wound will be healed if the medicine is


    applied constantly and be careful not to get it wet. But he may have an ugly scar on his back after it


    heals.¡±


    Gwendolyn went through theb report once again, and it showed that there were indeed no major


    issues with Maverick¡¯s health.


    She wondered if she could trust the report.


    She still could not understand why Maverick was acting so unusual today.


    She kept feeling that something was off. It was a strange feeling she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on.


    ¡°Is that really so? Dr. Xenakis, don¡¯t keep anything from me,¡± she said while staring intently at Xavier.


    Xavier¡¯s expression was calm. He did not seem to be lying. ¡°Yes, Ms. Shalders. These are all Mr.


    Wright¡¯s test results.¡±


    Am I overthinking?


    Gwendolyn gathered her thoughts and said in a solemn manner, ¡°If Mr. Wright asks if I came over, just


    keep it a secret.¡±


    Xavier understood and nodded in agreement.


    Apleteb report appeared on Xavier¡¯sputer screen as soon as she left.


    There were several abnormal physical indicators shown on the screen. Looking at the report, he let out


    a sigh.


    Seriously¡­ He sacrifices too much for her!


    After leaving Xavier¡¯s office, Gwendolyn returned to Bay Vi.


    Justin hurriedly went down and greeted her upon seeing her get out of the car.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, I heard you went to the police stationst night. They didn¡¯t make things difficult for you,


    did they?¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than William, who was the first to get out of the car, walked up to


    him and threw him a punch.


    Justin let out a muffled grunt as he was struck by the punch and staggered back two steps. A bruise


    immediately formed at the corner of his mouth.


    Quinton still wasn¡¯t satisfied. Clenching his fist, he said, ¡°Ms. Shalders saved you, but you betrayed her.


    I¡¯ll beat you to death to settle this once and for all!¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Justin reached out to stop him. Looking at the cold-faced Gwendolyn who had just gotten out of the car,


    he exined, ¡°Ms. Shalders, I didn¡¯t betray you. Please hear me out. If I wanted to harm you, why


    would Ie back and even contact Ezra?¡±


    Gwendolyn shot him a cold nce and said, ¡°Come in and talk.¡±


    Justin followed her into the living room.


    As Gwendolyn sat on the couch, he quietly stood beside her and reported, ¡°Last night, I saw that


    person in ck at the bar again, the one I showed you in the portrait. When I noticed they were about


    to leave, I hurriedly followed them. In my haste, I forgot to report it beforehand.¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Gwendolyn gracefully poured herself some coffee. Her face was expressionless as she asked casually,


    ¡°So, did you catch up with them?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Justin was a bit disheartened. ¡°I chased him all the way out of Realm Bar, but he was too


    fast for me to catch up. However, Ms. Shalders, I can¡¯t help but keep feeling that these past two days¡¯


    events are somehow rted to Charles. After all, it was Charles who invited you to the bar, so he


    should be responsible for this.¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t respond or argue at all. She took a light sip of her coffee and thought for a moment


    before she answered, ¡°All right.¡±


    She nced at Justin and noticed the injury on his face. ¡°Quinton has always been impulsive. Don¡¯t


    take it to heart. Does it hurt?¡±


    Justin rubbed his face and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It doesn¡¯t affect me too much.¡±


    ¡°All right, then. From now on, stay by my side just like before.¡±


    ¡°All right, Ms. Shalders.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded gently. Justin was about to leave when he was stopped by her again. ¡°Help me to


    get in touch with Mr. Newton. If he hasn¡¯t left the city yet, tell him that I¡¯d like to invite him to dinner


    tonight.¡±


    As she spoke, she was casually ying with the cup in her hand. There was no telling what she was


    thinking.


    In the evening, at Gardens Hotel, although Gwendolyn was the one who invited Charles to dinner,


    Charles was so overjoyed after he received the invitation that he personally booked the entire rooftop


    restaurant.


    Gwendolyn changed into a sophisticated dark red evening gown. Her makeup was slightly more


    enchanting than usual. As her red lips curled up slightly, she looked so stunning that one would be


    envious of her good looks.


    Charles could not take his eyes off her.


    He gave her a slight bow and gracefully extended his hand. ¡°Gwen, you look so gorgeous tonight.


    You¡¯re the most stunning little princess in Chanaea.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes were bright and clear, and her smile was captivating.


    After they sat down, Charles asked, ¡°Gwendolyn, what made you suddenly decide to invite me to


    dinner tonight? Have you¡­e to a decision?¡±


    ¡°Charles, I had a terrible sleepst night. I felt so empty inside knowing you¡¯re leaving Faike and not


    knowing when you¡¯ll return.¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly while her slender hands


    gently covered her chest.


    Her voice wes gentle end soothing.


    With en edoreble tone in her voice es she celled out ¡°Cherles,¡± coupled with her seemingly heertbroken


    demeenor, it wes herd for Cherles to contein his emotions.


    ¡°Silly girl, you do cere ebout me, don¡¯t you? But don¡¯t worry. I heve elmost settled the metter regerding


    the Centrel Intelligence Agency. I should be eble to stey in Feirleke for e while longer.¡±


    Upon leerning thet he wouldn¡¯t be leeving for the time being, Gwendolyn wes delighted. ¡°Thet¡¯s greet!


    Jesmine is elso in Feirleke. We cen heve e good time together for e few deys before you go.¡±


    Cherles leughed. ¡°Yeeh, but I¡¯d rether spend time elone with you like this.¡±


    Gwendolyn nerrowed her eyes end smiled, remeining silent.


    Cherles looked into her eyes end suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°Gwen, I heerd you went to visit Meverick in the hospitel todey. How is he doing?¡±


    ¡°Him?¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s smile greduelly froze, end she spoke with e disgusted tone. ¡°He¡¯s been ecting


    sweet end innocent while esking for rewerds since he seved me lest night. I¡¯m tired of him. I¡¯ve been


    quite ennoyed with him these pest few deys.¡±


    Cherles beemed. ¡°Since you¡¯re tired of him, why don¡¯t you just ebendon him? He¡¯s just e smell pet,


    efter ell. Won¡¯t it be nice to heve me epeny you in the future?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curved into e sweet smile.


    ¡°Of course thet¡¯s nice, but he got injured beceuse of me. I cen¡¯t just ebendon him ell of e sudden, right?


    If words get out, people will see me es e heertless end evil person.¡±


    Cherles¡¯ expression froze. ¡°So whet¡¯s your plen?¡±


    ¡°After he¡¯s discherged from the hospitel, I¡¯ll let him stey et the ville for e while. I won¡¯t let him go out


    during this time to evoid eny trouble. Once the timing is right, I¡¯ll give him his freedom beck.¡±


    Cherles fell silent end didn¡¯t ergue more.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes sperkled es she chenged the subject. ¡°Cherles, I encountered something frightening


    todey.¡±


    ¡°Whet is it?¡±


    ¡°I went to interrogete Wilbert, who threw sulfuric ecid et Meverick lest night, but he wes elreedy deed


    ten minutes before I errived. And the mestermind behind this even provoked me in front of the


    surveillence cemeres. I heve e feeling they¡¯lle efter me too, end I¡¯m scered.¡±


    Cherles¡¯ expression turned solemn. ¡°Are you for reel?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Gwendolyn tilted her heed es she stered et him. Her sherp geze wes filled with suspicion es she


    looked et him. ¡°Cherles, es someone from the militery, everyone et Feirleke Police Stetion listens to


    you. How is it possible thet no one told you ebout this?¡±


    Her voice was gentle and soothing.


    With an adorable tone in her voice as she called out ¡°Charles,¡± coupled with her seemingly heartbroken


    demeanor, it was hard for Charles to contain his emotions.


    ¡°Silly girl, you do care about me, don¡¯t you? But don¡¯t worry. I have almost settled the matter regarding


    the Central Intelligence Agency. I should be able to stay in Faike for a while longer.¡±


    Upon learning that he wouldn¡¯t be leaving for the time being, Gwendolyn was delighted. ¡°That¡¯s great!


    Jasmine is also in Faike. We can have a good time together for a few days before you go.¡±


    Charlesughed. ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯d rather spend time alone with you like this.¡±


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes and smiled, remaining silent.


    Charles looked into her eyes and suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°Gwen, I heard you went to visit Maverick in the hospital today. How is he doing?¡±


    ¡°Him?¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s smile gradually froze, and she spoke with a disgusted tone. ¡°He¡¯s been acting


    sweet and innocent while asking for rewards since he saved mest night. I¡¯m tired of him. I¡¯ve been


    quite annoyed with him these past few days.¡±


    Charles beamed. ¡°Since you¡¯re tired of him, why don¡¯t you just abandon him? He¡¯s just a small pet,


    after all. Won¡¯t it be nice to have me apany you in the future?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curved into a sweet smile.


    ¡°Of course that¡¯s nice, but he got injured because of me. I can¡¯t just abandon him all of a sudden, right?


    If words get out, people will see me as a heartless and evil person.¡±


    Charles¡¯ expression froze. ¡°So what¡¯s your n?¡±


    ¡°After he¡¯s discharged from the hospital, I¡¯ll let him stay at the vi for a while. I won¡¯t let him go out


    during this time to avoid any trouble. Once the timing is right, I¡¯ll give him his freedom back.¡±


    Charles fell silent and didn¡¯t argue more.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes sparkled as she changed the subject. ¡°Charles, I encountered something frightening


    today.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I went to interrogate Wilbert, who threw sulfuric acid at Maverickst night, but he was already dead


    ten minutes before I arrived. And the mastermind behind this even provoked me in front of the


    surveince cameras. I have a feeling they¡¯lle after me too, and I¡¯m scared.¡±


    Charles¡¯ expression turned solemn. ¡°Are you for real?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Gwendolyn tilted her head as she stared at him. Her sharp gaze was filled with suspicion as she


    looked at him. ¡°Charles, as someone from the military, everyone at Faike Police Station listens to


    you. How is it possible that no one told you about this?¡±

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181


    Chapter 181 How Ruthless


    Charles was taken aback, his eyes serious as he said, ¡°I¡¯ve been busy dealing with the matters at the


    Central Intelligence Agency during the day, so I didn¡¯t inquire aboutst night¡¯s case. I really don¡¯t


    know, but¡­¡±


    He paused slightly, visibly embarrassed. He stared at Gwendolyn and went on, ¡°Sorry, Gwen. I was


    upset with youst night, so I didn¡¯t stop Matthew from taking you away, causing you to have suffered


    at the police station all night. But you must believe I would never change; I am always your Charles!¡±


    He reached out and held Gwendolyn¡¯s slender ones.


    ¡°Of course I believe in you.¡± Gwendolyn smiled and withdrew her hand. Then, she gracefully tucked a


    strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°By the way, my money has been with Lane Group for far too long. I¡¯ve


    been longing to take it back. I need your help again with this matter.¡±


    Without hesitation, Charles replied, ¡°Sure. I will always be there to help you as long as you say the


    word.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes curved into a smile, exuding warmth and tenderness.


    They chatted leisurely for a while and finished their meal at eight o¡¯clock.


    Gwendolyn declined Charles¡¯ offer to apany her, and she drove back to Bay Vi with Ezra and


    Justin.


    As soon as she got into the back seat, the gentle smile on her face froze instantly as her face turned


    cold and stern.


    The temperature inside the car plummeted.


    Ezra and Justin noticed that she was in a bad mood, so they did not dare to speak at all.


    Upon arriving at Bay Vi, Gwendolyn was surprised to see the living room with the lights on. After


    asking William, she found out that her third brother, Treyton, hade to visit.


    She opened the door and walked in and caught sight of Treyton sitting on the couch with a weird


    expression on his face.


    ¡°Treyton, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Treyton blinked and pointed to the phone in his hand, whispering, ¡°It¡¯s Asher. He called you but you


    didn¡¯t pick up, so he called me instead.¡±


    Gwendolyn held her breath momentarily as she could hear her heart pounding rapidly.


    Gwendolyn was not afraid of anything. She even dared to confront her father directly. However, there


    was only one person she was fearful of¡ªher elder brother, Asher.


    Taking in Treyton¡¯s contorted face, she guessed that something terrible was up.


    Gwendolyn felt her legs turn to jelly. She said aggrievedly, ¡°Treyton, don¡¯t call him. Let me catch my


    breath first.¡±


    ¡°Gwendolyn Shalders Harris.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, a stern voice suddenly came through Treyton¡¯s phone. It was Asher.


    Damn it!


    She was speechless.


    So the phone was connected all along and even on speaker mode!


    She could sense that Asher was mad at her as he had called her by her full name.


    There was no way to avoid it. Gwendolyn, trembling, took the phone and said in a soft, sweet voice,


    ¡°Asher, I¡¯m sorry. I was wrong. Please don¡¯t be mad at me¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you do wrong?¡±


    On the other end of the phone, Asher¡¯s voice was cold and emotionless.


    Treyton stood silently beside her as he held his breath and dared not utter a single word.


    Gwendolyn hesitated for a long time.


    Truth be told, she didn¡¯t know either. ¡°Whatever you say.¡±


    ¡°Gwendolyn Shalders Harris!¡± Asher said through gritted teeth.


    Gwendolyn immediately kneeled down and begged for forgiveness.


    ¡°Asher, I was wrong. Please forgive me. I have already got to my knees¡­¡±


    The man on the other end of the phone was silent for two seconds. He suppressed his anger and said,


    ¡°How many times have you been to a police station? Forget about the past incidents, but you attacked


    someone in front of so many staff at the bar this time! Gwendolyn, you got some nerve! What if the


    person had decided to fight back, and you got severely injured?¡±


    Gwendolyn pouted, feeling displeased, but when she looked up, she saw Treyton gesturing for her not


    to add fuel to the fire.


    ¡°I was wrong. I won¡¯t do it again next time.¡± She softened her tone as she admitted her mistake.


    Hmph! I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, and I¡¯ll do it again next time!


    Asher sighed resignedly. After recollecting himself, he said coldly, ¡°Since you¡¯re already kneeling, then


    kneel for an hour. Treyton, keep an eye on her. Any problem with that?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Yes, I got a problem with that! A big one!


    Gwendolyn felt particrly aggrieved and whined, ¡°Asher, the floor here is made of marble. My knees


    will swell up if I kneel on it¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems you still haven¡¯t learned your lesson, so let it be two hours, then.¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Asher!¡±


    ¡°Another word from you and it¡¯ll be four hours.¡±


    Gwendolyn finally gave in. ¡°Fine! Just two hours. I ept the punishment!¡±


    How ruthless!


    Are men involved in both the legal and illegal worlds always this strict?


    Finally, the phone call ended. Her eyes were now misty with tears, and she looked at Treyton


    pleadingly. ¡°Treyton¡­¡±


    Treyton reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Kiddo. Just hold on for a while. I¡¯ll be right here with you.¡±


    By sitting there? Treyton is heartless too!


    Treyton turned on his phone camera and focused it on Gwendolyn. ¡°Kneel properly and make yourself


    look pitiful. Hurry up, I¡¯m sending this to Asher.¡±


    Gwendolyn did as told obediently.


    After sending him the photos, Treyton took a cushion from the couch and handed it to Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Here, Kiddo. This is soft. Put it under your knees.¡±


    Gwendolyn took it hesitatingly. ¡°Will Asher find out?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell him, and even if he finds out, it¡¯s not a big deal. Asher is actually soft-hearted toward you


    and he cares about you. I bet if I send him that photo, he¡¯ll feel sorry for you right away.¡±


    Gwendolyn pouted, wondering why Asher didn¡¯t feel sorry for her when he cesuelly seid she should be


    punished by kneeling for two hours.


    Treyton crouched down to help her put the cushion under her knees while constently negging her in e


    gentle voice.


    ¡°Asher is reelly engry this time, but he¡¯s just worried ebout you getting hurt. Don¡¯t ect so impulsively


    egein. Think twice before you ect, ell right? Even if you went to fight with someone, you should meke


    sure thet you don¡¯t leeve eny evidence. You must¡­¡±


    As Gwendolyn listened, her mind greduelly sterted to wender.


    Treyton sterted mumbling to himself, just like e monk reciting scriptures, end she couldn¡¯t understend e


    single word.


    Treyton rembled on for fifteen minutes end finelly esked, ¡°So, Kiddo, did you get ell thet?¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded obediently. ¡°Got it, got it!¡±


    She got bored of kneeling end sterted stering et the clock in the living room.


    Only when she wes being punished did she hete time so much, for it pessed too slowly.


    Moreover, Gwendolyn felt deeply thet she wes too timid in front of Asher.


    Ever since she wes little, she hed elweys been timid. Her perents couldn¡¯t discipline her properly when


    she mede mistekes. Asher wes the only one who could keep her in line.


    Gwendolyn wes determined not to beck down. She would recleim her rightful plece es the little princess


    of the Herris femily next time.


    The next time I meet Asher, I¡¯ll greb his coller end sey, ¡°It¡¯s you, you son of e b*tch! You like to punish


    me, huh?¡±


    Weit, no! I cen¡¯t cell him e son of e b*tch.


    If he¡¯s e son of e b*tch, then whet em I¡­


    Gwendolyn pondered cerefully, end before she knew it, two hours hed pessed.


    Thenks to the soft cushion, her knees were only slightly reddened, end eside from e bit of soreness in


    her weist, she felt quite relexed.


    Treyton removed the cushion end took enother picture of Gwendolyn. She tried her best to ect pitiful es


    she struggled to stend while holding onto her knee for support.


    Asher¡¯s cell ceme through quickly efter he clicked the ¡°send¡± button.


    ¡°Asher, you don¡¯t even cere ebout me. My knees ere so swollen from kneeling. I cen¡¯t even stend up. It


    hurts so much¡­¡± Gwendolyn whined.


    After e moment of silence, Asher seid, ¡°How ebout I let you hit me twice to let off some steem the next


    time we meet?¡±


    ¡°All right. You seid it yourself, end I¡¯ve recorded it!¡± Gwendolyn seid with e mischievous grin.


    Treyton couldn¡¯t help but chuckle es he listened from the side.


    Well, looks like Asher got fooled.


    Gwendolyn pouted, wondering why Asher didn¡¯t feel sorry for her when he casually said she should be


    punished by kneeling for two hours.


    Treyton crouched down to help her put the cushion under her knees while constantly nagging her in a


    gentle voice.


    ¡°Asher is really angry this time, but he¡¯s just worried about you getting hurt. Don¡¯t act so impulsively


    again. Think twice before you act, all right? Even if you want to fight with someone, you should make


    sure that you don¡¯t leave any evidence. You must¡­¡±


    As Gwendolyn listened, her mind gradually started to wander.


    Treyton started mumbling to himself, just like a monk reciting scriptures, and she couldn¡¯t understand a


    single word.


    Treyton rambled on for fifteen minutes and finally asked, ¡°So, Kiddo, did you get all that?¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded obediently. ¡°Got it, got it!¡±


    She got bored of kneeling and started staring at the clock in the living room.


    Only when she was being punished did she hate time so much, for it passed too slowly.


    Moreover, Gwendolyn felt deeply that she was too timid in front of Asher.


    Ever since she was little, she had always been timid. Her parents couldn¡¯t discipline her properly when


    she made mistakes. Asher was the only one who could keep her in line.


    Gwendolyn was determined not to back down. She would reim her rightful ce as the little princess


    of the Harris family next time.


    The next time I meet Asher, I¡¯ll grab his cor and say, ¡°It¡¯s you, you son of a b*tch! You like to punish


    me, huh?¡±


    Wait, no! I can¡¯t call him a son of a b*tch.


    If he¡¯s a son of a b*tch, then what am I¡­


    Gwendolyn pondered carefully, and before she knew it, two hours had passed.


    Thanks to the soft cushion, her knees were only slightly reddened, and aside from a bit of soreness in


    her waist, she felt quite rxed.


    Treyton removed the cushion and took another picture of Gwendolyn. She tried her best to act pitiful as


    she struggled to stand while holding onto her knee for support.


    Asher¡¯s call came through quickly after he clicked the ¡°send¡± button.


    ¡°Asher, you don¡¯t even care about me. My knees are so swollen from kneeling. I can¡¯t even stand up. It


    hurts so much¡­¡± Gwendolyn whined.


    After a moment of silence, Asher said, ¡°How about I let you hit me twice to let off some steam the next


    time we meet?¡±


    ¡°All right. You said it yourself, and I¡¯ve recorded it!¡± Gwendolyn said with a mischievous grin.


    Treyton couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he listened from the side.


    Well, looks like Asher got fooled.

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182


    Chapter 182 A Fake Hug


    As expected, the little meanie Gwendolyn was not so easy to deal with.


    He shook his head and sighed inwardly, vowing to himself never to mess with this young domineering


    lady in the future.


    On the other end of the call, Asher had no idea that he had been yed by Gwendolyn. He said


    earnestly, ¡°I heard from Treyton that you¡¯ve been gathering evidence on the Lane family from Faike


    recently, so I took the liberty of looking into it for you since I have the time. I¡¯ll have Treyton fax it to your


    office tomorrow.¡±


    Gwendolyn chuckled to herself inwardly.


    She thought that this timing was too convenient as Asher should not have had so much free time.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    It seemed that this was premeditated, and Asher had deliberately waited for her to be punished before


    bringing up the matter.


    So, is he using the carrot and stick method?


    Although it was a bit unpleasant to think about, Gwendolyn remembered her promise to let Asher use


    her as a punching bag once for tricking him.


    In her opinion, it was worth it.


    There was also no reason not to ept the evidence that was going to be delivered straight to her


    hand.


    Gwendolyn reluctantly agreed and showered Asher with a series ofpliments before finally


    managing to end the call.


    Since Maverick was in the hospital, it was quitete by the time Gwendolyn finished kneeling. She


    quickly tidied up a room and asked Treyton to make do with it for his stay at Bay Vi for a night.


    The next morning, Gwendolyn went to work at Wright Construction Group as usual.


    The evidence Asher had gathered was quickly sent to her via fax as promised. She gathered the


    papers and bound them together into a booklet before carefully reading through them.


    As expected, Asher¡¯s efficiency was truly impressive once he took action.


    This evidence was detailed enough to put Samantha in prison for the rest of her life.


    Tomorrow, she would bring justice to the Lane family.


    She called Yulia for a meeting and was busy until the afternoon.


    She thought of Maverick, who was still recovering in the hospital. She then made a call to William and


    instructed him to find a small item for her.


    Gwendolyn packed up her things and headed back to Bay Vi first when it was time to get off work.


    She saw Elven upon arriving at the vi entrance, which was not something she had expected.


    She frowned and asked, ¡°Why are you here instead of staying at the hospital?¡±


    Elven exined, ¡°Mr. Wright said he didn¡¯t want to stay in the hospital, so he insisted that Dr. Xenakis


    re-examine him andplete the discharge procedures.¡±


    He¡¯s already been discharged from the hospital?


    Gwendolyn fell silent for a moment. She had nned to visit Maverick at the hospital that evening.


    Well, it seems that his injury has mostly healed since he can be discharged from the hospital.


    As Gwendolyn was about to walk inside, Elven leaned in close to her and whispered, ¡°Ms. Shalders, I


    think there¡¯s something odd about Mr. Wright this time.¡±


    ¡°Even you think so, huh?¡± Looks like Maverick is really acting strange.


    Gwendolyn frowned, an indescribable look in her eyes.


    Elven nodded. ¡°Mr. Wright went straight into his room as soon as he returned, and he hasn¡¯te out


    since.¡±


    ¡°I see. Okay.¡±


    Gwendolyn had a steely expression on her face as she walked straight into the vi and headed up to


    the second floor.


    The door of Maverick¡¯s room was closed, but it was not locked.


    Gwendolyn pushed the door open and entered the room. The bed was neatly made, showing no signs


    of anyone havingid on it.


    Maverick was lying quietly on the lounge chair by the window, dressed in a luxurious dark suit. He was


    admiring the sunset outside the floor-to-ceiling window in a leisurely and rxed demeanor, his eyes


    cool andposed.


    Since it waste autumn, the sunlight that fell upon one¡¯s body would not feel warm.


    Yet, the faint halo from the sunlight that graced his handsome, perfect side profile only served to make


    his face appear even more divine and aloof.


    However, as she got closer, Gwendolyn noticed his thin lips were dark and chapped. His face was also


    extremely pale, as if he had no blood within him, which just proved that he was still unwell.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie t. It will put pressure on the wound on your back.¡±


    Maverick was lost in the beauty of the sunset, so he did not notice Gwendolyn approaching him until


    she was right at his feet.


    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    He hurriedly propped himself up, trying to stand. ¡°I was so engrossed that I lost track of time. You must


    be hungry, right? I¡¯ll go cook something right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. If you¡¯re not feeling well, I¡¯ll let you take a day off today.¡±


    Gwendolyn held his shoulder, guiding him to sit back down.


    Upon touching him, she realized how cold and icy his entire body was as if he had no warmth at all.


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. ¡°Why are you so cold? You don¡¯t look well. Is the wound on your back


    still hurting a lot?¡±


    Maverick shed a slight smile to reassure her. ¡°It stopped hurting a while ago. I guess my hands and


    feet are cold because I¡¯ve been lying down for too long, but I¡¯m fine. I just need to rest for a couple of


    days, and I¡¯ll be good.¡±


    Gwendolyn simply didn¡¯t believe it.


    He was speaking in a weak voice, his eyshes trembling from time to time. She felt that he was


    always forcing himself to be strong.


    ¡°Sit down and let me take a look at your injury,¡± she said and began to remove his suit jacket.


    Maverick clutched his cor tightly, refusing to let go. ¡°My injury is really not a big deal. It¡¯s almost


    healed, and it¡¯s wrapped in gauze anyway. Even if you take off my clothes, you won¡¯t be able to see it.¡±


    What he had said was true indeed.


    Gwendolyn reluctantly let go.


    Maverick¡¯s body lost support and staggered slightly. He quickly reached back to support himself on the


    recliner.


    Noticing Gwendolyn staring at him, he curled the corner of his pale lips slightly, appearing somewhat


    languid. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you care about me like that. How nice.¡±


    Gwendolyn rolled her eyes at him.


    However, considering that he did save her this time, she didn¡¯t ridicule or mock him. Instead, she said


    with a serious expression, ¡°You know I don¡¯t like being indebted to others. Since you saved me this


    time, I¡¯ll grant you one request. What would you like?¡±


    ¡°Really? Any request will do?¡±


    Maverick slightly lifted his head, making eye contact with her, a faint glimmer shing in his dark pupils.


    ¡°Apart from remarriage and emotional demands, I will try my best to fulfill everything else you ask for.


    Just tell me.¡±


    Maverick justughed, for she knew very well that those were all he wanted.


    Forget it. I don¡¯t have much time left anyway.


    ¡°Okay, then. Just stand there and don¡¯t move.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded and stood still.


    Maverick removed his hand from the lounge chair, and he sat up straight. Gathering his courage, he


    slipped his hands through her trench coat, tightly encircling her slender waist. ¡°Let me hold you for a


    moment. Just a moment will do.¡±


    Her body was warm, while his was icy cold.


    With this embrace, he felt warmth even in his heart.


    ¡°Just that?¡±


    Gwendolyn was slightly taken aback.


    Is his request really that simple?


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn stood still, her posture rigid and straight, allowing him to rest his head obediently on her


    stomach as his hands wrapped tightly around her waist.


    However, after standing quietly for a while, she suddenly realized that her hands were hanging by her


    sides. She felt a bit awkward, not knowing where to ce them.


    Since it was his request, it wouldn¡¯t be nice not to hug him back.


    So, instinctively, she reached out her arms toward his back.


    Halfway through, she stopped again.


    Her fingers stiffened for a moment when she recalled the injury on his back. Eventually, she chose to


    stroke his head instead.


    His jet-ck hair was short and neatly trimmed, soft and silky to the touch, making it a pleasure to run


    one¡¯s fingers through.


    As Gwendolyn stroke his head, she gradually lost her mind.


    She simply couldn¡¯t stop.


    Maverick, who was being stroked on the head, furrowed his brows.


    For some reason, he felt as if Gwendolyn was petting a dog.


    He was unwilling to let go of Gwendolyn¡¯s embrace at first, but at that thought, he took the initiative to


    release her from his arms.


    Heughed insincerely. ¡°Okay. My demands have been met, and you don¡¯t owe me any favors.¡±


    Gwendolyn withdrew her hand from stroking his head.


    After pondering for a while, she took out a delicate, small ck and gold gift box from her trench coat


    pocket and handed it to him.


    ¡°This is the thank-you gift I wanted to give you.¡±


    Maverick looked up at her with a hint of suspicion. Was she just testing me when she asked me to


    make a request earlier to see if I¡¯d be too greedy or ask for something excessive?


    He took the gift box from Gwendolyn, his fingertips trembling as he untied the ribbon.


    It was a syringe about the thickness of a pinky finger, quite simr to the special drug he was injected


    with.


    Is this¡­


    Maverick furrowed his brow, his dark eyes gazing at her with a mix of emotions.


    Gwendolyn exined calmly, ¡°The special drug I injected you with is called 023 special drug. This is


    the antidote for 023. It¡¯s painless, and after the injection, your body will quickly return to normal.¡±


    ¡°W-Why¡­¡± Maverick bit his lower lip, suppressing the suffocating feeling in his heart. He took a deep


    breath and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree¡­ to end the employment agreement only when the contract period


    is up? Or do you still¡­ want to draw a clear line between us?¡±

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183


    Chapter 183 Will You Remember Me


    His heart ached intensely. The suffocation he felt in his chest made it almost impossible for him to


    catch his breath.


    What should I do to win her back?


    Gwendolyn turned her head, picked up a footstool next to the small couch in the room, and sat down


    facing him with a look of seriousness on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you the antidote not because I¡¯m trying to force you to terminate the agreement, but


    because I¡¯ve noticed that you¡¯ve been in constant paintely. Due to the effects of the 023 special drug,


    your pain will only get more intense. Since you saved me this time, I want to help you relieve the


    severe pain as a way to repay you.¡±


    Maverick stared at her intently. He did not respond.


    Gwendolyn continued to exin, ¡°About the employment agreement¡­ Since we have already settled it


    last time and I still have your recorded promise, I won¡¯t bring it up again.¡±


    Does this mean she no longer has her initial guard up against me? Does this mean that everything I¡¯ve


    done recently has brought me one step closer to her?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that after giving me the antidote, you won¡¯t be able to beat me in a fight and I¡¯ll bully


    and hurt you?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s red lips curved into a seductive smile.


    ¡°Will you do that?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s pale, thin lips curved slightly as he gave a decisive answer. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn suddenly narrowed her eyes, a mischievous smirk appearing at the corner of her mouth.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that what I give you isn¡¯t the antidote for 023, but an even stronger and more


    torturous drug?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t do that.¡±


    Even if she were truly that ruthless, as long as it was her request, he would not hesitate to inject the


    drug.


    ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t. So, this is the real antidote, and it¡¯s in your hands now. Go ahead and inject it,¡±


    Gwendolyn said in a casual tone.


    Now?


    Maverick nced down at the box in his hand.


    At that moment, he was almost pushing himself to the limit, feeling incredibly weak all over.


    If he proceeded with the injection then, Gwendolyn, with her keen perception, would definitely notice


    that something was off with his body.


    She did not like being indebted to others. If she knew that it wasn¡¯t sulfuric acid at the bar that night, but


    rather the S404 RNA virus, she would feel quite guilty.


    Ultimately, guilt did not equate to love.


    He neither spoke nor moved an inch.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you really afraid I¡¯ll mess with you?¡±


    Maverick shook his head. He said in a deep voice, albeit weakly, ¡°Last time, I performed the injection


    myself, but this time¡­ can you help me?¡±


    He handed her the ck-and-gold box, his tone faintly tinged with a hint of childishness.


    Gwendolyn refused as she met his eyes.


    He added, ¡°Just this once.¡±


    Gwendolyn took it. However, the man did not seem to have any intention of undressing. Instead, he


    leaned back andy down on the rocking chair.


    ¡°What are you doing? Take off your clothes and give me your arm.¡±


    Maverick tilted his head, exposing his neck that was as pale as paper. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he


    said, ¡°Go ahead and pierce the jugr vein.¡±


    Gwendolyn nced at him and, without any hesitation, directly gave him what he wanted with a single


    needle. She did not hold back at all.


    Administering medication through the jugr vein is quite painful.


    Yet, Maverick merely furrowed his brow, showing no particr emotion.


    The injection, with a syringe the thickness of a pinky finger, waspleted in just ten seconds.


    Gwendolyn casually tossed it into the bin. Then, she turned around only to find a motionless Maverick


    gazing at the sunset on the horizon.


    He seemednguid and listless,cking energy.


    Gwendolyn had always felt that something was off about him. Just as she was about to continue


    questioning, Maverick spoke first. ¡°Gwendolyn, if I die, will you remember me for the rest of your life?¡±


    His voice was light and breezy, with a touch of nonchnce.


    ¡°No way.¡± Gwendolyn raised her eyebrows and scoffed, ¡°When you die, I¡¯ll quickly forget your existence


    and move on with my life. However, they say that misfortune lingers for a thousand years. You are a


    complete menace, so I don¡¯t think you will be dying anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°You really are a¡­ cold-hearted, wicked woman.¡± Maverick chuckled softly, his tone ofintced


    with a hint of indulgence.


    What was even more amusing was that he particrly adored her wickedness, her ruthlessness, and


    everything about her.


    He had already fallen deeply for her. He could not extricate himself from her charm.


    Gwendolyn did not deny his statement. ¡°I never imed to be kind-hearted.¡±


    Maverick just smiled. The grin lingered on his incredibly pale lips as his long, curly eyshes trembled


    weakly.


    The once dark eyes were now staring dimly at the horizon.


    He certainly resembled a sickly person on his deathbed.


    The more Gwendolyn observed him, the more peculiar she felt.


    His condition was extremely poor.


    It was only sulfuric acid. It would not harm the insides of the body. Moreover, she had given him the


    antidote for the 023 special drug.


    ¡°Could it be that the hospital you went to yesterday wasn¡¯t very good and that they were unable to find


    out what¡¯s wrong with your body? Come on, let¡¯s go to the best hospital in Faike and get you


    checked again.¡±


    She was just about to forcibly pull Maverick up when Justin knocked on the door and came in.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, you didn¡¯t answer your phone, so Mr. Newton came to get you in person. His car is


    parked right outside the vi. He said he¡¯d like to take you out for dinner tonight.¡±


    Gwendolyn hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to take Maverick to the hospital first. ¡°Come


    on, let¡¯s go get a check-up,¡± she said.


    Maverick raised his voice to stop her. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just need a couple of days to rest. You go ahead and


    have dinner. Don¡¯t keep him waiting too long.¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned imperceptibly.


    Thest time Charles invited her to dinner, Maverick had put on quite a show in front of arge


    audience at the entrance of the police station, trying to win her favor by acting pitifully.


    This time, not only did Maverick not stop her, but he even encouraged her to go out for dinner with


    Charles.


    At the door, Justin asked cautiously, ¡°Ms. Shalders, shall we go?¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared intently at Maverick.


    Maverick did not look at her. He remained lying on the chair as he gazed at the horizon with anguid


    expression on his face, exuding an aloof aura that seemed to be warning others to keep their distance.


    What¡¯s going on with him?


    Gwendolyn was utterly puzzled, but at that moment, she really had some very important matters to


    attend to.


    She asked again in a measured tone, ¡°Maverick, tell me the truth. Are you sure you¡¯re all right?¡±


    Maverick nodded gently, his expression calm. ¡°I¡¯m just tired. Once you leave, I¡¯ll take a nap. I¡¯ll be fine


    after I wake up.¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at him for a moment, then nced at Charles¡¯ car parked outside the vi. She


    experienced an internal conflict, but in the end, she let out a sigh.


    ¡°All right, you go ahead and sleep. I¡¯ll have Elven and the others guard the vi so your rest will not be


    disturbed.¡±


    With that said, she turned around to leave.


    Maverick suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, his dark eyes appeared serious and solemn as


    he said, ¡°Gwendolyn, Charles is not a simple man. There may be secrets behind him that could be


    extremely detrimental to you. You must be cautious and on your guard around him in the future.¡±


    Without giving it much thought, Gwendolyn softly hummed in agreement and left the room.


    The setting sun cast a gentle glow.


    A gentle breeze stirred the delicate silk curtains, which asionally brushed against the man reclining


    by the window.


    Mavericky motionlessly as he watched silently from the side as Gwendolyn got into Charles¡¯ car


    outside the vi, taking Ezra and Justin with her.


    He stayed that way until the car hadpletely vanished from sight.


    In pain, he gripped the handle. He could no longer suppress the suffocating ache in his chest. A sweet,


    metallic taste surged in his throat, and he quickly covered his mouth with his hand.


    After a bout of heart-wrenching coughs, blood trickled down the side of his lips. A copious amount of


    blood gushed from his palm, seeping through his fingers and dripping onto the ground.


    He lowered his gaze and examined the color of the blood in his palm.


    It was a shade of ckish-red.


    He was coughing up more blood. The color of the blood had also be darker.


    This meant that the S404 RNA virus inside him had been fully triggered.


    Maverick remembered when Yohannes Yancey from the warboratory was developing the biological


    weapon, he had personally gone to observe the experiments. The animals of smaller sizes had died on


    the spot when the tests were conducted.


    Even animals ofrger sizes were unable to survive more than three days after they had been infected


    with the S404 RNA virus.


    He counted the number of days since his infection.


    Tonight marked his third day.

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184


    Chapter 184 I Will Give You My Life


    He had asked Swain to hurry back to the training facility and find Yohannes, but Swain had yet to


    return.


    Maverick knew his own body, and he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on until Gwendolyn came home


    from dinner.


    Is this really how I¡¯m going to die?


    He was unwilling to ept it, yet he was powerless to change it.


    As of now, he did not even have the strength to write a farewell letter.


    Earlier, that had been the first time Gwendolyn had hugged him since the divorce.


    No, she wasn¡¯t hugging me. She was only patting my head.


    Charles was right. In the end, Gwendolyn saw Maverick as nothing more than a pet.


    She no longer loved him.


    As Maverick pondered on this, his consciousness gradually grew hazy, and there were ck spots in


    his vision.


    ¡°Gwendolyn¡­¡±


    I¡¯ll give you my life, Gwendolyn, but can you give me your love in return?


    Resigned to his fate, he closed his eyes and let his arms hang limply at his sides. He looked serene.


    All was tranquil around him.


    Apart from the curtains rustling in the breeze, the only other noise in the room was the sound of blood


    dripping from his fingertips onto the floor, one drop at a time.


    In the car, Gwendolyn suddenly felt a sharp, intense pain in her heart.


    She pressed a hand to her chest, her delicate face turning pale from the pain.


    Charles noticed that something was off with her and quickly asked, ¡°Gwen, what¡¯s wrong? Are you


    unwell?¡±


    He leaned forward, wanting to help her.


    Gwendolyn reached out to stop him. After taking a few deep breaths, she felt the pain gradually


    subside.


    Why did I feel pain in my chest all of a sudden?


    She had never had any heart-rted illnesses, and the pain this time was inexplicably excruciating.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I guess it¡¯s because I haven¡¯t been sleeping well for thest couple of days. Anyway, it¡¯ll all be


    over in a few days¡¯ time.¡±


    As she spoke, a faint, icy gleam shed in her eyes.


    Charles didn¡¯t notice her darkened gaze and continued to show his sympathy and concern.


    However, Gwendolyn was not listening to him at all.


    For some reason, she found herself thinking about how pale and sickly Maverick had looked before she


    left the house earlier.


    He¡¯s been acting strange tonight.


    Why did he ask me all those odd questions, such as whether I¡¯d remember him if he died?


    He sounded like a dying patient who could not ept his own fate.


    The more Gwendolyn delved into her thoughts, the more uneasy she felt.


    She recalled the way he had grabbed her by the wrist before she left the house earlier and the warning


    he had given her.


    He had said, ¡°Charles is not a simple man. There may be secrets behind him that could be extremely


    detrimental to you. You must be cautious and on your guard around him in the future.¡±


    In hindsight, Maverick¡¯s choice of words had seemed odd.


    It was almost as if he had used the words ¡°in the future¡± to exclude himself from any future events in


    Gwendolyn¡¯s life.


    She thought about his trembling hands, his furrowed brows, the overwhelming sense of weakness that


    he couldn¡¯t hide, and the way he had said, ¡°If I die¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s breath hitched, and she shouted at Charles¡¯ driver, ¡°Pull over!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Gwen?¡± Charles asked.


    Gwendolyn quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door. ¡°Something urgent came up. I¡¯m


    afraid I won¡¯t be able to make it to the dinner tonight. Let¡¯s do it another time!¡±


    ¡°Gwen¡ª¡±


    Charles¡¯ words were cut off when Gwendolyn mmed the car door shut.


    Since she was in the Bay Hill vi area, there were no taxis waiting by the roadside. After getting out of


    Charles¡¯ car, she had no choice but to turn around and run back home on foot.


    Ezra and Justin caught up to her.


    Charles¡¯ car did not move even after Gwendolyn left; it simply stayed in the same spot.


    He nced into the rearview mirror and watched as Gwendolyn frantically ran back to Bay Vi. At that


    moment, his expression grew inscrutable.


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn had only just left Bay Vi when Nico once again confidently entered through


    the iron gates.


    Elven, William, and Quinton emerged from the shadows when they saw him approaching.


    Quinton rubbed his hands together excitedly. ¡°Nico, you won a whole month¡¯s worth of sry from me


    thest time. Today, I¡¯m going to win it all back, with interest!¡±


    Nico remained silent, his expression cold and serious. ¡°I¡¯m not here to y cards today.¡±


    Quinton and the other two exchanged a confused look.


    The next second, a few light thuds sounded through the air, and the three men immediately felt a sharp


    pain in the back of their necks. In an instant, their eyes rolled back into their heads, and they fell to the


    floor unconscious.


    Nico looked at the three motionless figures on the ground impassively. As it turned out, tranquilizing


    them was much quicker and more efficient than cottoning up to them.


    At that moment, Swain packed up his tranquilizer gun and stepped out from the shadows. ¡°Nico, we


    can¡¯t just leave them lying here, can we? Where should we hide them for the time being?¡±


    Nico nced at the three unconscious men on the ground, cupped his hands around his lips, and


    whistled a bird-like tune.


    He waited for a minute, but there was still no sound or movement within the vi, nor was there any


    sign of Mavericking to open the door.


    Nico sensed that something was off. ¡°Never mind. Let¡¯s go and check on Boss first.¡±


    The security door of the vi was locked. Nico had wanted to kick it down, but he was worried he would


    not be able to exin himself to Gwendolyn after this. In the end, he and Swain climbed the pipes


    behind the vi to get to the second floor.


    Nico opened the door to the second-floor bedroom only to find Maverick lying on the chaise lounge.


    The pool of crimson blood on the floor was particrly startling.


    ¡°Boss!¡± Nico and Swain cried out as they copsed at Maverick¡¯s feet, their faces turning pale.


    Nico quickly took out the suppressant from the cooler and steadily injected it into Maverick¡¯s neck.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Swain stood on one side as he stared at Maverick¡¯s bloodstained hands, the heartache he felt so acute


    that it brought tears to his eyes.


    Two minutes after the suppressant had been injected, Maverick still showed no reaction whatsoever.


    His entire body was ice-cold with no sign of life.


    Nico¡¯s hand trembled as he carefully checked the pulse on Maverick¡¯s neck, but it had already stopped.


    ¡°Wake up! Boss,e on, don¡¯t fall asleep on us!¡± Nico roared as he patted Maverick¡¯s face, which


    was so pale it looked almost translucent under the lights.


    Tears uncontrobly streamed down his face as he suddenly fell to his knees beside Maverick and


    sobbed miserably.


    Were we toote?


    Swain, who was distraught, sat on the ground and cried, wailing hysterically with all his might.


    Nico¡¯s eyes were red, and he was getting more emotional with every passing second.


    ¡°Boss, please, I beg you! Please don¡¯t fall asleep! Wake up, because if you fall asleep, you¡¯ll never


    wake up again!¡±


    Mavericky peacefully on the chaise lounge. His brows were rxed, and his eyshes did not even


    flutter.


    Nico was on the verge of breaking down as he desperately shook Maverick¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯m begging you,


    Boss! Please open your eyes and look at me! Swain brought the suppressant! You¡¯ll be fine! Don¡¯t die


    in front of us! Wake up!


    ¡°Ms. Shalders hasn¡¯t evene back to you yet, and you¡¯re just going to give up like this? Aren¡¯t you


    afraid that she might marry Charles and be mistreated by him? And there¡¯s Sherman and Joaquin, too!


    There are so many powerful and influential men in Chanaea who could be your rivals, and you¡¯re


    just going to die like this before even fending them off?


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t even know that you contracted the S404 RNA virus for her sake! You can¡¯t just die like


    this! Boss, I beg you. Please wake up!¡±


    He cried until he almost choked, all the while shaking Maverick to wake him.


    However, the man on the chaise lounge did not move at all, and his body was cold and lifeless.


    Seeing this, Nico slid down to the ground, powerless andpletely devastated as he leaned against


    Maverick¡¯s limp arm.


    ¡°Boss, you picked me up from the Chanaea border when I was just ten years old. My name, my skills,


    and everything I have is because of you. All these years, wherever you went on your missions, I


    followed you¡­¡± Nico trailed off. He pulled out a small knife from his pocket, his eyes fierce and his tone


    resolute as he continued, ¡°My life is yours, and if you die, I¡¯ll die with you!¡±


    With that, he pointed the tip of the knife at his own heart and, without hesitation, stabbed it in.


    ¡°Nico! Don¡¯t!¡± Swain yelled in despair.


    Unexpectedly, no blood sttered.


    The sharp tip of the knife stopped just two millimeters away from where it would have pierced Nico¡¯s


    heart.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185


    Chapter 185 Still Alive


    Nico btedly looked up, only to find a pair of bloodstained hands with slender fingers tightly gripping


    his wrist.


    Maverick had woken up.


    That was not all. He had also recovered most of his strength after receiving the 023 antidote injection


    earlier.


    Hey on the chaise lounge and turned his head to look at Nico. A faint smile curled on his


    bloodstained lips as he chuckled and said, ¡°I¡¯m not going down so easily, so pull yourself together.¡±


    ¡°Boss!¡± Nico¡¯s eyes shed with shock and delight, but then he continued to cry, ¡°You scared me to


    death! I really thought you were gone!¡±


    Swain, who was considerably younger than Nico, had been scared witless, too.


    At that moment, the two men burst into tears in front of Maverick,pletely dispensing with their


    image. After a while, they startedughing with relief as tears continued to stream down their faces,


    making for a ratherical sight.


    Maverick gently patted Nico¡¯s shoulder,forting him, ¡°I was just exhausted. The S404 RNA virus


    caused my heart and pulse to go into temporary cessation, but I heard everything you said.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you answer me?¡± Nico was furious and angrily pounded on Maverick¡¯s arm.


    Stupid boss! He made me cry like a baby! Ipletely humiliated myself!


    Maverick furrowed his brows and let out a pained grunt.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have hit you!¡± Nico looked distressed. To punish himself, he hit his own right


    arm with his left fist.


    Maverick sat up and said, ¡°All right, tell me what¡¯s the deal with this suppressant.¡±


    Nico wiped the tears from his face and turned to look at Swain.


    Swain nodded, sniffed, and reported earnestly, ¡°Professor Yancey was shocked to learn that you were


    infected with the S404 RNA virus. This suppressant cannot cure the disease, but it can temporarily


    inhibit the virus, thereby allowing the body to recover for a short period of time. The effects of the


    medication canst up to a week at most¡­¡±


    One week. Maverick considered this. That means I can stay in Faike for another seven days at most.


    Nico chimed in, ¡°Boss, you must go back for treatment this time. Professor Yancey has already started


    working on the antidote, and they need you to return for blood tests. Don¡¯t you want to recover and


    have a long and happy future with Ms. Shalders?¡±


    Maverick pursed his lips and made no reply.


    He had promised Gwendolyn to disappear from her world after a year, and she still had evidence of this


    in her phone. To stay by her side forever was no easy endeavor, and it required some forethought.


    He pondered on this and remembered the n Swain hade up with thest time.


    He was still deep in thought when he suddenly felt someone tugging on his clothes. He snapped out of


    his reverie and saw Nico pawing at his shirt.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Maverick demanded.


    ¡°Boss, the wound on your back can¡¯t be treated by ordinary medicine from any hospital dispensary.


    Professor Yancey has provided a healing ointment for S404 burns. The least you could do is let me


    apply it on your wound,¡± Nico exined.


    That makes sense.


    Maverick did not hesitate to unbutton his shirt. He elegantly removed his dark suit jacket, then


    proceeded to shrug off his blouse to reveal his perfectly-chiseled physique.


    Nestled between the defining lines of his muscr back was a palm-sized burn.


    The wound was still a ghastly shade of red even though it had been three days since the viral infection.


    At this point, the wound had already festered, and the surrounding skin and flesh had begun to peel


    away. It looked grotesque.


    Even someone as bloodthirsty and ruthless as Nico could not help inhaling sharply at the jarring sight


    of the wound.


    He asked Swain to fetch a basin of hot water from the bathroom. Then, using a towel, he first wiped the


    bloodstains off Maverick¡¯s back, then used tweezers to remove the rotting flesh surrounding the wound.


    Maverick broke out in a cold sweat, his veins bulging and his jaw tightly clenched.


    Nico felt a pang of sympathy for the man and remembered the tranquilizer gun they had brought with


    them. ¡°Boss, should I give you a sedative? This can hurt really bad.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The 023 antidote is working. I can handle this much pain.¡±


    Nico had no choice but to grit his teeth and apply the ointment on Maverick¡¯s wound.


    Swain, who was nearby, did not remain idle, either, and seized the opportunity to clean up the


    bloodstains on the floor.


    However, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of several figures outside the vi gates who


    were running in their direction.


    Swain paused his cleaning and took a proper look this time. Then, his eyes widened as he hastily cried,


    ¡°Ms. Shalders is back! Ezra and Justin are with her, too!¡±


    Maverick frowned. ¡°So soon?¡±


    Swain nced out the window again. ¡°She came back here on foot! I don¡¯t see Charles anywhere.¡±


    Pressed for time, Nico had no choice but to speed up in applying the ointment while Swain quickly


    cleaned up the scene.


    Outside, Gwendolyn was just about to step through the iron gates of the garden.


    Swain gasped dramatically as he remembered something. ¡°Oh, no! The bodyguards are still lying in the


    garden! There¡¯s no way we can cover this up¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn ran all the way back from Bay Hill, her anxiety intensifying with every step she took.


    She had stopped hating Maverick ever since he rescued her at Crane Bridge, and he no longer owed


    her anything.


    Given that they were divorced, it was best for them to be estranged in the future. She would never


    consider remarrying him, let alone returning to the Wright family to endure their mistreatment.


    However, that did not mean she was prepared to watch Maverick die.


    Distressed, she made her way into the garden, only to stumble upon Elven and the others lying


    unconscious in the backyard.


    Ezra and Justin were both astonished.


    Has the vi been burgled?


    Justin stepped forward to examine the scene, and through his keen observation, he noticed that all


    three of the unconscious men had a pinprick on their necks.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, they were all knocked out by tranquilizers,¡± he concluded grimly.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression grew somber. Whoever did this had been able to make Elven and the other


    two put their guards down and lure them out of their hiding spots, thereafter knocking out all three of


    them at once. It could only be aplished by someone they knew.


    ¡°Take the three of them to the living room first. Find a way to wake them up, then ask them what


    happened,¡± Gwendolyn said decisively.


    After that, she quickly entered the vi, headed up to the second floor, and pushed open Maverick¡¯s


    bedroom door.


    She found Maverick sitting on the edge of the bed. He was wearing only a thin silk shirt that he was


    currently buttoning up.


    When he saw her walk in, his eyes widened in surprise. He quickly fastened thest two buttons at his


    cor and asked, ¡°What are you doing here? Shouldn¡¯t you be having dinner with Charles right now?¡±


    Gwendolyn tried to catch her breath. She was a little worn out from running all the way back home.


    Once her breathing had grown steady, she made her way over to him, her heels clicking against the


    floor.


    She came to a stop in front of Maverick and narrowed her eyes as she assessed him icily. She grabbed


    his chin and leaned in slightly, closing the distance between them.


    Maverick¡¯s ink-ck eyes had regained their usual brilliance, and he looked up to meet her gaze.


    She noticed the change in his appearance and frowned.


    In just a little over ten minutes, his condition had seemingly improved significantly.


    What did he do while I was gone?


    Gwendolyn was close enough to him to detect a faint, metallic scent on him. It smelled like blood.


    Even more peculiar was the dark red stain on the inside of his pale lips.


    Gwendolyn brought the tip of her nose close to his lips and gently sniffed. As expected, there was a


    faint scent of blood.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Maverick looked at her face, which was mere inches away from his, and suddenly held his breath. Any


    closer and the tip of her nose would touch his lips.


    If I were to take the opportunity to kiss her now¡­


    He held that thought for a moment.


    She might just beat me to death.


    Just as he was lost in his thoughts, Gwendolyn¡¯s face gradually pulled away.


    She straightened up and stared at him for a moment, then said gravely, ¡°I smell blood on you. Did you


    cough up blood?¡±


    This was a test as much as it was an interrogation.


    Under the dim lights of the room, they held each other¡¯s gaze.


    Maverick¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he gestured toward the trash can next to him. ¡°No, I did


    not cough up blood. I did, however, just apply ointment to my back.¡±


    Gwendolyn followed his gaze and looked at the trash can. Indeed, there was a heap of bloodstained


    bandages that looked freshly removed.


    How could he have possibly applied ointment on the center of his back without any help?


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    Maverick nodded obediently. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡±


    He had been full of lies these days. Gwendolyn did not trust him at all.


    She let go of his chin and quickly unfastened the metal buckle of the belt around his waist, then pulled


    his belt off in one swift motion.


    Maverick¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Gwendolyn?¡±

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186


    Chapter 186 How Do You Want To Be Punished


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn did not bother talking to him at all. She wrapped the belt around his hands and quickly tied


    them tightly.


    Maverick instinctively wanted to break free, but he had used all his strength to withstand the pain when


    Nico applied the medicine earlier.


    In the end, he could only obediently surrender.


    Gwendolyn acted swiftly, pinning him down onto the bed with ease. She raised his hands above his


    head and held them firmly against the bed with one hand.


    Then, she stood by the bedside.


    Maverick¡¯s ears turned slightly red as he asked in a low, husky voice, ¡°Gwendolyn, what are you


    doing?¡±


    This posture feels a bit strange¡­ I bet those two scoundrels haven¡¯t left yet, and they¡¯re still hanging


    outside the window. My dignity!


    Outside the window, Nico and Swain were indeed still hanging around. Hearing themotion, the two


    secretly peeked inside.


    Wow!


    Both of them did not expect to see their boss get pinned down on the bed. Thetter waspletely


    subdued and unable to break free.


    Moreover, the said boss was lying beneath.


    Awesome! This trip is totally worth it!


    The two were engrossed in watching the show when Maverick¡¯s dark eyes narrowed. He fiercely shot a


    sharp re out the window.


    Nico and Swain were instantly intimidated. They had no choice but to follow themand and climb


    along the window ledge to the nearby pipe. Then, they quietly slipped out through the back door.


    Gwendolyn was examining the wound on Maverick¡¯s back inside the room.


    The bandage had indeed been changed recently. Faint traces of blood could be seen seeping through.


    However, she was not nning on letting him off the hook just yet. Gently lifting the edge of the


    bandage, she intended to look at the wound.


    Maverick deliberately let out a groan as his facial features tensed up. ¡°Gwendolyn, it hurts¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn paused for a moment.


    After hesitating for a few seconds, she withdrew her hand. ¡°Who helped you wrap your bandages?


    When I came in, I saw Elven and the others passed out in the garden. What happened?¡±


    ¡°I bandaged myself.¡± Maverick¡¯s expression remained unchanged. As he was forced to lie face down


    on the bed, he could only turn his head to the side to answer her questions. ¡°Elven and the others


    passed out? I¡¯ve been in the room the whole time, so I was unaware of this.¡±


    Gwendolyn looked at him coldly, raising her eyebrows, and smirked. ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Heh, he¡¯s really full of lies. Not a single word of truthes out of his mouth.


    Gwendolyn pressed her knee harder against his lower back, skillfully exposing his lies.


    ¡°Before I left, you were so sick and frail that your fingers tremble when you lift your hand. I was only


    gone for about ten minutes, and now you¡¯re full of energy. You could even change your own bandages.


    Is this some kind of terminal lucidity?¡±


    Maverick pursed his thin lips, remaining silent and motionless.


    Gwendolyn continued, ¡°My bodyguard was drugged and left unconscious in the yard. Yet, not only were


    you unharmed, but your condition even improved. It must have been your subordinate¡¯s doing, right?


    Do you think I would believe this has nothing to do with you? Or maybe you deliberately pretended to


    be weak and sick to deceive me before I left?¡±


    She paused for a moment, her eyes cold and sharp. ¡°Are you trying to trick or hide something from


    me? Think carefully before you speak.¡±


    Maverick gulped hard and fell silent.


    He did hide something from her, but she would feel guilty after knowing the truth. She would not make


    things difficult for him anymore. However, given her temperament, she would help him find a cure for


    the virus. Moreover, she would also terminate the employment contract out of guilt.


    If he told her that he lied, she would be furious as she once said she hated deception the most. The rift


    between them would only grow wider.


    No matter how he answered, it would be unfavorable for him.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± After waiting for a while, Gwendolyn was met with silence, and her expression grew colder.


    She pinched the soft flesh on his lower back and asked, ¡°Are you trying to figure out the best way to


    deceive me?¡±


    Maverick was exposed but showed a nk expression. With a heavy tone, he began, ¡°It¡¯s Nico. I didn¡¯t


    want the wound to leave a scar, so I asked him to bring a box of scar removal cream. It¡¯s in the first


    drawer of the bedside table. As for the wound on my back, Nico helped me apply the ointment. My


    condition has improved a lot, thanks to your antidote. It has restored much of my strength.¡±


    After listening, Gwendolyn intriguingly curved her lips into a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a box of scar removal cream. He could have given it to Elven to bring to you. As for your injury,


    why can¡¯t Elven apply the medicine? He drugged my subordinates and trespassed into my vi just for


    this. Do you think I would believe that?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression remained calm andposed as he continued to exin, ¡°He was indeed


    reckless in this matter. I¡¯ll have him apologize to Elven and the others next time.¡±


    Nico, who was leisurely leaving the vi area, suddenly felt his ears burning. Little did he know that


    someone had already ced the me on him.


    Gwendolyn chuckle. His answer was wless, and his performance was quite convincing. This


    statement probably contains a mix of truth and falsehood.


    However, he stubbornly refused to confess, leaving her no choice but to find an opportunity to


    investigate on her ownter.


    She leaned in slightly. Her red lips were close to his ear as she teased softly, ¡°From what you¡¯re saying,


    not only did you hide it from me, but you also deceived me?¡±


    What kind of divine-levelprehension is this?


    Her gentle breath brushed against Maverick¡¯s ear, tickling him and causing his already burning ear tip


    to turn a deep shade of red as if they were about to bleed.


    He buried his face in the nket and answered in a muffled voice, ¡°Yes, I ept the punishment.¡±


    Gwendolynughed. He admitted quite readily.


    The floor-to-ceiling window was still open, and the cool evening breeze blew in.


    Maverick was only wearing a thinyer of clothing. His hands, feet, and exposed back were all freezing


    cold.


    Gwendolyn noticed this and gently put down his shirt. Then, she subconsciously lifted the nket from


    the other side to cover his back.


    Instead of hastily helping him untie the belt wrapped around his wrist, she continued to ask in a yful


    tone, ¡°So, how do you want to be punished? Tell me. I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s ears turned even redder.


    How can she expect me to say something so embarrassing and damaging to my pride? She¡¯s a torture


    to deal with.


    He asked awkwardly, ¡°What options do I have to choose from?¡±


    ¡°Let me think.¡±


    Gwendolyn sat on the edge of his bed. She folded her arms and yfully raised her eyebrows. ¡°Now


    that the effects of the medicine have worn off, I assume you have no problem with your physical


    strength. Would you prefer to kneel in the garden all night or let Ezra whip you two hundred times?


    What¡¯s your choice?¡±


    Maverick gulped down hard.


    Not only was his entire body cold, but his heart felt even colder.


    She¡¯s so merciless to me¡­


    Gwendolyn grinned slyly. ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡±


    Maverick bit his thin lips. He pondered for a long time before asking gently, ¡°Is there a third option? I


    choose the third one.¡±


    ¡°Of course there is.¡±


    Gwendolyn had a look of understanding on her face but was grinning mischievously. ¡°That is a


    combination of kneeling all night and getting whipped two hundred times¡ª abo of the first two


    options. You¡¯ve made a wise choice.¡±


    He breathed in sharply, and his heart ached.


    Gwendolyn noticed his reaction and tried to suppress herughter. She stood up and began to untie


    the belt around his wrists. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the garden.¡±


    Maverick shifted his hands to the side, not allowing her to untie it.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, seeing how my wounds aren¡¯t fully healed yet, can you give me a discount?¡± he asked


    gently in his deep voice.

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187


    Chapter 187 There Will Not Be A Next Time


    Discount? Is he begging for mercy?


    Gwendolyn chuckled softly. He had been so tough in epting his punishment just now, but he


    seemed to have backed down now. She had thought he was not afraid of pain.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    She said nothing and untied the belt around his wrists.


    Maverick wanted to avoid her, but she forcefully pinned his arms down, leaving him no choice but to


    bury his face in the nket again, feeling defeated.


    It seems she disagrees with a lighter punishment.


    Just now, he had used all his strength to endure the pain of removing the rotten flesh from his wound,


    so his body felt weak and powerless now.


    He might pass out if Ezra were to whip him two hundred times in the garden.


    Gwendolyn would definitely sense something was off if he fainted. She might even take the opportunity


    to examine his wound. It had been three days since he was injured, and the injury caused by sulfuric


    acid was clearly different. With Gwendolyn¡¯s cleverness, there was no way he could hide it from her.


    As hey there thinking, Gwendolyn had already undone the belt for him.


    She stood by the edge of the bed and tilted her head to observe his reaction with a mischievous smirk


    on her lips. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    Maverick did not budge an inch.


    Gwendolyn did not expect him to move, so she turned around and was prepared to close the open


    window.


    ¡°Although my physical strength has recovered, my back still hurts, and I don¡¯t have any strength¡­¡±


    Maverick said softly as he grabbed her wrist, thinking she was going to leave the room. This


    punishment is too heavy. I might not be able to endure it.


    He took a deep breath and continued, ¡°If you can¡¯t give a discount, can you perhaps postpone the


    penalty until after autumn?¡±


    He meant to wait until he recovered from his injuries before epting the punishment.


    Gwendolyn had just wanted to tease him. She did not really intend to punish him.


    The wounds on his back were still bleeding, and it was all because of her that he got hurt in the first


    ce. Although she had given him the antidote for the 023 special drug and repaid the favor, she was


    not so unreasonable as to be cruel to a patient.


    She sat back down beside Maverick¡¯s bed and asked him seriously, ¡°Then, be honest with me. Why


    have you been in such poor condition these past two days? The 023 special drug will only intensify the


    feeling of pain from your burns, but it won¡¯t have a significant impact on your body. What else are you


    hiding from me?¡±


    Maverick thought for a moment and slowly sat up. His dark eyes were slightly lowered as he avoided


    meeting her eyes.


    ¡°I had a cold on the day I was sshed with sulphuric acid. Then, I spent the entire day cleaning the


    vi. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been feeling weak and sickly these past two days. I have not been hiding anything


    from you.¡±


    Gwendolyn sorted out her thoughts and realized this seemed to be quite a rational exnation.


    He had suffered from a sulfuric acid burn at his weakest moment. After he used the antidote, his


    strength recovered quite a bit.


    It made sense now.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll trust you just this once. I¡¯ll keep the tab in mind. If you dare to deceive me next time, the


    punishment will be doubled.¡±


    Maverick lowered his head slightly and let out a soft hum.


    I only have seven days left. I fear there won¡¯t be a next time.


    Gwendolyn had no idea what was going on in his mind. She got up and walked to the window, closing it


    as she casually said, ¡°I have some things to take care of in the next couple of days. You better stay put


    and not go out.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Get some rest.¡±


    Gwendolyn averted her gaze, turned around, and left his room. She closed the door and went straight


    downstairs to the living room.


    Elven and the others were ced on the couch, gradually regaining consciousness. However, they still


    felt a bit groggy due to therge anesthetic dose.


    Gwendolyn walked over to them, examined their condition, and chose to ask William, who seemed to


    be the most awake among them.


    ¡°William, who did you see before you fainted?¡±


    William recalled his memories carefully. ¡°Nico.¡±


    It really was Nico. It seems Maverick didn¡¯t lie about this matter.


    However, she noticed William¡¯s choice of words. ¡°You¡¯re even calling Nico by his name now. Seems like


    you¡¯ve been getting along quite well with Maverick¡¯s mentely.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, we¡­¡±


    William looked terrified, yet he could not exin why.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face was cold. She showed no intention of listening to his excuses.


    ¡°As my bodyguards, you not only let outsiders in without permission but also carelessly allowed


    yourselves to be drugged and rendered unconscious. This is utterly disgraceful. You will not receive


    your sry for two months and your year-end bonus. If this happens again, you¡¯ll all be fired.¡±


    The three people who regained consciousness were on the verge of tears.


    As the sky gradually darkened, Gwendolyn, who had not had dinner, ordered some takeout. After


    finishing the meal, she returned to her room to rest.


    She had a very important task to aplish the next day.


    That night, negative news about Lane Group suddenly flooded the inte. The outrageous content


    quickly caused a huge uproar online.


    The Lanes only found out the next morning when they woke up.


    Thus, the Lane residence was in amotion that morning.


    Samantha came across a news article online about a construction ident at a building site owned by


    Lane Group, which resulted in the deaths of several workers. At the time, the Lane family had used


    their connections to cover up the news because thepensation costs were quite high.


    Consequently, Shirley had arranged for someone to visit the victims¡¯ families and issue death threats to


    keep them quiet.


    After so much time had passed, it was surprising the matter was suddenly brought upst night.


    Samantha¡¯s injury had mostly healed, and she stormed upstairs to find Shirley.


    Just as she approached Shirley¡¯s room entrance, Samantha heard the sharp and clear sound of a p


    coming from inside.


    It was then followed by Shirley¡¯s furious roar.


    ¡°Louis! As the son-inw of the Lane family, I¡¯ve treated you well, haven¡¯t I? Yet, you¡¯ve been using the


    Lane family¡¯s money for a mistress! She¡¯s even pregnant with your child! I wondered why you¡¯ve been


    making frequent excuses not to be at hometely. It seems you¡¯ve been taking care of your mistress! If


    the media hadn¡¯t caught you, you would keep it a secret from me forever, right?¡±


    Louis covered his face and was clearly upset. ¡°You? Treat me well? You show that nasty attitude to me


    every day just because the Lane family is a little rich. The Lane family looks down on me as a live-in


    son-inw, and not a single one of you respects me, yet you have the nerve to say you have treated


    me well?¡±


    Shirley was furious. ¡°How dare you! Even if you have a grudge against the Lane family, it¡¯s not an


    excuse for your infidelity! I want a divorce! I want you to leave with nothing!¡±


    ¡°Fine! If you want to divorce, then do it. However, I won¡¯t walk away without nothing. I made mistakes,


    but you¡¯re not innocent either! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know that you¡¯ve been in contact with your first love all


    this time. How far have you two gone? Did you book a hotel room together?¡±


    Shirley¡¯s expression changed instantly. ¡°So what? You were the one who cheated first, and now you


    think you¡¯re in the right? I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±


    The sound of objects being thrown and crashing filled the room, apanied by a woman¡¯s piercing


    screams and the sound of ps. It was incredibly chaotic.


    Samantha stood right outside the door and could hear everything clearly. She sobbed uncontrobly


    but did not go in to intervene.


    For many years, she had believed her family was happy and her parents were in harmony. She had


    thought the Lane family was indeed a model family recognized by society.


    Unexpectedly, the truth turned out to be that Louis was secretly keeping a mistress who had even got


    pregnant, while Shirley was still entangled with her first love, unable to let gopletely.


    With the negative news about Lane Group breaking out all at once, the stock market plummeted


    overnight, resulting in heavy losses.


    Is the Lane family going to end?


    She copsed onto the ground, unwilling to ept it.


    That despicable woman, Gwendolyn, has always been so arrogant. With the Lane family¡¯s downfall,


    who knows what kind of twisted ways she¡¯lle up with to torment me in the future? No! I can¡¯t just sit


    here and wait for the end!


    With trembling hands, she took out her phone and was about to call the man who had previously


    helped her deal with Gwendolyn when a suddenmotion erupted in the hall.


    Samantha slumped down by the railing on the second-floor corridor, turning her head to look down


    below.


    It was Gwendolyn.


    She was sitting on the main seat of the living room couch. Her expression was cold and arrogant, yet


    her delicate and beautiful face was still captivating.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s chin was slightly raised when Samantha looked at her. She shifted her gaze sharply, and


    her red lips parted as she said arrogantly, ¡°Ms. Lane, do you still like the gift I sent to the Lane family?


    There¡¯s also a small separate gift just for you. Would you like to take a look?¡±

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188


    Chapter 188 Do Not Even Think About Leaving


    ¡°It¡¯s you! How did you get in?¡±


    Gwendolyn gracefully yed with her nails and answered unhurriedly, ¡°I had the security guard inform


    the butler and entered through the front gate.¡±


    The butler let her in?


    How could the butler, who has worked with our family all these years, be bought off so quickly?


    Samantha red at the woman with murderous eyes.


    Gwendolyn saw through her mind and added, ¡°Even rats will abandon a sinking ship. Today is the day


    the Lane family falls, and he naturally knows what to do.¡±


    Furious, Samantha gritted her teeth and sprang up from the ground. ¡°You wicked woman! You¡¯ve gone


    too far! Do you think we¡¯ll crumble just because you harm us like that? You¡¯re dreaming!¡±


    ¡°Harm the Lane family?¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered, ¡°This can hardly be considered harm. I merely exposed the Lane family¡¯s dirty


    secrets to the world. Why would you fear those rumors if your family was truly innocent?¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Samantha was infuriated, but she couldn¡¯t deny the truth. The Lane Group¡¯s troubles and the issues


    with Shirley and Louis were all brought upon themselves!


    In the room behind her, the screams grew more intense and desperate.


    ¡°Ah! Louis! How dare youy a hand on me? How dare you abuse me? I¡¯ll make sure you pay for this!


    Both you and your mistress should be executed!¡±


    Then, the woman¡¯s screams rang out again. ¡°Help! Louis is going to kill someone! Save me! Sammy,


    come and save me!¡±


    Having been beaten up, Shirley also screamed until her voice turned hoarse.


    Samantha was about to go downstairs to confront Gwendolyn when she realized something was amiss


    inside the room. She hurriedly entered to intervene.


    However, it seemed her presence was futile as themotion resumed quickly. The voices became


    increasingly chaotic.


    Gwendolyn had brought only Ezra and Justin with her that day. So there weren¡¯t many of them.


    The noise upstairs was unbearable. Gwendolyn raised an eyebrow and discreetly rubbed her ears.


    ¡°You two, go up and try to calm them down and bring everyone downstairs.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Ezra and Justin quickly took action.


    Justin knocked Louis unconscious with a single punch and forcefully carried him downstairs.


    Those involved in the fight were all taken away. Shirley and Samantha followed behind as they headed


    downstairs.


    Shirley¡¯s hair was disheveled. After all, the strength gap between a man and a woman was too big.


    Both her cheeks were swollen. Blood trickled from the corners of her mouth, and tear stains marked


    her face.


    Samantha didn¡¯t fare any better as she entered. She received an unintended p from Louis.


    Gwendolyn instructed Ezra to bring a small sofa and ce it across the coffee table. She then seated


    each of the three individuals on separate couches.


    The Lane family¡¯s butlers and servants quietly gathered near the doorway, observing the spectacle.


    They were surprised to see Gwendolyn seated in the central position, as if she were more like the


    owner than anyone from the Lane family, exerting absolute dominance.


    She leaned back gently, resting against the back of the sofa, and cast a fleeting gaze at the three


    individuals across from her. With her slender and fair hand, she lightly apuded.


    ¡°How splendid it is to start my day with such a family drama.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Shirley¡¯s face swelled from the beating, causing her pain whenever she moved her mouth. As she


    tidied her appearance, she red at Gwendolyn with resentment.


    Samantha red at Gwendolyn with an evil look and took the lead to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t think the Lane


    family can be easily brought down! I won¡¯t let these matters go so easily! I¡¯ll get back at you for


    everything in the future! Don¡¯t get too smug too soon!¡±


    Gwendolyn chuckled upon hearing Samantha¡¯s words. ¡°Get back at me? Unfortunately, I¡¯m afraid you


    won¡¯t have that opportunity.¡±


    Samantha was momentarily stunned by Gwendolyn¡¯s cold and arrogant gaze. She felt a hint of


    inexplicable unease.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Gwendolyn nced at Ezra but directed her words at Samantha. ¡°Come, let¡¯s have a look at the gift I


    have prepared for you.¡±


    Ezra understood her meaning and stepped forward, cing a document on the table.


    ¡°Ms. Lane, this document contains evidence of your involvement in the kidnapping and attempted


    murder of Charmaine, a former trainee of the talent show. This one shows your embezzlement of eight


    billion and eight hundred million from Wright Construction Group¡¯s funds. Ms. Shalders is now the head


    of Wright Construction Group and has the authority to reim that money from you. And this document


    is¡­¡±


    Ezra spent a solid five minutes meticulously recounting Samantha¡¯s ndestine deeds.


    Samantha stared at the pile of papers in shock.


    How did this wicked woman manage to uncover all my private matters in such a short time?


    This is impossible!


    Samantha rushed to the coffee table and tore the evidence into tiny pieces. It seemed like an outlet for


    her anger as she ripped the papers with force, her expression contorted with ferocity.


    Gwendolyn calmly observed Samantha tearing the papers. She waited until Samantha had finished


    before speaking indifferently. ¡°Ms. Lane, you seem to enjoy tearing things apart. I¡¯ve prepared plenty of


    copies. You can tear them to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    Justin swiftly retrieved arge box behind the sofa and heavily put it on the coffee table. He opened the


    box before everyone and grabbed a stack of papers, flinging them toward the Lane family trio.


    Ezra joined in the fun and scattered the papers around. Before long, the spacious living room of the


    Lane residence was covered in scattered sheets,pletely filling the floor.


    Unable to utter a single word, Samantha was so angry that she felt like she would vomit.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes sparkled in amusement as she delivered the final blow in a gentle voice. ¡°Come on,


    keep tearing. If you don¡¯t wear out your hands today, don¡¯t even think about walking out of this vi¡¯s


    door on your feet.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Samantha had fallen into Gwendolyn¡¯s hands several times before. Her legs felt weak at Gwendolyn¡¯s


    words. Since Louis was still unconscious, she could only plead for help with Shirley. She then threw


    herself at Shirley¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Mom! You must save me! She¡¯s holding so much evidence against me. She won¡¯t let me off easily!¡±


    Shirley, who had already wiped the blood off her mouth and tidied her hair that Louis had messed up,


    reluctantly regained herposed demeanor as a powerful career woman.


    She gently touched Samantha¡¯s face and turned to re fiercely at Gwendolyn.


    ¡°So what if you have these so-called pieces of evidence? Last time, you brought a gang of people, and


    the Lane family couldn¡¯t match you. But today, you¡¯ve only brought two.¡±


    She smirked cunningly. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, don¡¯t expect to leave the gates of the Lane residence


    easily!¡±


    With that, she signaled the Lane family¡¯s bodyguards, and they swiftly descended from various parts of


    the vi. Soon, thirty bodyguards surrounded the people in the living room.


    Since Gwendolyn barged in the previous time, Shirley has learned her lesson and deliberately hired a


    larger group of bodyguards.


    Little did she know they woulde in handy so soon.


    Regardless of the recent plummet in Lane Group¡¯s stock prices and the substantial losses they


    incurred, as long as she was still around, the Lane family¡¯s connections in Faike would remain, and


    the Lane family would eventually rise again!


    Shirley felt triumphant. ¡°Last time, you smashed my luxury car and injured Sammy with a knife. Since


    you¡¯vee uninvited today, I¡¯ll start by stabbing you a hundred times! Attack!¡±


    The Lane family¡¯s bodyguards immediately surged forward.


    Ezra and Justin swiftly positioned themselves in front of Gwendolyn to protect her.


    Gwendolyn chuckled lightly and coldly locked eyes with Shirley. ¡°Mrs. Lane, do you really think that I


    came unprepared?¡± With that, she raised her hand and pped twice.


    Previously surrounded by housekeepers, the entrance suddenly cleared a path as if by its own ord.


    Shirley and Samantha had a sinking feeling and turned their gaze toward the entrance.


    A handsome man dressed in solemn military attire walked in. He emanated a strong presence and


    overwhelming aura.


    Behind him, a group of police officers swiftly mobilized, surrounding the entire hall.

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189


    Chapter 189 Cook A Meal For You


    Upon seeing Charles enter with his men, Shirley immediately slumped into the chair.


    She had heard from acquaintances at the police station that Charles was nning to leave Faike, so


    why hadn¡¯t he left yet?


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    With him around, that day was going to be tough for her.


    The Lane family¡¯s bodyguards quickly lost their confidence when faced with the police officers


    brandishing stun batons.


    Samantha sat on the ground, feeling utterly defeated.


    However, as Charles entered, his gaze remained fixed on Gwendolyn.


    Maintaining an upright andposed posture, he walked over to sit beside Gwendolyn.


    Thetter unconsciously furrowed her brows but quickly concealed any underlying emotions. She then


    redirected her attention to Shirley and Samantha across from her.


    ¡°Samantha, I don¡¯t feel like wasting any more time on this. The police station will handle the crimes you


    and the Lane familymitted. You will repay every penny of the money you owe me with interest. If


    the funds are insufficient, you¡¯ll have to sell properties or mortgage Lane Group.¡±


    Shirley and Samantha felt resigned, but under Charles¡¯ pressure, they remained silent and yed


    dumb.


    Gwendolyn gently smoothed her skirt and looked at Charles beside her, her eyes filled with tenderness.


    ¡°Charles, I¡¯m feeling slightly tired, so I¡¯ll leave the rest to you. By the way, Samantha has a penchant for


    tearing paper. How about letting her tear all the papers in the hallway into shreds before taking them


    back to the police station? What do you think?¡±


    Charles raised his gaze, his deep and gentle blue eyes meeting hers.


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll do as you say, but¡­¡±


    He paused for a moment and gently took hold of Gwendolyn¡¯s hand before continuing, ¡°I¡¯ve done you


    such a big favor, yet you stood me upst night. It¡¯s time to make up to me, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled, her eyes filled with warmth and her voice velvety. ¡°Of course, to make it up to you,


    why don¡¯t youe to Bay Vi tonight after you finish work? I¡¯ll personally cook you a meal. How


    does that sound?¡±


    Charles was pleasantly surprised.


    On second thought, he remembered that annoying person in her vi. ¡°But there¡¯s someone in your


    vi who I¡¯d rather not see.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    Gwendolyn shrugged indifferently. ¡°He¡¯s just my servant. We¡¯ll have a few drinks together in the


    evening, and I¡¯ll have him stand by to pour your drinks. How about that?¡±


    Charles looked at her calm expression, his eyes filled with indulgence. Then, he smiled and replied, ¡°All


    right, whatever you say.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll head back now and wait for you tonight.¡±


    She withdrew her hand from Charles¡¯ palm and turned to look at Justin. ¡°Stay here and see if Charles


    needs any further assistance. No cking off.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Shalders.¡±


    After giving her instructions, Gwendolyn shifted her gaze away, turned around, and left Bay Vi,


    leaving the stage to Charles and the police officers.


    It wasn¡¯t until she got into the car that her expression gradually turned cold.


    She opened the wet wipes in her bag and cleaned her hands.


    With the Lane family matter resolved and still having some time on her hands, she made a trip to Angle


    to check on the recent progress of Joaquin¡¯s and Jennifer¡¯s shoots.


    She stayed busy until the afternoon, then returned to Bay Vi two hours earlier than expected.


    Upon her return, she found Maverick squatting on the ground, cleaning the floor.


    With the special drug in his body already wearing off, he found these household chores much easier to


    handle.


    Noticing Gwendolyn¡¯s early return, Maverick felt somewhat curious. ¡°You¡¯re back so early today. It¡¯s


    only mid-afternoon. I suppose you¡¯re not ready for dinner yet?¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded gently and stood motionless at the door.


    Maverick instinctively set aside his task, washed his hands, and walked over to help her fetch the


    slippers from the shoe cab and neatly ce them before her.


    He then assisted her in removing her coat and hung it on the coat rack.


    Afterpleting these tasks, he resumed cleaning the floor.


    Instead of heading upstairs, Gwendolyn sat on the sofa and silently observed Maverick as he mopped


    the floor.


    After a few minutes, she finally spoke. ¡°Put aside what you¡¯re doing ande here.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Maverick washed his hands again before walking over to her respectfully. He then knelt on one knee


    beside her and slowly crouched down.


    Gwendolyn was pleased with his unwavering obedience.


    Gripping his chin, she closely observed his facial expressions.


    Without the special drug, hisplexion had lost the sickly pallor it previously had, and his dark eyes


    appeared more lively.


    Although his features remained remarkably handsome, they now held a sharper edge, making him


    appear less vulnerable.


    Gwendolyn grinned yfully. ¡°I still prefer your state when under the influence of the special drug. Now


    you look more unruly yet not so easily bullied. How about¡­¡±


    She paused, her lips curving mischievously. ¡°How about I inject another dose of the special drug and


    continue tormenting you for a few more days until I grow tired of it before giving you the antidote?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s breath hitched, and his dark eyes flickered with surprise.


    Is she for real?


    The injection of 023 special drug was excruciatingly painful,pounded by the fact that his back still


    bore wounds that would intensify the agony multiple times over.


    Such torment could be lethal.


    Bitterness tinged his words. ¡°If your happiness is built upon my suffering, as long as it¡¯s yourmand


    and as long as you can believe that I am sincere now, I will obey unconditionally.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Gwendolyn lifted his chin an inch higher, forcing him to meet her gaze.


    Maverick locked his gaze onto her starry eyes and nodded firmly.


    Seeing him being earnest, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help butugh. She released her grip on his chin. ¡°Just


    teasing you. I¡¯m not that twisted and sadistic.¡±


    Maverick lowered his gaze, remaining silent.


    After the momentary jest, Gwendolyn adopted a solemn expression and shifted the conversation to


    business. ¡°Your subordinates seem formidable, especially Nico. If they were to fight with trained military


    elites, what would be their chances of winning?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a direct confrontation, it¡¯s hard to say. But given their capabilities, especially Nico, engaging in a


    fight would only prolong the encounter. The likelihood of losing is not significant.¡±


    Gwendolyn let out a soft hum and lowered her head in contemtion.


    ¡°Why do you suddenly ask about this?¡±


    Gwendolyn evaded the question. ¡°Charles will being to the vi for dinner tonight.¡±


    Maverick remained silent, his brows furrowing almost instinctively and his gaze dimming instantly.


    Noticing his reaction, Gwendolyn leaned closer to his ear and whispered a few words.


    In the evening, Gwendolyn stood at the entrance of Bay Vi at approximately when Charles had


    previously mentioned he would arrive and waited for him.


    Charles arrived in a military vehicle, apanied by only two of his closest subordinates.


    As Charles stepped out of the car and looked up, he couldn¡¯t conceal his delight upon seeing


    Gwendolyn exquisitely dressed anding out to greet him.


    ¡°Gwen, you look stunning tonight. Even though we just met during the day, it feels like it¡¯s been half a


    month, and I¡¯ve already missed you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re learning to be a smooth talker?¡±


    Gwendolyn gave him a yful re and continued, ¡°It¡¯s been quite a day. How did things go with the


    Lane family?¡±


    ¡°Lane Group has dered bankruptcy and will be auctioned off. As for the money the Lane family


    swindled from Wright Construction Group, I¡¯ll make sure they pay it all back. However, it¡¯s a substantial


    amount and will take some time. As for Samantha, she received a life sentence. I know you probably


    prefer to see her suffer a fate worse than death.¡±


    Gwendolyn only smiled and remained silent.


    Side by side, they walked through the garden.


    As they entered the vi¡¯s living room, Charles leaned close to her ear and said intimately, ¡°Jasmine


    wanted toe along tonight, but I didn¡¯t bring her because I wanted our time together undisturbed¡­¡±


    His words abruptly halted.


    Charles noticed Maverick standing in the stairwell, thetter¡¯s intense gaze cold and menacing, fixed


    upon him.


    Charles¡¯ expression turned grim as well.


    The eyes of the two men met from a distance. Instantly, sparks flew, and an air of hostility filled the


    room.

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190


    Chapter 190 Let Him Go


    The confrontationsted for several minutes.


    Caught in the middle, Gwendolyn nced from one man to the other.


    As the 023 special drug had lost its effect on Maverick, he now looked more imposing than Charles. His


    eyes gleamed with a chilling and merciless intensity.


    Gwendolyn did not know what to say.


    They were already eyeing each other with so much hostility in the beginning that she was not sure how


    the night would end.


    She cleared her throat loudly, drawing their attention to her.


    Gwendolyn then gestured for Charles to look in the direction of the dining room. ¡°Charles, I¡¯ve prepared


    all this food, and I¡¯ve been waiting for you. I¡¯ve also prepared two bottles of red wine. It¡¯s been a long


    time since we¡¯ve had a drink together. Let¡¯s all drink and be merry tonight.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Charles shifted his focus from Maverick to Gwendolyn. He looked at her affectionately as they walked


    into the dining room together.


    ¡°Gwen, your culinary skills are amazing. These dishes smell so good. I wasn¡¯t that hungry earlier, but


    now my appetite has been whetted.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy as long as you like them.¡±


    Maverick stood in the stairwell, observing their interaction keenly.


    Even though Gwendolyn had already told him about her n that night, he was still caught off-guard


    when he saw her smiling happily at Charles and speaking to him in such a gentle manner.


    He felt a pang of heartache.


    When would Gwendolyn treat him the way she was treating Charles?


    Both of them were chatting andughing in the dining room, oblivious to the awkward expression on


    Maverick¡¯s face.


    At the dining table, Gwendolyn pursed her lips and smiled. She took the bottle of red wine that had


    been decanted and was about to pour some for Charles.


    Charles extended his hand, making a gesture to stop her. ¡°Gwen, you have a servant here. You don¡¯t


    have to do this yourself.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression momentarily froze, but she quickly regained herposure.


    She put down the red wine and looked in the direction of the staircase.


    ¡°Maverick,e here.¡±


    Charles¡¯ lips curled up slightly with a satisfied look. He was sitting in an upright position as if he had


    cultivated this habit over the years. His eyes were fixed on Maverick, waiting for thetter to go over


    and serve them the wine.


    Seeing Maverick walk toward them, he turned to look at Gwendolyn. There was a hint of surprise in his


    voice when he said, ¡°Gwen, there¡¯s some dirt on your face. I¡¯ll help you wipe it off.¡±


    Gwendolyn sat in her chair, not moving.


    With an affectionate gaze, Charles extended his hands in a gentle and deliberate motion toward


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face.


    Before they coulde in contact with her face, another pair of hands grasped Charles¡¯ wrists tightly.


    Maverick¡¯s face darkened, and he uttered through gritted teeth, ¡°Mr. Newton, mind your manners. Keep


    your hands to yourself.¡±


    Charles looked up and sneered, ¡°I shall do whatever I wish. Mind your own business.¡±


    Charles enunciated thest few words clearly and was about to shake off Maverick¡¯s hands in disgust.


    Maverick tightened his grip and stared at Charles. The former¡¯s eyes bore a malevolent and piercing


    intensity, radiating a palpable sense of malice.


    Charles tried to break free, but his efforts were in vain. He started to look annoyed.


    ¡°Gwen, is this how a servant treats his employer? He¡¯s so arrogant. Such a defiant servant ought to be


    taught a lesson.¡±


    Gwendolyn was about to speak when Maverick snorted coldly. ¡°My employer is Gwendolyn. Who do


    you think you are?¡±


    The two men locked eyes. Their hands were entangled, their muscles tensing.


    There was mounting tension in the room.


    Gwendolyn sighed as she held her forehead.


    It seemed that there would always be an intense battle between men whenever Maverick was present.


    She coughed heavily again, giving Maverick a warning look.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Let go.¡±


    Hearing this, Maverick released his grip.


    However, he did not move and stood between Gwendolyn and Charles. His re was fixed on Charles,


    capturing his every movement like a vignt surveince camera.


    Charles took out a tissue and wiped his sleeves. He then spoke with a hint of annoyance. ¡°Gwen, it


    seems like we won¡¯t be able to enjoy our meal tonight as long as someone is around.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn understood what Charles meant and looked sternly at Maverick. ¡°Mr. Newton is my guest.


    You¡¯ve offended him the moment you got here. Are you trying to make me angry? I think I have been


    too lenient with you. Have you forgotten who your employer is?¡±


    She turned toward the outside of the vi and called out, ¡°William, Quinton,e in.¡±


    William and Quinton quickly walked into the living room and stood at attention.


    Gwendolyn appeared indifferent as she disregarded Maverick without even ncing in his direction.


    ¡°Bring him to the basement to do some soul-searching. Do not release him without my orders.¡±


    William and Quinton looked at each other and hesitated.


    Maverick frowned, his face looking extremely cold. He spoke up with a hurt voice. ¡°Are you punishing


    me because of him?¡±


    Gwendolyn turned to look at him with a sneer on her face.


    ¡°What do you think? Charles and I are childhood friends, and I have always admired him since I was


    little. I used to hold a grudge against him, but now I¡¯vee to terms with it. Let bygones be bygones.


    After all, he still has a special ce in my heart. I gave you a chance to terminate our employment


    contract, but you stubbornly refused to leave. If you can¡¯t stand the way things are here, get lost. Do


    you think you still mean anything to me?¡±


    Her harsh words cut through him like a sharp knife.


    Maverick was so hurt that it took his breath away.


    Despite knowing her n, hearing her speak those hurtful words still caused him great pain and a


    sense of deep injustice.


    He knew that Gwendolyn no longer had feelings for him.


    Was Gwendolyn intentionally using Charles to tell Maverick the truth in a roundabout way?


    Maverick¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. He choked up as he uttered, ¡°I know I¡¯ve made many mistakes in the


    past, but aren¡¯t you even a little moved by what I¡¯ve done for you all this while?¡±


    Gwendolyn kept quiet.


    She noticed that Maverick was slowly tearing up. His gaze revealed a sense of vulnerability and


    emotional pain.


    A sudden jolt reverberated through her heart.


    Maverick¡¯s acting skills were indeed worthy of an Academy Award for Best Actor since he could make


    his tears flow on demand.


    He looked so sorrowful that she was momentarily stunned.


    She withdrew her gaze, and her face remained impassive.


    ¡°In the beginning, I was softhearted toward you because you were injured on my ount. Your attitude


    has gotten worse now, and you even offended Charles. William, Quinton, lock him up immediately.¡±


    Since their employer had repeated her orders, William and Quinton reluctantly went up to grab


    Maverick.


    Maverick forcefully flung their hands away. ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate this punishment. I¡¯ll leave since you don¡¯t


    want me to stay.¡±


    He turned around and walked out of the vi without looking back. His eyes were bloodshot, zed


    with anger.


    William and Quinton were startled. ¡°Ms. Shalders, what do we do now?¡±


    ¡°Let him go.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    William and Quinton knew better than to linger in the dining room and quickly took their leave.


    Gwendolyn and Charles were now alone.


    Relieved that Maverick had left, Charles poured some wine for Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Gwen, I¡¯m so happy that you defended me.¡±


    As Gwendolyn cast her gaze upon Charles, her icy demeanor melted away. She smiled warmly at him.


    ¡°Of course. How can hepare to you? Charles, you are the most important person to me. Come,


    let¡¯s forget about this and drink up.¡±


    Both of them then raised their wine sses with a clink.


    Gwendolyn downed the wine in her ss without any hesitation.


    Swirling the wine in his ss, Charles inhaled the rich aroma of the wine. However, he did not take a


    single sip of the wine.


    He looked at the wine in his ss, and the corner of his lips curled up.


    ¡°I remember that you were so smitten by him and you seemed so intimate with each other when we


    were ying games at the bar. I was very heartbroken then.¡±


    Pausing for a moment, Charles¡¯ tone became more serious. ¡°This time, he was injured because of you.


    You should have treated him even better than before, yet you scolded him so harshly because of me


    today. Why is that so?¡±


    Gwendolyn looked a bit surprised.


    Charles¡¯ smile deepened, looking as if he was amused. ¡°Are you putting up an act in front of me?¡±

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191


    Chapter 191 The Dinner Was A Trap


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression gradually hardened as she stared at him in disbelief.


    With her tone a little mncholic, she said, ¡°You don¡¯t trust me?¡±


    Charles chuckled. ¡°Silly girl, I was just joking with you. Of course, I trust you. But was this wine


    prepared by you or Maverick? I don¡¯t trust him.¡±


    Gwendolyn showed him her empty red wine ss in her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already had a ss. So if the wine was tampered with, I should be the first to go down.¡±


    Charles remained silent, gently swirling the red wine in his ss without taking a sip.


    Gwendolyn was getting a bit upset. She pouted and nced at the full bottle of red wine next to her.


    ¡°Do you want me to do the same as you didst time? Should I finish the whole bottle of wine for you to


    believe me?¡±


    Charles remained silent.


    In a fit of defiance, Gwendolyn reached out to grab the entire bottle of red wine on the table.


    Charles stopped her. ¡°I believe you. Even if this bottle contains poison, I would still drink it because you


    are like a beautiful poison to me and have intoxicated me for a long time.¡±


    He smiled dotingly. Finally, tilting his head back, he drank the ss of wine.


    In the garden, Charles¡¯ two confidants stood by the entrance, resembling a pair of statues.


    Elven took the initiative to approach the two of them.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s gettingte. Have you two had dinner yet? We¡¯ve secretly grilled some barbecue in the


    backyard. Do you want toe over and give it a try?¡±


    Both confidants had cold expressions as they firmly rejected the invitation.


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Elven was very patient. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Ms. Shalders has always been very friendly. With her around,


    Mr. Newton won¡¯t get angry. Besides, it¡¯s already dinner time. Given the rtionship between Mr.


    Newton and Ms. Shalders, we¡¯ll all eventually be like family, so consider this an early opportunity


    to get acquainted.¡±


    This time, both hesitated briefly before saying, ¡°No need.¡±


    They were stubborn. Elven was starting to wonder how he should continue to persuade them without


    being too eager, as it would raise their suspicions.


    Soon, Ezra came running over with two grilled pork belly skewers and handed them to him.


    ¡°Elven, the skewers tonight are especially delicious. Give them a try! Ms. Shalders said she and Mr.


    Newton was going to drink to their hearts¡¯ desire. So, they want us to eat well and enjoy ourselves too.


    There are two bottles of beer for you over there. Come on!¡±


    ¡°All right then.¡±


    Elven took the skewers and ate one right in front of them, savoring every bite.


    Not many people could resist the allure of grilled pork belly. They just smelled way too delicious!


    The aroma wafted through the air and reached the nostrils of the two. They stared at the meat in


    Elven¡¯s hand, swallowing their saliva and feeling slightly tempted.


    Elven continued enthusiastically, ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go. Mr. Newton probably won¡¯t leave until veryte


    tonight. Who knows how long you two will be hungry? We have both beer and wine in the backyard.


    Let¡¯s have a few drinks. I¡¯m sure Mr. Newton won¡¯t give you a hard time.¡±


    The two exchanged nces. Ultimately, they could not resist the temptation of the grilled skewers. The


    grilled meat in Elven¡¯s hand finally led them to the backyard.


    The mealsted until a little after ten o¡¯clock at night.


    Charles and Gwendolyn were chatting happily. Charles¡¯ handsome face flushed red, and his usually


    deep, azure eyes seemed somewhat hazy.


    ¡°Gwen, I¡¯m truly delighted that you¡¯ve had a change of heart. In this world, no man is more deserving of


    you than me. We are a match made in heaven.¡±


    Gwendolyn just smiled, not saying a word.


    Charles gazed at her tenderly. ¡°When your mother passed away, I was immature and didn¡¯t step up to


    protect andfort you when you needed me the most. Instead, I went to the Central Intelligence


    Agency to chase fame and fortune. I¡¯ve med myself for this for many years. Can you forgive me?¡±


    As they reminisced, the smile on Gwendolyn¡¯s face gradually faded.


    ¡°Charles, you¡¯re drunk and talking nonsense. It¡¯s gettingte. You should head home.¡±


    Charles wanted to continue exining, but Gwendolyn called Justin over to help him into the car.


    Since his two confidants had been drinking in the backyard, they couldn¡¯t drive. Justin was the only


    bodyguard who had only eaten barbeque and did not consume alcohol due to his injuries not being fully


    healed yet.


    So, he took the responsibility of driving Charles and the other two back home.


    Once the military vehicle hadpletely disappeared from Bay Vi, Elven quietly entered the vi.


    Gwendolyn was still sitting in the dining room, her eyes fixed straight ahead. Her expression was cold


    and stern as she was lost in her thoughts.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders?¡± Elven called out to her gently.


    Gwendolyn snapped back to reality. ¡°Were the two confidants handled?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I secretly added the drugs to their drinks. It should take effect while they¡¯re on the road


    later.¡±


    ¡°Great. This will also give us a chance to assess Maverick¡¯s work efficiency.¡±


    She nced at the empty bottle of red wine with a faint glimmer in her beautiful eyes.


    The military vehicle traveled along the highway. Since it was ratherte at night, there was very little


    traffic.


    Justin adjusted the car¡¯s air conditioning to a veryfortable temperature. Having had a few drinks,


    Charles¡¯ two confidants were feeling drowsy.


    Only Charles managed to maintain a rtively clear mind even though he had been drinking.


    As Justin drove with his eyes fixed straight ahead, suddenly, an icy cold gun was pressed against the


    back of his head.


    It was Charles.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the way back to my ce. Where are you trying to go?¡±


    His voice was quite loud, and since the two confidants had a strong sense of alertness, they sobered


    up quickly.


    The two of them looked out the window and discovered that Justin was taking them to the outskirts of


    town.


    The atmosphere inside the car suddenly became tense.


    Justin chuckled sheepishly. ¡°Did I take a wrong turn? I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Newton. You were all asleep so I


    didn¡¯t want to wake you up. I thought taking this route would be faster.¡±


    Charles¡¯ cold expression remained unchanged. ¡°Turn around.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    The car was speeding, and Justin did not slow down. Instead, he mmed on the elerator and


    abruptly spun the steering wheel. The entire vehicle almost lost bnce, nearly tipping over and


    crashing off the road.


    Besides Justin, the other three had not fastened their seatbelts inside the car. His sudden move caused


    them to tumble, crashing into the ss window.


    Charles was no exception, and the gun that was aimed at Justin¡¯s head also shifted away.


    Taking advantage of the situation, Justin mmed on the brakes, quickly got out of the car, and ran.


    Due to the great inertia, the remaining three people stumbled and staggered about.


    Unfortunately, Charles was the most clear-headed of them all. He cast a cruel nce in the direction


    where Justin was fleeing and decisively pulled the trigger.


    There was a resounding bang.


    In the peaceful suburbs, the sound stood out particrly strikingly.


    Running ahead, Justin instinctively covered his head and quickly checked his body. Realizing the bullet


    had not hit him, he ran even faster.


    The bullet had hit the roof of the car.


    Charles was suddenly obstructed by a man who sprang out from the trunk, causing him to lose his aim.


    The trunk and rear seats of the military vehicle were connected. Since it waste at night, and the two


    confidants had too much to drink, they forgot to check their vehicle before leaving.


    Unexpectedly, someone was hiding in the trunk all along.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Charles quickly realized something was definitely off about that night¡¯s dinner and immediately moved


    to counterattack the man in the trunk.


    However, as soon as Charles made a move, his opponent swiftly disarmed him.


    It was too dark inside the car for Charles to see who was in the trunk. His two confidants immediately


    exited the vehicle, ready to apprehend the person.


    Suddenly, around six men emerged from the forest.


    Both sides immediately started fighting.


    In less than two minutes, Charles and his two associates felt their strength waning.


    As Gwendolyn had added a colorless and tasteless anesthetic into their drinks beforehand, the small


    dosage would not cause anyone to faint, but it would result in mild fatigue.


    The two confidants were knocked down, falling t on their faces.


    Charles was suddenly struck with a fierce blow to the back of his neck, causing him to fall to his hands


    and knees.


    He looked up and saw a familiar figure emerging from the trunk of the car. The man wore a ghostly


    mask adorned with intricate and unique patterns.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re from the Federal Bureau of Investigation¡ª¡±


    Before the sentence could be finished, Nico struck again from behind with his hand, finally knocking out


    Charles.

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192


    Chapter 192 You Are Unworthy Of Her


    Upon seeing someone faint, the man wearing a ghost mask finally removed it.


    Under the moonlight, the man¡¯s dark gaze was cold and unfathomable, filled with icy bloodlust as he


    looked at Charles.


    Nico stepped forward and asked, ¡°Boss, how should we handle this?¡±


    ¡°Tie up these two subordinates and throw them in the car. As for Charles¡­¡±


    Maverick¡¯s voice suddenly stopped, and he narrowed his eyes. His expression was fierce. ¡°Hang him


    up and take him to the cabin that is ready. Gwendolyn will be here in about ten minutes. Before she


    arrives, let¡¯s interrogate him first.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Charles was abruptly awakened by a ssh of cold water.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    When he woke up, he found his hands tied behind his back and suspended from a broken beam in the


    dpidated house. His feet barely touched the ground, and he had to stand on his tiptoes to maintain


    his bnce.


    That position was extremely tiring, especially as the arms became unbearably sore. If he was being


    suspended for an hour, the arms could ache to the point of dislocation, and the armpits would bruise


    and be swollen.


    He let out a soft chuckle.


    That torturous method was clearly a tacticmonly used by the military.


    ¡°What are youughing at?¡±


    A deliberately lowered, deep male voice rang out from nearby.


    Charles nced over.


    It was the man with the ghost mask he had seen before he fainted. The man was leisurely and


    elegantly leaning against a wooden pir.


    Charles¡¯ deep blue eyes showed not the slightest hint of panic. His face was still carrying a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I did to offend the Federal Bureau of Investigation. You¡¯re setting me up to arrest


    me.¡±


    The masked man approached him and said, ¡°Recently, abeled sample of S404 RNA Virus has gone


    missing from theb. I checked the records, and you were in theb half a month ago.¡±


    Charles was indignant. ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who visited theb, so why do you suspect that I took it?¡±


    ¡°Because on the day you invited Gwendolyn to Realm Bar, someone just happened to use that potion


    to hurt us, and you dare to say this has nothing to do with you?¡±


    Charles frowned slightly. ¡°How did you know?¡±


    In front of him, the masked man removed the silver mask from his face, revealing Maverick¡¯s


    handsome yet cold and detached expression.


    Charles stared at his face, feeling shocked. ¡°It¡¯s actually you! How could you have this mask? I can¡¯t


    believe it. How could the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation possibly be you!¡±


    He had felt that something was off about Maverick before and even had someone investigate him.


    Maverick¡¯s profile was too clean, which made him suspicious that there was more to it.


    However¡­


    Even if the man was not simple, there was no way he could be involved with the Federal Bureau of


    Investigation!


    Maverick¡¯s dark eyes narrowed as he observed Charles¡¯ expression.


    Seeing Charles genuinely shocked, he said, ¡°It seems that you didn¡¯t steal this potion because you


    tracked me down, but to harm Gwendolyn. You pretend to love her so much, yet you¡¯re cruel enough to


    want to use the S404 potion to destroy her.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t! I truly love her!¡±


    Charles firmly refused to admit it.


    He decided to skip that topic, sneering while staring at Maverick. ¡°You¡¯re deliberately using the name of


    the Federal Bureau of Investigation to get information from me? Do you think I¡¯d believe you? You¡¯re


    nothing but the young CEO of the Wright family in Faike. How could this be possible?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes were cold, but he did not respond.


    Charles added, ¡°Today, I just happened to fall into the trap you and Gwendolyn set. Do you really think


    you can keep me here for long? Tomorrow, my people will notice my disappearance. Kidnapping and


    assaulting the director of the Central Intelligence Agency is no small crime. Think carefully!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    With a slight smirk, Maverick responded nonchntly, ¡°Well, give it a try and see if any of your men will


    come to rescue you tomorrow.¡±


    Charles looked at the calm indifference on the man¡¯s face, which did not seem to be feigned, and then


    nced at the ghost mask in Maverick¡¯s hand.


    That mask, representing the highest leadership of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was crafted


    from pure silver by a skilled artisan exclusively. With its intricate design process, unique patterns, and


    unparalleled craftsmanship, there was only one such mask in the entire world.


    At that, he began to waver.


    Outside the door, Nico knocked softly and said, ¡°Boss, it¡¯s been five minutes. Ms. Shalders will be here


    soon.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Maverick turned his attention back to Charles, getting straight to the point. ¡°You got this potion half a


    month ago, but you only came to Faike a week ago. There must be someone behind this, conspiring


    with you and encouraging you to take the potion. Who is that person?¡±


    Charles looked down at the ground, smiling but not saying a word.


    Maverick grabbed him by the hair, forcing him to make eye contact.


    ¡°You know very well the methods the Federal Bureau of Investigation uses to deal with stubborn


    individuals. Are you sure you won¡¯t talk?¡±


    Charles was instantly infuriated by his words. Veins bulged on his forehead as he gritted his teeth in


    anger.


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare? You already know who I am. Considering what you¡¯ve done this time, do you


    really think you can walk out of here unscathed?¡±


    As Maverick continued speaking, his gaze grew increasingly fierce and filled with surging rage.


    Charles looked into his eyes, and after a brief two-second pause, he burst intoughter. ¡°You¡¯re not the


    young master of the Wright family, are you? Who are you?¡±


    There was no way the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation could merely be the CEO in a small


    ce like Faike.


    Maverick did not say anything.


    ¡°You keep saying that I have an ulterior motive for getting close to Gwendolyn, but she probably


    doesn¡¯t even know your identity. Don¡¯t you have a motive too? What¡¯s your purpose in acting weak and


    pitiful in front of her?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s hand that was clenching Charles¡¯ hair became tighter.


    Charles felt as if his scalp was about to be torn off. His expression showed slight pain, but he quickly


    burst intoughter again.


    ¡°Since you already know that it wasn¡¯t sulfuric acid that day, you should be well aware that your days


    are numbered! If I can¡¯t have her, neither can you!¡±


    Maverick¡¯s eyes filled with rage as he released his grip on the man¡¯s hair and threw a fierce punch at


    him.


    Charles¡¯ cheek quickly swelled up, turning into a deep shade of purple.


    He spat blood onto the ground, but those deep blue eyes remained defiant.


    ¡°Even if Professor Yancey can suppress the S404 RNA virus in your body and prevent your death,


    there will be long-term side effects. Eventually, you¡¯ll be disabled. If she finds out, she might feel


    sorry for you in the short term, but what about in the long run?¡±


    ¡°Maverick, from the moment you got attacked by the virus, your disabled body is destined to be


    unworthy of her!¡±


    Maverick¡¯s brows knitted slightly.


    He was stunned and did not speak for a long time until Nico¡¯s voice came from the doorway again.


    ¡°Boss, Ms. Shalders¡¯ car has reached the highway, and it will be arriving in two minutes.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    He looked back at Charles and said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve fallen into my hands, you should know that there¡¯s


    no mouth in this world that I can¡¯t pry open. I¡¯ll dig out all your secrets in the next few days.¡±


    Charles nced over and snorted coldly.


    Maverick grabbed his hair again as he warned threateningly in a low voice, ¡°When Gwendolynes


    in, you should know what not to say. If you dare to reveal even a single word, I¡¯ll make your life a living


    hell!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shalders! You¡¯re here!¡±


    Just then, Nico¡¯s voice rang out from outside, neither too loud nor too soft.


    Maverick hid the mask and turned around to greet Gwendolyn.


    The door opened, and he found himself gazing directly into Gwendolyn¡¯s beautiful eyes.


    Thinking about some of the words Charles had just said, he lowered his eyes, and for once, he did not


    take the initiative to speak enthusiastically.


    Gwendolyn did not notice and simply asked, ¡°How did it go? Did he say anything important?¡±


    Maverick shook his head. ¡°No, he wouldn¡¯t speak.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to have a chat with him alone.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°Make sure it¡¯s private, and no one is allowed to eavesdrop, including you,¡± Gwendolyn emphasized.


    He hesitated slightly, and his voice dropped a notch. ¡°All right.¡±


    After Gwendolyn entered, Maverick helped her close the door, shooing Nico and the others far away.


    He then went to wait under a tree nearby.


    Inside the cabin, Charles saw her enter, and the corner of his lips curled upward slightly.


    ¡°Gwen, I never expected tonight to be a treacherous banquet. Has all the love you¡¯ve shown me


    recently been nothing but an act?¡±

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193


    Chapter 193 Is There More To His Injury


    Gwendolyn did not hide her intentions. ¡°Yes, if I didn¡¯t do it this way, how could I have caught you?¡±


    Charlesughed with a hint of mncholy at the edge of his lips.


    ¡°When did you start being cautious of me?¡±


    ¡°From the moment you pulled out the revolver and asked me to choose between shooting Maverick


    and Natasha, I knew something was off with you.¡±


    Does she actually start suspecting me since that time?


    Charles looked at her, somewhat in disbelief.


    She showed no emotion as she continued, ¡°It wasn¡¯t until thest time you were about to leave Faike


    that I identally saw the person in ck in the Realm Bar corridor. Coupled with the acid attack that


    day, I began to suspect that you had some connection with the person who harmed me from the Harris


    family.¡±


    Charles gave a wry smile and responded, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    ¡°Charles, you truly are the only person I¡¯ve admired since childhood, but why do you want to hurt me


    too?¡±


    He shook his head, still denying it. ¡°I didn¡¯t. When the Harris family announced your death, you had no


    idea how heartbroken I was. It was only half a month ago that I found out you were still alive. Only by


    pretending to cooperate could Ie to Faike to see you. If you still love me, I¡¯ll fight against them


    for you till the end, but¡­ there¡¯s an annoying dog by your side now! That day at the bar, I was standing


    on the second floor. I didn¡¯t intend to take action until Maverick came in. I knew he would protect you,


    so that¡¯s when I took action. It wasn¡¯t about targeting you; how could I ever bear to see you hurt?¡±


    He spoke without pause, with his eyes gazing deeply and affectionately at Gwendolyn. Despite the


    bruises on his face, they could not conceal his stunningly handsome features.


    However, Gwendolyn had no time to appreciate his handsomeness, so she scoffed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it ridiculous to say that? If he hadn¡¯t shielded me, I would be the one injured right now.


    How can you say it wasn¡¯t aimed at me?¡±


    Her gaze grew colder and colder, not wanting to waste time spouting nonsense. ¡°Stop hiding it. I just


    want to know who from the Harris family is responsible for harming me. As long as you tell me, I won¡¯t


    make things difficult for you.¡±


    Charles lowered his gaze, a touch of sadness gracing the corner of his lips.


    ¡°You might let me go, but he won¡¯t.¡±


    He?


    Gwendolyn frowned. ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    Charles looked up at her with sorrow in his eyes and said, ¡°Gwen, your little pet is not a good person.


    He has been deceiving you with his acting skills all along. He has more secrets than I do. You must not


    fall for his tricks!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always known he has secrets. I just never bothered to dig deeper,¡± Gwendolyn responded


    nonchntly.


    Anyway, she only had a one-year agreement with Maverick. After that, they would have nothing to do


    with each other, and she was not very interested in his secrets.


    Charlesughed in surprise. ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t really care about him either! That¡¯s great. Gwen,


    you should thank me, after all, for I helped you to get rid of this clingy guy.¡±


    Seeing her frown, Charles feigned surprise with his deep blue eyes.


    ¡°Gwen, don¡¯t you know? Well, he¡¯s really not being honest. Gwen, you should go back and check his


    injuries yourself; then, you¡¯ll know how much he¡¯s hiding from you.¡±


    Check his injuries?


    Gwen furrowed her brows. Weren¡¯t his injuries just ordinary skin wounds caused by sulfuric acid?


    She found it strange, but Charles still had a faint smile on his face.


    Upon closer inspection, that smile seemed a bit mischievous, and it did not seem like he was lying.


    Instead, it seemed that he knew some inside information.


    ¡°Make yourself clear.¡±


    Charles shook his head and just smiled.


    Gwendolyn was a bit annoyed, but she could not bring herself to take action against him.


    After all, he was the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, holding a high position in the Chanaea


    military. Without a legitimate reason to act against him, she could not risk causing trouble for herself


    and Asher.


    She withdrew her gaze and turned to leave the cabin.


    As soon as the door closed, Maverick walked over.


    ¡°How was it? Did he say anything?¡±


    Gwendolyn looked down and shook her head gently. ¡°Forget it. We¡¯ve already confirmed that he


    conspired with others to harm me. We¡¯ll find other ways to investigate the rest. Tell Nico and the others


    to destroy the evidence and not leave any traces. Send him back quietly tomorrow.¡±


    Maverick did not agree.


    She could take her time to investigate, but he could not; his time was running out.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, if you trust me, leave this matter to me. Within two days, I¡¯ll make him confess the truth.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who he is? How dare you mess with him?¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at him intently. ¡°The bruises on his face are from you, aren¡¯t they? Do you really


    want to continue torturing him in private? The Central Intelligence Agency and the Newton family


    behind him won¡¯t let you off easily.¡±


    He smiled with pursed lips, not taking it seriously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle it properly.¡±


    As their gazes met, an unspoken connection formed between them.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s heart skipped a beat. His words sounded casual, yet they carried an inexplicable sense of


    trustworthiness.


    ¡°All right, you may give it a try.¡±


    Thinking about Charles¡¯st few words before leaving, she withdrew her gaze, and her expression


    gradually became serious. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the vi.¡±


    ¡°You may head back first. I¡¯ll take care of things here before returning.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face showed an undeniable seriousness. ¡°No, you¡¯re going back with me.¡±


    Uh¡­


    Maverickpromised. ¡°Can you give me two minutes, then? I need to discuss the arrangements with


    Nico briefly.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    She agreed! She finally decided to wait for me once!


    Maverick felt a wave of inexplicable joy bubbling from within.


    He took off his zer and draped it over Gwendolyn¡¯s shoulders, wrapping her petite frame snugly. ¡°It¡¯s


    late, and it¡¯s cold outside. You should head back to the car first; I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not refuse. She nodded as she walked away.


    After she was at a distance, Maverick called Nico over. His face returned to its usual stern expression.


    ¡°Within two days, pry out the things Charles is hiding. The process and methods don¡¯t matter; even if


    he¡¯s disabled, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll exin it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I only care about the results.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Boss.¡±


    Maverick looked back at the cabin, his gaze darkened. ¡°After this is over, reward him with a bottle of


    sulfuric acid on his back.¡±


    Nico responded, ¡°Isn¡¯t sulfuric acid too easy for him? He sshed the S404 RNA Virus on you, Boss!¡±


    ¡°So what? Do you want to ssh S404 back at him? There are only about ten bottles, and he doesn¡¯t


    deserve such a precious thing. I¡¯ll contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation to get him removed from


    his director position. We can slowly torture him in prisonter on.¡±


    After giving it some thought, Nico also felt that it made a lot of sense.


    ¡°All right, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave this to you. I¡¯m going back now.¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Nico was just about to agree when he saw that Maverick had already left, leaving only a gust of wind


    behind. Thetter had started jogging toward the side of the road.


    Nico clicked his tongue twice.


    Indeed, love makes people foolish.


    How is it that the man who was once so bloodthirsty and cold-hearted now looks somewhat adorable


    as he jogs back?


    Gwendolyn sat in the back seat of the car, still pondering Charles¡¯ words.


    The corner of her eyes caught a glimpse of someone jogging toward her. The man quickly opened the


    car door and slid in, discreetly rubbing both of his arms with his palms.


    Gwendolyn noticed his subtle movements and saw that he was only wearing a thin silk shirt. She then


    remembered that she was wearing his zer.


    ¡°Are you cold?¡±


    Maverick shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Why are you running so fast, then?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep you waiting too long.¡±


    Gwendolyn suddenly fell silent. Is he still trying to deceive me with sweet words?


    As soon as he entered the car, she could feel the chill emanating from his body. His lips were turning a


    pale shade of purple from the cold, yet he stubbornly refused to admit it.


    She took off the zer and impatiently tossed it to him. ¡°Take it. I¡¯m feeling too warm.¡±


    Winter was just around the corner, and indeed, the temperature difference was quite significant at


    night.


    Gwendolyn asked Justin, who was driving, to turn on the heater in the car.


    With that, the car drove all the way back to Bay Vi.


    She changed into her slippers and headed upstairs. Without even looking back, she said, ¡°Follow me


    up.¡±


    Maverick did not hesitate and followed her up to the third floor.


    Upon entering the room, Gwendolyn first turned on the heater before sitting on the edge of the bed.


    With a nonchnt tone, shemanded, ¡°Undress yourself. Take off all your clothes.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s ears turned slightly red in an instant.


    What is she up to?

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194


    Chapter 194 More Important Than Pride


    Suddenly, that statement turned the atmosphere in the room to be quite suggestive.


    Seeing Maverick standing there dumbfounded and not even moving his finger for quite a while,


    Gwendolyn furrowed her eyebrows slightly, and her expression became solemn. ¡°Hurry up; I want to


    see the injury.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s enthusiasm deted in an instant.


    Oh, she just wants to see the injury; I have overthought it.


    Wait a minute¡­


    She wants to check my injury?


    Why is she suddenly doubting my injury? Did Charles say something to her?


    ¡°My injury is fine. I¡¯ve been applying medicine for the past couple of days, and it¡¯s almost healed.¡±


    Gwendolyn gave him a cold nce and said, ¡°Take it off!¡±


    Maverick did not move a muscle and replied, ¡°I¡¯m wearing a bandage, so even if I take it off, you won¡¯t


    be able to see anything.¡±


    ¡°I can remove it. Worst case, we¡¯ll just reapply the medicer.¡±


    Her tone was very firm.


    She seems determined.


    Maverick did not speak or move, pondering how to get away with the situation.


    Gwendolyn saw right through his thoughts with just one nce.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me tonight. You must take your clothes off!¡±


    ¡°Gwendolyn, I appreciate your concern for my injury, and it warms my heart. However, it¡¯s gettingte


    tonight, so let¡¯s get some rest and check on it tomorrow.¡±


    Gwendolyn gritted her teeth.


    She suppressed the urge in her heart to tie the man up and strip him off forcibly.


    Patiently, she stated, ¡°You are the one who said earlier that you would unconditionally obey any


    command of mine. Was that just empty talk?¡±


    Upon being confronted with the promise he made, Maverick was rendered speechless.


    Being left with no choice, he stretched his hand toward the gold buttons on the suit. His slender


    fingertips gently circled around each button, unfastening them one by one in an extremely slow motion.


    Gwendolyn did not rush him either. She gently rubbed between her brows and waited quietly. After all,


    there were not many pieces of clothes for him to take off, so it would not take long.


    Maverick took off his suit, gently cing it on her dressing table.


    After hesitating for a few seconds, he continued to take off his shirt.


    After unbuttoning the two buttons of his shirt, he asked softly, ¡°Should I¡­ take off my pants?¡±


    Gwendolyn gritted her teeth and said, ¡°I want to see your wound! Why would you take off your pants?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just mention stripping¡­ naked?¡± He lowered his head, only daring to voice his usation


    softly.


    However, because the room was so quiet, Gwendolyn could hear every single word clearly.


    ¡°Maverick! If you keep babbling on, I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t even have your underwear left. You¡¯ll be


    running naked around the vi for fiftyps!¡±


    Oh my goodness¡­


    She is ruthless!


    If I really run naked, my dignity and reputation will be gone at once!


    Gwendolyn could see that he was clearly intimidated, so she continued with a wicked grin, ¡°Or maybe


    I¡¯ll have Elven and the others find a rope to tie you up and hang you from that tree outside the garden,


    naked as a specimen for the whole night. Which one would you like to try?¡±


    I don¡¯t want to try either one!


    It¡¯s absolutely impossible!


    Maverick¡¯s lips were pressed tightly together. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed slightly. He did not utter a


    single sound anymore as he silently undressed himself.


    As he was just about to unfasten thest button, he was still unwilling to give up. When he tried to open


    his mouth to give an excuse, a fierce re from Gwendolyn shot over as a warning.


    Running naked out there is simply impossible!


    It¡¯s even more impossible to be hung up at the tree!


    But I also don¡¯t want to take off my clothes to show her the wound¡­


    He lowered his gaze, still pondering a way to bluff his way through.


    Under Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze, he slowly removed his silk shirt, revealing his perfectly sculpted eight-pack


    abs. The bandage wrapped around his midsection slightly marred the aesthetic, but his healthy tanned


    complexion was still incredibly pleasing to the eye.


    Nheless, Gwendolyn was not in the mood to admire it at that moment. As soon as Maverick


    finished undressing, she got up and walked toward him. ¡°Turn around.¡±


    Maverick obediently turned around.


    Gwendolyn got straight to work, forcefully tearing off his bandages with brute strength.


    As it was wrapped more than a dozen times, she had to carefully unwrap ityer byyer. Her


    movements were swift, and her strength was strong.


    As thest fewyers were unwrapped, the bloodstains on the bandages became clearly visible.


    Maverick let out a soft hiss.


    After Gwendolyn heard that, her movements became much gentler.


    After removing the bloodstained bandage, the palm-sized burn on his back was fully exposed to


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s brow furrowed deeply as she observed it intently.


    It had been four days, yet his wound still looked rmingly fresh, with his flesh covered in blood. It was


    a horrifying sight.


    Her trembling fingertips reached out toward his back but stopped just before touching him.


    ¡°Your wound is actually still bleeding, and it looks quite severe. Howe it doesn¡¯t seem like an injury


    caused by sulfuric acid?¡±


    The injury was quite severe, and Gwendolyn did not dare to touch it. She reluctantly withdrew her


    hand. Her expression was solemn.


    Maverick sighed inwardly.


    Sure enough, she could easily tell something was wrong just by taking a nce at it.


    ¡°Of course, it is. It¡¯s just sulfuric acid. Where¡¯s the bleeding? I clearly didn¡¯t see any blood when I


    applied the medicine during the day.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not believe it at all. ¡°Tell me the truth. Do you actually know what happened to the injury


    on your back?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s the sulfuric acid.¡±


    His expression was natural. It was as if he was lost in thought for a moment when he suddenly said in


    an enlightening tone, ¡°I remember now. That night, I hid in the trunk of the car, and it seemed like I


    identally hit my back when I was fighting with Charlester on. That was probably why I bled.¡±


    Is that really so?


    Why would Charles say those words to remind me, then?


    So, is it Charles who¡¯s lying, or is he the one lying?


    ¡°Could it really be such a coincidence? Your old injury on your back was hurt tonight? Don¡¯t you think


    this reason seems a bit contrived?¡±


    ¡°Is it? Coincidence happens sometimes in this world.¡±


    Maverick spoke gently. ¡°This wound may look frightening, but it¡¯s not serious. Look at me now. Do I


    look like I¡¯m not feeling well?¡±


    Gwendolyn simply did not believe a word he said.


    She had eyes, so she could see for herself whether it was serious or not.


    ¡°Turn around and look at me.¡±


    Maverick obediently turned around, lowering his gaze to meet hers.


    He was so tall at a hundred and eighty-eight centimeters. When Gwendolyn tried to make eye contact


    with him at close range, she had to crane her neck to look up at him, which was a bit tiring for her neck


    because she was only one hundred and sixty-eight centimeters tall.


    ¡°Kneel.¡±


    Thest time she uttered that, Maverick felt an inner resistance, even a sense of humiliation.


    However, he did not hesitate this time. He slowly bent his knee while keeping his back straight.


    In the face of the important matter of pursuing my wife, what does pride even matter?


    Gwendolyn swiftly extended her hand, lifting his chin and gazing down at him from a superior position.


    ¡°Maverick, do you really think I won¡¯t find out if you don¡¯t tell me? Mr. Kieran is also my friend. If I ask


    him toe over and take a look himself, you won¡¯t be able to hide it anymore. At that point, you¡¯ll


    completely lose my trust. Think it through.¡±


    Her gaze was cold and sharp. ¡°Do you want to confess or wait for me to find out?¡±


    Maverick¡¯s dark eyes flickered.


    After struggling internally for a while, he finally said, ¡°It¡¯s not sulfuric acid, but S40 strong corrosive


    potion.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a liquid with simr properties to sulfuric acid but with stronger corrosiveness. If ites into


    contact with the skin, the burns can be quite severe, and ordinary ointments won¡¯t be effective. The


    healing process will also take a longer time, and the scars won¡¯t easily fade. However, it doesn¡¯t cause


    any harm to the body¡¯s internal organs.¡±


    ¡°Who told you this?¡±


    Maverick blinked his dark eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it either until Charles told mest night. He said he stole


    the drug from a warboratory.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Maverick nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gwendolyn had never heard of that kind of thing before, but his exnation seemed quite simr to the


    condition of his injury.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    But¡­ is it really just a superficial wound?


    She stared at Maverick for a moment.


    It seems like I won¡¯t be able to get any more information tonight. Since it¡¯s rted to the warboratory,


    I¡¯ll ask Asher tomorrow; he should know.


    She sat back down by the bed, clearly annoyed.


    ¡°You really can¡¯t be honest, can you? Just because of this injury tonight, you¡¯ve told several lies. Can


    you even keep track of them all?¡±


    Maverick saw that she seemed to believe him and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Are you angry?¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent, turning her face away. Her entire body exuded an extreme coldness.


    It seemed that she was seriously angry as she did not even bother to respond to him.


    He did not stand up. Instead, he crawled on his knees to her feet. Carefully, he took her small hand in


    his and gently pressed it against his abdomen.


    With a gentle and soothing tone, he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s just a superficial wound. I know you don¡¯t like


    owing anyone favors, so I didn¡¯t want you to feel guilty. I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you. Please don¡¯t


    be mad. How about I let you pinch my abs?¡±


    ¡°Who cares about your abs?¡±


    Gwendolyn withdrew her hand angrily and red at him with annoyance.


    ¡°How about¡­ you take that belt and give me a good whipping, so you can let off some anger?¡±

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195


    Chapter 195 She Will Not Walk The Same Path Again


    Maverick gazed up at her, a ttering smile ying at his thin lips.


    Gwendolyn cast a deep, meaningful nce at the man.


    Indeed, he was due to be taught a lesson that night, and Gwendolyn¡¯s anger simply would not subside


    until the man was crying and pleading for mercy.


    She extended her hand toward him. ¡°Belt.¡±


    Without hesitation, Maverick swiftly unfasted the metal buckle and obediently handed the belt to her.


    Then, he turned around and faced away from the woman.


    Gwendolyn felt a shiver course through her entire being. She folded the belt in half, her eyes glinting


    with resolution and intensity. Lifting the belt high into the air, she readied herself to strike the wounded


    back before her.


    However, before she could swing the belt in her hand, her gaze involuntarilynded on the palm-sized


    burn on the man¡¯s back.


    The vividly crimson flesh and the gruesome wound provoked unease. It was so strikingly conspicuous


    that it was hard to ignore.


    Besides, he¡¯d sustained the injury by shielding her. Otherwise, it would be her face that was bearing


    such agony.


    As Gwendolyn pondered on this, she experienced a surge of conflicting emotions. It felt as though an


    unseen force held her wrist, preventing her from lowering it no matter what.


    She released a silent sigh and seemed to have deted all of a sudden, for she realized, much to her


    vexation, that she actually started to feel sorry for him.


    This feeling made Gwendolyn very unhappy.


    The three years she had spent in the Wright residence were akin to enduring a living hell, devoid of any


    semnce of warmth. Following the divorce, she had observed some changes in Maverick and his


    growing sincerity. It would be disingenuous if she said she remained unmoved.


    Nevertheless, Gwendolyn refused to tread upon that familiar path again.


    No matter how much she attempted to sever the ties between him and herself, in the end, she would


    be the one to wind up hurt.


    At that thought, she tightened her grip on the belt, trembling as though she had made a momentous


    decision.


    Maverick remained motionless, not uttering a single word nor furrowing his brows.


    Besides the involuntary tensing of his muscles throughout his body, it seemed as if he was impervious


    to pain.


    Gwendolyn examined the red mark she had inflicted, her gaze unconsciously shifting to the center of


    his back, where the bloody, blurred wound pained her eyes.


    Suddenly, her heart was thrown into turmoil, and despite everything, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to follow


    through.


    ¡°Put on your clothes and get out!¡± She gave the man a ferocious kick on his shoulders and threw the


    leather belt back at him. ¡°Hurry up and get lost. I¡¯m exhausted, so we¡¯ll settle this tomorrow.¡±


    After uttering those words, Gwendolyn lifted the quilt and, with her back turned to Maverick, nestled


    herself within it.


    Caught off guard, Maverick staggered slightly from the unexpected kick.


    He leisurely fastened his belt, then rose to retrieve the shirt and suit from the dressing table.


    Since the bandage had been removed, he refrained from wearing the clothes directly to avoid soiling


    them. Instead, he simply held them in his hand.


    As he turned his head, he beheld Gwendolyn lying on her side on the bed, her back facing him. She


    hadn¡¯t even changed her attire; how could she possibly appear as though she was ready to sleep?


    ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯re still wearing your coat. It won¡¯t befortable to sleep like this.¡±


    Gwendolyn secretly clenched her teeth and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t care. Just go away!¡±


    Maverick remained stationary at the foot of her bed, his gaze fixed on her the entire time.


    Gwendolyn could sense it, a surge of anger rushing to her head. Suddenly, she sat up abruptly, her


    face inted with irritation. Seizing the pillow next to her, she hurled it at Maverick.


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    Maverick caught it steadily and ced it on the dressing table for her.


    She then grabbed another pillow and threw it.


    Maverick caught it once again, and a gentle smile hung on his lips.


    Gwendolyn was truly furious,unching everything within reach from the bedside table¡ªtissue boxes,


    ornaments, books, and more¡ªdirectly at him.


    Remarkably, the man caught each item effortlessly, never missing a beat. He then helped her ce


    them on the dressing table.


    The faint smile on his face brimmed with tenderness.


    However, in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes, it felt like a challenge.


    She was so enraged that she felt as if she could burst at any moment. She searched on the bedside


    table for a while but found nothing. When she looked down, she realized that she had already thrown


    everything away, except for the tablemp.


    And so, she extended her hand of guilt toward the tablemp. Themp was still plugged in, yet


    instead of disconnecting the power first, she forcefully attempted to yank it out.


    Witnessing her actions, Maverick swiftly raised both hands in surrender, saying, ¡°Stop! I was wrong. I¡¯ll


    leave immediately.¡±


    Gwendolyn red at him fiercely until he closed the door and vanished from her sight. Only then did


    she ce the tablemp back in its original position.


    As she gazed at the assortment of items on the bedside table, she quietly got out of bed, retrieved her


    pillow, and took several deep breaths to calm herself before heading to the bathroom to freshen up.


    Before long, the next morning dawned.


    During breakfast, Gwendolyn remained silent, not uttering a single word. Regardless of what Maverick


    said, shepletely disregarded him.


    She then headed to Angle right after finishing her breakfast in silence.


    She had already handed Charles over to Maverick, so all she had to do was await the oue.


    Upon arriving at the office, Gwendolyn first made a phone call to her eldest brother, Asher.


    She repeated the name of the potion that Maverick mentionedst night to Asher.


    Asher¡¯s response was essentially the same as Maverick¡¯s.


    Gwendolyn got in contact with someone from Shadow Bell once again and searched for images of skin


    damage caused by the potent S40 strong corrosive potion. Since it was aboratory chemical, it


    couldn¡¯t be found through regr searches.


    Ten minutester, Shadow Bell sent the picture to her on WhatsApp.


    She carefully examined it and indeed, the wound bore a striking resemnce to the one on Maverick¡¯s


    back.


    Could it be that he¡¯s telling the truth this time? But if it wasn¡¯t life-threatening, why would Charles im


    that he helped me deal with Maverick?


    Gwendolyn always had a nagging feeling that she had missed some crucial detail, but she couldn¡¯t


    quite put her finger on it.


    She summoned Elven and instructed him, ¡°During this period, I want you to secretly follow Maverick,


    and report to me his every move after he leaves the vi. Also, without revealing your presence, listen


    to his conversations.¡±


    Although Elven couldn¡¯tprehend the reason behind her request, he nodded in agreement.


    After Gwendolyn departed, Maverick washed the dishes and tidied up the vi. Subsequently, he


    ventured to the suburbs to check on Charles.


    Nico spotted his arrival and hastened over with a servile grin on his face.


    ¡°Good morning, Boss.¡±


    Maverick nced at him and asked, ¡°How is it going?¡±


    Nico shook his head. ¡°He refuses to divulge anything. After all, he climbed his way up to be the


    director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He¡¯s truly a tough nut to crack.¡±


    Maverick cast a cold and ruthless gaze in the direction of the cabin.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No matter how unyielding the obstacle, you must shatter it. By tomorrow at thetest, you must extract


    something from his mouth.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Nico respectfully responded, then leaned closer to Maverick¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Boss,


    your suspicions about Justin were correct. Yesterday, he drove to the suburbs of town and disappeared


    for over ten minutes after getting out of the car and running away. It wasn¡¯t until Ms. Shalders arrived in


    her car that he calmly returned.¡±


    Maverick furrowed his brow and asked, ¡°Do you know where he went?¡±


    Nico shook his head and replied, ¡°This kid is quite cunning. Our people couldn¡¯t keep up with him.¡±


    Maverick pressed his lips together, appearing deep in thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Very well. You


    take care of things here. I¡¯m heading back to Bay Vi.¡±


    Upon arriving at the vi, instead of going straight upstairs, Maverick went to the backyard.


    That day, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t take Justin to the office and left him at the vi. As Maverick returned,


    Justin had juste down from the hidden lookout post to use the restroom and was washing his


    hands.


    When he saw Maverick approaching, he smiled and greeted the man, ¡°Mr. Wright, what a coincidence!¡±


    Maverick¡¯s expression turned ice-cold in that instant. ¡°It¡¯s not a coincidence at all. I¡¯m looking for you.¡±


    Justin gazed into the man¡¯s eyes, his own expression gradually growing serious as well.

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196


    Chapter 196 Three Days Of Detainment And Thirty Lashes


    The two of them, one leading and the other following, arrived at a secluded corner near the vi¡¯s back


    door.


    ¡°Why do you have such a solemn expression on, Mr. Wright? What do you want to talk about?¡± asked


    Justin.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for pretense in front of me. I know you have ulterior motives for being by Gwendolyn¡¯s


    side.¡±


    Instantly, a wicked grin spread across Justin¡¯s face.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve realized it, my apologies!¡±


    He covertly reached for a small knife at his waist, swiftly aiming to stab Maverick¡¯s throat.


    Maverick skillfully took a half-step back.


    Within three swift moves, he had Justin subdued.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Justin¡¯s hands were forcefully restrained behind his back, causing him to fear that his arms would be


    dislocated. The pain was so excruciating that hisplexion grew pale.


    ¡°Just kill me. I won¡¯t be able to fulfill the assigned mission anyway. Sooner orter, I will meet my


    demise,¡± he uttered.


    Maverick chuckled softly and released him, saying, ¡°Why would I want to kill you? I am here simply to


    have a conversation with you. I have no interest in you or your life.¡±


    Justin couldn¡¯t understand the man¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you truly love Ms. Shalders? I was sent here to harm her. Now that you have exposed my true


    identity, why aren¡¯t you making a move?¡± he asked in puzzlement.


    Maverick gazed at the man with deep, intense eyes and remarked, ¡°You have feelings for her, don¡¯t


    you?¡±


    Instantly, Justin¡¯s face flushed crimson.


    ¡°N-No¡­ How could I!¡±


    Maverick had always been astute in discerning a man¡¯s intentions.


    Ever since he realized his love for Gwendolyn, he discovered a newfound ability to perceive, from a


    man¡¯s gaze, whether or not they harbored feelings for her.


    ¡°You must have feelings for her. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have concealed your intentions for such a


    long time without taking action. There¡¯s no need to hide it any longer. Tell me your n, and perhaps I


    can assist you in resolving the matter,¡± Maverick proposed.


    Justin locked gazes with Maverick, finding himself strangely drawn to the man¡¯s aura.


    He recognized that Maverick was no ordinary individual, and it appeared that discussing a solution with


    him was the only viable course of action.


    There was nothing Justin could do but take the leap of faith and trust Maverick this once.


    At that, Justin began to say, ¡°Three dayster in the evening, they want me to lure Ms. Shalders to an


    abandoned warehouse in the eastern suburbs. This time, they have arranged numerous ambushes,


    and the mysterious man in ck whom Ms. Shalders has been investigating will also make an


    appearance. If Ms. Shalders goes, I¡¯m afraid the odds will be against her.¡±


    He then let out a sigh and continued, ¡°Ms. Shalders is the only one who genuinely cares for me, and I


    cannot bear to cause her harm. However, if she doesn¡¯t perish, I will. I am under constant surveince


    and cannot escape. Do you have a n, Mr. Wright?¡±


    Maverick contemted for a moment, his dark eyesposed and unwavering.


    He narrowed his gaze and spoke, ¡°Inform them that you will handle it. I will keep this matter


    undisclosed to Gwendolyn, and you need not disclose it to her either.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Justin was taken aback. ¡°So, three dayster¡­¡±


    Maverick¡¯s serene eyes gleamed. ¡°I shall undertake this task.¡±


    In the afternoon, Maverick refrained from venturing outside.


    Instead, he diligently cleaned the entire vi, ensuring that every chore was meticulouslypleted.


    As the time approached for Gwendolyn to finish her work, he made his way to the kitchen and


    commenced the preparation of their dinner.


    These remaining days by her side were dwindling, and he yearned to present her with an assortment of


    delectable dishes each day.


    Even if she wouldn¡¯t miss his presence, perhaps her stomach would retain memories of him.


    With this thought in mind, a faint smile graced his lips.


    Suddenly, his phone rang, indicating an iing message.


    ncing at it, he discovered a text from Nico, containing only an exmation mark.


    Maverick¡¯s smile suddenly froze, and his countenance involuntarily turned grave.


    It was a covert signal, indicating an urgent matter at hand.


    Maverick nced at his wristwatch. There were still forty minutes before Gwendolyn finished work, so


    he quietly drove to the suburbs, where Charles was being held.


    Nico paced anxiously along the roadside, anticipating his arrival.


    Upon spotting Maverick¡¯s approaching vehicle, Nico hastened and took the passenger seat.


    In a hushed tone, he whispered into Maverick¡¯s ear, ¡°Boss, someone from Salinsburgh has arrived!¡±


    Maverick¡¯s brow furrowed.


    Why did this have to happen precisely at this moment!


    His visage retained its solemnity as he ignited the car¡¯s engine and directed it toward the designated


    meeting spot mentioned by Nico.


    They continued to advance toward the deste construction site. Maverick was leading the way with


    Nico closely following behind, both proceeding in silence. They entered the most secluded and


    dpidated house inside.


    Upon Maverick¡¯s entry, Gwendolyn received a call from Elven.


    Elven meticulously recounted the man¡¯s peculiar whereabouts, sparing no details.


    Gwendolyn inquired suspiciously, ¡°Where did he go? Did you see anyone else inside? What were they


    discussing?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get close enough to see. There are guards stationed within a fifty-meter radius of the hidden


    areas in the construction site, and their numbers are quite significant. I couldn¡¯t approach unnoticed,¡±


    Elven responded.


    Gwendolyn fell into a brief silence.


    Why did Maverick go to the construction site all of a sudden, and who is he meeting?


    The presence of guards only confirmed the gravity of his secret.


    ¡°All right, I understand. I¡¯ll go over and take a look shortly.¡±


    Meanwhile, Maverick and Nico ventured into the dpidated house.


    Three men were already present in the room.


    The leader, a man in his forties, noticed Maverick¡¯s arrival. His face lit up with a smile, and he


    respectfully nodded toward thetter.


    ¡°Greetings, Mr. Wright.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s countenance exuded an aura of chilling intensity as he questioned, ¡°What¡¯s the matter,


    Logan?¡±


    The man, Logan Larouche, put on a solemn expression as he earnestly exined, ¡°There¡¯s turmoil in


    the family. We need your immediate presence to take control of the situation.¡±


    Immediately? Why such haste?


    Without hesitation, Maverick responded, ¡°No, I can¡¯te with you. I have personal matters to attend


    to in Faike. I¡¯ll return on my own in a few days.¡±


    Logan¡¯s visage grew grimmer by the second. ¡°Mr. Wright, this is an urgent recall order. You muste


    with me. Old Mr. Wright believes this is the prime opportunity for you to win people¡¯s favor and solidify


    your position of authority!¡±


    Maverick fell silent.


    He thought he could spend the remaining seven days by Gwendolyn¡¯s side, but it seemed even that


    was too much to ask for.


    He suppressed the frustration in his heart and recalled the n Justin had mentioned in the morning.


    ¡°Give me three more days. I have one final task toplete. After that, I will personally return to offer


    my apologies,¡± said Maverick.


    Wearing a grim expression on his visage, Logan persuaded, ¡°Mr. Wright, you are aware of how strict


    our household rules are. Defying the urgent recall order will result in severe punishment. Are you aware


    of the consequences you will face today?¡±


    Still, Maverick remained calm andposed. ¡°I understand. Three days of detainment and thirty


    lashes.¡±


    With ease, he loosened his tie with one hand, his well-defined fingers swiftly unbuttoning his clothes.


    He then removed his suit and shirt, handing them casually to Nico.


    ¡°Boss¡­¡±


    Nico caught the clothes firmly, his eyes filled with concern.


    What if he can¡¯t endure it and the suppressed virus inside his body rpses!


    Maverick remained indifferent. He turned away, kneeling on one knee with a proud and straight


    posture, his back muscles strong and defined. His voice carried a hint of defiance as he said, ¡°Go on.


    Strike me.¡±


    Logan sighed deeply, acknowledging, ¡°Old Mr. Wright truly understands you well. He knew that you


    would want to dy and not return immediately.¡±


    The bodyguard standing silently at the side stepped forward and presented a precious ck


    sandalwood box.


    Logan slowly opened the box, revealing the whip he had brought from the meeting room.


    The whip was long and dark, adorned with intertwining golden threads. Its surface was covered with


    small barbs, guaranteeing that each strike would draw blood, even without maximum force. It was a


    severe form of punishment.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, there is unrest within the family, and the situation is urgent. I must ask you once more, do


    you truly insist on staying for three more days?¡±


    Without a moment of hesitation, Maverick affirmed, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Very well, Mr. Wright. Do not me me for being firm. Rules must not be broken, and I¡­ am willing


    but bound by duty.¡±


    Maverick let out a soft, understanding hum.


    In truth, he harbored deep dissatisfaction with these regtions and vowed himself to drive change.


    After eradicating the stubborn elders in the family and establishing his absolute authority, the very first


    action he would undertake was to abolish the meeting room and discard all those antiquated, rigid


    rules.


    While he lost in his thoughts, a piercing gust of wind suddenly swept in from behind him.

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197


    Chapter 197 Spitting Blood And Ripped Skin


    Immediately after, the smooth skin on his broad back was brutally ripped apart by the barbs of the whip.


    Vivid hues of red formed across his back, and intense pain surged through.


    It was merely the first whip, and Maverick¡¯s forehead was beaded with cold sweat.


    He gritted his teeth, his muscles tensed. Despite that, he maintained an upright posture, stoically


    enduring the searing pain inplete silence.


    When Maverick was removing his clothes, Logan noticed the bandage in the middle of his back under


    his shirt and deliberately avoided hitting his wound.


    However, this left his back with lesser parts to take the punishment.


    As such, by the time the fifteenthsh struck, Maverick¡¯s entire bandaged upper back was covered in a


    web of bloody welts.


    The whip cut deep into the flesh, tearing the skin and revealing the raw muscle beneath. It was a


    horrifying sight to behold.


    Maverick¡¯s breathing grew heavier, and the veins on his forehead bulged.


    Even his eyshes were trembling uncontrobly. He tightly pursed his lips, determined not to let out a


    single sound of humiliation.


    Deep down, he couldn¡¯t help butugh self-deprecatingly.


    After leaving home for more than a decade, he had almost forgotten his true identity, thinking that he


    was just a pampered son of the Wright family who lived afortable and privileged life.


    Now, his pampered body had weakened considerably that it couldn¡¯t really endure the punishment


    anymore.


    Logan¡¯s hand, which was holding the whip, trembled too.


    Maverick¡¯s upper back was already covered in blood, and there wasn¡¯t a single spot left unharmed.


    If Logan were to whip again, thesh wouldnd right on the previous wounds. Yet the whip was so


    strong that if the same wound got struck twice, it would leave a cut deep into the bones. It would be too


    torturous.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Logan couldn¡¯t bear the thought and had to shift his focus to Maverick¡¯s waist.


    The whip swished through the air once more, and the sound of it shing through the wind echoed.


    Fiveshesnded squarely on Maverick¡¯s lower back in rapid session.


    Maverick¡¯s body trembled violently, and his back finally gave in and copsed. He quickly supported


    himself with one hand on the ground, avoiding the embarrassment of falling down.


    Just then, the sound of the whip behind him ceased.


    Suddenly, a sharp pain struck his chest and his blood surged. He spit out a mouthful of fresh blood


    onto the ground.


    ¡°Boss!¡±


    Nico was terrified at the scene, his eyes red.


    His heart trembled as he watched the twentyshesnd on Maverick¡¯s back. He had to resist the urge


    to rush forward and snatch the whip away several times.


    ¡°Stop it! Let¡¯s go back. We¡¯re leaving now.¡±


    ¡°Nico! You¡¯re just my subordinate under the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It¡¯s not your ce to


    speak here!¡± Maverick took a deep breath and gave him a fierce re.


    ¡°Boss! If you keep getting whipped like this, you will lose your life!¡± Nico was choked with emotions. He


    yelled, ¡°The S404 RNA virus within your body is merely suppressed, not eradicated! Persisting in such


    a manner and enduring these injuries will only weaken your immune system, allowing the virus to


    proliferate rapidly! You¡¯re courting death!¡±


    It was as though Maverick didn¡¯t hear Nico, he pinched his thigh hard and mustered all his strength to


    straighten his back once more, maintaining the most upright posture to take the punishment.


    Undoubtedly, it hurt terribly.


    However, Maverick couldn¡¯t leave without a word, especially with the threats still looming around


    Gwendolyn. He had to help her to get rid of the final trouble before he could walk away without any


    worries.


    Moreover, if he were to leave now, wouldn¡¯t the twenty whips he had endured earlier be in vain?


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±


    Nico¡¯s voice trembled as he called out, ¡°No! You can¡¯t take it anymore!¡±


    Maverick ignored himpletely. ¡°Logan, keep going!¡±


    Nico was infuriated. His eyes were bloodshot with anger, and he clenched his fist so hard that they


    turned pale. Yet, as an outsider, there was nothing Nico could do, and not to mention that Maverick was


    as stubborn as a mule.


    Logan remained still. From the conversation between the two, he could tell that Maverick seemed to be


    seriously injured this time.


    He nced at Maverick¡¯s back once again.


    If he were to whip again, thest tenshes could only be struck on the lower back.


    After pondering for a moment, he looked at the two bodyguards inside the room and said, ¡°There¡¯s no


    need for you to guard here. Go outside.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After the two guards left, Logan took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped off the bloodstains from


    the whip before swinging it again.


    The sharp sounds of ten consecutiveshes rang out.


    All of themnded on the empty ground beside Maverick.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, the thirtyshes have been executed. You may get up now.¡± While wiping the whip clean,


    Logan continued, ¡°Three days is the final deadline. You must return by then. Please keep that in mind.¡±


    Maverick stood up forcefully with Nico¡¯s support. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Logan bowed slightly to him without saying anything.


    Suddenly, one of the guards outside rushed in. ¡°Mr. Wright, a car has stopped at the construction site


    entrance, and a woman got out. Do you want us to¡­¡± He made a throat-slitting gesture.


    Woman?


    Maverick furrowed his brows. ¡°How did she look like?¡±


    ¡°Extremely beautiful.¡±


    That must be Gwendolyn. Why is she here all of a sudden?


    Maverick looked at Logan. ¡°Retreat now. She is someone important to me. Don¡¯t make a move, and


    don¡¯t let her notice anything.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Please take care of yourself these three days.¡±


    Gwendolyn entered the abandoned construction site in her high heels and observed her surroundings


    carefully.


    Elven had mentioned that there were numerous hidden sentries nearby, yet she hadn¡¯t noticed


    anything along her way.


    Had they already retreated?


    The construction site was vast. She quickened her pace and searched through every building.


    Finally, in a secluded dpidated house, she spotted that familiar tall figure.


    Nico had just finished helping Maverick to fasten thest gold button on his suit cor.


    Seeing that Gwendolyn had already entered, Nico realized he didn¡¯t have enough time to assist


    Maverick with his tie. He discreetly slipped the tie into his pocket and moved to the side, bowing his


    head in silence.


    Taking a deep breath, Maverick suppressed the intense pain in his back. He looked at Gwendolyn, his


    gaze gentle. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t answer his question. The crease between her brows deepened, and she wore a stern


    expression. ¡°Why was Nico helping you with your buttons when I came in? What were you doing?¡±


    A faint smirk yed at the corners of his pale lips. ¡°It¡¯s just that one button on my cor came undone


    identally. Nico saw it and helped me fasten it.¡±


    Gwendolyn nced at Nico. He hung his head low in silence, and she couldn¡¯t read his emotions.


    She approached Maverick and questioned him again, ¡°Then why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Nico received a message saying that someone from the Central Intelligence Agency was here, so I


    came over to check it out. But they¡¯ve already left by the time I arrived.¡±


    Gwendolyn shifted her gaze back to Nico. ¡°Was what he said true?¡±


    Nico paused for two seconds and replied without a hint of emotions, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s fingertips trembled slightly as he gently tugged at Gwendolyn¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Gwendolyn, it¡¯s cold


    outside. I want to go back to the vi.¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained unmoved by his yful actions with her eyebrows furrowed.


    Although Nico kept his head low to conceal his emotions, she still noticed a hint of redness in his eyes.


    Turning her gaze back to Maverick, she noticed his face and lips were pale. It struck her as odd,


    considering he had been in good health just a few days ago.


    ¡°You were fine this morning. Why do you suddenly look unwell now?¡±


    Maverick remainedposed. He used his fist to cover his mouth and coughed softly. ¡°I might¡¯ve


    caught a coldst night, but it¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯ll take a couple of pills when I get back, and I¡¯ll be fine


    then.¡±


    Just a cold?


    Gwendolyn¡¯s tightly furrowed brows didn¡¯t ease up after she listened to his exnation. Moreover, she


    smelled an odd scent in the air.


    It smelled like a scent of unfamiliar men¡¯s cologne mixed with a strong pungent smell of blood.


    ¡°This ce has been abandoned for so long, so why is there a scent of blood?¡±


    She walked past Maverick and looked around the room.


    Eventually, she spotted a palm-sized pool of deep red on the ground. It was not dried yet and seemed


    like fresh bloodstains.


    She slowly squatted down and reached her hand toward the pool of blood, but Maverick suddenly


    grabbed her wrist.

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198


    Chapter 198 The Last Loving Moment


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch. It¡¯s dirty.¡±


    Gwendolyn locked her eyes with Maverick, and her mind was clear. ¡°The blood is still fresh, which


    means that something just happened here. Didn¡¯t you see anything when you and Nico rushed over?¡±


    Maverick remained silent and nced at Nico.


    Nico caught the hint and exined, ¡°I was the first one to arrive here. When I came in, I happened to


    catch someone trying to escape through the window, so I injured him with a small knife. This should be


    the blood left by that person.¡±


    ¡°And where is that person? How could that person escape from someone with your skills?¡± Gwendolyn


    questioned.


    Nico was at a loss for words momentarily. He pretended to scratch his head in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry. It was my bad. He hadpanions, so I didn¡¯t go after him.¡±


    Fine.


    Since the person wasn¡¯t caught, there was not much for Gwendolyn to ask further.


    She nced at Maverick again. Other than his pale face and lips, he seemed fine. Could he really have


    caught a cold?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the vi.¡± Gwendolyn turned and walked toward the door.


    Maverick followed behind her.


    The wounds on his lower back would get torn with every step he took, causing him excruciating pain. It


    was so painful that he felt weak and weightless.


    Nico quickly stepped forward and supported him by holding his arm.


    Gwendolyn halted her steps and turned around when she heard themotion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Maverick breathed in and forced a smile. ¡°Nothing. He slipped.¡±


    Nico was speechless.


    How did I be the scapegoat for everything?


    He gave Gwendolyn a wry smile. ¡°Yes, I missed a step. But luckily, I reacted quickly and managed to


    grab Mr. Wright¡¯s arm in time to avoid falling!¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    It was a small incident that Gwendolyn didn¡¯t pay much attention to. She swiftly left the abandoned


    factory.


    Maverick had Nico drive away the car they came with, while he sat in Gwendolyn¡¯s car to head back


    together.


    On the way back, d in a suit, Maverick sat upright with his back not touching the seat of the car.


    Gwendolyn noticed his action. Recalling the burns on his back, she did not dwell on it further. ¡°How did


    it go with Charles today? Did you find out anything?¡±


    Maverick swallowed hard. It took him a couple of seconds before he replied, ¡°Nothing, but don¡¯t worry.


    Tomorrow, we will make him spill the beans.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Silence filled the remaining journey.


    Soon, they arrived at Bay Vi and entered the living room together.


    Gwendolyn was leisurely changing her shoes.


    Maverick had already changed and was about to head up the stairs while holding onto the handrail.


    He took a couple of steps but stopped and turned around before saying, ¡°Gwendolyn, are you hungry


    tonight? I feel a bit tired and want to take a quick nap before cooking.¡±


    Gwendolyn felt strange, but she didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°I¡¯m not very hungry. We can eatter.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll head up first.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent as her gaze followed his figure until he disappeared around the corner of


    the second floor.


    For some unknown reason, she had a peculiar feeling. She couldn¡¯t help but notice that on their way


    back. From the subtle expressions on his face, he seemed to be enduring pain. Has his back injury


    worsened?


    She followed him upstairs, and Maverick¡¯s door was not locked.


    She gently opened the door, just enough to see someone peacefully lying under the covers and fast-


    asleep.


    However, Gwendolyn noticed that he was sleeping face down, and he didn¡¯t even remove his suit


    jacket.


    She pushed the door open and walked to the edge of his bed. Gently, she reached out and touched his


    forehead.


    As her icy-cold hand made contact with his forehead, Maverick¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not


    running a fever, and I¡¯m just tired. I¡¯ll feel better after getting some sleep.¡±


    Indeed, he was only slightly warm, indicating no fever.


    Perhaps she was overthinking.


    ¡°Okay, you should get some rest then.¡± Gwendolyn withdrew her hand. Just when she was about to


    stand up and leave, a strong force suddenly pulled her back.


    Before she could react, she realized that someone had wrapped his arms around her waist. He even


    nestled his head in her embrace with his upper body sprawled across herp.


    She was initially taken aback, never expecting him to be so bold this time.


    ¡°Let go!¡±


    Not only did Maverick not loosen his grip, but he also grabbed her tighter around her waist and


    burrowed into her arms.


    ¡°Just let me hug you for a little while,¡± he pleaded.


    Gwendolyn froze for a moment before suddenly recalling her resolution fromst night to make things


    clear with him. Her expression turned icy cold in an instant.


    She reached out and forcefully tried to pry his arm away. ¡°Let go! Have you forgotten your ce here?


    In this vi, I¡¯m the one calling the shots, and you should listen to me!¡±


    Maverick didn¡¯t have much strength left. Just as Gwendolyn was about to forcibly remove his arms from


    her waist, he pleaded softly, ¡°Please, just let me hold you for a little while. Just this once¡­¡± For onest


    time.


    Even if he managed to survive the ambush in the forest of the eastern suburbs three dayster and


    sessfully returned to Salinsburgh to resolve the turmoil within the family, his chances of survival


    remained slim.


    In his final moments, he wanted to remember her scent and the tenderness of her embrace.


    Gwendolyn steeled her heart and continued to pry his hand off. ¡°Let go. I need to go to the study to


    work!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Please¡­¡±


    His voice was barely audible and filled with sorrow.


    Gwendolyn suddenly froze. He was actually begging me?


    Lately, he had been a sweet talker, more submissive, and pretended to be vulnerable. But she knew


    that deep down, he had always been prideful.


    This was the first time he had begged her for something.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t say anything more. She merely stood still and allowed Maverick to hold her.


    The room fell into a deep silence.


    Everything seemed peaceful as time stood still.


    Maverick¡¯s brow furrowed tighter and tighter.


    With every breath he took, his entire body throbbed in pain.


    As he had yet to apply medicines, the pain continued to intensify and grew more unbearable.


    Yet, the sweet scent emanating from Gwendolyn¡¯s body was as sweet as honey, making him reluctant


    to let go.


    His upper body rested on Gwendolyn¡¯sp, and she could sense his heavy breathing.


    Something doesn¡¯t feel right.


    ¡°It has been five days since you burnt your back. The wound shouldn¡¯t be hurting as much as before,


    right? Why do you seem so ufortable?¡±


    Maverick remained silent.


    Doubts filled Gwendolyn¡¯s mind as she reached out to touch the cor of Maverick¡¯s shirt, only to have


    her wrist grabbed by Maverick once again.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, especially since I¡¯ve already applied medicine. If you remove the bandages, I¡¯ll have to


    reapply the medicine.¡±


    He had a point, but still¡­


    ¡°But why do you look like you¡¯re in so much pain? Did you get hurt while you were out today?¡±


    Her question was met with a prolonged silence.


    Gwendolyn ruffled his short hair agitatedly and chided him in a soft voice, ¡°Who taught you to disregard


    your master¡¯s questions? Did someone from the Central Intelligence Agency harm you today? Get up


    and take off your clothes. Let me have a look.¡±


    Another round of undressing?


    Maverick sighed in resignation. Just when he was about to respond, Elven knocked on the door.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, the Newton family¡¯s bodyguard has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Why would the Newton family¡¯s bodyguarde here?¡±


    Could it be that the Newton family already found out that Charles went missing at my ce?


    Elven replied, ¡°It¡¯s because the daughter of the Newton family had caused some trouble. They couldn¡¯t


    find Mr. Newton, and since you¡¯re the only one avable in Faike, they¡¯re hoping you could go over


    and help out. Ms. Shalders, will you be going?¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent.


    She had been close with Jasmine since they were young. The Newton family and the Harris family had


    a close rtionship, too. If the Newton family¡¯s bodyguard hade looking for her, and Charles was


    being held captive and interrogated, it wouldn¡¯t be right for her not to go and bring Jasmine over to take


    care of her for a couple of days.


    But Maverick¡­


    She looked down at the person in her arms. As if sensing her gaze, Maverick released his grip around


    her waist and settled back onto the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep a bit more and have the dinner ready when youe back.¡±


    Since he had said so, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t have much to say in response. ¡°You should rest, but when I


    come backter, I still need to check your injuries. All right?¡±


    Maverick acknowledged with a hum.


    Gwendolyn sat by his bedside for a while. Seeing that his breathing gradually steadied and that he


    seemed calm, she finally left with Elven, Ezra, and the Newton family¡¯s bodyguard.


    As the sound of the car engine faded into the distance, Maverick called for Justin.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Maverick gritted his teeth and took a few deep breaths to ease the pain before he finally uttered, ¡°The


    first-aid kit¡­ It¡¯s in the storage cab in the living room on the first floor. Please help me treat my


    wound.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±


    Justin immediately went downstairs. In no time, he returned with the first-aid kit.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Take off¡­ My clothes¡­¡±


    Maverick¡¯s voice was strained and filled with profound exhaustion.


    Not wasting any time, Justin quickly stepped forward to help him remove his suit.


    However, as soon as Justin removed Maverick¡¯s suit, he was shocked to see the extensive bloodstains


    on Maverick¡¯s white shirt on his back.


    ¡°D*mn! H-How did you get injured like this?¡±

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199


    Chapter 199 Handsome Housekeeper


    Arge part of the silk fabric was already stuck to the wound, and the blood had dried up.


    With trembling hands, Justin tried to remove Maverick¡¯s shirt twice, but to no avail.


    However, he could already see therge, bloody wound caused by the whip. Maverick¡¯s skin and flesh


    had been split open.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! Who did this? They genuinely didn¡¯t spare you any mercy!¡±


    Justin used to be a fighter for a ck market organization where the rules were strict, and it was


    normal for lesspetent fighters to be beaten to death. Fortunately, he did not get beaten up too


    often.


    Maverick, on the other hand, lived a refined lifestyle and was, therefore, not ustomed to sustaining


    such severe injuries.


    Quickly, Maverick hushed Justin up. ¡°Don¡¯t yell. Close the door and windows and draw the curtains. If


    you can¡¯t remove my shirt, just apply a warm towel to my back.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Justin did as he was told and hurried to the bathroom to grab a warm towel. He could not


    bear to see Maverick in pain, so he said, ¡°Mr. Wright, the warmpress may hurt, so¡­ please bear


    with it.¡±


    Applying a warm towel to the wound was akin to experiencing the burning pain again.


    Maverick trembled as a thickyer of cold sweat covered his body. He gripped the pillow with both


    hands until it became deformed.


    Even though Justin did not get beaten up often, he was experienced in treating the wounds of other


    people.


    He took an anti-inmmatory pill from the first-aid kit and stuffed it inside Maverick¡¯s mouth. Then, he


    brought over a basin of water to clean the bloodstains on the man¡¯s back. The old bandage on


    Maverick¡¯s body was already soiled, so it had to be removed.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, who assaulted you? Apart from Ms. Shalders, who would dare to do this to you¡­¡± Justin


    widened his eyes and asked softly, ¡°Did Ms. Shalders actually do this?¡±


    Feeling dizzy, Maverick buried his face in the nket, refusing to entertain Justin.


    After pondering over the subject, Justin realized something was amiss. ¡°It can¡¯t be Ms. Shalders. If it


    were her, you wouldn¡¯t have asked me to treat your wound secretly.¡±


    ¡°Stop making wild guesses and hurry up. I need to cook before Gwendolyn returns,¡± Maverick snapped.


    He¡¯s already in very bad shape, especially with the wound on his lower back. Even walking will hurt.


    Yet, he still wants to get up and cook?


    Justin felt really bad for Maverick.


    He let out a sigh. Wanting to ensure that Gwendolyn and the other bodyguards did not notice the torn


    shirt, he decided to hide the shirt under the bed after failing to think of a better solution at the moment.


    Disinfecting the wound with iodine was not as painful aspared to alcohol. He took a cotton swab


    and applied some iodine on Maverick¡¯s back, taking him quite a while to treat the wound.


    Initially, Maverick already had a bandage around the burn on the middle of his lower back. This time,


    Justin had to bandage the man¡¯s entire back and waist instead.


    As Maverick insisted on getting out of bed, Justin had no choice but to give the former another shot of


    antibiotics.


    Half an hourter, Gwendolyn returned to the vi.


    She was apanied by Jasmine, a lively young woman who was chattering away cheerfully.


    Jasmine studied the vi from top to toe and clung to Gwendolyn¡¯s arm yfully. ¡°Not bad, Gwendolyn!


    I didn¡¯t expect your vi to be situated in such a lovely environment. Coming here is definitely the right


    choice! Let me stay here for a few more days, please!¡±


    Unfazed, Gwendolyn spoke firmly. ¡°As agreed, it¡¯ll only be for three days. When the timees, I¡¯ll


    have my bodyguard escort you onto the ne back to Salinsburgh.¡±


    Jasmine pouted and murmured sadly, ¡°Hmph! You¡¯re so heartless, Gwendolyn.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start,¡± Gwendolyn replied with a softened tone. ¡°We can¡¯t have any more incidents like the one at


    the bar today. If you want to stay with me for a few days, you need to behave yourself, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The two of them entered the vi joyfully.


    As soon as Gwendolyn opened the door, she was greeted by the enticing aroma of food and


    instinctively directed her gaze at the kitchen.


    Didn¡¯t I tell him to rest before I left? Why did he still get up to cook?


    Maverick sensed the women¡¯s presence and came out of the kitchen.


    Immediately, Gwendolyn realized that he had changed into a dark silk shirt. The two buttons on his


    cor were slightly undone to reveal part of his corbone, and he seemed to have washed his hair too,


    for it was notpletely dry. Furthermore, he exuded an irresistible charm with his exquisite and


    handsome features.


    It also looked like his condition andplexion had improved significantly.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing a coat? Have you taken your cold medicine?¡±


    Although she sounded as indifferent as ever, she had expressed concern for him as soon as she came


    home, which warmed Maverick¡¯s heart.


    ¡°You said you¡¯ll check on me tonight, so I didn¡¯t wear a coat.¡±


    As he spoke, he pulled up his shirt to reveal the bandage on his back. ¡°I did get a minor injury during


    the day, but as you can see, it¡¯s been treated and bandaged properly.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent.


    Jasmine, on the other hand, stared intently at his face and eximed, ¡°Gwendolyn, who is he? He¡¯s so


    handsome! You have such good taste. The men around you all look top-notch!¡±


    When they were at Realm Bar previously, Maverick was already injured when Jasmine arrived, so she


    did not get a good look at his face.


    This time, upon seeing his face clearly, she could not keep her eyes off him.


    ¡°He¡¯s my housekeeper,¡± answered Gwendolyn emotionlessly.


    ¡°Is he just a housekeeper?¡± Jasmine¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Can I borrow him for a few days, then?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gwendolyn rejected with a frown without a second thought.


    Seeing Jasmine stare at Maverick like a piece of meat pissed Gwendolyn off. She red at the man


    and ordered, ¡°Wear your clothes properly! You look so unpresentable. And go upstairs to put on your


    coat beforeing back down.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    He nodded obediently without ncing at Jasmine, buttoning his shirt hastily before heading upstairs.


    Jasmine tugged at Gwendolyn¡¯s sleeve yfully, still refusing to give up. ¡°I can¡¯t believe even your


    housekeeper is so handsome! You¡¯re usually busy with work and hardly have time to hang out with me.


    Gwendolyn, you¡¯re the best! Just let him apany me for a couple of days, pretty please!¡±


    The crease between Gwendolyn¡¯s eyebrows grew deeper. ¡°No, it¡¯s non-negotiable.¡±


    ¡°Gwendolyn¡­¡±


    ¡°Time to eat!¡±


    Jasmine pouted and followed the woman into the dining room reluctantly.


    After dinner, Gwendolyn selected a rtively clean room for Jasmine on the third floor. They chatted for


    a while before the former went back to her own room to retire for the night.


    The following morning, at only six o¡¯clock, Nico printed out the documents on behalf of Charles and


    delivered them to Bay Vi personally.


    He feared that he would get chewed out after that business of drugging Elven and the other


    bodyguards. Therefore, he decided to wait at the vi¡¯s backdoor.


    Maverick came out to collect the documents by himself.


    His expression grew solemn as he skimmed through them. At once, he went upstairs and knocked on


    Gwendolyn¡¯s room door.


    However, there was no response from her after ages.


    Is she in a deep slumber?


    After thinking about it, he decided to let it slide. Indeed, it¡¯s still too early. I¡¯ll talk to her after she wakes


    up instead.


    Unexpectedly, the moment he turned around, he saw the woman walking down the hallway, dressed


    casually and holding a cardboard box.


    ¡°Were you outside?¡±


    Gwendolyn regarded himnguidly. ¡°No, I merely went to the front door to collect a parcel.¡±


    There are so many bodyguards at the vi. Since when does she collect parcels on her own? What¡¯s


    so special about that parcel?


    In spite of his curiosity, Maverick did not ask any further questions.


    She walked past him and opened the door to her bedroom. ¡°If you have something to tell me,e in.¡±


    He followed her inside and handed her the documents that were given to him by Nico. ¡°It¡¯s from


    Charles. Take a look.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Despite her acknowledgment, Gwendolyn did not even nce at the documents. Rather, she was


    focused on opening the parcel.


    Inside the cardboard boxy a box of ointment.


    She handed it to him. ¡°Take it.¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Maverick stared at her, lost in thought.


    Did she¡­ buy this for me?

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200


    Chapter 200 Is She Telling The Truth


    Upon noticing Maverick¡¯s puzzled expression and the faint hint of surprise in his eyes, Gwendolyn


    exined, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that ordinary ointment is useless for injuries caused by the S40 strong


    corrosive potion? Yesterday morning, I instructed someone to buy this specific ointment. Use it. The


    wound on your back should heal faster.¡±


    The man lowered his head and studied the box of ointment in his hand.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Although she did not tell him, he was certain that this ointment could only be acquired from the war


    laboratory. He figured that she must have contacted Asher to obtain it.


    The medicine was indeed quite effective. However, he had the S404 RNA virus in his body, so this


    ointment would not be of any help to his wound.


    ¡°Thank you. This is the first gift you¡¯ve given me since our divorce.¡±


    With red-rimmed eyes, Maverick rubbed the box of ointment gently with his thumb. Even the wound on


    his body did not feel that painful anymore.


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly a gift. You got hurt because of me this time, so this is my way of making amends.


    Besides¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn paused, and her lips curled into a sinister smile before she continued, ¡°The real post-


    divorce gifts are the Wright family¡¯s bankruptcy, your employment agreement, and that 023 special


    drug.¡±


    For a moment, Maverick was stunned.


    All of a sudden, the situation did not seem so touching anymore.


    Gwendolyn was delighted to see his frozen expression. She beamed with delight as she picked up


    Charles¡¯ testimony, which was lying on the desk.


    She read every single word and sentence carefully. Soon, her smile disappeared from her face, and


    she began to tense up.


    ¡°Charles said that he was instructed by Hector to do those things at the bar and ssh that bottle of


    potion?¡±


    Hector Harris was her fourth paternal uncle and an idler whocked ambition in the Harris family.


    Previously, Gwendolyn had considered the possibility that Gideon Harris, her third uncle, could be the


    one trying to harm her. It was beyond her expectation that Hector could be behind all of this.


    Maverick nodded. ¡°Although Charles might not have told us everything, the fact that he could describe


    the details of theirmunication means he¡¯s probably telling the truth. Hector¡¯s son works at the


    Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Charles fears him. It makes sense that Charles would listen to


    Hector and sneak into theb to steal the drugs.¡±


    She sat down on the small couch next to her and remained silent for a long time. Gradually, her


    expression turned into one of rage.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let Hector Harris off the hook! Tomorrow, I¡¯ll head to Salinsburgh discreetly to have my


    revenge!¡±


    Gwendolyn felt furious when she thought of how Hector tried to disfigure her with such an underhanded


    method. She would not stand for it, and she wanted him to have a taste of his own medicine.


    She raised her head, and Maverick¡¯s wound came to mind. ¡°You¡¯re wounded, so stay in the vi and


    rest. You¡¯re not allowed toe with me this time.¡±


    The man was trying to think of a good excuse. Since she would not allow him to apany her, he


    decided to take advantage of the situation.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for your return at the vi.¡±


    As he uttered thest few words, his voice grew softer. Nevertheless, Gwendolyn did not notice it, for


    she was still reading Charles¡¯ testimony seriously.


    ¡°That old fart is as slippery as an eel!¡± she muttered.


    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re well acquainted with this Mr. Harris. Have you been to the Harris residence


    before?¡±


    Maverick raised his eyebrows. Even though he had already guessed that she was most likely the


    heiress of the Harris family, she had never mentioned it before. Thus, he suddenly felt the urge to get


    something out of her.


    Upon hearing his question, Gwendolyn looked up to meet his gaze and raised an eyebrow too. ¡°I¡¯m not


    well acquainted with him, but I do know Mr. Treyton Harris quite well. Perhaps Mr. Treyton Harris¡¯


    kindness to me has resulted in jealousy among the Harrises, so they decided to harm me.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Maverick tried to stifle hisughter.


    When he looked up, he discovered that she was observing his expression with a sharp gaze.


    Quickly, he put on a displeased expression.


    ¡°Why are you telling me this? I don¡¯t think Treyton is that nice to you,¡± he added.


    With her chin propped on her palm, Gwendolyn replied in a teasing manner, ¡°So, are you jealous


    again?¡±


    Maverick lowered his head to avoid answering her question. ¡°I¡¯m going to prepare breakfast,¡± he


    muttered.


    Only after exiting her room did he smile helplessly.


    Gwendolyn chuckled as well. Once the man was gone, she went through the testimony two more


    times, then began making arrangements for her return to Salinsburgh tomorrow.


    While Maverick was preparing breakfast, Jasmine purposely woke up fifteen minutes earlier.


    She wore a light pink nightgown which made her look alluring yet adorable. Leaning against the kitchen


    door, she tilted her head as she watched him cook.


    They say that men who can cook are the sexiest! Moreover, he¡¯s so handsome! He¡¯s eye candy,


    indeed. I¡¯m tempted to sneak him back to the Newton residence and have fun with him for a few days.


    What should I do?


    Maverick sensed that someone was watching him but ignored her out of annoyance.


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯ve been standing here for ages. Can¡¯t you see me?¡± Jasmine teased. She pouted and looked


    somewhat unhappy.


    Still, he pretended not to hear her and chopped the vegetables skillfully.


    ¡°You¡¯re extremely rude! I¡¯m both the owner and the guest, as well as the darling daughter of the


    Newton family! You¡¯re merely a housekeeper employed by Gwendolyn. How dare you ignore me?¡±


    She was rather aggrieved.


    Ever since she was a little girl, everybody pampered and indulged her. As a result, she did not expect a


    mere housekeeper like Maverick to disregard her.


    He stopped chopping the vegetables and stated sternly, ¡°My only owner is Gwendolyn. Nobody else


    can order me around except her.¡±


    It was Jasmine¡¯s first time encountering a subordinate with such a haughty attitude. Thus, she was


    immensely disgruntled. ¡°How dare you speak to me like that! Why can¡¯t I order you around?¡±


    She stormed into the kitchen and poured the fresh milk that Maverick had warmed up for Gwendolyn


    on the floor with an arrogant expression.


    ¡°Apologize! I want you to speak to me tenderly, just like how you speak to Gwendolyn! Otherwise, I¡¯ll


    tell her that you spilled her milk and make her punish you!¡±


    The man¡¯s gaze instantly darkened, and his whole body exuded a terrifyingly hostile aura.


    Without hesitation, he grabbed the empty ss and threw it on the floor.


    The ss shattered near the young woman¡¯s feet, causing her to leap in fright. Her face became as


    white as a sheet. She was worried that the shards of ss might cut her slender legs.


    Maverick merely shot her an icy nce and carried on with preparing breakfast.


    Jasmine was on the verge of tears. ¡°How dare you treat me like this? You¡¯ve gone too far!¡±


    She rushed forward in a fury and raised her hand to p him.


    A sh of anger flickered in his eyes. Immediately, he tightened his grip on the knife.


    What an unreasonable fool! And she¡¯s Charles¡¯ little sister, too! If she dares toy a hand on me, I¡¯ll kill


    her!


    Nheless, before he could make a move, someone grabbed Jasmine¡¯s wrist from behind.


    Jasmine looked back and saw that it was Gwendolyn. Her eyes instantly reddened.


    ¡°Oh, Gwendolyn, he bullied me! He even tried to hurt me with a ss! Although he¡¯s handsome, he¡¯s


    much worse than those guys at the barst night!¡±


    Tears welled up in her eyes as she went on indignantly, ¡°He¡¯s so disobedient and evil! Gwendolyn, you


    must punish him for me!¡±


    Instead of releasing her grip on Jasmine¡¯s wrist, Gwendolyn shot Maverick a curious look. With a slight


    curve of her lips, she asked, ¡°She says you¡¯re disobedient and evil. Is she telling the truth?¡±


    I wonder how he¡¯ll react after being falsely used by Jasmine. Will he throw a fit, or will he ept his


    punishment coolly?


    Meeting Gwendolyn¡¯s clear gaze, Maverick set the knife down and washed his hands. Following that,


    he approached her and held her free hand gently.


    His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and he looked sullen, like a person who had been wronged.


    ¡°She wanted to order me around, but you¡¯re the only one I obey. Plus, I¡¯ve always been well-behaved


    and obedient. I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s ndering me¡­¡±


    Jasmine was taken aback.


    What the heck? This didn¡¯t go as nned! He¡¯s a better actor than me!

 Chapter 201

    Chapter 201


    Chapter 201 A Nightmare


    It was Jasmine¡¯s first time encountering such a shameless man, and she was shocked into silence.


    Standing at the side, Gwendolyn felt like she was about to die fromughter.


    Jasmine was too spoiled by her family, so she was used to having her way all the time. Unexpectedly,


    she faced her first-ever setback because of Maverick.


    ¡°Gwendolyn¡­¡± Jasmine looked at Gwendolyn with a pout, her eyes watery. Though she wanted to


    comin more, she was worried that her acting would be less convincing than Maverick¡¯s.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression gradually turned serious as she met Jasmine¡¯s eyes. ¡°Jasmine, he¡¯s right. He


    only listens to my orders. You¡¯re staying at my ce, eating here, and using my things. Now, you even


    want to hit my person? Aren¡¯t you being too much?¡±


    Jasmine froze.


    ¡°This is not the Newton residence. Although I consider you to be my little sister, I won¡¯t coddle you


    without a bottom line.¡±


    ¡°Gwendolyn¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to Salinsburgh tomorrow, and you will go with me. I¡¯ll book a ne ticket for you.¡±


    ¡°What? I¡¯m leaving tomorrow already? I¡¯ve only been here for less than three days! Gwendolyn¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn ignored Jasmine¡¯s efforts to act cute.


    If she didn¡¯t bring Jasmine back to the Newton residence, thetter would have to stay with Maverick


    on her own for two days at the seaside vi.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been away from home for days, and it¡¯s time to return.¡± Gwendolyn pushed Jasmine¡¯s shoulder,


    a bit annoyed. ¡°Go upstairs and change before youe back down. Who are you trying to seduce,


    walking around in a nightgown?¡±


    Jasmine pouted and climbed the stairs reluctantly.


    Once she was gone, Gwendolyn turned around to face Maverick.


    He seemed to be in a good mood as his eyes twinkled with delight.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Shooting him a re, Gwendolyn sneered, ¡°How does she look in her nightgown? Gorgeous?¡±


    Maverick raised his hands in submission and protested, ¡°I¡¯m innocent! I didn¡¯t even notice what color


    she was wearing. Besides, you¡¯re the sexiest woman in this world for me. I only like looking at you.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not like hearing such cheesy words. She changed the topic, chiding, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you


    pitched yourself against a twenty-year-old girl and put on an act like that. Do you have nothing better to


    do?


    Then, she pointed at the shattered ss on the floor. ¡°You broke my ss, so you have topensate


    me.¡±


    ¡°All right, I will. Is ten times the amount enough?¡± Maverick coaxed, gazing at Gwendolyn affectionately.


    ¡°I guess.¡± Gwendolyn arched her brow and voiced smugly.


    While Maverick stared at her radiant, smiling face, he tried to engrave the image in his heart.


    At that moment, he was ovee with the urge to pull her into his arms and never let go.


    Sadly, he might not have the chance to do that anymore.


    After breakfast, Gwendolyn surprisingly did not leave for work. She rested at home the entire day and


    prepared for her trip to Salinsburgh the next day.


    Sitting on the couch in the living room, she arranged work-rted matters on her phone while a TV


    show yed in the background.


    Maverick washed some apples and sat on the one-seater at the side, quietly peeling the fruit for her.


    Meanwhile, Jasmine had Elven and the other bodyguards set up a swing for her in the courtyard.


    Peaceful times always passed by quickly.


    The next day, Gwendolyn and Jasmine packed their things for the trip. Maverick voluntarily carried


    Gwendolyn¡¯s luggage downstairs while Ezra helped Jasmine with hers.


    Out of concern, Treyton decided to apany them to Salinsburgh. They had agreed to meet at the


    airport.


    When Maverick offered to see Gwendolyn off at the airport, she declined.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to go to Wright Construction Group while I¡¯m in Salinsburgh. Yulia is there, so


    everything will be fine. Just stay at the vi in the meantime. I asked William, Quinton, and Justin to


    stay behind and guard the vi.¡±


    Maverick suggested, ¡°You should bring more people since you¡¯ll be there for two days. Just leave


    Justin in the vi. There is no need for so many bodyguards since I won¡¯t go anywhere. And with my


    fighting skills, even the five of them won¡¯t be able to stop me if I¡¯m set on leaving.¡±


    Maverick¡¯s words made sense to Gwendolyn. With that, she brought William and Quinton with her and


    left Justin in the vi.


    Jasmine was already sitting in the car, waiting unhappily. Upon putting everything in order, Gwendolyn


    turned to open the car door when Maverick suddenly grabbed her wrist.


    ¡°What¡ª¡±


    Before she could continue, Maverick enfolded her in his embrace.


    ¡°Take care, and remember to eat your meals properly.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Gwendolyn responded calmly without much expression.


    I¡¯ll only be away for two days. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to be separated by death. Why is he being so


    dramatic?


    Nevertheless, she did not speak her thoughts and tease Maverick. After letting go of him, she opened


    the door and got into the car.


    As the engine started, Maverick stood in the same spot and watched fixedly until the car left his sight.


    Justin stood beside him and nced at his intent expression a few times. Finally, Justin reminded, ¡°Mr.


    Wright, Ms. Shalders has left. Please go back in now. The weather is cold, and you¡¯re injured.¡±


    Without a word, Maverick remained still.


    Unable to convince him, Justin could only return to the vi on his own.


    Treyton joined Gwendolyn at the airport, and the group soon embarked on the ne.


    Immediately, Treyton brought over a nket and draped it over Gwendolyn, who was staring out the


    window. She did not refuse the gesture as her gaze remained glued outside.


    For some reason, she began feeling anxious after boarding, and her eyelids would not stop twitching.


    Noticing her difort, Treyton passed her a calming pill. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just worried since you¡¯re


    returning to Salinsburgh secretly after so long.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Gwendolyn replied. She had no idea either where this feeling of anxiety wasing from.


    As Faike was quite far from Salinsburgh, it was almost nighttime when they arrived.


    The first thing Gwendolyn did was to ask someone to bring Jasmine back to the Newton residence.


    Afterward, they headed to Treyton¡¯s vi since it was near Hecalion Estate, the ce Hector lived in.


    There, Gwendolyn, Treyton, and Elven had a meeting regarding the next day¡¯s ns. The meeting


    lasted for a few hours.


    When everything was settled, Gwendolyn stretched her arms and rubbed her shoulderszily.


    All that was left to do now was to wait for the next day.


    After washing up, Gwendolyn returned to her room to sleep. Perhaps the trip had tired her out, as she


    drifted off minutes after her head hit the pillow.


    However, she had a restless sleep.


    She had a strange dream. Everything around her was burning, the buildings and structures crackling


    and popping.


    A tall man stood amidst the sea of fire, covered in blood and wounds. Despite his disheveled state, his


    aura remained proud and outstanding.


    Although he had his back to Gwendolyn, his figure seemed somewhat familiar.


    When he finally turned around unsteadily, the glow of fire illuminated his handsome face.


    Maverick?


    His face was bloodied all over, and more blood continued to flow from the corner of his mouth.


    Pain and sorrow filled his ebony eyes.


    The next second, he fell to his knees weakly as if he had just gone through a hard battle.


    ¡°Gwendolyn. Gwendolyn¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn jolted awake, only to realize it was just a nightmare.


    The time on her phone told her that it was only two in the morning.


    In a daze, she sat on the bed and recalled the scenes from the dream.


    Everything felt all too real¡ªMaverick¡¯s cold, dark eyes and the way he desperately and aggrievedly


    called her name again and again.


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t bring herself to sleep again. Feeling uneasy, she picked up her phone and called


    Maverick.


    To her dismay, the call was unanswered.


    Why isn¡¯t he answering?


    Gwendolyn grew increasingly agitated. The call was automatically cut off as it wasn¡¯t answered, but


    she did not give up.


    On her fourth attempt, the call was finally picked up.


    A deep, familiar voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

 Chapter 202

    Chapter 202


    Chapter 202 Conversation Killer


    It was Maverick¡¯s voice.


    Although Gwendolyn first heaved a sigh of relief, it was soon reced by anger. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you


    answer the phone?¡±


    The man¡¯s tone was tinged with sleepiness and fatigue as he replied, ¡°I was asleep. It¡¯s already sote.


    Why haven¡¯t you turned in? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to keep youpany?¡±


    ¡°Mm,¡± Gwendolyn responded softly. When she recalled the dream she had earlier, she reprimanded


    him sternly, ¡°I¡¯m reminding you again. You¡¯re not allowed to go anywhere for two days. Also, keep your


    phone ringer volume at the highest! You must answer my calls no matter what!¡±


    On the other end of the line, Maverick was silent for a moment before replying faintly, ¡°Okay. Are you


    feeling sleepy now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡±


    ¡°Shall I tell you a story?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then, are you hungry? You can give me your address, and I¡¯ll get something delivered to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    Maverick was speechless. She¡¯s truly a conversation killer. How am I supposed to keep the flow going?


    Unable to sleep, Gwendolyn settled for Maverick telling her a story in the end.


    Maverick regaled her with the jokes he had found online.


    He was not good at telling jokes, and there were a lot of awkward silences. Hypnotized by his voice,


    Gwendolyn gradually drifted off to sleep before she knew it.


    The next day, Gwendolyn proceeded to carry out her affairs with the order they had settled upon.


    Hector stayed at Hecalion Estate for the entire day and never left.


    When Gwendolyn saw that it was gettingte, she began to feel impatient and sent Treyton to lure him


    out.


    After about half an hour, Hector came out with Treyton. However, he had just exited the vi¡¯s doors


    when he was suddenly knocked out with a bat.


    Hector woke up to find his legs bound to a chair. His mouth was bound, and a table was ced before


    him.


    His surroundings were enclosed and dim. It looked as if he were in a basement.


    Baffled, he began to struggle and made desperate noises.


    As the door of the basement was thrown open, he saw a woman enter and walk toward him. Her


    makeup was exquisite, and her eyes were like starry pools that could suck one in. She was gorgeous,


    like a fairy.


    Hector was stunned when he saw the woman. Her sudden appearance had also made him cease to


    struggle.


    Gwendolyn sneered when she saw his reaction. ¡°You must have seen a picture of me recently, Uncle


    Hector. We¡¯ve not met for so many years, and surely I must have grown more beautiful. Yet, you were


    able to recognize me at a nce.¡±


    She went over to the table in front of Hector and sat down on the chair opposite. After sitting down, she


    gave Elven a look.


    Elven came forward and tore the tape that was keeping Hector¡¯s mouth shut.


    Pain engulfed Hector as some strands of his mustache came off with the tape.


    Furious, he red at Gwendolyn. ¡°I¡¯m your fourth uncle! How dare you use Treyton to bait and kidnap


    me! Is this how you should treat your elders?¡±


    Gwendolyn rested her chin on her hand, smiling nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s not like you were unaware of my


    lawlessness. Anyway, I have a good attitude! In fact, you¡¯ve be a disgraceful elder and are no


    longer worthy of respect.¡±


    Hector narrowed his eyes. ¡°Me, disgraceful? I¡¯ve always stayed out of the family¡¯s affairs and enjoyed


    being an idle person. What is it that I¡¯ve supposedly done?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Hector, I¡¯m sure it will clear things up once you take a look at this.¡±


    Gwendolyn gave Elven another look, prompting the man to put down Charles¡¯ confession in front of


    Hector.


    ¡°Uncle Hector, I¡¯m not trying to make things difficult for you. Why don¡¯t you take a look and see if this


    has anything to do with you?¡±


    Hector¡¯s expression changed drastically when he saw the confession Elven had ced in front of him.


    ¡°Goodness me! Gwendolyn, I had no hand in this. Why would I try to have you killed? I was quite fond


    of you when you were young. I¡¯d even carried you before. Do you remember? Moreover, Charles is the


    director of the Central Intelligence Agency. How can someone like me order him around?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± Gwendolyn murmured, ¡°I heard that your son and my cousin, Luke, work at the Federal Bureau


    of Investigation. I wonder if this has anything to do with him? Shall I get Asher to conduct an


    investigation for me?¡±


    ¡°No! He has nothing to do with it!¡±


    Gwendolyn mmed the table, her gaze suddenly turning sharp. ¡°What do you mean by it has nothing


    to do with him? Charles already confessed everything. Do you think you can deny it with just a few


    words? Do you think you get to order Charles around? Let me guess; it must be because of the


    inheritance.¡±


    Hector stared at her solemnly, refusing to answer.


    ¡°You did not appreciate my father going against tradition and leaving the inheritance to me, his beloved


    youngest daughter. Hence, you joined hands with someone and plotted to kill me. You were nning to


    take over the Harris family afterward, weren¡¯t you? You¡¯re the only one who would do such a thing. Was


    Uncle Gideon part of it too? What about Lori?¡±


    Gwendolyn kept pressing on, not relenting in her questions.


    However, Hector calmed down when she got to the end.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯re grasping at straws. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s absurd that you want to pin the crime on me


    with just Charles¡¯ confession alone?¡±


    Gwendolyn had not expected him to retort. He¡¯s a cunning old fox¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you refuse to admit to it. Previously, someone tried to attack me while I was at the bar. They


    tried to ruin my face with a strong corrosive potion, S40. Since I¡¯m always one who shares, I brought it


    for you too.¡±


    Taking out a ss bottle and a special synthetic brush, Elven ced them on the table in front of


    Gwendolyn.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Hector asked.


    Gwendolyn blinked, adopting a naughty expression. ¡°It¡¯s S40 strong corrosive potion. Uncle Hector,


    don¡¯t you think it will look good if I write a few words on your face? What shall I write?¡±


    Hector felt his hair stand on its ends. ¡°This drug is banned from the war researchb! How did you get


    your hands on it? Did Asher permit this?¡±


    Gwendolyn was gleeful. ¡°So, your idle andzy persona was a facade. Since you¡¯re aware that it¡¯s a


    banned drug, how can you say that you have nothing to do with this?¡±


    Smiling coldly, Gwendolyn popped open the bottle¡¯s lid, holding the brush between her pale fingertips


    as she stirred it around in the bottle¡¯s contents.


    ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn, Uncle Hector. Since there¡¯s no point in questioning you, I may as well begin.


    Although this is a bottle of sulfuric acid, I think it can be quite potent too.¡±


    ¡°You! I¡¯m your uncle!¡±


    Gwendolyn acted as if she had not heard his words. After pondering it over, she said, ¡°Since you enjoy


    pretending to be an idle andzy person, shall I write those words? What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Gwendolyn, don¡¯t you dare!¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? I¡¯d like to see you try to procure evidence and report me to the Harris family! Are you


    going to tell them that I suddenly came back to life after pretending to be dead, kidnapped you, and


    wrote on your face with acid?¡±


    ¡°Y-You!¡± Fear colored Hector¡¯s face.


    It was obvious that Gwendolyn had nned all this. There was no way he could go out and tell anyone


    that his niece had faked her corpse. Hector would have no choice but to keep silent on this matter.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Kill me if you can! Just you wait!¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at him in disdain. ¡°I won¡¯t dare. I¡¯ll send you to my father after I obtain all the


    evidence.¡±


    Snorting, she turned around and left the basement.


    Soon, a loud and miserable wail sounded from inside the room.


    Upon hearing the other party¡¯s misery, Gwendolyn felt totally refreshed and slept exceptionally well that


    night.


    The next day, she had just woken up when Elven knocked on her door urgently.


    Upon opening the door, Gwendolyn noticed that Elven¡¯s eyes were red. Thetter¡¯s voice was also all


    choked up.


    ¡°Justin just called to say that Mr. Wright¡­ Mr. Wright is¡­¡±

 Chapter 203

    Chapter 203


    Chapter 203 y Dead


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wright¡­ is gone.¡±


    Gwendolyn froze on the spot.


    He¡¯s gone? How can the person who talked and told stories to me through the night be gone after I


    wake up?


    Gwendolyn found it hard to believe. ¡°What do you mean by gone? What sort of a ruse is he pulling?¡±


    Elven¡¯s voice was choked with sobs.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Justin said that Mr. Wright found out about the man in ck intending to kill you at night in advance.


    Mr. Wright told Justin to keep it a secret and went alone to help eliminate those people for you, but


    he¡­ didn¡¯t return.¡±


    Gwendolyn staggered a step back, and her expression turned from shock to a sneer. ¡°That¡¯s


    impossible! I don¡¯t believe it. How could that sc*m die so easily?¡±


    Elven did not speak. Seeing that Gwendolyn was still suspicious, he could not hold back his tears.


    Gwendolyn scolded, ¡°Why are you crying? How can a grown man like you cry like this? I¡¯ll deduct half a


    year¡¯s wages if you keep crying.¡±


    Elven sobbed even harder after hearing this. ¡°Boohoo¡­ Mr. Wright was such a good person. He¡¯s


    gone at such a young age. Yet, you still want to deduct my sry! I feel so miserable, and these tears


    just won¡¯t stop!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes reddened from seeing his one point eight meters tall figure¡¯s shoulders miserably


    quivering from his sobs.


    Gwendolyn took a deep breath and stated calmly, ¡°You can¡¯t be sure since he just hasn¡¯te back.


    Send people to find him, no matter whether he¡¯s dead or alive!


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, Ms. Shalders!¡± William hastily ran to her room. ¡°Nico called and said he hopes you¡¯ll


    finish dealing with your things and return as soon as possible. He said that Mr. Wright is waiting for you


    at Bay Vi.¡±


    ¡°Is Mr. Wright alive? Did he go back? Was he hurtst night?¡± Elven sniffled, and he was pleasantly


    surprised.


    Gwendolyn did not say anything. She looked at William, waiting for his response.


    William shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Nico only said this much. Mr. Wright should have returned safely


    since he¡¯s waiting for Ms. Shalders at Bay Vi.¡±


    Gwendolyn and Elven breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Pack your things and book the earliest flight to Faike.¡±


    I want to see what Maverick and Justin are up to.


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Shalders.¡±


    The group moved quickly, and they boarded the earliest flight back to Faike.


    However, it was close to sunset when they arrived at Bay Vi.


    It was winter, and the sky appeared cloudy, as if heavy rain could pour down at any moment.


    Cold wind blew, but it could not stop Gwendolyn in her tracks.


    Justin was nowhere to be seen when she entered the vi. It was silent and still.


    Feeling confused, Gwendolyn quickly opened the vi door.


    The open windows let in a surge of cold air, and the lights were not on. The man who greeted her and


    handed her slippers every day was not in the kitchen.


    ¡°Maverick?¡± Gwendolyn called out, but there was no response.


    She scanned her surroundings and found a small sticky note on the coat rack.


    It read: The weather has turned cold. Remember to wear an extrayer even when you¡¯re indoors.


    You¡¯ll look stunning even when wearing a heavy coat since you have a good figure.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression turned grim, and she yelled upstairs, ¡°Maverick, what on earth are you up to?¡±


    She received only the response of the prolonged silence of the air.


    When Gwendolyn entered his room, she noticed that his nket was nicely folded and his bed was


    chilly.


    The whole room felt incredibly bleak, apart from the sound of the thin curtains rustling in the cold wind.


    Gwendolyn grew increasingly uneasy, and an ill premonition brewed in her heart. She went to the third


    floor, but there was still no sign of him.


    She returned to the living room after looking around and noticed a sticky note in the fruit basket.


    It read: You should eat more fruits as they are high in vitamins.


    There were more sticky notes on the refrigerator, and Gwendolyn walked over to take them down.


    One read: Eat more vegetables. Stop being picky with your food. Mushrooms may not taste good, but


    they are very nutritious. You¡¯re very thin, and I¡¯ll still like you even if you gain ten pounds.


    Gwendolyn then went into the kitchen and took a sticky note off the coffee machine.


    It read: Drink less coffee at night. Remember to rest even when you¡¯re busy with work. It pains me to


    see you pull an all-nighter.


    Gwendolyn was moved by his sincerity. However, the more she thought about it, the stranger it


    seemed. ¡°Come out, Maverick! What on earth are you trying to do?¡±


    Gwendolyn waited for a few minutes, but there was still no response. Just then, she heard a knock on


    the door.


    Thrilled, Gwendolyn turned around to open the door.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take the key¡ª¡± Gwendolyn paused in her words.


    Nico was standing at the door, holding an antique vase. The tears on his face had yet to dry, and his


    eyes were red.


    Neville and Swain, who stood behind him, were also crying. Elven, Ezra, and a few bodyguards were


    standing at the side with sorrowful expressions.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and a strong sense of ill premonition brewed in her heart.


    She asked coldly, ¡°Where¡¯s Maverick?¡±


    Nico looked down at the antique vase in his hand, saying sorrowfully, ¡°Mr. Wright is here.¡±


    Gwendolyn followed his line of sight. A hunch arose in her heart, but she refused to believe it.


    As Nico cried, he exined, ¡°Mr. Wright wanted to resolve the matter with the man in ck for youst


    night. He secretly went to the abandoned warehouse in the eastern suburbs of the city. However, those


    people set a trap and doused the whole warehouse in gasoline. Mr. Wright was already engulfed in


    mes by the time we¡­¡±


    Nico could not bring himself to finish the sentence as tears rolled down his cheeks.


    Everyone was immersed in a state of grief.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes turned red from this depressing atmosphere. However, she still sneered coldly, ¡°Are


    you saying this is his urn? Do you think I¡¯ll fall for such a trick?¡±


    Neville and Swain sobbed even harder after hearing this. As for Nico, he forcibly held back his sobs.


    ¡°Mr. Wright has been burnt till unrecognizable from the fire. We cremated him because we couldn¡¯t


    bear it. We knew he loved you most, so we took him here first before taking him back to the Wright


    residence.¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at the urn containing Maverick¡¯s ashes in a daze. Just then, she had a shback to


    the nightmare she had in Salinsburgh.


    Gwendolyn can never forget his helpless and sorrowful expression in the midst of the mes.


    I didn¡¯t expect it to be true.


    Trembling, Gwendolyn reached out to take the urn from Nico.


    Two drops of tears fell uncontrobly from her eyes.


    Gwendolyn wiped away her tears and looked at Nico. She sneered coldly and asked grimly, ¡°Are you


    all in this together to fool me? Do you think I¡¯ll believe you if you randomly use an urn to fool me? I want


    to see Maverick¡¯s body, even if he¡¯s dead! Does he think I¡¯ll give him a chance if he uses such a better


    to make me shed a few tears? Dream on! Is this his ashes? I¡¯ll crush it and reduce it to ashes, then!


    Let¡¯s see if Maverick can keep up the act, shall we?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes were reddened. She raised the cremains high with a cold expression, prepared to


    toss it down.


    ¡°No!¡±


    Nico, Neville, and the others fell to their knees with a loud thud.


    ¡°Mr. Wright is really dead! Whether you believe it or not, he can nevere back. Mr. Wright was


    already injured, and he went therest night knowing he won¡¯te out of it alive. He died for you!¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at them in shock.


    These people were machismo men who had fought countless life-and-death situations alongside


    Maverick.


    Yet, they were kneeling before her for these ashes.

 Chapter 204

    Chapter 204


    Chapter 204 His Funeral


    Gwendolyn¡¯s rationality was being overturned repeatedly. Her hands trembled uncontrobly when she


    lowered her head to look at the vase.


    Gwendolyn handed it back to Nico. However, she bit her lower lips and shook her head, sneering


    coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t believe this. I dare you to make him tell me personally!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shalders¡­¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡± Gwendolyn yelled. She took a step back and mmed the door shut, shutting everyone out.


    Taking a deep breath, Gwendolyn tried to calm down and regain her rationality.


    As Gwendolyn sat on the couch, she saw the stack of sticky notes she had earlier taken down.


    Gwendolyn picked them up again and carefully read through them.


    She recalled the moment he pulled her into his tight embrace before they got into the car. Gwendolyn


    did not notice at that time, but she now realized that the corners of his eyes seemed a bit red.


    Has Maverick known all along that this day woulde, and was he prepared for thest time we


    would meet before I left for Faike? But¡­ I didn¡¯t see his corpse. I don¡¯t believe it! There¡¯s no way!


    Justin was not at the vi previously because he apanied Nico and the others to the crematorium.


    Now, he had finally arrived.


    Justin¡¯s face was full of grief when Gwendolyn called him inside.


    Gwendolyn sat on the couch in a stupor. She was cold, devoid of emotions and tears.


    Gwendolyn stood up suddenly and gave Justin a tight p when he drew near.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Justin staggered a step back, caught off guard. Blood seeped out from the corner of his cut lips.


    Justin did not dare to wipe away the blood. Perceived the metallic taste in his mouth, he stood


    obediently to bear Gwendolyn¡¯s anger.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, go ahead and beat me to death if it makes you feel better. I¡¯m drowning in guilt from


    causing Mr. Wright¡¯s death. I¡¯d feel better dying in your hands.¡±


    Gwendolyn nced at him. She withdrew her hand slowly and sat back on the couch after seeing he


    was truly upset.


    ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, I was originally sent from the other side to keep an eye on you, but I couldn¡¯t bring


    myself to harm you. Those people didn¡¯t want to let me off the hook and gave me an ultimatum three


    days ago to lure you to the abandoned warehouse on the eastern outskirts of the city. Mr. Wright found


    out about it, and he told me not to tell you. Mr. Wright said he would go in your ce.¡± He began to cry


    uncontrobly as he spoke. ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­ that he would not be able to make it out alive. I¡¯m sorry,


    Ms. Shalders!¡±


    ¡°Did he¡­ have something to tell me before something happened to him?¡±


    Justin thought for a moment. ¡°No.¡±


    Devastated, Gwendolyn pursed her lips tightly and lowered her eyes.


    It pained Justin to see her like this. ¡°Ms. Shalders, it¡¯s all my fault. Go ahead and hit me! Don¡¯t hold


    back. Let it all out!¡±


    ¡°Get out!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Shalders¡­¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    Unable to convince her, Justin could only let her calm down on her own.


    The window in the living room was open. Gwendolyn¡¯s face was cold when the chilly wind blew in.


    She stared at the stack of sticky notes on the coffee table, but the images of Maverick pretending to be


    aggrieved and fragile appeared in her mind.


    Maverick used to appear aloof and indifferent in the past.


    Now, all Gwendolyn could think of was his pitiful expression. She could not even recall what he used to


    be like.


    With this in mind, Gwendolyn rushed upstairs and retrieved the box that had been stored on top of the


    cab in her room.


    ¡°Where are the photos of us? Where are our wedding photos? They were here!¡±


    Gwendolyn made a mess while searching and finally found half of the wedding photo under the box.


    There was only her smiling brightly in the picture.


    Gwendolyn personally cut Maverick¡¯s part off when she decided to seek revenge against the Wright


    family.


    Her knuckles turned white, and she opened her phone¡¯s photo album and searched for a long time.


    Gwendolyn could not find a single picture of the man she had been married to for three and loved for


    six years.


    The only thing left was an audio recording, and she clicked to y it.


    A maic and deep voice came. ¡°I, Maverick, vow to disappear from your world forever once this


    one-year employment period is over.¡±


    Gwendolyn leaned against the foot of the bed before weakly copsing to the ground. Tears began


    welling up in her eyes.


    Maverick disappeared before one year had passed.


    Gwendolyn did not even have a chance to bid him farewell.


    The night was extraordinarily long for her.


    Gwendolyn was unable to fall asleep all night. Her eyes became dry and puffy from staying up all night


    staring out the window lifelessly.


    Knock! Knock!


    Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.


    Gwendolyn wiped away her tears and asked calmly, ¡°What is it?¡±


    William was outside the door.


    ¡°Ms. Shalders, Nico has already brought Mr. Wright¡¯s ashes back to the Wright residence. The date for


    his burial has been set, and the funeral will take ce in three days.¡±


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows slightly.


    Three days? So soon?


    The arrangements for Maverick¡¯s funeral were taken care of by Treyton, Nico, and Frida.


    Treyton learned about the situation upon his return from Salinsburgh.


    Treyton felt bitter knowing Maverick gave his life up for Gwendolyn. He decided to shoulder this


    responsibility to ease her guilt, knowing that she would not be able to ept this oue.


    No media or informed wealthy families dared to spread Maverick¡¯s death with Treyton being in charge.


    Maverick¡¯s death was kept a low profile.


    The weather in Faike had been terrible for the past three days.


    It was gloomy every day, and the brisk wind could freeze the people walking on the street.


    Thunder roared, and the weather was considerably colder on the day of the funeral.


    The entire Faike was engulfed in a gloomy atmosphere as heavy rain poured down mercilessly.


    It was an unsettling sight to see so many ck umbres in front of the cemetery.


    There were not many people who came. A few close business associates and several members of the


    Wright family came up to pay their respect.


    Frida sobbed hysterically while holding her son¡¯s ashes. She had been crying endlessly the past three


    days and would have copsed long ago if not for her determination to see through her son¡¯s funeral.


    Sheralyn was also sobbing uncontrobly, and she repeatedly called out his name.


    The air was heavy with profound sadness.


    Gwendolyn was standing beneath the tree outside the cemetery, wearing only a ck dress and


    without makeup. Although her eyes were red, she watched the situation inside the cemetery attentively


    in a calm manner.


    Several bodyguards had gone inside to pay their respects to Maverick.


    Gwendolyn did not use an umbre. She waspletely drenched by the heavy rain even though she


    stood under a tree. Her skinny figure appeared lonely and deste, but she did not look pathetic.


    Treyton perceptively saw her, and he walked over with a ck umbre.


    It pained Treyton to see Gwendolyn¡¯s lips turn blue from the cold, so he took off his suit coat to drape it


    over her.


    Gwendolyn used her hand to block and refuse his offer.


    ¡°He¡¯s already gone. Why do you have to put yourself through this? Listen to me, all right? You¡¯ll get sick


    if you carry on like this. He wouldn¡¯t want to see you burdened with guilt if he were still alive.¡±


    Gwendolyn only lowered her hand when she heard the final sentence, letting Treyton drape the suit


    coat over her.


    Treyton helped to wipe the wet strands of hair off her cheek, and he sighed. ¡°He¡¯s about to be buried.


    Do you want to go and say a fewst words to him?¡±


    Gwendolyn lowered her gaze, and neither did she speak nor move.


    In the cemetery, Maverick was being formally buried.


    Just then, awyer in a suit appeared to hand two envelopes containing written wills to Frida.


    ¡°Mrs. Wright, Mr. Wright instructed me to give you these wills on the day of his burial. I hope you will


    immediately open and read them privately.¡±


    The tears on Frida¡¯s face had not yet dried. She took over the two envelopes with trembling hands.


    One of them was addressed to her, and there was no name on the other one.


    Frida opened the first envelope.


    However, her expression froze when she read the content of the letter.

 Chapter 205

    Chapter 205


    Chapter 205 Frida Had Changed


    It was raining heavily, and the bodyguard held an umbre over Frida.


    She walked to the side alone to examine the letter.


    No one witnessed the expression of shock on her face.


    She tightly clutched the letter, her eyes filled withplex emotions. After a few minutes of internal


    conflict, she stowed away the envelope and returned to Maverick¡¯s grave.


    ¡°Mom, what did Maverick say?¡±


    Frida¡¯s face bore a look of devastation as shepletely disregarded Sheralyn, seemingly oblivious to


    her question.


    ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong with you? Don¡¯t scare me! What did Maverick write in the letter?¡±


    Sheralyn attempted to grab the envelope from Frida¡¯s hand, but thetter skillfully evaded her. Sheralyn


    thought it was odd and went to snatch the letter again.


    In a moment of desperation, Frida tore and crumpled the letter she had opened before swiftly stuffing it


    into her mouth and swallowing it.


    ¡°Mom, what are you doing!¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Wright!¡±


    Everyone was stunned by her action.


    Instead of giving everyone an exnation, Frida rushed into the rain and hugged the cold tombstone of


    Maverick. She wailed, ¡°Maverick! My son, you were still so young. How could you leave me and your


    sister behind¡­¡±


    She howled until her voice was hoarse, and the grief etched on her face touched everyone present,


    causing their eyes to unconsciously turn red.


    Coming from a prestigious family, Frida had always maintained an air of nobility. It was the first time


    she had publicly lost control, embracing the tombstone while crying uncontrobly. Surprisingly, no one


    deemed her behavior inappropriate.


    Even her act of swallowing the entire letter moments ago was understandable. A mother had lost her


    beloved son, after all. Moreover, Maverick was the most promising child of the Wright family.


    Frida¡¯s heart was irreparably shattered.


    Gwendolyn watched from a distance, her eyes red but devoid of tears, and her expression remained


    stoic.


    Unnoticed by anyone, her fingertips, concealed beneath Treyton¡¯s suit jacket, dug deeply into her


    palms. It was as if her heart had grown so numb that she could no longer feel pain.


    In the cemetery, Frida was on the verge of copsing from her incessant tears. Fortunately, with


    Sheralyn¡¯s support and persuasive words, her emotional outbursts gradually subsided.


    The funeral finally came to an end. The business partners, rtives, and friends departed one after the


    other, each in a somber mood.


    Some individualsmented the untimely demise of a young business genius.


    Some individuals sympathized with the two remaining women in the Wright family, recognizing that


    their lives would be challenging with Dexter lurking in the background, ready to strike.


    After everyone had left, Sheralyn escorted Frida out of the cemetery.


    Sheralyn nced up and noticed Gwendolyn standing under the tree nearby. In an instant, intense


    anger surged within her. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you! You¡¯re the cause of my brother¡¯s demise! If it weren¡¯t


    for you, why would he be dead? How dare you show your face here?¡±


    Gwendolyn did not argue back but instead lowered her gaze.


    Treyton couldn¡¯t bear to see his younger sister getting bullied and said with a cold face, ¡°Mind your


    words! She knew nothing about the matter, and this was your brother¡¯s own decision.¡±


    ¡°Knew nothing about it?¡±


    Sheralyn advanced, her eyes aze with anger as she locked her gaze on Gwendolyn. ¡°So she thinks


    she can absolve herself by feigning ignorance? My brother sacrificed his life for her! But look at her, not


    a single tear shed in his memory. She¡¯s nothing but a heartless b*tch¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sheralyn!¡± Frida stopped Sheralyn before thetter could curse out more profanities.


    Sheralyn looked back at her mother in disbelief. ¡°Mom! She¡¯s the one who got Maverick killed! What¡¯s


    wrong with scolding her? Don¡¯t you hate her too? Are you out of your mind to defend her?¡±


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn kept her head down and didn¡¯t refute a word.


    With tears still staining her face, Frida approached Gwendolyn and offered a slight bow.


    Sheralyn was taken aback. ¡°Mom, do you realize what you¡¯re doing? You¡¯re actually bowing your head


    to her?¡±


    Frida disregarded Sheralyn¡¯s words and looked at Gwendolyn before she said in a heavy tone, ¡°I


    apologize to you for what my daughter said. She is overwhelmed with grief and speaks without


    thinking. I hope you can forgive her.¡±


    Gwendolyn was dumbfounded.


    Frida has always been mean to me. Why is she acting so different today?


    ¡°Sheralyn is right, I am responsible for his death. Don¡¯t you hate me at all?¡±


    Tears rolled down Frida¡¯s cheeks as she wiped them away with a bittersweet smile. ¡°Mr. Harris is right.


    If Maverick made such a choice, it means he must have loved you deeply. I will honor his decision.¡±


    The words ¡°loved you deeply¡± caused Gwendolyn¡¯s heart to ache, and she felt a slight soreness at the


    tip of her nose.


    She tightly squeezed her palm, trying to stop the tears from flowing.


    Frida retrieved a nk envelope from her bag and handed it to Gwendolyn. ¡°He requested for you to


    have this in private. Don¡¯t worry, I haven¡¯t read it.¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Gwendolyn took it with trembling fingers.


    Frida added, ¡°Let¡¯s set the letter aside for now. Find a seat and take your time to read it when you go


    back.¡±


    With that, Frida and Sheralyn leaned on each other for support and left the cemetery.


    Gwendolyn carefully kept the letter inside her bag. After all the rtives and friends who hade to


    pay their respects had left, she entered the cemetery and approached Maverick¡¯s tombstone solemnly.


    A small photo adorned the tombstone.


    Its image was marred by the raindrops that fell heavily upon it.


    Nevertheless, Gwendolyn easily recognized the familiar yet aloof countenance with just a single


    nce.


    It was Maverick.


    She had previously scoured her phone and vi for a photo of him but to no avail. It suddenly dawned


    on her that she would only be able to behold his image on the tombstone in the days toe.


    She delicately wiped the water droplets off the photo, her movements gentle and patient, repeating the


    process again and again.


    This was the only man she had ever truly loved. From now on, she would never hear his tender


    crooning again.


    Gwendolyn fought back her tears as she tirelessly wiped off the water stains from the photo.


    Treyton¡¯s heart ached as he watched Gwendolyn. ¡°Kiddo, it¡¯s pouring outside. You can¡¯t wipe it dry.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes held a stubborn determination. ¡°He is afraid of the cold and dislikes getting wet in


    the rain. I must do this onest thing for him, at least.¡±


    Treyton let out a resigned sigh and handed her the ck umbre he held.


    Gwendolyn epted it, opening it to cover Maverick¡¯s small tombstone. She then took out a


    handkerchief and meticulously wiped away every raindrop on the tombstone.


    ¡°Kiddo, you still love him very much, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t answer.


    She had once believed that she could let go of her love for him and walk away with grace and


    resolution.


    Had he still been alive, had their paths never crossed again after the divorce, perhaps they could have


    found happiness in their separate lives.


    Yet, fate had a knack for ying tricks on her, repeatedly intertwining their lives.


    Besides, this man had died for her.


    The past torments he inflicted on her suddenly felt trivial, and a wave of guilt threatened to suffocate


    Gwendolyn¡¯s heart.


    She took a deep breath, suppressing the overwhelming sadness that threatened to consume her.


    People could never return once they were gone, so dwelling on love or its absence seemed futile now.


    She said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Treyton helped her up, cing a protective hand on her slender shoulder, and together they left the


    cemetery.


    After being sent back to Bay Vi by Treyton, Gwendolyn made her way to Maverick¡¯s room. She


    entered the space and settled onto the recliner where he had often lounged, her gaze wandering


    around the room.


    With the thought of Maverick¡¯s letter lingering in her mind, Gwendolyn opened her bag and retrieved


    the envelope, her fingertips delicately tracing the smooth contours of the envelope.


    A few days ago, Gwendolyn had believed that Maverick had left her without a word, but now, holding


    his letter in her hands, she realized that he had still cared about her, even until the very end of his life.


    She carefully unfolded the letter.


    The first line of the letter immediately caught her eye.


    It read: My dearest Gwendolyn Shalders Harris.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s hands trembled uncontrobly as she stared at her name in disbelief.


    So he knew my true identity all along?

 Chapter 206

    Chapter 206


    Chapter 206 Was He Severely Injured Before The Incident


    Why did he pretend to be jealous when I deliberately mentioned Treyton to provoke him then? Was he


    toying with me? How mean of him!


    Gwendolyn was furious. After suppressing her desire to punch him, she continued reading.


    Gwenny, by the time you read this letter, I might¡¯ve already left you forever. This is thest thing that I¡¯m


    doing for you. You don¡¯t need to feel guilty or me yourself. I wonder if my death would elicit some


    tears from you. Although I¡¯m hoping that you¡¯ll cry, I¡¯m afraid that you actually will. I don¡¯t want to see


    you unhappy. Forget it. Save your tears and be a happy, carefree princess of the Harris family.


    It was only then that tears started to stream down Gwendolyn¡¯s cheeks uncontrobly.


    Wiping her tears away, she tried to regain her rationality and calm down before continuing to read.


    Both of us have met the right person at the wrong time. Ever since you saved me from the car thirteen


    years ago, I¡¯ve been deeply attracted by your clear eyes. From then on, I couldn¡¯t stop loving you, who


    was only ten years old. Natasha impersonating you and iming credit for saving my life remains a


    thorn in my life. Even if I¡¯ve never touched her, even if she¡¯s already dead, I can never forgive my


    foolish self. What I regret the most is failing to recognize you when you were brought to the Wright


    residence. Even during the three years that you were married to me, I didn¡¯t treasure you. You stopped


    loving me by the time I wanted to make things right again. However, all of that doesn¡¯t matter. Even if


    you treat me as a pet or a housekeeper, I¡¯m satisfied just by being able to see you at the vi every


    day. Ever since I realized that I¡¯ve fallen in love with you, I¡¯ve be riddled with insecurities. My self-


    esteem plummeted, and I became a coward.


    I¡¯d melt in happiness every time you smile at me. Even when you coaxed me lightly, I¡¯d be so excited


    that I couldn¡¯t sleep for a few days. You must be feeling happy while reading this, right? All that man,


    who used to be so aloof and untouchable, could see is you. He¡¯s begging for the slightest bit of


    affection from you like a clown. How amusing and pathetic! That¡¯s right. I¡¯m afraid of losing you.


    Although I don¡¯t dare to ask for your love, I secretly wish that you could save me even the smallest spot


    in your heart.


    Knowing that I¡¯ve hurt you far too deeply in the past, I don¡¯t deserve your forgiveness. You¡¯ve saved me


    before, so I owe you my life. This favor can never be returned. The only way is to repay it with my life.


    You¡¯re right about one thing. I encapste everything that a bad man is. While hoping that you¡¯ll forget


    me and find a good man who¡¯ll dote on you well, I also wish that you¡¯ll remember me forever. I¡¯ve


    contemted between the two for a long time. It was so painful and conflicting. Eventually, I decided to


    selfishly use this life of mine to make it impossible for you to forget me. You must eat well. Don¡¯t be


    picky with your food. Drink less coffee and tea. Even if there¡¯s a lot of work, you must remember to


    wear more clothes when the weather¡¯s cold. Goodbye, my¡­


    Although the letters of thest two words had been smudged by tears, it was obvious that they spelled


    out ¡°dearly beloved.¡±


    Gwendolyn knew his handwriting, which had always been neat and pretty.


    However, the handwriting in the letter was squiggly and untidy, as if the tip of the pen was unsteady.


    There were quite a few words that were smudged by tears.


    How was he feeling when he wrote this letter? His hands were trembling so much that he could not


    even hold the pen properly. He must have been feeling so sad and reluctant.


    Gwendolyn cried her heart out, to the extent that she started to feel breathless. She slid onto the floor


    from the chair and clenched her chest. Still, she could not ovee that feeling of hopeless despair


    and sorrow.


    Why did I fall in love with him?


    Gwendolyn could still clearly remember how everyone in the Wright family did not wee her when


    Den brought her to the residence after she lost her memory.


    Only Maverick smiled at her and said, ¡°That¡¯s good. I have another friend. From now on, this is your


    home. We are your family.¡±


    Although the smile was very faint, it was as bright as the winter sun, causing warmth to fill her heart.


    From then on, she started to yearn longingly for the warmth he had bestowed upon her.


    He used to treat me so nicely. Why did he start to detest me and distance himself away from me? It


    was when Mr. Wright announced that I was going to marry him¡­


    Gwendolyn shook her head helplessly. They really got together at the wrong time.


    Warm tears streamed down her cheeks, smudging the words on the letter.


    As she wiped the tears away, her gaze followed her fingertips andnded on the words, ¡°impossible for


    you to forget me.¡±


    ¡°You b*stard, Maverick!¡±


    He had seeded. In her lifetime, she would never forget him.


    He¡¯s such a fool¡­


    She had mentioned that saving him thirteen years ago amounted to nothing but an empty favor. It was


    not something significant to her.


    Yet, he had it etched in his mind. Due to that feeling of gratitude, he dragged his body which was


    weakened by the special drug and jumped down Crane Bridge to save her. When they were at Realm


    Bar, he even shielded her from the highly corrosive drug at the expense of his own body.


    This time, he ended up losing his life to deal with that man in ck for her.


    Having saved her multiple times, he no longer owed her anything. She was the one who owed him!


    Now that he had left, it was impossible for her to repay his favor¡­


    Tears flowed out of her eyes silently. That letter had destroyed any remaining rationality she still had.


    Her heart ached terribly to the extent that her tears just fell endlessly, and her limbs shivered


    uncontrobly.


    Unable to support herself anymore, she slumped onto the floor weakly.


    Although the floor was icy cold, she could not feel anything. It was like her five senses had all been lost


    ¡ªthe only thing she could feel was her aching heart.


    Through the tears in her eyes, she vaguely spotted something red under the bed. It was extremely


    striking.


    Did he hide something under the bed?


    Gwendolyn wiped her tears and took in a few deep breaths. Only then did she move toward the bed


    and retrieve what was underneath it.


    It was a bloody shirt. When she brought it closer to her face, she noticed that there was a metallic


    stench of blood on it.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Although the traces of blood had already dried up, the color was fairly bright, indicating that the blood


    got there quite recently.


    When did this happen?


    The sight of therge patches of blood on the shirt stung her eyes.


    She frowned deeply. With that much blood, it was evident that his injury was much more severe than a


    mere burn on his back.


    How did he get so severely injured?


    Gwendolyn recalled what had happened before. Afterbing her memories, the only thing she could


    remember was when he admitted that he got injured after she brought Jasmine back to Bay Vi.


    However, he only mentioned it briefly and brushed the entire incident off.


    In hindsight, that was very strange.


    She immediately summoned William over. ¡°Contact Nico and tell him that I want to meet him right now!


    Go!¡±


    Shocked by her yell, William spun around and sprinted away. Almost falling down, he scrambled out to


    get Nico.


    Half an hourter, Nico rushed over.


    When he entered, Gwendolyn was sitting on Maverick¡¯s chair. She was in a daze, her eyespletely


    lifeless.


    Maverick¡¯s bloody shirt was clenched in her fists. Even though she had already wiped her tears away,


    nothing could conceal the haggard look in her swollen eyes.


    Nico lowered his head, also in a sullen mood. ¡°Why did you ask to see me in such a hurry, Ms.


    Shalders?¡±


    Staring at the bloody shirt in her hands, Gwendolyn choked back a sob and asked, ¡°When you guys


    went to the abandoned construction site, did you really bump into someone from the Central


    Intelligence Agency? Did he get seriously injured?¡±


    Nico did not answer her.


    ¡°At this juncture, just tell me the truth. Your honesty won¡¯t change anything. I just want to know.¡±


    Sighing, Nico said, ¡°We didn¡¯t encounter anyone from the Central Intelligence Agency. Mr. Wright didn¡¯t


    want you to worry, so he lied. However, it¡¯s true that he got seriously injured.¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned. ¡°Why did he get injured?¡±


    ¡°Actually, Mr. Wright¡­¡±

 Chapter 207

    Chapter 207


    Chapter 207 The Devastating Truth


    Nico rposed himself before continuing, ¡°Mr. Wright was actually¡­ the captain of the Federal


    Bureau of Investigation¡¯s Team Fourteen. There was an urgent summon from the Federal Bureau of


    Investigation, and they never do this unless there¡¯s something major happening. But Mr. Wright didn¡¯t


    want to leave without saying goodbye. He wanted to do onest thing for you, so he requested to


    report to the bureau three dayster. The injuries he sustained were the punishment he received for


    going against orders.¡±


    There was civil conflict at that time. The copse of a regime would happen at any time, and the


    change of power was imminent. It had been a massive incident.


    Yet, Maverick had chosen to stay for three more days, even if it meant that he was going to be


    punished.


    Nico suppressed his heartache and said, ¡°It was thirty whips. He was whipped until he vomited blood,


    and in the end, the executioner could not bring himself to continue to do it, so he only whipped Mr.


    Wright twenty times.¡±


    Gwendolyn was confused as she looked at the bloody shirt in her hands.


    ¡°What kind of whip could make him vomit blood in twenty strikes?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an ordinary whip; it¡¯s a whip with steel wires wrapped around it. The whip has barbs on it, and


    even a gentle stroke could make the skin a bloody mess. The executioner had not shown him any


    mercy as every time the whip struck him, it went deep into his flesh. Mr. Wright barely had any spots for


    the executioner to strike because of his burns, so thest five strikes had been on his lower back¡­¡±


    Nico trailed off, unable to continue anymore.


    He was livid and heartbroken.


    Gwendolyn did not dare to imagine what the scene was like. Even hearing about it was making her feel


    the pain.


    His back was already covered in wounds, so how did he withstand such a severe punishment? No


    wonder things went south for him this time. He went to kill for me despite his grievous injuries. Did he


    not think about how he might die?


    Her throat tightened, and she gripped the blood-soaked shirt until her knuckles went white.


    Nheless, Nico was right in front of her, so she forced her tears away.


    On the other hand, Nico felt bad for his boss when he saw no tears from Gwendolyn despite telling her


    the truth.


    He¡¯s so unlucky to have fallen for such a ruthless woman.


    s, he was merely a subordinate and an outsider to the incident, so he had no right toment on


    Gwendolyn¡¯s reaction.


    After a sigh, he said with as much calm as he could muster, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m here to say goodbye to


    you. I¡¯ll be leaving. I¡¯m Mr. Wright¡¯s subordinate, and now that he¡¯s gone, I¡¯m going to have to work for


    another boss. I¡¯m afraid¡­ I won¡¯te back to Faike anymore. Take care of yourself.¡±


    Gwendolyn merely stared at him in silence.


    Lowering his sorrow-filled eyes, Nico then turned to walk toward the exit. However, he only took two


    steps before a wave of resentment surged in his chest.


    ¡°No one knows how to love another the moment they¡¯re born. Mr. Wright thought he was indebted to


    Natasha, so he forced himself to like her. Yet, unbeknownst to him, he had already fallen in love with


    you during your three-year marriage. Noah used him during your ne incident without Mr. Wright¡¯s


    knowledge. Even while being pursued by Mr. Asher, he searched for you for half a month. In the end,


    you sought revenge on him, humiliating and tormenting him. Despite that, every time you were in


    danger, he risked his life to save you. He never uttered aint, even when you hurt or tormented


    him. He set aside his own dignity as a man to atone for his mistakes. Do you really not¡­ feel anything


    at all after all that?¡±


    Nico¡¯s words stabbed her heart like daggers.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The agony was so intense she felt it in her bones.


    Her teeth had left bloody marks on her lower lip as overwhelming guilt and self-me threatened to


    drown her.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry¡­¡±


    Her voice was hoarse when she squeezed out those words.


    Another sigh escaped Nico, and he tucked away the emotions in his eyes before heading out, closing


    the door behind him.


    Once he was gone, Gwendolyn hugged the bloody shirt as tears rolled uncontrobly down her cheeks.


    Her bawls filled the room.


    All of a sudden, the memory of the day they came back from the abandoned factory shed in her


    mind.


    Back then, he had sat with a stiff spine in the car. It was then that she realized he was hurting so much


    that he did not dare to lean back on the car seat.


    When he went up the stairs, he had been taking slow steps while holding onto the handrail. His back


    had been injured, so she was certain every step he took was painful.


    For the first time ever, he did not cook right away. He had said he was tired, and Gwendolyn finally


    realized that he must have been at his limits.


    She hammered her chest in remorse. Every tear that fell onto the ground spoke of her heartache and


    destion.


    God¡­ If it wasn¡¯t agonizing, he wouldn¡¯t have slipped up so much, but I never once noticed it¡­


    That night, he had squeezed himself into her arms despite his pain, seeking her warmth.


    And yet, what did she do?


    Not only did she coldly shove him away, but she even uttered upsetting words to him.


    Nico was right. Maverick had never said a word about the cruelty she had for him.


    He would put aside all his pride to plead with her.


    He had said, ¡°No¡­ Just let me hug you for a while. Just this once¡­¡±


    He had said, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Please¡­¡±


    The pain had been so great even his breathing was shaky, but he was still greedily drinking in the feel


    of being in her arms.


    Why didn¡¯t he tell me that he was so badly injured? Was he afraid that I¡¯d feel guilty? Was he afraid that


    I was going to terminate the agreement? What a silly man.


    Gwendolyn curled up on the recliner as her emotions burst forth like the water of a broken dam. It felt


    like her misery was corroding her bones and melting her organs.


    ¡°Mavy¡­¡± she whispered, unable to speak in her despair.


    You were envious that I was so close to Charles, but from now on, I¡¯ll call you Mavy so that you¡¯ll know


    that I care for you too, okay? Can you hear me?


    Gwendolyn locked herself in Maverick¡¯s room for three whole days without food, water, or sleep.


    No matter how vigorously Elven and the others knocked on the door, she never responded to them.


    Even the healthiest person would not be able to take the stress.


    Elven and the other bodyguards were worried about her, but there was nothing they could do. In the


    end, they sought Treyton¡¯s help.


    Treyton kicked open the second floor¡¯s room door, only to be greeted by an empty room. However, he


    could hear the sound of water dripping from the bathroom.


    When he walked to the bathroom and switched on the lights, he saw empty bottles of white wine strewn


    across the floor.


    When did she clear out the wine cab? Did Elven and the rest not notice anything?


    Treyton¡¯s gaze finallynded on the thin silhouette.


    Gwendolyn was lying against the wall under the shower. She was still wearing the ck dress she


    wore to the funeral, her entire body soaked and her eyes swollen. She had cried until she had no more


    tears, and despite her red cheeks, she was visibly weary.


    How did she get intoxicated to this point?


    Treyton knew how well his sister could hold her liquor.


    Treyton¡¯s own eyes reddened, and he walked over to pull her into his arms. It was only then he realized


    how hot she was.


    Is she having a fever?


    ¡°Kiddo? Kiddo?¡±


    He gently patted her cheeks before gathering her in his arms, about to carry her out.


    Right then, Gwendolyn woke.


    She instinctively grabbed the man¡¯s sleeve when she sensed the strong arms around her. A familiar


    face entered her blurry line of sight.


    ¡°Maverick, it¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it? You didn¡¯t die, did you? You¡¯re lying to me again, right?¡±


    Treyton¡¯s heart ached, and he softly said to her, ¡°Kiddo, I¡¯m not Maverick; I¡¯m Treyton.¡±


    He¡¯s not Maverick?


    Finally, Gwendolyn rubbed her eyes and let her vision clear up.


    Upon realizing that it was genuinely Treyton, she dissolved into tears again.


    ¡°Treyton, he¡¯s dead! He died because of me¡­ Even when he was injured, he never stopped helping


    me, and I even hurt him again and again. This is all my fault. I killed him. Treyton, what do I do? What


    can I possibly do to repay him for what he had done for me?¡±

 Chapter 208

    Chapter 208


    Chapter 208 Dealing With The Wright Family


    Treyton began crying at the sight of her tears, and he pulled her closer to his chest.


    ¡°Calm down, Kiddo. This isn¡¯t your fault. Don¡¯t me yourself for everything. You never knew what was


    happening. If you keep tormenting yourself in this way, you¡¯re going to be overwhelmed.¡±


    Even though he said that, Gwendolyn merely grabbed his sleeve as the thoughts of the nightmare she


    had had before the day of the incident shed past her mind.


    In her dream, Maverick was covered in blood as he kneeled in the fire in devastation.


    She could not register any of Treyton¡¯s words as tears flowed uncontrobly.


    ¡°Treyton, I had always thought that he was trying to kill me, so I was fine with hating and tormenting


    him. I wouldn¡¯t listen to any exnations he tried to give me. The pain he dealt me in the past was


    istion and mockery, but all the pain I gave him was physical. This is my fault. I killed him. It was


    me¡­¡±


    Treyton cupped her tear-streaked face and whispered gently in her ear, again and again, ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,


    Kiddo. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong. You didn¡¯t kill him. This was his choice. He¡¯s gone, but you¡¯re


    still alive, so don¡¯t hurt yourself in this way anymore.¡±


    ¡°But, Treyton¡­¡±


    At that, Gwendolyn buried herself in Treyton¡¯s arms and sobbed.


    ¡°I wanted to numb myself, so I drank so much to try to forget these things. I tried to get my rationality


    back, but I can¡¯t do it. The more I drink, the soberer I be. The image of him bleeding is just seared


    into my mind. Treyton, I¡­ I¡­¡±


    Suddenly, her breathing quickened, and her world dimmed. She passed out.


    ¡°Kiddo!¡±


    Frightened, Treyton hastily told Elven to look for a doctor before taking her out of the bathroom to a


    room on the third floor.


    As they were all men, they could not change Gwendolyn and clean her up. Hence, Treyton asked


    Elven to bring Flora to Bay Vi.


    A whole group of people then took care of Gwendolyn, who was unconscious from her high fever.


    When the doctor came, he gave her a shot. However, Gwendolyn was too weak. She had been


    drinking alcohol without eating for three days straight, almost ruining her liver. It was only after two days


    of IV therapy did some of the blood returned to her cheeks.


    After that was a series of treatments. They busied away for two days and nights before the woman on


    the bed slowly returned to the waking world.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s head felt like it was about to split apart, but the first word that came out of her mouth upon


    waking was still the same.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Maverick¡­¡±


    It was a whisper, but Treyton heard her clearly.


    With a soft sigh, he stirred the soup that Flora made for Gwendolyn. ¡°Kiddo, forget about him. I¡¯m sure


    you¡¯ll meet another man who¡¯s better and loves you more.¡±


    Gwendolyn shot him a startled look and tried to retaliate, only to realize that she could not make any


    sound.


    All adults were realistic. How many would be willing to risk their lives for someone else?


    There was no way she would ever get another man who loved her in the same way.


    It felt as though someone was wringing her heart like a towel. Gwendolyn clenched her chest and


    scrunched up her face, beads of cold sweat gathering on her forehead.


    Treyton knew that she could not take the truth, but he could do nothing about it. He gently persuaded,


    ¡°You¡¯re still young, and life gets better. Don¡¯t think of miserable times like these anymore, okay? Look


    at how terribly you¡¯ve treated yourself after his funeral. I¡¯m heartbroken to see you like this. If Dad,


    Asher, and Kieran find out about this, they¡¯ll be heartbroken too. Even if you don¡¯t care about yourself,


    you should do this for the family who loves you, all right?¡±


    Gwendolyn averted her gaze and looked out of the window in response, ignoring him.


    ¡°Here, Kiddo. Have some soup. Flora made this, and it¡¯s the best.¡±


    Treyton lifted the spoon to her lips.


    Nevertheless, Gwendolyn kept her lips pressed tightly together.


    Well aware of her stubborn streak, Treyton sighed and tried a different way.


    ¡°If you want to repay him for what he has done for you, then you should be letting yourself recover as


    quickly as you can. He¡¯s gone, and the Wright family only has two women supporting it. Although the


    Wright family¡¯s assets are now all with you, Dexter will definitely make things difficult for you; you¡¯ll


    need to help Maverick get his family settled.¡±


    At that, a hint of light finally entered Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes.


    Treyton was delighted to see the change, and he added, ¡°If you recover quickly, you¡¯ll be able to think


    of the best way to deal with this situation, right?¡±


    Gwendolyn lowered her gaze and began mulling over Treyton¡¯s words.


    Treyton hurriedly brought the spoon to her lips and coaxed, ¡°So let¡¯s have some soup, okay? We can


    only deal with these things once you¡¯re fine, right?¡±


    This time, Gwendolyn epted the soup.


    Treyton was right. Frida and Sheralyn were the only members of Maverick¡¯s family left in the world. She


    would have to make arrangements for them on Maverick¡¯s behalf.


    Wright Construction Group, too. She no longer had the heart to deal with it, so she had to hand it over


    to the Wrights, but it had to be someone she trusted.


    Nevertheless, what Sheralyn needed was a good lesson first.


    Gwendolyn spent the next two days resting and contemting the matter. Her physical state improved,


    and so did the condition of her throat.


    In the morning, while she was lying on the bed having oatmeal, she summoned Justin.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, were you looking for me?¡±


    Gwendolyn was expressionless as she ate her oatmeal. ¡°How are things on Charles¡¯ side?¡±


    ¡°I heard that he has been sent to a high-security prison, but I don¡¯t know how long he¡¯ll be serving.


    Nevertheless, he¡¯s definitely not keeping his position as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency.


    After all, he stole theb¡¯s prohibited drugs. This was already a serious issue by itself, and the one he


    hurt was even Mr. Wright, who belongs to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.¡±


    Gwendolyn stiffened.


    Immediately, Justin smacked his mouth in frustration. Treyton had already told him to mention Maverick


    as little as possible around Gwendolyn.


    After concealing her rising emotions, she stirred her oatmeal and said, ¡°What response does the


    Newton family have?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Newton is only the fourth son of the head of the Newton family. He shouldn¡¯t have had any power


    in the family anyway. There¡¯s internal conflict within the Newton family too, so it seems like they¡¯re not


    nning to rescue him.¡±


    How sad. Even the Newton family isn¡¯t nning to save him. But he had iting for hurting Maverick.


    After those thoughts, Gwendolyn turned to look at Justin solemnly. ¡°From now on, you¡¯re no longer my


    bodyguard. You¡¯re dismissed.¡±


    Justin shuddered as his lips trembled. ¡°Ms. Harris, do you not want me anymore? Do you hate me for


    what happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    Gwendolyn ced the bowl on the bedside table and calmly replied, ¡°He has already dealt with the


    men in ck. No one poses a threat to your life anymore, so you can leave safely now.¡±


    ¡°But Ms. Harris, I¡­¡± I just want to stay by your side, even if it means doing nothing but looking at you.


    Before he could finish his sentence, Gwendolyn turned to look at him icily. ¡°Every time I look at you, I


    think about the pain he endured in the fire. I feel terrible, and I feel like I¡¯m suffocating. So, your


    departure is for the best.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m really sorry about what happened to Mr. Wright. I can understand your grudge toward me


    and your reluctance to see me.¡± Justin¡¯s eyes were red. He was reluctant. ¡°But can I stay today to finish


    myst shift? I won¡¯t disturb you anymore after this.¡±


    It was merely one day, so Gwendolyn did not mind.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Justin then slinked away.


    Right as he left, Elven rushed into the room. ¡°Ms. Harris, your phone has been on silent mode, so you


    didn¡¯t receive Ms. Sullivan¡¯s call. She just sent someone over to say that Dexter has been kicking up a


    fuss at Wright Construction Group every day recently. He¡¯s been insisting that you hand over the right


    to manage thepany.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained expressionless, for she expected that.


    Maverick had not made a will. The forty-five percent Wright Construction Group shares that he owned


    were definitely Dexter¡¯s target.

 Chapter 209

    Chapter 209


    Chapter 209 He Left A Will


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll go to Wright Construction Group after breakfast.¡±


    After breakfast, Gwendolyn gathered her thoughts and got herself out of the bad mood she had been in


    for many days. Then, she put on light makeup and went out.


    Meanwhile, Dexter was making a scene at the CEO¡¯s office of Wright Construction Group. ¡°How can


    she not face the world and go into hiding? Is she pretending to be sad after Maverick¡¯s death? Does


    she think she can avoid the management rights issue of Wright Construction Group? Get her toe


    now. Things must be resolved today!¡±


    Yulia was helpless. She wanted badly to p the sly old fox to death, but the fact that their society was


    governed by the rule ofw reminded her to be calm in front of others.


    ¡°Mr. Wright, Ms. Shalders has fallen sick recently. You don¡¯t have to be so aggressive¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, the door of the CEO¡¯s office was pushed open.


    Dressed in a ck bodycon dress, Gwendolyn looked charming yet innocent under her light makeup,


    with the usual look of aloofness and arrogance in her eyes.


    Without even sparing a nce at Dexter, she walked straight to the CEO¡¯s chair with a grim face and


    sat down.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    That single word without any emotion instantly made Dexter change his attitude.


    With a smile, he walked to the chair across from Gwendolyn and sat down. The vivid memories of


    being forced to drink thirty bottles of drugs and suffering the torture for ten days were still fresh in his


    mind, so he only dared to make a scene behind her back.


    Now that Gwendolyn had really shown up, he said in a gentle tone, ¡°Ms. Shalders, I¡¯m also sad that my


    nephew died at such a young age. I¡¯ve lost my appetite these few days, but I¡¯m talking about a different


    matter¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cut to the chase.¡±


    Gwendolyn knitted her brows, displeased.


    ¡°Now that he¡¯s gone, I¡¯m the only one from the Wright family that holds shares in Wright Construction


    Group, so his shares should be transferred to me, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Says who?¡± Gwendolyn nced at him. ¡°Did you hit your head or what? You¡¯re just his father¡¯s


    brother. Only his mother is an immediate family member who can get the shares, while you have no


    right to im them.¡±


    Dexter did not get angry despite being ridiculed. ¡°But she¡¯s not good at managing apany. Look at


    how Wright Construction Group ended up when it was in her hands previously. If you give her the


    shares, thepany will eventually end up like a hollow shell. Besides, can you really give her the


    shares after being treated by her like that in the past? Well, I¡¯m different. I can help you as I¡¯ve already


    repented and won¡¯t fight against you again in the future!¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered. ¡°Look at how you put it so nicely. You¡¯ll be the major shareholder after you get the


    shares. You just want the management rights of Wright Construction Group, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Uh¡­


    Dexter did not answer her. He was determined to get the management rights from her as he could not


    watch thepany fall into the hands of an outsider.


    However, knowing that Gwendolyn was not someone to be trifled with, he had initially nned to take it


    step by step.


    Gwendolyn did not bother to listen to his management speak as she added straightforwardly, ¡°Just say


    it if you want it instead of repulsing me with your nonsense. Whether you can get the management


    rights from me depends on your ability.¡±


    Dexter wore a scowl on his face and said nothing for a while.


    He knew that Gwendolyn, who was shrewd, would be even more wary of him in the future since she


    knew his n.


    ¡°You know what? Since you said that Frida should get Maverick¡¯s shares, why don¡¯t we ask her to sign


    the share transfer agreement under the witness of awyer today?¡±


    So what if the shares are transferred to Frida? Sooner orter, I can fool her into giving me the shares.


    Things will be easier as long as the shares don¡¯t fall into Gwendolyn¡¯s hands.


    Gwendolyn curled her lips coldly.


    When she was about to respond, the door was pushed open.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Frida, who had pulled herself out of the despondency that had been gnawing away at her for the past


    few days, walked into the office gracefully with her usual demeanor of a wealthy woman.


    Seeing her, Dexter was overjoyed. ¡°Hey, Frida, we were just discussing getting you toe over to


    sign the agreement. Your appearance is so well-timed.¡±


    Gwendolyn leaned back against the office chair with her arms folded across her chest indifferently, not


    saying a word.


    She wanted to see what stunt the two of them were going to pull.


    As Frida walked over, Dexter stood up to give up his seat to her.


    Without standing on ceremony, Frida gracefully sat down and looked at Dexter, saying, ¡°It is not up to


    you or me to decide how to distribute my son¡¯s shares.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Frida?¡± Dexter¡¯s expression froze.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought Mr. Lawson over. Maverick made a will before his death. Since everyone is present today,


    it will be read out now.¡±


    Thewyer, Benjamin Lawson, stepped forward and ced a sealed kraft paper folder on Gwendolyn¡¯s


    clean desk with both hands.


    Gwendolyn nced at it.


    Maverick even made a will?


    ¡°Since it¡¯s a will, it¡¯ll be inappropriate for me, who is no longer a member of the Wright family, to be here


    when it¡¯s read out. I shall excuse myself.¡±


    When she was about to get up, Frida stopped her. ¡°You should sit back down. You¡¯re mentioned in the


    will, so you have to be present.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s body stiffened. I can¡¯t believe he actually mentioned me in his will.


    Holding back her tears, she sat back down with an indifferent expression.


    After making sure that Gwendolyn was seated, Frida turned around to look at Benjamin and said, ¡°Go


    ahead.¡±


    Benjamin nodded. Under the watchful eyes of the three, he stepped forward to unseal the folder and


    took out the will inside.


    ¡°I, Maverick Wright, the testator, dere this to be myst will for the distribution of my personal


    property after my death.¡±


    The first paragraph alone made Gwendolyn¡¯s heart ache while her eyes uncontrobly reddened.


    Clenching her fists hard, she looked down and listened to the reading of the will in silence.


    Frida had also be tearful, whereas Dexter showed a token look of sadness on his face.


    Under the grave atmosphere, Benjamin went on to read, ¡°I devise and bequeath my main real estate,


    shares, and other properties under my name as follows: A total of seven properties, including Sky Vi,


    a house with a courtyard on Haas Avenue, and Goldport Apartment on Chance Street, to my ex-wife,


    Gwendolyn Shalders. In addition, the forty-five percent shares of Wright Construction Group held by


    me will be transferred to my ex-wife, Gwendolyn Shalders.¡±


    After Benjamin was done reading out the will, Frida wiped her tears with a tissue, while Gwendolyn was


    left heartbroken. He actually left all his properties to me. Am I all he thought about? Did he not even


    care about Frida and Sheralyn?


    However, Dexter blew up on the spot.


    ¡°What? I won¡¯t ept this!¡± With anger written all over his face, he protested, ¡°I have no objection to his


    decision to give all the real estate to his ex-wife, but how can he give his forty-five percent of Wright


    Construction Group¡¯s shares to an outsider so easily? Wright Construction Group is the culmination of


    Old Mr. Wright¡¯s lifetime of hard work. This is so unfilial of him! Where does that leave Old Mr. Wright?¡±


    If the forty-five percent of shares were really given to Gwendolyn, she would hold eighty-five percent


    shares in the future, making it hard for him to take her down.


    Gwendolyn had been keeping her head down all the while, neither rebutting nor speaking.


    In the first ce, she was not good at the real estate industry. She was exhausted physically and


    mentally after managing both Wright Construction Group and Angle for some time. Just as she was


    nning to leave Wright Construction Group in others¡¯ hands, Maverick made things difficult for her by


    leaving the burden of managing Wright Construction Group to her.


    Amidst Dexter¡¯s doubts, Frida wiped away her tears and said with a heavy heart, ¡°Making a will is


    Maverick¡¯s right to make his own decisions freely. As his mother, I respect his decision.¡±


    ¡°What has gotten into you, Frida? Shares are not a trivial matter!¡±


    It was driving Dexter mad.


    Yet, Frida remained indifferent to his outburst. ¡°Dexter, stop fighting. What is not yours is not yours. No


    matter how hard you fight, you won¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Dexter was furious. ¡°How prodigal! You¡¯ll have a lot of exining to do when you die and see Old


    Mr. Wright and my brother in the afterlife!¡±


    With a loud snort, he left in a huff.


    Frida remained silent as he scolded her, not a trace of anger on her face.


    Gwendolyn shot her a strange look.


    After Maverick¡¯s funeral, Frida seemed to be a different person. Not only did she often speak up


    for Gwendolyn, but she was also calmer than before when things happened.


    ¡°If you hide his will and don¡¯t get it read out in public, his shares will be yours. We¡¯re talking about forty-


    five percent of shares here. Are you not tempted at all?¡±


    Frida gave her a faint smile.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t have that ability. It¡¯s better for Wright Construction Group to be in your hands.¡±


    Gwendolyn quietly gazed at her with narrowed eyes. ¡°Mrs. Wright, you have suddenly changed a lot.


    You¡¯ve never spoken to me calmly before. Did Maverick tell you something in his letter at his funeral?¡±

 Chapter 210

    Chapter 210


    Chapter 210 Making The Rules


    Frida appeared stunned for a moment.


    Then, she averted her eyes and lowered her head with a bitter smile on her face. ¡°He didn¡¯t say


    anything. He just asked me to take good care of you.¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned with a serious expression, obviously not believing her words.


    Frida went on, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t me you for his death. It¡¯s all my fault. If I hadn¡¯t been so mean to you


    back then and had treated you well, maybe you wouldn¡¯t have wanted a divorce, and he wouldn¡¯t have


    to try to get back together with you¡­¡±


    She could not bring herself to finish the sentence as tears rolled down her cheeks.


    Gwendolyn handed her a box of tissues. Her eyes reddened again as she said with a lump in her


    throat, ¡°Regardless of whether you are sincere this time, I will personally go to the Wright residence the


    day after tomorrow and return it to you. ¡°


    ¡°Really?¡± Frida cried even harder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re such a good girl. I¡¯m really sorry for not


    appreciating you in the past!¡±


    Gwendolyn sighed and replied tly, ¡°I¡¯m just not short of money or a house to live in, so you don¡¯t


    need to thank me. Maverick has helped you pay off the grudges between you and me.¡±


    Frida felt even more guilty as she sobbed so hard that her shoulders were heaving.


    Seeing that, Gwendolyn walked up to her and gently patted her on the back to calm her down. Then,


    she said, ¡°By the way, I ept his will, but I don¡¯t have the energy to manage Wright Construction


    Group anymore.¡±


    Frida stopped crying and looked up at her. ¡°What is your n?¡±


    With a look of determination in her eyes, Gwendolyn replied, ¡°If you trust me, I need you to be cruel for


    once.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out the day after tomorrow.¡±


    Frida met her gaze with suspicion and anticipation.


    She now regretted pushing away such a good daughter-inw back then, but she knew that regret was


    pointless.


    In the next two days, Gwendolyn asked someone to find the best etiquette coach in Faike. Then, she


    went to the Wright residence with four bodyguards, including Elven, and the etiquette coach.


    Frida and Sheralyn were still wearing the housekeeper uniforms in the Wright residence. When


    Gwendolyn arrived, they were cleaning the house.


    The two of them had been behaving themselves recently. Hence, the housekeepers who used to vent


    their anger on them did not make things difficult for them anymore either.


    Gwendolyn sat in the main seat of the living room drinking coffee, a property transfer agreement for the


    Wright residence on the coffee table.


    When Frida showed up, Gwendolyn asked her to sit on the small couch on the side.


    As soon as Sheralyn saw Gwendolyn, she immediately cursed, ¡°You b*tch! How dare youe here


    again! It¡¯s all your fault that our family ended up like this! You jinx! You¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Frida yelled in a stern voice.


    Sheralyn was frustrated. ¡°Mom, has something gotten into you recently? Why can¡¯t I scold her? Why


    are you defending her? Are you still my mother?¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Frida sighed in disappointment, not bothering to reply to her daughter.


    However, Gwendolyn was not angry as she said tly, ¡°You can scold me to your heart¡¯s content after


    I¡¯m done talking.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s actually letting me scold her however I want. Baffled, Sheralyn asked, ¡°What do


    you want to talk about?¡±


    ncing at the document on the table, Gwendolyn dered, ¡°I can return the Wright residence to you


    and even transfer my forty percent shares of Wright Construction Group to you and forty-five percent to


    your future children.¡±


    Sheralyn was stupefied. ¡°Would you be so kind?¡±


    ¡°But I have some conditions. The shares will be transferred to you after you are capable of running


    Wright Construction Group, while I¡¯ll only let Mrs. Wright sign the transfer agreement for the Wright


    residence after you meet all the conditions.¡±


    ¡°As expected. I knew you wouldn¡¯t be so kind for no reason.¡± Sheralyn rolled her eyes. ¡°But what are


    your conditions?¡±


    ¡°Firstly, you¡¯re not allowed to marry a wealthy man. You need to find a loyal and honest ordinary man to


    be a live-in son-inw and have children that carry the Wrightst name. Secondly, you have bad


    manners, but that¡¯s okay as I hired you an etiquette coach. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re trained hard. Thirdly,


    when you¡¯ve mastered all etiquette and manners, I¡¯ll let you work in Wright Construction Group to learn


    business management. When you can handle projects independently, I¡¯ll give you the shares.¡±


    Sheralyn was dumbfounded after listening to Gwendolyn¡¯s conditions.


    ¡°Are you kidding me? I can¡¯t meet any of these conditions! What makes you think you can be so strict


    with me?¡±


    Gwendolyn responded nonchntly, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t do it. Just forget I said anything.¡±


    She then got up to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Frida stopped her in her tracks and looked at Sheralyn to persuade thetter earnestly.


    ¡°Sheralyn, it¡¯s all for the sake of you and the Wright family. Now that your brother is gone, our family


    line ends here. The best solution is to get a live-in son-inw. Besides, I also think that you¡¯re too


    spoiled and arrogant. You should really learn some manners.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s body froze as the light in her eyes dulled.


    Frida¡¯s remark, ¡°Now that your brother is gone, our family line ends here,¡± sent a pang across her


    heart. Subconsciously, she rested her hand against her stomach.


    Despite being married to Maverick for three years, she had only slept with him the night before the


    divorce. However, she did not get pregnant from that one night.


    Regardless, based on her state of mind and personality at the time, she would have gone for an


    abortion without hesitation even if she had conceived.


    Noticing Gwendolyn¡¯s expression, Frida realized that she had said something she should not have. ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry. I was too upied in lecturing Sheralyn and forgot that you¡¯re still here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Carry on.¡± Gwendolyn rposed herself and sat back down on the couch.


    Frida stared at her apologetically for a while before turning back to Sheralyn.


    ¡°Sheralyn, thanks to Gwendolyn, we¡¯re still allowed to live in the Wright residence. If you reject her,


    she¡¯ll drive us out. Being penniless, we can only sleep under the bridge. Do you want that to happen?¡±


    Sheralyn was so horrified that her face went pale. ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to sleep under the bridge!¡±


    If she were kicked out, she would no longer be able to hold her head up high in front of her socialite


    friends. But things would be different if she agreed to Gwendolyn¡¯s conditions. She would still have a


    chance to continue living the good life she used to have.


    She hesitated for a while before announcing, ¡°Okay, I agree to your conditions.¡±


    Gwendolyn shook her head. ¡°No. You¡¯ll obey unconditionally.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll obey unconditionally. Happy?¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded in satisfaction. After introducing Sheralyn to the etiquette coach, she said, ¡°I have


    two more gifts for you.¡±


    William and Quinton, who were attentive and observant, took a few steps forward with their backs


    straight to each bring a box to Sheralyn.


    Puzzlement was written all over Sheralyn¡¯s face.


    Standing up, Gwendolyn opened the first box. ¡°This is a handbook on etiquette in conversation. I will


    give you a week to memorize the entire book, and you must make sure this doesn¡¯t affect the coach¡¯s


    lessons. I will test what you¡¯ve learned after that.¡±


    Sheralyn looked at the book that was as thick as her little finger, and her eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°You want me to memorize such a thick book in seven days? Are you a demon?¡±


    Ignoring her, Gwendolyn proceeded to open the second box.


    Inside it sat a high-quality red sandalwood ruler that was hard in texture and had a nice color.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t memorize the book, this will help you remember. I actually don¡¯t like getting physical when


    ites to education, but you¡¯re too unruly. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be obedient if I don¡¯t line up a harsh


    punishment. Thus, this ruler will help correct you of any mistakes you make from now on.¡±

 Chapter 211

    Chapter 211


    Chapter 211 Rules


    Shocked, Sheralyn nced between Gwendolyn and the ruler before she backed away reflexively.


    ¡°You b*tch! You¡¯re clearly using this opportunity to mess with me! I know you don¡¯t actually want to


    hand the Wright residence and Wright Construction Group back to us! I won¡¯t let that happen!¡±


    With a cold expression, Gwendolyn fiddled with the ruler. ¡°You were the one who told me you¡¯ll obey


    my orders unconditionally, so you don¡¯t get a say in what happens now.¡±


    Just as she finished her sentence, Elven and Ezra swiftly grabbed Sheralyn¡¯s shoulders.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Fear swirled in Sheralyn¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re trying to scare me, aren¡¯t you? You


    think I¡¯m afraid of you! Well, too bad because I¡¯ll never submit to a b*tch like you, even if I die!¡±


    Gwendolyn stepped closer to her with the ruler. ¡°Does it please you so much to call me a b*tch? You


    know, you don¡¯t sound like the daughter of an affluent family at all. I guess I¡¯ll have to teach you a


    lesson today.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do? Are you going to hit me? Try touching me, b*tch!¡±


    With a sneer, Gwendolyn shook her head. She¡¯s still an idiot who doesn¡¯t understand the situation.


    She¡¯s only pouring more fuel into my burning rage the more she curses at me. It¡¯s fine, though, since


    I¡¯ve got an opportunity to take her down a peg right now. ¡°How many swear words have you uttered


    since you entered the living room?¡±


    That question dumbfounded Sheralyn. Huh? How would I know how many times I¡¯ve cussed? I just did


    it whenever I felt like it.


    Elven counted in his mind before answering, ¡°Five, Ms. Gwendolyn.¡±


    Turning the ruler around, Gwendolyn stated, ¡°I¡¯ll hit you twice for every swear word, so you¡¯ll be


    receiving ten whacks on your hand.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the right to hit me! I¡¯ve been doted on since I was a kid, so much so my parents can¡¯t


    even bear to touch me! Who do you think you are?¡± howled Sherlyn as she struggled wildly to break


    free.


    She was terrified of the pain that awaited her. ¡°Save me, Mom! She¡¯s going to beat me to death! Mom!¡±


    While Frida was heartbroken, she ignored her daughter¡¯s pleas. She believed the lesson could change


    Sheralyn¡¯s spoiled personality, so she turned her sight away.


    Sheralyn watched her wrists be forcefully restricted by the bodyguards so that she couldn¡¯t move her


    arms. Then, Gwendolyn grabbed Sheralyn¡¯s fingertips, prying thetter¡¯s fingers open to reveal her


    palm.


    Just as Sheralyn was about to swear again, Gwendolyn red at her coldly. ¡°This is only ten hits. If you


    can¡¯t control your mouth and curse one more time, I¡¯ll p it with a ruler next time instead. Do you want


    to give it a try?¡±


    When enraged, Gwendolyn was capable of doing anything.


    My face will be ruined if she hits my mouth with a ruler! Sheralyn felt a chill running down her spine as


    she gulped fearfully. Biting her lip, she kept quiet.


    Seeing that Sheralyn had behaved herself, Gwendolyn promptly pped the former¡¯s palm with the


    ruler.


    ¡°Ouch! It hurts! Don¡¯t hit me anymore! Save me, Mom! She¡¯s going to kill me!¡± Sheralyn trembled in


    pain.


    Tears poured from her eyes as she squealed like a pig being ughtered.


    Gwendolyn had whacked Sheralyn¡¯s hand with all her might. Because she was also trained in martial


    arts, the impact she caused was so severe that Sheralyn¡¯s palm swelled immediately.


    With an icy expression, she mercilessly hit Sheralyn four more times in a row.


    Sheralyn wailed at the top of her lungs as her arms trembled in pain.


    Even though her left palm only received five hits, her fair, tender hand had already turned purple.


    Frida also wept as she listened to her daughter¡¯s torment. Several times, she was tempted to stop


    Gwendolyn, but she held back her urge. Ultimately, she buried herself in the sofa and pretended to be


    deaf.


    Gwendolyn was ruthless as she immediately grabbed Sheralyn¡¯s right hand and smacked it five times


    with the ruler.


    Once the punishment was over, Elven and Ezra released Sheralyn.


    It was Sheralyn¡¯s first time experiencing such torture, so her legs were still shaking. She couldn¡¯t even


    stand straight when she was let go and copsed to the ground.


    Reflexively, she touched the ground with her hands. The pain was so excruciating that she almost


    passed out.


    As she continued to whimper, Frida approached her and examined her palms.


    Gwendolynid a box of anti-inmmatory cream on the table with a grave expression. ¡°You better


    commit the rules to memory. I¡¯m very strict, you know. I¡¯ll return seven dayster to see if you¡¯ve


    memorized the book. If you still haven¡¯t yielded, feel free to provoke me again.¡±


    In response, Sheralyn burrowed into Frida¡¯s embrace. There was nothing she could do to Gwendolyn


    except cry.


    As she stared at Gwendolyn with fear, she thought, This woman¡¯s too ruthless! She¡¯s no different from


    a demon!


    Seeing that Sheralyn no longer had the nerve to curse at her, Gwendolyn felt her rage subsiding. That


    was satisfying. I knew teaching her a lesson through actions instead of words was better. The


    education method that has been passed down for millennia is indeed useful.


    After that, she requested the bodyguards to ce the sandalwood ruler on Sheralyn¡¯s dressing table.


    That way, the ruler would be the first thing Sheralyn would see upon waking up every day.


    Once the rules were set, Gwendolyn asked Frida to sign the two property transfer agreements. Without


    ncing at Sheralyn again, she left.


    Over the next seven days, Sheralyn memorized the entire book. She was genuinely frightened by the


    punishment she received.


    During Gwendolyn¡¯s test, Sheralyn made several mistakes but sessfullymitted the entire book


    to memory. While Gwendolyn didn¡¯t intentionally trouble her, she did have strict standards. Thus,


    Sheralyn was punished with ten smacks to the palms again.


    Sheralyn was feeling equally furious and miserable. However, there was nothing she could do to


    Gwendolyn. As she held her swollen, painful hands, she sobbed. ¡°You¡¯re a cold-blooded animal who


    only knows how to bully me, Gwendolyn! I hate you¡­¡±


    In response, Gwendolyn grinned while watching her cry. ¡°Not bad. You¡¯ve improved. The words you


    hurled at me are a lot more civilized than before. However, I bet you cursed at me lots in secret during


    this period.¡±


    Silently, Sheralyn red at her. Obviously! I swear at her every time I visit the restroom and every night


    before I sleep!


    Upon peering at Sheralyn¡¯s expression, Gwendolyn found her answer. In response, she summoned all


    the housekeepers in the vi. ¡°From today onward, everyone is allowed to monitor Sheralyn. Whenever


    you report an instance of her swearing to me, you¡¯ll be rewarded with a thousand bucks.¡±


    The housekeepers¡¯ eyes glinted.


    From that day onward, Sheralyn was followed everywhere she went in the residence. Even when she


    was taking etiquette sses, plenty of housekeepers would eavesdrop on her.


    Initially, Sheralyn was furious. She couldn¡¯t resist swearing at the housekeepers a couple of times. As a


    result, plenty of housekeepers happily received their rewards.


    Naturally, as per the rules, Gwendolyn pped Sheralyn twice for every curse word uttered.


    Consequently, Sheralyn¡¯s palms swelled immensely. Half a monthter, she had forgotten her hands¡¯


    original color.


    During meals, she couldn¡¯t even hold a utensil properly. Frida couldn¡¯t help but feed her daughter twice


    in secret. However, Gwendolyn forbade Frida from doing it again when she discovered the act.


    Gwendolyn vehemently refused to condone Sheralyn¡¯s spoiled princess behavior.


    While Sheralyn felt aggrieved, she was thoroughly frightened by Gwendolyn. Therefore, she wouldn¡¯t


    speak before thinking about what to say anymore.


    As time passed by, the number of whacks she received decreased.


    On the fourth of December, Faike received its first snowfall. The entire city was engulfed in thick


    snow.


    Gwendolyn wore a white fur coat with a ckced dress, appearing elegant yet solemn.


    After picking a few beautiful flowers, she visited Maverick in the cemetery.


    His grave was covered in snow, so she patiently removed it. Then, with a gentle look, she uttered, ¡°I


    didn¡¯t expect Faike¡¯s first snowfall to be exactly one month from the day you were buried, Mavy. It¡¯s


    been very cold these two days. I wonder if you¡¯re feeling the same on the other side. If only I can


    deliver a coat to you.¡±

 Chapter 212

    Chapter 212


    Chapter 212 Leaving


    Sitting next to Maverick¡¯s grave, Gwendolynid her head on the tombstone as though she was leaning


    into his embrace.


    ¡°Sheralyn has be much more well-behaved during this period. I¡¯ve let her join Wright Construction


    Group so she can start learning. While you gave me thepany shares, I don¡¯t have the energy to


    helm it anymore. Once she can handle thepany matters alone, I¡¯ll slowly step away. It¡¯s been so


    boring without you flirting with me every day, Mavy. Recently, I¡¯ve been dreaming about you. In those


    dreams, you tell me you aren¡¯t dead yet, that you purposefully lied to me to see if I truly love you. If only


    that were true,¡± she muttered softly as tears streamed down her cheeks.Closing her eyes, she wrapped


    her arms around the tombstone as though she was hugging his waist and sleeping in his embrace.


    Quinton and William were asked by Gwendolyn to wait at a gazebo fifty meters away from the


    cemetery. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t see what was happening inside.


    They had waited for an hour, but she still hadn¡¯t left.


    Unable to stifle his worry any longer, William bolted into the cemetery.


    More than a dozen stepster, he was taken aback by the scene before him.


    Gwendolyn was lying against the tombstone, looking as if she had fallen asleep.


    As she didn¡¯t have an umbre, her head and body were covered in snow, making her look tragically


    beautiful instead of wretched.


    William was aware of how Gwendolyn had always loved Maverick, even if she insisted otherwise.


    Unfortunately, Maverick was dead, so it didn¡¯t matter what she said anymore.


    Nico was gone, too. Before he left, he bade the bodyguards goodbye, saying he likely wouldn¡¯t return


    to Faike again.


    Sighing, William reminisced about the time they spent together ying poker.


    Upon pushing his thoughts aside, he trotted toward Gwendolyn with an umbre and wiped the


    unmelted snowkes on her body away. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, Ms. Harris. We should return home. Don¡¯t you


    need to check up on Ms. Wright¡¯s work progresster in the afternoon?¡±


    Wordlessly, Gwendolyn opened her eyes and left the cemetery.


    Upon returning to Wright Construction Group, she saw Sheralyn already waiting in her office.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Before sitting in her chair, Gwendolyn swiftly removed her fur coat as the heater in the office was


    turned on.


    Sheralyn fearfully delivered the business proposal she had spent all night writing to Gwendolyn.


    Expressionlessly, Gwendolyn epted the proposal and read through it carefully. asionally, she¡¯d


    circle something on the paper with a red pen while cruelly judging Sheralyn¡¯s work. ¡°This is wrong. This


    sentence is too confusing and incoherent. I mentioned before these proposals must be written


    concisely and be easily understood. There are a few wrong words here and here. Whenever you finish


    writing, you need to check it multiple times instead of being cursory¡­¡±


    The more Sheralyn listened to Gwendolyn¡¯s critique, the more awful she felt.


    Pouting, she stretched her opened palms toward Gwendolyn. ¡°I get it. I¡¯ll be careful next time. Go


    ahead and hit me.¡±


    In response, Gwendolyn stared at her with great intrigue.


    Sheralyn lowered her head, staring at her toes, and gulped anxiously. When she heard Gwendolyn


    opening a drawer, her body stiffened, and she closed her eyes, waiting for the immense pain to arrive.


    However, it never did.


    Puzzled, she opened her eyes and saw Gwendolyn had ced a chocte candy in her hand.


    ¡°This is your first time proactively epting your punishment, so instead of hitting you, I¡¯ve decided to


    reward your good behavior today,¡± exined Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Really?¡± Sheralyn was overjoyed to hear she wouldn¡¯t be punished. As she peered at Gwendolyn, she


    found thetter less irritating. ¡°Thank you, Gwendolyn! You¡¯re the best! I¡¯ll be sure to learn well!¡±


    ¡°Mhm, you may leave now.¡±


    ted, Sheralyn left with the candy.


    As Gwendolyn stared at Sheralyn¡¯s back, she shook her head resignedly. Honestly, I have no


    experience I can draw from to educate Sheralyn, considering I¡¯ve never raised a child before and am


    the youngest in my family. Although, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve never seen how others have done it. I think


    this is how Treyton guided me in the past. Not too strict, but not too lenient as well. Punish first, then


    reward. It¡¯s best to strike a perfect bnce between being stern and kind.


    Two monthster, Sheralyn had made significant progress. She didn¡¯t learn that quickly, but she was


    focused.


    When Gwendolyn checked Sheralyn¡¯s business proposal, she couldn¡¯t spot any mistakes. Contented,


    Gwendolyn suggested, ¡°Well done. Next time, I¡¯ll hand a project to you. Try doing it alone.¡±


    Sheralyn nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll do my best, but¡­¡± Aplicated expression set on her countenance.


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°Can I not work overtime today? I¡¯m going out for dinnerter tonight¡­¡± Sheralyn¡¯s voice grew quieter


    as she spoke. Additionally, her earlobes were turning red.


    ¡°Oh? A date?¡± It was then Gwendolyn noticed how well-dressed Sheralyn was. With a knowing grin,


    she asked, ¡°Is it a man?¡±


    Biting her lip shyly, Sheralyn nodded.


    ¡°What kind of person is he? What is his family background? You still remember the promise you made


    me, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s from a normal family, and he treats me well. In fact, he helped me a lot at work.


    Besides¡­ he¡¯s quite handsome. We¡¯ve just started dating, though, so it¡¯s difficult to tell how it¡¯ll go.¡±


    Embarrassed, Sheralyn changed the topic. ¡°A-Anyway, I need to return to my desk to pack my things,


    Gwendolyn. I¡¯ll see youter.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded and watched her leave. So, he helped her at work, huh? That suggests he¡¯s an


    employee of Wright Construction Group.


    When her train of thought ended, she asked Yulia to investigate Sheralyn¡¯s love interest.


    In the end, she discovered the man Sheralyn was dating was Ajax White, an employee from the same


    department.


    Gwendolyn was shocked because Ajax and Yulia were people she transferred from Shadow Bell to


    Wright Construction Group. Hence, they were people she absolutely trusted.


    The next day, Gwendolyn summoned Ajax to her office in secret. ¡°How wasst night¡¯s date?¡±


    Embarrassed, Ajax scratched the back of his head. ¡°You know about it already?¡±


    ¡°Do you really like Sheralyn?¡±


    He nodded seriously. ¡°I heard about your conflicts with her in the past. Initially, when she joined Wright


    Construction Group, I nned to teach her a lesson for you. However, after spending time with her, I


    realized she¡¯s only slightly arrogant. She acts audaciously only because of her spoiled upbringing.


    Sometimes, she¡¯s quite cute. I genuinely like her.¡±


    ¡°All right, then. You can leave now.¡± Gwendolyn didn¡¯t n to interfere much with Sheralyn¡¯s


    rtionship since it seemed stable.


    Three monthster, Sheralyn and Ajax held a big wedding at a church in Faike.


    On the same day, Gwendolyn handed the Wright Construction Group shares in her possession to


    Sheralyn.


    Before the ceremony began, various business partners and CEOs gathered around the giant cake on


    thewn, chatting and drinking.


    Gwendolyn never enjoyed those events, so she sat quietly at a small table with Joaquin.


    The Mossey family was invited too. When Jerome and Madelyn arrived, they chatted with Gwendolyn,


    as it had been a while since they met.


    Gwendolyn was sharp enough to notice Inez wasn¡¯t present.


    With a resigned smile, Madelyn exined, ¡°She¡¯s a stubborn child. No matter how much her father and


    I persuaded her, she went straight to Lightspring the moment her leg recovered.¡±


    Lightspring? Gwendolyn smiled wordlessly. It seems Inez is sincerely determined to be my sister-in-


    law. I guess my brother will have to deal with a clingy love interest. Still, I¡¯m curious to see if Inez has


    what it takes to pursue him.


    Madelyn shot a nce at Jerome. In response, Jerome came up with an excuse to chat with Joaquin at


    the side.


    Once the men were gone, Madelyn approached Gwendolyn and asked in a small voice, ¡°I heard you


    handed the forty percent shares in your possession to Sheralyn. Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll try to hurt you


    again after how they treated you in the past?¡±


    Gwendolyn grinned casually. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I¡¯m worried about. I can take it back whenever I want.¡±


    Besides, I have Yulia and Ajax keeping an eye on Sheralyn in Wright Construction Group. Even if Frida


    and Sheralyn have been putting up an act in front of me over the past few months, they still can¡¯t defeat


    me.


    It¡¯s such a shame Maverick passed away. Madelyn sighed gently and asked, ¡°Now that you¡¯re not


    actively in charge of Wright Construction Group and Angle, what will you do? Be an idle boss and do


    whatever catches your fancy?¡±


    Gwendolyn shook her head. ¡°Once I¡¯m done with the matters here, I¡¯m leaving Faike.¡±


    Her words surprised Madelyn. ¡°Leaving? Where are you going?¡±


    Gwendolyn stared straight at her. ¡°Salinsburgh.¡±

 Chapter 213

    Chapter 213


    Chapter 213 Most Popr Man In Salinsburgh


    While Madelyn was slightly startled by the news, she knew Gwendolyn was determined, so she didn¡¯t


    try to persuade thetter. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea to go somewhere else. Maybe it¡¯ll help lift your mood. How


    long are you nning to stay there? Will you return?¡±


    Gwendolyn contemted momentarily and replied, ¡°Not sure, but I¡¯ll probablye back.¡± Once I¡¯ve


    ferreted out all those in the Harris family who want to harm me, I¡¯ll likely return and live in Faike. After


    all, I¡¯ll be able to stay a little closer to Maverick that way.They chatted a little longer until it was time for


    the wedding ceremony to begin.


    Sheralyn slowly stepped onto the red carpet in the church with a high-end white wedding gown and the


    most beautiful makeup.


    Ajax, standing next to the priest, gazed at her. They met each other¡¯s eyes with a look of great


    affection.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    In the presence of a priest, the couplepleted the most important ceremony of their lives.


    Frida was so touched that she sobbed. Even Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help but tear up a little. Back then,


    when I married Maverick, there was no wedding. No one witnessed our union. After we registered our


    marriage, Old Mr. Wright forced him to take a wedding photo with me. I wonder if I¡¯ll ever have the


    chance to wear a wedding gown again.


    The day after the wedding, Gwendolyn picked a few beautiful white roses and visited Maverick¡¯s grave


    to say goodbye.


    As always, she cleaned his grave first, removing the fallen leaves and dust.


    Her finger traced over the picture on the tombstone as she etched his face into her mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving now, Mavy. There¡¯s no telling when I¡¯ll visit you next. I¡¯m almost done with the matters in


    Faike. Since the people who harmed me have learned I¡¯m here, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll continue to trouble


    me as long as I breathe. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯d rather return to Salinsburgh and deal with them once and


    for all.¡± A violent look shed past her eyes.


    Then, she softlyid her head on Maverick¡¯s tombstone. ¡°I really miss you. I feel like tearing up every


    time I visit you. However, because you said you hope I¡¯ll live a happy and carefree life as the princess


    of the Harris family, I¡¯ve held them back every time. I¡¯ve been dreaming less and less about you


    recently. I don¡¯t know why, but don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll always be the only one in my heart. ¡°


    Then she fell asleep again.


    After an unknown amount of time passed, she woke up when Treyton arrived to pick her up. ¡°It¡¯s time to


    go.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded and stood with his help. As he held her shoulders affectionately, they left the


    cemetery.


    The same day, an explosive headline was spread throughout the inte.


    Not only was the Harris family¡¯s youngest daughter confirmed to be alive, but she also publicly


    announced her return to the family. Additionally, she imed she was kidnapped back then.


    Gwendolyn appeared on Angle¡¯s livestream with a proper gown and makeup. Upon greeting the


    viewers with a smile, she summarized the incident from six years ago, when the Harris family abruptly


    announced her death.


    Meanwhile, screams could be heard inside the Wright residence, the Wright mansion, and the Mossey


    residence.


    Sheralyn zoomed upstairs and knocked on her mother¡¯s door. ¡°Mom! Gwendolyn is actually from the


    Harris family! Thank goodness I listened to her! Otherwise, the Harris family would¡¯ve killed me! I feel


    so lucky to have someone of her caliber be my sister-inw!¡±


    Downstairs, Ajax coughed and reminded, ¡°Ex-sister-inw, Dear.¡±


    Sheralyn grimaced with regret. If I had known she was the daughter of the Harris family, I wouldn¡¯t have


    bullied her, no matter what! In fact, I would¡¯ve buttered her up!


    Frida heard everything in the room, but she didn¡¯t react to it.


    Instead, she was sitting on the balcony and staring at the scenery, distraught. The tears on her


    countenance were still wet as she brushed her fingers over a picture frame.


    The picture depicted her hugging a baby Maverick.


    During the funeral, she read Maverick¡¯s letter. It told her he wasn¡¯t rted to the Wright family by blood


    and also Gwendolyn¡¯s true identity. Furthermore, he advised her to maintain a good rtionship with


    Gwendolyn to protect the Wright family.


    Before, all she knew was that her son was sent to Salinsburgh by Den when he was a child. Then,


    when Maverick was ten years old, he was sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to be trained.


    Once he was fifteen years old, he returned to Faike.


    She never once suspected her son was a fake and had genuinely loved him.


    Even though Maverick wasn¡¯t Frida¡¯s son, he still fulfilled his filial responsibilities to her, which she was


    grateful for.


    That was why she was still devastated by his death.


    Concurrently, in the Wright mansion, Dexter pped his thigh with remorse. No wonder I kept losing to


    that woman and couldn¡¯t investigate her identity! It turns out she¡¯s the Harris family¡¯s daughter!


    At the Mossey residence, Madelyn and Jerome felt relieved upon learning the news. Thank goodness


    we struck up a friendly rtionship with Gwendolyn and that Inez didn¡¯t burn bridges with her over


    Kieran¡¯s matter. Otherwise, we¡¯d end up in the same situation as the Wright family in the past and the


    Lane family in the present.


    Two dayster, Gwendolyn was on a ne back to Salinsburgh.


    She had booked the entire first-ss cabin, no longer hiding her identity.


    As she twirled the winess in her hand elegantly, she stared out the window, watching Faike


    getting further away.


    She felt her heart clenching when she thought about Maverick.


    Elven and the other bodyguards were sitting behind her. Some yed mobile games while others


    conversed with their friends on the phone.


    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s the hottest topic in Salinsburgh over the past six months?¡± asked Quinton.


    Gwendolyn shook her head. I¡¯ve never enjoyed surfing the inte. At most, I¡¯ll check up on how


    Angle¡¯s artists have been doing recently.


    ¡°Do you know, the Jenson family has done some incredible things during that time. They have


    surpassed the Harris family and be the richest family in Salinsburgh.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± uttered Gwendolyn expressionlessly. It seems my old pops isn¡¯t doing so well, considering how


    quickly the family was dethroned from the top spot so quickly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Since I¡¯ve returned, I¡¯ll help my


    father regain that spot.¡±


    Quinton gave her a thumbs up in admiration. ¡°ording to the news, the eldest grandson of Old Mr.


    Jenson suddenly returned from the army half a year ago. In a single month, he wrestled back control of


    the Jenson family and became its head. Under his leadership, Jenson Group rose at a meteoric rate.


    Now, he¡¯s the most popr figure in Salinsburgh¡ªMr. Cedrick Jenson, the man who stands atop the


    pyramid and garners respect from everyone.¡±


    Gwendolyn ceased her hand movements as her expression changed. ¡°What did you say his name


    was?¡±


    ¡°Cedrick Jenson.¡± Quinton was curious about her reaction as it was the first time she had shown any


    interest in other men in six months. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s impressive, too?¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent as she emptied her ss. Why did I react like that? Their names sound


    simr, but that¡¯s all. Although¡­ ¡°The Harris and Jenson families aren¡¯t on bad terms, so why have I


    not heard of this Cedrick before?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, his parents died in an ident when he was young. In order to protect him, Old Mr.


    Jenson sent him to be trained in the army,¡± answered Quinton.


    She sighed slightly. His parents are dead? It must be quite difficult for him to survive in the Jenson


    family alone. I pity him.

 Chapter 214

    Chapter 214


    Upon ending her train of thought, Gwendolyn unknowingly emptied a whole bottle of red wine.


    When Elven saw she was about to open another, he stopped her. ¡°The doctor said you can only drink a


    little wine after you hurt your stomachst time by drinking too much, Ms. Harris.¡±¡°It¡¯s only two bottles.


    Besides, I don¡¯t get drunk that easily,¡± she replied.


    Sighing, he reminded, ¡°Did you forget you can¡¯t hold your liquor as well as you could ever since that


    incident, Ms. Harris?¡±


    After being stopped twice, Gwendolyn felt frustrated. Abruptly, she shoved the wine bottle and ss


    away. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t drink anymore! Take these away!¡±


    Folding her arms grumpily, she closed her eyes to nap.


    Elven cated her with a smile and shot a meaningful nce at his colleagues. Soon, Gwendolyn¡¯s


    table was cleared.


    By the time they arrived in Salinsburgh, it was already night.


    Just as Gwendolyn wondered if she should return to the Harris residence, she received a call from


    Jasmine.


    Jasmine was overjoyed to learn the announcement of Gwendolyn¡¯s background and arrival in


    Salinsburgh. ¡°You¡¯re finally back, Gwendolyn! How about we spend some time in The Honey Bee


    together? Many of your old friends are eager to meet you! Did you miss them?¡±


    It has been years since I met my childhood friends, and I don¡¯t want to return to the Harris residence


    anyway, so why not? ¡°Sure,¡± answered Gwendolyn.


    She only brought Elven with her.


    As for Ezra and William, she requested them to book a hotel room as that was where they would be


    staying for the night. Meanwhile, Quinton was sent off to tell Marcus of their arrival.


    By the time Gwendolyn reached the bar, the others had already arrived.


    More than a dozen people were gathered there, including Jasmine, Sherman, Triss Jenson, David


    Jenson¡¯s daughter, and her old friends.


    The instant Gwendolyn opened the door to the private room, Jasmine and Triss used the confetti


    poppers from where they were hiding behind the door. In the blink of an eye, small colorful paper filled


    the room. ¡°Wee back!¡±


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help but smile in response to seeing that. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Jasmine promptly dragged Gwendolyn to the couch by thetter¡¯s arm. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to


    thank us. You have no idea how sad we were when we heard your death. It¡¯s fantastic that you¡¯re finally


    willing to reveal your identity!¡±


    Gwendolyn had a great time with her friends as they drank.


    Jasmine and Triss upied the seats next to her. Due to their younger age, she considered them her


    little sisters and had a good rtionship with them.


    Upon recalling the news Quinton shared with her on the ne, Gwendolyn asked, ¡°I heard your family¡¯s


    eldest grandson took control of the family. Is he giving you all a hard time?¡±


    ¡°Nope. My dad¡¯s never been interested in stuff like power. Back then, only Uncle Yaelpeted


    ruthlessly with Cedrick. That¡¯s why Cedrick treats our family pretty well even after he took control,¡±


    replied Triss.


    Gwendolyn patted her head with a smile of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good, then.¡±


    ¡°Cedrick¡¯s quite pitiful, though. He was covered in blood and wounds when he returned from his


    mission half a year ago. Apparently, he vomited blood every day. It scared Grandpa to death. However,


    he¡¯s pretty amazing. I didn¡¯t expect him to snatch control of the family back from Uncle Yael. He has my


    respect.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s response was silence. Even though I¡¯ve just arrived at Salinsburgh, I¡¯ve heard two people


    praising this Cedrick already. I admit, I¡¯m curious to see what kind of person he is.


    Just as Gwendolyn was deep in thought, Jasmine sneakily switched ces with someone.


    When Gwendolyn turned to her side, she saw Sherman sitting beside her with a winess, looking as


    elegant and dashing as ever.


    He raised his ss at her. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since west met, but you¡¯re still as pretty as ever,


    Gwendolyn.¡±


    Smiling, Gwendolyn clinked her ss with his. ¡°When did your family find you and bring you back to


    Salinsburgh from overseas, Mr. Ferguson?¡±


    Sherman¡¯s expression stiffened for two reasons.


    First, it was because she was treating him far more distantly than before.


    Secondly, he was still angry about the matter. That d*mn Maverick! I still can¡¯t believe he yed a dirty


    trick on me! After he tossed me to the cargo ship, I was brought to a small, illiterate, and deste


    country. It took my family ages to locate me! Although, he¡¯s dead now, so I have a better chance at


    pursuing Gwendolyn.


    When his train of thought ended there, his expression returned to normal. ¡°It¡¯s been months since I¡¯ve


    returned. Initially, I nned to search for you in Faike. However, there was a situation at the


    Gwendolyn¡¯s smile froze as she tightened her grip around the ss.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I touch a nerve?¡± Staring at her apologetically, Sherman tried to hold her hand tofort


    her.


    However, Gwendolyn silently stood, avoiding his touch, and poured herself another ss of wine.


    Sherman couldn¡¯t help but feel a little awkward. Still, he peered at her affectionately. ¡°Since that burden


    is no longer weighing you down, once you have had enough fun with your single life, let me take care


    of you, okay?¡±


    That spurred Gwendolyn to furrow her eyebrows. Is he calling Maverick a burden?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate for you to bring up this topic at a gathering, Mr. Ferguson,¡± she warned


    with a frigid look.


    After all, her friends were around, and she didn¡¯t want to sour the mood.


    ¡°Gwendolyn¡­¡± The look in Sherman¡¯s eyes darkened slightly as he winced a little. ¡°The past can never


    return. You need to start a new life eventually.¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t even nce at him as she gulped down tworge sses of red wine consecutively.


    Then, she turned to Triss. ¡°I need to visit the restroom. The rest of you should keep drinking.¡±


    Her cheeks were reddened, and her mind was in a daze as she left the room. It seems Quinton was


    right about me on the ne. I shouldn¡¯t have drunk that much, considering I¡¯m feeling tipsy already.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She walked unsteadily and slowly as Sherman¡¯s words repeated in her mind, upsetting her.


    Everyone around me keeps telling me to ept Maverick¡¯s death and move on. Did they think I didn¡¯t


    try to start a new life? I still can¡¯t forget what happened after six months. Whenever I recall those


    things, I still feel guilty and awful. After taking a deep breath, she attempted to stifle the emotions


    bubbling in her heart.


    Suddenly, she caught sight of a familiar, towering figure at her periphery.


    That person¡­ Gwendolyn held her breath and shook her head. Once her vision became clearer, she


    saw the figure vanishing around a corner.


    ¡°Maverick! Is that you?¡± Without dy, she chased after the figure. However, when she arrived at the


    corner, she saw no one in the corridor.


    Elven, who heard her shouting, rushed toward her and steadied the swaying woman. ¡°Are you drunk,


    Ms. Harris?¡±


    In response, Gwendolyn grabbed his arms very tightly, as though she was making sure he was really


    there. ¡°I¡¯m not drunk! I saw Maverick earlier! It must¡¯ve been him! I¡¯d never mistake his figure for


    someone else! He¡¯s definitely alive, Elven!¡±


    Hearing that, Elven was both shocked and bewildered.


    However, when he saw her determined expression, he still scanned through the faces of all the


    customers down the aisle after asking her to stay put.


    In the end, he returned to Gwendolyn with a sigh. ¡°I think you were mistaken, Ms. Harris.¡±


    Gwendolyn shook her head with reddened eyes and spat resolutely, ¡°No! It must¡¯ve been him! It must


    be! Lock down the entire bar and check every room in this building!¡±

 Chapter 215

    Chapter 215


    Chapter 215 Congrattions


    As much as Elven felt sympathy for her, he still had to drag her back to reality. ¡°Please return to your


    senses, Ms. Harris. Mr. Wright is gone. His ashes are buried in Faike¡¯s cemetery. You visited him


    countless times over the past six months. Don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    Gwendolyn froze while self-doubt settled on her countenance.


    ¡°Please stop torturing yourself, Ms. Harris. Mr. Wright¡¯s nevering back, so just let it go. Your eyes


    were just ying tricks on you!¡± While speaking, he resisted the urge to sob.


    He¡¯s right. Why would someone who¡¯s been dead for half a year show up here? I must¡¯ve gone mad¡­


    Tears welled in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes as she clutched her heart. This hurts so much¡­ I feel like I¡¯m


    suffocating.


    Affected by her sorrow, Elven teared up too. ¡°You¡¯re drunk, Ms. Harris. Let¡¯s go. William and the others


    have booked hotel rooms for us. Let¡¯s return early to rest.¡±


    Gwendolyn slumped weakly like a deted balloon after getting her hopes up for nothing.


    After what happened, she was no longer in the mood to stay at the gathering. Thus, she took up


    Elven¡¯s suggestion and returned to the hotel.


    Just as they headed downstairs, Nico stepped out of another elevator and casually ambled into the VIP


    room furthest down the corridor.


    Upon arriving at her hotel room, Gwendolyn entered the bathroom and turned the water flow setting to


    max.


    The water was scalding, but she felt cold because her heart had gone numb.


    She hoped the shower would help her pull herself together as her tears joined the hot water.


    In her mind, she kept telling herself that Maverick had died for her and would never return.


    Standing outside Gwendolyn¡¯s room, William and Ezra were still wondering about the expression she


    had when she returned. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Ms. Harris¡¯ mood still stable when she attended the gathering? Why


    did she look like that when she came back? What happened?¡±


    Elven sighed. ¡°She got drunk and saw someone with a simr figure to Mr. Wright, which reminded her


    of her loss.¡±


    The others sighed in unison upon hearing that.


    The next day, when Gwendolyn woke up, she had regained her senses.


    After setting her terrible mood from yesterday aside, she returned to the Harris residence.


    The ancestor of the Harris family had bought the entire Mount Tranquil, located on Salinsburgh¡¯s


    outskirts. Thus, the humongous Harris residence was surrounded by nature and had an incredible view


    of the area all year round.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s uncles, Gideon and Hector, lived in buildings located halfway up the mountain. Even so,


    she ignored them and drove straight to Marcus¡¯ residence at the top.


    Leif, the Harris family¡¯s butler, was already waiting for her at the vi entrance.


    Upon witnessing her arrival, he swiftly approached her vehicle and opened the door for her. ¡°You¡¯re


    finally back, Ms. Gwendolyn. Mr. Marcus missed you. He¡¯s waiting for you in his study.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thanks for your hard work, Leif,¡± replied Gwendolyn.


    Her words ttered him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Ms. Gwendolyn.¡± Then he turned and noticed the bodyguards


    weren¡¯t carrying anything. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring any luggage with you, Ms. Gwendolyn?¡±


    She responded, ¡°I¡¯m only here to visit my father. I¡¯m not staying.¡± Too many awful people are living


    here. I doubt I¡¯ll be able to sleep at night.


    Just as she arrived at the door, she heard someone descending the stairs in high heels.


    It was Lori, wearing a limited-edition, skin-tight, yellow dress and delicate makeup. Every step she


    took was graceful.


    She seemed more like Gwendolyn¡¯s sister than her stepmother, as she was thirty years old and took


    great care of her skin.


    Gwendolyn peered at Lori coldly when thetter made eye contact with her. Secondster, she


    looked away and headed upstairs.


    Displeased, Lori furrowed her eyebrows and blocked Gwendolyn¡¯s path. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to


    greet me? It seems like you¡¯ve forgotten your manners in the years you weren¡¯t around, Ms. Harris. I


    should¡¯ve expected nothing less from someone who spent years in an orphanage.¡±


    Instead of being provoked, Gwendolyn grinned. ¡°You really think you¡¯re thedy of the house after


    staying here for a long time, huh? Do you really think you¡¯re worthy of my respect?¡±


    ring at Gwendolyn viciously, Lori gritted her teeth. ¡°Why not? I¡¯m technically your mother!¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn tutted arrogantly. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel disgusted calling yourself my mother, even though you¡¯re


    only three years older than me?¡±


    Then, she whispered next to Lori¡¯s ear. ¡°You should cherish your current wealthy life. After all, I¡¯ll be


    inheriting all the Harris family¡¯s assets while you¡¯ll be getting kicked out.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± eximed Lori furiously. Even though it has been years, she¡¯s still as arrogant as before! I


    want to tear her mouth apart!


    Suddenly, a thought entered her mind, calming her down.


    She smiled smugly. ¡°I should congratte you. You see, Old Mr. Jenson paid us a visitst night, and


    your father has agreed to his marriage proposal. You¡¯re getting married again.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s expression shifted. ¡°My father engaged me to someone? How can he do this


    without asking me about it?¡±


    Lori lifted her chin haughtily. ¡°You should ask him that yourself.¡±


    With a scowl, Gwendolyn bolted to the study instead of arguing with Lori.


    Lori was delighted to see that.


    I heard the eldest grandson of the Jenson family is a cruel man with a temper. Old Mr. Jenson tried


    forcing women to his bed, but they all left the room unconscious, carried out by others. Some of them


    even have injuries on their bodies. I bet he has a habit of torturing women. Additionally, his face is said


    to have been ruined on the battlefield, turning him hideous. Covering her mouth, she snickered. It¡¯ll be


    satisfying to see that little b*tch marry a man like that!


    In a jubnt mood, she strolled into the kitchen to see if her food was ready.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s rage built up during her short journey to the study.


    Before she could utter any questions, she saw the white-bearded, weathered-face Marcus in a


    wheelchair.


    When he saw her, tears of joy welled in his eyes. ¡°Come over here, Honey. Let me take a look at you.


    Did you get thinner?¡±


    Aplex range of emotions surged within Gwendolyn as she moved to squat next to his wheelchair.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your legs, Dad? I remember you doing fine before I left.¡±


    Marcus smiled. ¡°I¡¯m an old man now, Gwendolyn. It¡¯s normal for me to have issues with my body. I


    missed you every day. Now that you¡¯re back, can you stay in the Harris residence and keep me


    company?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s heart wrenched at his words while she massaged his legs. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stay here, but not


    often. You know Lori and I don¡¯t get along with each other.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s your stepmother.¡±


    ¡°She is not! If you bring it up again, I¡¯ll get angry!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Gazing at her lovingly, he touched her face with his wrinkled hand.


    He proceeded to ask her about how she had been doing.


    Both of them conversed harmoniously.


    Suddenly, Gwendolyn recalled the matter Lori mentioned. ¡°Earlier, that woman told me you engaged


    me to someone. Is that true?¡±


    Well, since she already knows about it¡­ Marcus answered, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Last night, Old Mr. Jenson


    came asking about it, and I agreed to it. His eldest grandson, Cedrick Jenson, is a pretty good man. I


    like him. He¡­¡±


    Not a single praise Marcus had for Cedrick entered her ears.


    In fact, she fell into a deep thought. Cedrick! Why is it him again? Did I piss someone off? Why does


    his name keep showing up around me? I hate it!

 Chapter 216

    Chapter 216


    Chapter 216 Call Off The Engagement


    ¡°What era are we living in now? It¡¯s all about the freedom to fall in love and marry someone we love!


    How could you arrange my marriage without asking me?¡± Gwendolyn got up, feeling utterly infuriated.


    Marcus was at a loss for words. He tried reaching out to hold her arm, but she evaded his grasp.After


    withdrawing his hand, he stroked his beard and spoke in a subdued tone. ¡°Honey, we¡¯ve already


    agreed on the engagement. How about you meet Cedrick first before you decide anything? He¡¯s quite a


    nice guy, five years older than you, and caring and considerate. Even I, your picky father, approve of


    him. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like him too.¡±


    ¡°Five years older? No way! He¡¯s too old. I don¡¯t like older men!¡± Gwendolyn was hellbent on her


    decision.


    She was not ready to enter a new rtionship, let alone be engaged to someone. Over my dead body!


    ¡°What do you mean he¡¯s too old? He¡¯s only twenty-eight years old! Your ex-husband was also five


    years older than you, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Marcus said.


    Gwendolyn choked. ¡°It¡¯s different! There¡¯s no room for discussion. By hook or by crook, you must call


    off the engagement!¡±


    Marcus sounded even more sheepish. ¡°I-I can¡¯t cancel it. We just finalized the details yesterday, and I


    agreed with Old Mr. Jenson to announce your engagement at your weing party three dayster.¡±


    Gwendolyn took a deep breath, trying to suppress her anger. ¡°I don¡¯t care what weing party you¡¯re


    organizing. You can¡¯t call off the engagement, can you? Then I¡¯ll do it myself!¡±


    She mmed the door and walked away.


    Watching her storm out in frustration, Marcus could only shake his head helplessly. She¡¯s bing


    more and more like her mother in terms of temperament. It¡¯s clear that she needs a man who can


    handle her!


    After leaving the study, Gwendolyn went straight to the garden.


    Elven and a few other bodyguards were waiting by the door.


    Despite her anger, she acknowledged that her father was ill and needed herpany. As a daughter, it


    was her responsibility to be there for him.


    Hence, she called a few bodyguards to get to the hotel and pack her belongings. She decided to move


    back to the vi temporarily.


    Standing at the doorway, she pondered for a while, considering how to handle the engagement matter.


    A momentter, she noticed Leif was standing near her.


    Gwendolyn called him over. ¡°Leif, do you know where the Jenson residence is?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Gwendolyn. Who do you want to look for?¡± he asked.


    Gwendolyn emitted a murderous intent as she replied, ¡°Cedrick Jenson.¡±


    Upon noticing the grim expression on her face, Leif immediately jotted down the address on a paper


    and passed it to her.


    Gwendolyn followed the address and went to the residence.


    Logan, the experienced butler of the Jenson residence, happily weed her to the house as he was


    aware of her engagement to Cedrick.


    It was Gwendolyn¡¯s first time visiting the Jenson residence.


    The Jenson residence sprawled across a vast expanse ofnd. Unlike the Harris residence, which was


    nestled in the mountains, theirs seemed to sit on a wide in. All the vis were designed with a


    ssic and retro theme.


    With bamboo groves, water pavilions, artificial hills, and flowing streams, the atmosphere of a


    traditional family permeated the surroundings.


    Gwendolyn felt as if she had stepped into the residence of a wealthy magnate from ancient times. She


    could not help but find it charming.


    Guided by Logan, she meandered through the winding paths until they arrived at the entrance of


    Cedrick¡¯s private vi.


    After escorting her there, Logan took his leave.


    Gwendolyn sat on the sofa in the living room of Cedrick¡¯s vi, waiting patiently.


    After a while, a bodyguard came hurrying over and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Harris. Mr. Jenson is not


    avable to meet you at the moment as he¡¯s busy with his work.¡±


    She knitted her brows slightly.


    From the moment she arrived, none of the servants had offered her a cup of tea, and the bodyguard¡¯s


    words seemed to imply that they wanted her to leave. It seems this guy named Cedrick is not


    enthusiastic about the engagement either. Great!


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I can wait since I¡¯m free the whole day,¡± she responded.


    ¡°But¡­¡± The bodyguard said awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Mr. Jenson will be upied with work the whole


    day. Why don¡¯t youe another day?¡±


    Gwendolyn grew a bit displeased. ¡°Since I, Gwendolyn Harris, am already here, there¡¯s no reason for


    me to leave without meeting him directly.¡±


    She stood up and walked past the bodyguard, making her way toward the stairs.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate for you to behave so¡­¡± the bodyguard said.


    ¡°Since Old Mr. Jenson has finalized the engagement, I must discuss the details with my fianc¨¦. You


    have a problem with that?¡± Gwendolyn asked impassively.


    ¡°Nope¡­¡±


    ¡°Where is the study? Which floor?¡±


    ¡°The study is located upstairs on the right, the room furthest down the corridor,¡± the bodyguard replied.


    Gwendolyn ascended the stairs and located the study easily enough as a bodyguard was also standing


    by the door.


    After she walked over, the bodyguard stopped her from advancing. ¡°Ms. Harris, Mr. Jenson is busy at


    the moment. And you can¡¯t just walk into his study without permission.¡±


    Just when she was about to refute, a man opened the door of the study.


    She looked up and found the man to be decent-looking butcked a certain grace.


    Like the two security guards, the man was wearing a uniform. It was apparent he was not Cedrick.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    With a respectful shift to the side, he allowed Gwendolyn to catch a glimpse of what was inside the


    study.


    From her view, she could see ayer of amber bead curtains in the middle of the room, with an office


    desk and neatly arranged bookshelves behind it. The entire room had a dark tone and exuded a


    schrly charm.


    A man with a cold and imposing presence was sitting in an office chair, facing away from her. She


    could only catch a glimpse of the back of his head.


    Gwendolyn wanted to enter, but the bodyguard stood in her way.


    Considering the purpose of her visit to discuss the cancetion of the engagement and the fact that she


    was on their premises, Gwendolyn realized it would be inappropriate to push her way into the study.


    The man in the study cleared his throat before asking in a hoarse voice. ¡°What brings you here, Ms.


    Harris? What can I do for you?¡±


    His voice sounded awful. It was as if he had just swallowed shattered ss.


    When she was on her way to the Jenson residence, Gwendolyn had already looked up information


    about Cedrick.


    He had a reputation for being cruel and ruthless. Rumors circted about his unusual fetishes


    involving the abuse of women. Additionally, he bore a disfigured face that was remarkably unattractive.


    The rumors about Cedrick¡¯s alleged mistreatment of women did not concern her much. If she really did


    end up with him for the rest of her life and those rumors were indeed true, she could not help but


    wonder who would end up on the receiving end of the abuse.


    She could imagine his face just by hearing his voice.


    Herck of interest in the engagement had nothing to do with his appearance. It was simply because


    she had no knowledge or feelings for him at all.


    After organizing her thoughts, she instructed another security guard to bring her a chair. She then sat


    outside the room and initiated the discussion with him. ¡°Nothing much. I¡¯m just curious about how much


    you know of me, Mr. Jenson.¡±


    Cedrick kept mum.


    He held a cup of coffee in his distinctively masculine palm, the sound of him stirring the spoon


    resonating crisply.


    Gwendolyn looked at the back of his head and spoke in a serious tone. ¡°Mr. Jenson, with your


    capabilities, I believe you must have investigated me and know that I¡¯ve been married and divorced. In


    other words, I¡¯m a woman with experience in that particr area, if you know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Cedrick took another sip of his coffee.


    His response confused Gwendolyn. Does that mean he doesn¡¯t care? Is he into married women? Argh,


    that¡¯s disgusting.


    She began making up a story. ¡°Mr. Jenson, you might have investigated me, but I¡¯m sure there¡¯s


    something my dad kept from you. When I was a child, I consulted a geomancer who told me I¡¯d always


    encounter difficulties in rtionships. It¡¯s an inherent curse that I¡¯m destined to have a husband who


    suffers because of me. You know my ex-husband, right? Well, he was actually a victim of my curse!¡±


    Cedrick, taken by surprise, choked on his coffee, coughing uncontrobly as the hot liquid spilled onto


    the brown carpet.


    The bodyguard beside him immediately handed him a piece of tissue.


    Noting his reaction, Gwendolyn continued, ¡°You¡¯re the only heir of Old Mr. Jensen¡¯s eldest son, and I


    don¡¯t want to bring you any misfortune. This engagement doesn¡¯t feel right for either of us. Why don¡¯t


    we try to convince the elders in our families and get them to call it off since we haven¡¯t announced it


    publicly?¡±

 Chapter 217

    Chapter 217


    Chapter 217 Someone She Likes


    Gwendolyn believed what she said was beyond reproachable and highly reasonable.


    She figured Cedrick, as a member of the wealthy and conservative Jenson family and the current head


    of the household, naturally ced great faith in such superstitions.Wearing a sincere look, she waited


    quietly for Cedrick¡¯s response.


    Cedrick, leaning back in his chair, wiped off the coffee stain on his lips, regaining his usual dignified


    poise.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, a priest once read my fortune as well. He told me I have a prosperous and resilient destiny


    which is particrly good at countering a jinxed destiny like yours. It seems we are a perfect match for


    one another.¡±


    Gwendolyn was momentarily rendered speechless. She continued smiling, but rage was actually


    boiling within her.


    While contemting whether she should utter the phrase ¡°To h*ll with you!¡± at him, she gritted her teeth


    and spoke with a sweet voice. ¡°What a coincidence!¡±


    Cedrick nodded slightly, but he put down the coffee, not daring to take another sip.


    Gwendolyn was reluctant to leave without aplishing her goal, so she made up a worse excuse.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m sure my father lied to you about something. During one intimate session with my ex-


    husband, I identally passed out and was admitted to the hospital. The doctor mentioned my health


    was poor and that I was infertile. I probably won¡¯t be able to carry any children in this lifetime. My ex-


    husband divorced me because he disdained my inability to conceive.¡±


    Cedrick, who was sitting with his back to her, discreetly took a deep breath.


    He felt relieved that he hadn¡¯t continued drinking the coffee and that he didn¡¯t have a heart condition.


    Otherwise, he might suffer a heart attack on the spot.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn kept up her pretense, adding in a regretful tone, ¡°As the head of the household,


    it¡¯s vital for you to ensure the continuity of your lineage, Mr. Jenson. I truly cannot contribute to the


    Jenson family in this respect. Therefore, we should annul this marriage. Otherwise, I would feel guilty


    for bing the Jenson family¡¯s undoing.¡± Not only is my destiny unfavorable, but I¡¯m also infertile,


    and that implies a discordant sex life. Having said so much, he must be, at the very least, discontented,


    right?


    Cedrick took some time to collect himself before replying hoarsely, ¡°I¡¯m not fond of children, so it¡¯s fine


    if you can¡¯t have children, Ms. Harris. I¡¯m also swamped with work most of the time, so if you aren¡¯t


    interested in engaging in intimate activities, we can abstain from doing it.¡±


    Gwendolyn was stumped. Seriously? He¡¯s able to endure all this? I¡¯m not the only woman who can


    marry into the Jenson family, so why is he going to such lengths to trouble me?


    She gnashed her teeth and asked as calmly as possible, ¡°It seems you¡¯re in favor of the marriage


    arrangement. So, did Old Mr. Jenson decide this marriage on his own, or were you interested in me


    from the beginning?¡±


    Cedrick responded, ¡°My grandfather made the decision, but I have no objections.¡±


    Oh? Aren¡¯t you an obedient grandson? Do you listen to everything your grandfather tells you? If he


    asks you to eat sh*t, will you do it too? Gwendolyn was seething with anger.


    She had tolerated him as much as she could, and she just couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.


    Cedrick deeply disgusted her.


    Her first impression of him was so negative that it couldn¡¯t get any worse.


    She didn¡¯t bother to waste another breath talking to him. Gwendolyn got to her feet, straightened out


    the wrinkles on her skirt, and adopted a firm attitude.


    ¡°Frankly, I already have someone I like, so I¡¯m very dissatisfied with this marriage arrangement. I


    believe you won¡¯t want to marry a woman who is not devoted to you. Sooner orter, I will call off this


    marriage. If you can fulfill my wish and support me in front of Old Mr. Jenson, I¡¯ll owe you a favor. That


    way, we can still be friends in the future. That¡¯s all I have to say. I¡¯m leaving.¡± She nced haughtily at


    the man leaning against the back of the chair and spun on her heels to leave with poise.


    Cedrick never turned around.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s statement about her having someone she liked stung him to the core.


    His long eyshes drooped slightly, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed as the color drained


    from his handsome face.


    Gwendolyn walked downstairs, staring straight ahead as she exited the courtyard of Cedrick¡¯s vi.


    When she arrived at the entrance, she caught sight of a figure dashing past her from the corner of her


    eyes, moving swiftly toward the back door. That looks like¡­ Nico? But why would Nico avoid greeting


    me if he saw me? He even sneaked away from the side.


    Gwendolyn found it strange and was baffled by what she had seen.


    She hadn¡¯t been drinking that day, so she couldn¡¯t have made mistakes likest night. That person was


    definitely Nico.


    After pondering briefly, she turned her head around to look at the vi.


    Before Nico left, she remembered him mentioning that he was going to serve his new superior.


    If her eyes weren¡¯t ying tricks on her earlier, she wondered if Cedrick was Nico¡¯s new superior. Is


    Cedrick also a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation?


    She recalled the rumor that the head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation wore a mask and was


    hideous. Perhaps that may really be Cedrick.


    Nevertheless, all those spections didn¡¯t concern her. She was determined to call off the marriage


    anyway.


    Behind the thin ck curtain of the study in the vi, Cedrick quietly observed everything happening at


    the vi¡¯s entrance with his pensive, dark eyes.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s petite figure stood at the entrance, unknowingly looking up at the window of the study


    room and meeting his gaze.


    Nico dashed all the way upstairs. He nearly overshot when he arrived at the entrance of the study


    room.


    Panting heavily, he patted his chest, which was heaving due to shock.


    ¡°Boss, why did Ms. Harris suddenlye here? You should¡¯ve informed me in advance. I nearly ran


    into her when I entered just now! Fortunately, I was quick to stay out of sight.¡±


    Cedrick didn¡¯t say a word. The atmosphere inside the room was heavy and somber.


    Nico approached him. ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Gwendolyn said she has someone she likes.¡± His voice was soft, and the expression in his eyes was


    laced with agony.


    He had thought that nearly dying for her once would earn him a ce in her heart, but that seemed like


    a luxury now.


    Nico fell silent too. It has only been half a year, and she already likes someone new?


    Nico felt a pang of sympathy for his boss.


    He wanted to advise Cedrick to give up, but he was too familiar with thetter¡¯s personality. As a result,


    Nico could only console Cedrick, ¡°Boss, don¡¯t overthink. You¡¯re Cedrick, not Maverick. Regardless of


    whether she dislikes or loves you, you can just pursue her again, right? After all, you look different from


    before. Ms. Harris probably won¡¯t recognize you.¡±


    That night in the abandoned warehouse half a year ago, Maverick was burned in a fire.


    After resolving the internal strife within the Jenson family, he secretly went to Hawen for stic surgery.


    Although his face had recovered, he still looked quite simr to his previous appearance.


    Cedrick ignored Nico. It would be surprising if Gwendolyn didn¡¯t recognize me. She¡¯s so astute and will


    immediately notice something is off and feel suspicious as soon as we meet face to face.


    On her way back, Gwendolyn still dwelled on the engagement. Since Cedrick is unwilling to cooperate,


    this marriage probably can¡¯t be called off before the weing party three dayster. That d*mn


    bastard!


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. How could the position of the Harris family¡¯s


    wealthiest heir be taken by such a despicable man? This is so frustrating!


    Her fighting spirit was set aze. She immediately went to make arrangements for the establishment of


    Angle¡¯s branchpany to expand the business over here as soon as possible.


    Treyton dominated the entertainment industry. He was a powerful man who could dictate the fate of half


    of the entertainment industry.


    In that case, Gwendolyn aimed to be the woman who would control the other half of the


    entertainment industry.


    After a busy afternoon, she selected the site and began to arrange for people to renovate the building¡¯s


    interior.


    Elven suddenly called.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, the moment Mr. Hector learned about your return, he went to stir a ruckus in the Harris


    family¡¯s ancestral hall, using you of hurting him with sulphuric acid and demanding Mr. Marcus help


    him seek justice.¡±


    She had known all along that Hector would take the opportunity toin about her when she


    revealed her identity previously.


    However, she didn¡¯t expect him to be so impatient.


    Nheless, Gwendolyn thought his timing couldn¡¯t be better.

 Chapter 218

    Chapter 218


    Chapter 218 I Have Evidence


    Upon hanging up, she ryed the instructions for the building¡¯s decor and returned to the Harris


    residence.


    The woman parked her car by the hillside and took out the spare keys to Treyton¡¯s vi that he had


    given her prior.She went in and grabbed some things before heading to the ancestral hall leisurely.


    As soon as she reached the entrance, she could already hear the sounds of sobbing from Hector¡¯s


    wife, Nina Ross.


    ¡°Look, Marcus! You¡¯ve seen Hector¡¯s face now. This is all Gwendolyn¡¯s doing. You can¡¯t be partial


    toward her this time!¡±


    Nina and Hector¡¯s son, Luke, was just as livid. ¡°Gwendolyn¡¯s gone too far this time, Uncle Marcus. No


    matter what, my dad¡¯s still her uncle and someone older than her. She can¡¯t do this to him even if he¡¯s


    done something to upset her!¡±


    Amid all theints from Hector¡¯s family, Marcus sat in his wheelchair in silence, fiddling with the


    prayer beads in his hand.


    Leif stood next to him and sighed, looking as though he was withholding his words.


    Noticing that, Marcus asked, ¡°Is there something you want to say?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m here, so speak your mind.¡±


    Leif pondered briefly before stating, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wise to only listen to what Mr. Hector¡¯s family has


    to say, Mr. Marcus. If Mr. Hector is using Ms. Gwendolyn of such acts, then there should at least be


    some form of proof.¡±


    Lori was instantly enraged. ¡°Hubby, you know Gwendolyn¡¯s temper. She¡¯s always been selfish and


    arrogant, so it¡¯s really no surprise if she did this! Why would we need proof?¡±


    Marcus remained quiet, and no one could tell what was on his mind.


    Suddenly, Hector rose from his seat, walked toward the family altar, and knelt before it. ¡°I, Hector


    Harris, swear on our ancestors that Gwendolyn did harm me with acid,¡± he dered firmly. ¡°May the


    skies rumble and I be struck by lightning if I turn out to be lying!¡±


    As soon as he finished, a thunderous boom sounded from outside.


    Hector was so startled that he curled up into a ball on the floor, his legs trembling relentlessly.


    Nina and Luke were just as terrified, and the color drained from their faces.


    The atmosphere inside the room turned grim in an instant due to the thunder.


    Then, Gwendolyn¡¯sughter rang out from the entrance, piercing the eerie atmosphere and capturing


    everyone¡¯s attention.


    The woman pushed the door open with an orange-vored lollipop in her mouth. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re not


    being honest, Uncle Hector. Even the skies aren¡¯t buying your words,¡± she remarked with a smirk.


    Hector was infuriated. ¡°Gwendolyn! You made that noise, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Gwendolyn dismissed him with a chuckle.


    She had merely gotten Ezra to re the sound of a thunderp over the speakers, but she certainly


    didn¡¯t expect Hector¡¯s family to jump in fright like that.


    ¡°You must¡¯ve done something wrong to be that scared of a little thunder, Uncle Hector.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Hector turned around and red at her.


    ¡°Oh my!¡± Gwendolyn pretended to be rmed. ¡°What happened to your face? ¡®Idle and Lazy?¡¯ Yup,


    these words suit you indeed.¡±


    Hector and his family fumed at the insults hurled at them.


    The man jumped up and stared at her in fury.


    ¡°At least I had the courage to swear on our ancestors, Gwendolyn! Would you dare do the same to


    prove you didn¡¯t do this to my face?¡±


    Gwendolyn scowled. ¡°Why should I need to swear on our ancestors? You chose to do that. It doesn¡¯t


    mean I have to as well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re choosing not to because you¡¯re too afraid!¡± Luke chimed in.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Are you trying to provoke me? Too bad it¡¯s not working.¡± The woman beamed while still enjoying her


    lollipop.


    As the head of the family, Marcus gazed at Gwendolyn tenderly, albeit still not uttering a word.


    No one among the crowd could read his thoughts, nor did they dare say anything¡ªexcept for


    Gwendolyn.


    ¡°You said I hurt you, Uncle Hector, but that¡¯s a baseless usation. You¡¯ll have toe up with


    evidence that I did it. I won¡¯t let your family and Lori pick on me like this.¡±


    Lori jumped in before Hector could respond. ¡°Look at how she just called me by my name, Hubby!


    She doesn¡¯t respect me at all! And when did I ever pick on her?¡± she whined, turning to Marcus.


    Marcus¡¯ head began to hurt. ¡°What does this have to do with you? Be quiet!¡± he chided.


    With that, Lori pouted and moved to stand behind him.


    Then, Marcus turned to Hector. ¡°Gwendolyn¡¯s right, Hector. If you¡¯re using her of this, you have to


    show us the proof.¡±


    ¡°Marcus, she knocked me out, abducted me, took me down to some unknown basement, and


    committed acts of violence against me there. Where am I supposed to find any evidence if she


    removed every trace of it after she was done?¡±


    With tears streaming down his face, he continued, ¡°You know me, Marcus. I¡¯ve always loved


    Gwendolyn. I¡¯m a softie who¡¯s never really had much ambition. Would I be pointing my finger at her if


    she didn¡¯t actually do this to me?¡±


    ¡°Of course you would,¡± Gwendolynmented before Marcus could. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯ve always


    wanted to kill me, Uncle Hector. You got Luke to threaten Charles to hurt me while I was still in


    Faike. Don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    Hector scoffed. ¡°Such baseless usations! You¡¯re doing the exact same thing you just used me


    of!¡±


    ¡°You must¡¯ve forgotten, Uncle Hector. I do have proof.¡± With a grin, the woman opened up her bag,


    took out a properly-filed document, and handed it to Marcus.


    Hector appeared nervous but said nothing.


    Luke lost his temper first. ¡°The only proof you have is Charles¡¯ verbal testimony! How is that enough?¡±


    Gwendolyn took the lollipop out of her mouth and pretended to look surprised. ¡°Oh? I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d


    already taken a look at the evidence I have.¡±


    Apart from those who knew what they had done, the rest of the audience began to grow suspicious as


    soon as they heard Gwendolyn¡¯s words.


    Luke tensed up for a split second before collecting himself right away. ¡°I work for the FBI, so of course I


    remember Charles getting locked up after stealing drugs from ab.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Gwendolyn replied purposefully, the smile on her lips growing wider. ¡°Well, Luke, I guess you¡¯re


    about to be disappointed because Charles¡¯ verbal testimony isn¡¯t all that I have.¡±


    By now, Marcus had finished going through the entire document, and he hurled his coffee cup in


    Hector¡¯s direction in a fit of rage.


    The porcin cupnded next to thetter¡¯s foot, shattering into pieces with a loud, shrill noise.


    Lori and Nina screamed at the same time.


    ¡°Hector! Luke!¡± Marcus boomed.


    ¡°Marcus?¡±


    ¡°Have a look at this yourselves!¡± The head of the family tossed the documents on the ground next to


    Hector.


    Luke stepped forward and bent over to help pick up the document.


    The moment they nced at the evidence, their faces paled as they turned to Gwendolyn in shock.


    The woman appeared nonchnt.


    For the past six months, Asher had helped her gather every piece of evidence rted to Hector¡¯s


    family and left it at Treyton¡¯s vi.


    Hector hadn¡¯t expected Gwendolyn to collect all this evidence so quickly. It¡¯s no wonder she has the


    guts to act this way! That also exins why she decided toe back to Salinsburgh.


    The woman turned to Marcus. ¡°Dad, ording to the Harris family¡¯s rules, how should Uncle Hector


    and Luke be punished for hurting their own blood rtives over family inheritance?¡± she asked in an


    innocent tone.


    ¡°They should be kicked out of the household and sent to prison!¡± Marcus answered with a darkened


    gaze and raised voice.

 Chapter 219

    Chapter 219


    Chapter 219 Drunk And Reunited


    Hector and his family all panicked.


    ¡°I am your younger brother, Marcus. I have obeyed the rules for decades, and this is the only time I


    have made a mistake. You can¡¯t be so ruthless and evict my whole family!¡±


    Hector and his family knelt before Marcus and begged for mercy tearfully.


    Torn between his brother and his daughter, Marcus¡¯ expression turned grim as he looked at


    Gwendolyn.


    ¡°How shall I punish them, Honey?¡±


    ¡°Do whatever needs to be done ording to the rules,¡± Gwendolyn replied without hesitation.


    Nina stood up abruptly and red at Gwendolyn furiously. ¡°Gwendolyn! How can you be so ruthless?


    Aren¡¯t you standing unscathed here? Why are you so cold-blooded toward your family?¡± she yelled.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression became cold instantly.


    The reason she was unscathed now was that there was a man who suffered on her behalf.


    They deserve to die for hurting him!


    When Gwendolyn looked at Nina, her gaze turned icy. ¡°If I were the one caught harming a family


    member, would you have let me off?¡±


    Nina and Luke paused. After a brief nce at each other, they replied simultaneously, ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°You are the youngest daughter of the Harris family. How can we possibly bear to hurt you?¡± Nina


    added.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you wouldn¡¯t have made such a big fuss about the injuries on Uncle Hector¡¯s face


    today. Don¡¯t you feel disgusted by yourself when said that?¡±


    Gwendolyn had no interest in staying any longer. ncing at Marcus cautiously, she said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ll let


    Dad handle this. I have no objections to what he decides in the end.¡±


    Gwendolyn left the ancestral hall of the Harris residence while pleas of mercy continued to echo behind


    her.


    She returned to the room that she just tidied, but she couldn¡¯t calm herself down even after a long time.


    She could still recall the vivid image of Maverick¡¯s burnt back drenched in blood.


    Gwendolyn hated that the culprits were her family members. Since she couldn¡¯t kill them, she would


    make sure that they suffer as a form of penance!


    Following a long sigh, she thought of what happened earlier today at the Jenson residence. At the


    thought of herself lying to Cedrick and shifting much of the me onto Maverick, she quickly sped


    her hands and repented sincerely.


    ¡°Mavy, please don¡¯t hate me for putting the me on you today. I only said those words to disgust


    Cedrick and force him to call off the engagement.¡±


    ¡°As soon as I expose every Harris who harmed me, I will return to Faike and live a life of celibacy for


    you. Okay?¡±


    When she finished her repentance, the housekeeper hade to get her twice.


    Gwendolyn took her time to get down the stairs. Upon reaching the dining room, she took her seat with


    an icy expression.


    She was about to taste the soup with a spoon when Lori, who was sitting opposite her, frowned at


    her in displease.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re indeed our family¡¯s most indulged little princess, making your elders wait for you to start


    dining. Have you forgotten all your manners in the past few years?¡±


    Marcus coughed. ¡°Stop it.¡±


    Lori scoffed and rolled her eyes in response.


    Gwendolyn had enough. With a loud tter, she threw the spoon back.


    ¡°Have you forgotten how you married my dad by crawling into his bed, Lori? Who are you to lecture


    me about manners?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough! Both of you, keep quiet! Just eat!¡± Marcus was stressed out.


    Gwendolyn turned to Marcus. ¡°You heard it just now. She provoked me first when all I did wase


    down and eat peacefully. If you can¡¯t shut her filthy mouth, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t stay here any longer.¡±


    Gwendolyn got up and was about to go upstairs when Marcus softened his tone. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad,


    Honey! Can you finish your food first? I promise I¡¯ll settle everything as soon as I can. Please don¡¯t


    think of moving out.¡±


    Marcus¡¯ words made Gwendolyn feel a little hesitant.


    However, Lori red at Marcus resentfully as she yelled, ¡°I¡¯m speechless! You spoiled Gwendolyn!


    The audacity of her to humiliate me with my past! Shouldn¡¯t I feel aggrieved?¡±


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t stand Lori¡¯s hypocritical behavior.


    However, she shouldn¡¯t be the one to leave.


    After calling Elven and a few other bodyguards to the dining room, Gwendolyn nced at Lori


    opposite her as she said, ¡°Mrs. Harris is feeling aggrieved. I suppose she no longer has the appetite to


    eat. Do her a favor and send her upstairs to rest.¡±


    ¡°How dare you, Gwendolyn!¡± Lori mmed a fist on the table.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Lori felt defeated when facing Gwendolyn¡¯s sharp gaze. She had no choice but to turn to Marcus.


    ¡°Say something, Hubby! Are you going to watch as your daughter bullies me? I don¡¯t care! You can


    only choose one of us to stay for dinner. It¡¯s either me or her!¡± Lori cried.


    Marcus was torn between them. Frustrated, he kept sighing.


    Upon seeing his wrinkled and weathered face, Gwendolyn felt bad for him.


    She realized that he had aged significantly after she went away for a few years. As his daughter, she


    didn¡¯t want to cause him any distress. However, it was truly difficult for her to live with Lori


    peacefully.


    ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t feel like eating.¡±


    Gwendolyn got up, straightened her clothes, and turned to leave. However, instead of heading upstairs,


    she walked toward the entrance of the vi.


    ¡°Honey, it¡¯s already veryte. Where are you going?¡± Marcus called out from behind.


    Gwendolyn acted as if she couldn¡¯t hear him and left the vi without looking back.


    Marcus was guilty because his precious daughter walked away in anger.


    However, Lori couldn¡¯t care less about it. ¡°She¡¯s a grown-up, I doubt she will get into trouble. You


    should stop spoiling her. Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    ¡°You! I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    Marcus was angry at Lori but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to scold her. After a few more bites, he went


    upstairs because he lost his appetite.


    Lori didn¡¯t care because she hadn¡¯t finished eating yet.


    As it was Gwendolyn¡¯s first day back home, Marcus specially instructed the chef to prepare ten


    exquisite dishes for dinner.


    Lori was still beaming with the satisfaction of winning against Gwendolyn. Feeling proud of herself,


    she tasted every dish that was initially prepared for Gwendolyn.


    ¡­


    Gwendolyn felt extremely miserable that evening. Not wanting to go back to the Harris residence and


    trouble Marcus, she decided to book a private room at The Honey Bee and have William and Quinton


    apany her while she drink her sorrows away.


    Of all the bodyguards, only Elven was under Treyton¡¯s orders and was capable of persuading


    Gwendolyn.


    Meanwhile, William and Quinton, who were standing guard at the door, were concerned that


    Gwendolyn might lose control and get drunk again.


    They were discussing whether to call Elven and have hime over to persuade Gwendolyn when


    Sherman happened to pass by in the hallway.


    Having met Quinton before, Sherman asked, ¡°Is Gwendolyn inside?¡±


    William and Quinton looked at each other, not replying.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sherman didn¡¯t feel awkward. He opened the door quietly and took a nce inside. Gwendolyn was


    indeed by herself and drinking whiskey. Face flushed, she continued drinking despite already leaning


    on the couch drowsily.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good for her health if she gets drunk. Let me go in and talk to her,¡± Sherman suggested.


    Since William and Quinton did not have a better solution, they decided to let Sherman in considering he


    was Gwendolyn¡¯s friend. He might have a chance to persuade her.


    After Sherman opened the door, he sat down next to Gwendolyn. ¡°Gwendolyn, you should stop


    drinking. You¡¯re already drunk. Shall I take you home?¡± he advised gently.


    Feeling dizzy, Gwendolyn squinted her hazy eyes. She was really drunk.


    ¡°I miss you, Mavy. Don¡¯t leave me. Can you pleasee back to me?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s voice was barely audible. Sherman could only figure out what she was muttering when he


    got closer to her.


    Mavy?


    Is she talking to Maverick?


    Suppressing his distaste, Shermanforted her, saying, ¡°I won¡¯t leave you, Gwendolyn. I¡¯m not going


    anywhere.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not respond any further. Then, she copsed onto the sofa and fell asleep.


    After talking to Quinton, Sherman learned that Gwendolyn was in a bad mood that night. Since she did


    not want to return to the Harris residence, Sherman let William and Quinton use his card to book a


    room at a nearby hotel for her.


    After William and Quinton left, Sherman supported Gwendolyn and helped her out of the private room.


    They had barely taken a few steps when a figure suddenly appeared in front of them swiftly.


    Before Sherman could react, the woman that he was supporting previously had already been


    transferred into the arms of the man standing opposite him.


    The man had a silver-grey mask on. Even though his face was concealed, intense anger was clearly


    visible in his dark eyes. Sherman could feel the tension building up.


    He could recognize the man just by looking at his mask. Smiling, he greeted, ¡°What a coincidence, Mr.


    Jenson. Are you here to socialize too?¡±


    Ignoring Sherman, Cedrick held the unconsciously drunk Gwendolyn in his arms carefully.


    After observing her state, Cedrick¡¯s gaze filled with more hostility. ¡°She can hold her liquor usually. How


    did she get so drunk? What have you done to her?¡±

 Chapter 220

    Chapter 220


    Chapter 220 She Gives Someone A Beating


    Sherman felt wronged by the way Cedrick questioned him. To add to his displeasure, he even snatched


    Gwendolyn away from his arms.


    ¡°Are you suggesting that I drugged her, Mr. Jenson? I, Sherman Ferguson, will never do such a dirty


    thing. Gwendolyn was feeling down, so I was just apanying her and drinking. Now that she¡¯s


    drunk, I¡¯m taking her back to rest.¡±He stepped forward, attempting to snatch Gwendolyn back, but


    Cedrick swiftly sidestepped and held her tightly in his arms.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble you, Mr. Ferguson. I will take care of her.¡±


    Sherman¡¯s expression became grim. ¡°Do you also have feelings for Gwendolyn, Mr. Jenson?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sherman was annoyed.


    Just when Maverick was finally gone, Cedrick had toe and block his way.


    ¡°It¡¯s not very appropriate for you to be holding Gwendolyn so intimately, Mr. Jenson. Not to mention that


    she just came back to Salinsburgh. I don¡¯t think she knows you well enough, but I have known her


    since we were very young. It¡¯s better if you leave her to me.¡±


    Sherman took a step forward to get Gwendolyn back but Nico halted him. ¡°Mind your behavior, Mr.


    Ferguson. Ms. Gwendolyn is already engaged to Mr. Jenson. It is reasonable that he takes care of Ms.


    Gwendolyn.¡±


    ¡°Engaged?¡±


    When did this happen? How did I not hear about any of this?


    Sensing Sherman¡¯s confusion, Nico exined, ¡°Old Mr. Jenson personally went to the Harris residence


    to finalize the engagementst night. The news will be announced during Ms. Gwendolyn¡¯s wee


    party. I hope Mr. Ferguson realizes who is the outsider here.¡±


    Sherman turned pale instantly. It never ur to him that the Jenson family would act so quickly and


    that Marcus would agree to it right away!


    Now that Cedrick was Gwendolyn¡¯s fianc¨¦, he couldn¡¯t gain the upper hand as her friend.


    Seeing that Sherman was no longer blocking his way, Cedrick carried Gwendolyn in his arms and


    turned to leave.


    Leaning on Cedrick¡¯s broad chest, Gwendolyn caught a familiar whiff of tobo smell. Instinctively, she


    tightened her grip on his neck as she murmured, ¡°Don¡¯t go. You just promised that you won¡¯t leave


    me¡­¡±


    Upon hearing that, Sherman grinned smugly. ¡°Seems like Gwendolyn prefers going with me, Mr.


    Jenson.¡±


    Cedrick stiffened as he looked down at the frunk Gwendolyn in his arms. She had an innocent look on


    her face despite being in that state and unaware.


    Was Gwendolyn referring to Sherman this morning when she said she is in love with another man?


    She even went to The Honey Bee for drinks with him alone.


    She has a good tolerance for alcohol and is usually alert, but this time she ended up getting drunk


    without any defense. It seems like she truly cares about Sherman.


    But¡­ why does it have to be Sherman?


    Suppressing the heavy feeling in his chest and concealing the pain in his eyes, Cedrick ordered with


    his deep voice, ¡°Escort Mr. Ferguson out, Nico.¡±


    Nico stepped forward and gestured for Sherman to leave.


    ¡°Nothing good everes from forcing someone to do something that they don¡¯t want to, Mr. Jenson.


    You should respect Gwendolyn¡¯s wishes and let me take her to rest,¡± Sherman said unwillingly.


    Cedrick turned around and shot him a cold nce. ¡°She is my fianc¨¦e. Whatever I choose to do is


    more appropriate than you!¡± he hissed menacingly.


    Firmly carrying Gwendolyn in his arms, Cedrick then left.


    ¡°How long have you known her, Mr. Jenson? She¡¯s not going to like you! If you dare to do anything to


    her, you will have to face the consequences when she wakes up!¡± Sherman yelled as he did not trust


    Cedrick.


    Ignoring Sherman, Cedrick carried Gwendolyn to a neighboring hotel.


    He had just reached the hotel entrance when he bumped into William and Quinton, who had just


    booked a room and were rushing back to the bar.


    They noticed Nico first, but couldn¡¯t recognize Cedrick because he was wearing a mask. However, it


    was impossible not to notice Gwendolyn in his arms.


    ¡°Why is Ms. Harris in your arms? Where is Mr. Ferguson?¡±


    Sensing the tense atmosphere, Nico hurriedly stepped forward to exin the situation. ¡°This is Mr.


    Jenson, my new boss. Since Ms. Gwendolyn is too drunk, he decides to book a hotel room to take care


    of her.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ Ms. Harris is not going to like it when she¡¯s sober¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts,¡± Nico interrupted, ¡°The engagement was settled by the head of their respective families. They


    are going to be married sooner orter. Is there anyone better than Mr. Jenson to take care of Ms.


    Gwendolyn when she is drunk? Which one of us is a better fit¡ªthe two of you or me?¡±


    Speechless, William and Quinton nced at each other.


    Noticing the room key in William¡¯s hand, Nico took the chance to snatch it away while the former was


    still hesitating. Then, he went into the hotel with Cedrick.


    William and Quinton hurried after them and waited at the door of the room.


    When Nico came out of the room, he patted William and Quinton¡¯s shoulders in a friendly way as he


    said, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other in half a year. Shall we get a drink together?¡±


    William looked troubled. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. We have to stand guard when Ms. Harris is


    staying at a hotel.¡±


    Quinton nodded to second him.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about! Mr. Jenson is skilled enough to protect Ms. Gwendolyn from any harm.


    Let¡¯s go and find a ce with nice drinks and barbecue!¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    In the end, they left with Nico rather reluctantly.


    Meanwhile, in the hotel room, Cedrick carried Gwendolyn to the bed and helped her remove her coat


    and heels. After covering her with a nket, he went to the bathroom and returned with a bowl of warm


    water to wipe her face with it.


    Afraid of waking her up, he kept his movements gentle.


    The dim, yellowish light of the bedsidemp added a touch of ambiguity to the room.


    As Cedrick wiped Gwendolyn¡¯s face, his gaze traced over the towel to the contours of her delicate


    facial features. He observed her intently as if he wanted to etch her image firmly into his heart.


    All he could do was watch her sleep soundly, and yet he felt contented.


    This face, this person, was the one he wanted to love to the core.


    But she¡¯s in love with Sherman now¡­


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    She seems to have forgotten about me even though it¡¯s only been half a year.


    Well, notpletely forgotten. As her ex-husband, I am still used by her as a scapegoat.


    The more he thought about it, the more he felt like a knife was piercing through his heart. Every breath


    he took hurt at that moment.


    Eyes reddened, Cedrick sat dejectedly by the bed and watched Gwendolyn quietly.


    Now that she was asleep, her features looked peaceful. Her rosy, plump lips were slightly parted and


    irresistibly alluring.


    Cedrick pondered if he could steal a kiss from her.


    She won¡¯t remember any of it when she sobers up tomorrow anyway.


    But is this too inappropriate?


    Heart pounding, he leaned closer to her hesitantly¡­


    Gwendolyn was really intoxicated. It was the most intense drinking session she had ever had since she


    had a bad stomachache after the other drinking episode.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyshes quivered as she opened her eyes in a dazed state, only to be greeted by a


    terrifying and erged face.


    Instinctively, she raised her hand and pped the ugly face.


    ¡°What kind of monster are you? How dare you get near me!¡±


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Cedrick couldn¡¯t help yelling in pain as he didn¡¯t expect Gwendolyn to wake up and hit him all


    of a sudden.


    He felt like his nasal bone was crushed beneath the mask.


    He wanted to rub his nose and check if it was bleeding, but he didn¡¯t dare take off his mask because


    Gwendolyn was awake. He had no choice but to bear with the pain.


    Although Gwendolyn was awake, she was still quite drunk.


    Her vision was blurred, and her head felt dizzy.


    The ghostly face in front of her seemed to be spinning in circles like the hands of a clock.


    Propping herself up on the bed, Gwendolyn retreated backward as she sat up until her body was curled


    up at the bedside. Staggering, she assumed a defensive posture.


    ¡°Get away from me, you ugly piece of sh*t!¡±


    Cedrick felt helpless.


    Realizing that she was still drunk, he cleared his throat and began in a hoarse voice, ¡°Ms. Harris, I¡¯m


    Cedrick.¡±


    Cedrick?


    Gwendolyn muttered the name under her breath again.


    Having heard the name so many times for the past few days, she had developed extreme disgust for


    the name!


    Emboldened by alcohol, she delivered a fierce kick in his direction and reached for something on the


    bedside table to use as a weapon. With a menacing expression, she cursed, ¡°You bast*rd! How dare


    you have the nerves to marry me! I will send you to hell before you can do that!¡±

 Chapter 221

    Chapter 221


    Chapter 221 Heaven And Hell


    Having been viciously kicked on the side of the waist by Gwendolyn¡¯s foot, Cedrick was in such pain


    his body spasmed uncontrobly.


    He held his hands over his waist, and before he coulde to terms with the excruciating pain, she


    swiftly reached for the decorative vase on the nightstand and swung it toward his head.


    Cedrick hastily covered his head and bent over.


    He did not fight back, neither did he dodge. He merely stood there and allowed her to hit him.


    Gwendolyn smashed the vase in her grip on his back three times consecutively.


    Because she was feeling dizzy, she could not muster much strength, so her moves were not as


    forceful.


    Nheless, it still hurt as the dense porcin vase smashed against his back.


    Cedrick was probably traumatized at that point.


    Frustration swamped him. I¡¯ll never put anything that can be used as a weapon on my nightstand next


    time!


    Seemingly unable to vent her anger after hitting the man several times, Gwendolyn aggressively


    mmed the vase on the corner of the table, shattering it into pieces. Then, she hurled the sharp edge


    of the broken shard toward Cedrick.


    ¡°Gwendolyn!¡±


    Worried that the broken shard would hurt her, Cedrick instinctively backed away.


    Because of his brief hesitation, he did not manage to dodge in time and got cut by a piece of broken


    shard on his right corbone. A faint blood scratch mark appeared on his skin, and the cor of his


    white shirt was stained by blood quickly.


    Gwendolyn had wanted to slit his neck, but she missed it and cut his corbone instead.


    Taking opportunity of the situation, Cedrick hurriedly grabbed her wrist and threw the weapon in her


    grip aside.


    Gwendolyn red at his face furiously. ¡°Cedrick! You¡¯re probably wearing this thing on your face to


    scare me, aren¡¯t you? I shall see how ugly the face behind this mask is!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ I¡ª¡±


    Before he could rify anything, Gwendolyn hit her forehead against his.


    As he loosened his grip, she regained freedom of her hands and swiftly took off his mask.


    Cedrick was utterly stunned. How can she still be so ferocious when she¡¯s drunk?


    With the mask removed, he had his back to her in guilt. He dared not turn around, and his heart was


    pounding so fast it felt like it was about to jump out of his chest.


    He waited for a second. Then, two¡­


    Unexpectedly, Gwendolyn, who had been taunting aggressively behind him, suddenly turned quiet.


    Even the atmosphere fell intoplete silence.


    He cautiously turned his head a little and tried to steal a nce from the corner of his eye.


    To his surprise, Gwendolyn had already copsed on the bed, seemingly unconscious. There was a


    big, red mark on her forehead, and evidently, she had passed out after smashing her head against his.


    Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. What happened earlier had obviously left a lingering fear


    within him.


    A stinging pain radiated from his corbone area. Pressing his hand against the wound, the fresh red


    blood on his fingers reminded him about everything that happened earlier.


    Tears welled up in Cedrick¡¯s eyes. His whole body was in pain after getting hit by her.


    Indignance overwhelmed him.


    He meticulously took care of her while she was drunk. Little did he imagine she would be so ruthless


    toward him even when she was in such a condition.


    After finding out that Gwendolyn liked someone else in the morning, then learnedter that the man


    she fancied was Sherman, and eventually getting whacked up by her, Cedrick had been suppressing


    his disappointment for the whole day. At this point, he could finally no longer hold his emotions back.


    His nose stung sharply, his eyes burned, and he could feel his eyshes wet with tears.


    While bitterness overwhelmed him as he stared intently at the blood on the tip of his fingers,


    Gwendolyn opened her eyes a little and fixed her gaze on him quietly for a long time.


    Cedrick could vaguely sense her intense gaze.


    Whipping his head around, he exchanged nces with Gwendolyn.


    W-What¡¯s up with that expression? Does she recognize who I am?


    Nervous, Cedrick gulped. A myriad of thoughts raced through his mind as he tried to figure out an


    excuse to fool Gwendolyn.


    Before he said anything, Gwendolyn sat up, approached him, and held his face. A wide smile spread


    across her flushing red face.


    ¡°I¡¯m dreaming again, huh? Indeed, I can only see you in my dreams. Even though you look somewhat


    different this time, you still look so handsome¡­¡± Burp¡­


    A burpced with a strong alcohol smell could be felt on Cedrick¡¯s face.


    His mind went nk as he looked at her in a daze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! This is my dream! I have the final say!¡±


    With a gleeful smile, she inched closer toward him. It was clear she was up to no good.


    While he was still in bewilderment, she lightly left a peck on his cold, thin lips.


    Astonishment flickered in Cedrick¡¯s dark eyes. That soft, tender feeling on his lips could still be felt


    vividly. He stood rooted to the ground as if he was electrocuted.


    D-Did¡­ Did she just kiss me?


    A smile crinkled the corners of Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes. She appeared contented, but her eyes still gave off


    a dazed look, and it was a sign that she was still in her drunkard state.


    Cedrick straightened his back, not daring to move a single muscle.


    Who knows what else is she going to do next? Will she give me a vicious p on my face or kick me in


    my waist again?


    Under his doubtful gaze, Gwendolyn wrapped her arms around his waist. As she shifted her gaze


    downward, she noticed the blood mark beside the cor of his shirt. A pained look crossed her face.


    ¡°Why will you get injured even in my dream? Who on earth dares to hurt you? I¡¯ll kill him!¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    The distressed look in her eyes instantly dissipated all the grievances Cedrick had inside him earlier.


    Even though he already sensed that she had most likely mistaken him for someone else, it did not


    matter to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± he tenderly said.


    The smile on Gwendolyn¡¯s face, however, vanished. She was rather unhappy.


    ¡°But I feel bad.¡±


    As her words fell, she leaned over and gently kissed the blood mark on his corbone.


    She was just like a kitten, trying tofort her injuredpanion.


    Her gentleness was on par with her viciousness while she beat him up earlier.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡ª¡±


    Cedrick was dumbfounded by her action.


    Her soft lips were as sweet as honey, melting his entire heart as she kissed his corbone, stirring up


    his desires.


    He wrapped his arms around her waist, unwilling to let her go.


    He was touched, satisfied, and surprised, yet afraid he would lose her again. A mixture of emotions


    enveloped him.


    For a second, he wished that time could stop.


    He selfishly hoped Gwendolyn¡¯s love and care would only belong to him forever.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Cedrick caressed her head and broke into a smile. ¡°I like it very much.¡±


    Gwendolyn nestled herself into his arms and rested her head on the other side of his corbone,


    sniffing the tobo smell on his body.


    ¡°Then you have toe into my dreams every night. I want to hug you, kiss you, and sleep with you¡­¡±


    Her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke.


    Lowering his head, Cedrick found that Gwendolyn had fallen asleep again.


    But it was different this time. She slept exceptionally well in his embrace and did not wake up in the


    middle of the night.


    Cedrick remained in the same position and did not move for several hours. As time passed, he felt his


    neck and back beginning to ache.


    Just as he tried to ce Gwendolyn¡¯s head on the pillow, she furrowed her brows at his slightest


    movement, seemingly voicing her protest soundlessly.


    Left with no choice, Cedrick could only suppress the aches and pains he was experiencing. He covered


    a nket over her and let her stay in his embrace to sleep the entire night.


    At six the following morning, Cedrick was taking a quick nap while leaning against Gwendolyn¡¯s head


    when he heard someone softly mimicking a bird chirping outside the door.


    At six the following morning, Cedrick was taking a quick nap while leaning against Gwendolyn¡¯s head


    when he heard someone softly mimicking a bird chirping outside the door.


    Figuring that it was Nico, Cedrick sobered up at once.


    Lowering his head and seeing the woman in his arms sleeping exceptionally well, he carefully ced


    her on the bed.


    Luckily, Gwendolyn was deep asleep and did not have much reaction.


    He quietly got up, grabbed his coat, and headed outside.


    Nico was waiting outside the door. The moment Cedrick stepped out, Nico¡¯s sharp eyes immediately


    noticed the blood stain on the cor of his shirt.


    ¡°Boss, why are you hurt? Did you two fightst night?¡±


    There wasn¡¯t any fight. I got whacked instead.


    If not for Nico mentioning it, Cedrick would have forgotten about that incident.


    The wound no longer hurt. Yet, he could still vividly remember the kiss Gwendolyn left on his blood


    mark with her soft lips.


    The tip of his ears turned red. Regarding the incidentst night, he was very contented.


    The only exception was perhaps the fact that his back hurt a little¡­


    He reflexively rubbed his back and aching neck. An exhausted look clouded his face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. She¡¯ll wake upter.¡±


    Seeing that action, Nico instantly came to a realization and eximed, ¡°Boss, you¡¯re progressing pretty


    well, huh! You got things done so quickly. I bet it must be a wild night yesterday!¡±

 Chapter 222

    Chapter 222


    Chapter 222 Why Is He Hiding


    Nonsense! I can never force Gwendolyn to do anything unless she volunteered to do it. Besides, she¡¯s


    the one who got violentst night!


    Cedrick¡¯s lower back was still aching fromst night¡¯s beating. I¡¯m not going to suffer alone.


    ring at Nico, Cedrick said, ¡°Each word you said earlier will cost you a month of sry. Do the math


    on your own.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The unforeseen disaster filled Nico with despair.


    I said so many words just now. Does that mean I won¡¯t get paid for many years? What a heartless and


    unreasonable boss!


    He fell into despair and stood transfixed for a while.


    Meanwhile, Cedrick smirked and turned around to leave. Although his body ached, he walked swiftly


    while humming as if he was in a good mood.


    Nico ran after him and cried, ¡°Boss! I was wrong! Please give me a chance!¡±


    ¡­


    It had been so long since Gwendolyn slept so well.


    In fact, she did not wake up until her phone rang at nine-thirty in the morning.


    ¡°Honey, I¡¯ve already taught her a lesson about what happenedst night. It won¡¯t happen again. Please


    come back to the vi tonight. Your party¡¯s the day after tomorrow. You need to get ready¡ª¡±


    Marcus coughed before he could end his sentence, and that grabbed Gwendolyn¡¯s attention.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn who was still in a daze thought about it before saying, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Come back early tonight when you¡¯ve finished your work, okay? You need to try on your gown.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Upon hanging up, she turned around to continue sleeping. However, her mind was slowly starting to


    clear up.


    I went to The Honey Bee for a drink instead of going back to the Harris residencest night. So, how


    did I end up in this bed?


    Instantly, she sat upright and turned her head to see broken pieces of a vase scattered on the ground


    near the bedside table. Perplexed, she quickly gave William and Quinton a call.


    The two had been guarding the door after Cedrick left. As soon as they received Gwendolyn¡¯s call, they


    rushed into the room.


    Gwendolyn had too much to drinkst night that she could not remember what happened. ¡°Who sent


    me to the hotelst night?¡±


    ¡°It was Mr. Jenson. He even took care of you the entire night.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s brows tightened into a frown as she quickly examined her body. Only when she realized


    she was fine did she let out a sigh of relief.


    Good thing Cedrick didn¡¯t do anything to me. Otherwise, I will show up at the Jenson residence with a


    knife to ughter him. Then again, if nothing happenedst night, why are there broken pieces on the


    floor?


    She did not remember fighting Cedrick. All she remembered was having a sweet dream about


    Maverickst night. She even kissed and hugged him in the dream.


    s, neither William nor Quinton knew anything. Looks like I¡¯ll have to ask Cedrick to find out what


    happened.


    Gwendolyn said, ¡°William, go to the Jenson residence to look for Cedrick. Tell him I want to talk to him


    face to face.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Ms. Shalders.¡± With that, William went out to carry out the orders.


    ¡°Quinton, tell the hotel manager I¡¯ll pay for the broken vase at its original price.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    It just so happened that the hotel manager and a server arrived with a trolley and were about to knock


    on the door when Quinton turned around to open it.


    Having heard Gwendolyn¡¯s words, the hotel manager smiled politely. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Ms. Shalders.


    Mr. Jenson has already paid for the vase.¡±


    In fact, Cedrick paid ten times the amount as a suggestion for the hotel to remove all decorations


    except for the tissues from the bedside table in the guest rooms.


    The thought of that made the manager smile brighter. He then stepped aside to reveal the custom-


    made food on the trolley.


    ¡°Not only that, Mr. Jenson even ordered breakfast for you. These are made on the spot by our five-star


    chef. Why don¡¯t you try them, Ms. Shalders?¡±


    At the same time, the server was transferring the breakfast to the suite¡¯s table until there was no space


    left.


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips in silence as she scanned the breakfast on the table.


    Could Cedrick really be so attentive? Why do I feel like he has a motive? Did he actually have sex with


    mest night?


    At that thought, Gwendolyn slipped her hand under the covers and quietly examined herself again to


    confirm that she was not in pain or injured.


    Unable to find a breakthrough, she had no choice but to ask the hotel manager, ¡°I just got back to


    Salinsburgh, and I¡¯m not familiar with Mr. Jenson. Do you know what he looks like?¡±


    The manager shook his head. ¡°Ordinary people like us aren¡¯t worthy of seeing his real face. He usually


    wears a mask when he goes out. Then again, I¡¯ve seen his back before. He¡¯s tall and exudes an


    incredible aura. I guess he has a handsome face.¡±


    Gwendolyn said nothing in response.


    It looks like I have to meet Cedrick in person to get to the bottom of this.


    Gwendolyn did not take a single bite out of the breakfast Cedrick had ordered for her. Instead, she


    washed up and left the hotel to supervise the construction of Angle Corporation.


    It was not until the afternoon did William rush back. ¡°Ms. Shalders, I¡¯ve visited the Jenson residence.


    Mr. Jenson isn¡¯t there.¡±


    ¡°What about Jenson Group?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked the employees, too. He¡¯s not there either.¡±


    Very well. We¡¯ll just keep trying tomorrow and the days after that. He¡¯ll be there one day, anyway.


    Hence, she made William go looking for Cedrick for two days straight. She even sent people to stand


    guard outside the Jenson residence and Jenson Group. Still, Cedrick was nowhere to be seen.


    The situation confused Gwendolyn. Is he hiding from me on purpose? Why is he doing that?


    Just like that, two days went by peacefully. Soon, it was the night of the party.


    The party was held at Marcus¡¯ vi. It was a grand party, so much so that all the major business figures


    and influential people of Salinsburgh were present.


    Gwendolyn was getting her makeup touched up in the room two hours before the start of the party.


    Hanging in the corner of the room was a gorgeous custom-made gown designed by Ms. Z. It was an


    expensive outfit. The gown fluttered as Gwendolyn walked, making her look like a fairy.


    Just then, Ezra gently knocked on the door and reported softly into her ears. ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, Mr.


    Jenson hasn¡¯t returned until now. Apparently, he¡¯s carrying out a mission and won¡¯t be returning


    tonight. Mr. Marcus says he¡¯s going to announce the weddingter tonight. What if you getughed at


    when Mr. Jenson doesn¡¯t show up tonight?¡±


    Gwendolyn was unfazed.


    She did not care about all those things. After all, she was already nning to cancel the marriage


    arrangement.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I still have my dad. They won¡¯t gossip even if Cedrick doesn¡¯t show up today.¡±


    It¡¯s just that Cedrick is being a little too obvious in avoiding me.


    While pondering about it carefully, she put down her applicator to hear a housekeeper knock on the


    door and say, ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, Old Mr. Jenson¡¯s here. He wants to see you in private and is waiting for


    you in the side hall.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    It was best to not keep Valentino waiting for long. After all, he was an elder. Thus, Gwendolyn changed


    into her gown and headed to the side hall.


    ¡°Hello, Old Mr. Jenson. My father has specially prepared coffee for you when he heard you were


    coming,¡± she greeted the old man in a sweet and polite manner.


    Valentino put his coffee cup down, surprised to see Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Come closer, child. Let me have a good look at you.¡±


    Smiling, Gwendolyn took a seat beside Valentino.


    Although it was their first meeting, Valentino liked her from the bottom of his heart. Not only was she


    pretty and graceful, but she was also smart with her words. Clearly, she was a thoughtful person.


    Satisfied with the youngdy¡¯s character, Valentino said, ¡°What a great child. No wonder Cedrick likes


    you. He¡¯s never asked me for help. It¡¯s his first time getting my help so he could marry you¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn did not catch what he said after that, for her mind kept reying the words he said earlier.


    Cedrick got Old Mr. Jenson¡¯s help for the first time just to be engaged to me? That means the son of a


    b*tch lied to me! He clearly has a motive! Why is he avoiding me, then?

 Chapter 223

    Chapter 223


    Chapter 223 Nowhere To Hide


    Suspicious thoughts raced through Gwendolyn¡¯s mind.


    Valentino was still speaking when she snapped out of her thoughts. ¡°Cedrick¡¯s really fallen for you. By


    the way, you¡¯ve been back for a few days already, right? Have you two met yet? What¡¯s your first


    impression of him?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t met him yet, Old Mr. Jenson,¡± answered Gwendolyn.


    She then seized the opportunity to continue, ¡°I¡¯ve been sending people to meet him these days, but


    he¡¯s been avoiding me. So, no. I haven¡¯t met him yet.¡±


    The look on Valentino¡¯s face grew serious. ¡°Did that really happen?¡±


    He then asked Logan to enter and ordered, ¡°Get Cedrick here this instant. What¡¯s he avoiding her for?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    In the meantime, Gwendolyn kept her smile while chatting and having coffee with Valentino.


    Ten minutester, Logan returned.


    ¡°Old Mr. Jenson, Mr. Jenson isn¡¯ting tonight. He¡¯s on a mission.¡±


    ¡°What kind of mission¡¯s so urgent that he has to bail his fianc¨¦e¡¯s party? Ugh. This rascal!¡±


    Valentino stomped his cane on the ground and tried to stop himself from being too harsh with his


    words. He assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gwendolyn. I¡¯m going to bring him here, even if it means


    kidnaping him.¡±


    Instead of rejecting the suggestion, Gwendolyn smiled obediently. ¡°We¡¯ll follow your lead.¡±


    Valentino cast her an affectionate gaze, but it darkened when he shifted his gaze to Logan.


    ¡°Tell that rascal to kneel in the ancestral hall for three whole days until his legs break if he doesn¡¯t show


    up on time today.¡±


    With that, Logan left.


    Ten minutester, he returned again to report gloomily, ¡°Mr. Jenson says he¡¯ll¡­ carry out his


    punishment in the ancestral hall once he returns from his mission.¡±


    Hearing that, Valentino lost it!


    He¡¯d rather get punished than attend his fianc¨¦e¡¯s party, huh? He¡¯s dead set on going against my


    words.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Since Gwendolyn was still present, he had no choice but to steel himself and increase the severity of


    the punishment. ¡°The punishment doesn¡¯t scare him, huh? Very well. Tell him he¡¯ll get whipped a


    hundred times if he still doesn¡¯t show up.¡±


    Logan¡¯s face fell. ¡°One hundred whips? Are you being serious, Old Mr. Jenson?¡±


    Valentino simply stomped his cane on the ground and turned his head, snorting coldly.


    Even so, Valentino dared not pass the message to Cedrick. ¡°Old Mr. Jenson, you know how stubborn


    Mr. Jenson is. He¡¯ll definitely go to the ancestral hall to receive his punishment if he¡¯s decided to not


    attend. Are we really going to beat him if he goes to the ancestral hall? He¡¯ll be dead if we really whip


    him.¡±


    There was a change in Valentino¡¯s countenance. He lowered his head and fell silent.


    In the meantime, Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes darted between the two men¡¯s expressions.


    Sounds like the Jenson family¡¯s whipping punishment isn¡¯t as simple as I thought. Can a hundred whips


    really kill someone as muscr as Cedrick? He¡¯s from the army, though.


    However, Valentino had already said that in front of Gwendolyn. It would be too embarrassing for him to


    go against his promise, but he could not bring himself to beat Cedrick to death as well.


    The atmosphere in the room grew tense.


    At that moment, Gwendolyn knew Valentino was keeping quiet and waiting for her to speak.


    With a smile, she said gently, ¡°Old Mr. Jenson, this whipping punishment sounds really terrifying. It¡¯s


    just a party, anyway. His mission is more important. Please don¡¯t punish him. It¡¯s okay if Mr. Jenson


    doesn¡¯te.¡±


    Gratified, Valentino patted her hand and sighed. ¡°You¡¯ve got such a big heart. I¡¯m sorry you have to


    deal with this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Old Mr. Jenson.¡±


    However, her generosity only made Valentino feel more sorry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gwendolyn. Even if he doesn¡¯t show up today, I¡¯ll find a way to let the two of you meet. I¡¯m


    going to make him apologize to you.¡±


    Soon, the party officially began.


    Gwendolyn had be the center of attention as soon as she appeared.


    Her gorgeous gown, her delicate makeup, and her every move made her look beautiful beyond words.


    The party that night was organized because of her.


    Gwendolyn walked up the stage under everyone¡¯s gazes and made a wonderful speech about


    returning to the Harris family.


    When she finished speaking, Marcus went upstage to announce her engagement with Cedrick while


    the crowd cheered.


    Since Cedrick did not show up, Marcus decided to simplify his speech and skipped the important parts


    to distract the guests.


    Halfway through the party, Gwendolyn had finished toasting to the guests and found a table in the


    corner to enjoy some wine quietly.


    Sherman felt bad to see her drinking alone. Hence, he walked over and sat across from her.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, you don¡¯t really want to get engaged with Cedrick, do you?¡± he asked.


    She said nothing and swirled her ss elegantly.


    Seeing that, Sherman continued, ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous. How could he be absent on such an important day and


    make you put up with everyone¡¯s criticisms alone? He won¡¯t treat you well when you marry him in the


    future.¡±


    Gwendolyn snorted. ¡°Mr. Ferguson, no one, apart from you, is criticizing me today.¡±


    Looking gloomy, Sherman said, ¡°That¡¯s because Mr. Harris is doing a great job of controlling the crowd.


    Gwendolyn, I regret not letting my parents talk to him about asking your hand in marriage. But I¡¯m


    willing to fight against the Jenson family if you¡¯re willing to be with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, Mr. Ferguson. I don¡¯t want that,¡± rejected Gwendolyn without hesitation.


    ¡°Why? Do you really like Cedrick?¡±


    Gwendolyn put down her ss and said solemnly, ¡°I don¡¯t like him, nor will I marry him. Simrly, I only


    see you as a friend. We¡¯ll never get married. I hope you can understand that.¡±


    Sherman paled, totally at a loss for words.


    The Harris family¡¯s party ended at eleven o¡¯clock at night. Nico, who had been hiding near the Harris


    residence, rushed to a car that was parked about two hundred meters away.


    He checked his surroundings before getting into the car.


    Before Nico could even make himselffortable, the man, who had been waiting in the car for a long


    time, asked, ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss. No one dared to criticize Ms. Gwendolyn thanks to the threats you made in


    advance and Mr. Marcus¡¯ skills in handling the situation.¡±


    Cedrick felt incredibly guilty.


    ¡°Is she upset?¡±


    Nico pondered and answered, ¡°No. I saw her chatting with Mr. Ferguson for a long time, and it looked


    like the conversation went well.¡±


    Immediately, Cedrick pursed his lips. The color drained from his face, and a look of dejection filled his


    dark eyes.


    Although Nico could not see Cedrick¡¯s expression in the dark, the former could sense a thick tension


    building up in the air.


    I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned Sherman¡¯s name. Hitting his mouth frustratedly, Nico quickly changed the


    topic. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. When are you nning to return to the Jenson residence?¡±


    Cedrick contemted for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here a little longer.¡±


    He did not return to the Jenson residence until an hourter.


    Remembering the punishment Valentino had given him for not attending the party, Cedrick went


    straight to the ancestral hall instead of the vi.


    Logan was already waiting for Cedrick at the entrance. Clearly, the former had been waiting for a long


    time.


    ¡°Mr. Jenson, Old Mr. Jenson¡¯s been saying he¡¯s feeling ufortable ever since he returned. Please


    go and have a look.¡±


    Thus, Cedrick followed Logan without giving it much thought.


    Upon arriving at the guest room on the second floor, Logan suddenly halted in his tracks and made a


    gesture for Cedrick to enter.


    Frowning, Cedrick asked, ¡°This isn¡¯t Grandpa¡¯s room. Why did you bring me here?¡±


    ¡°Old Mr. Jenson¡¯s leg wasn¡¯t in a good condition. He was feeling ufortable when he arrived at this


    point. Hence, he decided to spend the night here,¡± exined Logan without the slightest change in his


    expression.


    Cedrick kept mum, clearly not believing Logan¡¯s words.


    Noticing that, Logan met Cedrick¡¯s gaze and questioned, ¡°Do you think I¡¯d dare to joke about Old Mr.


    Jenson¡¯s health? He¡¯s in there. You¡¯d better go in quickly. He¡¯ll be mad if you¡¯rete.¡±


    Cedrick was not fully convinced, but he still pushed the door open and took two steps forward.


    Immediately after that, Logan gave him a push at the back and locked the door.


    ¡°Open the door, Logan!¡±


    Cedrick banged on the door a few times, but there was no sound outside the door. It was as if Logan


    had left.


    Just as Cedrick was feeling puzzled, a familiar woman¡¯s voice rang out behind him.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless. This was arranged by Old Mr. Jenson because you kept avoiding me.¡±


    This voice¡­

 Chapter 224

    Chapter 224


    Chapter 224 You Look Like Someone


    Cedrick held his breath while sneaking a nce at Gwendolyn.


    She sat on the couch by the window with her back facing him, sipping red wine.


    He clenched his fists so tightly that they felt mmy. Could she be drunk by any chance?


    Would she be as gentle to me as two nights ago?


    ¡°I admit I don¡¯t know you well, yet you still plotted to get engaged with me. Don¡¯t you think you owe me


    an exnation?¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s hand was on the doorknob when he felt his heart drop.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s speech was coherent and paced regrly. It was clear she¡¯d barely imbibed any wine and


    was still sober.


    That meant that he would be dead meat tonight.


    Cedrick still wasn¡¯t ready to face her.


    He stalked toward the window and considered making a run for it.


    Gwendolyn¡¯snguid voice sounded. ¡°Old Mr. Jenson has instructed the windows to be locked. It is


    also fitted with bulletproof ss and can¡¯t be shattered. We¡¯re just going to have a nice little chat. I


    wonder what you¡¯re so afraid of?¡±


    He had no chance of escape.


    Cedrick subconsciously touched his face to confirm that his mask was still on. Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t


    possibly recognize him that easily.


    He cleared his throat. ¡°You must be joking, Ms. Gwendolyn. We aren¡¯t acquainted at all. I decided to


    get engaged with you merely because the fortune teller mentioned that we¡¯d get along well together.¡±


    Gwendolyn ced her wine ss down and turned to face him. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before that there¡¯s


    someone I¡ª¡±


    She was cut off abruptly.


    The man who stood by the window in a well-fitting suit gave off an aloof aristocratic air.


    The sheer sight of him flooded her with a bone-deep sense of familiarity.


    Her expression froze as she carefully scrutinized the man from head to toe.


    Cedrick¡¯s heart was in his throat when he noticed the change in her expression.


    ¡°Mr. Jenson, you really look like someone.¡±


    Gwendolyn got to her feet with her brows furrowed and gingerly approached Cedrick.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, you must be mistaken. We¡¯ve never met,¡± His eyes were cial as he uttered in a hoarse


    voice.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes reddened as she met his familiar eyes.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Her hand shot out without forewarning to grab his suit cor and press him against the ss window.


    ¡°Are you taking me for an idiot, Maverick? Do you think I won¡¯t be able to recognize you just because


    you¡¯re wearing a mask? You might fool everyone, but I can tell it¡¯s you from your eyes and


    mannerisms!¡±


    Cedrick felt his entire body go numb.


    Should Ie clean?


    Will Gwendolyn think that I¡¯ve been deceiving her all along?


    She hated being kept in the dark the most and had never liked him in the first ce. Wouldn¡¯t doing so


    compound the hatred she bore against him, so much so that it¡¯d be even more difficult for him to be


    forgiven?


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe looking for me if you weren¡¯t dead? Howe you¡¯ve taken on the identity of


    Cedrick? Maverick, you owe me a much due exnation!¡±


    Gwendolyn grabbed his cor so tightly that her hands were trembling. Her eyes swirled with shock,


    confusion, and fury.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°What are you calling me?¡±


    Gwendolyn raised her hand and curved her elbow as she swiftlynded a hard blow on his abdomen.


    Cedrick¡¯s features beneath his mask twisted in pain, and he bent down reflexively. Despite that,


    Gwendolyn tugged his cor and backed him up against the window once more.


    He wouldn¡¯t retaliate as he feared that he would identally hurt Gwendolyn due to the disparity


    between their strength.


    However, Gwendolyn had no such concerns.


    She would whack him with all her might every single time.


    Her mind had no room for reason as she stared daggers at Cedrick.


    She still couldn¡¯t get over Maverick being alive and well.


    Why didn¡¯t he look for me?


    Why act like we¡¯re strangers?


    ¡°If you refuse to tell the truth, I¡¯ll have to take matters into my own hands!¡±


    She reached out to snatch his mask.


    Cedrick held on tightly to it. ¡°Ms. Harris, isn¡¯t it unbing of you to be so forward on our first meeting


    tonight?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me touching my fianc¨¦? Why are you so scared of me seeing your face? If you are


    Cedrick and not Maverick, you should have nothing to fear!¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t give him a chance to defend himself as she leveled another blow at his abdomen.


    Gwendolyn swiftly ripped off his mask while he was curled up in agony.


    Time seemed to stop as they looked into one another¡¯s eyes.


    Gwendolyn surveyed his face in astonishment.


    Besides his eyes, the rest of his features werepletely altered. He now only vaguely resembled


    Maverick at a nce.


    Even so, his gaze and mannerisms gave him away.


    He was obviously Maverick.


    ¡°Why does your face look so different? Is it because you¡¯re wearing another mask?¡± Gwendolyn


    pinched the skin of his face and attempted to peel off his disguise.


    Cedrick kept his grip firm on her hand and said sternly, ¡°That is because I am and have always been


    Cedrick Jenson!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you! Did you undergo stic surgery? You must be delusional to think I won¡¯t be able to


    recognize you because of that! Why don¡¯t you try switching your eyeballs instead?¡± She gritted her


    teeth seethingly.


    Cedrick¡¯s resemnce to Maverick was the only indicator on his face that they were the same person.


    She recalled the severe burns and wounds from theshings on Maverick¡¯s back before the incident


    and broke free from Cedrick¡¯s grasp to lift his shirt.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, aren¡¯t you taking things too fast by stripping me?¡±


    ¡°Shut up and turn your back to me! If you aren¡¯t guilty, then let me inspect you!¡±


    ¡°Fine. Go ahead.¡±


    Cedrick raised both of his hands and let her manhandle him.


    While Gwendolyn was suspicious, she still had her reservations.


    Instead of removing his clothes one by one, she loosened his shirt from his belt and lifted it along with


    his suit.


    His broad back was instantly revealed. Its defined muscture was wlessly smooth, with tan skin


    that looked exceptionally enticing under the room¡¯s lighting.


    It was devoid of any scars. She couldn¡¯t even make out the deep knife wound on Maverick¡¯s waist


    which he sustained from Asher while looking for her in the mountains.


    Gwendolyn slowly let go of him and retreated to the bedside with unsteady feet.


    She sat on the bed in a daze in total disappointment.


    Her rational mind wasing back to her.


    Maverick was dead. She¡¯d witnessed the burial of his ashes.


    Moreover, Maverick and Cedrick came from such contrasting family backgrounds that it was unlikely


    they were rted.


    A shot of pain went through her heart at the anguish of experiencing loss all over again.


    Nevertheless, she held back her tears in front of Cedrick.


    ¡°I mistook you for someone else.¡±


    Cedrick discreetly let out a sigh of relief and turned to face Gwendolyn, who was looking down


    dejectedly.


    He ventured, ¡°Ms. Harris, did you mistake me for your ex-husband? It seems like you still have feelings


    for him.¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips and chose to ignore him.


    She stood and sat back on the couch, quaffing the remaining half bottle of red wine.


    ¡°Ms. Harris!¡±


    Cedrick snatched the wine bottle from her. ¡°Your body can¡¯t take it if you continue drinking in such a


    way.¡±


    ¡°You should worry more about yourself since our wedding will be called off sooner orter.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression was indifferent as she opened a new bottle of red wine.


    Cedrick took hold of the bottle once more.


    ¡°Let me join you then, Ms. Harris.¡±


    Cedrick sat on the couch opposite her. He¡¯d just filled two full sses of red wine when Gwendolyn


    downed them in the blink of an eye.


    It wasn¡¯t enough, as she emptied the entire bottle right after.


    She paid the price by ending up drunk again.


    Cedrick¡¯s heart ached as he took in her buzzed-up state. He rounded the coffee table and took the


    wine bottle from her hands.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Let me carry you back to bed to get some rest.¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t struggle from his grasp as he smelled too familiar.


    His scent invaded her senses, causing her mind to short-circuit.


    ¡°Mavy¡­¡±


    Cedrick was about to get a towel from the bathroom to clean her face when he froze at the term of


    affection.


    He paused for several seconds before turning back in disbelief to gaze at Gwendolyn lying in a drunken


    stupor on the bed.


    ¡°What did you call me?¡±

 Chapter 225

    Chapter 225


    Chapter 225 Lost Your Best Chance To Come Clean


    Cedrick¡¯s mind went nk.


    Mavy?


    He had never expected that name toe out of Gwendolyn¡¯s mouth. Is she talking to him as though


    he was still Maverick?


    Does this mean she actually still has the slightest hint of feelings for him?


    The man¡¯s heart was in utter confusion, and after mulling for a long while, he finally mustered up the


    courage to speak.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, I¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, the red-faced woman tugged at his sleeve furiously.


    ¡°Maverick! If you dare lie to me again, I¡¯ll dig up your coffin, destroy your gravestone, and drag your


    corpse out!¡±


    She¡¯s so brutal¡­


    The man instantly swallowed his words.


    He sat by the bedside in a daze, deep in thought.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t love him anymore. He had always known that.


    As her ex-husband, the only use he had for her now was if she needed him as a scapegoat.


    If she ever finds out about all the huge lies I made up, she¡¯ll hate me and never forgive me, right?


    Wallowing in distress, he sat next to her and watched the woman deep in slumber.


    He had spent a great deal of effort on this engagement, for his biggest regret in life was divorcing her in


    the past. In fact, he was now terrified of losing her again.


    Ifing clean to her will only make things worse, then it¡¯s better if she just epts the fact that


    Maverick is gone forever. I¡¯ll start afresh with her as Cedrick Jenson.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t appear to be sleeping well, her knitted brows giving her a grim expression.


    Cedrick massaged the space between her brows carefully and nted a gentle kiss on her forehead.


    Then, he grabbed a towel from the bathroom to wipe her face and hands before grabbing himself a


    nket from the closet, curling up on the sofa, and calling it a night.


    With his mind remaining fuzzy, he slept all night.


    The man was eventually awakened by the sound of the door unlocking from the outside.


    Seeing that Gwendolyn was still asleep, he walked toward the door quietly and found Logan standing


    outside.


    ¡°Did you have a good chat with Ms. Harrisst night, Mr. Jenson?¡± the older man asked with a grin.


    ¡°Did you both¡­¡±


    He made a gesture with his two thumbs pressing against each other.


    Cedrick¡¯s expression remained cold as he ignored Logan¡¯s question. ¡°When Ms. Harris wakes up, tell


    her to have breakfast with Grandpa before she leaves. If she refuses, don¡¯t force her to stay.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Jenson.¡±


    Cedrick went to the room next door to wash up before walking out of Valentino¡¯s vi.


    Then, he heard some noises from a corner as soon as he arrived at the entrance to the building.


    Upon paying close attention, it sounded like Nico.


    The other person sounded like William.


    ¡°You¡¯re early, William. Ms. Harris probably hasn¡¯t woken up yet. You might have to wait a while longer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but she didn¡¯t drinkst night, did she? She¡¯d already drunk so much during the party, so


    I¡¯m guessing she got wasted. Does she seriously think she can hold her liquor and drink all she wants


    like before?¡±


    William heaved a deep sigh.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Ms. Harris?¡± Nico asked, curious.


    William paused momentarily. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. Ms. Harris doesn¡¯t want anyone to talk about it. I¡¯ll get


    a pay cut if she finds out I bbed.¡±


    ¡°You can tell me. I don¡¯t see her that often anyway, so it¡¯s not like she¡¯d know you told me. Besides, it¡¯s


    just the two of us here now. My lips are sealed.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Across the wall, Cedrick was about to leave, but he walked back upon hearing that the two were talking


    about Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Do you remember when Mr. Wright passed away half a year ago?¡± William began. ¡°When Ms. Harris


    came back from his funeral, she locked herself in his room and bawled her eyes out, refusing to eat or


    drink for three days. She even went to the wine cab to drink all the concentrated liquor¡ªon an


    empty stomach! Her body couldn¡¯t take it, and she nearly destroyed her own liver. That¡¯s when her


    health started to decline.¡±


    Nico was shocked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Ms. Harris¡­ She¡­¡±


    William sighed. ¡°Ms. Harris never admits it, but she really likes Mr. Wright. She had a hard time


    epting the fact that he was gone, and she was devastated for a really long time. Anyway, that¡¯s all in


    the past. Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore.¡±


    Nico grew skeptical. ¡°But how? I heard that Ms. Harris has grown quite fond of Mr. Ferguson. Is that not


    true?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Ferguson?¡± William was bewildered. ¡°Where did you hear that from? Apart from Mr. Wright, Ms.


    Harris has never even spared any other man a single nce.¡±


    ¡­


    By now, Cedrick¡¯s mind was in such a buzz that he could no longer hear what the two said after that.


    William said she really likes me, and that she bawled her eyes out because of my death. She almost


    wrecked her liver from drinking because of me. So, the woman I love has loved me all this while too?


    She said there was someone she likes that day. Was she actually referring to me, and not Sherman?


    Cedrick¡¯s body began to tremble as a wave of inexplicable emotions swept through him.


    He had never felt so d in his life, nor did he ever dare imagine that Gwendolyn actually loved him.


    His eyes reddening, the man turned in the direction of the vi.


    He couldn¡¯t wait to tell her that he was still alive.


    Suddenly, a silhouette appeared right in front of him. It was Nico, who had just finished speaking to


    William.


    ¡°Where are you headed, Boss?¡±


    Cedrick pushed him aside. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Gwendolyn the truth.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about this, Boss? Last night was your first time seeing her again after six months. That


    was your best chance toe clean, but you lost it, and you even put up an act with her. She¡¯s in her


    worst possible mood now. Do you think she¡¯d forgive you if you went back to her now?¡±


    No, she won¡¯t.


    Telling her the truth now would be asking for trouble, and his ns would only backfire.


    The woman might even be so infuriated that she cut him offpletely, refusing to ever contact him


    again.


    Even so, he couldn¡¯t bear to wait another second, knowing that she loved him.


    Suppressing the joy in his heart, Cedrick began to think rationally.


    Nico tried to help too. ¡°Or perhaps you can pretend to have lost your memories to make her feel sorry


    for you? And when the time is right, you can tell her you¡¯ve recovered your memories. She probably


    won¡¯t be as mad if you did this.¡±


    That¡¯s a n, all right.


    Cedrick fell silent for a moment and eventually shook his head. ¡°Forget it. Gwendolyn¡¯s too smart,¡± he


    responded frigidly. ¡°If she finds out that I pretended to have lost my memories, that¡¯ll onlyplicate


    things further, and I might end up turning into a corpse for real.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s still best to find a good time to tell her the truth¡ªat least while she hasn¡¯t beenpletely


    ovee by rage,¡± he concluded.


    Then, he pondered for a while longer before instructing Nico, ¡°Have Gwendolyne over to my vi


    tomorrow night. Tell her I¡¯d like to treat her to dinner.¡±


    Nico looked uncertain. ¡°Will shee, though?¡±


    ¡°She will,¡± Cedrick answered confidently. ¡°She¡¯s always been overly skeptical, so whatever happened


    last night wouldn¡¯t be enough to clear her doubts. I¡¯m guessing she¡¯ll start doing her own investigation


    for the next few days too. She might even try to look into me, so I¡¯ll have toe clean to her before


    she finds out the truth on her own.¡±


    Nico nodded fervently.


    That makes absolute sense. We can¡¯t wait any longer. It¡¯s all over if Ms. Harris finds out that Boss has


    been hiding the truth from her all along!


    After making all the necessary arrangements, Cedrick walked out of Valentino¡¯s vi.


    Yet, the man seemed to recall something just after taking a few steps forward, and he turned back.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t enough. Find me a thick horsewhip¡ªone that¡¯s thick enough to cause some really serious


    tears on the skin.¡±


    Nico grimaced as he heard that. ¡°Boss¡­ You¡¯re so brutal even to yourself!¡±


    s, Cedrick remained firm in his decision. That¡¯s my only choice if I want her back. I missed my best


    chance toe cleanst night. If she beats me tomorrow night, that means she¡¯s actually willing to


    forgive me, and hopefully, that¡¯d help to ease her anger too. But things won¡¯t be as simple if she


    doesn¡¯t even botherying a finger on me.

 Chapter 226

    Chapter 226


    Chapter 226 The Truth


    Cedrick sighed lightly. He felt immensely guilty thinking about William¡¯s words.


    ¡°Hurry up and go. I¡¯ve made her suffer so much in the past six months. I should give her something in


    return so I don¡¯t feel too indebted to her.¡±


    Nico hesitated to speak. You no longer owe Ms. Gwendolyn anything!


    Nevertheless, Nico knew Cedrick loved Gwendolyn too much and would do everything he could to


    please her.


    He¡¯s expressing his love too humbly. Nico genuinely felt sorry for him, yet he was powerless to help.


    ¡­


    When Gwendolyn woke up, the first thing she did was check her body for any visible hickeys.


    The cotton quilt was neatly folded on the small couch.


    It seemed Cedrick didn¡¯t take advantage of herst night.


    He was even willing to sleep on the couch. She realized he was quite a decent man, unlike the rumors


    she had heard about him.


    Gwendolyn remembered everything that happened before she got drunk and passed outst night, but


    because of the effect of alcohol, her mind felt fuzzy.


    The matter rted to Cedrick was too peculiar. She reckoned she needed to investigate further.


    When Gwendolyn learned Valentino had invited her for breakfast, she intended to refuse initially, but


    recalling Cedrick¡¯s matter, she thought it would be best for her to go.


    At the dining table, Gwendolyn chatted with Valentino, ¡°Old Mr. Jenson, I heard Mr. Jenson came back


    only half a year ago. I met him in personst night. He¡¯s quite handsome, but why are there rumors that


    he looks hideous?¡±


    Valentino replied without the slightest change in his expression, ¡°Since he gained a foothold in


    Salinsburgh, too many socialites approached and offered themselves to him. He didn¡¯t like that, so he


    deliberately spread the rumor.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Gwendolyn smiled and probed further, ¡°Has he always looked like this?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He gave her a puzzled look, his wrinkled face expressing genuine confusion.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s grin widened. ¡°I just thought that since Mr. Jenson is so good-looking, I wanted to see if


    there were any old photos of him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid there aren¡¯t any. He hates being photographed.¡±


    Does he hate being photographed? That¡¯s somewhat simr to Maverick. Subsequently, she fell silent


    and continued eating her breakfast.


    On the way home, Gwendolyn was reminded of the words Triss told her at The Honey Bee.


    Triss said, ¡°Cedrick is quite pitiful. He returned from carrying out a mission in the army half a year ago,


    covered in blood and badly wounded. I heard he was coughing up blood every day. Grandpa was


    petrified to see him like that.¡±


    Maverick passed away six months ago, and Cedrick returned home, scarred and battered, also half a


    year ago. Is there a connection between the two events?


    To resolve her doubts, she made a call to Triss.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you took the initiative to contact me, Gwendolyn. I¡¯m really ttered!¡±


    Wearing a solemn expression, Gwendolyn asked, ¡°Triss, I¡¯m calling you today mainly to ask about


    Cedrick.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡± Triss eximed with a meaningful tone. ¡°I understand, Gwendolyn. What do you want to know


    about Cedrick? I¡¯ll tell you everything I know!¡±


    ¡°When did Cedrick return to the Jenson residence half a year ago?¡±


    Triss, on the other end of the line, contemted for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s been quite some time. I can¡¯t


    remember clearly.¡±


    ¡°In that case, do you notice anything different about the current Cedrick?¡±


    ¡°Not really. Cedrick was sent to the army at a young age and rarely returned home, especially after he


    turned fifteen. He didn¡¯te back until half a year ago.¡±


    What? He didn¡¯t go home since he turned fifteen? That¡¯s weird. Gwendolyn added, ¡°Previously, I heard


    you mentioned he was injured when he returned half a year ago. Where was he injured? Were his face


    and back severely wounded?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that. I didn¡¯t see his wounds. I only heard from the servants at Grandpa¡¯s vi


    that he was gravely hurt. Still, I¡¯m certain his injuries were severe because when he was fighting for


    power with Uncle Yael, he always showed up in a wheelchair and wearing a mask.¡±


    After asking so many questions, it seemed to Gwendolyn she didn¡¯t acquire much useful information.


    She made some small talk with Triss before hanging up the call.


    William, who was driving in the front row, asked curiously, ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, why are you suddenly


    concerned about Mr. Jenson? Did sparks fly between you twost night?¡±


    Busy trying to wrap her mind around that matter, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t bother responding to his teasing.


    She merely said, ¡°William, I can¡¯t shake off this feeling that something¡¯s weird. I feel that Maverick isn¡¯t


    dead.¡±


    William was unconvinced. ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, how is that possible? Putting aside the fact that Mr. Wright


    was already seriously injured before the incident, his chances of surviving were meager since he


    charged into the fray alone. Besides, Justin watched his body being cremated.¡±


    ¡°What if the body is fake? What if they found someone with a simr physique as him to rece him?¡±


    William considered her words carefully. ¡°That is possible, but if Mr. Wright is still alive, why isn¡¯t he


    returning to find you? He was really eager to stay by your side every day in the past.¡±


    That was also one thing that baffled Gwendolyn.


    As she stared out of the car window and became lost in her thoughts, Cedrick¡¯s demeanorst night


    surfaced in her mind.


    Despite how well Cedrick concealed his emotions when he looked at her, she couldn¡¯t help but sense


    that he knew her. Furthermore, his small habitual movements when he was nervous were exactly the


    same as Maverick. Could such a coincidence really happen? But why doesn¡¯t he have any scars? A


    burn caused by the S40 strong corrosive potion would definitely leave scars, and it¡¯s difficult to remove


    them altogether.


    Gwendolyn reckoned she needed to ask Asher about that.


    Before that, she went to Angle¡¯s new building. The decorations there were basicallyplete, and in a


    few days, they could pick a good day to move all the operations from the Faike branch.


    Upon reaching the CEO¡¯s office on the top floor, she sat in the executive chair while William stood


    guard outside the door.


    Gwendolyn checked Asher¡¯s flight schedule. After finding out it was his rest day, she dialed his number.


    ¡°Asher, does ourboratory have any medication that¡¯s good for removing scars, capable of making the


    skin appear as if it has been marred?¡±


    Asher replied, ¡°No. Even the best medication won¡¯t allow the skin to recover to that extent. Why are you


    asking this? Are you hurt?¡±


    She immediately shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m curious, so I¡¯m just asking.¡±


    ¡°If you want the skin to recover entirely without any trace, I¡¯m afraid stic surgery, specifically a skin


    graft, is the only option. The country with the best technology worldwide is Hawen.¡±


    Gwendolyn was quiet for a long while before she spoke solemnly. ¡°Asher, do you know about my


    engagement to Cedrick?¡±


    ¡°Yes. What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Cedrick seems to be a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Information about his


    whereabouts is very well guarded, so I can¡¯t investigate from my side. But if it were you, could you find


    out any records of him traveling abroad in the past six months?¡±


    Asher was confused. ¡°Why do you suddenly want to check his travel records?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m engaged to him, so I want to know more about him.¡±


    Asher thought that was reasonable.


    Although he had his doubts, he didn¡¯t press further. ¡°Sure, but it won¡¯t be easy to investigate Cedrick¡¯s


    itinerary. I¡¯ll need some time.¡±


    ¡°How long do you need?¡±


    ¡°At the earliest, tomorrow afternoon.¡±


    ¡­


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Gwendolyn stayed awake the entire night.


    She hadn¡¯t been getting quality rest over the past six months; however, during the recent two nights


    she spent alone with Cedrick, she slept surprisingly well that she almost didn¡¯t wake up for the entire


    night. Perhaps by tomorrow, all my doubts will be cleared.

 Chapter 227

    Chapter 227


    Chapter 227 I Can Take The Pain


    The next day, Nico entered the CEO¡¯s office at Jenson Group, his expression downtrodden.


    Yesterday, he had visited all the racecourses in Salinsburgh and finally found a whip specifically


    designed for taming fierce and wild horses.


    After cing it on Jenson¡¯s desk, he said, ¡°This whip is quite rough in texture. Please handle it with


    care, Boss.¡±


    Cedrickpsed into thoughtful silence before keeping it away.


    Nico, expressing his concern, reminded Jenson once again. ¡°Boss, if Ms. Gwendolyn intends to whip


    you tonight, please don¡¯t put up a strong front. Instead, try to look aggrieved, scream in pain, and shed


    a few tears to invoke her sympathy.¡±


    Cedrick nodded in response. His mind was upied with thoughts on how to approach the


    conversation with Gwendolynter that evening.


    Cedrick¡¯s apparentck of concern over his warning caused Nico to feel anxious.


    However, upon reflection, he realized if Cedrick was not afraid of being physically harmed, why should


    he worry about him?


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn went about her usual routine at Angle Corporation, focusing on the


    preparations before work.


    She remained busy throughout the day and nothing unusual happened. Before leaving work, she


    received the information Asher had finishedpiling and faxed it to her.


    Gwendolyn printed all the documents and studied them closely. Her expression turned more and more


    icy as she went through all the information.


    The information showed that Cedrick did make a trip to Hawen a few months ago.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    With no existing business connections between the Jenson family and Hawen, Gwendolyn struggled to


    find a usible reason for Cedrick¡¯s visit, apart from the possibility of him undergoing stic surgery.


    Does that mean Cedrick lied to mest night?


    While she was contemting, William knocked on her door and came in. ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, Nico just


    came by and said Mr. Jenson would like to invite you to have dinner at the vi after work. He will


    personally cook for you. Would you like to go?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Gwendolyn answered with a flinch.


    Since it was difficult for her to investigate, she thought it would be better if she could test the waters


    directly.


    After tidying up her desk, she stuffed the documents into her bag and grabbed her coat from the rack.


    She then nced at William and said, ¡°It¡¯s time to leave. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    William was taken aback but quickly caught up with her.


    Upon arriving at the Jenson residence, Gwendolyn could not recall the winding paths in the Jenson


    residence. She had to get Logan to guide her to Cedrick¡¯s vi again.


    As they reached the front of Cedrick¡¯s vi, Nico and a few other bodyguards were already waiting for


    her at the door.


    Seeing Gwendolyn walking over, Nico respectfully bowed slightly. ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°Not really. I saw you before I left Cedrick¡¯s vi thest time I was here,¡± she replied.


    Err¡­


    Feeling awkward, Nico froze for a moment before diverting to another topic. ¡°Pleasee in, Ms.


    Gwendolyn. Mr. Jenson is waiting for you.¡±


    Gwendolyn just looked away and walked into the vi alone.


    Not long after she took a few steps forward, Nico whispered behind her, ¡°Mr. Jenson has to attend an


    urgent mission tonight. After dinner, he¡¯ll need to leave the city for the operation. It¡¯ll be a confrontation


    that involves real gunfire.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gwendolyn cast him a baffling nce.


    Nico seemed frustrated, suppressing the urge to say more. He sighed silently and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.


    Please go inside.¡±


    His words piqued Gwendolyn¡¯s curiosity, but seeing that he was unwilling to provide further


    exnation, she decided not to press him any further.


    She continued walking alone to the vi. Just when she was about to knock on the door, she noticed


    the front door was slightly ajar.


    Gwendolyn gently pushed open the door, but before she could fully see the situation inside, someone


    emerged from behind, grasping her wrist and pulling her in.


    She found herself wrapped in a familiar andforting embrace, and the person holding her tightly


    was trembling uncontrobly.


    Gwendolyn could sense that he was anxious. ¡°What are you doing, Mr. Jenson?¡±


    Cedrick wore a thin silk shirt, his lips pressed tightly together, but he did not utter a word in response.


    After releasing her from his arms, he staggered backward, his knees slowly sinking, and his back


    straightened as he knelt before her.


    That familiar action struck a chord within her, and in an instant, realization washed over her. Her eyes


    welled up with tears, turning red. ¡°Maverick.¡±


    Her words came out as a statement and not a question.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s me.¡± Cedrick did not press his voice intentionally.


    Cedrick noticed the shimmering teardrops in her glistening eyes, his heart constricted with pain.


    Gwendolyn looked up to rein in the tears that threatened to spill.


    She then cast an indifferent re at him. ¡°So you deceived me. You were never dead, yet you didn¡¯t


    come to find me. Instead, you deliberately orchestrated an emotionally maniptive will just to witness


    my misery? Just look at how easily I could be fooled. How foolish I am to not able to see through your


    act!¡±


    ¡°No, Gwenny. I¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn interjected, ¡°Shut up! You don¡¯t deserve to call me Gwenny. I thought you enjoy calling me


    Ms. Harris?¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s heart sank when she reprimanded him. He held her hands and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was


    my mistakest night. I should have been honest but hesitated. But I didn¡¯t deceive you when I wrote


    that will. Let me exin!¡±


    ¡°Do you honestly expect me to believe you now? Why did you choose to confess tonight? Is it because


    you realized I saw through your acting and was on the verge of uncovering the truth? You have no


    choice but toe clean, huh?¡± she retorted.


    Cedrick was struck dumb for a moment, realizing she had partially guessed the truth.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes wereced with a tinge of sarcasm as she saw the reaction on his face, knowing


    that her guess was indeed correct. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re Maverick or Cedrick. I hate liars, especially


    those who faked their deaths! This is too much!¡±


    Cedrick looked up, trying to hold his tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t deceive your feelings. Can you please listen to me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it. I don¡¯t want to see you ever again!¡± She swung her hand away, turned around,


    and was about to leave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, Gwenny!¡± Cedrick caught up with her, wanting to embrace her from behind.


    ¡°Get lost!¡± she shouted, pping him lightly on the cheek, not exerting much force.


    Hence, only a slight mark of redness appeared on Cedrick¡¯s cheek.


    Gwendolyn could not help but pause as she noticed that despite being pped, he was still smiling.


    His dark eyes glistened, and he said in a soft voice, ¡°Is one p sufficient to release your anger? If not,


    feel free to continue striking me. I can endure the pain, don¡¯t worry!¡±


    Gwendolyn gave him a cold re, unable to decipher the game he was ying as his eyes revealed no


    emotions.


    Cedrick continued, ¡°But you¡¯ll hurt your hand if you hit me. Here, use this to whip me. Keep going until


    you are happy.¡±


    As he spoke, he reached behind his waist and pulled out a riding whip, offering it to her with a cating


    gesture.


    Gwendolyn refused to take the whip or offer any response to his words.


    Despite Gwendolyn¡¯s reluctance, Cedrick took matters into his own hands and forcefully ced the


    handle of the whip in her grasp.


    He then straightened his back, tilting his head with anticipation in his eyes, obediently awaiting the


    punishment.


    He had set aside his ego in front of her.


    However, the more Gwendolyn looked at him, the angrier she became. She nced at the whip in her


    hand and suddenly recalled what Nico had said earlier.


    It was only now that she understood his intention. He has a mission to carry outter, yet he¡¯s going


    through all this trouble to ask for my forgiveness. He pretends to be aggrieved and afraid of pain, but at


    the same time, he instructs Nico to remind me not to be too harsh with him. The act they put up is so


    unprofessional. Does he think I¡¯ll show him mercy because of that?


    Gwendolyn thought it would be a waste of his effort if she did not whip him to her heart¡¯s content.

 Chapter 228

    Chapter 228


    Chapter 228 Dirty Tricks


    How thoughtful of you? It seems like you¡¯ve prepared yourself to get beaten up. Cedrick, do you think


    that I don¡¯t dare to hurt you now that you have a high status?¡±


    Cedrick lifted his head up to fix his eyes on her. His eyes were red as he voiced, ¡°I don¡¯t care about the


    status. I¡¯m merely an ordinary guy in front of you. If I¡¯ve made you angry, I don¡¯t mind getting beaten up


    by you.¡±


    His words sounded genuinepared to what he said yesterday.


    ¡°If that¡¯s how you want it, so be it.¡±


    As she raised her horsewhip, her gaze looked hostile.


    At that moment, she was ovee with the urge to beat Cedrick up badly. I can¡¯t wait to see Cedrick


    covered in blood. I¡¯ll beat him up until he¡¯s unable to get up and beg me for mercy!


    Nevertheless, she held herself back, taking only half of her strength to whip two times on his left arm.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Her gaze remained indifferent.


    Cedrick furrowed his brows slightly, attempting to control his arm from trembling too hard.


    Taking a breath silently, he lied with a beam, ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t use all her strength and assumed his worst condition was getting a swollen wound on


    his arm. However, those two whips were powerful enough to hurt Cedrick. The spikes on the whip


    snagged his shirt and torn his flesh open, leaving two bloody cuts on his arm. It was a ghastly sight to


    see Cedrick¡¯s white shirt drenched in blood.


    Noticing something was not right, Gwendolyn looked down at the whip in her hand.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The horsewhip was a rough job, and there were sharp prickles on it. Watching the horsewhip covered


    in blood, Gwendolyn came to a realization and felt the pain for him.


    Just when she felt that way, a wave of fury crashed through her abruptly, causing her to lose her


    rationality.


    He¡¯s acting well by pretending to be hurt!


    With that thought, Gwendolyn lifted his chin lightly and sneered, ¡°Cedrick, I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re


    putting on a pitiful act to garner sympathy from me. Is it fun to fool me with your tricks?¡±


    Feeling aggrieved, Cedrick said pitifully, ¡°I have no intention to fool you! It¡¯s my fault for making you


    sad. I¡¯m willing to ept any form of punishment from you. However, can you please let me exin


    after you¡¯ve calmed downter?¡±


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes and replied harshly, ¡°Sure. Wait till I finish whipping you. We¡¯ll talkter


    if you still have the energy to exin!¡±


    Then, Cedrick shut his eyes with his teeth gritted and waited obediently.


    Once again, Gwendolyn raised the horsewhip shakily.


    Cedrick waited for a long while to hear that loud sound of a whip-crack but nothing happened.


    Knowing the lethal force of the horsewhip, Gwendolyn wasn¡¯t hard-hearted enough tond another


    strike on him.


    Cedrick had been putting on an act to lie to Gwendolyn. Because of that, she harbored guilt for the past


    six months. Nevertheless, she was washed over by the urge to beat Cedrick to death after knowing the


    truth.


    Although feeling extremely angry, Gwendolyn felt sorry to inflict a serious injury on Cedrick.


    At that instant, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of defeat for falling for Cedrick¡¯s dirty tricks.


    Feeling upset, Gwendolyn released her anger by whipping the floor vigorously.


    The ear-splitting sound reverberated through the air. It was so loud that Nico and William could hear


    the whipping sound outside the vi.


    After she was done, Gwendolyn threw the horsewhip away. She didn¡¯t bother to look at Cedrick who


    was still kneeling on the ground. Walking toward the door, she pushed it open and left without saying a


    word.


    Nico was standing outside the vi and didn¡¯t expect Gwendolyn toe out that fast. At that time, he


    was holding a medical kit.


    He wanted to hide the kit from Gwendolyn, but it was already toote.


    Nico¡¯s attempt to hide the kit made the situation worse instead. Gwendolyn was under the impression


    that he was ying along with Cedrick to put up an act to fool her.


    Gwendolyn scoffed, ¡°What a well-prepared arrangement! It¡¯s a waste of talent for him to fool a silly me


    with his smart tricks.¡±


    Hearing that, Nico paled. ¡°N-No. This is a misunderstanding. I prepared these for Mr. Jenson. It has


    nothing to do with him.¡±


    Nico heard the loud terrifying crack and was worried about Cedrick. Furthermore, Cedrick had to go on


    a missionter. Worrying about Cedrick, Nico prepared the medical kit so that he could get him


    bandaged right away.


    The look in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes grew cold. She didn¡¯t believe his words at all.


    Meanwhile, Nico felt helpless realizing that he might haveplicated the situation. He stuttered


    anxiously, ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, this has nothing to do with Mr. Jenson. It¡¯s me.¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t want to hear anything and left the Jenson residence without looking back.


    After she left, Nico pped his mouth with frustration and went into the vi to check on Cedrick¡¯s


    condition.


    Cedrick had already gotten up from the ground and could be seen sitting on the couch in a daze.


    Hastily, Nico went up to him to check on his wounds and was relieved to see only two marks on his left


    arm. His movements were smooth and swift as he cleaned the wounds for him.


    Cedrick had splinters from that horsewhip in his flesh. Noticing that, Nico cautiously picked them up


    with a tweezer andter proceeded with disinfection.


    As he recalled what happened outside the door, Nico told Cedrick everything.


    ¡°Sorry, boss. I¡¯m worried that you would be injured badly. It¡¯s dangerous for you to go on a mission with


    wounds. I didn¡¯t expect to be caught by Ms. Gwendolyn. After the mission, I¡¯ll exin everything to her


    again.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s eyes darkened gradually. ¡°It¡¯s useless to exin. Whatever you¡¯re doing is my doing as well.


    She won¡¯t believe me anymore.¡±


    Seeing how sad Cedrick was, Nico couldn¡¯t help but me himself for causing the trouble and pped


    himself hard in the face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault!¡±


    He continued to p himself. His force was so great that his face turned swollen from the impact.


    Instantly, blood started to ooze from the corner of his mouth.


    Cedrick stopped him from tormenting himself by saying, ¡°It was me who messed everything up. I¡¯ll


    exin to her when I have the chance. Don¡¯t me yourself for that.¡±


    His words didn¡¯t make Nico feel better at all. To Nico, Cedrick was his savior, brother, and his family.


    Even though he might argue with Cedrick sometimes, Nico would always look out for him.


    Shortly after that, a team of people left the Jenson residence and departed the city overnight.


    ¡­


    Gwendolyn had an insomnia again.


    She appreciated Cedrick for saving her life and getting hurt because of her in the past. However, it


    turned out that Cedrick intentionally faked his death toy a guilt trip on her. After knowing that she had


    been fooled, she couldn¡¯t help but cry over and over again.


    Gwendolyn had even thought of carrying the torch for him for the rest of her life. In fact, she even had a


    n to return to Faike to live near his cemetery in the future.


    Now that she thought of it, she merely felt that the whole affair was really ridiculous. I have been


    nothing but a fool!


    There was no way that she could forgive Cedrick for what he had done.


    However, she couldn¡¯t bear to vent all her anger on him by whipping him to his death.


    Perhaps, the only way for her to forget everything was to stop contacting him and cut ties with him.


    Gwendolyn stayed up for the whole night and contemted.


    After a night of thinking, she finally made up her mind.


    The next morning, she put on some makeup and went out to the Jenson residence to look for


    Valentino.


    Valentino could tell that she had something to say by her solemn expression. After breakfast, he


    brought her to the guest room.


    Upon hearing what she said, a look of disbelief spread across Valentino¡¯s face. He turned to exchange


    nces with Logan who was equally confused.


    ¡°Did I mishear you, Gwendolyn? It¡¯s only been two days since the announcement of your engagement


    with Cedrick, and now you¡¯re telling me that you want to call off the engagement?¡±

 Chapter 229

    Chapter 229


    Chapter 229 For Real This Time


    Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze remained determined. ¡°Yes, Old Mr. Jenson. I think Mr. Cedrick and I aren¡¯t a good


    match for each other. If we could, I¡¯d like to¡­ be friends.¡±


    Valentino was surprised by her decision. ¡°Did he mistreat you, Gwendolyn? Tell me, and I¡¯ll take care of


    him!¡±


    ¡°No, he wouldn¡¯t dare do that. I just¡­¡±


    Fifteen minutester, Gwendolyn emerged, grim-faced, from Valentino¡¯s vi. William was waiting for


    her at the entrance.


    Upon her appearance, he hurried forward. ¡°How did it go, Ms. Gwendolyn? Did Old Mr. Jenson agree?¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn gazed down glumly and shook her head.


    Valentino had walked her through the pros and cons. Her engagement with Cedrick was not an


    ordinary affair, as it concerned many other people as well. In fact, Cedrick had publicized their wedding


    to also be a business alliance.


    If the engagement were to be broken off two days after the reception, Harris Group and Jenson Group


    would face massive financial losses and negative publicity online.


    Needless to say, the repercussions would be huge.


    Furthermore, Valentino no longer got involved with the Jenson family¡¯s major affairs. As Cedrick was


    the new head of the family, she would have to discuss the matter with him.


    Knowing him, he would not consent to it even if she pointed a gun at his head.


    Gwendolyn was furious, yet she could not think of anything else.


    Cedrick has me trapped well and proper this time!


    She could finally understand why Treyton and Eloise had been engaged for two years, yet they


    remained together even though they truly despised her. For the children of a rich family, in particr, an


    engagement built on a business alliance was not easy to call off.


    Forget it.


    She heaved a long sigh. I¡¯ll n it all over again soon. For now, I don¡¯t even want to think of that brute,


    Cedrick.


    ¡°Starting from today, I will not entertain Cedrick, his bodyguards, or his subordinates if theye to


    see me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Gwendolyn.¡±


    William nodded. Then, he followed in her wake as she departed.


    The pair walked from Valentino¡¯s vi to the Jensons¡¯ majestic residence in a single file. When they


    turned the corner, they did not notice the young man in a blue suit studying her through his fine, gold-


    rimmed sses.


    Xander Jenson narrowed his eyes and adjusted his sses with nonchnt elegance. ¡°Is that the


    heiress of the Harris family who¡¯s engaged to Cedrick?¡± he asked his bodyguard behind him.


    ¡°It appears so, Mr. Jenson,¡± the bodyguard replied after taking a closer look.


    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful, but she does not seem to be in a good mood. Find out what she¡¯s doing here today.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Jenson.¡±


    The bodyguard left noiselessly and returned ten minutester. ¡°She¡¯s here to back out of her


    engagement, Mr. Jenson,¡± he reported upon reappearing at Xander¡¯s side, ¡°but Old Mr. Jenson did not


    agree.¡±


    ¡°Back out of her engagement?¡±


    Xanderpsed into a thoughtful reverie. ¡°Cedrick was the one who wanted to get married. Apparently,


    she does not feel the same way about him.¡±


    ¡°It was said that Mr. Cedrick did not attend her party,¡± the bodyguard added. ¡°It appears that she¡¯s not


    important to him.¡±


    ¡°Preposterous.¡± Xander sneered. ¡°You think you know what goes on in Cedrick¡¯s head, do you? We¡¯ll


    find out after a little digging.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Jenson?¡±


    Xander gave an enigmatic smile. ¡°Cedrick is out on a mission,¡± he said loftily. ¡°I heard it involves a


    gunfight. What do you think will happen if he finds out his fianc¨¦e wants out and that the old man


    agreed to it?¡±


    The bodyguard grasped his meaning at once. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Jenson. I will make sure the news


    reaches Mr. Cedrick¡¯s ears exactly as it happened.¡±


    ¡­


    As the matter of calling off the engagement remained unresolved, Gwendolyn set that notion aside and


    went to Angle.


    After days of preparation, it is almostplete. Over the next two days, I¡¯ll bring over the more


    important artists from Angle, pick a date, and we will officiate the grand opening of the new building.


    Seated at her desk before herputer, she worked the entire day, going over the case file of every


    artist thepany had signed in her stringent selective process.


    Gwendolyn remained lost at work until the end of the workday when a scuffle sounded outside the


    corridor. It was so loud that it drew her notice.


    Setting her documents down, she was prepared to go outside for a look when the office door suddenly


    flew open. Nico came in with his eyes red, and hands covered in blood.


    Puzzled, Gwendolyn nced outside and found Ezra and Quinton on the ground, clutching their shins


    and grimacing in agony.


    She turned back to re at him. ¡°How dare you assault my people in front of me?¡±


    Nico bowed his head, looking sincerely apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Gwendolyn. I have sent half a dozen


    people to look for you but they had been rebuffed by those two, so I was forced toe myself and


    barge in through drastic measures. Don¡¯t worry, though. The blood on me is not theirs. They¡¯re just


    mildly hurt.¡±


    I have left instructions that I would not see Cedrick¡¯s people. It must be something serious for Nico to


    barge in.


    Gwendolyn lowered her voice. ¡°What¡¯s the emergency? What happened?¡±


    Nico¡¯s eyes turned red. ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Jenson. He¡¯s on the way to the hospital, but he refuses to enter the


    emergency room until he sees you onest time. I beg you, Ms. Gwendolyn, go to him!¡±


    Cedrick is quite a good fighter. What could have happened to him?


    Gwendolyn¡¯s heart lurched. Upon second thought, however, she grew dubious. ¡°He¡¯s always deceiving


    me with cheap tactics. Isn¡¯t he sick of them by now? Before this, he faked his death. This time, he¡¯s


    gravely ill. What¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true!¡±


    Nico wept. If it were not inappropriate, he would have knocked her out and carried her to the hospital


    himself.


    ¡°We were fighting terrorists in the mountains of Salinsburgh, and Mr. Jenson was shot in the chest; the


    blood all over me is his. He wants to see you onest time. I¡¯m begging you, Ms. Gwendolyn! Please


    go see him!¡±


    Gazing at him weeping in earnest, she felt her heart twinge with pity.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you just this once! If Cedrick lies to me again, I will never forgive him!¡±


    Without packing her things, she picked up her bag and went with Nico to the hospital.


    A group was gathered in the corridor outside the emergency room and making a huge ruckus that


    escted to the point of a heated quarrel, but they all looked solemn. Some even had tears in their


    eyes.


    Gwendolyn quickened her stride. Leading the way, Nico shouted, ¡°Make way! Stop squabbling! Ms.


    Gwendolyn is here!¡±


    The group fell silent immediately. Some even stepped aside orderly to let her pass.


    Venturing deeper, Gwendolyn soon detected the overwhelming, metallic stench of blood.


    Laying on a stretcher, Cedrick was deathly pale. He had streaks of blood all over him. The spot where


    his heart was, in particr, was drenched in a deep crimson. There was blood still oozing out. Even the


    stretcher had been stained red.


    The scene was so bloody that Gwendolyn remained in shock for a long while.


    He¡¯s not lying this time! He has lost so much blood!


    Gwendolyn pped her hand over her mouth in horror as her tears fell, rolling off her cheeks. Her feet


    felt like lead that every step she took was impossibly heavy.


    Cedrick¡¯s dull eyes brightened at her approach. He raised a hand, bloody and trembling, to grab her


    tiny wrist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I-I¡¯m not in pain, but my heart hurts when you cry.¡±

 Chapter 230

    Chapter 230


    Chapter 230 Avenge Him


    Gwendolyn¡¯s tears turned into a stream. She could not stop them.


    Clutching his hand, she screamed, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare die, Cedrick! I¡¯m going to marry someone else if


    you die and make you regret it as long as you live!¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s bloody lips parted in a painful smile.


    ¡°T-That won¡¯t do. You¡¯re mine.¡±


    Despite her tears, she managed a chuckle before turning to the two paramedics in the corner. ¡°I¡¯m


    here. Send him in, quickly.¡±


    Cedrick would not let go of her hand. ¡°Let me exin, Gwenny, please?¡±


    ¡°Be good and go through with the surgery. I¡¯ll be out here. You can tell me everything when it¡¯s over.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s visage was paler than ever. It looked as though every drop of blood had been drained from


    him. It was in he could not hold on much longer.


    However, he stubbornly maintained his grip on her wrist¡ªhe wanted to get a good look at her. There


    was only a ten percent chance of survival if he went in, and he feared he might never regain


    consciousness.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s heart wrenched painfully. She forced herself to pry his fingers apart and watched him


    being wheeled into the emergency room.


    The light came on, indicating that the surgery was underway. Gwendolyn sat outside and gazed nkly


    into space. The tears streaking her face had not yet dried.


    It was her first time shedding tears in front of that many people, but she did not care. All she knew was


    that she did not want Cedrick to die.


    She waited for three hours until nine that night, yet Cedrick still had not emerged.


    Nico sent the squadron home. With a simrly grave expression, he sat on the bench across from


    Gwendolyn.


    Then, as if he had considered something at length, he began, ¡°You thought that Mr. Jenson had lied to


    you about the incident involving the abandoned warehouse six months ago. He was not. He did enter


    knowing full well he might die. If not for the rest of the boys making it there in time to rescue what¡¯s left


    of him, he would have died in the fire.¡±


    Gwendolyn looked up slowly to meet his gaze.


    Nico continued glumly, ¡°As for why he did not return to you despite having survived, the Jenson family


    had been going through internal strife, and he needed to return and deal with it. The whip scars on his


    back are a consequence of his defiance of the Jenson familyws. Though he was fortunate to have


    survived at the warehouse, vast areas of the skin on his face had been burned, and he had broken his


    leg in the fight. His internal organs, too, are not faring any better.¡±


    His gaze flicked and he skipped the part about the virus in Cedrick¡¯s body.


    Aside from his duties to oversee his family, the reason why Cedrick did not return to Faike was that


    the professor still had not discovered aplete cure for the virus within him, and it necessitated a trip


    to theboratory every other day. It was only with the help of the suppressant that he lived until now.


    Cedrick had once decreed that not a word of any of it was to be mentioned to Gwendolyn.


    Pulling himself out of his reverie, Nico continued, ¡°When has Mr. Jenson not put his life on the line to


    win you back, Ms. Gwendolyn? He¡¯s true to you! He¡¯s a fool when ites to love for he only knows


    how to give everything he has but would never tell you any of his pain. He was ashamed to reunite with


    you after regaining his identity because he was afraid you would hate him more if he mentioned it. He


    feared that he would lose you forever. He has bumbled himself before you.¡±


    Gwendolyn lowered her head. Her heart was filled with guilt to the brim, and it tormented her.


    She saw Cedrick covered in blood every time shut her eyes. Worse still, something like that had


    happened to him more than once.


    He must have been in even worse shape during the incident at the abandoned warehouse six months


    ago.


    However, she was still furious that he had kept all that from her. She med him for his deception and


    she even whipped him.


    Gwendolyn felt her heart sear with pain as though it was stabbed. The intensity of it made her gasp for


    breath.


    ¡°I am sorry.¡±


    Aside from those three words, she could not offer anything else to make up for it.


    ¡°An apology is not what he needs. Just a little bit of love on your part will send him over the moon.¡±


    Nico sighed at the sight of her despondency. ¡°He no longer owes you anything, Ms. Gwendolyn, but


    when he found out that you were grieving for six months because of him, he med himself. He had


    me procure a whip not because he wanted to put on a charade for you but because he was trying his


    best to make up for the pain you have endured for six months. That you did, but he too, has been


    tormented by illnesses for half a year.¡±


    ¡°When you mmed the door and left yesterday, he wanted to wait for you toe back so he could


    exin things, but you went to Old Mr. Jenson and asked to call off the engagement instead. Worse


    still, Old Mr. Jenson agreed to it. He was only hit by the bullet because he had been distracted.¡±


    Gwendolyn stopped crying at once and frowned. ¡°I did see Old Mr. Jenson and proposed for the


    engagement to be called off, but he did not agree. I was nning on doing something about it. Who


    told you this?¡±


    Nico met her gaze. Realizing that something did not add up, he quickly sent somebody to investigate.


    Half an hourter, the atmosphere at the entrance to the emergency room grew tense.


    ¡°It was somebody sent by Mr. Xander.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s features hardened. ¡°Xander? How well does Cedrick get along with him?¡±


    Nico appeared serious. ¡°Not very well. The internal strife the Jenson family went through was caused


    by Mr. Yael, Mr. Xander¡¯s father. Mr. Cedrick had only been back for three days and the power nearly


    fell to Mr. Yael¡¯s hands; he only managed to snatch it back after almost two weeks.¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her lips. Looking down, she did not speak.


    After a spell of silence, her gaze grew colder. ¡°Do you know how to sneak into the Jenson residence


    without being seen?¡±


    Nico was taken aback. ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, are you suggesting¡­¡±


    There was a cold, dangerous glint in Gwendolyn¡¯s eye.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to settle the score with him.¡±


    ¡­


    It was eleven in the evening, and a muffled cascade was sounding in the elegantly decorated bedroom.


    Having just showered and d in a bathrobe, Xander was drying his hair as he emerged from the


    bathroom.


    As soon as he entered the bedroom, the lights in his chandelier began flickering. The curtains, too,


    rustled from being whipped by the wind. A sense of foreboding filled the space.


    Noticing something awry, he put his gold-rimmed sses on.


    At some point, a woman had seated herself on his bed.


    Her lithe legs were crossed sideways, and her arms were folded. She looked seductive yet elegant. It


    was a very pleasant sight.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    I must say, Cedrick¡¯s little fianc¨¦e is beautiful, with an amazing body. Even I want to¡­


    He gave a polite smile. ¡°When did youe her, Ms. Harris? Why would you sneak into my bedroom


    at this time of night instead ofing through the front door? This is a little inappropriate, don¡¯t you


    think?¡±


    Gwendolyn did not speak. She merely fixed him with her re.


    As she was in Xander¡¯s vi, he had an army of bodyguards at his disposal. Furthermore, Xander had


    no reason to fear her as she was a woman. Instead, with a wicked smirk, he teased her.


    ¡°Could you have taken an interest in me, Ms. Harris? Are you trying to make my dear cousin a cuck?¡±


    Gwendolyn scowled, her expression turning vicious. Leaping to her feet, she appeared in a sh before


    Xander and swung the handle of her dagger at his neck.


    Xander tried to defend himself but was too weak to do so. As a result, he was knocked out mercilessly.


    He fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.


    Gwendolyn gazed down at him. ¡°Turns out you only look the part of a brute but you¡¯re actually


    pathetic.¡±


    When Xander next awoke, he found himself tied to an office chair, and a scrap of cloth stuffed in his


    mouth.


    Leaning against the table, Gwendolyn toyed idly with her dagger.


    The glint of the de illuminated her seductive yet cruel face.


    Oh, no¡­ This is not a woman to be trifled with.


    Xander was beginning to grow afraid. Turning toward the door, he gave muffled yells.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use. I¡¯ve knocked out all your bodyguards. Besides, it¡¯s the middle of the night. You can scream


    yourself silly and no one wille for you.¡±


    Being usually handsome and gentlemanly, Xander was now in a wretched state. His hair was wet, and


    he was still d in his bathrobe.


    Nico heard Gwendolyn¡¯s coy teasing tone from outside the window. It sounded strange to his ears.


    Why does it sound like she¡¯s going to bang him? Could she have taken a liking to him and decided not


    to teach him a lesson? If Boss finds out, he might be so pissed that he woulde here from the


    operating table!

 Chapter 231

    Chapter 231


    Chapter 231 Have I Been Treating Him Badly


    Nico quickly pped himself to stop his imagination from going wild.


    This is my first time having a solo mission with Ms. Gwendolyn, perhaps this is who she is. I should


    have faith in her feelings for Boss. However, he must never find out about the details!Back in the


    bedroom, Gwendolyn grazed the tip of the dagger across Xander¡¯s face and down his neck before


    finally arriving at his heart.


    Xander shook throughout, terrified that the de would pierce his skin.


    The room was filled with a dangerous and menacing oppression atmosphere, gripping him so hard that


    he felt suffocated.


    Gwendolyn sneered at his fright. ¡°It only takes a dagger to reduce you to such a pathetic state. You¡¯re


    so weak. How dare you pick a fight with Ceddy?¡±


    Xander seemed to have taken offense by her words and the look of terror on his face suddenly


    diminished.


    He knew very well that Gwendolyn did not dare to kill him within the Jenson residence, nor was she


    able to do so.


    Noticing that he had calmed down, Gwendolyn guessed what he was thinking. ¡°You¡¯re right. I won¡¯t kill


    you. In fact, I prefer to torture you slowly. I¡¯m here today to settle this score. Because of you, Ceddy is


    currently undergoing surgery. How dare you sleep soundly in your bed while he is fighting for his life? I


    want you to remain awake and experience his suffering tenfold.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    With a vicious glint in her eyes, she pressed the dagger¡¯s tip slightly against Xander, yet with enough


    restraint not to pierce his heart.


    Blood began oozing out, staining Xander¡¯s snow-white bathrobe around his chest. It caused him so


    much pain that he turned pale.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is just a taste. I won¡¯t take your life so quickly.¡±


    Gwendolyn sheathed the dagger, then produced a bag of powder and showed Xander.


    ¡°This is itching powder. I will sprinkle it on you and once the itch bes unbearable, your muscles


    will twitch uncontrobly and quicken your cirction, which will cause the blood to flow out from the


    wound. I wonder if you would die from excessive blood loss if you bleed throughout the night? Shall we


    try it?¡±


    Even though her tone was innocent, her words were venomous.


    Xander gazed at the powder in her hand with terror, shaking his head, and started mumbling.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression was frigid. Without wasting her breath on him further, she scattered the


    powder all over him mercilessly, starting from his neck.


    Then, she summoned Nico for some areas where it was inconvenient for her to reach.


    Upon finding out that she intended to scatter the powder all over Xander¡¯s groin, Nico shuddered so


    hard that his own member retracted in fear. He gave her a thumbs-up of admiration.


    This move is so savage and vicious! If Xander sumbs, he¡¯s not going to make it.


    ¡­


    After hours of surgery, the bullet lodged in Cedrick¡¯s chest was finally removed. Fortunately, it had


    missed his heart by two inches.


    However, he did lose a lot of blood and was very weak. As he required rest, he was transferred to an


    ordinary ward.


    ¡°Gwenny¡­¡±


    The anesthetic was beginning to wear off. His voice was hoarse and weak. Instinctively, he scanned his


    surroundings.


    The spotlessly bright ward was empty.


    There was no sign of Gwendolyn, who he was thinking about nor anybody else there. He was alone in


    his bed.


    There was a sense of mncholic solitude in the air.


    Though the anesthetic had notpletely worn off, he felt a searing pain in his chest. It was so bad


    that he could not breathe.


    Gwendolyn said she would wait for me and let me exin. She wouldn¡¯t lie to me.


    He braced himself against the dizziness, ignoring his freshly bandaged chest, and got out of bed. His


    legs were so shaky that he was forced to inch his way to the door while leaning against the wall for


    support.


    It was silent outside the corridor.


    There was nobody else there aside from him. Only an asional cold gust blew into his pale face,


    bringing with it a sharp sting.


    His eyes grew red. The heavy feeling in his chest was bing unbearable as an intense feeling of


    sadness gripped him.


    The ringing pain in his chest felt a hundred times more painful than when the bullet had struck him.


    ¡°Gwenny¡­¡±


    Where are you? You still won¡¯t forgive me?


    He wanted to search for Gwendolyn, but the walk out of the ward hadpletely drained him. Weak


    and shaky all over, he was forced to lean against the door.


    Motivated by seeing Gwendolyn, however, he did his best to remain conscious.


    Halfway through making her rounds, a nurse on duty turned pale with fright when she caught sight of


    him and hurried over to help him up. ¡°Why are you out of bed, Mr. Jenson? You just went through an


    operation, and you cannot afford to catch a cold! Go back inside.¡±


    Cedrick avoided her arm, refusing to let her touch him. ¡°Where is Ms. Harris?¡± he asked with great


    effort.


    ¡°Ms. Harris had gone a long time ago. It¡¯s past midnight now, so she probably won¡¯t being back.


    Your health is more important, Mr. Jenson. Please get back inside!¡±


    Cedrick felt so awful that he gasped for breath.


    She¡¯s gone. True enough, she wouldn¡¯t forgive me. She won¡¯t even hear what I have to say.


    A lump rose in his throat. The empty corridor echoed with his hacking coughs.


    The nurse felt sorry for him. ¡°Mr. Jenson¡­¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡±


    He red at her. Despite the severity of his condition, his gaze was filled with rage.


    Frightened, the nurse fell silent and trotted away.


    Once again, he became the only person in the lonely corridor. He was so weak that he could no longer


    stand. Thus, leaning against the door, he eased himself slowly into a squat before curling up at the


    door.


    Gwenny. I refuse to believe you would be that cruel. I won¡¯t be going anywhere.


    ¡­


    After dealing with Xander, Gwendolyn left Nico behind to take care of the aftermath and sped back to


    the hospital.


    As soon as she emerged from the elevators, she saw the man curled up at the far end of the corridor.


    His helpless and frail silhouette caused a stab of pain in her heart.


    Sprinting over at once, she helped him up and held him in her arms. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡±


    she chided gently. ¡°You should be resting after your surgery!¡±


    Cedrick hugged her tightly around the waist. His joy of seeing her again made his nose twinge and his


    eyes felt moist.


    ¡°I knew it. I knew you woulde back.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s heart seared even more painfully.


    She did not have the heart to let him suffer alone in the operating theater. However, she nned to


    take advantage of the waiting time to execute her revenge n against Xander. It was just that she did


    not expect the operation toplete earlier.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I had been careless, but I did not leave. All right, let¡¯s not stand out here in the cold anymore.


    We¡¯ll talk inside.¡±


    Cedrick wrapped his arm around her waist and ced his chin on her shoulder, unwilling to let go.


    Gwendolyn was about to pry his hands open when she remembered his wound and got distracted as


    she was worried about injuring him.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m not going anywhere. Are you going to defy me? I¡¯ll leave if you do!¡±


    Though she meant it as a joke, Cedrick turned pale and let go of her immediately before he fell to his


    knees.


    Noticing what he was doing, Gwendolyn quickly grabbed him. Her heart ached.


    A mere threat from me scares him so much to the point that he seeks forgiveness for every little thing.


    Have I treated him so badly in the past to make him feel this insecure? How could the head of the


    Jenson family lower himself?


    In fact, before her arrival at the hospital, Cedrick had been tormented by worry and self-doubt for over


    half an hour.


    As soon as he saw her, he wanted nothing more than to pull his heart out and show it to her.


    Gwendolyn willed herself not to cry. Sighing helplessly, she employed the coaxing tone he had once


    used on her. ¡°I¡¯m not angry, and I¡¯m not going anywhere. Be good,y down, and I¡¯ll hear you out, all


    right?¡±


    ¡­

 Chapter 232

    Chapter 232


    Chapter 232 Allow Me To Do It Tonight


    Gwendolyn helped Cedrick to the hospital bed and pulled the nket over him.


    He had just finished surgery and was still weak. He was cold and trembling non-stop after standing in


    the hallway for over half an hour.


    Gwendolyn turned on the heater in the room before sitting beside his bed.


    She poured a ss of warm water and handed it to him, saying, ¡°Nico told me everything when you


    were in the operation theatre, so you don¡¯t have to exin anything to me. However, I do have some


    questions that I need you to answer.¡±


    Cedrick nodded in response.


    ¡°Why did you be Maverick? If you¡¯re Cedrick, then where¡¯s the real Maverick?¡±


    Cedrick reached over to grab her hand, feeling the warmth of her palm. ¡°Do you remember me telling


    you about the car ident from thirteen years ago?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°That year, the real Maverick Wright was fifteen years old when he died trying to save my life. Back


    then, the Jenson family was in chaos. I was young and couldn¡¯tpete for the power of the family


    with both my uncles. When Maverick was still a child, his grandfather sent him to the Federal Bureau of


    Investigation, so his family had never seen his face. Hence, Grandpa let me temporarily take


    Maverick¡¯s name so I could go into hiding. Thirteen years ago, everyone who escorted me in the car


    died in that ident. No one knows in Faike knows my real identity. Because of that, I became


    Maverick Wright without much hurdle, helping him to look after his grandfather and mother and aiding


    in the prosperity of Wright Construction Group.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Gwendolyn lowered her gaze. ¡°What about half a year ago? Was your jar of ashes fake too?


    Justin watched as they pushed you into the cremation oven. Was that also fake?¡±


    ¡°The ashes are real. They belong to the real Maverick. As for the body, Nico found someone in the


    warehouse with a simr build to mine. Because of the fire, his face was unrecognizable. That was why


    Justin did not notice it wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    His voice was deep, and his tone was soft as he spoke. His eyes glistened with tears as he stared at


    Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Gwenny, I didn¡¯t mean to lie to you. After I returned to Salinsburgh to snatch back the power of the


    Jenson family¡­ It is impossible for me to turn back. However, I was so happy when I found out you


    were the daughter of the Harris family.¡±


    Gwendolyn was silent as she looked at him.


    Cedrick got nervous when faced with such an emotionless stare. ¡°That night at your weing party, I


    was wrong for pretending to not recognize you. I¡¯m also sorry for lying to you and putting on an act in


    front of you. If you¡¯re still angry, you can continue to punish me. I¡¯m willing to bear everything. Is that


    okay?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not okay.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s heart sank. He did not expect that she would reject him so swiftly.


    He looked down and stared at his hands. The disappointment he felt could not be hidden behind his


    gaze.


    While he was not paying any attention to her, Gwendolyn grabbed the chance to lean forward and


    ce gentle kisses on his eyes, forehead, cheeks, and,stly, his lips. Every one of her kisses was


    filled with patience and adoration.


    ¡°Silly. I¡¯m not angry anymore.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at her. ¡°You won¡¯t cancel our wedding then? You¡¯ll forgive me?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Gwendolyn kissed him once more, proving herself with her actions.


    They closed their eyes and got lost in the kiss. Their breaths intertwined with each other as they kissed


    more frantically.


    Cedrick quickly backed away when she licked his lips and asked for permission to deepen the kiss.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    Gwendolyn did not get up and remained close to him.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± Cedrick felt breathless as he spoke. The tips of his ears were red, and his eyes


    darkened as he looked away.


    Gwendolyn immediately guessed what was going on when she saw his actions. ¡°Do you want it?¡±


    Red spread across Cedrick¡¯s ears as he blinked furiously. He hesitated momentarily before plucking up


    his courage to ask, ¡°Can I?¡±


    Gwendolyn unbuttoned the top two buttons of Cedrick¡¯s hospital gown. The injury on his chest was still


    wrapped inyers of thick bandages. His arm, which had been whipped the night before, was also


    bandaged.


    Plus, he just finished surgery. He was still weak, so he shouldn¡¯t move around too much.


    Taking his health into consideration, Gwendolyn blurted, ¡°With your condition, you can¡¯t do much, huh?¡±


    By the time she realized what she had said, it was toote for her to take it back.


    Cedrick¡¯s desire to dominate her was triggered. ¡°Who says I can¡¯t do much? Do you want to give it a


    try?¡±


    Although his face was pale, his handsomeness could still weaken Gwendolyn¡¯s knees.


    Because of what Gwendolyn said, Cedrick¡¯s fighting spirit was awakened.


    With that, he forcefully got up to prove how capable he was.


    Gwendolyn giggled and swiftly pushed him back onto the bed, preventing him from getting up.


    She leaned forward, her rosy lips near his reddened ears as she seductively said, ¡°Ceddy, what I


    meant to say is, let me do it tonight. I want to bed you¡­¡±


    Khaff! Khaff! Khaff!


    Her words immediately extinguished the fire in Cedrick¡¯s eyes. the blush spread from his ears to his


    neck.


    Does she even know what she¡¯s saying?


    Under his doubtful gaze, Gwendolyn climbed onto the bed and got on top of him. Afraid that she would


    put pressure on his wounds, she knelt on the bed instead.


    She confidently gripped his chin and leaned forward to kiss him once more.


    Cedrick was ovee with desire. My Gwenny is such a minx!


    This time, he allowed himself to get lost in the pleasure.


    He did not care if his life would be in danger after they did the deed.


    In fact, he would willingly give up his life to make love to Gwendolyn.


    Cedrick instinctively wrapped his arms around her.


    However, she quickly stopped him and ced them back on the bed. ¡°You¡¯re still injured. Keep your


    hands to yourself, and don¡¯t move!¡±


    ¡°But they don¡¯t listen to me. They¡¯re saying that they want to hug you.¡±


    Gwendolyn gripped his chin and forced him to look at her. ¡°How disobedient. Do you want to be tied up


    instead?¡±


    Cedrick pursed his lips and averted his gaze.


    Gwendolyn did not bother waiting for his reply as she got out of bed and opened the bedside drawer.


    She took out a new packet of bandages and held his arms above his head before tying them to the


    metal railings of the bed.


    Compared to the previous two times when she used a belt to tie him up roughly, she was more gentle


    and patient this time around.


    After she was done, she asked, ¡°How is it? Does it hurt?¡±


    Cedrick shook his head earnestly.


    Gwendolyn was not in a rush to continue. Instead, she went to check if the room was locked. She then


    locked the windows and pulled the curtains close, not wanting anyone to interrupt her fun.


    After everything wasplete, she got back onto the bed. Her rosy, red lips pouted as she lightly blew


    air onto Cedrick¡¯s face. ¡°Be a good boy, and don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll take my time and y with you gently!¡±


    It was the dead of night, and everyone was deep in slumbend. No one knew of or heard the rhythmic


    melody ying from Cedrick¡¯s room.


    ¡­


    It was four in the morning.


    There was only a dimly litmp in the VIP hospital suite.


    The dim light reflected on Gwendolyn¡¯s sleeping face and emphasized her beauty.


    She was a poison that Cedrick willingly allowed himself to be addicted to.


    Cedrick who was wearing his hospital gown, sat on the side of the bed and quietly watched the


    sleeping beauty.


    His long and slender fingers danced across her forehead, eyes, nose, and lips, tracing the outline of


    her good looks.


    Gwendolyn was sleeping peacefully and did not wake up from his feather-like touches. She was


    exhausted after their ¡°exercise.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cedrick leaned forward and lovingly ced a soft kiss on her forehead.


    Suddenly, a soft bird-like whistle could be heard from outside the door.


    It was Nico. He could not open the door or dare to open it. Hence, he resorted to using a signal to


    check in with Cedrick.


    Cedrick got up, slowly approached the door, and opened it.


    Before Nico could speak, Cedrick held a finger to his lips to silence Nico. ¡°Gwenny is tired. Don¡¯t wake


    her up by making too much noise.¡±


    Nico nodded. Cedrick stepped out of the room, and the two made their way to the end of the hallway.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Nico was about to speak when his gaze identally fell onto Cedrick¡¯s chest, which was exposed from


    the unbuttoned hospital gown. Nico¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he stared at the deep red and purple


    markings littering Cedrick¡¯s neck and corbone.


    ¡°What the f*ck? Boss, why are you injured again?¡±


    Cedrick looked down and saw hickeys of various sizes and shapes.


    Instead of hurrying to cover himself up, he shamelessly widened the cor of the gown wider to show


    off the markings to Nico.


    ¡°It¡¯s Gwenny¡¯s artwork. What do you think? Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡±

 Chapter 233

    Chapter 233


    Chapter 233 Giving Gwenny A Massage


    Cedrick sounded proud when he said that. It seemed like he was in a good mood.


    He made himself seem like a piece of artwork that Gwendolyn had carefully and attentivelypleted.


    Nico stared at him in shock. Cedrick¡¯s gaze seemed to be saying¡­ Look! My wife did this! Isn¡¯t she


    amazing?


    Khaff! Khaff! ¡°It looks wonderful!¡± Nico gulped before nodding andplimenting Cedrick. ¡°Ms. Harris


    is indeed impressive!¡±


    Satisfied, Cedrick buttoned his gown to cover the love bites.


    Seeing that Cedrick was in a good mood, Nico hurriedly tried to im credit. ¡°Boss, shouldn¡¯t I get


    some credit since you were able to enjoy yourself? Ms. Harris must¡¯ve been touched by everything that


    I told her. Is that enough for me to redeem myself?¡±


    Nico was nervous. Previously, he was deducted two years¡¯ worth of sry.


    ¡°You did well.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s lips curved into a smile. He emanated an elegant yet arrogant aura as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll return the


    previously deducted sry. On top of that, I¡¯ll also give you a six-month bonus.¡±


    Nico cheered inwardly. Ahhhh! Boss is the best! He¡¯s the world¡¯s kindest leader!


    However, Nico was still worried about Cedrick¡¯s condition.


    ¡°But, Boss, please don¡¯t use such a dirty trick in the future. Although you knew beforehand that you


    weren¡¯t shot in the heart, your life will be in danger from losing so much blood.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s eyes darkened as he shot a look at Nico. ¡°Are you saying there will be a next time? Are you


    hoping that Gwenny and I will argue again?¡±


    Nico turned pale with fear.


    ¡°Touch wood! I was just spouting nonsense. Boss, please don¡¯t deduct my sry. You haven¡¯t even


    banked in the money¡­¡±


    Sh*t! I take back what I said about the boss being the world¡¯s kindest man! He¡¯s so unpredictable,


    temperamental, and unreasonable!


    Cedrick could not see through Nico to discover the rage and curses thetter was thinking in his mind.


    His expression turned hostile as he said, ¡°Let¡¯s get to business.¡±


    Nico quickly regained hisposure and straightened his back. ¡°Tonight, Ms. Harris secretly brought


    me to the Jenson residence and imed some benefits from Mr. Xander for you.¡±


    After knowing that Gwendolyn had not left, Cedrick¡¯s expression softened. ¡°What did she do?¡±


    ¡°She¡­¡± Nico paused momentarily as he tried to find the right words to say. ¡°She stabbed a knife


    through Mr. Xander¡¯s chest and tied him up before pouring itching powder all over him. She was quite


    vicious with her act!¡±


    Cedrick furrowed his brows into a frown. His tone was icy as he replied, ¡°She even poured the powder


    onto his private parts?¡±


    ¡°No! Of course not! I helped her do that!¡±


    Nico hurried to wave his hand, denying Cedrick¡¯s im. He tried to please thetter by buttering up to


    him and said, ¡°Boss, you have such a nice figure. How could Ms. Harrisy her eyes on a skinny man


    like Mr. Xander?¡±


    Cedrick scoffed but lost the frown on his lips when he heard that.


    Nico continued, ¡°However, this isn¡¯t a small matter since Mr. Yael is not one to back down from a threat.


    He definitely won¡¯t let this slide. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll throw a fit tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of? Let them cause trouble if that¡¯s what they want, but allow them to only do it in


    the ancestral hall at the Jenson residence. Send some people to stand guard. Don¡¯t allow any of them


    to make a scene at the Harris residence.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±


    ¡°All right. Run along now. I¡¯ll go back and apany Gwenny.¡±


    Cedrick waved his hand to dismiss Nico. Without waiting for thetter to respond, he returned to the


    room.


    Nico stared at Cedrick¡¯s retreating figure and tutted.


    My, my¡­ Boss is in such a good mood after he gotid.


    Cedrick disliked having a female nurse change his IV drip. Hence, a male nurse entered the room the


    next morning with a stainless-steel medical tray.


    When the nurse pushed open the door, he was greeted by a shocking scene.


    Cedrick, who wore a hospital gown, was sitting beside the bed and carefully feeding Gwendolyn. She


    had just woken up and was still in bed.


    The nurse was confused.


    Who the heck is the actual patient?


    He stood rooted to the ground, dumbfounded. He stared at Cedrick¡¯srge and muscr back and was


    impressed by thetter¡¯s adoration for Gwendolyn.


    This is a master ss level of spoiling one¡¯s wife!


    Cedrick could not be bothered if anyone saw them. The only thing on his mind was that Gwendolyn


    was tired from their activities at night and needed to replenish her energy.


    Besides, it had taken him much effort to win back his sweetheart. It was only natural that he would spoil


    her.


    He was going to pour all his love and attention onto her so that she would never leave him. He wanted


    to make sure he spoiled her so much that she would not be able to handle her daily affairs.


    On the other hand, Gwendolyn thought differently. She stopped Cedrick from continuing to feed her


    when she noticed the male nurse standing at the door. ¡°Are you here to change his IV drip? Come


    over.¡±


    The nurse carefully brought the tray over. Cedrick instinctively held out his left hand to let the nurse


    insert the needle.


    Gwendolyn was about to get out of bed and let Cedrick sit in a morefortable position to receive the


    IV drip.


    As soon as she got up, Cedrick ced a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down. He fondly


    said, ¡°You worked hardst night. Lie down a little longer. Is your waist sore? I¡¯ll help you massage it


    later.¡±


    Gwendolyn immediately flushed a bright red.


    There¡¯s still an outsider here! How can he say something so shameless and misleading?


    ¡°B*gger off!¡±


    Gwendolyn gently pushed his chest as her face got redder in embarrassment. In the end, she pulled


    the nket over her head and hid herself.


    How cute. Cedrick¡¯s lips tugged into a grin as he stared at her.


    In the next second, his gaze shifted to the thousand-watt ¡°light bulb¡± beside him.


    He red at the male nurse and coldly said, ¡°Hurry up.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, Mr. Jenson.¡±


    The nurse quickly changed the IV drip and left the room. Cedrick nced at Gwendolyn, who was still


    under the nket. His right hand disobediently reached into the nket and gently massaged her


    slender waist.


    ¡°Are you feeling better from the massage? Now you know how hard it is to be a man.¡±


    His deep voice was maic.


    Still hidden under the nket, she remained silent yet inwardly agreed to Cedrick¡¯s words. Those few


    hoursst night almost broke her waist. Until now, her legs were still trembling from how weak she was.


    However, women who sought sexual pleasure could not lose to their male other halves.


    Gwendolyn lifted the nket and struggled to sit up. Not admitting defeat, she pouted and eximed,


    ¡°Oh, hush! Wait until you get better! I¡¯ll make sure you beg me to stop! Besides, I was very fiercest


    night!¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s smile widened as he reached out to pull her close to him. He lightly rubbed his nose against


    hers and acted coy.


    ¡°Well, then¡­ If you¡¯re that fierce, why don¡¯t you finish breakfast, and we can have some dessert? I


    want more¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn reached up and pushed his face away. ¡°You shameless b*stard! Can¡¯t you be more aware


    of the surroundings?¡±


    Cedrick was unfazed by her cursing as he leaned forward and snuggled against her chest.


    If I were shameful, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to chase after you. I would¡¯ve been brutally murdered and


    burned to ashes instead!


    Gwendolyn could not help thinking that he was really pushing his luck. She grumpily ruffled his hair


    before smoothing it down. She repeated her actions andughed as she had her fun.


    The two were messing around when someone suddenly knocked on the door.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    In walked Yael¡¯s bodyguard, Charlie Yandell. He solemnly said, ¡°Mr. Jenson, Mr. Xander was injured


    last night. Ms. Harris seems to be involved in that incident. She¡¯s your fianc¨¦e, so naturally, you¡¯re


    deemed her aplice. I¡¯ll have to ask you to please make a trip to the ancestral hall.¡±


    Cedrick did not reply. As though he had not heard what Charlie said, he remained silent in Gwendolyn¡¯s


    arms.


    On the other hand, Gwendolyn¡¯s expression turned grim as she red at Charlie. ¡°Are you blind? Can¡¯t


    you see that Ceddy is injured badly? How dare Xander sends hisckey to invite Ceddy to the


    ancestral hall? Is he courting death? Besides, who¡¯s the leader of the Jenson family right now? Is this


    the attitude a subordinate should have when talking to the head of the family?¡±

 Chapter 234

    Chapter 234


    Chapter 234 Manners


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m terribly sorry. This is my first time rying a message. Please forgive me, Mr. Jenson, Ms.


    Harris.¡± Taking advantage of his identity as Yael¡¯s subordinate, Charlie didn¡¯t bother showing Cedrick


    and Gwendolyn any respect.


    To Charlie¡¯s surprise, however, Gwendolyn reprimanded him before Cedrick could speak. Startled by


    the woman¡¯s aggressiveness, he immediately showed subservience.


    Cedrick felt his heart leap with joy when he heard Gwendolyn defending him. Putting on an amicable


    expression, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be done with my IV drip in two hours¡¯ time. I¡¯ll return by then.¡±


    ¡°Noted.¡± Before Charlie left, he added, ¡°Since Ms. Harris is your fianc¨¦e, perhaps she shoulde with


    you to the ancestral hall.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Cedrick replied tly. He wanted to lean against Gwendolyn¡¯s chest again after the door closed,


    but she pinched his cheek instead.


    ¡°Ouch! Gwenny¡­¡± Cedrick grimaced in pain but didn¡¯t dodge her.


    Amused and annoyed at the same time, Gwendolyn loosened her grip and said, ¡°Well yed, Cedrick.


    That was quite crafty of you. You made me the bad guy, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m just happy you defended me.¡±


    Only then did Gwendolyn let go of him and rubbed his reddened cheek gently with her thumb.


    Cedrick beamed, enjoying the affection he was receiving.


    The next second, however, his expression turned serious instantly when he thought of the matter


    concerning Xander. ¡°Gwenny, I¡¯ll send you back to the Harris residenceter. You don¡¯t have to go to


    the Jenson family¡¯s ancestral hall.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Gwendolyn questioned, her tone cid. ¡°Everyone on the inte knows I¡¯m your fianc¨¦e.


    Besides, what happenedst night was indeed my doing. I should be there, no? Though the Jensons


    won¡¯t be able to do anything to me, I don¡¯t want to miss a good show.¡±


    Cedrick tapped her nose dotingly upon hearing that. ¡°All right, then. If that¡¯s what you want, we shall go


    there together.¡±


    After the IV treatment was done, Gwendolyn helped Cedrick put on a shirt and a suit.


    The love bites he had on his body were impossible to ignore, and the ones on his neck, in particr,


    were so obvious that they could not be concealed. He looked as if he had been taken advantage of.


    Gwendolyn regretted her actions when she saw that. I should¡¯ve been more gentle and exercised


    restraint!


    With that in mind, she grabbed a scarf and wrapped it around Cedrick¡¯s neck.


    Cedrick was baffled. ¡°Gwenny, summer is approaching. Why are you putting a scarf on me?¡±


    ¡°Why not? You should be recuperating right after going through surgery, but since you have no choice


    but to return because of Xander, I have to make sure you¡¯re warm, no? I don¡¯t want you to catch a


    cold.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cedrick relented, allowing her to wrap the scarf around his neck and help him put on his


    gloves. In the end, almost his entire body was wrapped up tight.


    The two then held hands as they made their way over to the Jenson residence together.


    At that moment, everyone was sitting in their respective seats in the ancestral hall. Yael, Valentino¡¯s


    second son, and David, Valentino¡¯s fifth son, were also present. Moreover, Triss, David¡¯s daughter, was


    there, too. Almost all of the Jenson family members were there except for Xander and Cedrick¡¯s aunt,


    Tania Jenson.


    Nobody said a word in the ancestral hall as they waited for Cedrick.


    Meanwhile, the wind blew, and the candles on the Jenson family¡¯s altar flickered. The atmosphere in


    the ancestral hall was undoubtedly tense and eerie.


    Valentino, who was sitting at the head of the table, was drinking his coffee silently and solemnly.


    Soon, Cedrick and Gwendolyn entered the ancestral hall hand in hand calmly andposedly.


    The moment Cedrick entered the ancestral hall, everyone except Valentino stood up and greeted


    respectfully, ¡°Mr. Cedrick.¡±


    Cedrick nodded, and everyone sat back down.


    ¡°Hi, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Hi, Old Mr. Jenson.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The couple walked up to Valentino and greeted him.


    Valentino¡¯s heart melted when he heard Gwendolyn¡¯s sweet voice. He also couldn¡¯t help sparing


    Cedrick a nce when he saw the couple enter while holding hands. Nice one, Cedrick! She was


    demanding to call off the engagement just two days ago, and he¡¯s already gotten her cated. As


    expected of my favorite grandson!


    ¡°Good girl. Have a seat. Don¡¯t stand around,¡± Valentino replied.


    The two took their seats, and Cedrick asked in a deep voice, ¡°Uncle Yael, why were you in such a rush


    to see me?¡±


    Yael rose to his feet, bowed at Valentino, and said, ¡°A few people avoided the surveince cameras


    and climbed into Xander¡¯s vitest night. The intruders knocked the bodyguards out and assaulted


    Xander brutally. Fortunately for Xander, one of the bodyguards regained consciousness in time to save


    Xander, who was bleeding heavily. If not for that bodyguard, Xander would¡¯ve been dead by now!¡±


    With that, he shot a vicious re at Gwendolyn, who remained impassive as if it had nothing to do with


    her.


    Cedrick remained expressionless upon hearing that. ¡°Where¡¯s Xander now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hurt badly and is in aa. However, he was still conscious when the bodyguard saved himst


    night. Xander said the people who attacked him were Cedrick¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Ms. Harris, and Cedrick¡¯s


    subordinate, Nico.¡± Appearing heartbroken, Yael squeezed out a few tears and turned toward


    Valentino. ¡°Dad, I came here today to seek justice. I know Cedrick is now the head of the Jenson


    family, but does that mean he can do whatever he wishes and harm his own family?¡±


    Arrogance and disdain were written all over Cedrick¡¯s face.


    Right when he was about to stand up and talk, his face suddenly turned pale. He then frowned in pain


    and instinctively held his injured chest.


    Gwendolyn held him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    His face pale, he looked at her and spoke with difficulty. ¡°M-My wound¡­ It hurts.¡±


    He was okay when we had rough sexst night, and now he¡¯s in pain? Gwendolyn knew what was on


    Cedrick¡¯s mind, so she looked at him tenderly and said, ¡°Your body is still weak after the surgery. Let


    me speak on your behalf instead.¡±


    Yael was displeased. ¡°Ms. Harris, you¡¯re not a part of the Jenson family. I don¡¯t mind letting you listen to


    our discussion. However, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate for you to speak during our family meeting.¡±


    Gwendolyn ignored him, stood up, and turned toward Valentino. With her soft voice, she asked, ¡°Old


    Mr. Jenson, I¡¯m Ceddy¡¯s fianc¨¦e, so I think I should consider myself a member of the Jenson family.


    Ceddy is heavily injured, so he can¡¯t talk much. Since I was involved in what happenedst night, may I


    speak on his behalf?¡±


    Valentino was thrilled when he heard Gwendolyn say that she considered herself a member of the


    Jenson family. ¡°Of course, you can! Just say whatever you want to say. Cedrick and I are here. No one


    would dare to bully you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Old Mr. Jenson.¡± Gwendolyn shed a sweet smile.


    She then turned to look at Yael. ¡°I admit that I was involved in what happenedst night, but¡ª¡±


    Before Gwendolyn could finish her sentence, Yael interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m impressed, Ms. Harris. I wasn¡¯t


    expecting you to admit to your involvement right away. However, as Cedrick¡¯s fianc¨¦e, how could you


    sneak into Xander¡¯s bedroom sote at night? The consequences would be dire if word gets out!¡±


    Right after he said that, the expressions of everyone present changed dramatically. Triss wanted to


    stand up and defend Gwendolyn, but David stopped her.


    Sensing the peculiar gazes directed at her, Gwendolyn suddenly chuckled.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Yael was puzzled.


    ¡°Even my dog back at the Harris residence knows to sit and listen intently whenever I¡¯m speaking.


    You¡¯re already in your forties, Mr. Yael. Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s rude to interrupt someone¡¯s speech?¡±


    Gwendolyn mocked.


    With that, she turned toward Cedrick and winked mischievously at him.


    Cedrick¡¯s heart almost melted when he saw that.


    ¡°Y-You!¡± Yael saw red. How dare shepare me with her dog?


    Gwendolyn, on the other hand, continued wearing an innocent and pure smile. Yael would appear petty


    if he were to argue with someone younger than him.


    Amidst the tense atmosphere, Triss suddenly let out an untimely chortle.


    Everyone at the scene turned toward her at once. Seeing that, she cleared her throat and lowered her


    head awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    At that moment, Valentino stomped his cane on the ground and drew everyone¡¯s attention back. ¡°Carry


    on, Gwendolyn.¡±


    ¡°I was involved in what happenedst night, but I merely sent Nico there to teach Xander a lesson. I


    was taking care of Ceddy at the hospital when the incident took ce. May I know who told you I went


    into Xander¡¯s bedroom, Mr. Yael? You need proof to back up that usation of yours,¡± Gwendolyn


    stated.


    ¡°Even if you refuse to admit to going into Xander¡¯s room, it¡¯s a fact that you¡¯ve sent someone to harm


    Xander. You admitted to that yourself,¡± Yael argued.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. However, why don¡¯t you ask yourself why I wanted to teach him a lesson? When


    Ceddy was out on a mission yesterday, Xander sent someone to spread rumors about how I wanted to


    call off the engagement. Ceddy almost died because of that and had to receive emergency treatment.


    Don¡¯t you think Xander deserves to be taught a lesson?¡± Gwendolyn sounded so righteous even after


    doing something wrong, so much so that the rest of the Jensons thought her statement made sense.


    However, Yael sneered, ¡°You said Xander sent someone to spread rumors and ended up causing


    Cedrick to get hurt, but where¡¯s your proof?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Cedrick looked at Nico, who was standing outside the ancestral hall. In a feeble but


    hostile voice, Cedrick said, ¡°You want proof, Uncle Yael? I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±

 Chapter 235

    Chapter 235


    Chapter 235 Shameless


    Everyone present turned to look at Cedrick, who finally spoke up.


    He proceeded to remove his scarf and undo his buttons.


    After all, the wound on his chest was the best proof.


    Seeing that Cedrick was about to expose the love bites on his chest and corbones to the members of


    the Jenson family, Gwendolyn panicked and grabbed his shirt, preventing him from taking it off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take off your clothes! Have you no shame? There are so many people around!¡± Gwendolyn


    uttered. Why is this jerk so shameless? I¡¯ll definitely teach him a lesson once he recovers!


    In response, Cedrick pursed his lips and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m a man. Exposing my chest isn¡¯t a big deal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is!¡± Gwendolyn red at him and warned in a whisper, ¡°From now on, I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s


    allowed to look at your body. Put your clothes back on!¡±


    Cedrick was happy to hear her staking her im to him.


    Following that, he buttoned his shirt and shot Nico a look.


    Nico then brought a tied-up young man into the ancestral hall and threw him into the open space in the


    middle of the ancestral hall. After that, Nico passed a printed document to Logan and let Logan bring it


    to Valentino.


    ¡°This is the man who was spreading the fake news when Mr. Cedrick was on a mission. When I


    apprehended himst night, he was about to flee after receiving a payment from Mr. Xander. His


    statement is attached in the document,¡± Nico reported.


    Valentino perused the statement carefully and shot Yael a stern look afterward.


    Yael was dumbfounded. Xander told me he had that man killed in the suburbsst night! How did the


    man end up getting caught by Nico?


    Valentino then handed the statement to Yael.


    Yael read the document three times over to confirm its authenticity. Xander¡¯s subordinates made a


    blunder! Cedrick has dirt on us now!


    ¡°Mr. Xander nearly got Mr. Cedrick, the head of the Jenson family, killed. Shouldn¡¯t he get punished


    ording to the Jenson family¡¯s rules?¡± Nico continued.


    Everyone at the scene quickly turned toward Valentino and waited for him to make a decision.


    Valentino stroked his beard under everyone¡¯s gaze before letting Logan help him to his feet. ¡°Cedrick,


    you¡¯re now the head of the Jenson family. The decision is yours. I¡¯m going back to my room to rest.¡±


    Cedrick nodded slightly. ¡°Take care, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Dad! Don¡¯t leave!¡± Yael yelled. If Dad leaves, no one¡¯s going to help me! I¡¯m in hot water now. This is


    the first time Xander does something independently, and he screwed everything up!


    s, Valentino ignored Yael and left the ancestral hall without looking back.


    After Valentino left, the rest of the members of the Jenson family followed suit.


    All of a sudden, only Gwendolyn, Cedrick, Yael, and Nico were left in the spacious ancestral hall.


    The young man that Nico had apprehended had also been taken away.


    Now that they were alone, Yael no longer had to care about his dignity. As such, he humbled himself


    and smiled ingratiatingly. ¡°Cedrick, I doubt Xander knew things would turn out this way. Perhaps it¡¯s not


    necessary to deem he had the intention to harm you. Furthermore, he¡¯s also injured heavily and


    unconscious. Shall we just call it even and move on?¡±


    ¡°No can do, Mr. Yael. It was my idea to teach Xander a lesson, so you¡¯re more than wee to argue


    with me regarding that. Meanwhile, Xander harming Ceddy is another matter altogether. As you can


    see, these are two different matters,¡± Gwendolyn answered instead.


    Yael red at her and turned back toward Cedrick. ¡°What do you say, Cedrick?¡±


    Cedrick carried Gwendolyn onto hisp and caressed her cheek lovingly. The coupled acted all lovey-


    dovey with each other right before Yael as Cedrick said, ¡°Gwenny¡¯s right. Those are two different


    matters.¡±


    With that, he turned to look at Yael coldly. ¡°I heard that Xander is still unconscious now. Is that true? Is


    he hurt badly?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll give him an earful when he wakes up. I¡¯ll surely tell him to behave himself in the future!¡± Yael


    promised, smiling.


    Cedrick ignored him and looked at Nico. ¡°I want you to invite Xander here personally. Bring him here,


    even if you have to carry him.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Yael¡¯s expression changed slightly, and he immediately gave the bodyguards outside the door a look.


    Twenty minutester, Nico dragged Xander into the ancestral hall.


    ¡°Boss, Mr. Yael¡¯s bodyguards were trying to sneak Mr. Xander out of his vi just now, but I stopped


    them,¡± Nico reported.


    ¡°Good job,¡± Cedrick uttered.


    Xander was rescued within a few hours after the incident took ce the night before. Hence, being a


    sturdy man, he merely suffered minor injuries.


    ¡°What punishment do you have in mind, Uncle Yael?¡± Cedrick asked. I knew they were pretending from


    the beginning.


    Yael¡¯s tone softened when he replied, ¡°Xander was too immature, but luckily, you¡¯re fine. Maybe we


    should just give him a light punishment. I¡¯ll definitely give him a beating when we return hometer. Is


    that okay?¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡± Xander was dissatisfied. Why should I get punished? I was just unlucky. That bullet should¡¯ve hit


    either Cedrick¡¯s heart or brain!


    Gwendolyn heard that the Jenson family was a strict and conservative family with its own set of rules


    and regtions, but she didn¡¯t know if the beating Yael swore he would give Xander would suffice for


    such an incident. Nheless, that didn¡¯t matter to her, for she was merely there to enjoy the show.


    Cedrick didn¡¯t respond to Yael¡¯s words, but the grim look on his face said it all. Obviously, he wasn¡¯t


    happy with the suggestion.


    Right then, Nico said on Cedrick¡¯s behalf, ¡°Mr. Yael, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too protective of your


    son? If Boss weren¡¯t so lucky, the Jensons might need a new head of the family now. I think what Boss


    wants is for Mr. Xander to receive a whipping punishment. Ten strokes, and we¡¯ll let this matter slide.¡±


    ¡°A whipping punishment?¡± Xander gritted his teeth in anger. ¡°Aren¡¯t you alive and well, Cedrick? Why


    do you want to punish me so severely? You¡¯re crossing the line!¡±


    With an icy look in his eyes, Cedrick added casually, ¡°You should be grateful I¡¯m alive. Otherwise, you


    might receive a punishment worse than that. If you continue talking nonsense, I¡¯ll add five strokes for


    every word you speak.¡±


    Logan was in charge of executing the punishments, so after he sent Valentino back to the room, he


    came back to the ancestral hall.


    Since Logan had already heard it, there was no way Xander could get out of the punishment.


    Thetter had to remove his shirt to receive the Jenson family¡¯s whipping punishment.


    At that moment, Gwendolyn was still sitting on Cedrick¡¯sp.


    Patting Gwendolyn on the waist, Cedrick turned to Nico. ¡°Bring Gwenny out of here. I¡¯ll be right there,¡±


    he instructed.


    ¡°Understood,¡± Nico answered.


    However, Gwendolyn protested, ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave! Does he need to remove his shirt? There¡¯s no


    way his build is sexier than yours, so I¡¯m not interested at all. I just want to watch him suffer.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t the only reason she wanted to stay. Another reason was that Nico once told her that six


    months ago, Cedrick had received the same whipping punishment for her sake. Needless to say, she


    was very curious about the severity of the punishment.


    Cedrick didn¡¯t say a word in response.


    As such, Gwendolyn grabbed his arm and pouted, acting coy. ¡°Please trust me, Ceddy! You¡¯re the


    best!¡±


    Ultimately, Cedrick caved in because he couldn¡¯t say no to her sweet voice.


    Xander was forced to kneel in the center of the ancestral hall, and his shirt was torn apart to reveal his


    skinny back. Before the punishment even started, he was already trembling all over like a leaf.


    Apparently, he feared the whip to his bones.


    Yael couldn¡¯t bear to watch his son getting whipped. However, Logan¡¯s presence meant that Valentino


    had consented to the punishment. In other words, there was nothing Yael could do to save his son.


    First, Logan took out the whip from a wooden box and bowed before the altar in the ancestral hall. He


    then bowed at Xander and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Xander.¡±


    As soon as Logan finished his sentence, a sharp sound rang out, and the skin on Xander¡¯s back was


    torn open by the whip, with blood trickling down from the cut.


    Due to how skinny he was, the whip seemed to strike his bones every single time. Blood sttered


    everywhere, making for a horrible sight.


    Xander endured the first couple of strokes in silence but broke down after the fifth stroke. He was in so


    much pain that he was crying out in agony and rolling around on the ground. He could no longer be


    bothered about his dignity and image because the pain was too much to handle.


    Meanwhile, Cedrick remained expressionless. A ruthless, frosty glint shed in his eyes as he ordered


    his subordinates to hold Xander still.


    After seven strokes, Xander fainted on the spot.


    Cedrick then got someone to wake Xander up by sshing a bucket of cold water onto him before


    Logan delivered the final two strokes.


    By the time Logan was done, Xander¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet, and he lost consciousness,


    sprawling on the ground. In the end, Yael had to get the bodyguards to carry Xander back. Xander


    merely received ten strokes, but his back was already covered in gaping wounds andcerations.


    Gwendolyn silently watched everything unfold. Although she looked calm on the outside, she was


    actually in shock.


    After having a firsthand view of Xander¡¯s punishment, she finally realized how terrifying the Jenson


    family¡¯s whipping punishment was. Xander lost consciousness, and his back is covered in severe


    wounds when he only received ten strokes! Ceddy endured twenty strokes while being injured back


    then, and he even walked me back to the vi after the punishment, all the while bearing with the pain.


    I can¡¯t even imagine how much pain he was in at that time.

 Chapter 236

    Chapter 236


    Chapter 236 Public Disy Of Affection


    Gwendolyn¡¯s heart was broken. If I didn¡¯t see the punishment with my own eyes, I would never know


    how much pain Cedrick suffered because of me!


    At that moment, she was filled with guilt and sadness.


    Her mind was a jumbled mess, and she was in a daze when she left the Jenson residence while


    holding Cedrick¡¯s hand.


    Like a frightened little bunny, her eyes reddened after they got into the car.


    Cedrick then pulled her into his embrace, kissed her forehead, and uttered guiltily, ¡°You¡¯re scared,


    aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s my bad. Such a gory scene isn¡¯t for the faint of heart. I should¡¯ve asked Nico to bring


    you away.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Choking back on tears, Gwendolyn buried her face in his neck and sobbed. ¡°I should be the one


    apologizing. I¡¯ve only realized the severity of the punishment you went through. Instead offorting


    you back then, I even scolded you. I¡¯m such a terrible person.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Cedrick cradled her tear-streaked face and said in a serious tone, ¡°You scolded me


    because you cared about me. Therefore, I couldn¡¯t be happier when you scolded me.¡±


    What nonsense is he talking about? With tears shining in her pretty eyes, Gwendolyn knew he was


    trying to console her and make her feel better. However, it didn¡¯t make her feel less guilty.


    ¡°That¡¯s all in the past now. My wounds are all healed, and none of them left a scar. It doesn¡¯t hurt


    anymore.¡± Cedrick leaned in and kissed her tears away. ¡°Your tears are as precious as gems to me, so


    stop crying, okay? Otherwise, I might go bankrupt.¡±


    ¡°Who taught you all these sweet nothings?¡± Gwendolyn chuckled, amused.


    Nico was focusing on the road when he noticed Gwendolyn looking in his direction. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me! I¡¯ve


    never even been in a rtionship. I¡¯m a pure and innocent boy!¡± Nico quickly exined, trying to clear


    his name.


    Fine, then. He hasn¡¯t even fallen in love before. What a poor guy. Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t make things


    difficult for him. Gwendolyn chose to believe Nico.


    Afterward, Cedrick grabbed her hand and ced it over his chest. ¡°I¡¯m speaking facts. Can you feel my


    heartbeat to know that I¡¯m being honest?¡±


    Gwendolyn leaned in carefully to feel his heartbeat as a blissful sensation washed over her.


    ¡°Ceddy, let me shower you with love from now on!¡± Gwendolyn smiled mischievously and kissed him on


    the lips.


    In response, Cedrick closed his eyes and deepened the kiss. The two soon engaged in a passionate


    and intimate session, and the atmosphere in the car grew sickly sweet.


    Nico tightened his grip on the steering wheel and stole asional nces at the rear-view mirror,


    feeling devastated. What the f*ck? They¡¯re tormenting me with their public disy of affection! This is


    so hurtful¡­ Can¡¯t they consider my feelings? I¡¯m still single, after all.


    Cedrick finally pulled away from Gwendolyn after a few minutes of making out in the car.


    She then touched his cheek and noticed something was amiss. ¡°Why is your face so pale? Your body


    is icy-cold! Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just gone through surgery, remember? It¡¯s only normal that I look pale.¡± Cedrick shook his head.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    Gwendolyn wanted to question further, but Cedrick cut her off by asking, ¡°Are you going back to the


    Harris residence?¡±


    Nico took a nce in the rear-view mirror and noticed Cedrick¡¯s hint. ¡°By the way, Boss, you have to


    attend an important meeting at Jenson Group today,¡± Nico immediately voiced before pretending to


    check the time. ¡°We have two hours before the meeting starts. When will we be heading over?¡±


    Hearing that Cedrick had business matters to attend to, Gwendolyn had no choice but to say, ¡°I see.


    I¡¯m not going back to the Harris residence, though. Please send me to Angle Corporation. The ribbon-


    cutting ceremony is in two days¡¯ time. I need to make some arrangements.¡±


    Nico turned the car around and drove to Angle Corporation.


    Cedrick kissed Gwendolyn on her forehead before she exited the car. ¡°Don¡¯t leave the office right after


    work. I¡¯lle fetch you, and we¡¯ll have dinner together.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded obediently and hopped off the car. Wearing a sweet smile, she kept looking back


    and waving Cedrick goodbye as she made her way into the building.


    Cedrick rolled down the window and waved back at her, beaming as he watched her enter the building.


    As soon as she disappeared into the building, Cedrick could no longer suppress the metallic taste in his


    throat.


    He quickly rolled the window back up and coughed lightly with his fist over his lips.


    Instantly, his slender fingers were covered in blood.


    Nico jumped in rm. ¡°Why are you coughing up blood again, Boss?¡±


    ¡°Go to theboratory.¡± Cedrick furrowed his brows and elegantly wiped the blood off his lips and fingers


    with a napkin. There was nothing but grimness in his eyes as he stared at the blood-stained napkin.


    Upon arriving at theboratory, Joshua conducted another virus serum test on Cedrick.


    Half an hourter, the atmosphere in theboratory became tense.


    ¡°Everything was fine before this, so why is your condition worsening? Did you suffer any heavy injuries,


    Cedrick?¡± Joshua questioned.


    Cedrick didn¡¯t say a word in response.


    Suddenly, Nico revealed, ¡°Boss got shot during a mission yesterday. The bullet missed his heart by two


    centimeters. He even purposely dyed treatment just to win Gwendolyn back!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s expression turned grim, and he went on to take off Cedrick¡¯s suit and shirt to examine his


    wound.


    To Joshua¡¯s surprise, Cedrick¡¯s body was filled with love bites. What the f*ck? This man sure is thirsty


    for sex!


    ¡°You knew your immune system would be weak after surgery and losing so much blood, but instead of


    recuperating, you went out in the cold, moved around, and even¡­ did exercise! Do you have a death


    wish?¡± Joshua grumbled.


    In the face of his doctor, Cedrick exined sheepishly, ¡°As you can see, Gwenny came on to me. I


    didn¡¯t initiate it.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Nico lowered his head and chuckled silently before exchanging nces with


    Joshua.


    Joshua couldn¡¯t help examining the love bites on his body once more and sighed enviously. ¡°Way to go,


    Cedrick! How did it feel to have a girling on to you? Was it amazing?¡±


    Since they were all men, Cedrick didn¡¯t mind sharing his feelings.


    With a dark look on his face, he uttered aggressively, ¡°It was fabulous!¡±


    Joshua and Nico burst outughing in response.


    Cedrick shot them a stern look.


    Joshua immediately put on a serious expression and said, ¡°Um¡­ Well, please try your best to


    suppress your urges in the future. Even if you don¡¯t move your upper body, sexual intercourse can


    increase the rate of your blood flow. Your body is too weak now because you¡¯ve just undergone


    surgery.¡±


    Cedrick merely hummed in acknowledgment.


    Afterward, Joshua conducted another full-body checkup on Cedrick.


    Another half an hourter, the results came out, and the atmosphere in the room became tense once


    again.


    The air was filled with a deathly silence when Joshua eventually heaved a sigh and said, ¡°The virus


    spread too fast because your immune system is weak, and now, it has affected the blood supply to


    your heart. You might experience chronic chest pain after this.¡±


    Cedrick pursed his lips with a grim look in his eyes. There was no telling what was on his mind.


    Meanwhile, Nico was worried sick. ¡°Is it life-threatening?¡±


    ¡°Not for now, but you have to keep your emotions under control. I¡¯ll prescribe you some medicine. Take


    a pill whenever your chest hurts instead of enduring the pain and waiting for it to pass.¡± Joshua then


    added, ¡°Also, my suppressant still works on you for now, but if the virus continues to spread, I can¡¯t


    guarantee you won¡¯t suffer any side effects. In other words, I won¡¯t know how long you¡¯ll have to live.¡±


    A nket of silence fell over the room once again.

 Chapter 237

    Chapter 237


    Chapter 237 Cedrick Is In Danger


    Cedrick maintained an indifferent expression, as if he wasn¡¯t the one the doctor had just pronounced a


    death sentence upon.


    ¡°Are you saying that if I fail to suppress the virus, I might die at any moment?¡±


    Joshua lowered his head without answering, seemingly replying in the affirmative.


    His response caused Cedrick to fall silent, as he had assumed that the suppressant would easily help


    him live decades more.


    If he had known about it earlier, he wouldn¡¯t have let Gwendolyn know that he was still alive. Thest


    thing he wanted was for her to be once again devastated by his death.


    Overwhelmed by the grim atmosphere, Nico failed to keep his emotions in check and began tearing up.


    Hearing his assistant¡¯s sniffles, Cedrick shot him a re. ¡°What are you crying for? I¡¯m not dead yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I just feel¡­¡±


    I just feel pity for you, Boss¡­ You¡¯re barely thirty. Yet you¡¯re tormented by your illness and have to live


    out your days in suspense. I can¡¯t believe how cruel life is to you!


    Scratching his head, Joshua remarked awkwardly, ¡°Actually, the situation isn¡¯t as bad as you think. I


    was just painting a hypothetical scenario. As long as Cedrick gets his treatment on schedule and


    maintains a strong immune system, my suppressant can keep him alive for at least twenty more years.¡±


    The look on Nico¡¯s face was still depressed. ¡°What happens after that?¡±


    Joshua threw Cedrick a confident look. ¡°With twenty years to go, I¡¯m sure I¡¯lle up with an antidote


    that will help Cedrick live a long life.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    The tension in the room gradually eased when everyone learned that there was still hope for a cure.


    Blowing his nose with a tissue, Nicoined, ¡°Prof. Mallory, can¡¯t you tell us everything in one go?


    You scared us to death!¡±


    Joshua chuckled as he injected another dose of the suppressant into Cedrick to enhance the drug¡¯s


    effects. On top of that, he prescribed medication to help thetter¡¯s wounds heal and painkillers for


    Cedrick¡¯s chest pain.


    Finally, he reminded his patient to restrain his lust and refrain from doing intense ¡°bed exercises.¡±


    Despite agreeing on the surface, Cedrick was actually not paying much attention.


    By the time they emerged from theb, it was almost time to get off work.


    Cedrick was heading to his car to pick Gwendolyn up from Angle when he encountered Asher walking


    in his direction in a pilot¡¯s uniform. Thetter was wearing an insidious look, while his wife, Sienna, was


    also beside him.


    One could tell that they had just disembarked from the ne, and from the scowl on their faces, it was


    clear that both of them were here looking for trouble.


    Nico greeted them politely, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you, Mr. Asher, Mrs. Harris.¡±


    While Sienna nodded in acknowledgment, the glowering Asher paid him no heed and approached


    Cedrick directly.


    Since Asher was his former brother-inw, Cedrick had to build a good rapport with him. Concealing


    the weird look in his eyes, he asked, ¡°What brings you to Salinsburgh, Mr. Asher?¡±


    Stopping in his tracks a meter away, Asher pulled out a gun and pointed it at Cedrick¡¯s head. The


    murderous look in his eyes couldn¡¯t be any more obvious.


    ¡°Mr. Asher?¡± Nico was stunned by the sudden turn of events.


    Cedrick was a sea of calm as a smirk broke out across his lips. Appearing rxed with his hands in his


    pockets, he locked gazes with Asher. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Mr. Asher?¡±


    Brimming with murderous intent, Asher answered, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn had waited for Cedrick for five minutes at her office, but there was still no sign


    of him.


    Ceddy promised toe and pick me up for dinner. He has always been punctual.


    Just as Gwendolyn was about to give him a call, she received a message from Nico.


    It read: Mr. Asher is trying to kill Mr. Jenson at theb.


    Gwendolyn was shocked. Why is Asher back so suddenly?


    She knitted her brows as she remembered seeking Asher¡¯s help to check Cedrick¡¯s travel records.


    ¡°Oh no!¡±


    Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, she grabbed her handbag and took a taxi to theb.


    Before the car came to a stop, she could already see, through the car window, Asher pointing a gun at


    Cedrick¡¯s head. The murderous look on his face was unmistakable.


    ¡°Asher, what are you doing?¡±


    Gwendolyn grabbed the barrel of the gun with one hand and shielded Cedrick behind her with the


    other. She then suggested with a smile, ¡°Whatever it is, why don¡¯t we talk about it? There¡¯s no point in


    resorting to violence. Bullets won¡¯t solve anything.¡±


    However, when Asher refused to budge, Sienna helped persuade him, ¡°Hubby, why don¡¯t you put away


    the gun? You might hurt Gwendolyn.¡±


    Only then did Asher holster his gun. Yet the hostility he exuded didn¡¯t diminish one bit.


    Gwendolyn quickly turned around to check on Cedrick. ¡°Did my brother hit you? Are you hurt?¡±


    Shaking his head, Cedrick held her warm and dainty hand as he curled his lips into a smile. ¡°There¡¯s no


    way I would allow anyone other than you toy a finger on me.¡±


    His lighthearted joke brought Gwendolyn a sense of relief. He appears fine.


    Asher frowned upon seeing the two interacting intimately with each other. Narrowing his eyes, he


    thundered, ¡°Gwendolyn, do you know that he has been lying to you all this time and manipting your


    emotions?¡±


    Just a few days ago, he was still wondering why Gwendolyn was suddenly so intrigued with her fianc¨¦.


    Upon further investigations, he discovered that Cedrick was actually her ex-husband.


    Gwendolyn retorted, ¡°I¡¯ve already found out about that a long time ago, Asher. Everything that


    happened back then was nothing but a misunderstanding. It no longer bothers me now.¡±


    Asher¡¯s tone remained just as frosty. ¡°That¡¯s because he tricked you! You can¡¯t forgive him for wasting


    three years of your youth just like that. I¡¯m going to cancel the wedding for you.¡±


    ¡°No, Asher!¡±


    Gwendolyn hugged her brother by the shoulders. ¡°I have already beaten him up for his betrayal. On top


    of that, he has rescued me thrice in Faike. If it wasn¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t have returned to Salinsburgh


    in one piece. Even Treyton has been moved by his actions, so please don¡¯t hold it against him


    anymore.¡±


    Asher simply gave her a silent stare.


    Recognizing his silence as a sign of his wavering stance, Gwendolyn pressed on. ¡°By the way, our


    marriage is amercial alliance. It can¡¯t be canceled without proper reason, Asher. Please reconsider


    your decision.¡±


    ¡°What are you worried about? I¡¯m more than capable of paying thepensation fees as long as that¡¯s


    what you want.¡±


    Gwendolyn subsequently resorted to pouting and speaking in an adorable voice. ¡°But Asher, that¡¯s not


    what I want. I want to be with him.¡±


    Cedrick, whose attention was on Gwendolyn throughout the exchange, felt his heart warmed by her


    words.


    As Asher contemted what he heard, Gwendolyn held his arm and continued nuzzling her head


    against it like an adorable kitten. ¡°I¡¯m serious, Asher.¡±


    When Asher turned to his wife, Sienna nodded with a smile to indicate her approval.


    Finally, he let out a long sigh and relented, albeit reluctant. ¡°Since you insist, I¡¯ll observe him for a while.


    Until you have my permission, the wedding will be put on hold just like Kieran¡¯s. You¡¯re not allowed to


    secretly register it or sleep with him behind my back. Otherwise, I¡¯ll break both your legs!¡±


    Gwendolyn felt a chill down her spine as she gulped by reflex.


    D*mn! I¡¯ve already done it with him. What am I going to do? Are my legs doomed?


    Cedrick¡¯s expression froze at the same time.


    When Gwendolyn didn¡¯t say anything in response, Asher shifted his gaze between the two and noticed


    something amiss. He was rmed, especially when he recognized the guilty look on his sister¡¯s face


    that indicated she had done something wrong.


    ¡°Have you registered your marriage?¡±


    Gwendolyn waved her hands frantically and shook her head. ¡°No, we haven¡¯t. I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    Asher¡¯s expression turned grimmer at that. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you slept with each other?¡±


    ¡°When we were married¡­ Does that count?¡± Biting her lip, she swiftly averted her gaze.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t using your real identities back then. Moreover, you¡¯re divorced now, so it doesn¡¯t count.


    I¡¯m asking about now.¡±


    Gwendolyn fellpletely silent.


    All she could do was lower her head and stare at her toes anxiously with her ears flushed red.


    As the answer dawned upon Asher, rage ignited in his eyes and the murderous aura he emitted was


    enough to strike fear in everyone around him.


    For the second time, he raised his gun and pointed it at Cedrick.


    ¡°How dare you sleep with her when you¡¯re only engaged! I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±

 Chapter 238

    Chapter 238


    Chapter 238 Gwendolyn And Cedrick y Victim


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face lost all color when she heard her brother¡¯s angry roar.


    Oh no! I should¡¯ve been more disciplined. This is getting out of control!


    Nevertheless, Cedrick continued to maintain a defiant stance with his eyes showing no fear at all. In


    fact, he looked as if he would do it all over again even if given a second chance.


    Asher perceived Cedrick¡¯s demeanor as provocation.


    Overwhelmed by rage, Asher prepared to pull the trigger.


    ¡°No, no! You¡¯re making a mistake, Asher! It¡¯s me. I¡¯m the one who came onto him!¡± Gwendolyn


    mumbled as her toes clenched in embarrassment.


    When forced to choose between sacrificing Cedrick¡¯s life versus her legs, it made more sense to go


    with thetter.


    Asher was baffled.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check his neck. It was I¡­ who couldn¡¯t hold myself back.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s voice grew increasingly faint toward the end of her sentence. Covering her cheeks in


    embarrassment, she could feel a burning sensation spread from her cheeks to her neck.


    Filled with skepticism, Asher gradually approached Cedrick with the gun still in his hand.


    In the meantime, Cedrick remained motionless as he allowed Asher to unravel his woolen scarf.


    Finally, Asher was stunned by the sight of the other man¡¯s hickey-covered neck.


    This is f*cking outrageous¡­


    As the air seemed to be frozen still, a strange atmosphere surrounded them.


    With her face buried in her hands, Gwendolyn wished for the ground to open up and swallow her


    whole.


    D*mn it. This is just great. Now everyone knows how daring I was at the hospital! Argh, this is so


    embarrassing!


    Just as she was screaming inwardly, she suddenly felt someone twist her right ear forcefully.


    It was so painful that her already reddened ear took on a deeper hue.


    ¡°Ouch! It hurts! We¡¯re in public right now, Asher! Can¡¯t you save me some face?¡± she eximed.


    Cedrick and Nico are watching!


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Asher was overwhelmed by anger. ¡°Well done, Gwendolyn! Should I then sing your praises for the


    glory you have brought me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to praise me. I¡¯m, after all, someone who keeps a low profile,¡± she replied


    mischievously. Just don¡¯t punish me too harshly.


    ¡°Hmph! Still spouting nonsense, eh?¡±


    With a dangerous glint in his eyes, Asher released Gwendolyn¡¯s ear and grabbed the back of her cor


    like he was scruffing a kitten.


    ¡°You¡¯reing home with me! Also, you have three minutes to say goodbye to your legs!¡±


    With her face buried in her hands, Gwendolyn was in despair.


    Asher is really mad. Is he going to kill me when we¡¯re home?


    Exuding an icy air, Asher turned around and walked back to his car with Gwendolyn in tow. All of a


    sudden, he felt someone grab his wrist.


    Cedrick¡¯s narrowed eyes emitted an aura that was equally frosty. ¡°Mr. Asher, Gwenny is an adult who


    has the right to make her own choices. On top of that, she¡¯s my fianc¨¦e. Nothing about what she has


    done is inappropriate.¡±


    ¡°Outsiders aren¡¯t allowed to interfere with how I discipline my sister!¡±


    Asher gave him the side-eye as he sneered, ¡°I heard that the Jenson family is strict with their


    upbringing. Little did I expect them to have raised such an unscrupulous failure of a man like you. Don¡¯t


    think I¡¯ll forget how you cheated on her just because she¡¯s defending you! I¡¯ll first break her legs before


    coming to kill you!¡±


    As both men were locked in a staredown, sparks could be seen flying in the air.


    Just as Asher turned to leave again, Cedrick tightened his grip on the former¡¯s wrist, refusing to back


    down.


    In a fit of rage, Asher released Gwendolyn and swiftly shoved Cedrick back with his palm, exerting


    considerable force.


    Cedrick didn¡¯t fight back and allowed Asher to strike his chest.


    Groaning in pain, he staggered backward as his face turned pale from the excruciating pain. Asher had


    inadvertently struck his gunshot wound.


    He tried his best to swallow the blood that rushed up his throat but to no avail. The blood ended up


    trickling down the corner of his lips.


    ¡°Ceddy!¡±


    Gwendolyn rushed to his side to support him, her eyes reddening out of concern. Seeing him cough up


    blood, she could tell how heavy-handed Asher¡¯s strike was.


    ¡°Asher! He just had surgery after being shot yesterday. How could you hit him?¡±


    Asher took a look at his hand before shifting his gaze to the grimacing Cedrick. Noticing the cold sweat


    on Cedrick¡¯s forehead and how feeble he looked, Asher realized he wasn¡¯t pretending and felt


    somewhat guilty. ¡°I thought he would fight back.¡±


    He knew that Cedrick was good with his fists and could go toe to toe with him. Thus, he was caught by


    surprise when Cedrick didn¡¯t dodge his attack.


    Once the pain had passed, Cedrick pulled Gwendolyn into his arms and dered defiantly, ¡°Mr. Asher,


    I¡¯m Gwenny¡¯s fianc¨¦, and I have borne your punishment on her behalf. Is that palm strike enough? If it


    isn¡¯t, I¡¯m willing to sacrifice both my legs.¡±


    ¡°No! Ceddy¡­¡± Gwendolyn shed tears as she stared at the man, heartbroken and moved at the same


    time.


    Forcing a smile, Cedrick wiped away her tears with the tips of his fingers.


    It really hurts. I can¡¯t hold on any longer.


    ¡°Gwenny, give me a hug¡­¡±


    As soon as Gwendolyn held out her hands to him, he slumped weakly into her embrace. Leaning


    against her shoulder, he tried his best to catch his breath.


    Meanwhile, Asher maintained aplicated expression as he stared nkly at the two lovebirds.


    He was at a loss for words after making his own sister cry.


    Finally, Sienna came forward and let out a sigh. ¡°All right now. We are no longer living in the olden


    days. Both of them are already engaged, so why does sleeping with each other before marriage matter


    anymore? Cedrick is willing to suffer on Gwendolyn¡¯s behalf, which should be good enough for all of us.


    You should stop meddling with their affairs.¡±


    Rendered speechless, Asher turned to give his wife a look.


    Why isn¡¯t she on my side? Instead, she¡¯s making me look like the bad guy here.


    Thereafter, he shifted his gaze toward his sister and Cedrick.


    One was crying her lungs out, while the other was in agonized pain.


    Why does it look like I¡¯m the viin breaking up a pair of lovebirds?


    In the end, Asher, too, let out a sigh. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll let it slide this time since he¡¯s injured. Just behave


    yourselves, all right?¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Gwendolyn gave Asher a pitiful look, leading him to soften his tone.


    ¡°Take him to have his wound examined, but you¡¯re not allowed to stay over at the Jenson residence.


    You have toe home after that. Do you understand?¡±


    The ted Gwendolyn felt that her tears were not shed in vain. ¡°Thank you, Asher.¡±


    ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡±


    Upon retracting his gaze, Asher turned and left.


    Sienna hurried up to Gwendolyn¡¯s side and whispered, ¡°Asher is just being strict on the surface. You


    know how he always has a soft spot for you, so don¡¯t be angry at him, okay?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Asher¡¯s annoyed voice could be heard from the front.


    ¡°Coming!¡±


    Siennaforted Gwendolyn by patting her on the shoulder before giving Cedrick an approving look.


    Only then did she rush back to Asher¡¯s side.


    It wasn¡¯t until their car drove away that Gwendolyn checked on Cedrick¡¯s condition.


    ¡°Does it hurt badly? Can you still walk? Should I have Nico carry you to the car?¡±


    Already worried sick, Nico nodded vehemently, agreeing with Gwendolyn¡¯s suggestion.


    Joshua had just reminded Cedrick not to get himself hurt. Yet thetter ended up being struck the


    moment they left theb.


    Thus, Nico hurried forward and offered his shoulder for support.


    Unexpectedly, Cedrick ignored Nico and gave Gwendolyn a mischievous look. ¡°Actually, I stepped back


    a little when your brother hit me, so the injury isn¡¯t serious. It was just a charade. There¡¯s nothing to


    worry about.¡±


    ¡°Really? Don¡¯t you dare lie to me.¡±


    ¡°I swear I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±


    Gwendolyn snorted inughter. ¡°I¡¯ll be calling you Liar Ceddy from now on!¡±

 Chapter 239

    Chapter 239


    Chapter 239 Scolded By Her Brother


    ¡°No, please don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Cedrick kissed her on the neck and, with a weak voice, whispered in her ear, ¡°I like hearing you call me


    Ceddy, Gwenny.¡±


    Gwendolyn cradled his face with both hands and kissed his bloody lips. ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯ll keep calling you


    Ceddy for as long as you like.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s pale lips curled into a satisfied smile when he heard that.


    ¡°Are you able to walk?¡± Gwendolyn asked while carefully adjusting her posture to support him.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Just like that, the two of them clung tightly to each other as they slowly made their way toward the car.


    Nico was frozen in ce as he watched the two of them from behind.


    He couldn¡¯t help but feel as though he was being a third wheel there.


    After returning to the Jenson residence, Gwendolyn began removing Cedrick¡¯s clothes the moment he


    lay on the bed.


    ¡°Take it easy, will you? Nico can handle this stuff.¡±


    Gwendolyn shot him an annoyed re. ¡°What, are you afraid that I would ravage your body? Don¡¯t


    worry; I¡¯m not so desperate that I would take advantage of a severely-wounded man!¡±


    ¡°Oh? In that case, I guess I¡¯m still not charming enough.¡±


    Cedrick sounded a little disappointed when he said that.


    Holding back herughter, Gwendolyn smiled and gave him a peck on the lips as a reward.


    That was clearly not enough for Cedrick, though.


    Is that all I get?


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn shed him a sweet smile when she saw the resentful look in his eyes.


    Her sparkly eyes were then filled with seriousness as she spoke. ¡°I¡¯d feel bad for taking advantage of


    you while you¡¯re injured, Ceddy! We can¡¯t do it just yet, so stop seducing me!¡± Frowning slightly, she


    puffed her cheeks.


    Nico, who was standing at the corner of the bed, simply stared at the lovey-dovey couple in awkward


    silence.


    Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­ Taking advantage? Seducing? What an interesting way to use those words! Well, given


    how Boss is all weak from his injuries, I suppose those words would fit the scenario perfectly!


    He was snapped out of his train of thought when the two of them red coldly at him and shouted in


    unison, ¡°Get out!¡±


    Nico let out an awkward chuckle and scratched the back of his head as he said, ¡°And here I thought


    you would need my help applying the medication, Boss. Well, I suppose I have no reason to stick


    around now that Gwendolyn is here. Very well, then. I shall take my leave now, so you two can carry


    on.¡±


    He then put the medication and first-aid kit down on the nightstand before stepping out of the bedroom


    and closing the door behind him.


    Gwendolyn waited until he was gone before she continued taking Cedrick¡¯s clothes off.


    Sure enough, the wound had ripped open, and blood had seeped through the bandages, staining it red


    along with his dress shirt.


    ¡°I knew it! You were lying to me again! How could you call this a minor injury?¡± she eximed, her eyes


    reddening.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; it¡¯ll take a lot more than this to kill me,¡± Cedrickforted her calmly.


    ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re such an idiot! Asher loves me a lot, so I¡¯d be fine even if I did go home with him! Dad


    and Sienna are very protective of me, so Asher would just give me a few smacks at best! It¡¯s a different


    story with you, though. Why did you have to stop him?¡±


    Cedrick gently caressed her ears that Asher had pinched earlier. Although they were no longer red, he


    was still heartbroken to see her get hurt, even for a little bit. ¡°Just think of it as me being impulsive. I


    won¡¯t do it again next time.¡±


    He had fallen deeply in love with Gwendolyn before he even realized it.


    She was the one woman he wanted to love and spoil for the rest of his life.


    Even I can¡¯t bring myself to hurt her, so I won¡¯t let anyone else do so, including her brother!


    Gwendolyn knew he wasn¡¯t actually listening to her, so she simply let out a sigh and shifted her


    attention toward the medication Nico had left them with.


    Since she had no experience with helping someone bandage their wounds, Cedrick had to guide her


    and assist her at times.


    A few hourster, they were finally done with applying the medication and bandaging the wound.


    Cedrick looked a little better after taking the medication. Exhausted, he then rested his head on


    Gwendolyn¡¯sp and fell asleep shortly after.


    Gwendolyn felt conflicted when she nced at the clock and saw that it was reallyte. She knew that


    she would definitely wake Cedrick up if she left, but Asher would get mad at her if she didn¡¯t go home.


    Feeling a little hesitant, Gwendolyn lowered her gaze and took a good look at Cedrick.


    He seems to be sleeping pretty soundly. Even when he¡¯s asleep, his facial features look as exquisite as


    ever.


    She got so mesmerized by his face that she just sat there staring at him until her phone rang.


    Having been snapped out of her dazed state, she nced at the screen and saw that it was a call from


    Sienna.


    ¡°How is he doing, Gwendolyn? Are his wounds serious?¡± she asked.


    Gwendolyn cleared her throat and pretended to sob as she replied, ¡°You know how hard Asher can hit,


    Sienna. Ceddy already had existing injuries, and Asher worsened things by injuring him even further!


    He has been unconscious ever since we reached the Jenson residence!¡±


    Sienna knew what Gwendolyn was getting at and pretended to ask out of concern, ¡°That bad, huh? I


    guess Asher did go a little too hard on him. So, what do you n on doing now? Will you being


    home tonight?¡±


    Seizing the golden opportunity that had presented itself, Gwendolyn said, ¡°Ceddy got hurt because of


    Asher, so I want to stay with him and take care of him for a few days. I¡¯ll head back to the Harris


    residence once he¡¯s all better! Will that be okay?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Sienna held the phone near her mouth and covered it with her other hand as she whispered, ¡°You can


    stay with him if you want. I¡¯ll talk to Asher about this, but you need to behave yourself as well. Don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Asher cut her off by yelling angrily from afar, ¡°I¡¯ll break your legs if you dare sleep with him again,


    Gwendolyn! No one will be able to save you when that happens!¡±


    His voice was so loud that Gwendolyn had to move the phone far away from her ear.


    She then nced at Cedrick and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he was still asleep.


    Why did Asher have to word it like that, though? He makes it sound like I¡¯m some kind of rapist who¡¯s


    trying to defile a demure woman!


    Of course, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t dare say any of that to Asher. ¡°He¡¯s an injured man, Asher! I would never


    take advantage of a guy while he¡¯s injured! I¡¯m not that desperate, okay?¡± she protested softly.


    Asher simply snorted in disdain and walked away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gwendolyn. Your brother and I haven¡¯t had sex tonight, so I¡¯ll be sure to cate him and


    keep him under control. You just make sure to take good care of Cedrick. He¡¯s a handsome and


    responsible young man. I kind of like him,¡± Sienna reassured her.


    ¡°How dare you say you like him, Sienna? You¡¯ve gotten rather boldtely, huh? Come here!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Hey! Wait! I¡¯m not done talking to¡ª¡±


    The line went dead all of a sudden.


    Gwendolyn froze for a few seconds before blushing really hard.


    What did Sienna just say? They haven¡¯t had sex tonight? Is it a thing for married couples to openly talk


    about their sex life like that? Asher seemed pretty angry, though. Will Sienna be able to walk


    tomorrow? Oh, well¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Sienna! You¡¯re going to have to sacrifice yourself so I can stay here


    and look after Cedrick!


    Suddenly, Gwendolyn noticed through the corner of her eye a smile on Cedrick¡¯s face.


    Huh? Since when did he wake up? I can¡¯t believe he was eavesdropping on my conversation!


    ¡°Ceddy?¡±


    In just the blink of an eye, Cedrick¡¯s smile disappeared without a trace, and he appeared to be sleeping


    soundly again.


    Wow, he sure is good at putting up an act! Sometimes, I can¡¯t even tell when he¡¯s lying and when he¡¯s


    telling the truth.


    Feeling a little unhappy, Gwendolyn pouted and let out a snort.


    Hmph! Had he not been injured, I would have taught him a lesson by now!

 Chapter 240

    Chapter 240


    Chapter 240 Cedrick Has Strange Kinks


    After giving it some thought, Gwendolyn came up with a mischievous idea and said in a reluctant tone,


    ¡°I¡¯m d to see that you¡¯re sleeping so soundly, Ceddy. You know what? I think it¡¯s better if I head back


    to the Harris residence. Nico can help look after you instead. I¡¯lle see you in a few days, okay?¡±


    Right as Gwendolyn was about to move his head off herp, Cedrick wrapped his arms around her


    waist and nuzzled his head against her chest.


    ¡°A burly man like Nico can¡¯t possibly take good care of me. I want you, Gwenny¡­¡± he said in a


    somewhat childish and adorable voice.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Gwendolyn had to suppress her urge tough as she pushed his head away. ¡°That simply won¡¯t do. I


    left all of my luggage back at the Harris residence, so I need to head back.¡±


    The next thing she knew, Cedrick sat bolt upright and gave Nico a call.


    ¡°I want you to go shopping at the mall tomorrow. Gwenny wears size S clothes and size thirty-four


    shoes. Oh, and buy all the pretty-looking jewelry you can find. I want all the closets in the vi filled with


    clothes, you hear me?¡± he said before hanging up the phone.


    Cedrick then buried himself in Gwendolyn¡¯s chest once again while she was still stunned.


    Despite being a tall and sturdy man, he was so weak and vulnerable while injured that Gwendolyn


    could easily pin him down if she wanted to.


    Unbeknownst to her, Cedrick¡¯s lips had curled into a gleeful grin.


    Don¡¯t even think about leaving after moving in with me!


    Oblivious to his scheme, Gwendolyn was still thinking about the instructions he gave Nico earlier and


    asked curiously, ¡°How did you know that I wear size S clothes?¡±


    ¡°By hugging you.¡±


    Um, okay¡­ Fair enough, I guess. I¡¯m skinny, so anyone could easily figure that out if they put some


    effort into it. However¡­


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression slid into a frown as she pressed on, ¡°What about my shoe size, then?¡±


    Cedrick fell silent the moment he heard that.


    Oh, sh*t! Did I just expose myself there?


    Gwendolyn figured he was probably trying toe up with an excuse when she saw him go silent.


    This guy¡­ He¡¯s definitely up to something!


    She then extended her slender fingers and pinched his face really hard.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Cedrick winced from the pain and eximed, ¡°Don¡¯t hurt me! I¡¯m injured, remember?¡±


    Why does she always bully me in my most vulnerable moments?


    Gwendolyn ignored his protests and asked, ¡°Be honest with me! Since when did you find out about my


    shoe size?¡±


    ¡°You got drunk at The Honey Bee, so I carried you to a hotel and spent the entire night looking after


    you. I helped clean your face and wash your legs. The other time was when you got drunk at the


    Jenson residence. That¡¯s all!¡± Cedrick replied.


    He found her soft and smooth feet to be incredibly adorable, so he decided to measure them with his


    hands.


    To Cedrick¡¯s surprise, Gwendolyn¡¯s feet were smaller than his palms.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face went red when she heard that, and she instinctively curled her toes as well.


    I can¡¯t believe Cedrick secretly washed my feet while I was unconscious! This is so awkward!


    She then exerted more force in pinching Cedrick¡¯s cheek, causing him to grimace and yell in pain once


    again.


    ¡°Be honest, Cedrick! What other perverted stuff have you done to my feet? Do you have some sort of


    strange kink or something?¡±


    Cedrick felt speechless when he heard that.


    Huh? What kink? I¡¯m starting to think Gwendolyn is the weird one here!


    He was about to exin himself, but Gwendolyn stopped him for fear of hearing something she


    couldn¡¯t ept.


    ¡°You know what? Keep it to yourself for now. I need some time to calm down and process this.¡±


    She then pushed him away from her chest, got on her feet, and stared him down as she continued,


    ¡°Due to your insolent behavior and the possibility of you having a strange kink, I have decided to


    observe you for a little while longer! I will sleep in the next room while I am looking after you over here,


    so you can forget about hugging me to sleep. On top of that, I will also lock the door. If you try to force it


    open in the middle of the night, I will chop both your hands off! If you dare sneak into bed with me, I will


    cut your manhood off!¡±


    Gwendolyn even red at his crotch and made a chopping motion with her hand.


    ¡°Gwenny¡­¡±


    Cedrick felt really helpless and speechless.


    I¡¯m so close to bing her husband, and now she¡¯s having second thoughts? I don¡¯t want to get


    labeled as a kinky pervert!


    He reached out to hold her hand, but she pulled it away in time, so he grabbed nothing but air.


    Gwendolyn then ignored his pleas and added as she walked off, ¡°Now, behave yourself and go to


    sleep! Say another word, and I won¡¯t talk to you for a month!¡±


    Just like that, Cedrick could only watch on in silence as Gwendolyn left the bedroom and closed the


    door behind her.


    He had wanted to run after her and exin himself, but he didn¡¯t want her to ignore him for a month.


    In fact, he couldn¡¯t even stand her ignoring him for a day.


    As such, he had no choice but to ept his fate and suffer in silence.


    Cedrick didn¡¯t dare misbehave at all after being threatened by Gwendolyn.


    She stayed right by his side and took great care of him throughout the next two days.


    With her making sure that he was taking his medication and recing his bandages on time, Cedrick


    was able to recover fairly quickly.


    Despite being busy looking after Cedrick, Gwendolyn did not neglect her work at Angle Corporation at


    all.


    She was talking to Joanne on the phone while Cedrick was taking an afternoon nap.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Joaquin Zipper, Jennifer Weller, and Jayden Connor¡­ Those are the celebrities


    whom I would like to focus on. Have them transferred over to Salinsburgh so I can supervise them


    personally. Also, the opening ceremony for Angle Corporation¡¯s branch in Salinsburgh is tomorrow. We


    cannot afford to have anything go wrong. Have you sent out the invitations? Make sure that all the big


    shots in the entertainment industry have received the invitations. Oh, I also want a list of those who


    have confirmed that they will be attending the opening ceremony. All right, then. Keep me updated if


    anything changes.¡±


    Nico snuck into Cedrick¡¯s room while she was distracted with her phone call in the garden.


    As Gwendolyn was upied with her work, Cedrick quickly snuck into the bathroom, coughed up some


    blood, and washed it off to remove all evidence.


    Nico happened to see that when he came in.


    ¡°Hey, Boss. Maybe you shoulde up with an excuse to get yourself checked out at theboratory


    again tomorrow or the day after. You seem to be coughing up blood a lot more oftentely.¡±


    Cedrick shook his head. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. I know my body very well. It should be fine for the


    time being. Did you bring the suppressant?¡±


    Nico whipped out the syringe containing the suppressant and quickly disinfected the needle before


    injecting it into Cedrick¡¯s neck.


    Cedrick frowned slightly as it hurt very much, but he had gotten used to living with the need for regr


    injections.


    Nico had displeasure written all over his face when he recalled Asher striking Cedrick the other day.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t do anything reckless, Boss. Given your severe injuries, you would¡¯ve fainted on the spot


    if it weren¡¯t for the boosted suppressant injection.¡±


    He¡¯s right. Had I fainted back then, Gwendolyn and the others would probably have found out about my


    condition.


    With that in mind, Cedrick kept his head low and remained silent.


    Nico only let out a helpless sigh as he ced the syringe into his pocket and prepared to sneak out of


    the room with it.


    He had just stood up when Gwendolyn¡¯s voice rang out behind him.


    ¡°What suppressant?¡± she asked while leaningnguidly against the doorframe, staring at Cedrick and


    Nico, who had tensed up with his back facing her.

 Chapter 241

    Chapter 241


    Chapter 241 Sheer Worry For His Employer


    Nico had his back to Gwendolyn. He did not turn around immediately but surreptitiously exchanged a


    look with Cedrick.


    Gwendolyn wore a nk expression and look entirely bewildered.


    She had overheard the two men¡¯s conversation from afar when she came upstairs after concluding her


    phone call. Due to the distance, however, she did not manage to make out everything, merely catching


    a somewhat unfamiliar keyword.


    ¡°Well?¡±


    Receiving no response from either man, she alternated her gaze between them both.


    Nico whirled around. Seeing that her expression seemed genuinely calm, he reckoned that she did not


    hear much and fibbed with a smile, ¡°A suppressant is a type of drug found inboratories. But Mr.


    Jenson and I were discussing a Federal Bureau of Investigation¡¯s confidential mission just now, so I


    might not be able to disclose much to you, Ms. Gwendolyn.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Gwendolyn cast her gaze at Cedrick, tilting her head a fraction.


    Cedrick nodded without any change in expression. ¡°You want to know, Gwenny? If you really want to


    know, I don¡¯t mind telling you.¡±


    Gwendolyn pondered for a moment. ¡°Never mind. Since it¡¯s confidential, you¡¯d best not tell me about it.


    I¡¯m not that interested in knowing anyway.¡±


    Nico and Cedrick furtively breathed a sigh of relief at that.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to talk, then, Ms. Gwendolyn. Please excuse me.¡±


    Gwendolyn dipped her head in acknowledgment. Once Nico left, she sat down on the edge of Cedrick¡¯s


    bed and checked his chest wound. After two days, it had healed significantly.


    In truth, she had not been mad at him for real for the past two days. She had merely used it as an


    excuse to sleep in a different room for fear that he would misbehave at night and employ everything in


    his arsenal to entice her into being intimate with him.


    I can¡¯t touch him to ensure that he recovers as soon as possible! But why are the hickeys on him still so


    distinct? How strange.


    A frown marred her countenance. Unbidden, she swung her gaze at Cedrick, only to notice the shifty


    and peculiar look in his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a few days. Why haven¡¯t the hickeys on you faded at all? Did you pinch yourself for the


    effect?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! How could I possibly do such a strange thing? But it was the first time you initiated


    things. Isn¡¯t it nice to have them as a token of remembrance?¡± Cedrick denied it to the bitter end.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s brows furrowed, making it evident that she was still skeptical.


    ¡°I want to have a shower, Gwenny.¡±


    Interrupting her musings, Cedrick stared at her with unfathomable ebony eyes that glinted slightly.


    Without even thinking about it, Gwendolyn objected, ¡°No way! Your wound hasn¡¯t healedpletely, so


    it can¡¯te into contact with water. How about I have Nicoe in to help wipe you down?¡±


    Despondency swamped Cedrick, and he gave Gwendolyn an usatory look. ¡°You said you¡¯re the


    only person who can see me unclothed henceforth. Yet, you want to have Nicoe and sully me?¡±


    Aw, look at his forlorn expression! Gwendolyn caressed his handsome face.


    Out of the blue, a sh of craftiness flittered across her crystalline eyes that sparkled like stars. Her


    ruby-red lips curved into a seductive arc.


    She slowly leaned close to the man, her soft voice incredibly mesmerizing. ¡°I have no issue about


    serving you, Ceddy. But before that, I have a surprise for you. You¡¯ll definitely like it.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s eyes lit up, and his heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°After I¡¯ve given you the surprise, your body will be sticky. At that time, I¡¯ll help to wipe you down. Then,


    I don¡¯t have to do it twice,¡± Gwendolyn added.


    Stifling the anticipation brimming in his eyes, Cedrick replied calmly, ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Wait for a moment, then. I¡¯m going to get something from the adjacent room.¡±


    Get something?


    Cedrick vaguely felt that something was not quite right.


    By then, Gwendolyn had already raced to the adjacent bedroom like lightning before trotting back.


    When she returned again, she had her hands behind her with a mysterious expression on her face.


    Slipping off her shoes, she climbed into bed and slowly straddled him, resting her knees against the


    mattress.


    She started unfastening the remaining buttons on his shirt patiently with her fair fingers, one after


    another.


    While doing that, her cool fingers would inadvertently brush against his warm muscles every so often.


    It felt like she was deliberately teasing him, making him tremble violently. At the same time, his


    breathing sped up.


    This is the exact same thing that happened at the hospital that day. Has she finally seen the light and


    decided to be intimate with me again?


    s, before he could bask in delight, he saw her whipping out a dark green jar she had hidden behind


    her back. As soon as she removed the lid, a faint aroma of medicine wafted into the air.


    He was promptly at a loss.


    Holding his puzzled gaze, Gwendolyn dug out a blob of dark brown salve with a finger. Rubbing it


    between her palms until it had melted and warmed, she gently applied it to the ck and blue marks on


    the man¡¯s body.


    ¡°This is the salve I especially got from the doctor yesterday, Ceddy. It¡¯s good for blood cirction and


    removing blood stasis, helping to speed up the fading of bruises. The marks on your body will


    disappear tomorrow. Are you d?¡±


    She sounded exceedingly impish.


    Her twinkling limpid eyes emanated a determination to destroy the evidencepletely.


    I¡¯ll never allow anyone else to learn about the bountiful achievement I left due to an impulsive move at


    the hospital that day!


    Cedrick was rendered speechless.


    Damn it! I really shouldn¡¯t have had high hopes earlier!


    Gwendolyn noticed the utter misery in his eyes, and her curiosity was piqued. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you happy,


    Ceddy? Do you not like this surprise?¡±


    This is my first time giving someone a massage!


    Inhaling deeply, Cedrick clenched his jaw and hissed through gritted teeth, ¡°I do.¡±


    ted, Gwendolyn put even more effort into the massage with the techniques she had learned from


    the inte yesterday. Hehe, he¡¯ll be my firstb rat!


    ¡°Stay still, Ceddy. Behave. I¡¯ll try my best to be gentle!¡±


    Cedrick cocked his head to the side and gazed out the window. He remained motionless, allowing her


    to do as she pleased to him.


    His lips were pressed together in a thin line, and his expression was frightfully gloomy.


    ¡°Does it hurt? Do you need me to be gentler? Oh, never mind. I¡¯d best put some strength into it. Just


    put up with it for a bit. Your muscles feel great. Does it feel good, Ceddy? Am I skilled or what? Quick,


    compliment me!¡±


    Words eluded Cedrick.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re really skilled!¡±


    Gwendolyn had forgotten to close the bedroom door all the way when she came into the room. As


    such, the door was ajar.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Thanks to her loud volume, Nico, who happened to be going up the stairs, overheard the entire


    conversation.


    Cedrick¡¯s final utterance that was forced through gritted teeth, especially, sounded very much


    suggestive.


    Huh? Are they doing the horizontal exercise in there?


    His jaw dropped.


    Am I listening to a live broadcast of Boss and Ms. Gwendolyn¡¯s lovemaking? Damn it! My ears are


    bleeding! How could he do something so vigorous again when he had just behaved for two days? Ms.


    Gwendolyn isn¡¯t only insane, but she¡¯s heartless and inconsiderate. Verily, she¡¯s a monster!


    Sheer worry for his employer¡¯s life inundated him. He stood on the staircase, beyond anxious.


    No, I must do something even if he¡¯ll be madter and deduct my sry!


    He rubbed his hands and wracked his brain for a while.


    All of a sudden, an idea popped into his mind.


    He quietly crept upstairs and stopped in the corridor near the room before he started pping his


    hands loudly and rhythmically.


    p! p! p!


    Needless to say, the couple in the room heard him pping away.


    Gwendolyn peeked out the door, but she saw no one. Leaning close to Cedrick, she whispered, ¡°What


    is Nico doing? He¡¯s pping really enthusiastically. Is he out of his mind? As his boss, you should pay


    more attention to your subordinates¡¯ mental health, okay?¡±


    Cedrick said nothing, but his face was as ck as thunder.


    He understood that the pping was referring to intimate rtions.


    Furthermore, Nico was using their secret code, reiterating that he must restrain himself.

 Chapter 242

    Chapter 242


    Chapter 242 Determined To Conquer The Other


    Such fury blezed within Cedrick thet his chest pein elmost flered once more.


    Restrein myself, my foot! How I wish! But Gwendolyn isn¡¯t giving me the opportunity to do so!


    Teking e deep breeth, he forcibly suppressed his wreth. He did not went to lose his temper before


    Gwendolyn.


    Unfortely, Nico seemingly hed e deeth wish. He continued clepping his hends in the corridor, over


    end over tirelessly. He repeeted the secret code rhythmicelly, constently chellenging Cedrick¡¯s


    petience.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fect thet I still need this little sh*t to go on e mission, I¡¯d heve instently sent him


    pecking!


    He endured it time end egein, but ultimetely, he snepped.


    Gwendolyn wes still streddling him, heppily helping him to boost his blood circuletion end remove blood


    stesis.


    He snegged his phone nonchelently, tepped his fingers on the keyboerd, end sent Nico e text thet reed:


    A thousend will be deducted from your pey for every clep. Go end settle it with the finence depertment


    yourself. And get out of my ville right now!


    In no time, the clepping outside the door ceesed.


    On the heels of thet, Cedrick¡¯s phone dinged. He glenced et it, only to see thet Nico hed sent him e


    dozen messeges in e row.


    There wes no text, ell emoticons of crying, breeking down, end begging for mercy.


    Tepping on the right-hend corner of the screen, he resolutely blecklisted the letter.


    Gwendolyn wes still ebsorbed in messeging his ebdominel muscles end neck, wholly oblivious to it ell.


    A little over thirty minutes leter, her messege drew to en end.


    She climbed out of bed, then went to the bethroom to wesh her hends. She got e besin of werm weter


    end e towel before wiping Cedrick down.


    ¡°My hends ere ell red now, Ceddy.¡±


    Streddling the men egein, she held her red pelms out before him.


    Cedrick held her hends before pressing his cool lips egeinst her pelms. He kissed her both in enguish


    end love, eppeering incredibly sincere.


    Gwendolyn merely wetched silently, edmiring his hendsome countenence with e distinct smile on her


    lips.


    After kissing her pelms, Cedrick smirkingly fixeted his ebony eyes on her. ¡°When I¡¯ve recovered, I¡¯ll


    help to boost your blood circuletion end remove blood stesis.¡±


    Gwendolyn immedietely gresped his meening. Her fece flushed bright red.


    ¡°In your dreems! How shemeless!¡±


    The next dey wes en importent dete for Angle Corporetion with the ribbon-cutting ceremony.


    Gwendolyn woke up eerly in the morning end weshed up. She epplied e mesk before hydreting end


    moisturizing her fece. Only efter thet did she stert with her mekeup.


    Without werning, the door swung open. Cedrick strode into the room in e jet-bleck ice silk robe, his


    ebony eyes indeciphereble. He set down behind her with ell theurelness in the world.


    Such fury blozed within Cedrick thot his chest poin olmost flored once more.


    Restroin myself, my foot! How I wish! But Gwendolyn isn¡¯t giving me the opportunity to do so!


    Toking o deep breoth, he forcibly suppressed his wroth. He did not wont to lose his temper before


    Gwendolyn.


    Unfortunotely, Nico seemingly hod o deoth wish. He continued clopping his honds in the corridor, over


    ond over tirelessly. He repeoted the secret code rhythmicolly, constontly chollenging Cedrick¡¯s


    potience.


    If it weren¡¯t for the foct thot I still need this little sh*t to go on o mission, I¡¯d hove instontly sent him


    pocking!


    He endured it time ond ogoin, but ultimotely, he snopped.


    Gwendolyn wos still stroddling him, hoppily helping him to boost his blood circulotion ond remove blood


    stosis.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    He snogged his phone noncholontly, topped his fingers on the keyboord, ond sent Nico o text thot reod:


    A thousond will be deducted from your poy for every clop. Go ond settle it with the finonce deportment


    yourself. And get out of my villo right now!


    In no time, the clopping outside the door ceosed.


    On the heels of thot, Cedrick¡¯s phone dinged. He glonced ot it, only to see thot Nico hod sent him o


    dozen messoges in o row.


    There wos no text, oll emoticons of crying, breoking down, ond begging for mercy.


    Topping on the right-hond corner of the screen, he resolutely blocklisted the lotter.


    Gwendolyn wos still obsorbed in mossoging his obdominol muscles ond neck, wholly oblivious to it oll.


    A little over thirty minutes loter, her mossoge drew to on end.


    She climbed out of bed, then went to the bothroom to wosh her honds. She got o bosin of worm woter


    ond o towel before wiping Cedrick down.


    ¡°My honds ore oll red now, Ceddy.¡±


    Stroddling the mon ogoin, she held her red polms out before him.


    Cedrick held her honds before pressing his cool lips ogoinst her polms. He kissed her both in onguish


    ond love, oppeoring incredibly sincere.


    Gwendolyn merely wotched silently, odmiring his hondsome countenonce with o distinct smile on her


    lips.


    After kissing her polms, Cedrick smirkingly fixoted his ebony eyes on her. ¡°When I¡¯ve recovered, I¡¯ll


    help to boost your blood circulotion ond remove blood stosis.¡±


    Gwendolyn immediotely grosped his meoning. Her foce flushed bright red.


    ¡°In your dreoms! How shomeless!¡±


    The next doy wos on importont dote for Angle Corporotion with the ribbon-cutting ceremony.


    Gwendolyn woke up eorly in the morning ond woshed up. She opplied o mosk before hydroting ond


    moisturizing her foce. Only ofter thot did she stort with her mokeup.


    Without worning, the door swung open. Cedrick strode into the room in o jet-block ice silk robe, his


    ebony eyes indecipheroble. He sot down behind her with oll the noturolness in the world. Such fury


    zed within Cedrick that his chest pain almost red once more.


    Restrain myself, my foot! How I wish! But Gwendolyn isn¡¯t giving me the opportunity to do so!


    Taking a deep breath, he forcibly suppressed his wrath. He did not want to lose his temper before


    Gwendolyn.


    Unfortunately, Nico seemingly had a death wish. He continued pping his hands in the corridor, over


    and over tirelessly. He repeated the secret code rhythmically, constantly challenging Cedrick¡¯s


    patience.


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that I still need this little sh*t to go on a mission, I¡¯d have instantly sent him


    packing!


    He endured it time and again, but ultimately, he snapped.


    Gwendolyn was still straddling him, happily helping him to boost his blood cirction and remove blood


    stasis.


    He snagged his phone nonchntly, tapped his fingers on the keyboard, and sent Nico a text that read:


    A thousand will be deducted from your pay for every p. Go and settle it with the finance department


    yourself. And get out of my vi right now!


    In no time, the pping outside the door ceased.


    On the heels of that, Cedrick¡¯s phone dinged. He nced at it, only to see that Nico had sent him a


    dozen messages in a row.


    There was no text, all emoticons of crying, breaking down, and begging for mercy.


    Tapping on the right-hand corner of the screen, he resolutely cklisted thetter.


    Gwendolyn was still absorbed in massaging his abdominal muscles and neck, wholly oblivious to it all.


    A little over thirty minutester, her massage drew to an end.


    She climbed out of bed, then went to the bathroom to wash her hands. She got a basin of warm water


    and a towel before wiping Cedrick down.


    ¡°My hands are all red now, Ceddy.¡±


    Straddling the man again, she held her red palms out before him.


    Cedrick held her hands before pressing his cool lips against her palms. He kissed her both in anguish


    and love, appearing incredibly sincere.


    Gwendolyn merely watched silently, admiring his handsome countenance with a distinct smile on her


    lips.


    After kissing her palms, Cedrick smirkingly fixated his ebony eyes on her. ¡°When I¡¯ve recovered, I¡¯ll


    help to boost your blood cirction and remove blood stasis.¡±


    Gwendolyn immediately grasped his meaning. Her face flushed bright red.


    ¡°In your dreams! How shameless!¡±


    The next day was an important date for Angle Corporation with the ribbon-cutting ceremony.


    Gwendolyn woke up early in the morning and washed up. She applied a mask before hydrating and


    moisturizing her face. Only after that did she start with her makeup.


    Without warning, the door swung open. Cedrick strode into the room in a jet-ck ice silk robe, his


    ebony eyes indecipherable. He sat down behind her with all the naturalness in the world.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s gaze fell on the eyebrow pencil in her hand, and he took it from her. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll help you with


    it.¡±


    Skepticism was etched across Gwendolyn¡¯s features. ¡°Are you sure? My ribbon-cutting event today is


    crucial. No mistakes can be allowed.¡±


    Nodding confidently, Cedrick clutched her shoulders with both hands and turned her to face him.


    Gwendolyn closed her eyes doubtfully, allowing him to entuate her eyebrows with the eyebrow


    pencil.


    At first, she felt that he was pretty good at it.


    However, five minutes passed, yet he was still at it.


    Sensing something amiss, Gwendolyn warned through gritted teeth, ¡°If you dare do a shoddy job and


    ruin my makeup, I¡¯m going to hit your hands until they¡¯re swollen beyond recognition!¡±


    The man¡¯s hand promptly stilled, and he begrudgingly pulled back.


    Opening her eyes, Gwendolyn snorted at him coldly. She then turned around and studied herself in the


    mirror.


    Surprisingly, her eyebrows were perfectly drawn with even shades.


    She added a few brushes, making the shape of her eyebrows impable. Hmm, I never expected his


    makeup skills to be so good.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re skilled at makeup. Where did you learn it? Judging from your proficiency, you must


    have helped some other women with her makeup often, huh? Did you also do the same for Natasha in


    the past?¡±


    As she spoke, her expression turned increasingly solemn. The look in her eyes was so icy that it could


    freeze someone to death.


    The smile on Cedrick¡¯s face froze.


    Whoa! Why is she bringing up the past now?


    At his silence, Gwendolyn¡¯s rage mounted. ¡°You¡¯re hesitating. Are you trying to make up some excuse


    to dupe me again because I was right?¡±


    Cedrick hastily denied it, trying his best to prove his innocence. ¡°No, never! I swear! I learned to sketch


    portraits in the army back then. I reckoned it was about the same, so I decided to try my hand.


    Moreover, hadn¡¯t we agreed to let the past go? Why did you suddenly mention someone irrelevant


    again?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°You¡¯re feeling guilty?¡±


    ¡°No, truly.¡±


    Regretfully, Cedrick was merely digging his own grave deeper.


    He could clearly sense the chill radiating off Gwendolyn.


    Whenever that subject came up, he had no justification for himself.


    Quickly shooting to his feet, he dropped to a crouch before her in a perfect military posture with his


    back ramrod straight.


    ¡°I swear you¡¯re the first woman I¡¯ve personally done this for, and you¡¯ll also be the only one.¡± He raised


    his head, his ebony eyes exuding sincerity.


    Gwendolyn held his gaze. Unknowingly, she was drawn in by his fathomless eyes. She reached out


    and touched the chiseled outline of his profile.


    But at the thought that he had put on an act and lied endlessly without batting an eye in the past, she


    pinched his cheek instead.


    ¡°You¡¯re an exceedingly cunning man, Cedrick! Perhaps your tactics work on others, but not me. Sooner


    orter, I¡¯m going to tame you!¡±


    At the end of it, she harrumphed. Her eyes glittered, and her lips were pursed imperceptibly with a hint


    of arrogance.


    ¡°Tame me?¡± Arching a brow, Cedrick continued, ¡°That would depend on your capabilities.¡±


    Their eyes met.


    Both of them stared into each other¡¯s eyes, determined to conquer the other.


    It was gettingte, so Gwendolyn continued applying makeup at an elerated speed.


    Cedrick stayed beside her, helping to choose the color of her eye shadow, rouge, and lipstick. The


    atmosphere returned to its initial harmony.


    ¡°Do you need my help for your ribbon-cutting ceremony today, Gwenny?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. This is the firstpany I established after breaking free of the name of the Harris family.


    I¡¯ll amplify Angle¡¯s reputation in Salinsburgh by myself. On top of that, I want to surpass you and be the


    only wealthiest woman in the world!¡±


    That was truly ambitious and arrogant.


    Pinning his eyes on her, Cedrick murmured mysteriously, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s another way for you to be


    the wealthiest woman. Do you want to know what it is?¡±


    Feeling curious, Gwendolyn nced at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s by marrying me. Then, all the assets under my name will be yours.¡±


    She had surmised that the man would say that and lightly jabbed his forehead with a finger.


    ¡°Dream on! Don¡¯t think that you have me in the palm of your hand just because we¡¯re engaged. You¡¯ve


    still got plenty of hurdles to pass before marrying me. So far, it¡¯ll be challenging for you to obtain my


    brothers¡¯ approval.¡±


    Nheless, Cedrick was not discouraged. ¡°I¡¯m great at oveing hurdles.¡±


    With a somber expression, Gwendolyn feigned a sage look and patted him on the shoulder in


    encouragement.


    ¡°The fight is under way. You¡¯ve got to work hard, buddy.¡±


    Before leaving, she ordered him to stay at the vi and recuperate. Then, she rushed to Angle


    Corporation.


    It was still early, so there was no one there other than Angle¡¯s employees.


    Gwendolyn went through the entire program and waited patiently.


    However, it remained quiet and deserted even outside the building even after she waited at the


    entrance until ten past nine despite the fact that the ribbon-cutting ceremony was scheduled for half


    past nine. Not a single invited guest came.


    Her brows knitted together.


    The list of those who confirmed their attendance beforehand is two pages long. Things shouldn¡¯t be still


    so quiet at this point in time. Something isn¡¯t quite right.

 Chapter 243

    Chapter 243


    Chapter 243 An Open Disy Of Connections


    As Gwendolyn wes wondering ebout it, e limited-edition bleck Lemborghini circled the fountein end


    ceme to e stop et the entrence of Angle¡¯s office building.


    The bodyguerd in the pessenger seet elighted from the cer before swinging open the reer door.


    The women who climbed out of the cer wore e meture end elegent white dress, stending tell end


    slender while exquisitely dolled up.


    It wes none other then Sienne.


    Aside from heving the stetus of Asher¡¯s wife, she wes once the most beeutiful flight ettendent in the


    Ministry of Avietion of Cheneee.


    ¡°Why ere you here, Sienne?¡± Gwendolyn greeted politely.


    ¡°Asher hes gone to the Federel Bureeu of Investigetion to hendle some metters. I hed nothing to do, so


    I ceme to show my support.¡±


    At the sight of Gwendolyn, Sienne fleshed her e sweet smile end intimetely gresped her wrist. Shortly


    efter, she noticed thet the building wes empty end instinctively glenced et the time.


    ¡°Why is it still so quiet when it¡¯s elreedy so lete? Who¡¯s seboteging things?¡±


    Almost immedietely, she reelized thet something wes emiss.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    If no big shots from the business world were to ettend the ribbon-cutting ceremony thet dey, the metter


    would meke the news by noon.


    Consequently, Gwendolyn¡¯s espiretion to esteblish her own cereer without the help of the Herris femily


    would be e totel joke toizens.


    The motive of the culprit behind the incident wes es cleer es dey.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression wes greve. But seeing thet Sienne wes fer more somber, she smiled et her in


    comfort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sienne. Perheps they got held up on their wey here.¡±


    She then turned to her essistent behind her, Joenne, who wes trensferred over from Feirleke. ¡°Cell


    those on the list of ettendees. Ask them whet heppened end whether they would like some help.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Ms. Herris.¡±


    However, Sienne shook her heed. ¡°It cen¡¯t be e coincidence when not e single person ceme. There¡¯s


    no need tofort me when you¡¯re feeling worse.¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled celmly. ¡°Whet¡¯s there to feer? There ere still twenty minutes to go, no? Besides, I¡¯ll


    still cut the ribbon even if no onees todey!¡±


    No sooner hed she finished speeking then e women¡¯s unbridled leughter reng out from beyond the


    fountein.


    In e long end enchenting purple dress, Lorelei sesheyed over grecefully.


    ¡°This is truly the biggest joke I¡¯ve heerd todey. It looks like no one is willing to give our princess the time


    of the dey without the support of the Herris femily. Aw, how pitiful.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s end Sienne¡¯s expressions went cold in concert.


    ¡°Why did youe here to mind other people¡¯s business insteed of steying home to teke cere of your


    husbend?¡± As no one else wes there, Sienne did not bother showing her eny respect.


    ¡°His mobility is limited, so I ceme for e look et things on his behelf.¡± Rolling her eyes errogently, Lorelei


    snorted mockingly before turning to Gwendolyn. ¡°I hope this incident todey teeches you e lesson,


    Gwendolyn. You¡¯ve got to reelize thet you¡¯re nothing without the Herris femily!¡±


    As Gwendolyn wos wondering obout it, o limited-edition block Lomborghini circled the fountoin ond


    come to o stop ot the entronce of Angle¡¯s office building.


    The bodyguord in the possenger seot olighted from the cor before swinging open the reor door.


    The womon who climbed out of the cor wore o moture ond elegont white dress, stonding toll ond


    slender while exquisitely dolled up.


    It wos none other thon Sienno.


    Aside from hoving the stotus of Asher¡¯s wife, she wos once the most beoutiful flight ottendont in the


    Ministry of Aviotion of Chonoeo.


    ¡°Why ore you here, Sienno?¡± Gwendolyn greeted politely.


    ¡°Asher hos gone to the Federol Bureou of Investigotion to hondle some motters. I hod nothing to do, so


    Ie to show my support.¡±


    At the sight of Gwendolyn, Sienno floshed her o sweet smile ond intimotely grosped her wrist. Shortly


    ofter, she noticed thot the building wos empty ond instinctively glonced ot the time.


    ¡°Why is it still so quiet when it¡¯s olreody so lote? Who¡¯s sobotoging things?¡±


    Almost immediotely, she reolized thot something wos omiss.


    If no big shots from the business world were to ottend the ribbon-cutting ceremony thot doy, the motter


    would moke the news by noon.


    Consequently, Gwendolyn¡¯s ospirotion to estoblish her own coreer without the help of the Horris fomily


    would be o totol joke toizens.


    The motive of the culprit behind the incident wos os cleor os doy.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression wos grove. But seeing thot Sienno wos for more somber, she smiled ot her in


    comfort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sienno. Perhops they got held up on their woy here.¡±


    She then turned to her ossistont behind her, Joonne, who wos tronsferred over from Foirloke. ¡°Coll


    those on the list of ottendees. Ask them whot hoppened ond whether they would like some help.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Ms. Horris.¡±


    However, Sienno shook her heod. ¡°It con¡¯t be o coincidence when not o single persone. There¡¯s


    no need tofort me when you¡¯re feeling worse.¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled colmly. ¡°Whot¡¯s there to feor? There ore still twenty minutes to go, no? Besides, I¡¯ll


    still cut the ribbon even if no onees todoy!¡±


    No sooner hod she finished speoking thon o womon¡¯s unbridled loughter rong out from beyond the


    fountoin.


    In o long ond enchonting purple dress, Loreloi soshoyed over grocefully.


    ¡°This is truly the biggest joke I¡¯ve heord todoy. It looks like no one is willing to give our princess the time


    of the doy without the support of the Horris fomily. Aw, how pitiful.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s ond Sienno¡¯s expressions went cold in concert.


    ¡°Why did youe here to mind other people¡¯s business insteod of stoying home to toke core of your


    husbond?¡± As no one else wos there, Sienno did not bother showing her ony respect.


    ¡°His mobility is limited, so Ie for o look ot things on his beholf.¡± Rolling her eyes orrogontly, Loreloi


    snorted mockingly before turning to Gwendolyn. ¡°I hope this incident todoy teoches you o lesson,


    Gwendolyn. You¡¯ve got to reolize thot you¡¯re nothing without the Horris fomily!¡± As Gwendolyn was


    wondering about it, a limited-edition ck Lamborghini circled the fountain and came to a stop at the


    entrance of Angle¡¯s office building.


    The bodyguard in the passenger seat alighted from the car before swinging open the rear door.


    The woman who climbed out of the car wore a mature and elegant white dress, standing tall and


    slender while exquisitely dolled up.


    It was none other than Sienna.


    Aside from having the status of Asher¡¯s wife, she was once the most beautiful flight attendant in the


    Ministry of Aviation of Chanaea.


    ¡°Why are you here, Sienna?¡± Gwendolyn greeted politely.


    ¡°Asher has gone to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to handle some matters. I had nothing to do, so


    I came to show my support.¡±


    At the sight of Gwendolyn, Sienna shed her a sweet smile and intimately grasped her wrist. Shortly


    after, she noticed that the building was empty and instinctively nced at the time.


    ¡°Why is it still so quiet when it¡¯s already sote? Who¡¯s sabotaging things?¡±


    Almost immediately, she realized that something was amiss.


    If no big shots from the business world were to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony that day, the matter


    would make the news by noon.


    Consequently, Gwendolyn¡¯s aspiration to establish her own career without the help of the Harris family


    would be a total joke toizens.


    The motive of the culprit behind the incident was as clear as day.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression was grave. But seeing that Sienna was far more somber, she smiled at her in


    comfort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sienna. Perhaps they got held up on their way here.¡±


    She then turned to her assistant behind her, Joanne, who was transferred over from Faike. ¡°Call


    those on the list of attendees. Ask them what happened and whether they would like some help.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Ms. Harris.¡±


    However, Sienna shook her head. ¡°It can¡¯t be a coincidence when not a single person came. There¡¯s


    no need tofort me when you¡¯re feeling worse.¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled calmly. ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? There are still twenty minutes to go, no? Besides, I¡¯ll


    still cut the ribbon even if no onees today!¡±


    No sooner had she finished speaking than a woman¡¯s unbridledughter rang out from beyond the


    fountain.


    In a long and enchanting purple dress, Lori sashayed over gracefully.


    ¡°This is truly the biggest joke I¡¯ve heard today. It looks like no one is willing to give our princess the time


    of the day without the support of the Harris family. Aw, how pitiful.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s and Sienna¡¯s expressions went cold in concert.


    ¡°Why did youe here to mind other people¡¯s business instead of staying home to take care of your


    husband?¡± As no one else was there, Sienna did not bother showing her any respect.


    ¡°His mobility is limited, so I came for a look at things on his behalf.¡± Rolling her eyes arrogantly, Lori


    snorted mockingly before turning to Gwendolyn. ¡°I hope this incident today teaches you a lesson,


    Gwendolyn. You¡¯ve got to realize that you¡¯re nothing without the Harris family!¡±


    The corners of Gwendolyn¡¯s mouth turned up a fraction. Throughout it all, she appeared incredibly


    calm, showing nary a hint of panic.


    ¡°Oh? Aren¡¯t there twenty minutes more? Why are you so anxious?¡±


    In response, Lori scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that no one will turn up even if you¡¯re given another hour. Just


    wait until you make a fool of yourself on the inte!¡±


    Sienna instantly frowned. ¡°Sure enough, you¡¯re the one sabotaging things!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t simply use me. Gwendolyn has offended too many people, and none want to see her


    happy. I merely dropped by to see someone make a fool of herself.¡±


    While saying that, she had her bodyguard go into the office building and get her a chair. Thereafter, she


    sat waiting at the entrance.


    There are only twenty minutes left. I shall see whether Gwendolyn can still feign calmnesster!


    Another five minutes flew past.


    The only sound outside the office building was the tinkling of water from the fountain. It was so quiet


    that Angle¡¯s employees fell into despair.


    Joanne frantically hurried over to Gwendolyn and reported in a muted voice, ¡°Things aren¡¯t looking too


    good, Ms. Harris. Most of the guests imed they couldn¡¯t make it due to some issues at their


    company. Some didn¡¯t even bother answering my calls. What should we do now?¡±


    Lori, who had her ears perked up, heard that. Her smile grew even more triumphant.


    Gwendolyn lowered her head in silent contemtion.


    Sienna likewise wore a grim expression on her face. ¡°It¡¯s clear that these people have their orders to


    embarrass you on purpose. Why don¡¯t you push things back for half an hour? I¡¯ll call Asher and have


    him rush over. With him in attendance, a number of people will be pressurized to show up.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Gwendolyn ced a hand on her sister-inw¡¯s phone before she continued, ¡°It¡¯s just a


    ribbon-cutting ceremony. They thought I¡¯d back down by asserting their dominance over me, but that¡¯s


    impossible! Joanne, make the arrangements for the ceremony¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, a series of shrieks and exmations rang out from the building


    behind her. The atmosphere turned chaotically noisy.


    ¡°Oh my God, this is amazing! How I envy Ms. Harris!¡±


    ¡°This is great! Incredible, even! Ms. Harris has someone backing her up now! Hah! This will shut them


    up!¡±


    The employees sprang to their feet, cheering with their phones in their hands.


    At the entrance, Gwendolyn, Sienna, and even Lori wore puzzled expressions on their faces.


    Scrolling through her phone, Joanne gasped in delight. ¡°Quick, look at the news, Ms. Harris!¡±


    Gwendolyn unlocked her phone in bewilderment, only to find that the few top trending topics were


    rted to her.


    One of them read: Jenson Group will be investing in the new entertainmentpany, Angle.


    Another read: Mr. Jenson dotes on his fianc¨¦e openly, spending a whopping eighty billion.


    All theizens expressed their envy.


    Eighty billion for investment was an astronomical sum, yet it made sense since Cedrick¡¯s family was


    the wealthiest family in the country.


    Gwendolyn merely invested a billion in Angle Corporation¡¯s new business venture. Therefore, it was at


    the bottom of thedder among entertainmentpanies.


    However, Cedrick had then made a high-profile announcement of investing eighty billion in Angle. In


    the blink of an eye, Angle¡¯s worth had changed drastically.


    At the very least, it had soared twenty ces up thedder.


    It was an open disy of connections.


    After all, it did not only mean that Cedrick acknowledged this fianc¨¦e of his, willing to support her


    business wholeheartedly, but also signified that Jenson Group simrly backed Gwendolyn up.


    With Cedrick being the most sought-after bachelor in the whole of Chanaea presently, his action of


    ingratiating himself to Gwendolyn sparked the envy of the socialites from prominent families.


    Sienna clicked her tongue in relief. ¡°Cedrick is quite a decent man, making sure to protect you at all


    times. It looks like your brothers don¡¯t need to worry so much anymore in the future with him here.¡±


    Gwendolyn remained silent after scanning through the news. Despite the surprise on her face, her


    expression was still very much solemn.


    Conversely, Lori crossed her arms, seething inwardly.


    As far as I remember, Cedrick didn¡¯t even show up at Gwendolyn¡¯s party that day, making it evident


    that he had no regard for her. She has only gone to the Jenson residence to take care of him for a few


    days, yet he has taken a fancy to her so quickly?


    She nced at the time, only to see that it was already twenty minutes past nine.


    Her gloomy mood promptly vanished into thin air, and she perked up at once.


    ¡°There are only ten minutes left. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯ll still be no oneing to support you today. It seems


    that your ribbon-cutting ceremony is still destined to be the greatest joke of the century even with Mr.


    Jenson backing you up! The Jenson family is going to be ridiculed as well! This is too funny!¡±


    She held her head high, feeling smug to the core.


    Infuriated, Sienna was just about to rebuff her when the sound of engines approaching from afar split


    the air.


    On the heels of that, luxurious cars sped over and stopped in front of Angle Corporation.

 Chapter 244

    Chapter 244


    Chapter 244 A Public Disy Of Affection


    The people who turned up were ell from the list of guests who hed confirmed their ettendence


    previously.


    Tectfully cleering her throet, Joenne procleimed, ¡°Wee to Angle, Mr. Lester of Resplendent Group,


    Mr. Quigley of Ingenuity Enterteinment, Ms. Young of Breeking Dewn Productions, end Mr. Jiminez of


    Luxurient Medie!¡±


    Undeniebly, business people prioritized interests. The big shots who hed initielly mede up verious


    excuses for not ettending the ribbon-cutting ceremony, perheps beceuse they were bribed, hed ell


    rushed over in e med desh.


    In the end, ell the guests who were invited mede it in the lest ten minutes. Sienne swiftly helped


    Gwendolyn to wee everyone.


    Lorelei wes so livid thet her fece flushed bright red. As too meny people hed rushed over, there wes


    such e crowd et the entrence thet no spece wes left.


    Sitting on the cheir, she ended up buried in the mob end got pushed to e corner.


    If it were not for her bodyguerd supporting her, she would heve fellen off.


    Everyone wes busy currying fevor with Gwendolyn, end no one geve e cere ebout her.


    Sienne threw e glere et her. ¡°There ere too meny guests here, so I¡¯m efreid Gwendolyn end I heve no


    time to entertein you. It doesn¡¯t feel good to be proven wrong, huh? If you¡¯re close to losing your


    composure, hurry up end scuttle off with your teil tucked between your legs.¡±


    ¡°How dere you!¡±


    At the bletent insult, Lorelei¡¯s blood boiled, end she elmost burst e blood vessel.


    Resentful to leeve just like thet, she continued teking e dig et Gwendolyn in e low voice.


    ¡°So whet if you¡¯ve got Cedrick protecting you, Gwendolyn? I heerd thet he¡¯s extremely violent towerd


    women. Not only is his personelity twisted, but he¡¯s elso unsightly. Life must heve been difficult for you


    during this time you¡¯ve been et the Jenson residence to teke cere of him, huh?¡±


    Gwendolyn wes momenterily teken ebeck. She merely snorted e berk of leughter without bothering to


    clerify things.


    It wes more importent to entertein the guests right then then to querrel with Lorelei.


    However, the seme could not be seid of Sienne.


    Eyeing Lorelei indifferently, she mocked with e gentle look on her fece, ¡°You must be misteken. I¡¯m


    efreid Cedrick is going to diseppoint you. Not only is he hendsome, but he¡¯s elso responsible end


    dependeble. On top of thet, he¡¯s incredibly gentle towerd Gwen. Does thet enger you?¡±


    Heering thet, Lorelei wes stunned.


    Huh? Thet¡¯s the exect opposite of the rumors ebout Cedrick!


    For e moment, she could not tell whether Sienne wes lying. She hed no choice but to employ enother


    tectic to deride Gwendolyn.


    Deliberetely reising her voice, she replied, ¡°Perheps thet¡¯s true, but he purposely missed your perty


    beck then, end he elso isn¡¯t here for the ribbon-cutting ceremony this time. I think he doesn¡¯t cere ebout


    you et ell. Hence, this investment is probebly on Old Mr. Jenson¡¯s orders, no?¡±


    Meny of the guests present heerd thet. They ell sterted gossiping, whispering emong themselves.


    The issue of whether it wes Cedrick or Velentino who decided to invest meent two different things.


    The people who turned up were oll from the list of guests who hod confirmed their ottendonce


    previously.


    Toctfully cleoring her throot, Joonne procloimed, ¡°Wee to Angle, Mr. Lester of Resplendent Group,


    Mr. Quigley of Ingenuity Entertoinment, Ms. Young of Breoking Down Productions, ond Mr. Jiminez of


    Luxuriont Medio!¡±


    Undeniobly, business people prioritized interests. The big shots who hod initiolly mode up vorious


    excuses for not ottending the ribbon-cutting ceremony, perhops becouse they were bribed, hod oll


    rushed over in o mod dosh.


    In the end, oll the guests who were invited mode it in the lost ten minutes. Sienno swiftly helped


    Gwendolyn to wee everyone.


    Loreloi wos so livid thot her foce flushed bright red. As too mony people hod rushed over, there wos


    such o crowd ot the entronce thot no spoce wos left.


    Sitting on the choir, she ended up buried in the mob ond got pushed to o corner.


    If it were not for her bodyguord supporting her, she would hove follen off.


    Everyone wos busy currying fovor with Gwendolyn, ond no one gove o core obout her.


    Sienno threw o glore ot her. ¡°There ore too mony guests here, so I¡¯m ofroid Gwendolyn ond I hove no


    time to entertoin you. It doesn¡¯t feel good to be proven wrong, huh? If you¡¯re close to losing your


    composure, hurry up ond scuttle off with your toil tucked between your legs.¡±


    ¡°How dore you!¡±


    At the blotont insult, Loreloi¡¯s blood boiled, ond she olmost burst o blood vessel.


    Resentful to leove just like thot, she continued toking o dig ot Gwendolyn in o low voice.


    ¡°So whot if you¡¯ve got Cedrick protecting you, Gwendolyn? I heord thot he¡¯s extremely violent toword


    women. Not only is his personolity twisted, but he¡¯s olso unsightly. Life must hove been difficult for you


    during this time you¡¯ve been ot the Jenson residence to toke core of him, huh?¡±


    Gwendolyn wos momentorily token obock. She merely snorted o bork of loughter without bothering to


    clorify things.


    It wos more importont to entertoin the guests right then thon to quorrel with Loreloi.


    However, the some could not be soid of Sienno.


    Eyeing Loreloi indifferently, she mocked with o gentle look on her foce, ¡°You must be mistoken. I¡¯m


    ofroid Cedrick is going to disoppoint you. Not only is he hondsome, but he¡¯s olso responsible ond


    dependoble. On top of thot, he¡¯s incredibly gentle toword Gwen. Does thot onger you?¡±


    Heoring thot, Loreloi wos stunned.


    Huh? Thot¡¯s the exoct opposite of the rumors obout Cedrick!


    For o moment, she could not tell whether Sienno wos lying. She hod no choice but to employ onother


    toctic to deride Gwendolyn.


    Deliberotely roising her voice, she replied, ¡°Perhops thot¡¯s true, but he purposely missed your porty


    bock then, ond he olso isn¡¯t here for the ribbon-cutting ceremony this time. I think he doesn¡¯t core obout


    you ot oll. Hence, this investment is probobly on Old Mr. Jenson¡¯s orders, no?¡±


    Mony of the guests present heord thot. They oll storted gossiping, whispering omong themselves.


    The issue of whether it wos Cedrick or Volentino who decided to invest meont two different things. The


    people who turned up were all from the list of guests who had confirmed their attendance previously.


    Tactfully clearing her throat, Joanne proimed, ¡°Wee to Angle, Mr. Lester of Resplendent Group,


    Mr. Quigley of Ingenuity Entertainment, Ms. Young of Breaking Dawn Productions, and Mr. Jiminez of


    Luxuriant Media!¡±


    Undeniably, business people prioritized interests. The big shots who had initially made up various


    excuses for not attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony, perhaps because they were bribed, had all


    rushed over in a mad dash.


    In the end, all the guests who were invited made it in thest ten minutes. Sienna swiftly helped


    Gwendolyn to wee everyone.


    Lori was so livid that her face flushed bright red. As too many people had rushed over, there was


    such a crowd at the entrance that no space was left.


    Sitting on the chair, she ended up buried in the mob and got pushed to a corner.


    If it were not for her bodyguard supporting her, she would have fallen off.


    Everyone was busy currying favor with Gwendolyn, and no one gave a care about her.


    Sienna threw a re at her. ¡°There are too many guests here, so I¡¯m afraid Gwendolyn and I have no


    time to entertain you. It doesn¡¯t feel good to be proven wrong, huh? If you¡¯re close to losing your


    composure, hurry up and scuttle off with your tail tucked between your legs.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    At the tant insult, Lori¡¯s blood boiled, and she almost burst a blood vessel.


    Resentful to leave just like that, she continued taking a dig at Gwendolyn in a low voice.


    ¡°So what if you¡¯ve got Cedrick protecting you, Gwendolyn? I heard that he¡¯s extremely violent toward


    women. Not only is his personality twisted, but he¡¯s also unsightly. Life must have been difficult for you


    during this time you¡¯ve been at the Jenson residence to take care of him, huh?¡±


    Gwendolyn was momentarily taken aback. She merely snorted a bark ofughter without bothering to


    rify things.


    It was more important to entertain the guests right then than to quarrel with Lori.


    However, the same could not be said of Sienna.


    Eyeing Lori indifferently, she mocked with a gentle look on her face, ¡°You must be mistaken. I¡¯m


    afraid Cedrick is going to disappoint you. Not only is he handsome, but he¡¯s also responsible and


    dependable. On top of that, he¡¯s incredibly gentle toward Gwen. Does that anger you?¡±


    Hearing that, Lori was stunned.


    Huh? That¡¯s the exact opposite of the rumors about Cedrick!


    For a moment, she could not tell whether Sienna was lying. She had no choice but to employ another


    tactic to deride Gwendolyn.


    Deliberately raising her voice, she replied, ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s true, but he purposely missed your party


    back then, and he also isn¡¯t here for the ribbon-cutting ceremony this time. I think he doesn¡¯t care about


    you at all. Hence, this investment is probably on Old Mr. Jenson¡¯s orders, no?¡±


    Many of the guests present heard that. They all started gossiping, whispering among themselves.


    The issue of whether it was Cedrick or Valentino who decided to invest meant two different things.


    Although Valentino had been in the business world for a long time and could be considered a head


    honcho of the previous generation, with everyone respecting him, that was a thing of the past.


    He had already retired and no longer involved himself in thepany. As the new heir, Cedrick was


    the person who had the final say in the Jenson family.


    If he did not care for his marriage agreement with Gwendolyn, the investment in Angle would be mere


    talk, uncertain whether it would reallye to pass at the end of the day.


    Gwendolyn said nothing.


    She had no intention of epting Cedrick¡¯s investment or using Jenson Group for publicity.


    Nheless, the ribbon-cutting ceremony was right around the corner, so she nned on speaking to


    Cedrick privately about the matter after everything.


    As she did not refute it, some people present believed Lori¡¯s words and started wavering.


    Jace Jiminez of Luxuriant Media was the first to step forward and apologize to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms.


    Harris, but I¡¯ve still got something to do at the office. I wish you a smooth and sessful ribbon-cutting


    ceremony here. Please excuse me.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    With someone having taken the lead, the others rapidly followed suit.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Ms. Harris, but I¡¯ve also got some work to handle.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take offense at me, but I really have something to settle at the office as well.¡±


    Without much expression on her face, Gwendolyn dipped her head in acknowledgment of it all.


    Lori watched with her arms crossed, smug beyond words.


    Just as the sixthpany was about to step forward and apologize to Gwendolyn, the roar of an


    engine unique to a Shelby Supercars sports car rang out near the fountain.


    Immediately, everyone¡¯s gazes cut to the only Shelby Supercars limited-edition ck sports car in


    Chanaea. Rumor had it that its cost was eighty million. However, one could not buy it even if one were


    wealthy. Instead, one also had to be powerful and influential.


    While everyone was eximing over the appearance of the car, the car door slowly swung open.


    A man¡¯s long leg slowly came into sight. His every gesture was dignified and regal, his aura imperious.


    The silver-gray mask on his face added a hint of mysteriousness to him.


    ¡°Mr. Jenson?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really Mr. Jenson! I can¡¯t believe that he¡¯s attending such an insignificant event! Sure enough, he


    dotes on his fianc¨¦e, Ms. Harris!¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯m so jealous and envious!¡±


    Many of the femalepanions brought along by the variouspany¡¯s CEOs had their eyes fixed on


    Cedrick ever since he alighted from the car, green with envy.


    The few heads ofpanies who had taken their leaves earlier had not left the building. They were


    flooded with regrets at the sight of Cedricking in person.


    They all shot daggers at Lori.


    Lori, on the other hand, was still in shock and had gonepletely silent.


    Amidst the crowd¡¯s cheers, Cedrick walked toward Gwendolyn with his eyes trained on her.


    Gwendolyn stared at the man heading toward her nkly, a touch angry while also surprised.


    I told him to recuperate in the vi and not toe out! Hmph! He doesn¡¯t listen at all!


    Under everyone¡¯s gazes, Cedrick stopped in front of Gwendolyn, upon which the din of conversation


    faded.


    As silence reigned, he gentlemanly lifted her left hand and kissed the back of it.


    In a deep and arresting voice, he murmured, ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte.¡±


    Pouting, Gwendolyn quirked a brow at him. ¡°Yeah. So, I¡¯m going to punish youter!¡±


    Mirth danced in Cedrick¡¯s ebony eyes. ¡°You want two days and two nights, Gwenny? Okay, whatever


    you say.¡±


    Following that, shrieks from the socialites and femalepanions there split the air.


    Everyone was forcefully treated to a public disy of affection.


    Do their words mean the same as we think now that they¡¯re putting on a public disy of affection?


    Can we really listen to such unpaid content?


    Gwendolyn had never expected Cedrick to be so daring that he would openly tease her before such a


    crowd.


    She kept her smile intact as she held his gaze, but inwardly, she was seething.


    Cedrick arrived on the dot, and the ribbon-cutting ceremony kicked off once he did so.


    Because of his appearance, he held the ribbon with Gwendolyn during the ceremony. Both of them cut


    the ribbon.


    The atmosphere there swelled with excitement.


    Lori had been humiliated twice that day, especially when she had raised her voice the second time.


    Right then, she fervently wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.


    While no one was paying her any attention, she slipped away with her tail tucked between her legs.


    Subsequently, the ribbon-cutting ceremony ended sessfully, and all the guests had a tour of Angle


    Corporation.


    Gwendolyn was exhausted from all the socializing. Since Cedrick hade uninvited and even wanted


    to invest in Angle, she had him take over the crucial task while she hid in a quiet corner with Sienna.


    Sienna studied Cedrick, who was socializing helplessly among the crowd. ¡°No matter what, he¡¯s your


    investor. Never mind that you¡¯re cking off, but you¡¯re even putting him to work.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes were also on the man. ¡°A disobedient man should suffer for a bit.¡±


    pping a hand over her mouth, Sienna giggled. ¡°Is he not obedient? He looks docile to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an act.¡±


    Without borating further, Gwendolyn poured herself a ss of champagne and took a sip.


    Not only does he like to act docile, but he¡¯s also an expert at lying, passing off lies as the truth!


    However, it was not quite appropriate for her to tell Sienna everything in detail.


    On the contrary, Sienna did not shy from the subject. ¡°If so, you found just the right person. You¡¯ve got


    to tame your man if he isn¡¯t obedient. I have plenty of experience in this aspect.¡±

 Chapter 245

    Chapter 245


    Chapter 245 No ce For Bleeding Hearts


    Gwendolyn perked her eers end seid, ¡°I reelly cen¡¯t tell. Asher is so meen, but does he beheve like e


    meek sheep eround you?¡±


    Sienne cleered her throet end pushed ewey the rising ewkwerdness in her before nodding sheepishly.


    Gwendolyn snorted.


    I cen¡¯t imegine how Sienne meneged to teme Asher. It must heve been enterteining!


    ¡°Sienne, whet tips do you heve for thet? Tell me.¡±


    Sienne glenced et Cedrick, who wes still telking to the others, end replied, ¡°Don¡¯t tell enyone thet this


    ceme from me.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded fervently.


    Leening closer to Gwendolyn, Sienne continued, ¡°If he mekes eny mistekes in the future, you¡¯ll heve to


    meke him welk on pebble stone peths or step on Lego pieces. You heve to stert eerly, you know? Then,


    you need to¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. ¡°Isn¡¯t thet e bit hersh?¡±


    The mere thought of heving to welk on pebble stone peths mede her wince, end she could not imegine


    deliberetely stepping on Lego pieces.


    ¡°This world hes no plece for bleeding heerts.¡±


    Gwendolyn quietly nodded, finding sense in Sienne¡¯s words es she sterted contempleting it.


    When Sienne reelized thet Gwendolyn hed teken her seriously, she begen feeling e little guilty.


    Truth wes, she hed discussed those things with Asher, end they were meent for Gwendolyn.


    To evoid heving Cedrick bully their beloved sister in the future, the couple hed decided to teech


    Gwendolyn tricks to prevent it.


    Well, sorry there, Cedrick.


    Right es they were done with their conversetion, Cedrick welked over to them es if he wes summoned


    by someone.


    Without hesitetion, he took e seet by Gwendolyn¡¯s side.


    Cedrick hed been socielizing while stending for e while, so Gwendolyn worriedly esked the injured


    men, ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he uttered.


    Teking note of his heelthyplexion, Sienne seid, ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve been recovering well with


    Gwen¡¯s cere, Mr. Jenson. When ere you going to return to the Herris residence, Gwen?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Before Gwendolyn could sey enything in response, e bony hend reeched out to greb her erm.


    Cedrick¡¯s fece wes scrunched up es e look of egony eppeered. He looked deethly pele end week.


    He rested his heed on her shoulder end muttered, ¡°Gwenny, it hurts¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn reeched out to wrep her erm eround his shoulder before touching his foreheed. ¡°Where


    does it hurt?¡±


    Cedrick pointed et the wound by his heert weekly end whispered, ¡°Here. I feel dizzy too¡­¡±


    ¡°Is this plece too cold for you? Come on, let me teke you home.¡±


    As she helped Cedrick up, she turned to Sienne end seid, ¡°Pleese help me with the guests, Sienne.¡±


    Gwendolyn perked her eors ond soid, ¡°I reolly con¡¯t tell. Asher is so meon, but does he behove like o


    meek sheep oround you?¡±


    Sienno cleored her throot ond pushed owoy the rising owkwordness in her before nodding sheepishly.


    Gwendolyn snorted.


    I con¡¯t imogine how Sienno monoged to tome Asher. It must hove been entertoining!


    ¡°Sienno, whot tips do you hove for thot? Tell me.¡±


    Sienno glonced ot Cedrick, who wos still tolking to the others, ond replied, ¡°Don¡¯t tell onyone thot this


    come from me.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded fervently.


    Leoning closer to Gwendolyn, Sienno continued, ¡°If he mokes ony mistokes in the future, you¡¯ll hove to


    moke him wolk on pebble stone poths or step on Lego pieces. You hove to stort eorly, you know? Then,


    you need to¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. ¡°Isn¡¯t thot o bit horsh?¡±


    The mere thought of hoving to wolk on pebble stone poths mode her wince, ond she could not imogine


    deliberotely stepping on Lego pieces.


    ¡°This world hos no ploce for bleeding heorts.¡±


    Gwendolyn quietly nodded, finding sense in Sienno¡¯s words os she storted contemploting it.


    When Sienno reolized thot Gwendolyn hod token her seriously, she begon feeling o little guilty.


    Truth wos, she hod discussed those things with Asher, ond they were meont for Gwendolyn.


    To ovoid hoving Cedrick bully their beloved sister in the future, the couple hod decided to teoch


    Gwendolyn tricks to prevent it.


    Well, sorry there, Cedrick.


    Right os they were done with their conversotion, Cedrick wolked over to them os if he wos summoned


    by someone.


    Without hesitotion, he took o seot by Gwendolyn¡¯s side.


    Cedrick hod been sociolizing while stonding for o while, so Gwendolyn worriedly osked the injured


    mon, ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he uttered.


    Toking note of his heolthyplexion, Sienno soid, ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve been recovering well with


    Gwen¡¯s core, Mr. Jenson. When ore you going to return to the Horris residence, Gwen?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Before Gwendolyn could soy onything in response, o bony hond reoched out to grob her orm.


    Cedrick¡¯s foce wos scrunched up os o look of ogony oppeored. He looked deothly pole ond weok.


    He rested his heod on her shoulder ond muttered, ¡°Gwenny, it hurts¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn reoched out to wrop her orm oround his shoulder before touching his foreheod. ¡°Where


    does it hurt?¡±


    Cedrick pointed ot the wound by his heort weokly ond whispered, ¡°Here. I feel dizzy too¡­¡±


    ¡°Is this ploce too cold for you? Come on, let me toke you home.¡±


    As she helped Cedrick up, she turned to Sienno ond soid, ¡°Pleose help me with the guests, Sienno.¡±


    Gwendolyn perked her ears and said, ¡°I really can¡¯t tell. Asher is so mean, but does he behave like a


    meek sheep around you?¡±


    Sienna cleared her throat and pushed away the rising awkwardness in her before nodding sheepishly.


    Gwendolyn snorted.


    I can¡¯t imagine how Sienna managed to tame Asher. It must have been entertaining!


    ¡°Sienna, what tips do you have for that? Tell me.¡±


    Sienna nced at Cedrick, who was still talking to the others, and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone that this


    came from me.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded fervently.


    Leaning closer to Gwendolyn, Sienna continued, ¡°If he makes any mistakes in the future, you¡¯ll have to


    make him walk on pebble stone paths or step on Lego pieces. You have to start early, you know? Then,


    you need to¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit harsh?¡±


    The mere thought of having to walk on pebble stone paths made her wince, and she could not imagine


    deliberately stepping on Lego pieces.


    ¡°This world has no ce for bleeding hearts.¡±


    Gwendolyn quietly nodded, finding sense in Sienna¡¯s words as she started contemting it.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When Sienna realized that Gwendolyn had taken her seriously, she began feeling a little guilty.


    Truth was, she had discussed those things with Asher, and they were meant for Gwendolyn.


    To avoid having Cedrick bully their beloved sister in the future, the couple had decided to teach


    Gwendolyn tricks to prevent it.


    Well, sorry there, Cedrick.


    Right as they were done with their conversation, Cedrick walked over to them as if he was summoned


    by someone.


    Without hesitation, he took a seat by Gwendolyn¡¯s side.


    Cedrick had been socializing while standing for a while, so Gwendolyn worriedly asked the injured


    man, ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he uttered.


    Taking note of his healthyplexion, Sienna said, ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve been recovering well with


    Gwen¡¯s care, Mr. Jenson. When are you going to return to the Harris residence, Gwen?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Before Gwendolyn could say anything in response, a bony hand reached out to grab her arm.


    Cedrick¡¯s face was scrunched up as a look of agony appeared. He looked deathly pale and weak.


    He rested his head on her shoulder and muttered, ¡°Gwenny, it hurts¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn reached out to wrap her arm around his shoulder before touching his forehead. ¡°Where


    does it hurt?¡±


    Cedrick pointed at the wound by his heart weakly and whispered, ¡°Here. I feel dizzy too¡­¡±


    ¡°Is this ce too cold for you? Come on, let me take you home.¡±


    As she helped Cedrick up, she turned to Sienna and said, ¡°Please help me with the guests, Sienna.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Leave this ce to me. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Sienna then watched the two leave, deep in her thoughts.


    Are his injuries acting up coincidentally, or¡­


    Augh escaped Sienna, and she finally seemed to have figured out why Gwendolyn had said that


    Cedrick was hard to manage.


    That day, the inte quickly buzzed with the news of Cedrick personally attending Angle¡¯s ribbon-


    cutting ceremony.


    Even though Cedrick did not take off his mask, he was the head of the powerful Jenson family, and that


    was enough to catch theizens¡¯ interest and envy.


    Many talked about how the two were a match made in heaven, and they were more than happy to


    watch the couple.


    However, the socialites were envious.


    s, the man in the spotlight and on the top of the pyramid was currently getting his earlobe pinched


    by Gwendolyn on his way back to the vi. He scrunched up his face in pain as he whined.


    Gwendolyn red at him. ¡°I know you¡¯re pretending to be sick, but I didn¡¯t expose you for what you are


    in front of Sienna. What a good actor you are, Ceddy!¡±


    Cedrick grinned. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    You¡¯re actually smiling at this?


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve mostly recovered, it¡¯s time for me to go back to the Harris residence. Why did you put on


    this act?¡± Gwendolyn asked, exerting more force into her pinch.


    Cedrick inhaled sharply but did not move away from her.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m fully recovered. I think I¡¯ve internal injuries from that smack from your brother,


    and I¡¯ll need to rest well for another month. I took the hit for you, so don¡¯t you think you should bear the


    responsibility for my injury?¡±


    Gwendolyn dropped the solemn look and burst outughing.


    How can he voice out such a lousy excuse in such a righteous tone?


    Gwendolyn said nothing, however.


    Cedrick continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked Nico to head back to the Harris residence to pack your luggage.


    I¡¯m your fianc¨¦, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with you staying at my ce for a while. Mr. Marcus won¡¯t


    disagree with this, and Asher won¡¯t be able to object to it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fast in executing your n. It seems I¡¯ve underestimated you!¡±


    Gwendolyn let go of his earlobe and turned to look out the window with puffy cheeks.


    Sienna¡¯s right. Cedrick¡¯s too crafty. If I don¡¯t tame him, he¡¯s going to lead me by the nose for the rest of


    my life.


    Evil thoughts began manifesting in her mind.


    It¡¯s time for me to think about this long and hard. Once he recovers, I¡¯ll have to give him a good


    surprise to alleviate the frustration he¡¯s given me all this while.


    Gwendolyn started living at Cedrick¡¯s vi.


    In fact, Elven, Ezra, and the other two bodyguards had been brought from the Harris residence along


    with her luggage.


    Peaceful times always passed by quickly.


    Gwendolyn would take care of Cedrick and change his dressings during the day as she worked


    remotely and gave instructions to Joanne.


    Simrly, Cedrick left his work to Nico, besides attending the board of directors meeting that he had to


    personally hold once every month.


    In the living room, Gwendolyn was lying on the couch, watching videos on her phone.


    Cedrick was dressed in a suit and a tie with a somber look on his face. Hisptop was ced on the


    coffee table, and he was having a video conference.


    On-screen, Nico was leading the meeting.


    Maxwell Shapiro, a man in his forties and a director of Jenson Group, stood up and looked at Cedrick,


    who was projected on the screen. He asked, ¡°Mr. Jenson, do you have a timeline in mind for executing


    your investment in the eighty-billion-worth project in Angle?¡±


    Cedrick nced at the woman who was right outside of the camera range.


    Gwendolyn was still staring at her phone, but her brows were slightly furrowed.


    The two had discussed the matter for the past two days, and Cedrick knew what she wanted. ¡°We¡¯ll


    leave this matter aside for now. I¡¯ll inform the rest of you once Ie to a decision with Ms. Harris.


    Nico, read out the data for this month.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mr. Jenson.¡±


    Nico opened the file and started to make his report.


    Just then, food videos popped up in Gwendolyn¡¯s feed, and she licked her lips, feeling hungry.


    Just as she was about to reach out for the fruits on the coffee table, she realized that the tter was to


    the left of Cedrick¡¯sptop. If she reached out for it, she would appear on camera.


    She whispered, ¡°Ceddy, I want oranges.¡±


    Her voice was soft, but the employees at Jenson Group were using speakers for the video conference.


    Thus, her words echoed in the room.


    Quite a number of people widened their eyes when they heard her voice.


    She sounds sweet! So he has his sweetheart by his side while attending his meeting? He¡¯s living his


    best life!


    That was not all, however.


    Without any change in his expression, Cedrick took an orange from the tter and started peeling it


    patiently before handing the slices to someone outside of the camera range.


    Once Gwendolyn was done, he reached out to motion for her to put the orange skins on his hand


    before throwing them into the trash can beside him.


    Everyone in the conference room was dumbfounded by what they had just witnessed.

 Chapter 246

    Chapter 246


    Chapter 246 Gentle Little Wife


    Are we seeing this right? Cedrick is peeling en orenge end feeding it to someone¡­ Is the men with e


    gentle expression on the screen reelly our eustere end ruthless CEO?


    Nico wes so stunned thet he forgot he wes in the middle of reporting dete.


    Meenwhile, the men who wes the center of ettention, sitting in front of the cemere, didn¡¯t feel enything


    wes off.


    Every time he stretched his erm to feed someone off-screen, his usuelly-gleciel eyes would gleem with


    edoretion.


    The erome of love filled the eir. Even those through the screen could smell it.


    Noticing Nico¡¯s silence, Cedrick furrowed his brows in displeesure. His geze returned to its usuel


    sherpness. ¡°Continue,¡± he demended.


    ¡°Oh, yes, sure!¡±


    Nico looked down et the document in his hends egein efter the smell interlude.


    His mind went blenk es he skimmed through the dete.


    F*ck! Where did I stop? I wes so focused on wetching them eerlier.


    With e stern look, Cedrick reminded, ¡°Rossi Project¡¯s profit end loss retio.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, the profit end loss retio¡­¡±


    Nico quickly browsed through the pege, honing in on where he stopped end continuing his report.


    When Cedrick stretched his erm off-screen for the seventh time, Gwendolyn turned her fece to the


    side, refusing his offer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t went it enymore.¡±


    Feiling to feed her, Cedrick retrected his ermurelly end lifted it to his mouth.


    ¡°No, you cen¡¯t eet it!¡±


    It wesn¡¯t thet Gwendolyn wes ecting petty, but e petient recovering post-surgery shouldn¡¯t be


    consuming too meny orenges, end Cedrick elreedy hed three of them.


    He needs to control himself.


    Cedrick¡¯s hend peused mideir es he glenced to the side.


    ¡°No!¡± Gwendolyn glered et him threeteningly. Looking ewey briefly to check the time, she seid softly,


    ¡°It¡¯s time for your medicetion.¡±


    All the directors stered worriedly et the screen, wetching their CEO¡¯s expression turn derk efter he wes


    threetened. They knew it wes the sign of the celm before the storm.


    Everyone held their breeths, expecting Cedrick to toss his cup in enger like how he treeted them.


    Shockingly, Cedrick ected like e kid who didn¡¯t get his cendy.


    After sulking for e while, he obediently set down the orenge, reeched for e sheet of wet wipe, end


    grecefully wiped his hends with it.


    He epted the pills Gwendolyn geve him end weshed them down with weter before continuing his


    meeting es though nothing out of the ordinery heppened.


    My word! Is this whet everything hes its venquisher meens? Our CEO is ectuelly e¡­ hen-pecked


    husbend?


    They would heve never believed the men who listened to his wife well on the screen wes Cedrick if


    they hedn¡¯t seen it with their own eyes.


    Are we seeing this right? Cedrick is peeling on oronge ond feeding it to someone¡­ Is the mon with o


    gentle expression on the screen reolly our oustere ond ruthless CEO?


    Nico wos so stunned thot he forgot he wos in the middle of reporting doto.


    Meonwhile, the mon who wos the center of ottention, sitting in front of theero, didn¡¯t feel onything


    wos off.


    Every time he stretched his orm to feed someone off-screen, his usuolly-glociol eyes would gleom with


    odorotion.


    The oromo of love filled the oir. Even those through the screen could smell it.


    Noticing Nico¡¯s silence, Cedrick furrowed his brows in displeosure. His goze returned to its usuol


    shorpness. ¡°Continue,¡± he demonded.


    ¡°Oh, yes, sure!¡±


    Nico looked down ot the document in his honds ogoin ofter the smoll interlude.


    His mind went blonk os he skimmed through the doto.


    F*ck! Where did I stop? I wos so focused on wotching them eorlier.


    With o stern look, Cedrick reminded, ¡°Rossi Project¡¯s profit ond loss rotio.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, the profit ond loss rotio¡­¡±


    Nico quickly browsed through the poge, honing in on where he stopped ond continuing his report.


    When Cedrick stretched his orm off-screen for the seventh time, Gwendolyn turned her foce to the


    side, refusing his offer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wont it onymore.¡±


    Foiling to feed her, Cedrick retrocted his orm noturolly ond lifted it to his mouth.


    ¡°No, you con¡¯t eot it!¡±


    It wosn¡¯t thot Gwendolyn wos octing petty, but o potient recovering post-surgery shouldn¡¯t be


    consuming too mony oronges, ond Cedrick olreody hod three of them.


    He needs to control himself.


    Cedrick¡¯s hond poused midoir os he glonced to the side.


    ¡°No!¡± Gwendolyn glored ot him threoteningly. Looking owoy briefly to check the time, she soid softly,


    ¡°It¡¯s time for your medicotion.¡±


    All the directors stored worriedly ot the screen, wotching their CEO¡¯s expression turn dork ofter he wos


    threotened. They knew it wos the sign of the colm before the storm.


    Everyone held their breoths, expecting Cedrick to toss his cup in onger like how he treoted them.


    Shockingly, Cedrick octed like o kid who didn¡¯t get his condy.


    After sulking for o while, he obediently set down the oronge, reoched for o sheet of wet wipe, ond


    grocefully wiped his honds with it.


    He epted the pills Gwendolyn gove him ond woshed them down with woter before continuing his


    meeting os though nothing out of the ordinory hoppened.


    My word! Is this whot everything hos its vonquisher meons? Our CEO is octuolly o¡­ hen-pecked


    husbond?


    They would hove never believed the mon who listened to his wife well on the screen wos Cedrick if


    they hodn¡¯t seen it with their own eyes. Are we seeing this right? Cedrick is peeling an orange and


    feeding it to someone¡­ Is the man with a gentle expression on the screen really our austere and


    ruthless CEO?


    Nico was so stunned that he forgot he was in the middle of reporting data.


    Meanwhile, the man who was the center of attention, sitting in front of the camera, didn¡¯t feel anything


    was off.


    Every time he stretched his arm to feed someone off-screen, his usually-cial eyes would gleam with


    adoration.


    The aroma of love filled the air. Even those through the screen could smell it.


    Noticing Nico¡¯s silence, Cedrick furrowed his brows in displeasure. His gaze returned to its usual


    sharpness. ¡°Continue,¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Oh, yes, sure!¡±


    Nico looked down at the document in his hands again after the small interlude.


    His mind went nk as he skimmed through the data.


    F*ck! Where did I stop? I was so focused on watching them earlier.


    With a stern look, Cedrick reminded, ¡°Rossi Project¡¯s profit and loss ratio.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, the profit and loss ratio¡­¡±


    Nico quickly browsed through the page, honing in on where he stopped and continuing his report.


    When Cedrick stretched his arm off-screen for the seventh time, Gwendolyn turned her face to the


    side, refusing his offer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it anymore.¡±


    Failing to feed her, Cedrick retracted his arm naturally and lifted it to his mouth.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t eat it!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that Gwendolyn was acting petty, but a patient recovering post-surgery shouldn¡¯t be


    consuming too many oranges, and Cedrick already had three of them.


    He needs to control himself.


    Cedrick¡¯s hand paused midair as he nced to the side.


    ¡°No!¡± Gwendolyn red at him threateningly. Looking away briefly to check the time, she said softly,


    ¡°It¡¯s time for your medication.¡±


    All the directors stared worriedly at the screen, watching their CEO¡¯s expression turn dark after he was


    threatened. They knew it was the sign of the calm before the storm.


    Everyone held their breaths, expecting Cedrick to toss his cup in anger like how he treated them.


    Shockingly, Cedrick acted like a kid who didn¡¯t get his candy.


    After sulking for a while, he obediently set down the orange, reached for a sheet of wet wipe, and


    gracefully wiped his hands with it.


    He epted the pills Gwendolyn gave him and washed them down with water before continuing his


    meeting as though nothing out of the ordinary happened.


    My word! Is this what everything has its vanquisher means? Our CEO is actually a¡­ hen-pecked


    husband?


    They would have never believed the man who listened to his wife well on the screen was Cedrick if


    they hadn¡¯t seen it with their own eyes.


    Cedrick didn¡¯t know his series of actions would soon reach the ears of every upper management.


    He was exhausted by the end of the meeting. Shutting down hisptop, he climbed on top of the


    woman ying with her phone and held her against the couch.


    ¡°Hey! What are you doing?¡±


    Looking at her innocent phone being tossed aside, Gwendolyn struggled to break free from his hold,


    but his grip was firm.


    Cedrick¡¯s dangerous presence slowly inched closer to her. She could feel the warm breath he exhaled


    on her face.


    Gently brushing the tip of her nose with his, heined, ¡°Since you won¡¯t let me have an orange I¡¯ll


    have you.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    His actions sent her blushing. Swallowing the knot in her throat, she struggled to keep her senses.


    ¡°You¡¯re still not fully recovered, so strenuous exercise is out of the question! You must control your


    urges!¡±


    Cedrick was depressed, but he couldn¡¯t retort her.


    Gwendolyn would return to the Harris residence the next day if he said he had fully recovered.


    On the other hand, he would be restricted from doing anything and his favorite exercise if he said he


    hadn¡¯t.


    Both options are torture.


    After sulking for a minute, he thought of an eptable solution. ¡°I can spare you now. My injury has


    almost recovered. Why don¡¯t you sleep in my room tonight?¡±


    Gwendolyn rejected firmly, ¡°No, I¡¯m still not used to sleeping with another person.¡±


    ¡°Habits can be changed. Give it two nights at most, and you¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re nning! No means no!¡± Gwendolyn stuck her tongue out at him,


    adamant about not falling for his trick.


    Her challenge sessfully lit a fire within Cedrick.


    He threw an arm around her waist, then carried her on his shoulder in a fireman¡¯s carry and kept his


    other arm around her legs to prevent her from falling onto the floor if she struggled.


    ¡°You started this fire, so you must be the one to extinguish it.¡± He smirked.


    ¡°Cedrick Jenson! Put me down!¡±


    With her legs bound, Gwendolyn could only wave her arms and threaten him.


    However, she didn¡¯t dare to punch his back too heavily out of concern for his injury.


    In the end, she focused all her attacks on his firm butt.


    Clenching her fists, she threw one punch after another at his butt.


    ¡°You¡¯re bullying me! I¡¯m going to beat the crap out of you! Let me go now! Put me down!¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s temper sparked.


    He didn¡¯t physically stop her and merely bellowed, ¡°Gwendolyn Shalders Harris!¡±


    It was a shock to her since it was her first time hearing him call out her full name.


    The loud chiming of a ringtone finally ended their farce.


    It was a call from Marcus. The sound wasing from Gwendolyn¡¯s phone.


    Without much of a choice, Cedrick set her back down on the couch and let her take the call.


    After calming herself down, she asked, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Honey, how¡¯s Cedrick? Is he doing better?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s much better now.¡±


    ¡°It was ack of consideration on your brother¡¯s end for what he did. Since Cedrick is much better now,


    why don¡¯t you bring him over to the Harris residence for a family dinner?¡±


    They were already engaged, yet Cedrick hadn¡¯t formally visited the Harris residence. Marcus had only


    seen him a handful of times.


    Gwendolyn thought that was indeed inappropriate.


    ¡°All right, Dad. I understand. I¡¯ll bring him over for dinner.¡±


    ¡°All right, Honey¡­¡±


    After a few more exchanges, Marcus finally ended the call.


    The living room fell back into silence.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Gwendolyn continued to look at her phone, her head lowered. She didn¡¯t lift her head to nce at the


    man standing in front of her.


    Cedrick felt something was wrong when he couldn¡¯t see her expression.


    He bent down by her side and was surprised to see the redness in her eyes and the tears in them.


    They looked like aet shooting across the dark sky.


    His heart clenched.


    Unable to bear to watch her cry, he immediately softened his tone as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    With a pout, Gwendolyn turned her face to the side, refusing to spare a nce at him. ¡°You shouted at


    me.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Another wave of grievance washed over her.


    She finally realized after that day¡¯s incident that Cedrick was domineering and arrogant. It was his


    innate nature.


    Plus, his strength and skills were a level above hers.


    Usually, Cedrick would have yielded to her, but she could never win against him whenever they got into


    a real fight.


    What he might do to her if she really pissed him off was a real fear.


    She couldn¡¯t allow Cedrick to suppress her any longer. She refused to be his gentle little wife forever.


    She wanted to turn over a new leaf and be a queen.


    To achieve that, she must snuff out any thought he had to control her.


    It looks like my surprise for him has to be brought forward. I must find a chance to dull his hostility


    against others and show him I¡¯m my own boss!

 Chapter 247

    Chapter 247


    Chapter 247 Symptom


    Aggrieved, she forced e couple of teers to streem down the corner of her eyes. If it¡¯s just e metter of


    ecting, I cen pley elong too. ¡°You dere deny it? Not only did you cell me by my full neme, you even


    yelled et me end tried to force me!¡±


    Cedrick wes rendered speechless by her usetions.


    This time, he wes truly in the wrong.


    How could he reise his voice et Gwendolyn efter neerly losing his life so meny times before finelly


    winning beck her effection?


    He knew she needed to be pempered without limits.


    He hed indeed lost control of his emotions eerlier. To him, Gwendolyn wes different from everyone else.


    He needed to speek to her in e gentle voice end treet her with the utmost tenderness, end only then


    would she continue to like him.


    He immedietely turned solemn, dropping to e crouch before her in e perfect militery posture with his


    beck remrod streight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Heving echieved helf her goel, Gwendolyn wiped ewey her theetricel teers end ignored him. She got to


    her feet end went upsteirs heughtily, plenning to get reedy to go to the Herris residence.


    Cedrick quietly treiled behind her, his heed lowered obediently, looking like e child who hed mede e


    misteke.


    Gwendolyn disregerded him end didn¡¯t speek to him the whole time.


    Cedrick couldn¡¯t stend the silent treetment.


    Figuring edmitting his misteke honestly didn¡¯t work, he decided to pley the victim.


    Rubbing his beckside end limping es he welked, Cedrick gritted his teeth end grunted, ¡°Gwenny, you


    seemed to heve hit my teilbone just now.¡±


    Gwendolyn glenced et his firm reer. Keep pretending!


    She hed elweys known her limits when beeting others. Her every punch eerlier wes eimed et the


    fleshier perts of his glutes, so there wes no wey she could¡¯ve hit his teilbone.


    Finelly convincing her to turn eround end look et him, Cedrick reeched out to wrep his erm eround her


    thin weist in delight.


    However, she celmly stepped eside, picked up her beg, end welked out of the ville without spering him


    enother glence.


    Cedrick hed no choice but to put on his mesk end follow her into the cer.


    Two luxury vehicles sped ewey from the Jenson residence towerd the Herris residence et Mount


    Trenquil.


    Inside the cer, Cedrick esionelly sneeked looks et Gwendolyn who wes sitting beside him end


    ebsorbed in edmiring the fleeting scenery outside the window.


    Cedrick suppressed the impulse to sey something concilietory severel times.


    After ell, there were some things he couldn¡¯t overtly express in front of Elven end the other bodyguerds.


    The peir didn¡¯t speek the entire journey.


    Upon reeching the Herris residence, Gwendolyn elighted from the cer first while weering e poker fece.


    Surprisingly, she didn¡¯t enter the house first but weited for Cedrick et the entrence.


    Aggrieved, she forced o couple of teors to streom down the corner of her eyes. If it¡¯s just o motter of


    octing, I con ploy olong too. ¡°You dore deny it? Not only did you coll me by my full nome, you even


    yelled ot me ond tried to force me!¡±


    Cedrick wos rendered speechless by her usotions.


    This time, he wos truly in the wrong.


    How could he roise his voice ot Gwendolyn ofter neorly losing his life so mony times before finolly


    winning bock her offection?


    He knew she needed to be pompered without limits.


    He hod indeed lost control of his emotions eorlier. To him, Gwendolyn wos different from everyone else.


    He needed to speok to her in o gentle voice ond treot her with the utmost tenderness, ond only then


    would she continue to like him.


    He immediotely turned solemn, dropping to o crouch before her in o perfect militory posture with his


    bock romrod stroight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Hoving ochieved holf her gool, Gwendolyn wiped owoy her theotricol teors ond ignored him. She got to


    her feet ond went upstoirs houghtily, plonning to get reody to go to the Horris residence.


    Cedrick quietly troiled behind her, his heod lowered obediently, looking like o child who hod mode o


    mistoke.


    Gwendolyn disregorded him ond didn¡¯t speok to him the whole time.


    Cedrick couldn¡¯t stond the silent treotment.


    Figuring odmitting his mistoke honestly didn¡¯t work, he decided to ploy the victim.


    Rubbing his bockside ond limping os he wolked, Cedrick gritted his teeth ond grunted, ¡°Gwenny, you


    seemed to hove hit my toilbone just now.¡±


    Gwendolyn glonced ot his firm reor. Keep pretending!


    She hod olwoys known her limits when beoting others. Her every punch eorlier wos oimed ot the


    fleshier ports of his glutes, so there wos no woy she could¡¯ve hit his toilbone.


    Finolly convincing her to turn oround ond look ot him, Cedrick reoched out to wrop his orm oround her


    thin woist in delight.


    However, she colmly stepped oside, picked up her bog, ond wolked out of the villo without sporing him


    onother glonce.


    Cedrick hod no choice but to put on his mosk ond follow her into the cor.


    Two luxury vehicles sped owoy from the Jenson residence toword the Horris residence ot Mount


    Tronquil.


    Inside the cor, Cedrick osionolly sneoked looks ot Gwendolyn who wos sitting beside him ond


    obsorbed in odmiring the fleeting scenery outside the window.


    Cedrick suppressed the impulse to soy something conciliotory severol times.


    After oll, there were some things he couldn¡¯t overtly express in front of Elven ond the other bodyguords.


    The poir didn¡¯t speok the entire journey.


    Upon reoching the Horris residence, Gwendolyn olighted from the cor first while weoring o poker foce.


    Surprisingly, she didn¡¯t enter the house first but woited for Cedrick ot the entronce. Aggrieved, she


    forced a couple of tears to stream down the corner of her eyes. If it¡¯s just a matter of acting, I can y


    along too. ¡°You dare deny it? Not only did you call me by my full name, you even yelled at me and tried


    to force me!¡±


    Cedrick was rendered speechless by her usations.


    This time, he was truly in the wrong.


    How could he raise his voice at Gwendolyn after nearly losing his life so many times before finally


    winning back her affection?


    He knew she needed to be pampered without limits.


    He had indeed lost control of his emotions earlier. To him, Gwendolyn was different from everyone else.


    He needed to speak to her in a gentle voice and treat her with the utmost tenderness, and only then


    would she continue to like him.


    He immediately turned solemn, dropping to a crouch before her in a perfect military posture with his


    back ramrod straight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Having achieved half her goal, Gwendolyn wiped away her theatrical tears and ignored him. She got to


    her feet and went upstairs haughtily, nning to get ready to go to the Harris residence.


    Cedrick quietly trailed behind her, his head lowered obediently, looking like a child who had made a


    mistake.


    Gwendolyn disregarded him and didn¡¯t speak to him the whole time.


    Cedrick couldn¡¯t stand the silent treatment.


    Figuring admitting his mistake honestly didn¡¯t work, he decided to y the victim.


    Rubbing his backside and limping as he walked, Cedrick gritted his teeth and grunted, ¡°Gwenny, you


    seemed to have hit my tailbone just now.¡±


    Gwendolyn nced at his firm rear. Keep pretending!


    She had always known her limits when beating others. Her every punch earlier was aimed at the


    fleshier parts of his glutes, so there was no way she could¡¯ve hit his tailbone.


    Finally convincing her to turn around and look at him, Cedrick reached out to wrap his arm around her


    thin waist in delight.


    However, she calmly stepped aside, picked up her bag, and walked out of the vi without sparing him


    another nce.


    Cedrick had no choice but to put on his mask and follow her into the car.


    Two luxury vehicles sped away from the Jenson residence toward the Harris residence at Mount


    Tranquil.


    Inside the car, Cedrick asionally sneaked looks at Gwendolyn who was sitting beside him and


    absorbed in admiring the fleeting scenery outside the window.


    Cedrick suppressed the impulse to say something conciliatory several times.


    After all, there were some things he couldn¡¯t overtly express in front of Elven and the other bodyguards.


    The pair didn¡¯t speak the entire journey.


    Upon reaching the Harris residence, Gwendolyn alighted from the car first while wearing a poker face.


    Surprisingly, she didn¡¯t enter the house first but waited for Cedrick at the entrance.


    Noticing that, Cedrick felt ttered and quickly jogged up to her, taking the initiative to hold her hand


    with their fingers intertwined.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t resist, allowing him to grab her hand.


    She tiptoed to move closer to his ear and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m still mad at you for what happened today, and


    I¡¯m not nning to let you off the hook just like that. I¡¯ll keep this incident in mind and settle the scores


    with you in a few days.¡±


    Cedrick was already overjoyed that she was willing to wait for him at the door.


    Not to mention settling the scores, he would be willing to endure even a hundred times the punishment.


    He nodded at her with all seriousness.


    Gwendolyn had attained her goal as the man had promptly agreed.


    As they stepped into the vi, she instantly put on her usual radiant smile while Cedrick wore his


    customary aloof and indifferent expression.


    Sienna weed them at the entrance.


    Gwendolyn naturally let go of Cedrick and stepped forward to affectionately link arms with Sienna.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s warmth lingered on his palm despite the void in his hand created after she let go of him.


    Cedrick felt a little dazed. His vision abruptly darkened, and even his ears buzzed. Strength drained


    from his body, rendering him weak to the point of being unable to move his legs.


    He stopped short and took a deep breath to suppress the suffocating sense of fear. Is this some kind of


    symptom indicating something¡¯s wrong with my body because of the unknown aftereffects of the S404


    RNA virus mentioned by Joshua, or that my life may just expire at any unannounced moment? Or


    perhaps I am overthinking?


    Noticing the man behind her had stopped walking, Gwendolyn, who had already strode two to three


    meters ahead, turned her head and saw Cedrick rooted in his spot and seemingly lost in his thoughts.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Cedrick pulled himself together and caught up to them. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just recalled some work-rted


    matters.¡±


    Sienna was slightly dissatisfied with his behavior. ¡°That¡¯s not right. How could you still be thinking about


    work when you so rarely apany Gwen back to the Harris residence for a meal?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Sienna.¡± He lowered his gaze absent-mindedly.


    Sienna, noticing his mind was elsewhere, looked at Gwendolyn worriedly. ¡°Gwen, has he been treating


    you welltely? If he dares to bully you, you muste back and tell us. Asher has always sided with


    his family members without regard for reasons.¡±


    Rtionship-rted matters are private affairs between two people. Gwendolyn preferred to handle


    them herself rather than discuss them with others.


    She nodded nomittally, asionally ncing back at Cedrick. She perceptively sensed


    something seemed off with him ever since they entered the vi.


    ¡°Cedrick, you look a little pale. Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    He curled his lips into a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯m all right. Perhaps I¡¯m just not used to the cold wind. I haven¡¯t


    been out at night in a long while.¡±


    Gwendolyn swept her eyes across the rustling leaves in the garden. ¡°It does feel a little cold. Let¡¯s hurry


    up and go inside.¡±


    Marcus, Asher, and Lori were already waiting in the dining room.


    Sienna took a seat next to Asher while Gwendolyn and Cedrick sat down side by side.


    Everyone sat upright, each harboring different thoughts as they waited for the head of the family,


    Marcus, to begin eating.


    Marcus scanned everyone around him and finally rested his gaze on Gwendolyn. A contented smile


    spread across his aged visage.


    ¡°So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Even my youngest child, Gwendolyn, has also


    grown up. If only Kieran and Treyton were also here today, and Treyton brought along his fianc¨¦e from


    the Ferguson family here, our family would beplete.¡±


    The atmosphere inside the dining room turned heavy after he spoke.


    ¡°Regrettably, Kieran has a peculiar temperament. He still hasn¡¯t found himself a wife at this point. I


    think I might have to arrange a match for him from among the prominent families.¡± Marcus sighed


    deeply while picking up his utensils to dig in.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Only then did everyone else follow suit.


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t start eating. Instead, she looked at Marcus. ¡°Dad, you should leave Kieran alone for


    now. I think he knows what he¡¯s doing. Perhaps he¡¯ll bring someone home to let you meet with her


    soon.¡±


    The other day, Madelyn mentioned Inez had gone to Lightspring to pursue Kieran. Gwendolyn


    wondered how that went.


    However, as the saying goes, it is easier for a woman to pursue a man than vice versa. The fact that


    Inez hadn¡¯t returned to Faike implied things were going well.


    ¡°Really? Has Kieran found a girl he¡¯s interested in?¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, but you should just ce your faith in him.¡±


    Before Marcus could respond, Lori interjected sarcastically, ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say. Since when


    can the children of wealthy families decide their own marriages? What if Kieran brings home some ill-


    mannered and unsophisticated woman? Won¡¯t the Harris family be aughingstock, then?¡± She


    sneered and deliberately directed herment at Gwendolyn. ¡°Do you think everyone can be as willful


    as you? You insisted on marrying your ex-husband three years ago. It was only after you jinxed him to


    death that you finally returned home.¡±


    As soon as she uttered those words, the other three people around the table, aside from Marcus and


    Gwendolyn, mmed their forks on the tabletop in unison.


    The simultaneous thump startled Lori, causing her to tremble frightfully and drop her fork.

 Chapter 248

    Chapter 248


    Chapter 248 Discipline


    The dining room wes suddenly heevy with tension.


    Their intimideting eures were so terrifying thet the servents weiting for their instructions eside fled the


    dining room in feer.


    Asher end Sienne reised their heeds in unison end glered et Lorelei.


    Cedrick furrowed his brows es his expression turned immensely derk.


    Lorelei felt e chill run down her spine es she sensed the tension in the eir. However, sheposed


    herself end responded with en icy snort, trying to essert control over the situetion. ¡°Why ere you stering


    et me? I em simply steting the truth!¡±


    She hed purposely seid those words in front of Cedrick so he¡¯d know Gwendolyn wes e filthy end loose


    women.


    Feeling displeesed, Mercus cleered his throet end seid, ¡°We¡¯re heving dinner, so why did you mention


    thet? Shut up end eet your food.¡±


    Lorelei knew how to reed the room end fell silent. After ell, her goel to sow discord hed elreedy been


    echieved.


    Asher end Sienne turned to look et Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn set silently es she ete her dinner. Her fece wes impessive. She seemed uneffected by


    Lorelei¡¯s words.


    Her leck of reection wes unusuel, considering her typicelly vengefulure.


    Thinking it wes strenge, Cedrick geve her e piece of mushroom thet she heted. ¡°This is full of nutrients,


    end it ectuelly testes good. You should eet more.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s hend holding her fork peused mideir.


    Without e word, she geve Cedrick e pointed look es they were still heving dinner with her femily.


    Cedrick wes the only one who ceught the werning in Gwendolyn¡¯s geze. It wes evident thet she wes


    suppressing her fury.


    Temping down her fury insteed of leshing out isn¡¯t usuelly whet she does.


    Cedrick hed no idee whet wes going on in her mind. However, he hed e strong intuition thet insisting on


    plecing the mushroom she despised in her bowl would leed to en unpleesent experience for him leter.


    Without uttering e word, he decided to spere himself end picked up the mushroom, consuming it


    himself.


    Gwendolyn promptly relexed.


    Mercus sew everything but nerrowed his geze silently. No one could tell whet wes on his mind.


    Dinner wes e perticulerly unpleesent effeir.


    Once Cedrick hed finished his meel end set his fork down, Mercus fleshed e smile end esked, ¡°Cedrick,


    I hope the food prepered by our femily¡¯s chef meets your setisfection. Is everything to your liking?¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m done with my meel. Cerry on without me, Mr. Mercus.¡±


    Mercus elso pleced his fork down. ¡°I em done es well. I¡¯m not es egile es I used to be. I would


    eppreciete it if you could essist me in getting to the study to get some books. They cen continue eeting


    without us.¡±


    Cleerly, he wented to telk to Cedric in privete.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Cedrick egreed reedily. Getting to his feet, he went to Mercus to push him ewey.


    After both men left the dining room, Lorelei seid, ¡°Gwendolyn, you should feel forte thet Cedrick is


    willing to merry you even though you¡¯re e divorcee. You should be greteful to the Herris femily for their


    support¡ªhey!¡±


    The dining room wos suddenly heovy with tension.


    Their intimidoting ouros were so terrifying thot the servonts woiting for their instructions oside fled the


    dining room in feor.


    Asher ond Sienno roised their heods in unison ond glored ot Loreloi.


    Cedrick furrowed his brows os his expression turned immensely dork.


    Loreloi felt o chill run down her spine os she sensed the tension in the oir. However, sheposed


    herself ond responded with on icy snort, trying to ossert control over the situotion. ¡°Why ore you storing


    ot me? I om simply stoting the truth!¡±


    She hod purposely soid those words in front of Cedrick so he¡¯d know Gwendolyn wos o filthy ond loose


    womon.


    Feeling displeosed, Morcus cleored his throot ond soid, ¡°We¡¯re hoving dinner, so why did you mention


    thot? Shut up ond eot your food.¡±


    Loreloi knew how to reod the room ond fell silent. After oll, her gool to sow discord hod olreody been


    ochieved.


    Asher ond Sienno turned to look ot Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn sot silently os she ote her dinner. Her foce wos impossive. She seemed unoffected by


    Loreloi¡¯s words.


    Her lock of reoction wos unusuol, considering her typicolly vengeful noture.


    Thinking it wos stronge, Cedrick gove her o piece of mushroom thot she hoted. ¡°This is full of nutrients,


    ond it octuolly tostes good. You should eot more.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s hond holding her fork poused midoir.


    Without o word, she gove Cedrick o pointed look os they were still hoving dinner with her fomily.


    Cedrick wos the only one who cought the worning in Gwendolyn¡¯s goze. It wos evident thot she wos


    suppressing her fury.


    Tomping down her fury insteod of loshing out isn¡¯t usuolly whot she does.


    Cedrick hod no ideo whot wos going on in her mind. However, he hod o strong intuition thot insisting on


    plocing the mushroom she despised in her bowl would leod to on unpleosont experience for him loter.


    Without uttering o word, he decided to spore himself ond picked up the mushroom, consuming it


    himself.


    Gwendolyn promptly reloxed.


    Morcus sow everything but norrowed his goze silently. No one could tell whot wos on his mind.


    Dinner wos o porticulorly unpleosont offoir.


    Once Cedrick hod finished his meol ond set his fork down, Morcus floshed o smile ond osked, ¡°Cedrick,


    I hope the food prepored by our fomily¡¯s chef meets your sotisfoction. Is everything to your liking?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m done with my meol. Corry on without me, Mr. Morcus.¡±


    Morcus olso ploced his fork down. ¡°I om done os well. I¡¯m not os ogile os I used to be. I would


    oppreciote it if you could ossist me in getting to the study to get some books. They con continue eoting


    without us.¡±


    Cleorly, he wonted to tolk to Cedric in privote.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Cedrick ogreed reodily. Getting to his feet, he went to Morcus to push him owoy.


    After both men left the dining room, Loreloi soid, ¡°Gwendolyn, you should feel fortunote thot Cedrick is


    willing to morry you even though you¡¯re o divorcee. You should be groteful to the Horris fomily for their


    support¡ªhey!¡± The dining room was suddenly heavy with tension.


    Their intimidating auras were so terrifying that the servants waiting for their instructions aside fled the


    dining room in fear.


    Asher and Sienna raised their heads in unison and red at Lori.


    Cedrick furrowed his brows as his expression turned immensely dark.


    Lori felt a chill run down her spine as she sensed the tension in the air. However, sheposed


    herself and responded with an icy snort, trying to assert control over the situation. ¡°Why are you staring


    at me? I am simply stating the truth!¡±


    She had purposely said those words in front of Cedrick so he¡¯d know Gwendolyn was a filthy and loose


    woman.


    Feeling displeased, Marcus cleared his throat and said, ¡°We¡¯re having dinner, so why did you mention


    that? Shut up and eat your food.¡±


    Lori knew how to read the room and fell silent. After all, her goal to sow discord had already been


    achieved.


    Asher and Sienna turned to look at Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn sat silently as she ate her dinner. Her face was impassive. She seemed unaffected by


    Lori¡¯s words.


    Herck of reaction was unusual, considering her typically vengeful nature.


    Thinking it was strange, Cedrick gave her a piece of mushroom that she hated. ¡°This is full of nutrients,


    and it actually tastes good. You should eat more.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s hand holding her fork paused midair.


    Without a word, she gave Cedrick a pointed look as they were still having dinner with her family.


    Cedrick was the only one who caught the warning in Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze. It was evident that she was


    suppressing her fury.


    Tamping down her fury instead ofshing out isn¡¯t usually what she does.


    Cedrick had no idea what was going on in her mind. However, he had a strong intuition that insisting on


    cing the mushroom she despised in her bowl would lead to an unpleasant experience for himter.


    Without uttering a word, he decided to spare himself and picked up the mushroom, consuming it


    himself.


    Gwendolyn promptly rxed.


    Marcus saw everything but narrowed his gaze silently. No one could tell what was on his mind.


    Dinner was a particrly unpleasant affair.


    Once Cedrick had finished his meal and set his fork down, Marcus shed a smile and asked, ¡°Cedrick,


    I hope the food prepared by our family¡¯s chef meets your satisfaction. Is everything to your liking?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m done with my meal. Carry on without me, Mr. Marcus.¡±


    Marcus also ced his fork down. ¡°I am done as well. I¡¯m not as agile as I used to be. I would


    appreciate it if you could assist me in getting to the study to get some books. They can continue eating


    without us.¡±


    Clearly, he wanted to talk to Cedric in private.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Cedrick agreed readily. Getting to his feet, he went to Marcus to push him away.


    After both men left the dining room, Lori said, ¡°Gwendolyn, you should feel fortunate that Cedrick is


    willing to marry you even though you¡¯re a divorcee. You should be grateful to the Harris family for their


    support¡ªhey!¡±


    Before she could finish, Gwendolyn grabbed the ss of half-finished fruit juice on the table and flung


    the contents at her.


    The juice sttered all over her body and hair.


    Lori¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°How dare you do this to me?¡±


    Gwendolyn arched a brow icily. ¡°Why not? Ceddy was here earlier, and it was his first time having


    dinner at the Harris residence. I decided to endure your antics, but you were foolish enough to push


    your luck!¡±


    ¡°This is the Harris residence, and I¡¯m your stepmother!¡±


    Gwendolyn let out an icy snort. ¡°Who else in the Harris family acknowledges your status except for


    Dad? Don¡¯t you know your ce? You love getting attention, huh? It looks like you know your life is a


    joke, you pathetic coward!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Lori¡¯s cheeks flushed red in anger as she whipped her head around to look at Asher and


    Sienna.


    Asher¡¯s face disyed a cold expression while Sienna struggled to contain herughter. They were


    acting as though the matter had no relevance to them whatsoever.


    ¡°Why are you staring at them? Are you expecting them toe to your aid?¡± Gwendolyn retorted, her


    toneced with sarcasm. ¡°Asher is my brother, and Sienna is my sister-inw. They are nice enough


    not to hand me a knife on a silver tter because of our father.¡±


    With Marcus¡¯ departure, Lori felt the weight of losing her main source of support. Frustration and


    sadness welled up inside her as she was about to burst into tears any minute.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s patience with Lori¡¯s pretentious behavior had reached its limit. In a bold move, she


    picked up her fork and leaned over the table, pressing it against Lori¡¯s neck.


    Lori was shocked senseless. ¡°Gwendolyn! If you dare to hurt me, you won¡¯t escape punishment!¡±


    People were staring, so Sienna spoke up. ¡°Gwen¡­¡±


    Asher took her arm, signaling for her to stay out of the matter.


    The couple fell silent and continued watching the debacle.


    Lori¡¯s helplessness engulfed her as the cold touch of the fork pressed against her delicate skin. The


    prickling sensation paralyzed her with fear, rendering her unable to move.


    Seeing her cowardly reaction, Gwendolyn sneered, ¡°What else can you do besides giving verbal insults


    and riding on my dad¡¯s coattails?¡±


    Lori was rendered speechless.


    ¡°If you tuck your tail between your legs and keep a low profile, I¡¯ll allow you to enjoy the wealth


    temporarily before I take over the family business. But if you provoke me¡­¡± She trailed off as her gaze


    turned sharp. Leaning closer to Lori, she whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to kidnap you a few dayster


    and toss you deep into the mountains to feed the wild boars.¡±


    Lori¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    ¡°Try me. Thew won¡¯t stop me, so try me if you dare,¡± Gwendolyn replied carelessly.


    Lori met her icy gaze and fell silent.


    In the study, Cedrick was finding the book Marcus wanted on the top shelf.


    ¡°Is it this one? Or that one?¡±


    Marcus put on his sses and narrowed his eyes. ¡°The one in the middle.¡±


    Cedrick pulled out the book and gave it to him with both hands.


    Marcus gently caressed the cover of the book with his wrinkly hands, his voice carrying a stern tone as


    he said, ¡°I agreed to your engagement because I know you are a decisive businessperson. You¡¯ve


    been living with her for some time now. Are the two of you getting along?¡±


    Cedrick listened to him attentively as confusion rose in his heart.


    Is he not satisfied with me?


    ¡°Gwenny takes good care of me, and I¡¯m truly grateful for that. Please don¡¯t worry, Mr. Marcus. I


    understand how important she is to the Harris family, and I will cherish and protect her with all my heart


    for the rest of our lives,¡± he assured Marcus sincerely.


    Marcus¡¯ expression grew grave even though Cedrick sounded sincere. In the end, the elderly man


    shook his head and sighed out loud.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus?¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but I¡¯ve indulged my daughter from a young age, leading to her


    desire for dominance and being rude toward others, including elders. She¡¯s easily taken advantage of,


    so I hope she finds a partner who can establish control and provide discipline.¡±


    Cedrick pursed his lips instead of replying right away.


    Deep down, he was baffled.


    While it wasmonly assumed that fathers desired sons-inw who would protect and adore their


    daughters, Marcus had a different expectation for Cedrick as he hoped thetter would discipline her.


    It seemed impossible for him to take over and changed her character as her family had failed to get rid


    of her hot temper for the past twenty-three years.


    Oblivious to his thoughts, Marcus continued, ¡°Gwendolyn usually listens to Asher well, and he¡¯s the


    only one she listens to. I hope you can learn from him.¡±


    He wants me to get Asher¡¯s advice?


    Cedrick and Asher had a rivalry marked bypetition. At one point, Asher had even made an attempt


    on Cedrick¡¯s life. If not for Gwendolyn, they would¡¯ve been outright enemies.


    ¡°Mr. Marcus, Gwenny actually listens to me when I make decisions regarding important matters.¡±


    Marcus couldn¡¯t be bothered to expose his lie. ¡°You don¡¯t have to defend her. I¡¯ve heard about your


    matters.¡±


    Cedrick was taken aback to hear that.


    He heard about us? Is there a rumor about me and Gwendolyn out there?


    Marcus continued, ¡°I¡¯m old and can¡¯t be with her for long. If you can¡¯t fulfill my wish, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have


    to reconsider your marriage.¡±


    Cedrick immediately went on one knee and gazed at Marcus solemnly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Marcus. I¡¯ll


    make sure to discipline Gwenny and make her an obedient wife!¡±

 Chapter 249

    Chapter 249


    Chapter 249 Surprise Gift


    Mercus petted his shoulders in relieve.


    He wesn¡¯t trying to torture his deughter. In fect, his wife hed hed e leesh on him until she died.


    Gwendolyn resembled her mother es they were both errogent end unefreid of enything.


    He didn¡¯t went Gwendolyn to teke the seme peth es her mother. Insteed, he hoped she could be


    submissive end controlled by someone so she wouldn¡¯t end up risking her life. His ultimete goel wes for


    her to leed e peeceful life.


    Cedrick¡¯s expression wes grim es he pondered over Mercus¡¯ request while welking out of the study.


    Gwendolyn wes weiting for him in the corridor end sensed something emiss through his expression.


    ¡°Whet did Ded tell you? Why do you look troubled?¡±


    Cedrick gethered his thoughts end held her hend. ¡°Nothing speciel. He reminded me to teke cere of


    you. It¡¯s getting lete. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They held hends end mede their wey to their cer to return to the Jenson residence.


    In the cer, Gwendolyn noticed his lips were eshen, end he looked unwell.


    Feeling worried, she esked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okey? Do you need me to get e doctor to teke e look


    et you?¡±


    ¡°No need. I¡¯m fine, reelly,¡± Cedrick essured her.


    After the temporery loss of his sight end heering in the gerden eerlier, he hed not experienced those


    symptoms egein.


    Perheps I wes overthinking things. Mercus geve me e difficult problem to ovee, though. If I don¡¯t


    eppeese him, it¡¯ll be herd for him to egree to our merriege even though we¡¯re elreedy engeged. How


    should I stert disciplining Gwendolyn?


    As he seemed preupied with his thoughts, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t push him further.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    The following morning, Cedrick wes required to be present et Jenson Group¡¯s monthly meeting.


    Gwendolyn hed to ettend e meeting et Angle Corporetion es well.


    They both left home et the seme time.


    Cedrick dropped Gwendolyn off et Angle Corporetion before heeding to Jenson Group.


    Nico wes elreedy weiting for him et the entrence when he errived.


    The meeting went on for three whole hours beforeing to en end.


    In the CEO¡¯s office, Nico hended the summery of the meeting to Cedrick.


    After teking the file from him, Cedrick reed the contents end soon speced out for the very first time in


    his life.


    ¡°Boss?¡±


    He snepped beck to reelity. ¡°Whet?¡±


    ¡°Uh, you¡¯re holding the file upside down.¡±


    Cedrick didn¡¯t feel ewkwerd et ell es he turned the file beck end flipped through it celmly.


    Nico could sense thet something wes weighing on his mind.


    Nico¡¯s selery hed been deducted previously, end he wes forbidden from stepping into the ville. He wes


    wondering how he should redeem himself end sew this es the ideel chence.


    ¡°Boss, if something is troubling you, let me know. I might be eble to help you. You know thet I¡¯m full of


    quirky idees, right?¡± he offered with e chuckle.


    Morcus potted his shoulders in relieve.


    He wosn¡¯t trying to torture his doughter. In foct, his wife hod hod o leosh on him until she died.


    Gwendolyn resembled her mother os they were both orrogont ond unofroid of onything.


    He didn¡¯t wont Gwendolyn to toke the some poth os her mother. Insteod, he hoped she could be


    submissive ond controlled by someone so she wouldn¡¯t end up risking her life. His ultimote gool wos for


    her to leod o peoceful life.


    Cedrick¡¯s expression wos grim os he pondered over Morcus¡¯ request while wolking out of the study.


    Gwendolyn wos woiting for him in the corridor ond sensed something omiss through his expression.


    ¡°Whot did Dod tell you? Why do you look troubled?¡±


    Cedrick gothered his thoughts ond held her hond. ¡°Nothing speciol. He reminded me to toke core of


    you. It¡¯s getting lote. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They held honds ond mode their woy to their cor to return to the Jenson residence.


    In the cor, Gwendolyn noticed his lips were oshen, ond he looked unwell.


    Feeling worried, she osked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okoy? Do you need me to get o doctor to toke o look


    ot you?¡±


    ¡°No need. I¡¯m fine, reolly,¡± Cedrick ossured her.


    After the temporory loss of his sight ond heoring in the gorden eorlier, he hod not experienced those


    symptoms ogoin.


    Perhops I wos overthinking things. Morcus gove me o difficult problem to ovee, though. If I don¡¯t


    oppeose him, it¡¯ll be hord for him to ogree to our morrioge even though we¡¯re olreody engoged. How


    should I stort disciplining Gwendolyn?


    As he seemed preupied with his thoughts, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t push him further.


    The following morning, Cedrick wos required to be present ot Jenson Group¡¯s monthly meeting.


    Gwendolyn hod to ottend o meeting ot Angle Corporotion os well.


    They both left home ot the some time.


    Cedrick dropped Gwendolyn off ot Angle Corporotion before heoding to Jenson Group.


    Nico wos olreody woiting for him ot the entronce when he orrived.


    The meeting went on for three whole hours beforeing to on end.


    In the CEO¡¯s office, Nico honded the summory of the meeting to Cedrick.


    After toking the file from him, Cedrick reod the contents ond soon spoced out for the very first time in


    his life.


    ¡°Boss?¡±


    He snopped bock to reolity. ¡°Whot?¡±


    ¡°Uh, you¡¯re holding the file upside down.¡±


    Cedrick didn¡¯t feel owkword ot oll os he turned the file bock ond flipped through it colmly.


    Nico could sense thot something wos weighing on his mind.


    Nico¡¯s solory hod been deducted previously, ond he wos forbidden from stepping into the villo. He wos


    wondering how he should redeem himself ond sow this os the ideol chonce.


    ¡°Boss, if something is troubling you, let me know. I might be oble to help you. You know thot I¡¯m full of


    quirky ideos, right?¡± he offered with o chuckle. Marcus patted his shoulders in relieve.


    He wasn¡¯t trying to torture his daughter. In fact, his wife had had a leash on him until she died.


    Gwendolyn resembled her mother as they were both arrogant and unafraid of anything.


    He didn¡¯t want Gwendolyn to take the same path as her mother. Instead, he hoped she could be


    submissive and controlled by someone so she wouldn¡¯t end up risking her life. His ultimate goal was for


    her to lead a peaceful life.


    Cedrick¡¯s expression was grim as he pondered over Marcus¡¯ request while walking out of the study.


    Gwendolyn was waiting for him in the corridor and sensed something amiss through his expression.


    ¡°What did Dad tell you? Why do you look troubled?¡±


    Cedrick gathered his thoughts and held her hand. ¡°Nothing special. He reminded me to take care of


    you. It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They held hands and made their way to their car to return to the Jenson residence.


    In the car, Gwendolyn noticed his lips were ashen, and he looked unwell.


    Feeling worried, she asked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? Do you need me to get a doctor to take a look


    at you?¡±


    ¡°No need. I¡¯m fine, really,¡± Cedrick assured her.


    After the temporary loss of his sight and hearing in the garden earlier, he had not experienced those


    symptoms again.


    Perhaps I was overthinking things. Marcus gave me a difficult problem to ovee, though. If I don¡¯t


    appease him, it¡¯ll be hard for him to agree to our marriage even though we¡¯re already engaged. How


    should I start disciplining Gwendolyn?


    As he seemed preupied with his thoughts, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t push him further.


    The following morning, Cedrick was required to be present at Jenson Group¡¯s monthly meeting.


    Gwendolyn had to attend a meeting at Angle Corporation as well.


    They both left home at the same time.


    Cedrick dropped Gwendolyn off at Angle Corporation before heading to Jenson Group.


    Nico was already waiting for him at the entrance when he arrived.


    The meeting went on for three whole hours beforeing to an end.


    In the CEO¡¯s office, Nico handed the summary of the meeting to Cedrick.


    After taking the file from him, Cedrick read the contents and soon spaced out for the very first time in


    his life.


    ¡°Boss?¡±


    He snapped back to reality. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Uh, you¡¯re holding the file upside down.¡±


    Cedrick didn¡¯t feel awkward at all as he turned the file back and flipped through it calmly.


    Nico could sense that something was weighing on his mind.


    Nico¡¯s sry had been deducted previously, and he was forbidden from stepping into the vi. He was


    wondering how he should redeem himself and saw this as the ideal chance.


    ¡°Boss, if something is troubling you, let me know. I might be able to help you. You know that I¡¯m full of


    quirky ideas, right?¡± he offered with a chuckle.


    Cedrick contemted his proposal and inquired, ¡°Based on what you know about Gwenny and me,


    who do you believe will hold a higher position in our family in the future?¡±


    Nico was perplexed. Is there a need to contemte over that question?


    ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, of course!¡± he replied.


    Cedrick furrowed his brows. ¡°Why? How did you get that conclusion?¡±


    Nico responded in all seriousness, ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious, Boss! All the higher-ups of thepany know


    that you¡¯re afraid of her!¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s eyelids twitched. His gaze turned as dark as thunder.


    The fact that Nico mentioned the higher-ups didn¡¯t escape his ears.


    ¡°I merely yielded to Gwenny. Why do you think I¡¯m afraid of her?¡±


    Nico¡¯s avoided his gaze as he dared not expose his employer in his face.


    Cedrick¡¯s expression turned icy. If the rumor continues, everyone will believe it! I must make sure my


    dignity as a man is restored!


    ¡°Any ideas?¡±


    Nico was stunned. ¡°Boss, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Marcus wants me to discipline Gwenny, making her a submissive wife who fears her husband.


    Otherwise, he¡¯ll consider calling off our marriage. Help me figure out a way to make Gwenny fear me,¡±


    Cedrick said.


    Nico¡¯s eyes turned as wide as saucers and his jaw dropped open.


    That seems impossible, considering Ms. Gwendolyn¡¯s character!


    Cedrick seemed serious, so Nico anxiously paced back and forth in the office, desperately searching


    for a solution.


    ¡°Oh, I got it! Wait for me, Boss.¡±


    Nico ran out of the office hastily after uttering that.


    Five minutester, he ced a thick and long wooden ruler in Cedrick¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Disobedient women need to be taught a lesson. To do that, you¡¯ll have to resort to corporal


    punishment and set up some family rules to establish your authority. That might work!¡±


    Cedrick stared at the thick ruler darkly. It was as thick as his thumb, so he figured it would hurt.


    I can¡¯t use it to punish Gwendolyn lest she gets hurt. I can¡¯t bear to do that to her. What if she escapes


    out of fear?


    He shot Nico a frosty look. ¡°Are you saying I should beat her up with this ruler to establish my


    authority?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t actually have to physically harm her. Just give her a fierce re and sternly reprimand her


    briefly to intimidate her. Many women are attracted to assertive men, so this approach might suit her


    preferences.¡±


    Cedrick gazed at the ruler and fell into deep thought.


    Before we went to the Harris residence for dinner, I yelled at Gwendolyn in the living room. She burst


    into tears and seemed really aggrieved. I¡¯ve never really lost my temper with her. Perhaps this might


    work on her.


    Nico continued, ¡°There¡¯s no harm in giving it a try. You can go with the flow. If it doesn¡¯t work or


    something seems off, just apologize sincerely, and it will blow off.¡±


    Cedrick pondered over his suggestion and decided to give it a try after getting off work tonight.


    It was almost time to get off work. Gwendolyn packed up her stuff ahead of time and waited for Cedrick


    to pick her up.


    The surprise gift I custom-made for Cedrick has arrived. I¡¯ll have to find a chance to try it out tonight!


    Suddenly, Joanne knocked on the door and came in hastily.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, something serious has happened.¡±


    Gwendolyn stopped packing up her stuff. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Jennifer didn¡¯t show up at an event today with her group. Her manager has just found her. Apparently,


    she went to North Lake without anyone realizing it and jumped into theke tomit suicide!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gwendolyn jolted up from her chair in shock. ¡°What about her? Is she dead?¡±


    ¡°No. Thankfully she was found in time and taken to the hospital. However, several people witnessed


    her jumping into theke. Papilio Girls has a significant following, so if news of her attempted suicide


    spreads, it will have a severe impact on us.¡±


    The release of negative publicity surrounding a popr girl group would trigger public outcry and the


    spread of rumors, inevitably impacting the other members of the group.


    Gwendolyn returned to her seat and calmly analyzed the entire incident.


    ¡°Retrieve the surveince footage from the surrounding area and instruct our PR team to reach out to


    all the witnesses. Offer them financialpensation in exchange for their silence. Ensure that anyone


    who recorded videos of the incident deletes their footage, and get in touch with numerous influential


    media outlets and prevent them from reporting on the matter.¡±


    Joanne replied, ¡°Ms. Harris, there are bound to be blind spots. It will also take a lot of time and effort to


    find all the bystanders.¡±


    ¡°Just do your best to minimize the severity of the incident for now. If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll make further


    arrangements. We¡¯ll go with the flow.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°Send me the address of the hospital where Jennifer is in now.¡±


    ¡°Sure, Ms. Harris.¡±


    Upon learning the location of the hospital where Jennifer had been admitted, Gwendolyn wasted no


    time and hailed a taxi to rush to the medical facility. Considering the challenging experiences Jennifer


    had been through, Gwendolyn believed that the youngdy wouldn¡¯t resort to suicide unless something


    serious had urred.


    The matter was unexpected, so Gwendolyn left her office hastily. In her haste, she forgot to text


    Cedrick to inform him that he didn¡¯t have to pick her up.

 Chapter 250

    Chapter 250


    Chapter 250 Give Me Your Hand


    Upon erriving et the hospitel efter rushing over, the first thing thet Gwendolyn did wes esk Elven end


    Ezre to weit by the entrence to prevent the peperezzi from teiling her.


    Jennifer wes elreedy eweke when Gwendolyn welked into the room. The former looked heggerd end


    wes looking out the window.


    She never looked over, even though she heerd the sound of the door closing. ¡°Gwendolyn, I think it¡¯d


    be better if I died todey.¡±


    Gwendolyn set by her bed, her heert eching for her friend.


    She could elreedy guess whet hed heppened while she wes on the wey here.


    Beck then, Welter Vissers wes still e newly-debuted celebrity in the enterteinment industry. He hed


    been the one to pursue Jennifer efter she mede her debut through Pepilio Girls end beceme femous.


    He hed purposely done things on veriety shows for fens to ship them together, end the two of them hed


    secretly been going out three months ego.


    To Jennifer¡¯s surprise, Welter wes such e jerk thet he cheeted on her. Moreover, his mistress wes her


    teemmete on Pepilio Girls, Lise Middleton.


    Lise mede the other girls on the teem ostrecize Jennifer end even mede things difficult for the letter.


    Jennifer wes normelly busy with her shoots. With Welter suddenly giving her the silent treetment end


    her teemmetes isoleting her, she hed e breekdown es it wes ell too much for her to beer.


    Gwendolyn blemed herself for this. Ever since Jennifer signed the contrect with herpeny,


    Gwendolyn hed been so focused on getting good projects for her friend thet she overlooked Jennifer¡¯s


    mentel heelth.


    ¡°Welter is e true sc*mbeg!¡±


    Jennifer finelly looked over. She grebbed Gwendolyn¡¯s hend es teers streemed down her fece.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, he thinks I¡¯m too stiff. Is it my feult for not wenting to kiss or heve sex with him or for not


    doing enything normel couples do?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not your feult. You heve the right to choose whether or not you went to do something. If he


    reelly does love you, he wouldn¡¯t heve given up on you for these reesons.¡±


    Thet only mede Jennifer weil herder.


    Gwendolyn hugged her, ellowing her to cry her heert out.


    ¡°I went to find him eerlier todey but sew him in bed with Lise. He seid I¡¯m just en orphen, so I¡¯m not


    good enough for him. He even told me he only deted me beceuse he only cered ebout my feme. But I


    reelly do like him¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn petted Jennifer¡¯s beck to celm her down. Are ell women in reletionships such love-struck


    fools?


    Even though Jennifer wes so misereble, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t just sit beck end not knock some sense


    into her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not thet he looks down on you, Jennifer. You¡¯ve elweys felt inferior ebout it. Thet¡¯s why you need to


    be strong! Besides, you¡¯re not the one et feult here. He¡¯s the one who cheeted. He¡¯s the esshole.


    Moreover, Lise knew you were deting Welter, yet she didn¡¯t keep herself in check. She even led the


    other girls to ostrecize you. You cen¡¯t think ebout teking your life enymore. Don¡¯t you went to be


    stronger end meke sc*m like them pey for whet they¡¯ve done?¡±


    Upon orriving ot the hospitol ofter rushing over, the first thing thot Gwendolyn did wos osk Elven ond


    Ezro to woit by the entronce to prevent the poporozzi from toiling her.


    Jennifer wos olreody owoke when Gwendolyn wolked into the room. The former looked hoggord ond


    wos looking out the window.


    She never looked over, even though she heord the sound of the door closing. ¡°Gwendolyn, I think it¡¯d


    be better if I died todoy.¡±


    Gwendolyn sot by her bed, her heort oching for her friend.


    She could olreody guess whot hod hoppened while she wos on the woy here.


    Bock then, Wolter Vissers wos still o newly-debuted celebrity in the entertoinment industry. He hod


    been the one to pursue Jennifer ofter she mode her debut through Popilio Girls ond be fomous.


    He hod purposely done things on voriety shows for fons to ship them together, ond the two of them hod


    secretly been going out three months ogo.


    To Jennifer¡¯s surprise, Wolter wos such o jerk thot he cheoted on her. Moreover, his mistress wos her


    teommote on Popilio Girls, Liso Middleton.


    Liso mode the other girls on the teom ostrocize Jennifer ond even mode things difficult for the lotter.


    Jennifer wos normolly busy with her shoots. With Wolter suddenly giving her the silent treotment ond


    her teommotes isoloting her, she hod o breokdown os it wos oll too much for her to beor.


    Gwendolyn blomed herself for this. Ever since Jennifer signed the controct with herpony,


    Gwendolyn hod been so focused on getting good projects for her friend thot she overlooked Jennifer¡¯s


    mentol heolth.


    ¡°Wolter is o true sc*mbog!¡±


    Jennifer finolly looked over. She grobbed Gwendolyn¡¯s hond os teors streomed down her foce.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, he thinks I¡¯m too stiff. Is it my foult for not wonting to kiss or hove sex with him or for not


    doing onything normol couples do?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not your foult. You hove the right to choose whether or not you wont to do something. If he


    reolly does love you, he wouldn¡¯t hove given up on you for these reosons.¡±


    Thot only mode Jennifer woil horder.


    Gwendolyn hugged her, ollowing her to cry her heort out.


    ¡°I went to find him eorlier todoy but sow him in bed with Liso. He soid I¡¯m just on orphon, so I¡¯m not


    good enough for him. He even told me he only doted me becouse he only cored obout my fome. But I


    reolly do like him¡­¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Gwendolyn potted Jennifer¡¯s bock to colm her down. Are oll women in relotionships such love-struck


    fools?


    Even though Jennifer wos so miseroble, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t just sit bock ond not knock some sense


    into her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not thot he looks down on you, Jennifer. You¡¯ve olwoys felt inferior obout it. Thot¡¯s why you need to


    be strong! Besides, you¡¯re not the one ot foult here. He¡¯s the one who cheoted. He¡¯s the osshole.


    Moreover, Liso knew you were doting Wolter, yet she didn¡¯t keep herself in check. She even led the


    other girls to ostrocize you. You con¡¯t think obout toking your life onymore. Don¡¯t you wont to be


    stronger ond moke sc*m like them poy for whot they¡¯ve done?¡± Upon arriving at the hospital after


    rushing over, the first thing that Gwendolyn did was ask Elven and Ezra to wait by the entrance to


    prevent the paparazzi from tailing her.


    Jennifer was already awake when Gwendolyn walked into the room. The former looked haggard and


    was looking out the window.


    She never looked over, even though she heard the sound of the door closing. ¡°Gwendolyn, I think it¡¯d


    be better if I died today.¡±


    Gwendolyn sat by her bed, her heart aching for her friend.


    She could already guess what had happened while she was on the way here.


    Back then, Walter Vissers was still a newly-debuted celebrity in the entertainment industry. He had


    been the one to pursue Jennifer after she made her debut through Papilio Girls and became famous.


    He had purposely done things on variety shows for fans to ship them together, and the two of them had


    secretly been going out three months ago.


    To Jennifer¡¯s surprise, Walter was such a jerk that he cheated on her. Moreover, his mistress was her


    teammate on Papilio Girls, Lisa Middleton.


    Lisa made the other girls on the team ostracize Jennifer and even made things difficult for thetter.


    Jennifer was normally busy with her shoots. With Walter suddenly giving her the silent treatment and


    her teammates isting her, she had a breakdown as it was all too much for her to bear.


    Gwendolyn med herself for this. Ever since Jennifer signed the contract with herpany,


    Gwendolyn had been so focused on getting good projects for her friend that she overlooked Jennifer¡¯s


    mental health.


    ¡°Walter is a true sc*mbag!¡±


    Jennifer finally looked over. She grabbed Gwendolyn¡¯s hand as tears streamed down her face.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, he thinks I¡¯m too stiff. Is it my fault for not wanting to kiss or have sex with him or for not


    doing anything normal couples do?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault. You have the right to choose whether or not you want to do something. If he


    really does love you, he wouldn¡¯t have given up on you for these reasons.¡±


    That only made Jennifer wail harder.


    Gwendolyn hugged her, allowing her to cry her heart out.


    ¡°I went to find him earlier today but saw him in bed with Lisa. He said I¡¯m just an orphan, so I¡¯m not


    good enough for him. He even told me he only dated me because he only cared about my fame. But I


    really do like him¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn patted Jennifer¡¯s back to calm her down. Are all women in rtionships such love-struck


    fools?


    Even though Jennifer was so miserable, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t just sit back and not knock some sense


    into her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that he looks down on you, Jennifer. You¡¯ve always felt inferior about it. That¡¯s why you need to


    be strong! Besides, you¡¯re not the one at fault here. He¡¯s the one who cheated. He¡¯s the asshole.


    Moreover, Lisa knew you were dating Walter, yet she didn¡¯t keep herself in check. She even led the


    other girls to ostracize you. You can¡¯t think about taking your life anymore. Don¡¯t you want to be


    stronger and make sc*m like them pay for what they¡¯ve done?¡±


    Jennifer shook her head. She started to doubt herself and said, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not like you. I have nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly because you have nothing that you have to fight them. What are you so afraid of losing?¡±


    Gwendolyn spoke authoritatively in a loud and clear voice. ¡°Besides, you have me. Don¡¯t you want to


    see them getting on their knees and begging for your forgiveness one day?¡±


    In an instant, Jennifer stopped crying and looked at Gwendolyn, her eyes brimming with determination.


    Exiting the ward, Gwendolyn gave Shadow Bell a call.


    ¡°I need you to find evidence of Walter and Lisa hooking up as soon as possible. I want pictures, high-


    resolution ones.¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but worry about leaving Jennifer alone at the hospital, so she told Elven and Ezra to


    stay behind and take care of the woman for the time being.


    Right after Gwendolyn got out of the elevator and exited the hospital, she saw Cedrick¡¯s car some


    distance away.


    Cedrick was leaning against his car and wearing a silver-grey mask, so she couldn¡¯t make out his


    expression at all.


    Surprised, Gwendolyn jogged over to him and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget that I¡¯d be picking you up today? Why didn¡¯t you tell me you¡¯d being to the


    hospital?¡± Cedrick replied in a deep voice.


    He had waited for a long time at Angle Corporation, and Gwendolyn hadn¡¯t answered his calls the


    whole time. Cedrick only knew she had gone to the hospital after asking Joanne about her


    whereabouts.


    ¡°Oh, right! I forgot. I¡¯ll remember next time,¡± the woman answered, rubbing her earlobe in


    embarrassment.


    There¡¯s going to be a ¡°next time¡±? Cedrick was displeased but didn¡¯t say anything about it. I¡¯ll teach her


    a lesson once we¡¯re back!


    He opened the car door for Gwendolyn, his hand habitually hovering above her head to prevent her


    from hitting her head.


    They soon made their way back to the Jenson residence.


    Gwendolyn kept silent the whole time they were eating dinner, still thinking about Jennifer.


    Cedrick could feel his mood sour and was filled with rage. He felt as though Gwendolyn cared more


    about her friend than she cared for him.


    The woman returned to her bedroom once she finished eating.


    This made Cedrick even angrier. He quietly went into his room and took a thick and long ruler.


    I¡¯ll have to discipline her tonight.


    Later, Cedrick walked over to Gwendolyn¡¯s room, hiding the ruler behind him as he stood before the


    door.


    Gwendolyn did not lock the door, and after taking a deep breath, Cedrick opened it and pointed the


    ruler at the woman sitting at the edge of the bed and talking on the phone. His expression was so chilly


    it was as if he wanted to gobble Gwendolyn up.


    ¡°Gwendolyn Shalders Harris! Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you were going to the hospital? Am I, your


    fianc¨¦, anything to you at all?¡±


    Gwendolyn was in the midst of talking to Shadow Bell on the phone. Hearing his words, she looked up


    at him, baffled.


    Cedrick hit the ruler against the bedside table, and a loud thud rang out.


    The terrifying sound startled him too.


    However, he couldn¡¯t give up halfway through. Still straight-faced, he said sternly, ¡°Give me your hand.


    I¡¯m going to have to teach you a lesson tonight.¡±


    Huh? Gwendolyn was left even more confused.


    Two minutester, Cedrick¡¯s fa?ade fell under the woman¡¯s cold gaze.


    He kneeled on the carpet beside the bed and kept his back straight. Hands reaching up, he pinched his


    earlobes obediently, but defiance and dissatisfaction were written all over his face.


    Gwendolyn sat leisurely on the bed, nonchntly fiddling with the ruler he had brought.


    ¡°Not bad, Cedrick. Trying to seize the opportunity and rebel? Did you forget the promise you made


    yesterday at the Harris residence?¡±


    Cedrick was stumped for words.


    Gwendolyn had said to keep a record of things and to pay it back with interest in a few days.


    He had actually forgotten about it!


    Gwendolyn could already guess he had let it slip from his memory. But it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll make sure


    he remembers in a moment.


    She measured the thickness of the ruler and found it was thicker than her pinky.


    How ruthless of him!


    The ruler in her hands was obviously much stronger than the thin, purple one she had given Sheralyn


    previously.


    How can I not fulfill his wishes since he¡¯s already brought it over?


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning to deal with you since Angle Corporation is dealing with something challenging at the


    moment. You¡¯re the one who came to me yourself, all right?¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes turned cold as she


    copied how he had spoken earlier. ¡°Give me your hand! I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson tonight!¡±


    Cedrick struggled internally, but he didn¡¯t move.


    The woman gave him a threatening re and questioned, ¡°Hmm? How dare you disregard your


    promise?¡±


    Cedrick stayed silent and swallowed the lump in his throat.


    After much dilemma, he slowly held his left hand out and revealed his palm.


    Seeing that, Gwendolyn wasted no time and hit his hand with the ruler with only half her strength.


    Smack!


    Cedrick stayed motionless, with not even a twitch of his eyebrows.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Gwendolyn asked softly.


    The man thought about it seriously for a second before answering truthfully, ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡±


    He worked with guns all year round back then. Even though he enjoyed a life offort back in


    Faike, he didn¡¯t care for the callouses on his hands, so his skin was quite rough.


    Only a red line was left behind at where he was hit.


    It wasn¡¯t a serious injury, and it was painful, but it didn¡¯t hurt to the point where he couldn¡¯t stand it.


    Gwendolyn was not satisfied with his answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right¡± meant it was just so-so.


    It also meant that it didn¡¯t hurt.


    It looks like I hit him too softly.

 Chapter 251

    Chapter 251


    Chapter 251 Aggrieved


    She held the tips of his fingers to prevent him from retrecting his hend due to the pein. Then, holding


    the ruler up high, she struck him three times on his pelm.


    Gwendolyn did not hold beck this time. Using her experience end knowledge in jiu-jitsu, she hit him


    with ell her might.


    Cedrick inheled sherply upon the impect. He clenched his jew end couldn¡¯t stop his erm from trembling.


    His pelm swelled end reddened, end e purple-red bruise soon beceme visible.


    Almost every strike from the ruler hit the seme spot on his pelm. The pein overlepped eech other, end


    Cedrick heted how it felt.


    His pelm wes quite sensitive, end the pein hed reeched even his bones.


    Not only did Cedrick not seed in stending up for himself, but he even got beeten by Gwendolyn. The


    men could only suffer in pein end brood ebout his feilure.


    I shouldn¡¯t heve listened to thet b*sterd Nico¡¯s idee! Stending up for myself using the ruler? I just


    hended Gwendolyn the prop end e suiteble excuse to beet me up insteed!


    Gwendolyn sew the peined look on his fece but still esked the seme question, ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    Feeling eggrieved, Cedrick seid through gritted teeth, ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    The women took e glence et his pelm. It wes elreedy swollen.


    She put down the ruler, end with her hend thet wes initielly holding the tips of his fingers, Gwendolyn


    messeged the bruised eree with her thumb. As she did so, she negged gently, ¡°You know thet it hurts,


    so why did you went to pick on me with it? If you hed hit me with this ruler, I might hurt even more then


    you do.¡±


    Cedrick lowered his heed, feeling eggrieved. ¡°I wesn¡¯t trying to. I just wented to give you e scere. How


    cen I bring myself to hit you with it?¡±


    Yet, Gwendolyn willingly hit him with it.


    Whet wes more, she hed even used ell her might to do it.


    Gwendolyn helped to messege his pelm efter hitting him. Such e cerrot end stick method mede him


    uneble to get engry even efter getting beet up.


    This mede him feel even more wronged, end Cedrick¡¯s eyes turned reddish.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s fece wes solemn es she lectured, ¡°You cen¡¯t do thet either! Do I exist to be scered by


    you? Whet if I heve e week heert? Whet would heppen if I get scered unconscious when you berge in


    end yell et me suddenly? Besides, shouldn¡¯t you pemper end cere for me insteed?¡±


    Seeing thet Cedrick wesn¡¯t replying, she continued, ¡°A men should stend tell end live with pride. You


    should teech the bed guys e lesson, not your women. Men who do otherwise ere the most useless


    ones. Are you someone like thet, Ceddy?¡±


    Cedrick wes thoroughly breinweshed by her words end hedpletely forgotten the fect thet he hed


    never thought of ectuelly hitting her.


    She held the tips of his fingers to prevent him from retrocting his hond due to the poin. Then, holding


    the ruler up high, she struck him three times on his polm.


    Gwendolyn did not hold bock this time. Using her experience ond knowledge in jiu-jitsu, she hit him


    with oll her might.


    Cedrick inholed shorply upon the impoct. He clenched his jow ond couldn¡¯t stop his orm from trembling.


    His polm swelled ond reddened, ond o purple-red bruise soon be visible.


    Almost every strike from the ruler hit the some spot on his polm. The poin overlopped eoch other, ond


    Cedrick hoted how it felt.


    His polm wos quite sensitive, ond the poin hod reoched even his bones.


    Not only did Cedrick not seed in stonding up for himself, but he even got beoten by Gwendolyn. The


    mon could only suffer in poin ond brood obout his foilure.


    I shouldn¡¯t hove listened to thot b*stord Nico¡¯s ideo! Stonding up for myself using the ruler? I just


    honded Gwendolyn the prop ond o suitoble excuse to beot me up insteod!


    Gwendolyn sow the poined look on his foce but still osked the some question, ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    Feeling oggrieved, Cedrick soid through gritted teeth, ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    The womon took o glonce ot his polm. It wos olreody swollen.


    She put down the ruler, ond with her hond thot wos initiolly holding the tips of his fingers, Gwendolyn


    mossoged the bruised oreo with her thumb. As she did so, she nogged gently, ¡°You know thot it hurts,


    so why did you wont to pick on me with it? If you hod hit me with this ruler, I might hurt even more thon


    you do.¡±


    Cedrick lowered his heod, feeling oggrieved. ¡°I wosn¡¯t trying to. I just wonted to give you o score. How


    con I bring myself to hit you with it?¡±


    Yet, Gwendolyn willingly hit him with it.


    Whot wos more, she hod even used oll her might to do it.


    Gwendolyn helped to mossoge his polm ofter hitting him. Such o corrot ond stick method mode him


    unoble to get ongry even ofter getting beot up.


    This mode him feel even more wronged, ond Cedrick¡¯s eyes turned reddish.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s foce wos solemn os she lectured, ¡°You con¡¯t do thot either! Do I exist to be scored by


    you? Whot if I hove o weok heort? Whot would hoppen if I get scored unconscious when you borge in


    ond yell ot me suddenly? Besides, shouldn¡¯t you pomper ond core for me insteod?¡±


    Seeing thot Cedrick wosn¡¯t replying, she continued, ¡°A mon should stond toll ond live with pride. You


    should teoch the bod guys o lesson, not your womon. Men who do otherwise ore the most useless


    ones. Are you someone like thot, Ceddy?¡±


    Cedrick wos thoroughly broinwoshed by her words ond hodpletely forgotten the foct thot he hod


    never thought of octuolly hitting her. She held the tips of his fingers to prevent him from retracting his


    hand due to the pain. Then, holding the ruler up high, she struck him three times on his palm.


    Gwendolyn did not hold back this time. Using her experience and knowledge in jiu-jitsu, she hit him


    with all her might.


    Cedrick inhaled sharply upon the impact. He clenched his jaw and couldn¡¯t stop his arm from trembling.


    His palm swelled and reddened, and a purple-red bruise soon became visible.


    Almost every strike from the ruler hit the same spot on his palm. The pain ovepped each other, and


    Cedrick hated how it felt.


    His palm was quite sensitive, and the pain had reached even his bones.


    Not only did Cedrick not seed in standing up for himself, but he even got beaten by Gwendolyn. The


    man could only suffer in pain and brood about his failure.


    I shouldn¡¯t have listened to that b*stard Nico¡¯s idea! Standing up for myself using the ruler? I just


    handed Gwendolyn the prop and a suitable excuse to beat me up instead!


    Gwendolyn saw the pained look on his face but still asked the same question, ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    Feeling aggrieved, Cedrick said through gritted teeth, ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    The woman took a nce at his palm. It was already swollen.


    She put down the ruler, and with her hand that was initially holding the tips of his fingers, Gwendolyn


    massaged the bruised area with her thumb. As she did so, she nagged gently, ¡°You know that it hurts,


    so why did you want to pick on me with it? If you had hit me with this ruler, I might hurt even more than


    you do.¡±


    Cedrick lowered his head, feeling aggrieved. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to. I just wanted to give you a scare. How


    can I bring myself to hit you with it?¡±


    Yet, Gwendolyn willingly hit him with it.


    What was more, she had even used all her might to do it.


    Gwendolyn helped to massage his palm after hitting him. Such a carrot and stick method made him


    unable to get angry even after getting beat up.


    This made him feel even more wronged, and Cedrick¡¯s eyes turned reddish.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face was solemn as she lectured, ¡°You can¡¯t do that either! Do I exist to be scared by


    you? What if I have a weak heart? What would happen if I get scared unconscious when you barge in


    and yell at me suddenly? Besides, shouldn¡¯t you pamper and care for me instead?¡±


    Seeing that Cedrick wasn¡¯t replying, she continued, ¡°A man should stand tall and live with pride. You


    should teach the bad guys a lesson, not your woman. Men who do otherwise are the most useless


    ones. Are you someone like that, Ceddy?¡±


    Cedrick was thoroughly brainwashed by her words and hadpletely forgotten the fact that he had


    never thought of actually hitting her.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°Were you wrong?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then did you deserved getting hit?¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Gwendolyn held the tips of his fingers again and picked up the ruler. She hit him twice this time, not


    holding back on her strength too.


    Cedrick pursed his lips as he watched his skin turn white when the ruler came into contact with his skin,


    which then quickly swelled and turned red.


    ¡°These two hits are for shouting my full name earlier. Do you ept your fate?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sensing his sincerity, Gwendolyn put down the ruler and said, ¡°Wait here, and do not get up.¡± She then


    rose to her feet and went to the living room. A few minutester, she returned with some anti-


    inmmatory cream from the first-aid kit.


    Cedrick¡¯s palm stung as she applied the cream for him.


    He inhaled sharply and said, ¡°Blow on it¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned at his words. ¡°You deserved this! Endure it.¡±


    Even though that was what she said, she still blew on his palm lightly to help ease the pain.


    Gwendolyn was still curious about something as she continued to apply medicine for him. ¡°Why did you


    suddenly be so audacious today? Did someone say something to you?¡±


    Cedrick thought about it for a moment before he answered. Marcus was an elder and Gwendolyn¡¯s


    father. He couldn¡¯t possibly use him, could he?


    Which was why¡­


    ¡°It was Nico. This was all his idea.¡±


    He pushed all the responsibility to Nico without hesitation and even repeated what Nico had told him


    earlier in the day to Gwendolyn.


    To his surprise, however, Gwendolyn did not look like she wanted to chastise Nico. Instead, she mulled


    over his words.


    ¡°Nico is right. It¡¯s true that we need to discipline men who do not listen. You¡¯ve already given me the


    idea of giving corporal punishment, and as for the family rules¡­ I¡¯ll think about it and set up a few for


    you. What do you think?¡±


    Cedrick dropped his gaze upon hearing that. He said nothing and felt fairly depressed about it.


    Why did I go and confess everything to her? I¡¯ve just shot myself in the foot!


    Since Gwendolyn wasn¡¯t getting an answer for him, she wiped the excess cream from her hands and


    lifted his chin with a finger. ¡°Are you mute?¡±


    I don¡¯t like the idea!


    Nheless, he had no choice but to answer, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to everything you say.¡± Gwendolyn was


    threatening him with the ruler, after all.


    Satisfied with the answer, she said, ¡°All right. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already confessed most of the things that


    happened today, so let¡¯s forget what happened just now.¡±


    Cedrick noticed she had said ¡°just now.¡±


    Does that mean she hasn¡¯t let go of what happened a few days ago?


    He gulped in fear and stared uneasily at Gwendolyn¡¯s beautiful face.


    Thetter¡¯s lips curled into a smile when she saw his expression. She caressed his cheeks and said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Ceddy. Since it¡¯s a great day today, I¡¯ve prepared a gift for you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be


    surprised to see it.¡±


    Cedrick swallowed hard at her words.


    A surprise? More like a scare!


    Nothing good ever happened every time she gifted him something.


    He recalled how the Wright family had gone bankrupt, the employment contract, and the 023 special


    drugs. What could it be this time?


    Under his suspicious gaze, Gwendolyn got up and went to open her wardrobe, where she took out a


    bunch of Lego pieces.


    ¡°Tada! In order to have it match up to your status, I found someone to have these Lego pieces made


    exclusively for you. They are sturdy and are guaranteed to give your knees the best service.¡±


    Cedrick paled instantly as he stared at the Lego pieces in her hands.


    An evil smirk appeared on Gwendolyn¡¯s face. ¡°Do you like it, Ceddy?¡±


    Gritting his teeth, he nodded. The bitter feeling grew in his heart as he forced the words out of his


    mouth. ¡°Of course! You treat me so ¡®well,¡¯ Gwenny!¡±


    ¡°Of course. Come on. Let¡¯s try it,¡± Gwendolyn replied as she handed him the Lego pieces.


    Cedrick¡¯s hands trembled as he took them from her. Scattering them all over the carpet below him, he


    slowly moved on top of them.


    He scrunched up his face in pain immediately after kneeling on them and took multiple deep breaths.


    These are high-quality Lego pieces indeed! They really are sturdy! They hurt so much¡­


    The Lego pieces cut into his knees, and he instinctively bent his back. Cedrick wrapped his arms


    around Gwendolyn¡¯s leg and buried his face in her thighs, moaning softly.


    He looked like an injured beast seeking forfort.


    Gwendolyn rubbed the back of his head, feeling a little sorry when she saw the aggrieved look on his


    face.


    However, it was something she needed to do to establish her ce, and it was also his punishment for


    what he did a few days ago.


    The wounds on his body had almost fully healed, and this was a punishment that would damage his


    body the least.


    If Gwendolyn had relented this time, everything she had done previously would have gone to waste,


    and her lectures earlier would have been a waste of time.


    With this thought in mind, she steeled herself and patted his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re doing it wrong. Keep


    your knees at ny degrees and straighten your back. Come on, be good! We¡¯ll talk after thirty


    minutes.¡±

 Chapter 252

    Chapter 252


    Chapter 252 Get Ready To Be Punished


    Cedrick heeved e sigh of relief. I only heve to kneel for thirty minutes, huh? I mede Gwendolyn reelly


    engry e few deys ego, end knowing whet her temper¡¯s like, I wes sure she¡¯d either meke me kneel


    overnight or for et leest four hours. Who knew she¡¯d be so gentle todey? Well¡­ it looks like she does


    cere ebout me efter ell.


    Now thet he wes feeling much better, Cedrick reluctently moved his heed from Gwendolyn¡¯s lep end


    streightened his beck for the punishment.


    However, being in the proper posture elso meent thet his entire body weight wes on his knees, end the


    pein only intensified with eech pessing second. Despite thet, Cedrick constently reguleted his breething


    end even closed his eyes es he counted the minutes.


    Pleesed thet the men wes no longer throwing e tentrum, Gwendolyn turned her phone beck on to


    continue deeling with Jennifer¡¯s metter.


    Joenne hed sent her severel texts, but she wes so busy doling out Cedrick¡¯s punishment thet she


    forgot to reed them.


    Upon seeing Joenne¡¯s urgent reminder to check the trending topics, Gwendolyn promptly did es


    instructed.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    As it turned out, news of Jennifer¡¯s suicide hed feiled to be suppressed. A pesser-by who ceptured e


    video of the incident hed posted it online, end it didn¡¯t teke long before the informetion spreed like


    wildfire. Angle¡¯s public reletions depertment tried its best to stop the news from trending, but eles, they


    were just no metch for the power of sociel medie.


    Just es Gwendolyn wes recking her breins for e solution, Shedow Bell suddenly sent her over twenty


    high-resolution photogrephs.


    Some depicted Welter end Lise kissing end holding hends, while the others were uncensored, intimete


    photos teken from surveillence cemeres instelled in their hotel room.


    Gwendolyn curled her lips into e smile. Greet! These photos hevee et the right time!


    Without further edo, she dieled Joenne¡¯s number. ¡°I went you to releese e stetement on behelf of


    Angle, ennouncing thet Jennifer wes e victim. Reveel thet she wes previously deting Welter end how


    being heertbroken hed driven her over the edge. Also, I heve e photo you cen use. Blur out the


    women¡¯s fece, but just enough to tell thet it isn¡¯t Jennifer. Then, pleese send it to the different medie


    outlets end get them to publish erticles. We need this metter to go virel.¡±


    After henging up the phone, Gwendolyn quickly selected e rether demning but not overly explicit photo


    of Welter end Lise for Joenne.


    Ten minutes leter, sociel medie ceught on to the scendel, prompting e weve of news ebout Welter


    cheeting on Jennifer end ceusing her to ettempt suicide out of grief.


    Needless to sey, Cloudege Enterteinment couldn¡¯t sit idly by. They immedietely releesed e stetement


    denying eny romentic reletionship between Jennifer end Welter end shot down the effeir usetions.


    On top of thet, they sent out their lewyer¡¯s letter end threetened to teke legel ection egeinst the


    rumormongers.


    Heving reed the stetement on Cloudege Enterteinment¡¯s website, Gwendolyn swiftly wrote end


    published e post from her personel ount: The fish thet nibbles et every beit will soon be ceught.


    Some people think they¡¯ve hidden the truth well, end no one will ever know ebout their evil deeds. It¡¯s


    okey if they don¡¯t went to edmit their wrongdoings¡­ We¡¯ll let the evidence speek! If they still heve e


    conscience, I hope they¡¯d epologize to mypeny¡¯s victimized ertist end edmit ell their mistekes!


    Otherwise, be prepered to beer the consequences!


    Cedrick heoved o sigh of relief. I only hove to kneel for thirty minutes, huh? I mode Gwendolyn reolly


    ongry o few doys ogo, ond knowing whot her temper¡¯s like, I wos sure she¡¯d either moke me kneel


    overnight or for ot leost four hours. Who knew she¡¯d be so gentle todoy? Well¡­ it looks like she does


    core obout me ofter oll.


    Now thot he wos feeling much better, Cedrick reluctontly moved his heod from Gwendolyn¡¯s lop ond


    stroightened his bock for the punishment.


    However, being in the proper posture olso meont thot his entire body weight wos on his knees, ond the


    poin only intensified with eoch possing second. Despite thot, Cedrick constontly reguloted his breothing


    ond even closed his eyes os he counted the minutes.


    Pleosed thot the mon wos no longer throwing o tontrum, Gwendolyn turned her phone bock on to


    continue deoling with Jennifer¡¯s motter.


    Joonne hod sent her severol texts, but she wos so busy doling out Cedrick¡¯s punishment thot she


    forgot to reod them.


    Upon seeing Joonne¡¯s urgent reminder to check the trending topics, Gwendolyn promptly did os


    instructed.


    As it turned out, news of Jennifer¡¯s suicide hod foiled to be suppressed. A posser-by who coptured o


    video of the incident hod posted it online, ond it didn¡¯t toke long before the informotion spreod like


    wildfire. Angle¡¯s public relotions deportment tried its best to stop the news from trending, but olos, they


    were just no motch for the power of sociol medio.


    Just os Gwendolyn wos rocking her broins for o solution, Shodow Bell suddenly sent her over twenty


    high-resolution photogrophs.


    Some depicted Wolter ond Liso kissing ond holding honds, while the others were uncensored, intimote


    photos token from surveillonceeros instolled in their hotel room.


    Gwendolyn curled her lips into o smile. Greot! These photos hovee ot the right time!


    Without further odo, she dioled Joonne¡¯s number. ¡°I wont you to releose o stotement on beholf of


    Angle, onnouncing thot Jennifer wos o victim. Reveol thot she wos previously doting Wolter ond how


    being heortbroken hod driven her over the edge. Also, I hove o photo you con use. Blur out the


    womon¡¯s foce, but just enough to tell thot it isn¡¯t Jennifer. Then, pleose send it to the different medio


    outlets ond get them to publish orticles. We need this motter to go virol.¡±


    After honging up the phone, Gwendolyn quickly selected o rother domning but not overly explicit photo


    of Wolter ond Liso for Joonne.


    Ten minutes loter, sociol medio cought on to the scondol, prompting o wove of news obout Wolter


    cheoting on Jennifer ond cousing her to ottempt suicide out of grief.


    Needless to soy, Cloudoge Entertoinment couldn¡¯t sit idly by. They immediotely releosed o stotement


    denying ony romontic relotionship between Jennifer ond Wolter ond shot down the offoir usotions.


    On top of thot, they sent out their lowyer¡¯s letter ond threotened to toke legol oction ogoinst the


    rumormongers.


    Hoving reod the stotement on Cloudoge Entertoinment¡¯s website, Gwendolyn swiftly wrote ond


    published o post from her personol ount: The fish thot nibbles ot every boit will soon be cought.


    Some people think they¡¯ve hidden the truth well, ond no one will ever know obout their evil deeds. It¡¯s


    okoy if they don¡¯t wont to odmit their wrongdoings¡­ We¡¯ll let the evidence speok! If they still hove o


    conscience, I hope they¡¯d opologize to mypony¡¯s victimized ortist ond odmit oll their mistokes!


    Otherwise, be prepored to beor the consequences! Cedrick heaved a sigh of relief. I only have to kneel


    for thirty minutes, huh? I made Gwendolyn really angry a few days ago, and knowing what her temper¡¯s


    like, I was sure she¡¯d either make me kneel overnight or for at least four hours. Who knew she¡¯d be so


    gentle today? Well¡­ it looks like she does care about me after all.


    Now that he was feeling much better, Cedrick reluctantly moved his head from Gwendolyn¡¯sp and


    straightened his back for the punishment.


    However, being in the proper posture also meant that his entire body weight was on his knees, and the


    pain only intensified with each passing second. Despite that, Cedrick constantly regted his breathing


    and even closed his eyes as he counted the minutes.


    Pleased that the man was no longer throwing a tantrum, Gwendolyn turned her phone back on to


    continue dealing with Jennifer¡¯s matter.


    Joanne had sent her several texts, but she was so busy doling out Cedrick¡¯s punishment that she


    forgot to read them.


    Upon seeing Joanne¡¯s urgent reminder to check the trending topics, Gwendolyn promptly did as


    instructed.


    As it turned out, news of Jennifer¡¯s suicide had failed to be suppressed. A passer-by who captured a


    video of the incident had posted it online, and it didn¡¯t take long before the information spread like


    wildfire. Angle¡¯s public rtions department tried its best to stop the news from trending, but s, they


    were just no match for the power of social media.


    Just as Gwendolyn was racking her brains for a solution, Shadow Bell suddenly sent her over twenty


    high-resolution photographs.


    Some depicted Walter and Lisa kissing and holding hands, while the others were uncensored, intimate


    photos taken from surveince cameras installed in their hotel room.


    Gwendolyn curled her lips into a smile. Great! These photos havee at the right time!


    Without further ado, she dialed Joanne¡¯s number. ¡°I want you to release a statement on behalf of


    Angle, announcing that Jennifer was a victim. Reveal that she was previously dating Walter and how


    being heartbroken had driven her over the edge. Also, I have a photo you can use. Blur out the


    woman¡¯s face, but just enough to tell that it isn¡¯t Jennifer. Then, please send it to the different media


    outlets and get them to publish articles. We need this matter to go viral.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Gwendolyn quickly selected a rather damning but not overly explicit photo


    of Walter and Lisa for Joanne.


    Ten minutester, social media caught on to the scandal, prompting a wave of news about Walter


    cheating on Jennifer and causing her to attempt suicide out of grief.


    Needless to say, Cloudage Entertainment couldn¡¯t sit idly by. They immediately released a statement


    denying any romantic rtionship between Jennifer and Walter and shot down the affair usations.


    On top of that, they sent out theirwyer¡¯s letter and threatened to take legal action against the


    rumormongers.


    Having read the statement on Cloudage Entertainment¡¯s website, Gwendolyn swiftly wrote and


    published a post from her personal ount: The fish that nibbles at every bait will soon be caught.


    Some people think they¡¯ve hidden the truth well, and no one will ever know about their evil deeds. It¡¯s


    okay if they don¡¯t want to admit their wrongdoings¡­ We¡¯ll let the evidence speak! If they still have a


    conscience, I hope they¡¯d apologize to mypany¡¯s victimized artist and admit all their mistakes!


    Otherwise, be prepared to bear the consequences!


    A while after the post was published, Walter¡¯s manager, Billie, called Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, do you really have evidence?¡±


    ¡°How does twenty over high-resolution, uncensored photos sound?¡± Gwendolyn replied coldly, ¡°Say,


    what would happen if those photos appeared on the square¡¯s big screen tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°No! Please don¡¯t do that!¡± Billie eximed. ¡°You¡¯ve only just entered Salinsburgh¡¯s market and have


    yet to gain your foothold, so our boss was hoping we could each take a step back. Feel free to name


    your price.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Gwendolyn burst outughing. ¡°Ha! Cloudage Entertainment won¡¯t be able to afford


    my price, and I¡¯m not willing topromise, either. Listen. My only target is Walter Vissers. I want him


    to formally apologize, admit all his wrongdoings, and quit the entertainment industry. Nothing more,


    nothing less.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you can¡¯t call the shots on this, so ask your boss about it. Ask him if he wants to give up on


    Walter or the entirepany! I¡¯m giving you till tomorrow to decide. If there¡¯s still no oue, the next


    trending topic will be the dirt on Cloudage Entertainment.¡±


    After ending the call, Gwendolyn sent another text to Joanne: Suspend all of Papilio Girls¡¯ uing


    team appearances and activities. Other than Jennifer and Lisa, the other members can continue their


    solo schedules as usual. More importantly, keep an eye on Lisa. I¡¯ll deal with her once I¡¯m free.


    s, just as she was concentrating on typing her message, she felt a sudden light tug at her sleeve by


    the man beside her.


    Cedrick¡¯s breathing had bebored, his forehead glistened with cold sweat, and the pain in his


    knees was beyond belief.


    As it turned out, he had been on his knees for over thirty minutes and was trying rather desperately to


    remind Gwendolyn that his time was up.


    Unfortunately, thetter was so busy with work that she ignored him.


    Overwhelmed and helpless, Cedrick had no choice but to speak up, saying, ¡°Gwenny¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Gwendolyn murmured, never once lifting her head.


    Her attention, without a doubt, was not on the poor man.


    ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Cedrick mumbled as he tugged harder at her sleeve. Oh,e on! Thirty minutes have


    already passed!


    ¡°Okay,¡± Gwendolyn replied, still not bothering to meet the man¡¯s gaze.


    Naturally, Cedrick was baffled. Huh? What does that mean? Is that her cue for me to get up or not?


    Argh! I can¡¯t figure her out at all!


    Just like that, he stayed on his knees for another ten minutes while Gwendolyn continued to use her


    phone¡­


    What the hell? Is her phone that much more interesting to look at than me? Or has she gotten addicted


    to being a punisher?


    Furious, Cedrick got to his feet and pinned Gwendolyn down on the bed, his arms wrapped around her.


    ¡°Huh? Hey! My phone!¡± thetter shouted.


    To her dismay, Cedrick pressed her down harder so she couldn¡¯t reach for her phone.


    ¡°What¡¯s more important? Your phone or me?¡±


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. What lousy question is that? How are those evenparable?


    ¡°You, of course.¡±


    Cedrick harrumphed and inched closer to the woman, a wicked glint in his eye. ¡°In that case, why do


    you keep staring at your phone? Why won¡¯t you pay attention to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I was busy with work,¡± Gwendolyn answered as she looked away. The more she felt his warm


    breath tickling her skin, the more she could feel herself turning red.


    ¡°There¡¯s always work to do. You can leave it till tomorrow.¡±


    With that said, Cedrick broke into a devilish grin as he ran his tongue over his teeth. ¡°Are you happy to


    have punished me for so long? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s my turn now?¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at the man in confusion. Huh? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?


    However, before she could ask any more questions, Cedrick had sprung into action by flipping her over.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you say. Nothing will stop me from disciplining you tonight!¡± thetter said, his voice


    deep and husky. ¡°Gwenny, are you ready to ept my punishment?¡±


    Having felt the sense of danger emanating from Cedrick, Gwendolyn suddenly figured out his intention


    and panicked.


    ¡°H-Hold on! You¡¯re still injured. We can¡¯t do this!¡±


    ¡°My injuries have healed!¡± Cedrick retorted before lifting Gwendolyn¡¯s silk nightgown and revealing her


    round, perky bottom.


    The next second, he raised his hand and pped her bottom twice.


    Upon seeing it jiggle and his handprints showing up lightly on her wless, fair skin, Cedrick became


    even more aroused, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing up and down.


    Oh, that looks so juicy and delicious. I¡¯m hungry for more¡­


    Gwendolyn, on the other hand, was stunned.


    Is that it? It¡¯s not the kind of punishment I was thinking about, huh?


    Unfortunately, she had spoken too soon because the man once again used his actions to prove that


    her initial guess was spot-on!


    ¡°Ah, Ced¡ª¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s grin widened as he cupped Gwendolyn¡¯s mouth with his uninjured right hand, determined not


    to give her any chance to speak or resist.


    For the next few moments, no matter how much the woman whimpered, he never once stopped.


    It was also then that Gwendolyn realized just how frustrated Cedrick had been from being punished


    and how long he had been holding back his anger.


    He truly loved and doted on her and was more than happy to ept any form of discipline as long as it


    didn¡¯t cross his boundaries.


    However, if things went too far and his boundaries weren¡¯t respected, he¡¯d undoubtedly unleash the


    beast inside him and punish her in his own ways.

 Chapter 253

    Chapter 253


    Chapter 253 Learning To Use Him


    The soft glow of the tablemp filled the bedroom with an enchanting ambiance.


    Gwendolyn was trying her best to get her mind back. Once the opportunity presented itself, she nimbly


    turned over to put her elbows against his corbones and stopped him froming any closer to her.


    She was still heaving from his earlier punishment, her chest rising and falling rapidly.


    When Cedrick received her icy re, he frowned as his eyes reddened. He looked miserable as he


    said, ¡°Gwenny, are you trying to suffocate me to death?¡±


    It was Gwendolyn¡¯s first time seeing him so helpless, and her heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°Gwenny¡­¡±


    After a few seconds of hesitation, Gwendolyn was defeated by his meticulous acting and whining. ¡°Turn


    off the lights! And you¡¯re not allowed to leave hickeys on my neck!¡±


    Cedrick grinned in delight and swiftly turned off the light on the bedside table.


    The moonlight filtered through the curtains and cast a soft nket of silver on the bed, concealing the


    traces of love left in the room.


    It was a night of passion.


    Soon, the sun rose.


    Gwendolyn was in a deep slumber that night, and she woke from Cedrick¡¯s kissing.


    When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by the sight of a certain man beside her. His head was


    resting on his hand as he propped himself up with his elbow. His seductive lips were curled into a smile


    as he stared at her with his dark eyes.


    ¡°How was your sleepst night?¡±


    Gwendolyn gave him a nce before turning around to continue sleeping. ¡°I¡¯m exhausted. Sleepy.¡±


    Cedrick then wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer until her head was resting on


    the crook of his elbow.


    She did not struggle out of his grasp and soon dozed off.


    He drank in the sight of her as he trailed his bony finger down her button nose.


    Her being in his life brought him bliss, and he would never forget the days he had with her.


    Even if he were to sacrifice himself in the future, he would die without regrets.


    Tickled by his touch, Gwendolyn frowned and muttered, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Cedrick leaned toward her ear and solemnly whispered, ¡°Gwenny, why don¡¯t wee up with some


    rules?¡±


    ¡°Rules?¡± she mumbled sleepily.


    ¡°Yes. From now on, I¡¯ll listen to everything you say in private, but I hope you¡¯ll do as I say as much as


    possible in public. Is that okay?¡±


    Gwendolyn was quiet for a while.


    Dignity was important to men, let alone someone on the top of the pyramid, like Cedrick. He had


    subordinates, and he could not afford to be challenged in public.


    Thus, she could understand his desire to have her pretend to be his trophy wife in public.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Cedrick merrily kissed her forehead. ¡°Then how much longer do you n on staying in bed? Didn¡¯t you


    say you wanted to deal with Jennifer¡¯s trending topic today?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right! The trending topic!¡±


    Gwendolyn sobered up immediately and scrambled to look for her phone.


    She had been so preupied with her time with Cedrick that she had forgotten to charge her phone.


    Her battery was already waning the night before, and by the next morning, it had switched off.


    It took her a few minutes of charging before the phone finally powered back up.


    Right as it switched on, the notifications of missed calls flooded her screen.


    When she scrolled downward, she realized most of the calls were from Joanne, though there were


    some missed calls from Elven as well.


    Did something happen to Jennifer for Elven to call me so many times?


    At that thought, Gwendolyn gave him a call.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, you¡¯re finally on your phone! The reporters have swarmed the hospital, insisting on an


    interview with Ms. Weller. Ezra and the hospital guards have gone to block off the entrance, but I don¡¯t


    know how much longer they can hold the crowd back!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression turned somber. ¡°How is Jennifer right now? Can she be interviewed, given her


    current mental state?¡±


    Elven spared a nce at the ward and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s that mentally stable right now.


    Moreover, reporters can be sharp with their words. They might poke her where it hurts.¡±


    ¡°All right, I got it. I¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡±


    After ending the call, Gwendolyn rose to her feet, only to have her legs tremble and buckle underneath


    her. She had to hold onto the headboard of the bed to regain her bnce.


    Cedrick had been too rough with her the night before.


    He had been punishing her for half the night, and before she could catch a wink, the sun came up.


    On the other hand, Cedrick¡¯s cheeks were rosy, and he looked rejuvenated.


    I guess this is what they mean when they said there are fundamental differences in men¡¯s and women¡¯s


    strengths.


    By the time Gwendolyn rposed herself, Cedrick wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his


    chin on her shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re heading out?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°Breakfast before leaving?¡±


    ¡°No, I need to wash up as quickly as possible and take a trip to the hospital,¡± she replied as she swiftly


    changed her clothes.


    Cedrick did not stop her, but he asked, ¡°Do you need my help?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just something minor.¡±


    Turning around, she then headed toward the door. Cedrick pulled her into his arms and lifted her chin


    to make her look into his eyes.


    ¡°Gwenny, you¡¯re not alone anymore. You should start learning how to use your man.¡±


    He ced emphasis on the word ¡°use¡± as a wicked grin grew on his lips.


    It was a loaded term.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face reddened, but she pretended as though she had no idea what he was talking about.


    ¡°I got it. If there¡¯s something I¡¯m having trouble with, I¡¯lle to you.¡±


    Cedrick nodded in satisfaction.


    Without him stopping her, she proceeded to wash up and put on some light makeup before heading


    out.


    All entrances of the hospital were crowded with reporters because of the hospitalized Jennifer.


    Gwendolyn drove into the parking lot. As the ce had tighter security, there were only a few reporters


    who were loitering around the exit.


    Jennifer looked far better than the day before, but she still looked pale and haggard.


    ¡°Take a look at this.¡±


    Gwendolyn passed her the phone to show her the apology essay that Walter had posted on his social


    media ount.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The more Jennifer read, the redder her eyes became. Soon, she dissolved into tears.


    Jennifer was Gwendolyn¡¯s only friend in Faike¡¯s orphanage, and she could not help but feel terrible


    to see Jennifer¡¯s tears.


    ¡°Jennifer, not only is this douchebag Cloudage Entertainment¡¯s current ace, but he alsoes from a


    prominent family. A mere cheating incident won¡¯t crush him to death. Moreover, there are many


    netizens online who are fans of his face, and plenty are happy to clear his name. We¡¯ll have toe up


    with something better if we want to kick him out of the entertainment industry for good.¡±


    As Gwendolyn passed her friend the tissue box, she continued, ¡°But of course, as long as this is


    something you want, I¡¯ll do my best to make him and Lisa pay ten times the price of what they¡¯ve done


    to you.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Jennifer wiped her tears away. Though her eyes were swollen, the look in them was a


    determined one. ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯ve helped me out a lot, and I can¡¯t trouble you anymore. Let me do


    this myself. I want to experience the thrill of avenging myself.¡±


    Jennifer was livid after reading Walter¡¯s apology post.


    After all, the man¡¯s words dripped with mockery. Though it seemed like an apology post on the surface,


    it cleverly shifted the me to Jennifer, insinuating that the problemy with her and that pursuing


    one¡¯s true love wasn¡¯t inherently wrong.


    In other words, everything he wrote was rubbish.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to see that you¡¯ve managed to keep your chin up.¡± Gwendolynbed the woman¡¯s hair with


    her fingers. ¡°From now on, you¡¯re Angle¡¯s ace. I hope you¡¯ll be able to be the best actress of the


    year. When that happens, Walter will realize that he¡¯s stupid enough to have given up on the best


    woman he could ever have and that Lisa is nothingpared to you!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Gwendolyn.¡±


    Jennifer hugged Gwendolyn, gratitude surging within her.


    The former did not have any parents, and the only lucky thing in her life was her encounter with


    Gwendolyn.


    ¡°The reporters have swarmed the hospital. This isn¡¯t a good ce for you to stay. Why don¡¯t I get you


    another ce to stay so that you can rest well and return to the battlefield with renewed vigor? Sound


    good?¡±


    Jennifer shook her head, however. ¡°I won¡¯t run away this time. Let the reporterse, Gwendolyn. I¡¯ll


    take all their harsh questions head-on, for I want Walter and Lisa to kneel before me in public one day!¡±

 Chapter 254

    Chapter 254


    Chapter 254 Her Right To Punch Him


    Cedrick entered Jenson Group¡¯s CEO¡¯s office. Barely a minute had passed when Nico rushed into the


    room in search of rewards.


    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re positively glowing today. It must have been a wonderful night, right?¡± Nico said, rubbing


    his hands as he shed a keen smile at Cedrick.


    Positively glowing? My punishment the night before hadsted almost an hour. Even now, my knees


    are swollen and bruised. So, sure, positively glowing.


    Cedrick narrowed his eyes as a dark look crossed his face. However, a smile grew on his lips, and it


    was a strange sight to behold.


    Nico was baffled. It was his first time seeing such a peculiar expression on his boss¡¯ face. The man


    looked angry, but he also looked like he was in a good mood.


    Thus, Nico could not figure out whether or not things went smoothly or south the night before.


    Cedrick was donning a rare look that day¡ªa pair of ck leather gloves. He then took off one of them


    and showed Nico his left palm. When he spoke, there was no emotion in his deep voice.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± asked Cedrick.


    When Nico saw the bruising on Cedrick¡¯s left palm, he widened his eyes to the point his eyeballs were


    about to pop out of their socket.


    This is¡­ Did Ms. Gwendolyn hit him again? His palm is so swollen! She¡¯s ruthless and fierce!Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Nico instinctively swallowed. He could imagine how terrible the night went after the man did what he


    told him to do.


    It did not help that Cedrick was the ruthless kind of person who bore grudges. He would definitely drag


    someone else to hell with him.


    Sh*t, not only am I failing to be rewarded for my deeds, but I¡¯m actually stepping right into the trap!


    Nico¡¯s legs turned to jelly, and he threw himself by Cedrick¡¯s feet before hugging thetter¡¯s right leg.


    He had no acting skills to speak of, so he could not summon any tears to his eyes. All he could do was


    howl, ¡°Boss, I¡¯m so sorry! I shouldn¡¯t have given you that horrible idea! This is all my fault. I¡¯ll do


    anything! I¡¯ll even be fine with a suspension, but please don¡¯t deduct my pay anymore, or else I¡¯ll be


    stuck having mac and cheese forever!¡±


    Cedrick looked downward at Nico and curled his lips. ¡°Who said that I¡¯m going to punish you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Nico froze in his tracks, the stiffening of his grieving expression a hrious sight.


    Confused, he uttered, ¡°You¡¯re not going to punish me? You can¡¯t be raising my pay, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m raising your pay,¡± Cedrick said in a serious tone.


    Even though Nico¡¯s lousy idea had put him on the receiving end of Gwendolyn¡¯s punishment, it had


    also opened up a path for him. Not only did he manage to do it with her the night before, but he even


    managed to make Gwendolyn agree to some rules and dealt with Marcus.


    Therefore, Nico was not in the wrong. In fact, he had even helped Cedrick out.


    However, Nico could not read Cedrick¡¯s mind, so he continued staring at thetter with wide eyes of


    disbelief.


    Were¡­ his wits beaten out of him, or is he¡­ a masochist? The harder Ms. Gwendolyn beat him up,


    the more he gets off it.


    While Nico was pondering the possibilities, Cedrick was lost in his own thoughts as well.


    When he thought about how soft Gwendolyn had be during their session the night before and how


    she had choked out her pleads, his heart melted, and a smile crept onto his lips.


    Upon noticing the man¡¯s expression, Nico began wondering why Cedrick¡¯s smile was sending chills


    down his spine.


    Cr*p, is he even reminiscing on the moment? Is he really a masochist?


    Nico then scrunched up his brows and started observing his employer.


    Noticing Nico¡¯s stare, Cedrick questioned, ¡°Are you unhappy about the raise?¡±


    Nico beamed. ¡°Of course, not! I¡¯m over the moon about the raise! Boss, summon me anytime for good


    deals like this in the future. If Ms. Gwendolyn can¡¯t satisfy you, I¡¯m more than happy to serve you with


    my hands. I swear you¡¯ll be contented with my service!¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s expression turned gloomy at that. ¡°What in the world are you talking about? How can


    Gwenny not satisfy me? Are you actually offering to substitute her in stuff like this? Who do you think I


    am?¡±


    Realization dawned upon Nico, and he quickly said, ¡°Of course, Boss, of course. Only Gwendolyn can


    be in this position. I know, I know. It¡¯s something exclusive for you two.¡±


    With a knowing smile on his face, Nico exited from the CEO¡¯s office.


    Cedrick could only watch the other man leave in bewilderment.


    I¡¯ve got no idea what he¡¯s talking about.


    Meanwhile, on Gwendolyn¡¯s side, the interviews in the ward were close to their end.


    ¡°My rtionship with Walter ended the second I jumped off the bridge. I don¡¯t want to dwell on both the


    painful and sweet moments anymore. Once I recover, I¡¯ll preupy myself with work to deliver better


    performances for my fans and the public.¡±


    The cameras in front of Jennifer shed and clicked.


    Gwendolyn had only allowed a few reporters from the most influentialpanies into Jennifer¡¯s ward


    for the interviews.


    After hearing Jennifer¡¯s speech, the reporters shared a look, thinking, Is she not nning to hold Walter


    ountable for his cheating anymore?


    One of them then asked, ¡°Ms. Weller, you jumped off the bridge because of Mr. Vissers¡¯ affair


    yesterday. I¡¯m sure you must have been devastated. What made you put aside those feelings so


    quickly?¡±


    Another then queried, ¡°Mr. Vissers apologized to you the night before. It sounds like you¡¯re forgiving


    him for his action. Do you mind telling us who he cheated on you with?¡±


    Jennifer fell silent for a long while.


    At that, Gwendolyn gave Jennifer¡¯s manager a look.


    The manager and the assistant quickly intervened. ¡°All right, folks. Jennifer has yet to fully recover, and


    it¡¯s about time to wrap up so that she can rest earlier.¡±


    Nodding, the reporters dispersed.


    Once they were gone, Gwendolyn walked over to Jennifer and asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take the


    opportunity to reveal their wrongdoing and send theizens after them?¡±


    Jennifer shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s because I know that this will be pointless. I know it¡¯ll be akin to cutting off


    my own nose to spite my face. So what if they¡¯ll be targeted by theizens now? A whileter, they¡¯ll


    thrive in the industry again. Moreover, you can never erase anything from the inte. If I publicize how


    they humiliated me, this will eventually be my dark history. It¡¯ll affect my career, so I might as well


    stay nonchnt about this so that people will feel bad for me instead. At least, I¡¯ll leave a good


    impression on them.¡±


    Gwendolyn was relieved to hear Jennifer¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot after this.¡±


    Jennifer smiled and held Gwendolyn¡¯s hand,menting, ¡°This is all thanks to you. You¡¯re a friend


    who¡¯s much more important than family and lovers.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t say that. Your future husband¡¯s going to be jealous of me if he hears this!¡±


    The two shared a chuckle.


    In the afternoon, Jennifer voiced her desire to be discharged, so Gwendolyn went to get the doctor to


    do a checkup on her.


    All of a sudden, the manager rushed into the ward and said, ¡°Ms. Harris, Jennifer, check your phones


    right away! Lisa¡¯s crying on stream!¡±

 Chapter 255

    Chapter 255


    Chapter 255 Cruel


    Gwendolyn and Jennifer exchanged nces. Then, they each took out their phones and opened the


    live-streaming application.


    Lisa¡¯s live stream had already surpassed ten million views.


    She was crying in front of the camera,menting to the viewers about being informed by thepany


    yesterday that all her scheduled work had been suspended and that thepany might be nning to


    cklist her.


    She also yed the victim byining how she was losing sleep because of that matter, subtly


    implying that Jennifer was to me for her current situation.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Furthermore, Lisa went as far as to mention that because the celebrity caught in bed with Walter


    recently had a simr figure to hers, she had been wronged and unfairly med. She imed she and


    Walter were merely ordinary friends.


    As she put on a tearful performance in front of the camera, the atmosphere inside the ward turned


    particrly solemn.


    Gwendolyn read thement section of her live stream and noticed many people expressing


    sympathy for her.


    Because Jennifer¡¯s interview had just concluded and hadn¡¯t been posted online yet, Lisa¡¯s piteous act


    caused Jennifer to be heavily criticized. Manyizens who were unaware of the truth used Jennifer


    of being maniptive, deliberately jumping into theke to garner attention, and so on.


    The public opinion on Walter¡¯s infidelity case was also well-contained, swaying from side to side.


    ¡°How can this shameless woman be so despicable? I haven¡¯t even confronted her, yet she¡¯s already


    insinuating things about me!¡± Jennifer felt sick looking at Lisa¡¯s overly dramatic demeanor and tear-


    stained face on the screen.


    She wanted to throw her phone in exasperation but was mindful of how expensive the device was.


    Being a girl who had experienced the hardship of life, she was reluctant to purchase a new phone.


    As a result, she could only vent her anger on a pillow.


    Jennifer imagined the pillow to be Lisa, wishing she could beat thetter into a pulp.


    Taking in the way Jennifer was letting out her rage, Gwendolyn shook her head in amusement.


    ¡°Why are you so angry? She¡¯s doing all this just to irritate you. You¡¯re just ying into her hands if you


    get mad.¡± Then, Gwendolyn turned to the manager. ¡°Ignore Lisa. Let her make a fuss. The greater the


    ruckus she stirs up now, the worse humiliation she¡¯ll sufferter!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Harris.¡±


    After that, Gwendolyn contacted Joanne. ¡°Get a prominent blogger to publish a post saying that the


    original source of the mosaic photo has been found, revealing the celebrity Walter was having an affair


    with is Lisa tomorrow. Half an hour after that, use Angle¡¯s official social media ount to announce the


    termination of the contract with Lisa and her departure from Papilio Girls.¡±


    Initially, Gwendolyn had shown consideration for Lisa¡¯s reputation as a girl, so she instructed her


    subordinates to pixte the image, nning to let Jennifer deal with Lisa in private.


    Unexpectedly, Lisa was a fool who didn¡¯t know what was best for her, crossing the line when others


    showed her mercy.


    In that case, Gwendolyn figured Lisa shouldn¡¯t me her for not saving thetter¡¯s face.


    Having arranged everything, Gwendolyn told Jennifer to continue packing and prepare to be


    discharged. ¡°In the uing days, the media will likely show up at your door, requesting interviews


    every day. My advice is that you shouldn¡¯t ept any more interviews since you¡¯ve already made a


    statement once. Staying silent for now is the most beneficial for you.¡±


    Jennifer nodded. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    Gwendolyn pondered briefly, then added, ¡°I suppose the apartment you lived in is probably surrounded


    by reporters now. I¡¯ll arrange a ce for you where no one would dare to disturb you.¡±


    Subsequently, she contemted for a long while. The only ce in the entire Salinsburgh where the


    media outlets won¡¯t dare to intrude is the Harris residence¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to my brother¡¯s vi


    to stay for a few days.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Are you referring to Mr. Treyton Harris?¡± Jennifer hesitated. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little inappropriate?


    Won¡¯t it be too much of an imposition?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Treyton has multiple residences and rarely returns to his small vi at the Harris residence.


    Besides, even if hees back, I can exin the situation to him in a couple of days. Therefore, you


    can rest assured and stay there without worry. The ce is tranquil, and no one will disturb you.¡±


    Jennifer fell silent. I¡¯ll leave after staying for a few days. Before leaving, I¡¯ll make sure to clean up the


    vi thoroughly, so it should be fine, right?


    When her train of thought ended there, she agreed. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take up your offer.¡±


    Gwendolyn took Jennifer, who was perfectly disguised, out of the hospital and headed straight for


    Mount Tranquil.


    Treyton gave Gwendolyn a key to the vi previously. She handed the key to Jennifer and reminded the


    latter of a few things before returning to Angle.


    As soon as Gwendolyn reached the CEO¡¯s office on the top floor of the building, she saw a woman¡¯s


    enticing figure standing at the doorway, talking to Joanne.


    Noticing Gwendolyn advancing in their direction from the corner of her eyes, Joanne jogged up to her


    and said, ¡°Ms. Harris, Ms. Evelyn here wishes to meet with you. I told her you weren¡¯t here, but she


    insisted on waiting.¡±


    The woman who had her back facing Gwendolyn heard Joanne¡¯s words and turned around haughtily.


    She shed a dazzling smile and extended her hand politely. ¡°Hello, Ms. Harris. I¡¯m Evelyn.¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t shake her hand, nor did she respond because, from the moment Evelyn spun on her


    heels, Gwendolyn noticed the girl regarded her with a peculiar expression.


    Moreover, she felt Evelyn look familiar as if she had seen thetter before.


    Still, Gwendolyn had no recollection of being acquainted with Evelyn.


    Evelyn was neen years old and was considered rtively young in the entertainment industry.


    Nevertheless, she was already a top-tier actress.


    However, no one would visit another person without a reason.


    Angle had never coborated with Evelyn. Hence, Gwendolyn reckoned there must be a catch behind


    Evelyn¡¯s sudden advent.


    ¡°What brings you here, Ms. Evelyn?¡±


    Although Gwendolyn didn¡¯t respond to her handshake, Evelyn continued to smile elegantly, seemingly


    unembarrassed.


    ¡°That¡¯s because both our names end with ¡®-lyn,¡¯ so I¡¯ve always wanted to meet with you, Ms. Harris.


    Now that I¡¯ve got to see you in person, you are indeed pretty, much better looking than those minor


    celebrities.¡±


    She was secretly mocking Gwendolyn for not being as famous as her.


    Gwendolyn fathomed Evelyn¡¯s intention, but she merely grinned in response.


    Thus, the young Evelyn became morecent, raising her chin arrogantly. ¡°Actually, I came here


    today because I¡¯m the new spokesperson for Jenson Group¡¯stest Rossi Project. I heard you¡¯re very


    close to Mr. Jenson, so I specifically came to take a look.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can leave now that you¡¯ve seen everything you want.¡± Gwendolyn shed a mirthless smile.


    Evelyn shook her head. Boring her eyes into Gwendolyn¡¯s, she uttered straightforwardly in Joanne¡¯s


    presence, ¡°Ms. Harris, I have something to inform you. I¡¯m interested in your man, so I want topete


    fairly with you for his affection.¡±


    Before Gwendolyn could speak, Joanne flipped out first. ¡°Do you think you can do as you please just


    because you¡¯re popr and have a huge fanbase? Mr. Jenson and Ms. Harris are already engaged.


    What right do you have to demand a fairpetition for his affection?¡±


    Nevertheless, Evelyn was unfazed. ¡°It¡¯s only an engagement. The circumstances are prone to change


    until the moment you get your marriage certificate. Am I right, Ms. Harris?¡±


    That was something Gwendolyn had once said to Eloise.


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows and looked up again at Evelyn¡¯s face. A sarcastic sneer spread across


    thetter¡¯s childish yet exquisite countenance.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Gwendolyn queried.


    The young woman pouted and grinned mischievously. ¡°Nothing in particr. I know youe from a


    distinguished background, and I can¡¯tpete with you in that respect. Nevertheless, you shouldn¡¯t


    underestimate me, Ms. Harris. To be able to secure the best actress position in the industry at my age,


    my patron is quite formidable as well!¡± She moved closer to Gwendolyn and uttered in an undertone, ¡°If


    you let me have Mr. Jenson, I¡¯ll tell you. What do you say, Ms. Harris?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s visage was frosty. ¡°Ours is a marriage of convenience, so it can¡¯t be easily called off. If


    you are as capable as you say, why don¡¯t you give it a try, Ms. Evelyn?¡±


    ¡°You have a point. What¡¯s earned through our abilities is always the best.¡±


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t be bothered to continue the conversation and demanded Evelyn leave. ¡°Joanna,


    see Ms. Evelyn out of Angle.¡±


    She turned around and was about to enter her office when Evelyn suddenly reached out and grasped


    her wrist.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, don¡¯t you feel that you¡¯ve always been too cruel to Mr. Jenson? Truth be told, you only love


    yourself and have always mistreated him. In that case, wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to return him his


    freedom and let me have him?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression turned increasingly solemn after she heard that remark.


    She whirled around and sized Evelyn up. ¡°How do you know that I¡¯ve been cruel to him? Who told you


    this? What else do you know?¡±

 Chapter 256

    Chapter 256


    Chapter 256 Return With A Clear Conscience


    Over at Angle Corporation¡¯s top floor, the atmosphere was frigid.


    Gwendolyn gazed frostily at the neen-year-old girl before her. She seems to know about what


    happened previously between me and Cedrick. However, she¡¯s just an actress in the entertainment


    industry. How could she possibly know what went on in Faike?


    She was still mulling over the matter when Evelyn pouted her pink lips and smiled innocently. ¡°Why are


    you so nervous, Ms. Harris? I was only joking. However, it seems as though you have a secret, hm?¡±


    Could it be that I¡¯m reading too much into this? Gwendolyn looked stony-faced and did not say


    anything.


    At that, Evelynughed and continued, ¡°There¡¯s a charity g tonight, and I¡¯m attending as Mr.


    Jenson¡¯s plus one. It seems there¡¯s no more room for you, his fianc¨¦e. Oh, dear. There¡¯s no way he


    hasn¡¯t told you about that yet, right? It looks like you¡¯re not that important to him after all.¡±


    She giggled, then shed Gwendolyn a taunting smile before turning and taking the elevator down.


    Gwendolyn stared at the young woman¡¯s back until she had left the top floor, looking exceptionally


    grim.


    rmed by her expression, Joanne hurriedly piped up to reassure her, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink things, Ms.


    Harris. It¡¯s clear her visit was a show of power and to deliberately sow discord. You¡¯ve always had a


    close rtionship with Mr. Jenson. He must be taking her to the g because of professional reasons.¡±


    ¡°Mmm,¡± Gwendolyn murmured simply. ¡°You should get back to your work.¡±


    She turned and went into her office, then immediately phoned a Shadow Bell subordinate. ¡°There¡¯s


    more to Evelyn than meets the eye. Look into her as soon as possible. I want to know every detail


    about her.¡±


    ¡°No problem, boss.¡±


    After hanging up, she sat at her desk for a while, lost in thought. I can still hear Evelyn¡¯s words ringing


    in my ears, and I can¡¯t calm down. For some reason, she gives me such a strange feeling, and I can¡¯t


    quite put my finger on it.


    Her mind was still a million miles away when her phone rang.


    After checking the caller ID, Gwendolyn answered her phone and said impatiently, ¡°What is it?¡±


    On the other end of the line, Cedrick was momentarily stunned. She was so gentle and sweet to me


    last night and this morning, but why has she suddenly turned so cold after being apart for a few hours?


    ¡°Gwenny, are you feeling unwell? Have you fallen sick?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. Recalling what Evelyn had mentioned earlier, she


    asked tentatively, ¡°I¡¯ll be working at the office all afternoon. Will you be picking me up after work as


    usual?¡±


    ¡°Actually, that¡¯s why I¡¯m calling. I won¡¯t be able to pick you up this evening. I have a g to attend.¡±


    Gwendolyn was silent for a long time after hearing his reply.


    Quickly picking up on her displeasure, the man added softly, ¡°Does your waist still feel tired? When I


    get back tonight, I¡¯ll be your personal masseuse, and give you a massage to boost blood cirction,


    okay?¡±


    She ignored the meaning behind his words and queried sourly, ¡°If you¡¯re attending a g, will you need


    to bring a femalepanion? Who are you taking with you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking Jenson Group¡¯s brand ambassador for our new coboration. It¡¯s a female actress, but don¡¯t


    worry. I¡¯ll definitely keep my distance from her and go home with a clear conscience.¡±


    A clear conscience, my foot! After cursing inwardly, Gwendolyn put on a sweet tone and replied with a


    tender smile, ¡°Why are you getting so nervous, Ceddy? I trust you, of course.¡±


    Cedrick felt relieved to hear her sounding like herself again.


    However, her expression darkened almost immediately after the pair ended the call. As if I¡¯d trust him!


    Well, I trust Cedrick, but I don¡¯t trust Evelyn. She came to assert her dominance today. That shows


    she¡¯s not easy to get along with or someone to take lightly. She¡¯s nning to do something to Cedrick


    at the charity g tonight, that¡¯s for sure. Who knows how good he is at detecting scheming b*tches?


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As a sense of frustration bubbled inside her, Gwendolyn caught sight of a glint of ck and gold out of


    the corner of her eye on a pile of documents to the right of her desk.


    It was an invitation card to the charity g.


    So I¡¯m invited to the g too? The invitation must havee in this morning, and I didn¡¯t know about it


    because I was at the hospital. That¡¯s perfect. I can go and watch what happens.


    She immediately called Joaquin. While the Zipper family was considered a prestigious family in


    Faike, it did not have that level of status in Salinsburgh. Nheless, Joaquin was a celebrity in the


    entertainment industry who garnered much attention wherever he went. I asked him toe to


    Salinsburgh some time ago, and now, I can use him as a readily-avable male partner!


    That evening, a grand charity g was held on the top floor of Monarch Hotel.


    Evelyn looked elegant in a long, white dress as she sat in Cedrick¡¯s Bentley limousine, heading to the


    hotel with him.


    A small table separated her car seat from his. He wore an expression as cold as ice on his handsome


    face. There was no hint of warmth, and disdain was written all over it.


    Although she could not see his face clearly, the chilliness radiating off him was unmistakable.


    Tilting her chin, she gazed at him yfully. ¡°I was envious when I saw the news about you and Ms.


    Harris, but you¡¯re so indifferent toward me. Have you given all your tenderness to Ms. Harris?¡±


    Cedrick stared straight ahead and took no notice of her.


    Even so, Evelyn did not feel embarrassed in the slightest. With an innocent smile on her babyish face,


    she said, ¡°I never had any siblings. I grew up alone. For some reason, however, I sense a closeness to


    you. I didn¡¯te from a well-off background, so I¡¯m envious that Ms. Harris was born with a silver


    spoon in her mouth.¡±


    Hearing that, he frowned but said nothing. I didn¡¯t think anything of her remarks until shepared


    herself to Gwendolyn. She¡¯s deliberately acting pitifully and is even going so far as to indirectly mock


    Gwendolyn.


    Cedrick¡¯s expression turned even darker as he pressed his thin lips together tightly and remained


    silent.


    However, Evelyn did not notice anything. She continued in a coy yet pitiful tone, ¡°If you could share


    some of that tenderness with me, even a little, I¡¯d be content.¡±


    Not only was she beautiful, but she also had a good reputation in the entertainment industry, plenty of


    male fans, and many wealthy suitors. Not many men could resist her advances.


    However, Cedrick did not even spare her a nce as he responded in a low, cial tone that seemed


    to pierce her to her core, ¡°I won¡¯t share anything that belongs to Gwenny.¡±


    Although looking slightly hurt, Evelyn put on a brave front andughed it off. ¡°Please don¡¯t take it


    seriously, Mr. Jenson. I was only joking around with you. However, I must say that you really dote on


    Ms. Harris. What a lucky woman she is. I¡¯m envious.¡±


    He ignored her.


    It was deathly silent inside the car for a couple of minutes, and a hint of awkwardness hung in the air.


    Evelyn felt slightly frustrated, but her intense desire to conquer his heart rekindled her determination.


    Hence, she attempted to strike up a conversation again, saying, ¡°What made you think of taking the


    limousine to the charity g, Mr. Jenson? I heard you have the only ck, limited edition Shelby


    Supercars in Chanaea. I haven¡¯t been lucky enough to experience how amazing that car is.¡±


    The man still did not say a word. That car only has two seats. The passenger seat is reserved


    exclusively for Gwendolyn, so no other woman should not even think about sitting there.


    Seeing that Cedrick did not answer, Nico piped up from the front passenger seat, ¡°As the ambassador


    for the Rossi Project, you¡¯re Jenson Group¡¯s guest. Hence, a limousine better represents our respect


    for you.¡±


    Evelyn was not too happy to hear that. To her, that sounded as though she was not good enough for


    the sports car. Looking aggrieved, she was about to say something when they pulled up in front of the


    hotel.


    Before exiting the car, Cedrick warned her, ¡°The reason for bringing you to this charity g is for


    marketing purposes only. My fianc¨¦e is very strict. She doesn¡¯t allow other women to touch me, so we


    won¡¯t be linking arms for the entrance. Do you understand me, Ms. Evelyn?¡±


    Her expression froze.

 Chapter 257

    Chapter 257


    Chapter 257 Got A Grip On Miss Harris


    Evelyn had graced countless film festivals, paraded down numerous red carpets, and even attended


    myriad gs as a coveted guest.


    However, she had never experienced a man who candidly refused to make an appearance with her


    arm in arm.


    To her, it was outright humiliation.


    Despite the ire boiling within, she managed an amicable smile. ¡°Understood, Mr. Jenson. Don¡¯t worry, I


    won¡¯t put you in an awkward position with Ms. Harris.¡±


    Cedrick nodded impassively and got out of the car first.


    Nico quickly followed suit and went over to the other side to open the door for Evelyn.


    The moment the duo made their appearances, they became the center of attention, with camera


    shlights bombarding them relentlessly.


    Evelyn, well¨Cacquainted with the current situation, shed a charming yet dignified smile. As they


    entered side by side, they maintained an impable distance, with not even a swish of their clothes


    touching each other.


    Throughout the social exchanges and courtesies that followed, Evelyn was careful to maintain a


    respectful distance, which made Cedrick lower his guard a little.


    Gwendolyn had already made her entrance before them.


    However, she was not a fan of socializing and chose to sit in an unobtrusive corner with Joaquin to


    savor time.


    Joaquin downed one drink after another, his face marred with discontent.


    Puzzled, Gwendolyn asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Who¡¯s managed to upset you?¡±


    In a petnt huff, Joaquin said, ¡°Cedrick¡±


    Perplexed, Gwendolyn queried again, ¡°You haven¡¯t spoken a word to him since arriving at Salinsburgh.


    How did he manage to offend you?¡±


    ¡°He proposed to you before I could legally do so. Now, with the business alliance between the Jenson


    and Harris families, I fear I have lost my chance forever!¡± Joaquin said in despair.


    Amused, Gwendolyn let out a chuckle as she flicked Joaquin¡¯s forehead. ¡°What nonsense are you


    spouting? Even if I weren¡¯t engaged to him, I wouldn¡¯t fancy someone younger than me.¡±


    ?


    ¡°You¡¯re lying. You have previously confessed to liking me!¡± Joaquin protested.


    With a palm on her forehead, Gwendolyn leveled with him. ¡°Hey, brat. My fondness for you is akin to a


    friend and younger brother, not a lover. Don¡¯t get your hopes up about me, or else I might have to avoid


    you altogether, ending our friendship.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± he interjected.


    Joaquin downed the red wine in his ss in one go tofort himself. ¡°Although I won¡¯t have the


    fortune to marry you, being your confidant isn¡¯t bad.¡±


    Amused by his train of thought, Gwendolyn could only shake her head.


    After sitting in the quiet corner for a while without catching sight of Cedrick, Gwendolyn decided to


    excuse herself. ¡°I need to visit the restroom. I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡±


    Meanwhile, at the hotel garden¡¯s fountain, Cedrick and Evelyn had just finished a round of socializing.


    ¡°Mr. Jenson, I feel it¡¯s more intimate to address you as Mr. Cedrick. Is that all right?¡± Evelyn asked.


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Cedrick muttered.


    Thrilled, she cooed, ¡°Mr. Cedrick, were you satisfied with my socializing just now?¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s icy fa?ade remained unchanged. ¡°It was okay.¡±


    His answer made her giggle like a child receiving candy.


    Okay means not bad. Rounded up, it means he¡¯s content with my performance. Cedrick has finally


    praised me!


    Her face beamed with delight. ¡°Could you apany me to a quieter ce to rest, Mr. Cedrick? We¡¯ve


    been standing and talking for quite some time. I¡¯m feeling rather tired.¡±


    Cedrick nced at her high heels and agreed.


    They ambled down the pebbled path of the garden.


    The tranquility surrounding them was ented by the dimmplight, shrouding their silhouettes in a


    vague and mysterious air.


    Cedrick walked in silence, tucking his hands in his suit pockets. His dignified aura was tinged with an


    untamed streak.


    He stayed silent unless Evelyn initiated the conversation.


    Their pace was unhurried, and the quiet atmosphere brought about a sense of eeriness.


    Lost in thought about which topic to broach next, Evelyn was unaware of the unlevelled pebbled path.


    With an rmed exmation, she lost her bnce and instinctively stumbled into Cedrick¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    With a reflexive step back, Cedrick avoided her fall and didn¡¯t even touch the corners of her dress.


    However, realizing her imminent tumble, he reached out to steady her.


    ¡°Mr. Cedrick, that was so scary!¡± Evelyn eximed.


    ¨C Her face turned pale. Grasping his arms tightly, she attempted to snuggle closer into his embrace.


    Cedrick grimaced and was about to push her away when he caught sight of a silhouette in a red dress


    standing not far away from them.


    Gwendolyn crossed her hands and stood silently as she fixed Cedrick with a frigid and mocking stare.


    ¡°Gwenny, let me exin-¡±


    Before he could finish, she scoffed and walked away without a backward nce.


    ¡°Gwenny!¡±


    Cedrick felt a stab to his heart at the sight of Gwendolyn¡¯s cold gaze. However, Evelyn clung to his arm


    with a death grip.


    ¡°Mr. Cedrick, my foot feels like it¡¯s been twisted. It hurts so much!¡± she whimpered.


    Cedrick couldn¡¯t care less about her pain. His gloved hand tightened around her neck, fury visible in his


    dark eyes.


    ¡°You saw Gwenny from the start, didn¡¯t you? You deliberately stumbled into my arms, attempting to


    make her misunderstand me, right?¡±


    Evelyn¡¯s face twisted in agony, reddening with distress. Gasping for air, she choked out, ¡°W¨CWhat do


    you mean, Mr. Cedrick? My foot is really hurt. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check. I/swear I¡¯m not


    lying¡­


    ¡°You better not be!¡± Cedrick warned.


    He let go of her, not caring to verify her im.


    Gwendolyn was upset with him, and that mattered more than anything else.


    As he turned to pursue Gwendolyn, Evelyn once again held onto his suit sleeve.


    Gone was her amicable and weak look. Her tone turned uncharacteristically stern as she said, ¡°Mr.


    Cedrick, you truly don¡¯t understand Gwendolyn. Despite your relentless love for her, you¡¯ll only end up


    with deeper wounds. She may be willing to be with you now, but I bet she has not confessed her love to


    you up until now. Can¡¯t you see it?¡±


    Ignoring her, Cedrick shook off Evelyn¡¯s hand ruthlessly and dashed after Gwendolyn.


    Caught off guard, Evelyn fell to the ground, the pristine white hem of her dress stained with mud.


    §Á


    However, her dress was the least of her concern right then. Her gaze remained locked on Cedrick. A


    glint of excitement glowed in her eyes, and her enchantingly coy face was radiant with a brilliant smile.


    Meanwhile, a little further away, the slow saunter of Gwendolyn was in stark contrast to the urgency in


    Cedrick¡¯s sprint.


    Consequently, as Gwendolyn was about to step onto the stairs leading to the charity g hall, Cedrick


    sessfully intercepted her path.


    ¡°Gwenny, please. Could you please let me exin myself?¡± the man pleaded.


    Gwendolyn cast him an indifferent nce, Repulsed by the suit that had been sullied by Evelyn¡¯s hand


    she folded her arms and wanted to bypass Cedrick to enter the charity g hall.


    Cedrick was all too aware of how Gwendolyn must think of him now and dared not touch her. Hence,


    he only blocked her path, determined to not let her slip away.


    ¡°Gwenny¡­¡± His eyes tinged red as he pleaded softly.


    Ignoring Cedrick¡¯s plea, Gwendolyn battled her rising fury and uttered in a low growl, ¡°Scram.¡±


    The harsh words stung him, causing a throbbing pain in his chest. He bit his lower lip in frustration.


    Standing in front of the charity g hall, Cedrick swiftly undid his gloves and the golden buttons of his


    suit.


    Without a moment of hesitation, he stripped off his suit and gloves and promptly disposed of them in a


    nearby trash can.


    His sleek ck silk shirt showcased his well¨Cbuilt figure impressively, but the unusual actions drew the


    bystanders¡® curious and surprised nces.


    Ignoring their gazes, Cedrick swooped down and swiftly swept Gwendolyn off her feet.


    This unexpected action elicited gasps and murmurs from the onlookers.


    ¡°What on earth are you doing?¡± Gwendolyn seethed, anger simmering in her eyes. ¡°Are you out of your


    mind? Put me down!¡±


    Just as she attempted to struggle, Cedrick leaned in close to her ears and murmured softly, ¡°So many


    people are watching, Gwenny. Remember our agreement this morning? I¡¯ve discarded the soiled


    clothing. I¡¯m innocent, and I¡¯ll exin everything when we get back. Is that okay? Behave. If you fall


    from my grasp, it¡¯ll be a disaster for both the Harris and Jenson families¡® stocks tomorrow.¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Naturally, Gwendolyn understood what was at stake.


    She gritted her teeth and suppressed the urge to tweak Cedrick¡¯s ears. Instead, she chose to y


    along and curled her arms around his neck.


    Cedrick knew she was still mad at him. His thin lips curled into a devilish smile. ¡°Whether the stocks for


    the Jenson and Harris families plummet or soar tomorrow depends entirely on how cooperative you


    are, Gwenny.¡±


    ¡°What else do you have in mind?¡± Gwendolyn asked sharply, sensing that the man had an ulterior


    motive.


    His grin widened. ¡°I n to make you appear in the headlines, Gwenny, by doing what a fianc¨¦ should


    do.¡±

 Chapter 258

    Chapter 258


    Chapter 258 ying The Pity Card


    The burning passion in the masked man¡¯s eyes was conspicuous to Gwendolyn, making her heart skip


    a beat when she sensed the threatening vibe from him.


    Disregarding the onlookers, Cedrick rubbed her nose with his nose tip endearingly and whispered to


    her, ¡°Forgive me, Gwenny, but this is the only thing I can do. You refused to give me a chance to


    exin myself.¡±


    ¡°Are you se-¡±


    Before she could finish, Gwendolyn felt Cedrick¡¯s lips pushed against hers in just a nick of time.


    Initially, she yed along because many were watching them, but as the kiss dragged out, she was


    drawn into it and slowly closed her eyes as their breaths intertwined.


    Just like that, the two shared a steamy kiss with Gwendolyn in Cedrick¡¯s arms right in front of the venue


    entrance.


    Stirred, spectators took our their phones to take pictures.


    The journalists who hade to the g graced by celebrities also jumped on the opportunity and


    snapped photos of the epic moment, which left many socialites green with envy.


    ¡°They¡¯re so sweet! Mr. Jenson is so manly!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so romantic. I wished I had a fianc¨¦ like Mr. Jenson!¡±


    ¡°They look so good together. I can¡¯t take this anymore. I¡¯m blind.¡±


    ¡°Argh! I¡¯m so jealous! I want a boyfriend like that!¡±


    Meanwhile, having waited at the lounge for Gwendolyn toe out of the restroom for some time,


    Joaquin decided to go out to look for her and saw her kissing Cedrick.


    He almost fainted as he stared at Gwendolyn¡¯s lips being ravaged by the man.


    What the heck? This is just too much!


    On the other side, Evelyn was equally shocked. Standing at the path in the garden, she was just on her


    way to her MPV to change her soiled gown when she beheld themotion at the entrance.


    Obscured by the dim lights along the path, she smirked sourly, a reaction that went unnoticed by the


    crowd that was overtaken by jealousy and thrill.


    When the two finally pulled apart, Cedrick¡¯s lips were smudged with Gwendolyn¡¯s bright red lipstick,


    forming a stark contrast with his silver masquerade mask.


    Under the watchful gazes of the onlookers, Gwendolyn wiped away the stain on his lips to not


    embarrass him.


    Pleased, Cedrick tightened his arms around her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    At his words, the crowd knowingly moved aside to allow them a way out amidst the constant sounds of


    camera shutters.


    Since Gwendolyn disliked being at the center of attention, she buried her face in Cedrick¡¯s chest,


    making her look docile and endearing.


    In no time, news about the kiss at the charity g spread like wildfire that night, dominating all media


    outlets and surpassing even the news of Walter¡¯s affair.


    The matter was so widely discussed that Cedrick and Gwendolyn became known as the sweetest


    couple in the upper-ss circle.


    Because of their attractive looks, fans began to ship them together, calling for them to get married.


    As for Cedrick and Gwendolyn themselves, they had just arrived at the Jenson residence.


    Their demeanor changed when they entered the mansion¨CCedrick lowered his head and followed


    Gwendolyn into the room, leaving no trace of his previous gantry on his face as he observed her thin


    back helplessly.


    When they entered the room, Gwendolyn sat at the bedside and ignored the manpletely, looking at


    her phone.


    Still hoping to make it up to her, Cedrick sat down beside her and touched her gently as he began to


    say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I swear I tried to keep a distance between her and me, but she happened to twist her


    ankle when you saw us. It¡¯s not like I can leave her to her own. I brought her there. Besides, she¡¯s


    Rossi Project¡¯s ambassador¨CJenson Group¡¯s face. I had to do something to prevent her from falling.¡±


    His exnation was met with Gwendolyn¡¯s unperturbed face.


    Cedrick, seeing that she was still on her phone,pletely ignoring him, continued, ¡°I have no idea she


    would make a move on me. She just put her arms around me all of a sudden. She set me up!¡±


    Just as he finished, he felt a sense of antagonism from Gwendolyn, so he quickly added, ¡°I¡¯m not trying


    to shift the me onto others. It¡¯s my fault for not doing what I promised. I should¡¯ve seen hering.


    I¡¯ll


    do


    my best to make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again! Also, I want to apologize for hugging and kissing you


    without your consent earlier. That was the only thing I could do when you didn¡¯t even give me a chance


    to exin. Would you forgive me? At least both our families¡® stocks will shoot up for now.¡±


    His appeasing work worsened the matter when Gwendolyn¡¯s face turned increasingly grim, and


    Cedrick lowered his gaze, seeing that she was unmoved.


    She must¡¯ve been really offended. I thought I could escape some beating this time¡­


    With that thought, he went to the bedside table and took a long wooden ruler from its drawer before


    passing it to Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Do whatever you want, then.¡±


    When Gwendolyn did not take the ruler from him, Cedrick shoved it into her hands, insisting, ¡°I threw


    away the zer and gloves that she touched, but if you still feel disgusted, I don¡¯t mind being your


    punching bag. No matter what, I won¡¯t stop you¨Ceven if you break my arms.¡±


    Gwendolyn still had her eyes on her phone without saying a word.


    When Cedrick had stood before her for some time without getting any response, he turned to open the


    cupboard again and took out the Lego pieces Gwendolyn had custom¨Cmade for him.


    Then, he spread the pieces on the rug beside the bed and rolled up his cks, revealing the bruised


    knees,


    scarred from his previous punishment.


    Beside him, Gwendolyn stole a nce at the man as she continued scrolling her phone. With his pants


    up, she could not help but notice his knees.


    cuffed


    The sight jarred her, and she stopped him when he was about to kneel.


    ¡°What are you doing? Did you roll up your pants to show me this? I¡¯m not falling for your act.


    Despite her harsh words, Gwendolyn actually felt sorry for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to trick you. I thought the punishment would be more severe if I did it with my knees


    exposed,¡± Cedrick exined with a bitter smile.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s anger shot through the roof. ¡°I suppose you enjoy the pain, huh?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t,¡± he replied with a frown and a guilty look. ¡°For all I know, watching me in pain might


    appease you. It¡¯s not good to be angry always, so I thought this could help you get over it faster.¡±


    His words sent Gwendolyn¡¯s heart wrenching.


    Somehow, she was reminded of what Evelyn had told her that morning at her office.


    Ms. Harris, don¡¯t you feel that you¡¯ve always been too cruel to Mr. Jenson? Truth be told, you only love


    yourself and have always mistreated him.


    Recalling those words, Gwendolyn questioned whether she was truly mean and unkind toward Cedrick


    because he loved and indulged her.


    The realization made her sigh and soften her tone. ¡°Sit here and let me look at your knees.¡±


    Noticing the tenderness in her eyes, Cedrick smiled subtly and let her pull him to the bed.


    ¡°How did you get all the bruises? I thought it was only for half an hour. Didn¡¯t you use any medication


    yesterday night?¡±

 Chapter 259

    Chapter 259


    Chapter 259 You Are Jealous


    Half an hour? You refused to talk to me, and I kneeled for one hour!


    Cedrick did not spell his thoughts but shook his head instead.


    ¡°You treated my hand but not my knees, so I thought I was not allowed to put anything on them.¡±


    Afraid Gwendolyn might mistake him for trying to gain her sympathy, he quickly rified, ¡°I mean, I also


    worked out till tootest night and forgot about it.¡±


    Little did he know, his meditation was overlooked by Gwendolyn, who was still bothered by Evelyn¡¯s


    remarks in the day.


    ¡°Show me your hand. Is it still painful?¡±


    Cedrick held out his left palm, which appeared red and swollen despite the medication.


    ¡°Did it get worse overnight?¡± the woman asked.


    ¡°I guess so. I suppose the pressure from the push¨Cups hindered the blood flow, causing it to swell.


    Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not that bad now.¡±


    Gwendolyn knew it must have been painful when it happened.


    In hindsight, she wondered how she could bring herself to do that to him back then. In fact, she felt so


    bad and defeated that tears started welling up in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. She¡¯s right. I¡¯ve been mean to you. I said I would treat you nicely, but I¡¯ve only caused you


    pain,¡± she muttered.


    Although Cedrick had no idea who Gwendolyn was talking about, he could sense that she was on the


    verge of breaking down.


    With his right hand, he lifted her chin, only to see her beautiful eyes sparkling with tears.


    Making her cry was thest thing he wanted to do¨Chis initial intention was just to escape punishment.


    ¡°Come on. There¡¯s no way I got hurt from what you did. I¡¯m so much bigger than you. What¡¯s wrong


    with spicing things up between us? It¡¯s romantic,¡± he consoled as he caressed her face, feeling sorry


    that he had broken her heart.


    Gwendolyn turned away and replied, ¡°I know you¡¯re just trying to make me feel better.¡±


    At the sight of that, Cedrick pulled her back so she could look right into his sincere eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying this just to make you feel better. I know you¡¯re angry about what happened just now


    because you¡¯re jealous. I¡¯m actually happy to know you care so much about me. I¡¯ll dly take whatev


    punishment from you, even if you intend to cripple my hands. You¡¯ve always made me feel like I¡¯ve ne


    been this loved in my entire life. I¡¯ll do anything so you can forgive me. You might not know this, but I


    am the happiest man holding you every night, hearing you call my name, and sleeping with you. I love


    you. I really do. I just don¡¯t know if¡­¡±


    ¡­if you love me as much.


    Cedrick did not finish his sentence, for he feared finding out the answer. What Evelyn said kept


    reying in his mind as he reflected on all that happened that period¨Calthough Gwendolyn had agreed


    to be with him, she had never told him she loved him.


    The thought of it disconcerted him.


    He was afraid that her answer would blot out thest ray of hope he was clinging to that whole time.


    ¡°If what?¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s voice called him back, and he looked down.


    ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to say that I still love you, no matter what you do to me.¡±


    Touched, Gwendolyn retrieved the medication she left in the drawer yesterday night, hoping it would


    help with the swelling.


    ¡°You¡¯re so dumb¨Clike really dumb,¡± she muttered, applying the medication.


    Opposite her, Cedrick just smiled as he watched her tend to his injury with great care, even blowing


    tenderly on his hand to help ease the pain.


    ¡°Gwenny, are you still angry about what happened at the charity g?¡±


    ¡°That is not happening again,¡± she remarked, pinching his cheek slightly.


    Feeling relieved and overjoyed, Cedrick smiled and carried her up from the bed.


    ¡°W¨CWhat are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re not punishing me tonight, we can proceed to our bedtime massage session!¡±


    ¡°Hold on!¡± Gwendolyn stopped him. ¡°Where are you bringing me? We¡¯re already in the room.¡±


    ¡°I like the master bedroom better. It¡¯s more spacious!¡± A mischievous smile broke out on his face as


    excitement glimmered in his gaze.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    ¡°Come on. What is it again?¡± Cedrick asked, stopping when he had just gone out of the room.


    Gwendolyn looked up at him from his embrace and asked, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t use your left hand so much


    to allow it to recover. You can¡¯t do anything with just one hand, so¡­ why don¡¯t we do a raincheck?¡±


    I can¡¯t do anything with just one hand?


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Cedrick¡¯s face fell as his brows stitched. ¡°I can do at least three hundred push¨Cups singlehandedly


    without even panting. Do you want me to show you that?¡±


    ¡°What? Mmm!¡±


    Cedrick had shut her up with a kiss before she could continue,


    On that note, the night went on deep as the lovebirds kissed under the moon¡¯s glow.


    At midnight, Treyton was already disembarking a ne in Salinsburgh.


    When he had arrived, he drove back to the Harris residence on his own since it was alreadyte.


    Because he seldom returned home, he thought there was no need to keep a house full of servants, but


    Leif would still get someone to clean the outsidepound of the house asionally, so the residence


    still looked spotless.


    Once Treyton had arrived, he went upstairs to his room and showered.


    Probably because he was too spent, he did not realize something unusual in his room but went on to


    turn off the lights andy down, getting ready to sleep.


    It was not until he sensed some movement beside him and felt a handnd on his chest that he


    realized someone was in his bed.


    What the h*l!


    rmed, he shot up and choke the person on the neck.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Cough!


    Jennifer was struck awake from her slumber.


    Treyton¡¯s grip was so tight her face was pumped red, and she could not even choke out a word.


    Under the moonlight, Treyton finally loosened his grip when he learned the intruder was a woman.


    ¡°I¡¯m J¨CJennifer¡­ Weller¡­¡±


    Jennifer? Isn¡¯t she one of Angle¡¯s celebrities? She¡¯s Gwendolyn¡¯s friend at the orphanage!


    Still, with his guard up, Treyton turned on the lights and finally let her free when he saw her face.


    ¡°What are you doing on my bed, Ms. Weller?¡± he asked the woman who was tearing up and coughing


    as she held her neck.


    When she had recovered, she got out of the bed and bowed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you wereing back tonight, Mr. Harris. Gwendolyn asked me to put up a


    night here because the paparazzi were waiting at my ce. I¡¯m sorry to disturb you.¡±


    ¡°Well, you should stay if Gwendolyn asked you to,¡± he replied, feeling sorry as he looked at the marks


    on her neck.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Harris. I promise I won¡¯t cause you trouble,¡± the woman replied, bowing again.


    Treyton grunted lightly and resumed his easygoing self. ¡°You can pick any room aside from this one.


    Thi is the master bedroom.¡±


    Jennifer bit her lip awkwardly and bowed once more, apologizing ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for my mistake! I got


    ahead of myself because I¡¯d never been to a house this big. I should¡¯ve known better.¡±


    With her shoulder all tensed up, she hurried out in frantic steps.


    However, much to Treyton¡¯s confusion, she suddenly turned back when she was at the door.

 Chapter 260

    Chapter 260


    Chapter 260 Weak


    Jennifer bowed twice and returned to the bed hastily. ¡°I apologize, Mr. Harris. I have slept in this bed


    and used the bedsheet and nket. I assume you¡¯re not pleased with that¡­¡±


    Treyton seemed to have understood what she was getting at. He sat up and hopped off the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the intrusion,¡± Jennifer apologized repeatedly.


    Quickly, she removed the bedsheet and nket before retreating from the room with a humble bow.


    Treyton nced at the bare bed and shed a helpless smile. After getting the spare bedsheet and


    nket from the cab, he ended up spreading the bed himself.


    I can¡¯t believe Jennifer apologized fifteen times and bowed twelve times in just a few minutes. She is


    strangely foolish and adorable, huh? How interesting.


    At dawn, the gentle rays of the sun filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a warm glow upon the


    bed in the bedroom.


    When Cedrick awoke, he found Gwendolyn already awake. She was sitting in bed, looking serious,


    engrossed in scrolling on her phone.


    The sight confused him. ¡°Why are you on your phone early in the morning? Have you been addicted to


    it recently?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m buying something for you.¡±


    Gwenny¡¯s buying a gift for me again? It should be something normal this time, right?


    ¡°What is it? Let me take a look.¡±


    Gwendolyn exined carelessly, ¡°Oh, a box of stag penis pills, some tonic, and¡­¡±


    Stag penis? Tonics?


    Cedrick found it strange that she would buy those for him. He asked darkly, ¡°Why would you buy those


    things? Have I not satisfied you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Gwendolyn shook her head profusely. ¡°You were amazing, Ceddy. However,st night


    you imed to be capable of doing three hundred push¨Cups with one hand, but you stopped after


    doing one hundred push¨Cups.¡±


    Is he weak because we have been having sex too much recently? I can¡¯t let that happen. I must buy


    more tonics to mak it up to him!


    Cedrick stared at her in shock.


    Is she saying I¡¯m weak because I only did one hundred push¨Cups? Seriously?


    He couldn¡¯t ept the fact that his beloved woman would think he was weak after spending the night


    with him as he had always been proud of his sexual prowess.


    His manly ego had suffered a huge blow.


    A tumultuous storm seemed to brew within him, akin to massive waves disrupting the tranquility of a


    once-sereneke. The intensity of his anger surged, surpassing even the power of a nuclear explosion


    upon the vast expanse of the ocean.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, I¡¯ll show you how capable I am!¡±


    ¡°Ceddy! Ced¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn struggled but to no avail.


    It was toote to regret her actions.


    Treyton was roused from his slumber by the enticing aroma wafting through the open window.


    It smells like fried egg. Is Jennifer cooking in the kitchen?


    He got up and changed into a suit before making his way downstairs slowly.


    In the kitchen, a figure could be seen flitting in and out. A spread of warm milk, toast, fried eggs, and an


    assortment of fruits were already served on the table.


    Jennifer emerged from the kitchen, carrying two bowls of oatmeal. She looked up and locked eyes with


    Treyton.


    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Harris.¡± She ced the bowls on the table and pulled a chair out for him. ¡°I¡¯m not


    sure if my cooking is to your taste. Please try it.¡±


    Treyton was nning on having breakfast at Marcus¡® ce. After all, Jennifer was still a stranger to


    him, and he held reservations about unfamiliar people. However, the sight of Jennifer¡¯s genuine smile


    inexplicably drew him toward her,pelling him to approach and take a seat beside her.


    The oatmeal was yummy, and the fried egg was just nice. He found her cooking surprisingly delicious.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. If you n on staying here for some time, I can arrange for two maids to


    take care of you.¡±


    Jennifer parted her lips in surprise. ¡°No need, Mr. Harris. I understand that my presence may be


    burdensome. I¡¯m good at doing housework and cooking. Please allow me to contribute in some way to


    ease my conscience about staying here.¡±


    Impressed by her sincerity and determination, Treyton chose not to say anything further. It was clear


    that she was a self¨Creliant youngdy.


    After breakfast, Treyton settled on the couch to read the papers instead of heading out immediately as


    usual.


    Jennifer cleared up the kitchen and was ready to head out when he asked, ¡°Are you going to Barner for


    a magazine cover shoot today?¡±


    ¡°Yes. How do you know?¡± Jennifer came to a stop, holding her bag meekly.


    Treyton ced the papers away. ¡°I checked your schedule a while ago. Come, let me give you a ride.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, you don¡¯t have to do that, Mr. Harris. I can walk down the hill myself. My manager will pick


    me up in his car at the foot of the hillter.¡±


    Treyton got to his feet. He looked gentle, while his voice possessed a charming and soothing quality.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡®


    be leaving shortly, and dropping you off at the base of the mountain is conveniently on my way. You


    can take your manager¡¯s car there,¡± he offered kindly.


    ¡°Oh? Well, thank you, Mr. Harris.¡±


    Mount Tranquil was of considerable size, with a winding path leading down the mountain. If Jennifer


    were to walk, it would take her at least an hour to reach the base.


    At the foot of the mountain, Jennifer got out of the car and gave Treyton another bow. ¡°Thank you for


    the ride, Mr. Harris. Will youe back for dinner tonight? I can prepare dinner for you in advance. I¡¯ll


    feel bad if I cannot repay your favor.¡±


    Treyton watched as she started bowing once more and revealed ¨¤ cautious and vignt attitude. The


    aura of detachment that surrounded her seemed akin to a protective barrier she had created for


    herself.


    He knitted his brows. I told her I would drop her off as it was conveniently along my route, so there was


    no need for her to be overly polite.


    However, he struggled to find the right words to express his thoughts. After running a background


    search on her this morning, he discovered that Walter had been unfaithful to her. He felt a pang of


    sympathy for her, knowing that she was innocent and had been hurt by the actions of a scoundrel.


    ¡°Okay. You can cook if you want. I might be at work until past seven in the evening.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Goodbye, Mr. Harris!¡± She gave him yet another bow.


    Treyton said nothing as he wound up the car window.


    From the passenger seat, Elisha cast a cautious nce in his direction.


    ¡°Mr. Harris, you need to head to the embassyter this afternoon, right? Can you make it back home by


    seven¨Cthirty?¡±


    Treyton had forgotten all about that. ¡°Tell them I¡¯m busy at night. They should either hold the event in


    advance or change the date.¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Why won¡¯t he tell Ms. Weller that he won¡¯t make it back in time for dinner instead?


    Elisha stole a nce at the rearview mirror, observing Jennifer standing by the side of the road. A


    yful grin crept onto his face as he covered his lips. ¡°It seems Ms. Weller holds a special ce in your


    heart, Mr. Harris,¡± he remarked.


    Treyton nced back at Elisha and responded calmly, ¡°She is Kiddo¡¯s best friend and has been


    supportive of Kiddo during their time at the orphanage. I am simply showing kindness to her because of


    how well she has treated Kiddo.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see¡± Elisha nodded thoughtfully.


    After Treyton¡¯s departure, Jennifer swiftly got into her manager¡¯s car. Unbeknownst to her, a figure


    vanished in the blink of an eye from the corner opposite her.


    Back at Jenson Group, Nico approached the CEO¡¯s office and rapped on the door, clutching a file


    containing data in his hands.


    He came into the office to see his employer spacing out and staring at his right hand.


    ¡°Boss, what are you looking at?¡±


    Cedrick didn¡¯t see the need to deceive him and admitted, ¡°Lately, I¡¯ve been experiencing a peculiar


    sensation in my body. It feels like my strength is diminishing with each passing day.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Nico put down the file and sat down across from him.


    He began observing his skin color and mental state carefully.


    ¡°Have you had sex with Ms. Gwendolyn recently?¡±


    ¡°We did it once the night before, oncest night, and once this morning.¡±


    Nico gulped. Wow, they are so into each other!


    His eyes widened in astonishment as he noticed the dark circles under Cedrick¡¯s eyes, a clear sign of


    sleep deprivation. ¡°Boss, are you exhausted? Is it because Ms. Gwendolyn has been draining your


    energy?¡±

 Chapter 261

    Chapter 261


    Chapter 261 Whose Problem


    Cedrick¡¯s expression turned dark, and he didn¡¯t say a word.


    Nico continued, ¡°Boss, you should restrain yourselves. Overindulging in your desires can harm your


    health!¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s expression darkened further.


    Nico btedly realized that his recent pay rise was about to say goodbye to him.


    Realizing the potential consequences, he quickly corrected himself, ¡°I mean, if Mr. Asher were to


    discover this, it would be difficult for Ms. Gwendolyn when she returns to the Harris residence. It could


    lead to a significant uproar. Boss, considering your current health condition, if you were to sustain a


    severe injury again, there might not be anyone capable of rescuing you.¡±


    The truth is always bitter to swallow.


    Nico¡¯s words weren¡¯t pleasant to the ears, but he was telling the truth.


    Cedrick wasn¡¯t a tyrant, so he gave a nod in agreement.


    He soon received an urgent email from the Federal Bureau of Investigation about Chanaea¡¯s border.


    Cedrick clicked into it and put on a stern expression. ¡°An organization is causing trouble at the border.


    Pack up, and we¡¯ll leave tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Boss.¡±


    When Gwendolyn woke up, it was almost noon.


    Cedrick knew she was exhausted and didn¡¯t disturb her so she could get more sleep.


    Holding her waist, she carefully got off the bed and discovered her legs were shaking.


    Following the morning incident, she had been deeply traumatized. She learned the hard way that she


    should never challenge a man¡¯s pride in such matters or face dire consequences.


    Her subordinate from Shadow Bell had already organized the information regarding Evelyn and sent it


    to her email.


    Gwendolyn clicked into the file and read it carefully.


    Evelyn was neen years old. Her father had died some time ago, so she was brought up by her


    mother. She made her debut in the entertainment industry at the tender age of fourteen, showcasing


    her remarkable talent as an actress and earning international acim through numerous awards.


    Spection circted that she had a wealthy benefactor, which exined the abundant resources at


    her disposal. However, the identity of her benefactor, her parents, and even her surname was


    unknown.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression turned icy when she saw the several unknowns in the report.


    The report she had received was filled with irrelevant details,cking the crucial information she truly


    needed.


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    She immediately made a call. ¡°Reinvestigate her thoroughly. I requireprehensive information. Find


    out when her father passed away and the cause of his death. I want to uncover every detail, including


    her full surname. If she went to the trouble of concealing her identity, there must be a significant secret


    behind it.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Boss. I¡¯ll get to it right away!¡±


    Gwendolyn ended the call and stared at Evelyn¡¯s details, her gaze darkening.


    Since I took over Shadow Bell, they have never failed in investigating anything. If they couldn¡¯t even


    uncover her identity, that means that Evelyn¡¯s backers consist of bigshots from influential families. Who


    could her benefactor be? She has covered her tracks well, huh?


    Gwendolyn had no choice but to wait for Shadow Bell to revert back to her.


    Gathering her thoughts, she washed up and put on some makeup.


    Jennifer was heading to a shoot at Barner today. It was her first job after Walter¡¯s incident, so


    Gwendolyn nned on visiting her at work today.


    She walked out of the vi and was about to get into the car when Valentino and Logan came to her.


    ¡°Hello, Old Mr. Jenson.¡±


    Valentino greeted her with a warm smile and nodded approvingly. He came over to her with the help of


    his walking stick and asked, ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯ve been staying with Cedrick recently. Have you adjusted


    well to the new living arrangement?¡±


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. Ceddy treats me well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that,¡± Valentino replied with a satisfied smile.


    His gaze traveled down Gwendolyn¡¯s face and settled on her stomach. ¡°Considering how harmonious


    you two seem, why haven¡¯t you conceived yet? Kiddo, please avoid taking any contraceptive measures


    as they can be detrimental to your health. Don¡¯t worry. If you be pregnant, I promise to organize a


    magnificent wedding for you.¡±


    Gwendolyn felt the tips of her ears turning red hearing an elder broach such intimate matters. She


    responded with an awkward smile, saying, ¡°I understand, Old Mr. Jenson.¡±


    Pregnant? I dare not get pregnant. If Asher finds out, he¡¯ll break my legs before I give birth.


    Valentino continued offering his advice and insights on marriage, and Gwendolyn politely


    acknowledged his input.


    After Valentino left, she looked at her tummy.


    She feared Asher would beat her up if she were to get pregnant. However, a part of her remained


    curious about the experience of giving birth to a baby.


    This is strange. Cedrick and I had sex so many times without using condoms. Why am I not pregnant


    yet? Is there something wrong with my health? Or is it Cedrick?


    Having learned her lesson from the morning incident, she dared not pose the question to Cedrick


    directly. She feared that he might perceive her question as a challenge to his masculine pride and end


    up teaching her another harsh lesson.


    Perhaps I¡¯m not fated to have a child yet.


    She let out a long sigh and immediately made her way to the shooting set.


    Upon arrival, she noticed a hunched figure at the corner of the door.


    Despite the mask and cap concealing her face, the person¡¯s short, grey hair exposed her identity as an


    elderly woman.


    However, when Gwendolyn came nearer, she noticed that the skin on the back of thedy¡¯s hand was


    fair and tightly textured, contradicting the appearance of an elderly woman.


    She was about to take a closer look when the ¡°elderly woman¡± stealthily slipped into the building


    through the staffne, taking advantage of a moment when the staff was not paying attention.


    Jennifer¡¯s shooting was in progress on the twenty¨Csecond floor of the Barner building.


    The photoshoot for this month¡¯s magazine cover had already beenpleted, with¨CJennifer delivering


    an exceptional performance. Impressed by her skills, the director at Barner decided to enlist her for


    several in¨Cpage column shoots.


    Everyone was focused on the shoot, unaware of an ¡°elderlydy¡± emerging from the restroom.


    Clutching a bucket of dirty water that had been used to mop the floor, she quietly positioned herself


    behind them. Thedy¡¯s vicious gaze was fixed on Jennifer the moment she entered the scene.


    Quietly, she inched nearer to Jennifer without attracting attention.


    ¡°All right, that¡¯s a wrap for this set. We still have two more sets to go, but let¡¯s take a thirty¨Cminute


    break. Great job, Jennifer! You¡¯re doing fantastic!¡± the director praised, acknowledging her


    performance.


    The rest of the staff pped in unison.


    Jennifer bowed to everyone. ¡°Thank you, everyone. My manager prepared some coffee, so please help


    yourselves.¡±


    The staff cheered and went to her manager to get some coffee.


    As Jennifer was engrossed in her bow, the timing was perfect. Unbeknownst to her, a malicious re


    shed in the eyes of the ¡°elderly woman¡± lurking in the corner.


    ¡°Jennifer Weller! I want your reputation ruined!¡±


    Without warning, the bucket of filthy water was thrown in Jennifer¡¯s direction.


    Caught off guard, she couldn¡¯t move away in time and was drenched from head to toe. The exquisite


    haute couture gown provided by Barner was now smeared with dirt and grime.


    The dirt and grime stung Jennifer¡¯s eyes, causing her to instinctively rub them in an attempt to alleviate


    the pain. Despite her efforts, she couldn¡¯t open her eyes due to the intense difort.


    Everyone had walked away to get coffee and couldn¡¯t react in time. The ¡°elderlydy¡± immediately


    tossed the bucket away and pulled out the dagger she had prepared earlier, charging toward Jennifer.


    ¡°Die, you b*tch!¡±


    Many staff screamed in terror at the sight of the dagger, but they were too far away to stop the attacker.


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Fortunately, the bloodshed didn¡¯t ur.


    Before the dagger could stab into Jennifer¡¯s stomach, it came to a halt.


    A pair of hands had emerged out of nowhere to grab the wrist of the ¡°elderlydy.¡±

 Chapter 262

    Chapter 262


    Chapter 262 Dark Path


    A pair of dark eyes stared back at her.


    ¡°Y¨CYou¡­ It¡¯s you¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s redcquered lips lifted into a sneer. ¡°Lisa, I didn¡¯t expect you to fall so far!¡±


    She twisted Lisa¡¯s wrist with a snap.


    ¡°Ouch! My wrist!¡±


    Lisa¡¯s face contorted in pain. The dagger in her hand ttered to the ground.


    Gwendolyn raised her high¨Cheeled foot and kicked her hard across her thigh.


    Lisa fell to the ground. She scrambled around but could not muster the strength to stand up again.


    The assistant, manager, and staff watching the scene were all frightened.


    ¡°Why are you still standing there like an idiot? Go and help Jennifer wash up!¡± Gwendolyn growled.


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡±


    The assistant quickly grabbed a dry towel, wrapped it around Jennifer¡¯s body, and led her to the


    bathroom.


    Lisa was dissatisfied to see that her n had failed.


    She had used thest of her savings to get Jennifer¡¯s schedule for her Barner shoot.


    ¡°Why did you have to save her? I was ridiculed by the entirework! I had to leave Papilio Girls! I owe


    millions of dors! All of this is because of her! Damn her!¡± Lisa screamed hysterically at Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn snorted, still sneering.


    ¡°I am the one who leaked your nude photo and issued the order to remove you from Papilio Girls. I am


    the one who did this to you. Well, I¡¯m standing in front of you right now. Come and kill me if you dare.¡±


    Lisa was shocked to hear those words. She stared wordlessly at Gwendolyn for a long while. Finally,


    she gritted her teeth against the pain, staggered over to Gwendolyn, and reached down to pick up the


    dagger on the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    Her fingers were wrapped around the hilt of the dagger but she could not lift it. Gwendolyn¡¯s high¨C


    heeled foot was stepping down hard on the de.


    ¡°Lisa, you¡¯ve fallen from grace today due to your own doing. If you had concentrated all your energy on


    being the best idol, you would have reached stardom.¡±


    Lisa¡¯s eyes welled up with tears that pooled and then rolled down her cheeks in twin streams.


    Gwendolyn went on, ¡°You had a bright future, yet you chose this dark path. You bullied Jennifer. You


    knew that Jennifer and Walter were in a rtionship and yet you seduced him and started an affair with


    him. Do you think Walter would help you if something were to happen to you? That man can¡¯t even


    protect himself. How can he take care of you? The two of you miserable b*stards have the same evil


    heart!¡±


    ¡°No! No! This is all Jennifer¡¯s fault! We are all part of a group! Why does she get the chance to go solo?


    Why does she get interviews by herself? This is not fair!¡± Lisa screamed in a heart¨Cwrenching voice


    and copsed to the ground, clutching her chest.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s face remained emotionless. ¡°Jennifer is an S¨Clevel artist. She is the ace of Angle. The


    contract that the two of you signed ispletely different. From the very beginning, her path and yours


    were never the same. You failed to position yourself well!¡±


    Lisa sat on the ground. Her face fell in despair. She was stunned and kept repeating the same words.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not my fault¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn pulled her icy eyes away from Lisa and nced around the room. ¡°You all witnessed it. She


    brought a knife not just to kill Jennifer, but also to kill me! Somebody please call the police and get


    them to take her away quickly. Let¡¯s not ruin the atmosphere here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call the police!¡± said one of the staff immediately.


    Lisa was stunned. Then, realization dawned on her.


    Gwendolyn had tricked her.


    If she only attempted to kill Jennifer, she would be jailed for four to five years at most. However, if she


    was charged with an attempt to kill Gwendolyn, her life would be miserable.


    Asher was Gwendolyn¡¯s older brother, and Cedrick was Gwendolyn¡¯s fianc¨¦.


    If she were found guilty of such a crime, those two men would not let her get away with it.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, I was wrong! I know now that I was wrong! Please give me a chance to make it right.


    Please don¡¯t send me to prison! Please!¡±


    She crawled toward Gwendolyn¡¯s feet, begging pathetically. She reached out to grab the hem of


    Gwendolyn¡¯s skirt, but Gwendolyn stepped out of her reach.


    Gwendolyn looked down at her contemptuously. Her eyes were cold and emotionless.


    Jennifer had already washed up and changed into a clean dress. She walked out of the bathroom with


    a towel wrapped around her hair.


    When Gwendolyn saw that Jennifer was okay, she breathed a sigh of relief and said to Lisa, ¡°You


    shouldn¡¯t be apologizing to me. You should be apologizing to Jennifer. If she forgives you, I¡¯ll consider


    letting you go.¡±


    Hope lit up in Lisa¡¯s heart as she knelt down in front of Jennifer to beg for her forgiveness.


    ¡°Jennifer, I was wrong! I shouldn¡¯t have treated you so badly! I shouldn¡¯t have destroyed your


    rtionship with Wafter! You can punish me however you wish, but please don¡¯t let Ms. Harris send me


    to prison!


    Please!¡±


    Jennifer clenched her fists tightly.


    The memory of her catching Walter and Lisa in bed together shed before her eyes. How arrogant


    they were back then! After doing such an unforgivable thing, how dare she begs for a second chance?


    She looked down at Lisa¡¯s pathetic appearance silently. Her face was red and splotchy from crying.


    She kept quiet for a long while.


    ¡°Jennifer, if I hadn¡¯t stopped her, she would have killed you. Do you really believe that she will change


    her ways? Are you really willing to forgive her?¡± Gwendolyn said when she saw Jennifer¡¯s hesitation.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Jennifer¡¯s misgivings faded away. ¡°No, I can never forgive her! Lisa, you¡¯re not a child anymore! You


    should¡¯ve thought about the consequences before you acted! Now, you must be responsible for what


    you¡¯ve done!¡±


    ¡°No. No, Jennifer! Please, help me!¡± Lisa cried out desperately.


    She did not want to go to prison for what she had done.


    If she did, she would definitely be tortured to death in there.


    Jennifer¡¯s heart did not soften. She merely watched silently as Lisa was dragged away.


    Gwendolyn approached her and smiled in satisfaction. ¡°You have grown a lot after going through so


    much hardship. That¡¯s a good thing!¡±


    Jennifer reached out to hold Gwendolyn¡¯s hand, touched by her kindness.


    Although this episode had dyed the shooting schedule, Jennifer quickly recovered from the shock


    and continued with the shoot.


    That evening, when Gwendolyn returned to the vi, Cedrick was already at home.


    He was seated on the couch, watching television. His slender legs were casually crossed, and his


    entire demeanor exuded rxation.


    Gwendolyn was surprised to see him at home. ¡°You got off work so early today? Isn¡¯t it busy at Jenson


    Group?¡±


    ¡°I got home early.¡± He had a reason for being home early. ¡°Gwenny, I have an urgent mission from the


    Federal Bureau of Investigation tomorrow night. I have to go to the border.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow night?¡± Gwendolyn sat down beside him. ¡°So soon? When will you be back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to be there for at least three to five days.¡±


    Gwendolyn lowered her eyes. ¡°Okay. I actually made a hospital appointment for the day after tomorrow.


    I thought of going with you.¡±


    Cedrick pulled her into his arms and looked her over. ¡°You look fine. Why are you going to the hospital?


    Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Gwendolyn smiled awkwardly as she recalled Valentino¡¯s words earlier that day.


    ¡°I met Old Mr. Jenson today. He really wanted¡­ to have a grandchild. To be honest, I¡¯m also starting to


    feel worried. We¡¯ve been together for a while. Why haven¡¯t I conceived yet?¡±


    Cedrick followed her eyes and gazed at her stomach. His eyes betrayed nothing, and he was quiet for


    a


    while.


    We have made love countless times, and yet your womb remains empty. It¡¯s because of me.


    Something is wrong with my body¡­

 Chapter 263

    Chapter 263


    Chapter 263 Free Meals


    There was a high possibility that the S404 RNA virus in him would be transmitted to his child even if


    she did get pregnant.


    In other words, his child would suffer.¡¯


    Yet, he could not bring himself to ask Gwendolyn to take the pills, and he was also afraid that


    Gwendolyn would notice something amiss.


    There were pills catered for men on the market with little side effects, so he would always take them


    secretly before they made love to each other.


    Gwendolyn remained oblivious to his thoughts, her mind preupied with memories of her consuming


    copious amounts of high-alcohol content beverages over three consecutive days in Faike. It had


    resulted in a prolonged recovery period for her.


    She wondered if that was the time she ruined her health and her chances to bear a child.


    ¡°Ceddy, you¡¯re strong. Inparison to you, I¡¯m weak. I want to go to the hospital for a full-body


    checkup. That way, I can give you my healthy all.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s pupils constricted. Slowly, his face went pale.


    He felt as if someone was gripping his heart.


    It was suffocating.


    Gwendolyn wanted to be healthy for him, but he could not do the same.


    He probably could never live a healthy life.


    All of a sudden, a wave of guilt hit him, and the resulting pain surged through his entire being.


    Am I wasting her time?


    When Gwendolyn noticed the pallor of his face, she gently touched his cheek and asked, ¡°Ceddy,


    what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Cedrick forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯ll be good for you to do a full-body checkup, but I have tasks to work


    on, so I won¡¯t be able to keep youpany. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Once you leave, I¡¯ll go and stay at the Harris residence for a few days. I¡¯ll ask Jennifer or


    Sienna to keep mepany.¡±


    Cedrick nodded in response and forced away his feelings of loneliness.


    ¡°By the way, Ceddy, things are tumultuous by the border. You¡¯re going there to fight, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then, you have to be careful. Completing the mission is secondary. Your safety is your utmost priority.


    Take care of yourself and don¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    Cedrick nodded guiltily. ¡°Okay.¡±


    When Treyton returned to the vi, he was greeted by the fragrance of food just as he stepped into the


    garden.


    It was a peculiar sensation. It felt as if he had a wife who was waiting to have a meal with him at home


    and as if there was someone in this world who would always rely on him and think of him.


    It was not an unweed feeling.


    When he opened the door, he saw the piping hot food on the dining table.


    Just as Jennifer brought thest dish to the dining table¡ªa pot of meat stew-she sneezed. Upon


    turning around, she spotted Treyton¡¯s handsome face.


    ¡°Mr. Harris, you¡¯re back at the right time. I was worried that the food will turn cold if you runte.¡±


    As Treyton took a seat by the dining table, he recalled her sneeze earlier.


    ¡°I heard about what happened to you at Barner. Lisa even tried to throw wastewater at you. Were you


    frightened?¡±


    Jennifer shed him a smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a trivial matter. I¡¯m used to this since young. The more


    they bully me, the stronger I get. In a way, I¡¯m like a roach. Indestructible.¡±


    Right then, the two¡¯s eyes met.


    Treyton was moved by the way she simply epted things and went on with life.


    The next day, at the Ferguson residence, Eloise¡¯s bodyguard, Gunnar, came to knock on Eloise¡¯s room


    door upon receiving some news.


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson, the man you sent to spy on Mr. Treyton at the Harris residence has returned. He said


    that¡­¡±


    Eloise was in the middle of putting on her earrings when he came in, and she turned around to shoot


    him a re. ¡°What did he say? Go on.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Treyton has been sending a young woman off every daytely, and that young woman leaves the


    area in a van. The man you sent doesn¡¯t recognize the young woman, but she looks like a celebrity.


    He¡¯s guessing that she¡¯s staying with Mr. Treyton.¡±


    Clink!


    Eloise¡¯s hand shook, and her earring fell to the ground.


    She was stunned for a long while. ¡°Are you sure he saw it right? Could the young woman be


    Gwendolyn?¡±


    Gunnar shook his head firmly. ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Apparently, Ms. Harris has been living with her fianc¨¦


    recently at the Jenson residence.¡±


    The news came as too much of a shock for Eloise to digest.


    Treyton¡¯s staying with another woman? They¡¯re sleeping, eating, and even taking the same car out of


    the area? She¡¯s a celebrity?


    ¡°Which b*tch is it? How dare she seduce my Trey?¡±


    Crash!


    Livid, Eloise swept everything on the dresser to the ground.


    Seemingly having anticipated her outburst, Gunnar had taken a step back and managed to avoid


    getting hit by a perfume bottle.


    ¡°I need to know what this b*tch looks like. I¡¯m going to smash her face in!¡±


    Molten anger rolled through her, and she desperately wished that she could head up Mount Tranquil to


    catch the woman red-handed.


    However, Gunnar stopped her in time. ¡°Ms. Ferguson, we don¡¯t have any concrete evidence for this. If


    you rashly kick up a fuss, I¡¯m afraid Mr. Treyton will have a worse impression of you.¡±


    ¡°Then what should I do? Am I supposed to just watch while that woman flirts with him? Even if he


    doesn¡¯t think of me as his fianc¨¦e, he should be thinking about the Ferguson family! I love him so


    much, so how could he do this to me?¡±


    Eloise was close to a mental breakdown.


    All she wanted to do at that moment was to capture the woman who was seducing Treyton and boil her


    alive.


    She had been discreetly getting rid of the women around Treyton all along, so she could not wrap her


    head around where the neer came from.


    This rage of mine will never be appeased unless she¡¯s dead!


    Ó†


    Well aware of Eloise¡¯s short temper, Gunnar softly suggested, ¡°Ms. Ferguson, tomorrow morning, you


    should¡­¡±


    After listening to his suggestion, Eloise slowly calmed down, but the vicious look in her eyes remained.


    Gwendolyn was bored in the Jenson residence as Cedrick had gone to the border.


    Hence, she returned to the Harris residence early the following day for free meals at Treyton¡¯s vi.


    It had been years since she had the chance to try out Jennifer¡¯s cooking, and she was looking forward


    to it.


    ¡°Treyton, when did youe back? Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this? Jennifer hasn¡¯t been troubling


    you, has she?¡±


    Though Gwendolyn¡¯s words were directed at Treyton, her eyes were on Jennifer, who was working


    away in the kitchen.


    Treyton was gazing at Jennifer as well. ¡°No, Ms. Weller has been considerate, and she has never


    troubled me. She¡¯s a good chef too.¡±


    Gwendolyn smirked and asked, ¡°Treyton, shouldn¡¯t you be thanking me for this? I brought a pretty chef


    to you to satisfy your craving for good food.¡±


    Treyton smiled, but his eyes were still fixed on Jennifer¡¯s silhouette.


    When Jennifer brought thest breakfast dish to the table, she noticed the siblings staring at her with


    bright eyes.


    They looked like kindergarten children waiting for their breakfast, causing her to chuckle in amusement.


    She then passed the most scrumptious dish-scrambled eggs and ham¨Cto Gwendolyn and said, ¡°I knew


    you wereing for free breakfast, so I prepared this for you. Try it out and let me know how it tastes.¡±


    Gwendolyn beamed. ¡°I knew you loved me most! Muah!¡±


    Jennifer merrily returned her a flying kiss.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Treyton instinctively turned to look at his sister¡¯s te before turning back to look at his. He was


    jealous.


    How could she be so biased toward Gwendolyn? We¡¯re both Harrises, but why am I not getting any


    meat for breakfast?

 Chapter 264

    Chapter 264


    Chapter 264 No Matter What It Takes


    However, he couldn¡¯t snatch his sister¡¯s breakfast, so he could only sulk in silence.


    He wasn¡¯t able to get a word in as the two girls chatted happily as if they couldn¡¯t see him.


    It made him feel frustrated about the meal.


    Meanwhile, Jennifer and Gwendolyn had a pleasant meal.


    After breakfast, Treyton went to work.


    As Gwendolyn was here and they were heading in the same way, it was the first time he didn¡¯t


    apany Jennifer down the mountain.


    Treyton nced at Elisha, who was in the passenger seat, and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel something is off


    today?¡±


    ¡°Something is off?¡±


    Elisha was perplexed and nced back at Treyton. ¡°No, everything seemed normal to me.¡±


    Treyton didn¡¯t say anything else. He opened hisputer to check on his work for the day.


    Eloise¡¯s car was parked a hundred meters away. She watched Treyton¡¯s car leave Mount Tranquil from


    the


    corner.


    Gunnar said, ¡°It seems like Mr. Harris didn¡¯t send the girl down the mountain today. She should still be


    in the vi.¡±


    Eloise gritted her teeth. ¡°That¡¯s great. I have to take away that wretched woman today!¡±


    She had no trouble entering Mount Tranquil as Treyton¡¯s fianc¨¦e.


    In Treyton¡¯s vi, Gwendolyn and Jennifer were chatting as they washed the dishes.


    Knock! Knock!


    Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.


    Gwendolyn was puzzled and went to open the door. ¡°Treyton, don¡¯t you have the keys? Are you too


    lazy to open the door? Did you forget the documents on the table? I see them!¡±


    She opened the door and saw Eloise¡¯s enraged expression. ¡°Ms. Ferguson?¡±


    Eloise was surprised to see her. ¡°Gwendolyn, why is it you? Besides you, are there any other women


    here?¡± Gwendolyn smiled coldly. ¡°Did youe here early in the morning to question me?¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Eloise couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with her. She pushed past Gwendolyn and ran into the living room.


    Jennifer heard themotion. She emerged from the kitchen after finishing the dishes and locked


    eyes with Eloise.


    Thetter scrutinized her with resentment. She charged over toward Jennifer and raised her hand to


    p thetter across the face.


    ¡°B*tch! How dare you seduce Trey!¡±


    Jennifer grew up in an orphanage and had a tough childhood.


    Therefore, upon predicting that Eloise was going to attack her, she instinctively defended herself and


    grabbed Eloise¡¯s wrist.


    Eloise tried to struggle but to no avail.


    She was a delicatedy from a wealthy family, so she was much weakerpared to Jennifer.


    She screeched, ¡°How dare you fight back! I won¡¯t be satisfied until I tear your face apart today! Gunnar,


    come in! Beat her up!¡±


    Gunnar brought in two bodyguards from the Ferguson family and approached Jennifer menacingly.


    Gwendolyn immediately stood in front of Jennifer. ¡°Eloise, look around. This is the Harris residence.


    What are you doing?¡±


    Eloise nced at her, seething with anger. ¡°Gwendolyn, I¡¯m your future sister-inw! Why aren¡¯t you


    helping me? Instead, you¡¯re siding with this wretched woman?¡±


    ¡°Stop calling her nasty words such as a wretched woman. Where¡¯s your etiquette as a woman brought


    up in the Ferguson family?¡±


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes and continued, ¡°Moreover, Jennifer is my guest. I¡¯m the one who


    requested for her to stay here temporarily. Jennifer and Treyton have an innocent rtionship. Stop


    fighting with every single woman you see!¡±


    ¡°Innocent?¡±


    Eloise was no longer thinking rationally.


    ¡°She lives with Trey and even sleeps with him! My people have seen them together so many times!


    How could you say they have an innocent rtionship?¡±


    Eloise gritted her teeth and red at Gwendolyn.


    ¡°I have already said it before. We can get along peacefully if you don¡¯t hinder my rtionship with Trey..


    However, not only do you not keep yourself in check, you even tried to get a wretched woman to


    seduce Trey! I¡¯m going to teach you both a lesson today!¡±


    She looked toward Gunnar. ¡°Beat them up mercilessly! Then, tie them up and bring them back!¡±


    Gunnar didn¡¯t dare to make a move. ¡°Ms. Ferguson, she¡¯s part of the Harris family!¡±


    Everyone knew that Marcus and Treyton were very fond of Gwendolyn.


    She was the precious darling of the Harris family that no one dared toy a hand on!


    Eloise ignored himpletely and stated, ¡°Do as I say! If something happens, I¡¯ll take the me! If you


    don¡¯t dare to do it, I¡¯m firing you immediately!¡±


    Gunnar had no choice but to signal to the two bodyguards.


    The two bodyguards took out the stun batons they had prepared earlier and approached Jennifer and


    Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn saw their weapons and immediately shielded Jennifer behind her.


    When she looked at Eloise, her gaze was icy cold.


    ¡°If you dare to eveny a hand on me, I promise you and yourckeys won¡¯t be able to leave the Harris


    residence standing. Do you dare to try it?¡±


    Upon hearing this, the bodyguards froze, not daring to move an inch.


    Eloise sneered disdainfully. ¡°I¡¯m Trey¡¯s fianc¨¦e. He is keeping a mistress in his vi. Even if Mr. Marcus


    is here, he won¡¯t be able to stop me. As for you, you would be identally injured by my bodyguards.


    I¡¯ll personally apologize to Mr. Marcus. You might have extensive training in jiu-jitsu, but you would face


    some difficulties fighting barehanded against my bodyguards with their stun batons, right?¡±


    She chuckled ioudly.


    The bodyguards immediately turned their stun batons to the strongest setting and swung them toward


    Jennifer and Gwendolyn.


    Jennifer immediately pushed Gwendolyn away so that the stun batons hit her instead.


    ¡°Jennifer!¡± Gwendolyn was caught off guard as she staggered back a few steps before regaining her


    bnce.


    Just as the stun batons were about to hit Jennifer, the entrance suddenly opened loudly.


    The next second, a dagger pierced through the bodyguards¡¯ hands. Blood immediately gushed out.


    The stun batons fell to the ground, and the bodyguards¡¯ mournful screams could be heard in the living


    room.


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson, do you think too highly of yourself for you to think that you can cause trouble in my


    ce?¡±


    A deep voice tinged with anger rang out from the garden.


    Eloise held her breath in fear upon hearing this familiar voice.


    Why did Treytone back? I saw him leave Mount Tranquil with my own eyes!


    Instantly, everyone turned toward the entrance.


    Treyton walked into the living room with a stern expression.


    If he hadn¡¯t left in such a hurry and forgotten the documents on his desk, he wouldn¡¯t have seen


    Eloise¡¯s disgusting behavior in his vi.


    ¡°Trey, our engagement was arranged by our families a long time ago. Even if you have been unwilling


    to marry me for years and tried to break off the engagement twice, you know what will happen in the


    end! I am your fianc¨¦e, even if you don¡¯t want to admit it!¡±


    Treyton didn¡¯t even spare her a nce. He walked past her to check on Jennifer and Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    The two shook their heads.


    Eloise¡¯s eyes reddened from his apparentck of concern for her.


    ¡°You quarreled with me and tried to break off the engagement because of Gwendolyn thest time we


    were in Faike. Since she¡¯s your sister, I tolerated it. However, you¡¯re secretly living with a woman this


    time! How could you do this? Have you thought about our families?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gwendolyn frowned.


    How could she be so unreasonable? I¡¯ve already told her Jennifer had nothing to do with Treyton.


    She could not believe how delusional and paranoid Eloise was.


    Just as Gwendolyn was about to exin, Treyton said coldly, ¡°You are the one who embarrassed our


    families. I only have contempt for you now that you schemed to get engaged to me. However, there is


    one thing you guessed right. I like Jennifer, and I want to marry her. So, your engagement with me will


    only be a joke. This time, I will spare no cost to cancel this marriage!¡±


    Eloise was stunned after he finished speaking. Jennifer and Gwendolyn also stared at him in disbelief.


    Chapter 264 No Matter What It Takes


    However, he couldn¡¯t snatch his sister¡¯s breakfast, so he could only sulk in silence.


    He wasn¡¯t able to get a word in as the two girls chatted happily as if they couldn¡¯t see him.


    It made him feel frustrated about the meal.


    Meanwhile, Jennifer and Gwendolyn had a pleasant meal.


    After breakfast, Treyton went to work.


    As Gwendolyn was here and they were heading in the same way, it was the first time he didn¡¯t


    apany Jennifer down the mountain.


    Treyton nced at Elisha, who was in the passenger seat, and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel something is off


    today?¡±


    ¡°Something is off?¡±


    Elisha was perplexed and nced back at Treyton. ¡°No, everything seemed normal to me.¡±


    Treyton didn¡¯t say anything else. He opened hisputer to check on his work for the day.


    Eloise¡¯s car was parked a hundred meters away. She watched Treyton¡¯s car leave Mount Tranquil from


    the


    corner.


    Gunnar said, ¡°It seems like Mr. Harris didn¡¯t send the girl down the mountain today. She should still be


    in the vi.¡±


    Eloise gritted her teeth. ¡°That¡¯s great. I have to take away that wretched woman today!¡±


    She had no trouble entering Mount Tranquil as Treyton¡¯s fianc¨¦e.


    In Treyton¡¯s vi, Gwendolyn and Jennifer were chatting as they washed the dishes.


    Knock! Knock!


    Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.


    Gwendolyn was puzzled and went to open the door. ¡°Treyton, don¡¯t you have the keys? Are you too


    lazy to open the door? Did you forget the documents on the table? I see them!¡±


    She opened the door and saw Eloise¡¯s enraged expression. ¡°Ms. Ferguson?¡±


    Eloise was surprised to see her. ¡°Gwendolyn, why is it you? Besides you, are there any other women


    here?¡± Gwendolyn smiled coldly. ¡°Did youe here early in the morning to question me?¡±


    Eloise couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with her. She pushed past Gwendolyn and ran into the living room.


    Jennifer heard themotion. She emerged from the kitchen after finishing the dishes and locked


    eyes with Eloise.


    Thetter scrutinized her with resentment. She charged over toward Jennifer and raised her hand to


    p thetter across the face.


    ¡°B*tch! How dare you seduce Trey!¡±


    Jennifer grew up in an orphanage and had a tough childhood.


    Therefore, upon predicting that Eloise was going to attack her, she instinctively defended herself and


    grabbed Eloise¡¯s wrist.


    Eloise tried to struggle but to no avail.


    She was a delicatedy from a wealthy family, so she was much weakerpared to Jennifer.


    She screeched, ¡°How dare you fight back! I won¡¯t be satisfied until I tear your face apart today! Gunnar,


    come in! Beat her up!¡±


    Gunnar brought in two bodyguards from the Ferguson family and approached Jennifer menacingly.


    Gwendolyn immediately stood in front of Jennifer. ¡°Eloise, look around. This is the Harris residence.


    What are you doing?¡±


    Eloise nced at her, seething with anger. ¡°Gwendolyn, I¡¯m your future sister-inw! Why aren¡¯t you


    helping me? Instead, you¡¯re siding with this wretched woman?¡±


    ¡°Stop calling her nasty words such as a wretched woman. Where¡¯s your etiquette as a woman brought


    up in the Ferguson family?¡±


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes and continued, ¡°Moreover, Jennifer is my guest. I¡¯m the one who


    requested for her to stay here temporarily. Jennifer and Treyton have an innocent rtionship. Stop


    fighting with every single woman you see!¡±


    ¡°Innocent?¡±


    Eloise was no longer thinking rationally.


    ¡°She lives with Trey and even sleeps with him! My people have seen them together so many times!


    How could you say they have an innocent rtionship?¡±


    Eloise gritted her teeth and red at Gwendolyn.


    ¡°I have already said it before. We can get along peacefully if you don¡¯t hinder my rtionship with Trey..


    However, not only do you not keep yourself in check, you even tried to get a wretched woman to


    seduce Trey! I¡¯m going to teach you both a lesson today!¡±


    She looked toward Gunnar. ¡°Beat them up mercilessly! Then, tie them up and bring them back!¡±


    Gunnar didn¡¯t dare to make a move. ¡°Ms. Ferguson, she¡¯s part of the Harris family!¡±


    Everyone knew that Marcus and Treyton were very fond of Gwendolyn.


    She was the precious darling of the Harris family that no one dared toy a hand on!


    Eloise ignored himpletely and stated, ¡°Do as I say! If something happens, I¡¯ll take the me! If you


    don¡¯t dare to do it, I¡¯m firing you immediately!¡±


    Gunnar had no choice but to signal to the two bodyguards.


    The two bodyguards took out the stun batons they had prepared earlier and approached Jennifer and


    Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn saw their weapons and immediately shielded Jennifer behind her.


    When she looked at Eloise, her gaze was icy cold.


    ¡°If you dare to eveny a hand on me, I promise you and yourckeys won¡¯t be able to leave the Harris


    residence standing. Do you dare to try it?¡±


    Upon hearing this, the bodyguards froze, not daring to move an inch.


    Eloise sneered disdainfully. ¡°I¡¯m Trey¡¯s fianc¨¦e. He is keeping a mistress in his vi. Even if Mr. Marcus


    is here, he won¡¯t be able to stop me. As for you, you would be identally injured by my bodyguards.


    I¡¯ll personally apologize to Mr. Marcus. You might have extensive training in jiu-jitsu, but you would face


    some difficulties fighting barehanded against my bodyguards with their stun batons, right?¡±


    She chuckled ioudly.


    The bodyguards immediately turned their stun batons to the strongest setting and swung them toward


    Jennifer and Gwendolyn.


    Jennifer immediately pushed Gwendolyn away so that the stun batons hit her instead.


    ¡°Jennifer!¡± Gwendolyn was caught off guard as she staggered back a few steps before regaining her


    bnce.


    Just as the stun batons were about to hit Jennifer, the entrance suddenly opened loudly.


    The next second, a dagger pierced through the bodyguards¡¯ hands. Blood immediately gushed out.


    The stun batons fell to the ground, and the bodyguards¡¯ mournful screams could be heard in the living


    room.


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson, do you think too highly of yourself for you to think that you can cause trouble in my


    ce?¡±


    A deep voice tinged with anger rang out from the garden.


    Eloise held her breath in fear upon hearing this familiar voice.


    Why did Treytone back? I saw him leave Mount Tranquil with my own eyes!


    Instantly, everyone turned toward the entrance.


    Treyton walked into the living room with a stern expression.


    If he hadn¡¯t left in such a hurry and forgotten the documents on his desk, he wouldn¡¯t have seen


    Eloise¡¯s disgusting behavior in his vi.


    ¡°Trey, our engagement was arranged by our families a long time ago. Even if you have been unwilling


    to marry me for years and tried to break off the engagement twice, you know what will happen in the


    end! I am your fianc¨¦e, even if you don¡¯t want to admit it!¡±


    Treyton didn¡¯t even spare her a nce. He walked past her to check on Jennifer and Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    The two shook their heads.


    Eloise¡¯s eyes reddened from his apparentck of concern for her.


    ¡°You quarreled with me and tried to break off the engagement because of Gwendolyn thest time we


    were in Faike. Since she¡¯s your sister, I tolerated it. However, you¡¯re secretly living with a woman this


    time! How could you do this? Have you thought about our families?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gwendolyn frowned.


    How could she be so unreasonable? I¡¯ve already told her Jennifer had nothing to do with Treyton.


    She could not believe how delusional and paranoid Eloise was.


    Just as Gwendolyn was about to exin, Treyton said coldly, ¡°You are the one who embarrassed our


    families. I only have contempt for you now that you schemed to get engaged to me. However, there is


    one thing you guessed right. I like Jennifer, and I want to marry her. So, your engagement with me will


    only be a joke. This time, I will spare no cost to cancel this marriage!¡±


    Eloise was stunned after he finished speaking. Jennifer and Gwendolyn also stared at him in disbelief.

 Chapter 265

    Chapter 265


    Chapter 265 Cedrick Is Critically Ill


    Startled, Eloise stumbled backward and was about to fall when Gunnar caught her.


    With tears welling up in her eyes and frustration surging through her heart, she grumbled, ¡°What does


    that b*tch have that I don¡¯t? In terms of family background, appearance, and education, how can she


    compare to me? I am the perfect match for you!¡±


    ¡°Eloise, even if every woman in this world were to disappear, I still wouldn¡¯t marry you!¡± Treyton¡¯s gaze


    turned cial as he looked at her in disgust. He then added, ¡°Did you hear me? Now take your people


    and leave! Don¡¯t dirty up my vi!¡±


    Eloise¡¯s face was wet with tears as she cast a resentful re at Jennifer, who was standing beside


    Gwendolyn.


    Gritting her teeth, she hissed, ¡°Treyton, I¡¯ll make sure you regret calling off our engagement for this


    d*mned woman!¡±


    After saying her piece, she turned and left with her men in tow.


    Gwendolyn approached her brother, and in a tone thick with disbelief, she asked, ¡°Treyton, were you


    being serious just now? Do you really have feelings for Jennifer?¡±


    Caught off guard by the sudden news, she paused to collect her thoughts. ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ve just


    dug` my own grave? Is my best friend going to be my sister¨Cinw? What kind of absurd turn of


    events is this? Treyton, I won¡¯t let you muddle up everything!¡±


    Instead of replying to her question, Treyton said, ¡°Kiddo, it¡¯s gettingte. You should head to work first. I


    need to have a word with Ms. Weller.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± was Gwendolyn¡¯s reply before she nced at Jennifer and saw that the woman had a


    bewildered and unsure expression on her face.


    With only Treyton and Jennifer left in the living room, the former closed the door and strode over to the


    sofa. His gaze was intense and deep when he uttered, ¡°Ms. Weller, please have a seat.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Jennifer obliged and sat stiffly on the small sofa next to him, keeping a considerable


    distance between them.


    Perhaps sensing the awkward atmosphere, Treyton opened a drawer and took out a cigar before


    lighting it and taking a deep puff.


    Amidst the swirling smoke, his deep and maic voice became even more alluring as he said,


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take what happened earlier to heart, Ms. Weller. I simply wanted to discuss a potential


    coboration with you.¡±


    ¡°What kind of coboration are you talking about?¡± Jennifer asked, feeling a bit confused.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can tell that I don¡¯t have any feelings for Eloise, so I¡¯m proposing that you pretend to be


    my lover to help me break off the engagement with the Ferguson family. In exchange, I shall assist you


    in securing a stable footing in the entertainment industry, help you be a leading actress, and even


    ensure the downfall of Walter. In fact, if you wish to personally deal with that sc*mbag, I can bring him


    before you,¡± Treyton exined, outlining his proposal.


    Jennifer fell silent.


    Treyton continued, ¡°I¡¯m aware that Kiddo must have promised you a lot of benefits as well, but I know


    you¡¯re not the kind of person who likes to owe others. Kiddo has always been helpful to you, and you


    must feel indebted to her. Besides, Kiddo is still building her career in the entertainment industry,


    whereas I¡¯m already at the top. If we cooperate, it will be a mutually beneficial arrangement where we


    owe nothing to each other.¡±


    After listening to his exnation, Jennifer heaved a sigh of relief and felt as if a weight had been lifted


    off her shoulders.


    Bemused, Treyton asked, ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    Jennifer smiled and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just relieved that Mr. Harris doesn¡¯t actually have


    feelings for me and only wants to cooperate. Your words just put my mind at ease.¡±


    I would have felt guilty for interfering in someone else¡¯s rtionship and considered myself a sinner if


    that wasn¡¯t the


    case.


    With a deadpan expression, Treyton inquired, ¡°So, does that mean you¡¯ll do it?¡±


    Jennifer nodded, her eyes shing with determination as she said, ¡°Yes. It is my pleasure to be working


    together with you, Mr. Harris.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Great. I¡¯ll get Elisha to arrange for awyer to draft the agreement as soon as possible. All you need to


    do is cooperate with me when the timees.¡±


    ¡°All right, Mr. Harris.¡±


    Sitting in the car, Eloise was seething in anger as she descended the mountain. The more she thought


    about it, the angrier she became, to the point where her heart felt like it was about to explode.


    She muttered, ¡°B*tches! All of them are b*tches!¡±


    Gunnar tried to console her. ¡°Please calm down, Ms. Ferguson. Let¡¯s go back and discuss this matter


    further. Your marriage with Mr. Harris is a business alliance, so even if he wants to break off the


    engagement, he would have to go through Marcus first. It won¡¯t be that easy to dissolve the marriage.¡±


    Eloise clenched her fists tightly, feeling as if she was on the brink of insanity. ¡°As long as I¡¯m alive, he


    will never be able to break off this engagement! It¡¯s just that what happened today is simply too


    infuriating! I must find a way to teach him a lesson! He needs to know that I, Eloise Ferguson, am not


    someone to be bullied easily!¡±


    As she gazed at Mount Tranquil receding in the distance, a hint of malevolence glimmered in her eyes.


    She growled, ¡°Jennifer must die! As for Gwendolyn, she¡¯s not that innocent either, so I¡¯ll find an


    opportunity to deal with the two of them together! Since Treyton said that he wouldn¡¯t be marrying me


    even if all the women in the world were to disappear, I¡¯ll just kill all the women around him! Let¡¯s see


    who he can marry, then. I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s alone for the rest of his life!¡±


    Frightened by the viciousness shing in Eloise¡¯s eyes, Gunnar kept his mouth shut.


    One dayter, in the mountains near the border of Chanaea, a group of people could be seen wearing


    ghillie suits with their faces painted with camouge paint. Among them was Cedrick, whose handsome


    face was hidden under the same getup.


    He had received word that two groups of people would be conducting an underground dealing at Lake


    Pavilion, which was five hundred meters away, that day, As such, they had been lying in wait,


    monitoring


    the area patiently for the past twelve hours.


    After waiting for a while longer, Nico, who had green camouge paint on his face as well, arrived


    stealthily, crouching low to the ground. ¡°Boss, the targets have appeared. They will reach Lake Pavilion


    within ten minutes at thetest.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s expression turned solemn as he said, ¡°Good. Notify all surveince team members to take


    their positions. Inform the snipers to get into position as well. If the transaction takes ce or if any


    special circumstances arise, they are allowed to fire warning shots, but no one is to be harmed. We


    need to capture them alive for interrogation.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Just when Cedrick tried to change his position, his legs gave out when he stood up, causing him to


    stumble and fall toward Nico.


    ¡°Boss?¡±


    All his subordinates instinctively reached out to support him.


    Hearing themotion, Nico turned around and held onto Cedrick¡¯s arm. ¡°Boss, what¡¯s wrong with


    you? You don¡¯t seem too good. Are you feeling all right?¡±


    Cedrick took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve been crouching for too long, so I¡¯m feeling a bit lightheaded,


    that¡¯s all.¡±


    Nico muttered, ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    All of us here are specially trained. Under normal circumstances, we wouldn¡¯t experience such issues


    even after a day and night of crouching.


    With that thought in mind, Nico checked Cedrick¡¯s pulse and noticed that although the man¡¯s pulse


    seemed normal, his body temperature was abnormally low.


    ¡°Boss, could it be that the virus is spreading again? Should we go back to theboratory and have


    Professor Yancey run some tests?¡± he suggested.


    Cedrick pursed his dry lips and replied, ¡°No need. We have more pressing matters at hand. Let¡¯s focus


    on the mission first and deal with other issues once we return.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Ten minutester, two groups of people made their way to Lake Pavilion leisurely. They carried ck


    boxes for the transaction, and the area around them was crowded with security personnel wearing


    sunsses.


    After using a binocr to assess the situation, Cedrick led his team to approach the area, gradually


    narrowing the encirclement.


    Bang!


    A gunshot rang out, startling the birds in the surrounding forest.


    One of the guards stationed around the pavilion was hit by the bullet and fell to the ground, causing the


    people in the pavilion who were about to engage in the transaction to go on high alert.


    Stunned, Nico eximed, ¡°Did someone fire a preemptive shot?¡±


    Cedrick narrowed his eyes and trained his cold gaze on the left side of the forest. ¡°The sound came


    from the nine o¡¯clock direction, five hundred meters away. Arrange a team to capture them immediately.


    I want them alive.¡±


    Now that the crisp sound of the gunshot had exposed their position, they had no choice but to proceed


    despite the risks since they were already close to Lake Pavilion.


    Both sides swiftly opened fire.


    The situation descended into chaos as sparks flew.


    The deafening sound of gunshots echoed through the air, assaulting the ears of everyone present.


    Just then, Cedrick experienced a momentary ringing in his ears, apanied by a piercing headache.


    His ¡®body went weak, and he found himself unable to even squeeze the trigger on his weapon.


    His vision grew increasingly blurry, and he struggled to regte his breathing amidst the wave of


    dizziness.


    In the end, he sumbed to the darkness.


    ¡°Boss!¡± Nico almost lost his sanity when he saw Cedrick slump to the ground beside him.

 Chapter 266

    Chapter 266


    Chapter 266 Countdown To Death


    Chapter 266 Countdown To Death


    ¡°Boss, you¡¯re awake!¡±


    Upon getting a grip of himself, Nico threw himself forward to check on Cedrick¡¯s condition. Fortunately,


    thetter was unharmed and wasn¡¯t struck by any bullets.


    That can only mean the virus inside him is acting up!


    Nico ced his trembling hand on Cedrick¡¯s neck to check his pulse.


    Upon feeling its steady rhythm, he heaved a sigh of relief.


    Thank God he¡¯s still alive. He just lost consciousness.


    After lifting Cedrick by the arm and loading him on his back, Nico calmly gave out instructions.


    ¡°Neville, Swain, retreat with me. As for the rest of you, provide cover and retreat in ten minutes. We¡¯ll


    meet back in Salinsburgh two dayster.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Once the orders were issued, Nico carried the unconscious Cedrick on his back and fled through the


    forest.


    Following closely behind them, Neville and Swain stayed vignt for any potential attacks by the


    enemy.


    They subsequently boarded a waiting helicopter and returned to Salinsburgh after leaving the border as


    fast as they could.


    However, Cedrick remained unconscious during the flight. His face grew increasingly pale, whereas his


    body felt cold to the touch.


    When Nico put his hand on Cedrick¡¯s neck again, he noticed that thetter¡¯s pulse was growing weak


    while his breath began to shallow.


    ¡°Hurry up! Fly this bird as fast as you can!¡± Nico roared as his eyes turned bloodshot.


    By then, his voice had begun to choke. ¡°Boss, you can¡¯t die yet! You have to hang in there. We¡¯ll be at


    theb soon. Prof. Mallory will definitely save you!¡±


    As Neville and Swain were still young, their tears fell like raindrops against their will.


    Kneeling by Cedrick¡¯s side, both of them cried while rubbing his hands in an attempt to provide his


    body some heat.


    It wasn¡¯t until three hours had passed that they arrived at theb in the middle of the night.


    Finally, Cedrick¡¯s condition began to stabilize after Joshua injected a stronger dosage of the


    suppressant.


    As his eyshes began to twitch, Cedrick woke up in a groggy state.


    He scanned his surroundings once his vision gradually returned to him.


    It was then that he noticed Nico¡¯s reddened eyes, a sign that he had cried earlier.


    Joshua was studying hisb report with an equally grim look; the tear streaks beneath his eyes were


    easily


    noticeable.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Cedrick sat himself up.


    Silence was the only response he received from the two as a sense of despair filled the room.


    ¡°Joshua, I can feel the condition my body is in. There¡¯s no need to hide the truth from me. I¡¯m ready to


    ept the news no matter how terrible it is.¡±


    Joshua tried to hold back his emotions as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cedrick. I¡¯ve failed you by noting


    up with a cure for your virus after such a long time.¡±


    Holding theb report with his trembling hands, he continued, ¡°Your body has begun to resist the


    ¡®suppressant due to its overuse. You started off with an injection every seven days before requiring one


    every five, and then one every three now. Once your body has gotten used to it, there¡¯s no way we can


    suppress the virus anymore. Moreover, the virus has begun to spread through your body. The current


    fainting spell and the deterioration of your fitness levels you mentioned to Nico are signs of your body


    degenerating.¡±


    Brows furrowed and lips pale, Cedrick asked, ¡°How bad will the degeneration be?¡±


    ¡°Under the worst¨Ccase scenario, you¡¯ll be paralyzed, and this is the only symptom we can identify so


    far. I have no idea whether your body will show other symptoms once the suppressant loses its effect


    against the virus.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes brimmed with sadness as he continued, ¡°Whatever it is, it doesn¡¯t look good.¡±


    The moment he finished, a long silence descended upon the room, weighing down upon the already


    solemn atmosphere.


    Upon letting out a chuckle, Cedrick asked softly, ¡°In that case, how long more do I have?¡±


    Joshua sighed as she raised his palm with a reluctant look in his eyes.


    ¡°Less than five months? And that¡¯s assuming you take good care of your body.¡±


    The news caused Nico to clench his fists till his veins bulged up.


    With his head hung low, quiet tears began to fall onto the ground.


    ¡°All right. I understand.¡±


    Cedrick was stunned for a long while before he finally nodded his head, seemingly an acknowledgment


    of the death sentence the doctor had passed him.


    ¡°Joshua, please leave us. I have something to discuss with Nico.¡±


    Desperately holding back his tears, Joshua nodded before walking out and closing the door behind


    him.


    As Cedrick shifted his attention to the shocked Nico, he let out a gentleugh. ¡°Hey man, stop being so


    sad. I¡¯m not dead yet. Now,e over here.¡±


    Nico wiped away his tears with his arm as he walked awkwardly to Cedrick¡¯s bedside.


    ¡°I¡¯m not crying! I¡¯m just ecstatic to see you finally suffer after being such a harsh leader toward me.¡±


    The words naturally amused Cedrick. ¡°Good. I¡¯m d that you don¡¯t have a conscience.¡± The


    depressed Nico simply looked away and ignored thement.


    Cedrick continued, ¡°Ever since Charles was removed from his post, the position of the director of the


    Central Intelligence Agency has been left vacant. I¡¯ll write you a rmendation letter and have


    Neville, Swain, and the others report to you. With your capabilities, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll take over the position


    within a month.¡±


    Nico stared at Cedrick in disbelief, the hurt in his eyes unmistakable. ¡°Boss, are you getting rid of me?¡±


    ¡°You have a lot of potential. After my death, that¡¯s the best ce for all of you to move on.¡±


    However, Neville shook his head vehemently. ¡°But that isn¡¯t what I want! There¡¯s no way I¡¯m leaving


    your ¡°side unless you kill me. Besides, Swain and Neville would never agree to go with me.¡±


    Cedrick proceeded to analyze the pros and cons for him. ¡°Craig Newton is now the second¨Cin¨C


    command of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He has always been ruthless and shows no mercy to


    his enemies. If he learns of my sickness and seizes upon the opportunity to take my ce, he will


    come after all of you just. for being my followers.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    With his eyes brimming with conviction, Nico stood firm. ¡°If he wants to kill me, then let hime. I¡¯m


    not leaving you no matter what!¡±


    ¡°This is an order!¡±


    Cedrick wore a stern expression in a rare effort to calmly exin, ¡°No good wille out of following a


    heartless leader like me. Just look at the dire circumstances I have fallen-¡±


    Before he could finish, Nico dropped to his knees with a loud thud.


    ¡°Boss, are you angry with me? I was just teasing you a moment ago. Learning of your condition feels


    worse than death itself. To me, you¡¯re not just a superior but arade and even family!¡±


    Nico crawled toward Cedrick¡¯s bed on his knees and grabbed its sides tightly. His eyes were filled with


    a sense of helpless abandonment.


    ¡°My life belongs to you, and you¡¯re the only person I¡¯ll follow. You can¡¯t force me to leave! This is the


    only order that I¡¯m not going to obey. Boss, please don¡¯t do this¡­¡±


    Nico held back his tears as hard as he could while giving Cedrick an unwavering look.


    As for Cedrick, he returned the former¡¯s gaze with an exhausted and pale expression.


    He¡¯s such a loyalrade.


    As their usual banter never included such heartfelt words, Cedrick couldn¡¯t help but be moved by them.


    Thus, he got a grip on himself and gently struck Nico on the head.


    ¡°You fool, I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re more stubborn than I am! You just won¡¯t relent despite how hard I¡¯m


    trying to persuade you.¡±


    Nico quickly got up to his feet and poured a ss of warm water for Cedrick.


    ¡°I refuse to leave no matter what. There¡¯s no room for discussion at all!¡±


    Feeling exasperated, Nico decided to change topics by reminding Cedrick, ¡°Boss, you had better think


    of how you¡¯re going to tell Ms. Gwendolyn. Half a year ago, she was devastated to learn of your death.


    This time¡­¡±

 Chapter 267

    Chapter 267


    Chapter 267 Do You Still Love Me


    Nico paused and didn¡¯t continue as he noticed the sudden furrow of Cedrick¡¯s brow and the grim look in


    his eyes.


    ¡°This matter about the virus has to be kept a secret. You¡¯re not allowed to tell her at all!¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Nico was still worried nheless. ¡°But Boss, even if you keep it from her now, she¡¯ll still be gutted to


    learn of your death five monthster!¡±


    ¡°I know. Let me figure it out.¡±


    When Cedrick lowered his eyes in dejection, the twitch in his eyshes made it seem as if he was


    hiding something.


    Nico immediately recognized the sad dilemma his boss was going through.


    As it was alreadyte, Nico took his leave and left Cedrick in theb to rest.


    Deep into the quiet night, the palm leaves outside rustled with the wind, heralding the arrival of a


    drizzle.


    Tilting his head to the side, Cedrick looked through the window at the raindrops outside thoughtfully.


    The proud expression he always wore was reced by aplicated one.


    It was then that he heard a message notification on his phone.


    When he unlocked it to check, he realized it was from Gwendolyn.


    Gwendolyn: Ceddy, how¡¯s your sleep at the border?


    Gwendolyn: I heard the ultra¨Cviolet rays there are particrly strong. Would you being back with a


    bronze- tannedplexion? When I see you, can I call you Bronzy then? Haha.


    The message elicited a smile from Cedrick.


    Right before his eyes, he could see the image of Gwendolyn talking to him. The smile on her face


    made her look particrly adorable.


    Suddenly, he felt the urge to hug her and never let go for the rest of his life.


    Thereafter, another message from Gwendolyn arrived: Are you asleep? Is it inconvenient for you to


    reply over there?


    Gwendolyn: Wait, is there even a signal? In that case, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Good night!


    After that message, Gwendolyn¡¯s chat window stopped popping up.


    Cedrick subsequently ran his fingers across the screen to stroke the words that she had sent. A single


    teardrop fell despite his efforts to hold it back and disappeared into his sideburn. All of a sudden, an


    intense pain engulfed his heart, causing his limbs to tremble uncontrobly.


    1. e. Cedrick curled up in bed. His nose was covered in sweat while the veins or his hand bulged


    up as he clutched his heart.


    Every breath he took was so painful that his body would quiver.


    Despite his already terrible condition, the pain grew increasingly intense.


    Finally, he was hurting so badly that he ended up groaning. As he tried to reach the call bell with his


    shaking hand, he fell off the bed due to being too weak.


    Themotion alerted Joshua who was just next door.


    Upon hurrying over, he was shocked the moment he opened the door.


    ¡°Cedrick! Oh my God! I told you not to let your emotions get the better of you. Stop being too sad or


    excited. Otherwise, the chest pain you¡¯re suffering from will kill you!¡±


    ¡°While ranting, Joshua swiftly retrieved a tablet and stuffed it into Cedrick¡¯s mouth.


    As the drug needed time to take effect, Joshua had no choice but to help Cedrick back up in bed and


    tuck him in.


    After staying by his side for a few hours, Joshua heaved a sigh of relief when Cedrick fell asleep from


    exhaustion.


    That night was also a sleepless one for Gwendolyn.


    Staring at the ceiling light, she suddenly recalled how Cedrick was almost hit in the heart by a bullet


    and lost a lot of blood on hisst mission.


    This time, he had gone to the border that was rumored to be extremely perilous and littered with


    formidable enemies.


    Yet, when Cedrick didn¡¯t reply to her messages, she had no idea if he was hurt or if his mission was


    completed.


    Amidst the uncertainty, she gradually drifted off to sleep.


    Due to not sleeping well the night before, Gwendolyn went to the office with dark circles around her


    eyes.


    Little did she expect the man she was pining for to return that very evening.


    Carrying the train of her dress, she ran upstairs and pushed open the bedroom door.


    Cedrick was sitting on the bed, engrossed in a book.


    As he flipped its pages with his long fingers, the aura he exuded was unparalleled in its debonair.


    Even though he was just leaning against the headboard, his dashing looks would make the knees of


    any


    woman go


    weak.


    Upon hearing the door, Cedrick raised his gaze and gave Gwendolyn a gentle look. He then called out


    in a deep voice, ¡°Gwenny.¡±


    The smiling Gwendolyn quickly climbed into bed and straddled herself on hisp. Holding his cheeks


    close. with both her hands, she leaned in to observe his face up


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t get a tan from your trip to the border, as your currentplexion looks so


    irresistible that I feel like giving it a bite!¡±


    After pecking twice on his lips, Gwendolyn shed a cheeky smile as if she was a child was had just


    been given a lollipop.


    ¡°Ceddy, why didn¡¯t you tell me that you¡¯reing back ahead of time? If I hadn¡¯t spotted Nico at the


    door, I would still be clueless about your return. Were you nning to give me a surprise?¡±


    Cedrick responded with a faint smile,to hide the weakness in his eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I wanted to surprise you.¡±


    Despite his best efforts, Gwendolyn still detected the gloominess in him from the depth of his tone.


    ¡°Ceddy, did the mission at the border not go ording to n? Why do you seem upset?¡±


    Lips pursed, Cedrick extended his arm toward her.


    Gwendolyn responded by sitting on his left and leaning her head against his shoulder. She then


    threaded her cold hands deep into his robe and began caressing his waist.


    Even though he quivered from her icy touch, he didn¡¯t move away at all. Instead, he wore an


    affectionate smile as he relished in the sensation her wandering hands brought him.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s a member of Jenson Group¡¯s senior management who has spent his entire life in my service.


    He and his wife are extremely loving¡­¡±


    With a nonchnt expression, he began to speak in his maic voice.


    Noticing that Cedrick seemed to have a lot to say that evening, Gwendolyn wrapped her arms around


    his waist and listened to him intently.


    ¡°Recently, he was diagnosed withte¨Cstage cancer and was only given months to live. He didn¡¯t dare


    tell his family, especially his wife. So, he wanted me toe up with an idea for him, but death is a


    complex issue to navigate.¡±


    Gwendolyn, who was infected by the grim mood,mented, ¡°Considering how close he is to his wife,


    she¡¯ll be devastated by the news. When ites to matters of death, the living are the ones who suffer


    the


    most.¡±


    Her words caused Cedrick to freeze as he desperately tried to hide the sorrow that was welling up


    within him.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The living are the ones who will no doubt be hurt the most.¡±


    Half a year ago, Gwendolyn was mired in anguish over my death. Nothing is worse than losing


    something you used to have. If I put her through it one more time, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be stricken with grief,


    won¡¯t she?


    At that moment, Gwendolyn was oblivious to Cedrick¡¯s dejected mood as she was thinking about what


    happened to him half a year ago.


    Just the thought alone was enough to fill her with destion and cause her eyes to redden.


    Her slender arms subsequently tightened around his waist.


    ¡°Luckily, I was given a clean bill of health when I did a medical check¨Cup yesterday. Therefore, Ceddy,


    you have to take good care of yourself. Don¡¯t get hurt on your missions, as we still have a long future


    ahead of


    us.¡±


    As Cedrick swallowed the lump in his throat, his hands balled into fists underneath the nket.


    She still has a long future ahead of her, but my days are now numbered.


    After parting his pale lips a few times, he finally mustered the courage to pop the question he never


    dared ask.


    ¡°Gwenny, do you still love me?¡±


    He lowered his head and locked gazes with Gwendolyn.


    There was a time when he was afraid to ask that question.


    He was worried that her answer would turn his heart icy cold and make him feel as if all his sacrifices


    were in vain.


    But this time, he hoped that she would tell him that she didn¡¯t love him anymore.

 Chapter 268

    Chapter 268


    Chapter 268 Full Of Himself


    The sky outside the window had turned pitch ck.


    A deskmp inside the bedroom remained lit, casting a dim yellow light.


    The back of Cedrick¡¯s head faced themp, causing his face to be unclear and hidden in the shadows.


    Nheless, Gwendolyn could sense his scorching gaze. She sat upright and slipped out of his arm.


    Cupping his cheeks with her hands, she uttered with utter seriousness, ¡°Ceddy, I once thought I could


    let go of my love for you without hesitation, but ever since I almost lost you, I¡¯ve fully understood


    my feelings. I love you deeply the same way you love me. No matter how many times you ask this


    question in the future, my answer will stay the same. I love you.¡±


    They locked gazes, and tears welled up in their eyes at the same time.


    Cedrick suppressed his urge to cry and held her in his embrace so tightly that his arms trembled. My


    Gwenny said she loves me deeply too.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Although he would¡¯ve preferred her to say she didn¡¯t love him this time, hearing her speak so earnestly


    filled him with overwhelming emotion. I¡¯m contented for life, having listened to this.


    Sensing his tension, she gently patted his back tofort him.


    The hugsted a long time, to the extent that Gwendolyn thought Cedrick had fallen asleep before he


    finally let go of her.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s rest early.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Gwendolyn was a little taken aback. He¡¯s going to sleep at half¨Cpast nine? Did hee back


    just to get a hug?


    Amidst her bafflement, Cedrick had already slipped under the covers.


    For some reason, she found his behavior to be strange that night.


    Gwendolyn followed suit, lying in the crook of his arm. She asked in a teasing tone, ¡°Ceddy, we haven¡¯t


    seen each other for several days. Now that you¡¯re finally back tonight, shouldn¡¯t we have a pre¨Csleep


    massage session?¡±


    He shut his eyes, wearing a cold and indifferent expression that clearly indicated he was abstaining


    that night. He also didn¡¯t respond to her question.


    Gwendolyn felt frustrated. He¡¯s acting so cold toward me upon returning after we¡¯ve not seen each


    other for so many days? He doesn¡¯t even have the desire to be intimate with me. Have I lost my


    charm?


    As if to prove her doubts wrong, Gwendolyn slid her hand under the covers into his robe, gently teasing


    his abs and chest muscles.


    Cedrick¡¯s breath began to quicken under her teasing. He frowned, caught her hands, and coaxed her,


    ¡°Be good and stop fooling around. Let¡¯s sleep,¡±


    Gwendolyn pouted, feeling a little angry.


    She puffed out her cheeks, causing her to resemble a small pufferfish.


    ¡°Ceddy, you haven¡¯t even kissed me since you came back, and you¡¯re going to sleep so early. Are you


    nning to be a monk and renounce all earthly desires?¡± She confronted him tantly.


    Gwendolynined softly while overtly enticing him with her seductive looks.


    Cedrick closed his eyes and took a deep breath.


    As if he had braced himself to make a huge decision, his dark gaze turned impassive when he opened


    his eyes. ¡°Gwendolyn, let¡¯s call off our engagement.¡±


    ¡°Mm?¡± It took her a long while to understand his meaning. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Moreover, he addressed her as Gwendolyn, not Gwenny.


    His maic voice was evenced with a hint of estrangement.


    *She immediately furrowed her brows and abruptly sat up on the bed, staring at him frostily. Then,


    seemingly uncertain of what she heard, Gwendolyn uttered, ¡°Say that again.¡±


    Cedrick didn¡¯t get up. Instead, he shrunk his shoulders under the covers, and his long eyshes


    fluttered slightly, ¡°I said, let¡¯s break up.¡±


    He spoke in a nonchnt voice, but Gwendolyn felt heart¨Cwrenching pain spreading throughout her


    body.


    ¡°Why?¡± She didn¡¯t understand why he seemed somewhat estranged upon returning this time. She also


    found it impossible to figure out what he was thinking.


    ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m getting tired of this.¡± His voice sounded muffled as he covered his face with the nket.


    His! words had an undertone of nervousness amidst the distance.


    Gwendolyn was genuinely enraged. ¡°Get up!¡±


    She grabbed his ear, tugging him upward and pulling him out of the covers. ¡°Cedrick, look at me and


    say that again!¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s face tightened with difort. His eyes darted around as he tried to avoid her gaze, but he


    asionally stole nces at her.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes reddened with anger, and her face was filled with wrath. ¡°Calling off the


    engagement, breaking up, and getting tired of our rtionship. Are you serious about all of that? Tell


    me!¡±


    She practically shouted toward the end of her sentence.


    Startled by her outburst, Cedrick lost his momentum. ¡°Y¨CYes¡­¡±


    ¡°Bullsh*t! Look at me when you speak!¡±


    Gwendolyn pinched his jaw, forcing him to meet her gaze.


    Exploding with rage, she bore her eyes into his. ¡°Cedrick, I suggest you think carefully before


    answering, This is thest chance I¡¯m giving you. If you lose it, I will never forgive no matter what


    reason you give in the future. Never!¡±


    Her chest heaved in a fit of temper, and tears involuntarily brimmed in her eyes.


    Under the dim light, her eyes shone like stars, but she stubbornly refused to let her


    tears fall.


    An expression filled with anger and grievances, disbelief intertwined with doubt, spread across her


    face. Gedrick¡¯s words had apparently hurt her.


    Cedrick looked into her eyes.


    He couldn¡¯t bear to see her upset or crying. As a result, seeing her current mien caused his heart to


    flutter in confusion.


    ¡°Talk to me! Have you gone mute?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Facing her wrath, his resolution instantly wavered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Let me reconsider. I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s


    sleep.¡±


    He broke free from her restraint and returned to thefort of the nket. He even turned over,


    *showing her his back as he slept.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s fury intensified as she stared at him, feigning to be asleep. He still wants to reconsider?


    What is there to reconsider? Whether or not he wants to stay in a rtionship with me? Are all men


    jerks, after all? They don¡¯t appreciate the things they assume they already have.


    She was not adept at expressing her affection, and that was the first time she had told him that she


    loved him, yet he had already got so full of himself.


    He not only didn¡¯t value the chance she gave him but also unbelievably demanded a breakup, said he


    was tired of their rtionship and wanted to reconsider things.


    That was also the first time he turned his back on her, distancing himself from her, and slept at the


    edge of the bed as if she carried some sort of gue.


    Does he think he can take me for granted just because I love him? What does he think I am? Am I just


    someone he can summon and dismiss at will? Does he really think I, Gwendolyn Shalders Harris, am a


    pushover?


    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, her rage almost consuming her rationale.


    ¡°Cedrick, you ungrateful b*stard!¡± She lifted her leg and booted his firm buttocks.


    Caught off guard and with little strength left in him, he fell off the bed, letting out a muffled


    groan.


    He rolled on the carpet before struggling to sit up.


    Cedrick swiftly wiped away the agonized expression on his face when he lowered his head.


    Gwendolyn was stunned. She instinctively wanted to reach out and help him up, clearly not expecting


    she could kick him off the bed so easily.


    However, she stopped herself halfway through and quietly retracted her arms.


    The entire bedroom was carpeted with nnel, so even if he fell, the impact would be cushioned.


    Hence, Gwendolyn figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt that much.


    Besides, judging by how despicable he behaved that night, she even had the urge to beat him to death.


    Kicking him was already considered letting him off easy.


    She snorted coldly and sat cross¨Clegged at the edge of the bed. She crossed her arms in indignation


    and


    looked down at him from her perch. This insolent b*stard! ¡°Get up and kneel.¡±


    Cedrick tried to support himself with his hands on his knees, but he was too weak. He couldn¡¯t even


    straighten his back or knees.


    Fearing Gwendolyn would notice something was amiss, he mimicked her posture and casually sat


    cross- legged on the carpet, wearing a look of defiant aloofness on his countenance.


    She stared at him in astonishment. ¡°Cedrick! You¡¯re not obedient at all!¡±

 Chapter 269

    Chapter 269


    Chapter 269 I Will Be There


    Cedrick¡¯s gaze dropped, avoiding Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes as he exuded a cold and distant demeanor.


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯tprehend what was going on with him. She was consumed by fury, fueled by


    the overwhelming desire to confront him and inflict physical harm to ensure he would never dare to


    break up with her again.


    Fueled by her anger, she stepped down from the bed, her feet bare as she approached the bedside


    table, where a heavy wooden ruler was stored in the first drawer.


    However, at that moment, she hesitated, realizing the potential consequences of her impulses.


    She was worried about the harm she could inflict on Cedrick with the heavy ruler if he chose to confront


    her beatings directly.


    On the other hand, the notion of returning empty¨Chanded after her outburst filled Gwendolyn with a


    sense of foolishness.


    She discreetly turned around to check on Cedrick and found him gazing directly at her.


    The mere thought ofing back without anything in her hands caused her to cringe with


    embarrassment.


    Determined to salvage the situation, she grabbed Cedrick¡¯s ck belt from the coat rack, folding it in


    half with the buckle firmly in her hand, before sitting back on the bed.


    ¡°Do you see this? Don¡¯t push me to the point where I have to resort to violence!¡± she eximed,


    attempting to intimidate him.


    Cedrick lifted his gaze and nced at the belt in her hand, his face devoid of emotion.


    ¡°I had already given up on you back then, but you were the one who wanted me to give you a second


    chance. Now that I¡¯ve given you that chance and have decided to spend the rest of my life with you,


    you¡¯re telling me you want to break up? Why? Give me a logical exnation for this!¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s handsome face glowed under the dim light as he gulped.


    He lowered his gaze and remained silent, exuding a cold aura.


    To Gwendolyn, his silence felt like a form of silent resistance.


    She wondered if he was giving her the silent treatment and bit her lip, feeling hurt.


    ¡°Fine. You need some time to think things through, right? Take all the time you need, then! Talk to me


    when you¡¯ve figured things out.¡±


    Frustrated, she threw the belt at him, got off the bed, and stormed out of the room.


    The atmosphere of the room turned somber as she forcefully closed the door behind her.


    As Gwendolyn entered the next room, she decided she would sleep in separate rooms with Cedrick


    from that point forward.


    Throughout the night, she tossed and turned, her mind buzzing with thoughts of Cedrick and his distant


    attitude.


    Frustration mounting, she sat up and checked her phone.


    Her eyes widened in disbelief when she saw that it was already past two in the morning, and Cedrick


    had yet toe and offer any constion.


    It became increasingly evident to her that he was seriouslydering ending their rtionship.


    Whatever! This is ridiculous!


    Gwendolyn nestled back into bed and pulled the covers over herself.


    I had been a while since she had slept aloneers


    over herself.


    found it somewha


    difficult to adjust.


    Neither she nor Cedrick had an easy time falling asleep that night.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    When Gwendolyn woke up the next morning


    Cedrick¡¯s room door remained tightly shut.


    Assuming he might still be asleep, she decided to head to Angle Corporation to avoid any interaction


    with Cedrick.


    The sky of Salinsburg was shrouded with dark clouds, reflecting the gloomy weather that had persisted


    for the past two days.


    Gwendolyn sat uneasily at her desk, resting her chin on her hands and gazing absentmindedly at the


    drizzle outside the window.


    Images of Cedrick¡¯s peculiar behavior from the previous night shed through her mind, causing her to


    lose focus during Joanne¡¯s report.


    It suddenly dawned on her that he had let out a groan when she kicked him off the bed.


    Knowing Cedrick¡¯s high pain tolerance, it seemed odd that he would react that way unless he was


    deliberately exaggerating his misery to gain her sympathy.


    Moreover, considering Cedrick¡¯s heavier weight and martial arts background, it seemed imusible


    that she could kick him off the bed so easily.


    As she dwelled on these thoughts, a realization¨Cstruck her. Something wasn¡¯t right.


    All the signs seemed to indicate that Cedrick might be genuinely injured or weakened.


    That exined why she could effortlessly kick him off the bed.


    She pped the table out of frustration at those thoughts.


    She had been so blinded by rage yesterday night that she had overlooked all those details.


    Now that she thought about it, Cedrick had been acting way off.


    Joanne jumped in fright at the sudden bang of the table. ¡°Ms. Harris, did I say anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Gwendolyn quickly regained herposure, realizing the disruption she had caused.


    She swiftly gathered her belongings, stating, ¡°I have some urgent matters to attend to, Please continue


    with


    h your report upon my return. And if I don¡¯t, you can proceed with it tomorrow.¡±


    The rain intensified in Salinsburgh that day, pouring heavily onto the city streets.


    Cedrick sat in his office at Jenson Group, his eyes dull and lifeless.


    As he observed the raindrops trickling down the windowpane, his thoughts drifted back to a


    conversation he had with Charles in Faike.


    ¡°The virus in your body will have longsting effects. Eventually, you will be disabled. She may pity you


    at first, but what about in the long run? It has been decided that your disabled body isn¡¯t worthy of her


    from the moment you were poisoned. Neither you nor I can have her!¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s fists clenched tightly, his face growing pale. Exhaustion washed over him as his energy


    slowly seeped away.


    Perhaps it was time for him to make a decision.


    ¡°He believed it would be better to endure temporary pain rather than prolong the excruciating


    experience.


    He thought that if Gwendolyn grew tired of him and started to hate him, she could eventually move on


    from the sadness and agony they were currently experiencing and find a better life.


    Meanwhile, Evelyn, who was sitting on a nearby sofa, was pouring herself a cup of tea.


    As the ambassador of Rossi Project, she hade to discuss the terms of herpensation as


    outlined in her contract with Cedrick.


    However, Cedrick had been mentally absent ever since she entered his office. He had been silently


    gazing at the rain outside his floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window for the past half¨Chour.


    ¡°Mr. Jenson, you seem to be out of sorts today. It doesn¡¯t appear to be work¨Crted. Did you and Ms.


    Harris have a recent disagreement?¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s face twisted in displeasure. ¡°Mind your words. Who do you think you are to ask me that?¡±


    Evelyn smiled and replied tactfully, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t ask. But if you ever need my help, I will give it my all!¡±


    Cedrick remained unmoved by her affectionate tone. In fact, he despised it. ¡°What do you want? Spit it


    out and leave.¡±


    Evelyn gracefully approached Cedrick as she stood up. Just as she was about to speak, Nico knocked


    on the door. ¡°Mr. Jenson, Ms. Gwendolyn is here.¡±


    Why is she here?


    In a moment of panic, Cedrick grabbed Evelyn¡¯s hand with his leather¨Cgloved hand.


    Evelyn leaned down to his eye level, positioning her ear close to his lips to hear his whispered


    instructions.


    That was the scene Gwendolyn walked in on when she entered the room.


    The sight of them intimately biting each other¡¯s ears sent a sharp pang through her heart.


    ¡°Cedrick?¡±


    Evelyn feigned surprise when she heard Gwendolyn¡¯s voice. She pulled away from took a step back.


    edrick awkwardly and


    ¡°Ms. Harris, fancy meeting you here. What a coincidence.¡±


    The way


    she was trying to cover up her actions after being exposed deepened Gwendolyn¡¯s frown. ¡°Did I catch


    you at a bad time? What were you two doing?¡±


    Evelyn stuttered and nced at Cedrick, her face flushed with embarrassment.


    Cedrick¡¯s eyes darkened as he replied nonchntly, ¡°We¡¯re doing exactly what you think we¡¯re doing.¡±


    He¡¯s trying to spite me.


    Gwendolyn took a deep breath, reminding herself to stay calm and trying her best to suppress her


    anger.


    ¡°You. Get out,¡± she said to Evelyn coldly.


    Feeling reluctant, Evelyn called out in a sweet tone. ¡°Mr. Jenson¡­¡±


    Cedrick, avoiding eye contact, pursed his lips, seemingly agreeing with Gwendolyn¡¯s decision.


    Hence, Evelyn had no choice but to leave the room.


    Gwendolyn waited until Evelyn left before approaching Cedrick.


    Noticing his paleplexion, she crouched down, ced her hands on hisp, and looked up at him.


    ¡°Ceddy, did you hurt yourself during your mission at the border? I¡¯m sorry I kicked youst night. I didn¡¯t


    know. But Ceddy, you¡¯re not alone. Don¡¯t bear all the pain alone. I will be by your side, caring for you.


    I¡¯m also learning how to show you love and protect you, okay?¡±

 Chapter 270

    Chapter 270


    Chapter 270 Cedrick Teased


    ¡°My heart goes out to you, so I¡¯ll stay by your side. I¡¯ll also learn how to love and protect you.¡±


    Her soothingly lilting voice drifted into Cedrick¡¯s ears and echoed in his mind.


    The most dazzling smile bloomed before him.


    His heart that ached inexplicably felt as if it were engulfed by warm light which melted all its frost.


    Cedrick felt a lump in his throat as he instinctively reached for her soft face.


    However, he still wore his leather gloves that had just touched Evelyn.


    He discreetly withdrew his hand at the thought while his other palm, which hung on the other side of his


    thigh, curled into a fist subconsciously.


    Charles was right.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s fiery personality made her a force to behold with her enemies. They could never get close


    to her without being burnt.


    Yet when it came to the people she loved, she was as docile as a cat, irresistibly drawing others to her.


    She embodied vitality, charisma, and resilience.


    He had assumed the virus within him could be suppressed well enough so that they could look forward


    to a life together.


    Little did he expect it to be wishful thinking with how rapidly the virus spread.


    He was nothing more than a broken man with half a foot in the grave. Gwendolyn deserved better than


    him.


    I¡¯m the one holding her back.


    ¡°Ceddy?¡± Gwendolyn murmured when she noticed Cedrick being lost in his thoughts.


    Cedrick regained his senses and stretched out his arms slightly, resuming his aloof expression. ¡°I¡¯m not


    injured. Feel free to inspect me if you have any doubts.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. You can¡¯t trick me when you look worse for wear. I need you to exin what


    exactly happened. What were you and Evelyn doing when I came in? Why do I sense that you were


    trying to pique me-¡±


    ¡°I think I like her quite a bit.¡±


    Cedrick interrupted before she could finish her sentence.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Gwendolyn was stunned. She withdrew her hands from his thighs and took several steps back, staring


    at him as if he were a stranger.


    Cedrick directed his gaze out of the floor-to¨Cceiling win ¡°gh


    and uttered unfeelingly, ¡°She¡¯s gorgeous


    with a gentle personality that pulls on one¡¯s heartstrings. No man can reject the advances of such a


    lady.


    So, what do you think I was doing with her just now?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression fell as she continued backing away from him.


    ¡°Are you disgusted with me?¡±


    Cedrick scoffed in disdain. ¡°You¡¯re prideful, dominant, and cruelpared to her. Perhaps a change of


    taste is due after pursuing you for so many years. I¡¯m tired.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s shapely eyes narrowed on his chiseled profile. ¡°You¡¯ve changed, Cedrick.¡±


    ¡°Men always seek excitement and the thrill of a chase. I did not change, Gwendolyn. You¡¯ve merely


    seen my true colors. Now you know I¡¯m no good, scram.¡±


    His ruthless words hung in the air for several minutes, undisturbed by the silence.


    ¡®Gwendolyn remained rooted to the spot.


    Cedrick continued gazing out the window. His inky eyes were devoid of any hint of sentiment and filled


    only with cold detachedness.


    Despite that, an unexpected sound of softughter broke the grim atmosphere.


    Cedrick turned around dubiously. How can Gwendolynugh and not be enraged?


    Her starry eyes were free from any trace of anger.


    His heart dropped as he struggled to keep up his frosty veneer and red. ¡°Is something hrious?¡±


    Gwendolyn walked toward him and grabbed the arms of his office chair before bending down to nt a


    kiss on his forehead.


    The cherry¨Cred lipstick stain that left its mark was tantly obvious.


    ¡°You!¡±


    Cedrick raised his eyes to give her a death stare. ¡°Didn¡¯t you understand a word I said?¡±


    Gwendolyn continuedughing recklessly as if she¡¯d seen through the act he was putting up.


    ¡°Cedrick, you looked so convincing that I almost fell for it, but¡­¡±


    She let her sentence hang mid¨Cair while her gaze traveled to his hands on his thighs. Your acting skills


    still have room for improvement. Perhaps try not clenching your fists so tightly next time?¡±


    Cedrick was caught off guard and instinctively hid his hands behind his back.


    His act of pretense had been exposed!


    There was nothing else he could do besides pretending to remain broodingly calm.


    Yet the feisty Gwendolyn was intent on tearing down his defenses.


    She gently hooked his chin and drew circles on it teasingly.


    ¡°Cedrick, I¡¯m offended that


    you¡¯d think I would fall for such paltry tricks. I was too ovee with fury


    The petnce in her lyrical voice seemed to have a hypnotic effect on Cedrick.


    Cedrick evaded her hand and her gaze. ¡°What I said was the truth. You think too highly of me. That¡¯s


    why


    Gwendolyn lowered her face and kissed his left cheek, sessfully cutting him off.


    She was staking her im by marking him with her carmine lipstick stain.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why you!¡±


    ¡®Cedrick red at her prickly.


    ¡°Are you mad at me?¡± Gwendolyn resumed tracing circles on his chain and smirked at him slyly like the


    cat that got the cream.


    ¡°You must be upset that I saw through your facade. But what can you do? I so enjoy seeing how you


    seethe yet still can¡¯t seem to get rid of me!¡±


    Cedrick pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes dangerously. ¡°Gwendolyn, I warn you not to force hand!¡±


    ¡°Are you going to strike me? How terrifying!¡± She taunted peskily.


    my


    The smile had never left Gwendolyn¡¯s face despite her ims of being afraid. ¡°This is nothing new to


    me, anyway. Let¡¯s see who will win this round with the state that you¡¯re in.¡±


    Cedrick felt slightly remorseful at that.


    He had depleted all his energyst night when enduring chest painspounded with his body¡¯s


    degradation. As a result, he slept poorly.


    It was a given that he¡¯d lose miserably to Gwendolyn in a fight.


    ¡°Any decent man wouldn¡¯ty a hand on a woman!¡± His baritone voice was lofty and dismissive.


    Gwendolyn burst outughing as she reached for the lipstick in her purse to reapply it on her lips.


    ¡°It would be amusing to see how many lipstick stains I can leave on your face to go with each lie you


    insist on weaving.¡±


    ¡°Gwendolyn, behave!¡±


    He¡¯d barely finished speaking when Gwendolyn speedily smooched his cheeks and chin.


    His entire face was covered in garish lipstick stains.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes crinkled at the corners as she uttered in a singsong voice, ¡°I¡¯ll behave only when you


    decide to be forthright with me.¡±


    Cedrick was rendered speechless. He¡¯d underestimated how sharp Gwendolyn could be.


    She was now making fun of him after exposing his act of deceit.


    The tragedy was that he was absolutely helpless against her.

 Chapter 271

    Chapter 271


    Chapter 271 Meeting An Old Friend


    Since Cedrick had no other options, he chose to ignore her instead.


    Once again, he gazed out of the window with indifference.


    Those lipstick stains looked very prominent against his fair, handsome face. He looked as if he had


    been taken advantage of.


    The cold and aloof man was of no significance in front of Gwendolyn.


    Seeing that he did not wish to talk, Gwendolyn did not n to force him.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll give you time to calm down. But you aren¡¯t allowed to talk about calling off our engagement or


    anything of that sort. Back then, you were the one who came on to me, and now, you want to back off.


    Don¡¯t even think about it! Cedrick, you belong to me and only me this lifetime! I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m so


    domineering. It¡¯s toote for you now that you know my character! Take your time and have your


    regretster on!¡±


    With a proud hum, she then left the room.


    She knew Cedrick too well. He was a stubborn mule.


    Furthermore, he loved to hide his pains.


    Gwendolyn could guess why he was like that.


    Back at the party, Valentino said that he wanted to punish Cedrick in front of her.


    Both Cedrick¡¯s parents passed away in a car ident when he was very young. As a result, he grew


    up under the watchful eyes of Valentino.


    Valentino was a strict, traditional man who would not hesitate to punish Cedrick. Even if Cedrick was


    hurt or in pain, there was no one to console him. He could only keep it all to himself.


    Cedrick was a man who cherished the people who loved him, and he would definitely hide his pain


    from them.


    That was why Gwendolyn thought that he was either hurt or sick this time around!


    Judging from the way he was behaving, the problem at hand was quite bad.


    Just because Cedrick refused to tell her did not mean she could not check it out herself!


    She was walking out of the office while she was deep in her thoughts.


    Nico was standing nearby.


    She went over to him and whispered, ¡°I need your help. Come with me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Looking at her serious expression, Nico felt uneasy, but he could not reject her. In the end, he followed


    her to the isted stairwell.


    ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, what can I do for you?¡±


    |||


    13:18 Fri, 2 Jun


    Chapter 271 Meeting An Old Friend


    Gwendolyn asked in a firm voice, ¡°How long have you been working with Cedrick?¡±


    Nico thought about it before answering, ¡°More than ten years.¡±


    +15 Bonus


    She pondered and nodded before continuing, ¡°Did Cedrick get hurt when you all went to the border?¡±


    ¡°No, we have our men around. They won¡¯t let Mr. Jenson get hurt so easily. You have nothing to worry


    about.¡±


    Nico did not hesitate in his answer.


    Gwendolyn knew then what the problem was. ¡°Then he must be ill.¡±


    Nico lowered his head and did not respond.


    ¡°You have been with him for so long. I¡¯m sure you are well aware of his health condition. Is he ill? Is it


    serious?¡±


    Nico scratched his head and looked like he was put in a difficult position. ¡°What makes you say so? Mr.


    Jenson is very healthy. He isn¡¯t ill.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hiding things from me. Are you going to do that too?¡±


    ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°Last night, I didn¡¯t have to use much strength to kick him off the bed. That goes to show how weak he


    is. Earlier on, his face looks pale. Even if you deny it, I won¡¯t believe you. So, tell me. What¡¯s wrong


    with him?¡±


    Nico looked sad and tried to control himself so as not to tell the truth. He sighed and said, ¡°Please stop


    asking me. I really don¡¯t know anything. I¡­ I still have some work to do. I will make a move first.¡±


    He then hurried away. Gwendolyn looked at his retreating figure and took out her phone to call Shadow


    Bell.


    ¡°Take a look at Cedrick¡¯s recent schedule and see if he has visited any hospitals frequently. Be quick


    ¡°Yes, boss.¡±


    Meanwhile, Nico returned to the CEO¡¯s office, and Cedrick called him in.


    He opened the door and saw Cedrick wiping his face with a wet tissue.


    The leather gloves that he had out on that morning were already lying in the dustbin.


    ¡°Boss, are you looking for me?¡±


    The lipstick stains on Cedrick¡¯s face were almost gone by now. ¡°Where were you just now?¡±


    Nico reported truthfully, ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn looked for me just now. She suspects that you are ill, so she


    was trying to verify with me.¡±


    ¡°You told her everything?¡±


    Nico panicked and began to wave his hands. ¡°No, never! I won¡¯t dare to say anything!¡±


    Chapter 271 Meeting An Old Friend


    Cedrick¡¯s cold face looked less tense when he heard that.


    +15 Bonus


    Nico did not seem to understand and tried to advise him, ¡°However, boss, you know how Ms.


    Gwendolyn is. Since she has her suspicions, she won¡¯t rest until she finds out the truth. Do you really


    not n to tell her the truth?¡±


    ¡°If I tell her, then there will be one more person who will be in pain.¡± Cedrick looked sorrowful. ¡°Let me


    think about it. As for the change in the S404 RNA virus case file, go and check on it again.¡±


    Nico sighed and did not say anymore. ¡°Yes.¡±


    In the afternoon, when Gwendolyn returned to Angle Corporation, she received a phone call.


    ¡°Boss, there is no record of Mr. Jenson visiting any hospital in recent months. His most frequented


    ces are Jenson Group, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and also the War Laboratory.¡±


    Gwendolyn pondered and said, ¡°I recall that there are professors from the medical world at the


    laboratory. How often does Cedrick go there?¡±


    ¡°Once every seven days. Later on, once every five days. Recently, he was there at night three days


    ago.¡±


    Three days ago?


    Gwendolyn frowned. Three days ago, Cedrick was at the border.


    She could not believe that he had returned to Salinsburgh in advance. Instead of going to the Jenson


    residence to look for her, he went to theboratory. That¡¯s weird.


    Instinct told Gwendolyn that something else was going on.


    ¡°Can you hack into theboratory¡¯s database and see if there¡¯s any information regarding Cedrick?¡±


    There was a short silence on the other end. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boss. These few ces are highly guarded. We


    can¡¯t hack into them, and we won¡¯t dare to either. The moment we do so, we will be detected.¡±


    ¡°All right. Got it.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, she plunged into deep contemtion again.


    Cedrick was the boss of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His position was simr to that of Asher¡¯s.


    If Cedrick truly wanted to hide something, even if she got Asher to check on it, she was sure that


    Cedrick would have the data altered.


    There was nothing she could do about it besides making wild guesses.


    Just as Gwendolyn was feeling lost, Leif phoned her all of a sudden.


    ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, the high¨Clevel prison of Salinsburgh called the Harris residence and said that Charles


    wants to see you.¡±


    ¡°Charles?¡±


    Gwendolyn was confused. Charles has been in prison for half a year now. Why does he want to see


    me all of a sudden?


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Leif continued, ¡°Charles said that he has an important secret that you will want to know. It involves your


    T


    |||


    13:18 Fri, 2 Jun


    Chapter 271 Meeting An Old Friend


    +15 Bonus


    ex¨Chusband.¡±


    When Gwendolyn heard thest few words, she frowned and looked serious.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    She quickly ended the call and drove all the way to the prison. Gwendolyn wanted to find out what


    Charles knew.


    She sat in the visiting room with two soundproof ss panes that separated her from the person she


    was visiting.


    Five minutester, Charles was being brought out.


    That was Gwendolyn¡¯s first time seeing Charles after six months.

 Chapter 272

    Chapter 272


    Chapter 272 Three Conditions


    Weighed down by the handcuffs and leg shackles, every step he took was excruciatingly slow.


    +15 Bonus


    The parts of his arms and neck not covered by his sleeves were peppered with bruises. His skin was


    rough, and his beard was unkempt. Compared to the refined and sensual appearance he had once


    sported, he was like apletely different person.


    If it wasn¡¯t for that pair of uniquely blue eyes, Gwendolyn would not have recognized him.


    Through the ss panel that separated them, Charles met her


    gaze and picked up the phone.


    Mirroring his actions, Gwendolyn brought the phone to her ear.


    ¡°Long time no see, Gwen. You look surprised. Have you forgotten me already?¡®


    Expressionless, Gwendolyn spoke in a frigid tone. ¡°I didn¡¯te here to hear you reminisce about old


    times. If you aren¡¯t going to talk, I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡±


    Charles quirked his lip yfully and tutted. ¡°How cold of you. You really do only care about your little


    pet.¡±


    When he saw Gwendolyn make a move to put down the phone, he hurriedly added, ¡°Okay, okay! I¡¯ll get


    to the point.¡± He narrowed his eyes, his smile bing twisted and strange. In a raspy voice, he said,


    ¡°Gwen, although I¡¯m in prison right now, I know better than anyone else that your current fianc¨¦,


    Cedrick, is actually your former husband from Faike. He¡¯s your beloved pet, am I right?¡±


    Although Gwendolyn smiled coldly, she was slightly taken aback by hisment. ¡°This is news to me.


    Where did you hear that from?¡±


    2


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to y dumb. I just find it baffling that he would dare get engaged to you despite being


    so severely ill.¡±


    Instantly, Gwendolyn¡¯s expression turned serious as she pped the table fiercely. ¡°What else do you


    know? What illness does he have?¡±


    Charles smiled eerily. ¡°I know everything about him. Apart from me, I reckon not many are aware of


    this.¡±


    ¡°What do you want for your information?¡± Gwendolyn swiftly calmed down and regained her


    composure.


    Charles apuded. ¡°Quick to catch on as usual. That¡¯s the Gwen I love. It doesn¡¯t take much effort to


    converse with you.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not bother concealing the disgust in her eyes. ¡°Stop wasting my time and get to the


    point!¡±


    Grinning evilly, Charles¡® blue eyes were unfathomably dark as he edged his chapped lips close to the


    mouthpiece. He whispered, ¡°Get Asher to bail me out, then cancel your engagement to Cedrick and


    marry


    me.¡±


    Upon hearing his words, Gwendolyn frowned.


    ¡°I can get Asher to bail you out, no problem. However, that¡¯s the only condition I will fulfill. Don¡¯t even


    think about the rest.¡±


    Charles lowered his gaze, appearing to be hurt by her response. ¡°I guess you really took a liking to him.


    Don¡¯t worry; I only require protection. The Newton family was seized by Craig after my little incident. In


    Chapter 272 Three Conditions


    +15 Bonus


    order to obtain power and fame, Craig decided to abandon me. I need the Harris family¡¯s protection


    when I get out of here to make aeback.¡±


    Unfazed, Gwendolyn¡¯s expression remained icy. ¡°You take the matter of Cedrick¡¯s and my engagement


    too lightly. It is not something I get to break off on a whim.¡±


    ¡°Surely you jest. You¡¯re the sweetheart of the Harris family. It would probably only cost a little money to


    pull out of the engagement. I¡¯m sure Asher would allow it if that¡¯s what you really want.¡±


    Gwendolyn pursed her red lips and fell silent.


    Charles continued, ¡°Anyway, aren¡¯t you curious about his secrets? I guarantee you will want to hear


    them. Bail me out, cancel your engagement, and marry me. You will need to fulfill all three conditions.¡±


    Gwendolyn lowered her head and fell silent for a long moment.


    She clenched her fist so tightly that the blue veins were visible under her pale skin.


    ¡°Well? Have you made up your mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have.¡± Gwendolyn lifted her eyes and stared at Charles with a determined expression. ¡°I


    absolutely hate it when others twist my arm and threaten me! You want me to cancel my engagement


    and marry you? Dream on!¡±


    Charles had already hurt Cedrick once, back in Faike. If thetter found out that she was nning on


    breaking their engagement to marry Charles, he would likely be utterly heartbroken.


    Cedrick has already sacrificed so much for me. I don¡¯t wish to disappoint him, nor do I want him to


    misunderstand.


    The smile on Charles¡® face instantly vanished.


    He was stunned for a long while. In fact, he had probably not expected Gwendolyn to reject his request


    so bluntly.


    ¡°It seems like I can¡¯te to an agreement with you, Mr. Newton. Goodbye.¡± Having said that,


    Gwendolyn hung up. She got up and left without turning back.


    Charles¡® eyes were full of shock, and his emotions became turbulent.


    He bolted up and mmed his fists against the soundproof ss, his metal handcuffs rattling loudly.


    ¡°Gwendolyn! Come back! Don¡¯t you want to know about his illness? He doesn¡¯t have long to live! He¡¯s


    going to die! That sliver of time he has left isn¡¯t worth it. I¡¯m clearly the better choice!¡±


    Moving swiftly, the prison guard soon had the rampaging Charles subdued.


    Charles cackled madly as his head was pressed onto the ground. ¡°Gwendolyn! Mark my words; you will


    come running back to me sooner orter. You can only be mine for the rest of your life!¡±


    Hisughter echoed eerily in the visiting room, not stopping until the prison guard zapped his waist with


    the electroshock baton. The strong electric current made Charles¡® body convulse before he passed out.


    The soundproof ss worked as intended. Gwendolyn heard nothing of his screams and never turned


    to


    look back.


    She sighed softly. Another source of information regarding Cedrick¡¯s condition is cut off. It seems like I


    only have one,


    O


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Chapter 272 Three Conditions


    option left.


    +15 Bonus


    Late that afternoon, at Jenson Group, it was the day of their monthly board meeting, and Cedrick had


    already been in the meeting room for half an hour.


    Nico, who had gone out to fetch an important document, was stopped in the hallway by a slender figure


    just as he was about to return to the meeting room.


    His heart thudded in surprise when he saw that it was Gwendolyn, ¡°Ms. Harris! Um, are you looking for


    Mr. Jenson? You may have to wait quite a bit as he¡¯s currently in a meeting. Excuse me, but I have to


    go too.¡±


    Lowering his head and bowing politely, he tried to edge past Gwendolyn from the right side. With a


    ck of her high heels, Gwendolyn took a step to the side with her long legs and intercepted him once


    again.


    ¡°Nico, this is thest time I¡¯ll be bothering you about this matter. If you still refuse to tell the truth, I¡¯ll


    stop bothering you at work.¡±


    ¡°I truly don¡¯t know anything! Please let me off the hook!¡±


    Nico lowered his head even further. He turned around and tried to take a detour back to the meeting


    room.


    Gwendolyn stared at his tense retreating figure and suddenly said, ¡°I went to see Charles today. He


    told me that he knows, but he¡¯ll only tell me after I marry him.¡±


    Although Nico halted in his tracks, he did not turn his head.


    Upon seeing his reaction, Gwendolyn continued, ¡°Nico, you¡¯ve helped Cedrick and I resolve many of


    our misunderstandings. You¡¯ve been there from the very start, watching over us as we got together. If


    you refuse to tell me, I can only agree to Charles¡® conditions. Is that what you wish to see?¡±


    Floundering inwardly, Nico tightened his grip on the documents. ¡°Mr. Jenson gave us the gag order.


    This is a matter of the organization¡¯s discipline. I dare not-


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help you keep it a secret from him.¡±


    Gwendolyn stepped forward, murmuring softly, ¡°He¡¯s sick, and it¡¯s hard to endure it alone. Tell me so I


    can help him.¡±


    Nico visibly wavered. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Gwendolyn proceeded to follow Nico into his office.


    Locking the door behind them, he whispered, ¡°Do you still remember the acid¨Csshing incident at


    Realm Bar from half a year ago?¡±


    O

 Chapter 273

    Chapter 273


    Chapter 273 Watching Gwendolyn Punish Cedrick


    ¡°Yes, I remember.¡±


    +15 Bonus


    Not only did she remember that incident, but she also remembered it like it was yesterday. ¡°I even


    investigated that incident afterward. Cedrick mentioned that it was something called S40 strong


    corrosive potion, not sulfuric acid.¡±


    Nico let out a sigh. ¡°Mr. Jenson lied to you because he didn¡¯t want you to worry or feel guilty. It was


    actually S404 RNA virus.¡±


    S404 RNA virus?


    Gwendolyn¡¯s forehead creased with worry, and she tensed up upon hearing that.


    Even though she wasn¡¯t a scientist, just from those words alone, she could already guess how much


    damage it could do to the body.


    Nico let out another sigh as he continued, ¡°This virus is really nasty stuff. It spreads very quickly


    throughout the body, and there is no cure for it at the moment.¡±


    Ten minutester, Cedrick, who was sitting in the main seat in the conference room, kept checking his


    watch while listening to a report from one of his subordinates.


    Why hasn¡¯t Nico returned with the documents yet?


    His face had a look of displeasure that spread a tenseness across the conference room.


    Having noticed that Cedrick was in a particrly bad mood, the directors all held their breaths and tried


    their best to minimize their presence.


    Suddenly, amotion could be heard from outside the door.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go in there, Ms. Harris! Mr. Jenson is having a meeting right now!¡±


    The door to the conference room was then forcefully pushed open, and Gwendolyn red at Cedrick¨C


    as she stood there.


    As all of Jenson Group knew about her identity, none of the security guards daredy a finger on her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Jenson. Ms. Harris insisted on barging in¡­¡±


    The directors all turned to look at Gwendolyn when they heard that.


    However, she ignored their gazes and kept her attention focused on Cedrick.


    Without even looking at her, Cedrick lifted his cup of coffee and elegantly took a sip before saying


    coldly, ¡°Whatever it is you have to say can wait until this meeting is over, Ms. Harris. Security, please


    escort her to my office.


    ¡°Understood, Mr. Jenson,¡± the security guard replied respectfully and got ready to escort Gwendolyn


    out of there. However, he froze when she shot him an icy¨Ccold re.


    Gwendolyn then made her way past the security guards and walked up to Cedrick as she asked,


    ¡°Cedrick! Why are you calling me ¡®Ms. Harris¡® again?¡±


    She clearly looked upset and sounded like she was about to cry.


    O


    Chapter 273 Watching Gwendolyn Punish Cedrick


    Cedrick tensed up and turned to look at her.


    He instinctively panicked when he saw her eyes begin to tear up.


    ¡°Gwenny? What are you¡ª¡±


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn cut him off by kissing him on his pale lips in front of everyone, much to their surprise.


    Everyone in thepany had heard about them kissing at the charity g, but they did not expect to


    witness such a public disy of affection during a meeting.


    Since they were inside a conference room with security guards and directors watching, Cedrick


    stopped himself from being drawn into Gwendolyn¡¯s kiss. That was especially the case since he


    intended to draw a clear line between them anyway.


    Cedrick leaned back against his chair to pull his lips away from hers. His body was exuding an icy¨Ccold


    aura as he attempted to grab her hands.


    ¡°Knock it off! We¡¯re in the conference room of Jenson Group!¡±


    As though Gwendolyn had predicted his move, she quickly and urately grabbed his hands and


    pinned them against his chair.


    Cedrick struggled with all of his might, but Gwendolyn¡¯s martial arts training made her far too strong for


    him to break free from.


    Gwendolyn arched an eyebrow at Cedrick as she inched closer to him once again. She was unhappy


    with how cold he had been treating hertely, and she was determined to punish him with an


    aggressive and forceful kiss, even biting his lips harshly.


    Cedrick groaned and winced from the pain while everyone in the conference room stared wide¨Ceyed at


    them.


    Some held their hands over their mouths and gasped in shock, while some swallowed hard in envy.


    Others covered their faces with their hands in embarrassment and peeked through the gaps between


    their fingers.


    None of them had expected to see their boss get sexually ravaged by his woman like that.


    Oh, my goodness! This is so exciting!


    Nico pretended to be in a hurry as he rushed into the conference room with a stack of documents in


    hand.


    Instead of freaking out when he saw the intimate scene before him, Nico calmly proceeded to help


    clear the room by saying, ¡°This meeting will be postponed as Mr. Jenson has some personal matters to


    take care of. We will inform you all when the meeting will be continued. Would everyone please leave


    the conference room?¡±


    Although they were reluctant to leave, they did as told and walked out of the conference room in an


    orderly manner anyway.


    In order to give the two even more privacy, Nico made sure to close the windows and doors after


    everyone had left.


    Shangrience


    Just like that, the conference room fell intoplete silence.


    |||


    13:20 Fri, 2


    Chapter 273 Watching Gwendolyn Punish Cedrick


    The air was filled with intense sexual tension as the kiss continued for quite some time.


    Gwendolyn only stopped her punishing kiss when she heard Cedrick sobbing softly.


    His pale lips were swollen from the forceful kiss and stained red by Gwendolyn¡¯s lipstick.


    She kept his hands in a vice¨Clike grip as she slowly pulled her face away from his.


    0.45%


    +15 Bonus


    The way Gwendolyn licked her teeth made her look like a beautiful vampire who was satisfied with her


    meal.


    ¡°It hurts, doesn¡¯t it? That¡¯s what you get for calling me Ms. Harris and Gwendolyn! Let¡¯s see if you¡¯ll


    dare do it again!¡±


    This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.


    Despite her fierce tone, there was a pained look in her tear¨Cfilled eyes.


    Whatever confidence Cedrick had earlier was gone the moment he realized she probably knew his


    secret. ¡°Y¨CYou found out about it already?¡± he asked nervously while avoiding her gaze.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Her long hair hung loosely over her shoulders as she gently ran her finger over his lips. ¡°Were you


    nning on keeping it a secret from me forever and finding some quiet spot to die alone?¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s eyshes fluttered as he responded to her question with another. ¡°Who told you? Was it


    Nico?¡±


    Gwendolyn shook her head. ¡°No. He wouldn¡¯t tell me anything, so I did some digging on my own and


    found out about it myself. You underestimate me far too much!¡±


    Cedrick pursed his lips and lowered his gaze without saying a word.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes teared up when she recalled what Nico had told her earlier. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me


    you were infected with such a deadly virus? Are you afraid of me feeling guilty? Or did you think I would


    feel disgusted and leave you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being such a burden¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s heart ached with guilt when she heard that. She cradled his face with trembling hands


    and said, ¡°You¡¯re not a burden to me, silly! I¡¯m the one who¡¯s a burden to you. You wouldn¡¯t have to


    suffer from this virus if it wasn¡¯t for me, so I¡¯m the one who should be apologizing instead.¡±


    Cedrick felt his heart melt from the heat of her warm tears.


    He had a strong urge to pull her into his arms and kiss the tears off her face, but he felt conflicted when


    he recalled what Charles¡® had told him.


    Eventually, he suppressed the urges and said coldly, ¡°Everything I do is out of my own free will. It has


    nothing to do with you, so you don¡¯t have to feel bad about it. Also, I don¡¯t need your sympathy, nor do I


    need you to look after me out of guilt.¡±


    She will get sick and tired of me eventually. I don¡¯t want to keep her bound to my side with guilt, and I


    most certainly don¡¯t want her to suffer the pain of watching me die.


    i want


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyebrows nted in anger and strong disapproval when she heard that,


    ¡°Hey! Do you even listen to yourself, Cedrick? Are you itching for a beating or something?¡±

 Chapter 274

    Chapter 274


    Chapter 274 She Is His Savior


    Sensing that she was about to punish him again, Cedrick quickly pushed against her with both hands to


    keep her at bay.


    Having found out that his body was degenerating, however, Gwendolyn did not fear his resistance at


    all.


    To her, he was nothing but a weak and sickly man with an attitude.


    Gwendolyn effortlessly pinned his arms down once again and licked her lips with a mischievous grin.


    ¡°Oh my! Are you having trouble breaking free, Mr. Jenson? Since I have youpletely at my mercy,


    shouldn¡¯t you behave yourself a little bit more?¡± she asked in a teasing tone.


    Gedrick felt really conflicted when he heard that. His ego as a man forbade him from giving in, but there


    was nothing he could do due to his weakened physical state.


    After struggling for a bit, Cedrick snorted defiantly and turned his head aside.


    The fact that there was nothing he could do about the situation left him feeling really frustrated.


    Seeing as he still refused to submit, Gwendolyn grabbed him by the chin and forced him to look at her.


    ¡°Seems that punishment wasn¡¯t enough. Do you want to see some blood, Ceddy?¡±


    Those words had barely left Gwendolyn¡¯s mouth when she leaned forward and pretended to bite


    Cedrick on his swollen lips.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t bring herself to follow through with her bite when she heard him pleading for


    mercy. In the end, she simply gave him a gentle kiss to help relieve some of that pain.


    They could feel each other¡¯s breaths as their tongues intertwined passionately.


    After kissing for what felt like forever, Gwendolyn took a moment to catch her breath before cradling his


    face in her hands.


    ¡°I will only say this once, so listen to me very carefully, Cedrick. I am not a woman who would date just


    about anyone. I have tons of ways topensate you if guilt is all that I feel. There is no need for me


    to dedicate my heart and my life to someone I don¡¯t love. Also, I am not sympathizing with you. It hurts


    me to see you in pain, so I want to stay by your side no matter how hard things get in the future. I want


    to help you


    share that burden as I walk alongside you, and I will do everything I can to cure you. I¡¯m not about to


    just sit by and watch you die. Oh, and I¡¯m not as weak as you think I am, so please have some faith in


    me! We will surely be together for a lot more than just five months. We are going to stay together for a


    very long time and live a beautiful life together. Think of it as a future that I will create for you, if you


    will,¡± Gwendolyn said sternly.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Whoa¡­ I¡¯ve never seen Gwendolyn this serious!


    Cedrick¡¯s face was filled with shock as the two of them stared deeply into each other¡¯s eyes.


    The part where she said she would create a future for the both of them got him fantasizing about their


    future together.


    Chapter 274 She Is His Savior


    Cedrick¡¯s eyes teared up as he visualized a life where Gwendolyn would keep himpany, shower


    him with affection, care about him, and take away all of his pain and sadness.


    ¡°Oh, Gwenny¡­¡± I truly am blessed to have you in my life!


    He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly as he embraced the warmth of her body.


    Gwendolyn gently patted him on the back and ran her hand through his hair tofort him.


    The golden rays of the evening sun filled the conference room with a warm glow as it shone upon


    them.


    That beautiful moment was interrupted when Cedrick let out a soft groan.


    Thanks to Gwendolyn¡¯s sharp sense of hearing, she picked up on it immediately. She noticed


    something wasn¡¯t right when she felt his back muscles tense up and his hands tremble.


    She quickly let go of Cedrick and touched his forehead as she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He¡¯s not burning up with a fever, but his face has gone pale, and he¡¯s trembling uncontrobly¡­


    ¡°I¨CI¡¯m fine¡­¡± Cedrick replied in a very weak voice.


    Gwendolyn knew him all too well. She could clearly tell that he was doing his best to suppress the pain


    and act tough. While he would usually try to gain her sympathy by pretending to be in pain, she knew


    he


    her. would endure it in silence whenever he was truly in pain so that he would not worry


    The more Cedrick tried to act tough, the more it hurt Gwendolyn on the inside.


    ¡°Is your angina acting up again? Where¡¯s your medicine? Did you bring it with you?¡± she asked when


    she noticed him clutching his chest.


    Cedrick¡¯s face was drenched in cold sweat as he shook his head.


    Gwendolyn immediately ran out of the conference room and called out to Nico, who happened to be


    standing nearby, ¡°Where¡¯s his medicine to help relieve his angina?¡±


    ¡°It should be in his office.¡±


    ¡°Go get it! Hurry!¡±


    ¡°On it!¡±


    11


    Nico realized something was wrong when he saw the anxious look on her face. He then rushed


    upstairs as quickly as his legs could carry him.


    Gwendolyn was about to return to Cedrick¡¯s side when she heard a loud thud behind her. Upon turning


    around, she saw that Cedrick had fallen from his chair and was curled up in a ball on the ground.


    His body was trembling uncontrobly, and the veins in his neck wer¨¨ bulging underneath the skin.


    ¡°Ceddy!¡±


    Gwendolyn rushed to his side, knelt on the ground, and carefully held him in her arms. She even tried


    massaging his chest in an attempt to help relieve some of his pain.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Nico returned with his medication. However, Cedrick¡¯s condition did not improve


    <


    13:21 Fri, 2 Jun


    Chapter 274 She Is His Savior


    significantly even after he swallowed the pill.


    G45%


    +15 Bonus


    It would take some time for the medication to take effect. Until then, all Cedrick could do was endure


    the pain while lying in Gwendolyn¡¯s embrace.


    Gwendolyn felt as though her heart was being pierced with a knife when she saw him in pain.


    It was also the first time Nico had seen Cedrick in so much pain. He kept pacing about anxiously while


    wishing he could help share some of that pain.


    Unable to stand it anymore, Gwendolyn rolled her sleeve up and held her slender arm next to Cedrick¡¯s


    mouth.


    ¡°Stop fighting it, Ceddy! Just bite my arm if it hurts! We¡¯ll suffer this pain together!¡±


    Cedrick pursed his lips tightly as he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do so. Instead, he grabbed her hand


    tightly and interlocked his fingers with hers.


    Nico knelt down beside him and held his arm out as well. ¡°You can bite my arm instead, Mr. Jenson.


    Ms. Harris¡® arm is skinny and delicate, but mine is tough and muscr. I¡¯m not afraid of pain!¡±


    Cedrick shook his head and buried his face in Gwendolyn¡¯s chest.


    Gwendolyn let out a helpless sigh when she saw how stubborn he was.


    Just how much longer does he have to suffer?


    After taking a moment to calm herself down, she looked at Nico and asked, ¡°He¡¯s in a lot of pain while


    waiting for the pill to take effect. Could we inject him with a painkiller or something?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen Mr. Jenson suffer like this.¡±


    Since Nico couldn¡¯t provide her with an answer, Gwendolyn decided to take matters into her own


    hands.


    ¡°You carry him! We¡¯re heading to theboratory right away!¡±


    They arrived at theboratory about fifteen minutester.


    Cedrick¡¯s breathing slowly stabilized after being injected with a painkiller, and he soon fell asleep from


    the exhaustion.


    Gwendolyn helped massage his forehead while sitting next to him.


    Joshua then came in and handed her all the data they had gathered on Cedrick/


    ¡°Try to keep his emotions under control. Huge fluctuations in his emotional state will trigger his angina,


    and he will need to spend a huge amount of energy just to endure the pain. That will leave him weak,


    which will help the virus spread through his body even faster. On top of that, painkillers have side


    effects. as well. Giving him painkillers every time will worsen the damage done to his body.¡±


    P


    Gwendolyn nodded and read through theb reports while listening to his exnation.


    It pained her deeply when she saw the data that was printed in red.


    Gwendolyn took a deep breath and tried to suppress her guilt as she asked, ¡°Is there really nothing we


    can do about this virus? I know we can¡¯t cure himpletely just yet, but what about prolonging his


    life?¡±


    |||


    r


    +15 Bonus


    Joshua shook his head. Since Cedrick was still unconscious, he decided to be honest with Gwendolyn


    about it. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell Cedrick the truth because I feared he wouldn¡¯t be able to ept it, but¡­¡±


    13:21 Fri, 2 Jun

 Chapter 275

    Chapter 275


    Chapter 275 The Fury Of Gwendolyn


    +15 Bonus


    ¡°The five months I mentioned he had previously was actually a rough estimation. He can hold on for


    that long only if his body functions remain in good condition. This is because the virus in his body is


    growing immune to the suppressant. If he experiences several more episodes of angina, it¡¯s unlikely he


    will survive for more than a month¡­¡±


    Taken aback, Gwendolyn gripped theb report tightly, causing it to crumple in her hand.


    She tried pulling herself together. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll make sure he takes care of his health. I refuse to


    believe that he only has months to live. I want him to live a long and healthy life!¡±


    Joshua was relieved to see the determination in her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Harris. I will do my utmost to treat Cedrick. I will provide you with a list of essential


    care guidelines that you should follow. There are certain things he should avoid, and he needs to


    maintain a regr exercise routine, watch his diet, and manage his emotions. By adhering to these


    measures, he¡¯ll greatly benefit,¡± Joshua said.


    Gwendolyn replied, ¡°All right. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. It¡¯s my responsibility.¡± After retrieving theb report from her, Joshua turned around


    and closed the door


    Wor them.


    Gwendolyn tilted her head, and her gaze shifted to the man lying on the bed. In an instant, she found


    herself captivated by his deep, dark eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awake. Did we disturb you?¡±


    A corner of Cedrick¡¯s pallid lips quirked up, and he shook his head in response. ¡°I wasn¡¯t asleep in the


    first ce. Hearing your voice makes me feel safe.¡±


    Gwendolyn caressed his face gently and patiently. ¡°Whenever you¡¯re in pain, don¡¯t suffer in silence.


    You have to let me know. It would upset me if you hid your pain from me. Understand?¡±


    He nodded obediently. ¡°Gwenny, I want a hug¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn kicked off her heels, nestled into the nket beside Cedrick, and tenderly embraced him.


    Savoring the pleasant scent she emitted, Cedrick peacefully closed his eyes.


    Upon recalling an important matter, he said, ¡°By the way, we have to keep my health issue a secret,


    Gwenny. You must not tell the Harris family about it either.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t, so don¡¯t worry,¡± she assured him.


    Cedrick held significant influence in Salinsburgh, even throughout the entire Chanaea.


    If news of his critical condition were to spread, it would cause considerable upheaval for the Federal


    Bureau of Investigation and Harris Group. Jenson Group and Yael¡¯s family would definitely cause a


    hugemotion as well if they found out about his health problem.


    Once again, Cedrick closed his eyes and sumbed to sleep,forted by her gentle reassurance.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Gwendolyn lowered her head to look at his handsome face, but she zoned out for a moment.


    Before today, she had not known the incident at Faike¡¯s Realm Bar would cause such great damage


    to Cedrick¡¯s body.


    |||


    0445%•þ


    +15 Bonus


    Chapter 275 The Fury Of Gwendolyn


    Now that she had learned about it, her hatred toward Charles intensified even more.


    Furthermore, Charles even dared to threaten her with the incident. He wants me to call off the


    engagement and marry him? Dream on! Cedrick is now suffering in torment because of him, yet he


    only has to endure a prison sentence and live a rtively peaceful life. That punishment is not even


    equal to a fraction of the harm inflicted on Cedrick!


    L


    The more Gwendolyn thought about it, the angrier she became. I can¡¯t just sit here and do nothing. I


    must teach Charles a lesson!


    Meanwhile, the sound of objects breaking echoed throughout the Ferguson residence in the dead of


    night.


    Eloise was once again in a fit of rage, leaving the room inplete disarray.


    Gunnar stood frozen in a corner, his voice silenced by fear, unable to utter a single word.


    The act of tossing things all over the ce did not seem to appease Eloise.


    She grabbed a bottle of high¨Cend toner and warned Gunnar, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare dodge this, you useless


    piece of trash!¡±


    Gunnar had no choice but to stand still while she viciously hurled the toner in his direction.


    A loud thud resounded in the room.


    Gunnar¡¯s forehead absorbed the impact, forming a bruise and breaking the skin. Droplets of blood


    spattered across his forehead.


    He silently endured, not uttering a word.


    Eloise¡¯s anger


    anger subsided somewhat upon seeing the blood on his forehead. ¡°This entire situation is a result of


    your ipetence! You told me to expose Treyton¡¯s affair through a press statement and manipte


    public opinion to force him into submission. And what happened? A bunch of idiots! I must have been


    out of my mind to take your advice!¡±


    Treyton held a significant influence in the entertainment industry. With a mere gesture, he had the


    power topletely disrupt the entertainment world.


    His industry influence was immense. Despite Eloise having a press release written, no media outlet


    dared to publish it. Even if she paid several daring small mediapanies to release the news, it


    would quickly lose traction and disappear.


    Fueled by frustration, Eloise resumed hurling objects as the image of Treyton and Jennifer being


    affectionate filled her mind.


    Themotion she caused was so significant that Sherman had to go upstairs to check on her.


    Just as he opened the door, an object hurtled past him, apanied by Eloise¡¯s furious screech. ¡°Get


    out! Leave me alone if you don¡¯t want to be hit!¡±


    Seeing Sherman about to be struck, Gunnar swiftly intervened and took the blow, resulting in another


    bruised forehead.


    He then greeted Sherman with respect, ¡°Mr. Ferguson.¡±


    Eloise turned around. ¡°Oh, Sherman, it¡¯s you. I thought it was those ignorant housekeepers again.¡±


    111


    <


    Fri, 2


    Chapter 275 The Fury Of Gwendolyn


    Sherman let out a sigh. ¡°If I hadn¡¯te, how much longer were you nning to keep up with this


    rampage? Dad might lock you up again if you wake him up with all this ruckus.¡±


    +15 Bonus


    He then patted Gunnar¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Go and take a rest. You must have had a rough day. You


    can im double the medical expenses from the butler. Tell him it¡¯s my idea.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ferguson,¡± Gunnar replied.


    Sherman hummed in response before sitting by Eloise¡¯s bed.


    Before he could say anything, Eloise wrapped her hands around his arm, trying to win his sympathy.


    ¡°Sherman, you must help me. Treyton insists on choosing that b*tch over me. We can¡¯t allow him to


    continue with this nonsense. It¡¯ll bring shame to the Ferguson family!¡±


    Sherman stroked her head but kept mum.


    She continued persuading him. ¡°Oh, by the way, you like Gwendolyn a lot, right? If you help me win


    back Treyton, I¡¯ll help you pursue her!¡±


    Sherman responded with a faintugh. ¡°Please don¡¯t stir up trouble for me with all your tactics. You¡¯re


    no match for her anyway. And if you want to help me, just stay away from her.¡±


    Eloise pursed her lips, unwilling to acknowledge his words. Why should I? Gwendolyn will not let me off


    anyway. I¡¯ll surely find an opportunity to deal with that b*tch someday!


    Deep in her heart, she cursed Gwendolyn and Jennifer through and through.


    On the other hand, Sherman was trying to figure out a solution for her. ¡°How about this? You¡¯ll be


    celebrating your birthday in two weeks. I¡¯ll ask Mom and Dad to throw you a grand party, and you can


    invite some celebrities over to perform at the event. Sounds good?¡±


    Eloise¡¯s eyes brightened immediately. I¡¯ll invite Jennifer to perform since she¡¯s a celebrity, and when


    she doese, I¡¯ll make sure to teach her a lesson!


    Sherman continued to guide her. ¡°Just try giving in to Treyton and show him your sincerity. Get him to


    attend your birthday party. Then, when hees, you¡¯ll be able to¡­¡±


    Eloise listened closely to her brother, confident that the birthday party in two weeks would provide her


    with the perfect opportunity to carry out her ns!


    Eloise¡¯s mind raced with thoughts of teaching Jennifer a lesson, but she also saw an opportunity to


    devise a n to deal with Gwendolyn. After all, thetter was her fianc¨¦¡¯s sister. I¡¯ll be able to kill two


    birds with one stone. Watch it, b*tches. I¡¯m gonna get you!

 Chapter 276

    Chapter 276


    Chapter 276 Celebrations Abound


    In the sterile confines of the hospital room at theboratory, Gwendolyn spent the night alongside


    Cedrick.


    By dawn, she took Cedrick back to the vi.


    In ordance with Joshua¡¯s advice, she drafted a health n for Cedrick.


    +15 Bonus


    It mainly outlined that he refrained from smoking, drinking, and engaging in physical intimacy with


    Gwendolyn. In addition, Cedrick should follow a diet abundant in fruits and vegetables and a daily


    regimen of moderate exercise.


    Cedrick watched her enthusiastic manner and merely nodded, epting her arrangements without a


    word.


    Once home, Gwendolyn headed to the kitchen to prepare some oatmeal.


    After they were done with breakfast, she said, ¡°I have something on today and must return to the Harris


    residence. In the meantime, don¡¯t head to Jenson Group if you have nothing important to attend to. If


    any paperwork requires your attention, have Nico bring it over.¡±


    Surprised, Cedrick asked, ¡°Since you¡¯re returning to the Harris residence, do you need me to


    apany you?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Gwendolyn replied.


    She served him another bowl of oatmeal, concealing the unease in her eyes.


    ¡°You just had an episode of angina yesterday. You¡¯re still weak, so don¡¯t go around wandering. Rest for


    a few days and gather your strength,¡± Gwendolyn said.


    Cedrick was a little concerned, especially when he noticed her change of clothes upon returning to their


    vi.


    Gwendolyn usually favored dresses. However, she had changed into a pair of sturdy jeans paired with


    a crisp white t¨Cshirt. The attire entuated her tall, slender figure. It was a simple and clean look.


    Something about her sudden change of style felt off to Cedrick.


    ¡°It seems like your eldest brother is still in Salinsburgh. I¡¯m notfortable with you going back alone,¡±


    Cedrick uttered.


    Gwendolyn chuckled. ¡°Asher dotes on me the most. What could he possibly do to me?¡±


    The man fell silent, a quiet mncholy settling over him.


    Gwendolyn nted a kiss on his forehead and soothingly ran her fingers through his hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.


    I won¡¯t let him know that we¡¯ve slept together previously. Just stay put at home. I¡¯ll return once I¡¯ve


    finished my business, all right?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he mumbled,


    Gedrick¡¯s irritation was pacified by her touch.


    Satisfied, Gwendolyn headed out the door.


    Chapter 276 Celebrations Abound


    She drove back to Mount Tranquil all alone, not to Marcus¡® vi but straight to Asher¡¯s.


    +15 Bonus


    When Gwendolyn arrived at Asher¡¯s vi, she lingered at the entrance. She took several deep breaths


    to steady her nerves. Then, after making sure that her jeans were thick enough, she mustered the


    courage to ring the doorbell.


    As she raised her hand, the door was opened from the inside.


    Gwendolyn froze as she found herself under the chilling scrutiny of Asher¡¯s piercing gaze. Dressed


    immactely in an exquisite azure suit, he emanated amanding and intense aura.


    ¡°Hi, Asher! What a coincidence. Are you heading out? Have you and your wife had breakfast yet?¡±


    Gwendolyn awkwardly withdrew her hand with a sheepish smile.


    Asher narrowed his eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call this a coincidence. I had juste downstairs when I noticed


    you sneaking in from the garden. What are you trying to do?¡±


    Gwendolyn let out a nervousugh. ¡°Hah, what do you mean, Asher? I¡¯m here to look for you. Why did


    you make it sound like I¡¯m sneaking around?¡±


    Asher was too familiar with her antics but didn¡¯t feel like exposing her. Instead, he turned around and


    retreated to his living room couch.


    Gwendolyn trailed behind him, her gaze flickering toward the second floor. ¡°Isn¡¯t Sienna home today?


    She left so early?¡±


    Her palms were slick with sweat. If Sienna isn¡¯t around, aren¡¯t I at risk of suffering a severe beating


    today?


    ¡°She¡¯s upstairs, in the study. Are you here for her?¡± Asher asked in a casual tone. He reached into the


    drawer of the coffee table, rummaging for a cigarette.


    However, he decided against lighting it when he recalled Gwendolyn¡¯s dislike toward the smell of


    cigarette smoke and put it back into the drawer. Then, he fixed his sister with a stare.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s fears were just starting to ebb away when she noticed Asher¡¯s stern gaze. She was


    already feeling guilty to begin with. Hence, she began to tremble uncontrobly under his scrutinizing


    gaze.


    She felt her legs giving way as she slumped to the ground on her knees, deciding that it was the best


    course of action.


    Beneath the coffee table and the living couch was a plush, round rug. Shrewd as she was, she had


    chosen a soft


    spot tond her knees, so it did not hurt at all.


    Asher watched her theatrics with a hint of amusement before his lips curved into a smile. However, his


    eyes were cold and stern. ¡°How apt. Would you care to remind me what I told you previously?¡±


    Gwendolyn lowered her gaze as her voice took on a pitiful tone. ¡°You said that if I ever slept with him


    again, you would break my legs, and no one could persuade you otherwise.¡±


    ¡°So, Ms. Harris, how many times have you slept with him, then?¡±


    The sarcastic way he addressed her as Ms. Harris was enough to send a shiver down Gwendolyn¡¯s


    spine. This, she realized, was the calm before the storm. A chilling dread filled her.


    ¡°I think¡­ four or five times?¡±


    |||


    Chapter 276 Celebrations Abound


    +15 Bonus


    As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a st of icy fury emanating from her brother. Hastily, she


    added, ¡°I know you only have my best interests at heart, Asher. You worry that if in the end, Cedrick


    and I don¡¯t end up together, I¡¯ll suffer the gestictions of others from the rumors of us living together,


    and worse, sleeping together. You¡¯re concerned about my reputation among the noble families. But


    Asher, I¡¯ve never cared about others¡® opinions. As long as I live freely and boldly, that¡¯s enough. As for


    Cedrick, he¡¯s been good to me¡ª¡±


    Asher interjected her with a cold chuckle. ¡°Is that so? I heard that he¡¯s been spending a lot of time with


    the celebrity spokesperson from Jenson Group recently. He has little self¨Cdiscipline. Do you still


    consider this to be good to you?¡±


    Gwendolyn blinked in surprise. ¡°Where did you hear that, Asher?¡±


    ¡°The celebrity¡¯s manager spilled the beans about your fight in Jenson Group. If it weren¡¯t for my


    intervention, your lover¡¯s spat would have unsettled the stocks of both our families for days,¡± Asher


    said.


    Evelyn is such a troublemaker!


    A wave of repulsion washed over Gwendolyn, but there were more pressing matters at hand.


    She lowered her head, at a loss about how to exin to Asher, especially since she still couldn¡¯t


    disclose Cedrick¡¯s condition to her brother.


    Asher rose from his chair, rolling up his suit sleeves. His every move was imbued with an air of nobility


    and grace. His tone, however, was ominous. ¡°What excuse do you intend to spin for me this time, you


    sly girl?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Gwendolyn immediately said.


    Her face turned pale at his obvious readiness to mete out punishment. ¡°We had a misunderstanding,


    and we did fight a few days ago, but we made upst night. I believe Cedrick wouldn¡¯t dare betray me.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s betrayed you once before. You trust him, but I can¡¯t say I do! You¡¯ve only just reconciled, and he¡¯s


    already arguing with you. To top it all off, he¡¯s fraternizing with some starlet. I¡¯ll make him pay!¡± Asher


    chided.


    Asher¡¯s jawline hardened as he crouched down before Gwendolyn. His tone took on a rare gentle tone,


    ¡°Little sister, I won¡¯t punish you this time. Instead, I will help you get out of this marriage arrangement.


    After that, I will deal with that scoundrel. If you can¡¯t marry into another noble family, I will look after you


    for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°No, Asher!¡± Gwendolyn cried out. Noticing the murderous look in her brother¡¯s eyes, she continued in


    a determined tone, ¡°I will not back out of this marriage. Besides, I¡¯m always the one initiating, so it¡¯s all


    my fault. Please, don¡¯t bother yourself with his life. You¡­ you should punish me instead!¡±


    The air seemed to freeze.


    Gwendolyn kept her head low, struggling to breathe under the weight of Asher¡¯s fury. She gulped with a


    lump in her throat.


    Despite her privileged upbringing as the daughter of the Harris family, her fear of Asher had been


    carved into her bones.


    She was about the same age as her third brother, Treyton. Growing up, both of them were very


    naughty, and their parents failed to discipline them. Hence, they were tamed under Asher¡¯s iron fists.


    The mere thought of Asher¡¯s physical punishment still sent shivers down her spine.


    Chapter 276 Celebrations Abound


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn trembled with fear but had to steel herself, for she needed to bring up the matter of


    Charles. It was only after enduring this round of punishment that she could get down to business.


    Without uttering a word, Asher rose to his feet. His austere countenance and menacing gaze were


    enough to strike fear into the bravest hearts.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°So, it seems like you¡¯vee here to ask for a beating, huh? Very well, I shall oblige,¡± Asher uttered.


    In one swift movement, he undid the buckle of his belt and slid it from his waist, folding it neatly in half.


    Pointing toward a nearby couch¡¯s armrest, he icilymanded, ¡°Lie down there.¡±

 Chapter 277

    Chapter 277


    Chapter 277 I Am Nervous


    +15 Bonus


    Seeing the cold look on his face, intimidation filled Gwendolyn. She dragged her feet as she got off the


    carpet and slumped against the couch¡¯s armrest.


    The minute she climbed atop it, she caught Asher walking to her side from the corner of her eyes, all


    while he exuded a scary aura.


    Her face drained of color. ¡°W¨CWait!¡±


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°How many times is it going to be, Asher?¡±


    She had to brace herself. After all, she still needed to deal with Charles¡® issue, then meet with Cedrick


    later.


    Asher raised a sculpted brow. ¡°Since you slept with him four to five times, why don¡¯t we start from fifty?


    What about that?¡±


    Fifty?


    Dread washed over Gwendolyn.


    thought five times, at most. With Asher¡¯s strength, I might not survive his whipping. Can I even get back


    to Cedrick¡¯s i alive today? Also, despite his words, his tone doesn¡¯t sound like he¡¯s negotiating with


    me.


    Can I say no?¡± She resignedly looked over her shoulder to see Asher removing his watch, taking off his


    oat, and rolling up his sleeves even further. Sensing her gaze, he shot an icy look at her.


    No, you can¡¯t.¡±


    knew it!


    he repeatedly hit her head against the couch as despair flooded her.


    om the corner of her eyes, Gwendolyn caught Asher waving his belt, and her head snapped toward


    him. Vait, I have something to say!¡±


    ¡®ith furrowed brows, he clicked his tongue. ¡°What now?¡±


    wendolyn discreetly pinched her arm, causing her eyes to fill with tears. She then cast a pitiful look at


    1. m.


    haven¡¯t received a beating for years, so I¡¯m a bit nervous. Can you maybe¡­ be gentler?¡±


    nusement diminished Asher¡¯s rage slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll have you try whether it¡¯s still the same pain you member


    from your memories then.¡±


    s anger had already died down by half after he noticed her pitiful expression. In truth, he was just lling


    her leg, trying to scare her.


    contrast to his amusement, his answer sent apletely different feeling shooting through Gwendolyn.


    sounded like a death sentence to her ears.


    hen she saw Asher wave the belt again, a chill ran down her spine. She yelled exaggeratedly, ¡°Ow! It


    rts! Sienna, help me! Asher is going to kill me!¡±


    |||


    O


    T


    2.44%


    Chapter 277 I Am Nervous


    Asher stared at her in surprise.


    +15 Bonus


    I haven¡¯t even started yet. Has shepletely forgotten the rules after a few years of not seeing each


    other? She even learned to strike first by asking for help!


    Her acting caused his fury to ramp up again. ¡°Gwendolyn Shalders Harris! You¡¯ll be losing a leg today!¡±


    Gwendolyn immediately dropped her act and stopped screaming at the top of her lungs at his threat.


    Instinctively, she clenched her teeth and broke out in a cold sweat,


    Asher¡¯s punishments are real harsh!


    Wrapping her arms around herself, she cursed herself. What¡¯s the point of picking out the thick jeans in


    the morning? This bit of protection will be f*cking useless against Asher¡¯s punishment. I should¡¯ve worn


    another five to sixyers of fleece long johns!


    Noticing her silence, he scoffed. ¡°Why did you stop acting? Weren¡¯t you howling at the top of your lungs


    just a while ago?¡±


    ¡°Ow! It hurts!¡±


    Gwendolyn sucked in a breath sharply and whimpered pitifully. It was so painful that her eyes brimmed


    with tears.


    Why isn¡¯t Siennaing down? If Asher continues in this vein, a dozen times is my limit before the


    pain kills me!


    ¡°You asked for it, so bear with the pain!¡±


    With a dark expression, Asher raised his arm again..


    Gwendolyn caught his movement from the corner of her eyes and instantly snapped them shut from


    fear. Her body tensed as she braced herself for the hit.


    In the next second, a pair of thin arms wrapped around her from the back, shielding her from Asher.


    Sienna had heard the racket downstairs and rushed down from the fourth floor.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Hubby. Twice should be enough. Gwen has delicate and tender skin. Are you really


    nning to break her leg?¡±


    Asher huffed, his anger not diminishing in the slightest.


    Noting his fury, Sienna continued to coax him, ¡°Plus, it takes two to tango. Even if Gwen was the one


    who asked to sleep with him, Cedrick didn¡¯t turn her down, didn¡¯t he? Why don¡¯t you beat him up then?¡±


    Confusion filled Gwendolyn.


    There¡¯s something strange about her advice. Why is she shifting the me to Cedrick?


    Asher replied, ¡°Why would I beat Cedrick up? I¡¯ll lead a few men to the Jenson residence and kill him


    later!¡±


    Before Gwendolyn could get used to the pain, she gasped at his promise and urgently advised, ¡°Why is


    killing him the only thing on your mind, Asher? We¡¯re in aw¨Cbased society, so calm down. Punishing


    me should be enough. You can¡¯ty a hand on another¡¯s child!¡±


    O


    <


    Chapter 277 I Am Nervous


    +15 Bonus


    Asher rolled up his sleeves further and snickered. ¡°Fine, protect him. We still have forty¨Ceight times to


    go. We¡¯re picking up where we left off!¡±


    Hearing the number was enough for Gwendolyn¡¯s entire body to shudder.


    ¡°That¡¯s it! Why are you getting angry at Gwen? The two whips carlier sounded horrifying even through


    the closed door. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s in a lot of pain right now. You¡¯ll feel bad for her if she gets hurt, so why


    are you so stubborn about it?¡±


    Sienna was Asher¡¯s weakness.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    After tossing the truth right in his face, she snatched the belt from his hand and buckled it around his


    waist.


    ¡°I¡¯m mad as well about Cedrick¡¯s matter this time and understand the reason you forbid Gwen from


    sleeping with him is for her own future, but every couple fights after being together for a while. Since


    she¡¯s still willing to take his side, why don¡¯t you trust her judgment again and observe Cedrick for a


    while?¡±


    Sienna¡¯s reasoning gradually soothed Asher¡¯s anger, and he took a seat on the opposite couch.


    Sienna immediately helped Gwendolyn up from crouching over the handrest.


    With a tearful gaze, Gwendolyn gratefully called out, ¡°Sienna.¡±


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Sienna wiped the cold sweat away from Gwendolyn¡¯s forehead and helped her over to


    the couch.


    Gwendolyn sucked in a sharp breath when her butt hit the couch. Her face scrunched in pain, and


    misery was written all over her. ¡°Forget it. Since it hurts more to sit, I might as well stand.¡±


    Sitting opposite her, Asher observed her every move. His sharp gaze dulled and finally softened.


    Sienna caught his change and pressed her lips together to keep from smiling.


    As expected, he¡¯s starting to feel bad for Gwen.


    Sienna knew Gwendolyn well. With just a look from thetter, she could guess Gwendolyn must have


    another reason foring over to spill the truth. Wanting to help the younger woman, she started,


    ¡°Gwen, why did youe here so early? Have you run into some troubletely?¡±


    Gwendolyn held her back and nodded fervently before limping over to Asher, bending down, and


    resting her chin on his knee. ¡°Asher, do you remember how Charles stole the drugs from theb half a


    year ago to harm me?¡±


    ¡°I remember it. Why?¡±


    She bit her lip and answered, ¡°I think he¡¯s having it easy by spending time in prison.¡±


    Asher was perplexed. ¡°I already hired a few men to beat him up for you. He was close to dying. Wasn¡¯t


    that enough?


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    Gwendolyn was getting tired from bending down, especially with how the jeans tightened around her


    backside in that pose. Sweat began to dot her forehead after a while.


    O


    Chapter 277 I Am Nervous


    +15 Bonus


    Inhaling deeply, she continued, ¡°Charles requested me to visit him yesterday and shamelessly talked


    about marrying me. It literally pains me to see him livefortably!¡±


    With a frown, he asked, ¡°So what are you nning?¡±


    A glint shed across her eyes as she answered, ¡°I hope you can help me get him out of there


    secretly.¡±

 Chapter 278

    Chapter 278


    Chapter 278 Pay The Price


    +15 Bonus


    ¡°Kiddo, that¡¯s a high¨Csecurity prison. Charles is a felon. It¡¯ll be hard to bring him out unless I bail him


    out.¡±


    Gwendolyn knew that as well.


    But does Charles deserve to be bailed out?


    She began to shower Asher withpliments. ¡°Asher, you¡¯re the most capable man. I know you must


    have a solution to this matter. Don¡¯t worry. I just want to teach him some lessons to make his life worse


    than death. After that, I¡¯ll let you take him back inside.¡±


    Asher fell silent.


    He neither agreed to it nor rejected her.


    Laying on hisp, Gwendolyn began to y the victim with tears in her eyes. ¡°Asher, you hit me so


    hard earlier. Now that someone is bullying me, I can¡¯t believe you actually don¡¯t n to help me. My life


    is such a misery. You don¡¯t love me anymore, do you?¡±


    Noticing that she was covered in cold sweat from the pain, Asher hurriedly took a piece of wet tissue to


    wipe the sweat off.


    Earlier, he had been so angry that he did not control his strength and hit her really hard. Now that he


    had calmed down, he was filled with distress and guilt.


    He would even bring her the stars if she wanted them.


    ¡°How could I not love you? I agree to help you.¡±


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    As her goal was achieved, Gwendolyn breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that her exaggerated acting was


    not


    in vain.


    ¡°Thank you, Asher. How long do you think it¡¯ll take you to get him out?¡±


    Asher was about to say that he would have toe up with a n first when Gwendolyn spoke before


    he could.


    With a smile, she prompted, ¡°Let¡¯s do it today, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Why the rush?¡±


    Instead of answering him, Gwendolyn held her waist carefully and said with a pitiful expression, ¡°Ouch.


    My butt hurts so much. Show me some love, Asher.¡±


    Asher felt his heart ache. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll pause all my work today and prioritize helping you with this matter


    first. I¡¯ll have everything done before the day is over.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the best, Asher!¡±


    Sighing, Asher tapped her on the nose. ¡°I¡¯ll get Sienna to take you to the room to apply some ointment


    and get some rest. I¡¯ll call you when it¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    With Sienna¡¯s support, Gwendolyn walked up the stairs with difficulty.


    O


    13:22 Fri, 2


    Chapter 278 Pay The Price


    +15 Bonus


    When she turned the corner of the stairs, she carefully nced downstairs at Asher. After making sure


    that he could not see her, she instantly switched back to her normal walking posture.


    It was indeed painful when he hit her, but he had only hit her twice. The pain had cased off after she


    massaged herself for a while.


    Suppressing a smile, Sienna shook her head helplessly.


    She knew her husband well and was aware that Asher could tell Gwendolyn¡¯s visit was due to Charles.


    However, Asher had indeed lost his temper and hit Gwendolyn, so he had to make amends to feel


    better.


    Gwendolyn had taken advantage of his guilt to trick him into helping her.


    The two women then entered the guest room on the third floor before Sienna closed the door behind


    them.


    Gwendolyn was immensely grateful to her. ¡°Thanks, Sienna. It doesn¡¯t hurt as much anymore, so you


    don¡¯t need to apply the ointment for me. It¡¯s too much trouble. Let¡¯s chat, shall we?¡°,


    Even so, Sienna was still worried. ¡°Why don¡¯t we apply some? Otherwise, it¡¯ll take at least two days for


    the swelling to go down. You don¡¯t want Cedrick to find out after you go back, do you?¡±


    Gwendolyn pondered for a moment.


    She¡¯s right. Although I won¡¯t sleep with Cedrick for the time being due to his illness, there¡¯s a chance


    that he¡¯ll notice it. He dotes on me so much that he can¡¯t bear to be aggressive toward me. Despite his


    strained rtionship with Asher, he has endured it all because of me. If he finds out that Asher hit me,


    he¡¯ll probably fly into a rage, sparking a bloodbath! It took me a lot of effort to soften Asher¡¯s attitude


    toward Cedrick, so I¡¯d better be more careful.


    Asher had always been a man of his word.


    In thete afternoon, Asher had several bodyguards send Gwendolyn to an unfinished building in the


    suburbs.


    In a dpidated room in the middle of the seventh floor, the muffled voice of a man was heard.


    Creak.


    The door of the old building creaked as it was pushed.


    A piece of cotton cloth had been stuffed into Charles¡® mouth. His limbs were tied to a wooden chair,


    and a ck hood was covering his head.


    Hearing that someone had entered the room, he stopped struggling.


    The ck hood over his head was removed, and the sudden brightness made it impossible for him to


    keep his eyes open. After he got used to it, he saw who the person in front of him was.


    A smile appeared on his face when he saw the indifferent yet beautiful face of Gwendolyn.


    As soon as the cotton cloth was removed from his mouth, he said eagerly, ¡°Gwen, you finally saw the


    light! I knew you woulde back to me. Hurry up and untie me now.¡±


    Standing still, Gwendolyn raised her chin slightly and stared at him condescendingly.


    Apart from iciness, there was only disgust and scorn in her eyes. There was no other emotion in them.


    Chapter 278 Pay The Price


    +15 Bonus


    Charles immediately sensed that something was wrong and looked around. ¡°It seems that you¡¯re not


    here to save me. You¡¯re here to confront and punish me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Gwendolyn took out a small transparent ss bottle, which was only the size of two thumbs, and


    carefully studied the liquid in the ss bottle with her cold eyes.


    ¡°I already know about his illness. You are of no value to me now. I¡¯m not very happy to see you living a


    peaceful life in prison as a healthy man.¡±


    Charles also stared at the ss bottle in her hand. He had a hunch that the contents must not be a


    good thing.


    He smiled. ¡°You got me out on purpose to kill me so that you can avenge Cedrick, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes. ¡°Killing you is too good for you. You have to pray for Ceddy, though. If


    he dies, I¡¯ll make sure you pay the price with your life!¡±


    Hearing that, Charlesughed out loud smugly.


    ¡°It sounds like Cedrick is dying. Am I right? That¡¯s great. After he dies, you¡¯ll be mine! I don¡¯t believe


    that you¡¯ll kill me. After all, we grew up together. For old times¡® sake, there¡¯s no way you would kill me!¡±


    ¡°Ha, you don¡¯t have the right to bring up the past.¡±


    The look in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes gradually turned icy as she brought the ss bottle to Charles¡® face.


    ¡°I just got this from Kieran. It¡¯s a bottle of specimens that he used to study a rare disease. I heard that


    the disease will cause the whole body to rot and be covered with malignant sores within a few months.


    When it acts up, the person will be in so much pain that he¡¯ll wish to die.¡±


    Charles looked at her in disbelief as his pupils constricted.


    She went on, ¡°The only advantage of this disease is that it¡¯s not fatal. However, the pain is very strong


    when it acts up, and it makes one so ugly that they don¡¯t dare to see anyone. Many people can¡¯t bear it


    as they have a mental breakdown and will choose tomit suicide.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so cruel, Gwen!¡±


    Gwendolyn grabbed him by the cor of his prison uniform, her eyes filled with intense anger.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you cruel too when you harmed me and Cedrick with an RNA virus?¡±


    Letting go of her grip on his cor, she took two steps back calmly. ¡°Come in.¡±


    Two bodyguards arranged by Asher immediately entered the room respectfully.


    ¡°At yourmand, Ms. Harris.¡±


    ¡°Serve him the medicine!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Harris.¡±


    A bodyguard took the ss bottle from Gwendolyn with both hands.


    Retreating to the door, Gwendolyn leaned against the door frame leisurely, took out a wet tissue, and


    gracefully wiped clean the hand that touched Charles.


    Chapter 278 Pay The Price


    +15 Bonus


    Meanwhile, Charles¡® jaw was forcefully grabbed by the bodyguards before they pried open his mouth.


    He struggled but to no avail.


    He turned to Gwendolyn, only to notice that her eyes were filled with ruthlessness and iciness.


    Seeing that the bottle of medicine was about to be poured into his mouth, Charles shouted at her,


    ¡°Gwen, don¡¯t you wonder why I know so much about Cedrick when I¡¯m in prison? Don¡¯t you want to


    know my secret?¡±


    Gwendolyn sneered, unfazed. ¡°I can find that out myself. After that, I¡¯ll make sure they end up like you


    and live a life worse than death!¡±


    Realizing that she was determined to make him swallow the medicine, Charles finally showed a trace


    of fear in his blue eyes.


    ¡°Wait! I also know a way to cure Cedrick. Don¡¯t you want to save him?¡±

 Chapter 279

    Chapter 279


    Chapter 279 A Compromise


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Gwendolyn stopped the bodyguards and stepped forward. ¡°Spill. What¡¯s the cure?¡±


    The bodyguards immediately let go of Charles and took two steps back.


    4.44%


    +15 Bonus


    ¡°Do you really want to know, Gwen?¡± Charles licked his teeth and grinned wickedly as he said, ¡°I can


    tell you, but you will have to agree to the three conditions I told you before. As soon as you agree to


    them, Cedrick can be cured.¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned and gritted her teeth angrily. ¡°You¡¯re so shameless, Charles.¡±


    ¡°You tter me, Gwen. Think about my offer again carefully. Moreover, I¡¯m not inferior to Cedrick, either.


    If you¡¯re with me, I will make sure you be the happiest woman in the world.¡±


    Amused, Gwendolyn chuckled. ¡°Cedrick is the richest man in Salinsburgh, not to mention his other


    titles as the CEO of Jenson Group, the head of the Jenson family, and the head of the Federal Bureau


    of Investigation. Apart from having power and influence, he also outshines you in his looks and


    physique. Meanwhile, you are just a convicted felon and a prisoner. Are you even worthy ofparing


    yourself to him?¡±


    Charles¡® expression darkened.


    There was indeed a significant gap between him and Cedrick, but it might not be the case for long!


    Besides¡­


    ¡°Cedrick doesn¡¯t have much time left, and because of that, I¡¯ve already won!¡±


    His words enraged Gwendolyn.


    She grabbed the pistol that was attached to one of her bodyguards¡® waist and pressed the barrel


    against Charles¡® forehead. ¡°There¡¯s no way I will ever agree to your conditions. I will end you right here


    if you don¡¯t speak up immediately!¡± she demanded coldly.


    However, Charles wasn¡¯t afraid at all. His once handsome and refined face had now be rough and


    weathered.


    ¡°Be careful, Gwen. It won¡¯t be good for any of us if the gun identally goes off. After all, Cedrick will


    die if I¡¯m dead. I¡¯m well aware that you can¡¯t possibly kill me, so there¡¯s no need for you to use this


    method to scare me.¡±


    Charles was the one who held absolute control over the situation then.


    Still pointing the gun at Charles, Gwendolyn scoffed, ¡°You have no right to negotiate conditions with


    me, Charles. If you don¡¯t speak up, I¡¯ll have someone force this drug down your throat. It should make


    you suffer enough. Care to give it a try?¡±


    Charlesughed even harder.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to use the drug on me, and you know why. If I really can¡¯t stand it and choose to


    commit suicide, the way to save Cedrick will be buried with me in the grave. You will never know how to


    save him in your lifetime, and you can only watch him die helplessly. That feeling should be even more


    unbearable, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    <


    2.44%


    Chapter 279 A Compromise


    Charles had gotten hold of Gwendolyn¡¯s biggest concern.


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn dug her nails fiercely into her palm as her arm trembled with tension. It seemed to be the


    only way to keep herself rational.


    ¡°Why should I believe you? Perhaps you don¡¯t even know the cure for the S404 RNA virus. You could


    just be deceiving me and seizing the opportunity to save yourself.¡±


    Charles then made apromise. ¡°How about this: you find a way to get Asher to bail me out and


    grant me my freedom. In exchange, I will tell you the method to alleviate Cedrick¡¯s current condition.


    Then you can see for yourself if I am lying and decide whether or not to agree to my other two


    conditions.¡±


    Gwendolyn raised an eyebrow as she said, ¡°Deal!¡±


    With that, she lowered the gun and handed it back to the bodyguard. ¡°However, I need to n the


    matter of your release and find an excuse. Asher will be suspicious if I ask him for two favors in such a


    short amount of time.¡±


    Charles shrugged. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell you what I know the day I¡¯m released from prison, After all, I¡¯m healthy


    and can afford to wait, unlike a certain someone,¡± he said, hinting at Cedrick¡¯s condition again.


    Gwendolyn was unwilling to send Charles back to prison unscathed. Taking a deep breath, she turned


    to him and smiled apologetically.


    ¡°One more thing,¡± she said. ¡°The reason I asked Asher to sneak you out was to give you a beating. If


    you return unscathed, it will be hard for me to exin the situation. I guess you have no choice but to


    bear with it.¡±


    The smug grin on Charles¡® face instantly vanished.


    Ignoring the change in his expression, Gwendolyn nced at the bodyguard beside her and ordered,


    ¡°Make sure he gets a good beating before you send him back.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After giving the order, Gwendolyn turned around and walked away. Soon enough, the sound of


    punches and kicks came from behind. asional muffled groans of pain could be heard from Charles¡®


    gagged


    mouth.


    The sound of him being beaten up was afort to Gwendolyn.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    She didn¡¯t go far. Leaning against the wall by the door, she listened quietly and waited until Charles


    was knocked outpletely half an hourter.


    His face was all braised, and his body was covered in blood. He also suffered from a broken rib, but it


    wouldn¡¯t kill him.


    After the bodyguards put the ck hood over his head again, they carried him out and handed him


    over to the waiting person.


    Gwendolyn remained there until the car that would send Charles back to the prison drove away. Then,


    staring at the two bodyguards, she asked, ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±


    They exchanged uneasy nces before replying, ¡°You are Ms. Harris, Mr. Asher¡¯s younger sister.¡±


    ¡°Wrong.¡± Arms crossed, Gwendolyn corrected them coldly, ¡°I am the youngest and the most doted¨Con


    22 Fr, 2


    Chapter 279 A Compromise


    child of the Harris family. I am the precious darling of my brothers.¡±


    Bewildered, the bodyguards stared at her with confused expressions on their faces.


    4.44%


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn continued, ¡°Asher ordered you toe here to lend me a hand and ensure my safety. If he


    or anyone else from the Harris family finds out about my conversation with Charles today, what do you


    think will happen to those who don¡¯t obey instructions and spread rumors?¡±


    Startled, the color drained from their faces. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Harris. We heard nothing.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Remember what you just said. You know what to do if Asher


    asks about this. He can reprimand you all he wants, but if any of you dares to tell anyone else what


    happened, I¡¯ll make sure you suffer so much that you¡¯ll wish you were dead!¡±


    ¡°Of course, Ms. Harris. You have nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Okay. There¡¯s no need to send me back. I can go back to the Jenson residence myself.¡±


    When Gwendolyn reached the Jenson residence, it was already evening.


    The various traditional wooden carvings on the walls of the Jenson residence exuded a touch of


    exquisite ssical beauty under the red hues of the setting sun.


    Gwendolyn had already be familiar with the route to Cedrick¡¯s vi during this period.


    After passing through the winding paths, she arrived at the entrance of the vi.


    It was very lively in the garden of the vi.


    Cedrick was seated in a chair with a freshly carved wooden que ced on the table in front of him.


    He was writing characters on the que using arge brush with gold ting.


    Nico, Neville, Swain, Elven, Ezra, and the others had been summoned to the garden. They were all


    gathered around to watch Cedrick as he wrote.


    Gwendolyn watched this scene from afar. It was truly a pleasing sight when a group of handsome men


    with good physiques gathered together.


    Among those eight charming men, Cedrick stood out the most.


    Apart from his unparalleled handsome face, his entire demeanor was exceptional. It took just one


    nce for Gwendolyn to be unable to take her eyes off him.


    Treading lightly, she blended into the crowd behind William, quietly observing the words on the que


    written by Cedrick.


    ¡°Harrick Vi?¡±


    Upon hearing Gwendolyn¡¯s voice, everyone turned around to look at her.


    ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re back, Ms. Harris.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s gaze was the most intense among them. ¡°Come here, Gwenny.¡±


    |||


    Chapter 279 A Compromise


    +15 Bonus


    After Gwendolyn walked toward Cedrick, he pulled her into his embrace and let her sit on hisp. Then,


    after handing her the brush, he held her hand in his.


    Together, they finished thest alphabet of the word ¡°Vi.¡±


    Cedrick was very satisfied with the oue. ¡°Hang this que outside, you guys. Nico, get someone


    to customize an address stone with these two words as well. ce it in the garden after it¡¯spleted.¡±


    ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll handle it right away.¡±


    Soon enough, the group of young men left.


    Cedrick held Gwendolyn¡¯s hand as they entered the vi.


    After allowing Cedrick to lead her to the sofa, sheughed, mocking, ¡°Really? Are you nning to call


    this ce ¡®Harrick Vi¡® from now on? What era are we in? Isn¡¯t it embarrassing that we are still


    hanging ques?¡±


    ¡°This is a testimony of our love. People will envy us.¡±


    Though delighted, Gwendolyn simply smiled and said nothing.


    However, as though he had recalled something, Cedrick suddenly became serious and started


    checking- her palms, arms, and back for injuries.


    Tickled by his actions, she giggled. ¡°What are you doing, Ceddy? You¡¯re examining me like I¡¯m a


    criminal. I didn¡¯t get beaten up, truly!¡±


    Cedrick didn¡¯t believe her.


    At theboratory entrancest time, Asher was furious when he learned that the two of them had slept


    together. They had slept together several times recently, and Cedrick knew that Asher was home today,


    so he was certain thetter couldn¡¯t have let her off so easily.


    When Cedrick didn¡¯t find any injuries, he shifted his gaze downward and stared at her thick denim


    jeans.


    ¡°Are your legs injured? Come, let me have a look in the room!¡±

 Chapter 280

    Chapter 280


    Chapter 280 She Loved It When He Was Vulnerable


    Gwendolyn widened her eyes in shock.


    For a sick man like Cedrick, his mind was incredibly sharp.


    As Gwendolyn allowed him to lead her back to the master bedroom, she pondered on how to deal with


    him.


    As soon as they sat down on the edge of the bed, he leaned closer to her and extended his bony


    fingers toward her to unzip her jeans.


    Staring at him in disbelief, she asked, ¡°Are you nning on undressing mepletely to examine my


    injuries?¡±


    ¡°What do you think? I have to check your calves, thighs, and butt.¡±


    He would not be at ease until he personally confirmed that she was unharmed!


    Clutching her pants firmly, Gwendolyn moved her backside away from Cedrick, keeping a distance.


    Then, she mustered up her courage and red at him usingly. ¡°Cedrick, you pervert! I don¡¯t believe


    for a second that you simply want to examine my injuries. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re not behaving yourself


    even when you¡¯re sick!¡±


    On the contrary, Cedrick actually didn¡¯t have other thoughts because his mind was solely focused on


    whether she had been hurt when she went back.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not what you think. Besides, I¡¯ve seen every part of your body. What¡¯s wrong with letting me


    take a look? Are you feeling guilty about something?¡± he retorted.


    Gwendolyn furrowed her eyebrows. Seems like he¡¯s not going to let this rest until I let him check me.


    She bit her lower lip as her eyes filled with resentment, as though his words had hurt her.


    ¡°I have nothing to be guilty of! I told you, Asher didn¡¯t make things difficult for me. I can¡¯t believe that


    you don¡¯t trust me!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s anger intensified as she argued. In retaliation, she pushed him down onto the bed,


    straddled his body, and pinned down his wrists, rendering him unable to move.


    Honestly, she quite enjoyed Cedrick in his vulnerable state. He was easy for her to overpower, which


    made it fun to tease and bully him.


    It allowed her to gain the upper hand instantly.


    ¡°How audacious of you to question me! Is your trust in me so fragile? Think about what happened


    yesterday when you said so many hurtful words to me. I didn¡¯t leave you out of spite because I believed


    in you, didn¡¯t I? But what about you? How dare you suspect me of lying over such a small matter?¡±


    Cedrick was startled by her beratement. If there was any color remaining on his already pale face


    previously, it drained away now.


    He just didn¡¯t trust Asher.


    However, he couldn¡¯t bear to look at Gwendolyn¡¯s wounded expression and listen to her questioning


    tone.


    Chapter 280 She Loved It When He Was Vulnerable


    +15 Bonus


    He felt guilty, especially after yesterday¡¯s incident. Stunned by her rebuttal, he no longer knew how to


    exin his insistence on checking her injuries as his train of thought waspletely derailed by her


    words.


    Unable to argue back, he could only purse his lips and pout. His eyshes quivered as his head hung


    weakly.


    Gwendolyn moved her slender fingers onto his pale face to soothe his sorrow.


    Suppressing the urge tough, she spoke in a serious tone. ¡°I¡¯m a forgiving person. If you admit your


    mistakes, I will reward you with kisses. But if you refuse to acknowledge your wrongdoing, I will punish


    you ordingly. So, have you realized your mistake, Ceddy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was wrong,¡± Cedrick replied in an aggrieved manner.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°I doubted you instead of trusting you.¡±


    ¡°Are you still going to take off my pants?¡±


    Cedrick shook his head obediently.


    ¡°Good boy.¡±


    N


    T


    # tr


    Gwendolyn was satisfied. Despite appearing calm on the outside, she wasughing hysterically on the


    inside.


    It¡¯s so fun bullying Ceddy when he¡¯s sick! Gwendolyn loved it.


    Then, fulfilling her promise to him just now, she leaned down and kissed his lips.


    Their tongues entwined in a passionate kiss.


    Unable to resist, Cedrick could feel himself bing lost in her kiss.


    His mind was clouded by her presence, and he couldn¡¯t think straight and figure out whether he was


    being manipted.


    As his breathing grew more rapid, he felt aroused.


    However, just as his hands began to wander, Gwendolyn promptly ended the kiss before he could go


    any further.


    ¡°Gwenny¡­¡±


    Cedrick felt unsatisfied.


    He wanted her right now, but she wouldn¡¯t allow him to.


    What an awful feeling!


    Gwendolyn could tell what he was thinking from his gaze. ¡°No! This is for your health. Once you¡¯re


    better, you can do whatever you want.¡±


    Cedrick lowered his gaze and didn¡¯t reply.


    D


    Chapter 280 She Loved It When He Was Vulnerable


    I will never get better, will I? Does it mean that I have to live the rest of my life in abstinence?


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you let me indulge in bodily pleasures before I die. At least that way, I can die of bliss.¡±


    Otherwise, I will have to suffer from abstinence!


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression suddenly turned serious as she pinched Cedrick¡¯s cheeks, though without


    applying much force. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to mention anything about death from now on! As long as I¡¯m


    here, you¡¯re not allowed to give up hope. Do you understand me?¡± she said sternly.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Cedrick replied half¨Cheartedly because he knew his body¡¯s condition most clearly. However,


    he didn¡¯t want Gwendolyn to worry about him.


    Sensing theck of sincerity in his voice, she pinched his face harder. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you clearly.


    Louder!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Only then did Gwendolyn let go of his cheeks before rubbing them gently.


    Her mind drifted away as she recalled her earlier encounter with Charles.


    While she was unsure of the truthfulness of his words, it was the only breakthrough she had so far. She


    had no other option than to believe Charles, at least for now.


    However, if he was telling the truth, should I agree to his remaining two conditions?


    The more she thought about it, the moreplicated she found the situation to be.


    Cupping his face with her hands, she spoke seriously, hoping that it could avoid any unnecessary


    misunderstandings between her and Cedrick in the future. ¡°Ceddy, we should trust each other the


    most. -So, from now on, you have to trust me unconditionally no matter what happens. Believe in my


    feelings


    for you. Can you promise me that?¡±


    Cedrick nodded without hesitation as he locked eyes with her. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Smiling contentedly, she pressed a kiss to his forehead. ¡°Have you taken your medicine tonight?¡±


    Cedrick immediately frowned as he shook his head.


    ¡°Be good. Wait for me.¡±


    Gwendolyn disengaged herself from him and got down from the bed. Then, she left the room.


    A minuteter, she returned with a ss of warm water and Cedrick¡¯s box of medicine.


    Cedrick¡¯s eyes darkened. As he watched Gwendolyn popping out more than a dozen colorful pills, the


    corner of his mouth twitched with disdain.


    He didn¡¯t like the bitter taste of the medicines, not to mention that they didn¡¯t help much anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯m still full and don¡¯t feel like drinking water. How about I eat my medicer?¡±


    Recognizing his intention to avoid taking the medicine, Gwendolyn stood her ground and extended her


    hand forward. With a determined look in her eyes, she coaxed, ¡°Be good and take the medicine.¡±


    Cedrick shook his head and encircled her waist, nuzzling against her chest as he murmured, ¡°I really


    don¡¯t


    want to take them¡­¡±


    Chapter 280 She Loved It When He Was Vulnerable


    Gwendolyn felt frustrated because Cedrick was disregarding his own health and acting like a child.


    ¡°You have to eat them!¡± Gwendolyn warned sternly.


    Cedrick tightened his arms around her waist upon hearing that.


    +15 Bonus


    Having been scolded, he lifted his face and stared at her with woeful eyes. Hisplexion was pale


    and feeble, which made him look more vulnerable than ever.


    Gwendolyn sighed.


    She seemed to be far less skillful in acting pitiful whenpared to Cedrick.


    Gwendolyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath to suppress the urge to tie him up and stuff the


    pills into his mouth.


    She had to keep reminding herself that he was a patient now.


    Be gentle! Be patient! Let him have his way!


    Smiling, she calmed herself down and asked, ¡°How can I get you to take your medicine then, Ceddy?¡±


    Cedrick thought about it for a while. Then, pinning her with an innocent gaze, he replied, ¡°I want you to


    feed me.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m fine with that. Come, I¡¯ll feed you. Let¡¯s start by having a sip of water first.¡±


    However, frowning and shaking his head, Cedrick dodged to the side and refused to drink the water


    she offered him.


    Gwendolyn gripped the ss tightly and reminded herself again. Patience!


    ¡°Still not eating? How do you want me to feed you then?¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s lips curled up in a wicked smile as he replied, ¡°You¡¯re not being sincere. Feed me with your


    mouth.¡±


    What?

 Chapter 281

    Chapter 281


    Chapter 281 Raising A Son


    ¡°Good night, Ceddy. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow morning.¡±


    He watched her leave with a heavy heart, and she even thoughtfully closed the door behind her.


    +15 BONGO


    Following her departure, it was as if she had taken all the warmth inside the room with her, causing him


    to feel cold to his core.


    For the subsequent week, Cedrickpliantly ate his medication under Nico¡¯s supervision because of


    the rules Gwendolyn had previously set.


    One afternoon, he was dealing with work remotely in his study. Two minutes after the rm clock rang,


    Gwendolyn video¨Ccalled him.


    ¡°Ceddy, it¡¯s time to take your medicine.¡°.


    Cedrick concealed his darkened expression and responded gloomily, ¡°All right.¡±


    Before the call ended, Nico attentively came in with warm water and a box of pills. ¡°Boss, here¡¯s your


    medicine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re indeed very dedicated to your duties.¡± Cedrick nced at Nico coldly and received the ss of


    water.


    Then, he put all the pills into his mouth and gulped them in one go. They¡¯re so bitter.


    Face ashen and brows furrowed, he fought down a wave of nausea and gave Gwendolyn, on the other


    side of the screen, a reassuring smile.


    Only after seeing him swallow all the pills did she end the video call.


    The moment the screen went ck, Cedrick immediately rushed to the bathroom sink. He retched in


    agony but failed to vomit anything.


    ? ??????????


    Every medication had its side effects. Taking too many of these pills would cause him to feel nauseous,


    suffer from loss of appetite, and have a lingering bitter taste on his tongue.


    Nico, watching from the side, felt sorry for Cedrick. ¡°Boss, it won¡¯t do if you keep feeling this


    ufortable after taking your medications each time.¡±


    Cedrick rinsed his mouth. When he swallowed, a faint bitter taste lingered.


    The bitterness in his oral cavity was nothingpared to the anguish in his heart. Only the thought of


    Gwendolyn¡¯s unparalleled beauty could invoke a trace of sweetness in his chest.


    He sat back in his office chair and sighed softly. ¡°Do you have a cigarette?¡±


    Nico was taken aback. ¡°Didn¡¯t Ms. Harris forbid you from smoking?¡±


    Cedrick didn¡¯t respond and merely held out his hand.


    Nico pulled a pack of cigarettes he had just bought that morning from his pocket. They were so


    expensive that even he felt reluctant to smoke them. ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll need to be reimbursed!¡±


    Cedrick looked up halfheartedly and murmured in agreement.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Nico opened the pack, pulled out a cigarette, and handed it to Cedrick. However, he hesitated midway.


    Chapter 281 Raising A Son


    ¡°Boss, are you sure you want to smoke? If Ms. Harris finds out, she¡¯ll skin you alive, too.¡±


    Cedrick grimaced. ¡°If you continue to babble, you¡¯ll be in trouble right now.¡±


    Nico abandoned all hesitation and immediately handed the cigarette over.


    +15 Bonus


    and I¡¯ll be in trouble


    He reckoned since Cedrick was only puffing one cigarette, Gwendolyn wouldn¡¯t realize anything, so it


    shouldn¡¯t be such a big deal.


    Besides, Nico understood Cedrick.


    Smoking could alleviate sorrow, and Cedrick needed to do something to relieve his mental stress.


    However, to his surprise, Cedrick merely asked for the cigarette to do the simplest thing.

 Chapter 282

    Chapter 282


    Chapter 282 Cedrick Is ying With Fire


    +15 Bonus


    Inside the minimalistic ck¨Cand¨Cwhite study, Cedrick epted Nico¡¯s cigarette and promptly held it


    under his nose to smell it.


    If someone else had done the same thing, chances were they¡¯d look rather creepy and repulsive.


    Cedrick, however, did it with such effortless elegance that it seemed like he was enjoying a ss of


    champagne.


    After inhaling the tobo fragrance for almost a minute, he tossed the cigarette into the trash can


    without hesitation.


    Nico, who had already prepared his lighter, widened his eyes in shock when he saw the unlit cigarette


    being thrown away.


    ¡°Boss¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to smoke it?¡±


    Cedrick put his hand to his forehead and sighed. ¡°If I do, the cigarette smell will linger on my clothes


    and around the study. Given how sharp she is, I won¡¯t be able to hide it from her. Besides, smoking


    isn¡¯t healthy¡­ Taking a whiff of the tobo is good enough.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Nico nodded thoughtfully.


    ¡°By the way, remember to take the trash out when you leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss.¡±


    Whether it was a form of self¨Cconstion or not, Cedrick had to admit he felt much better after smelling


    the cigarette.


    Say, this method is ingenious! Not only do I get a kick out of it, but I can also easily hide it from


    Gwendolyn. I should do this more often!


    ¡°This cigarette brand smells pretty good. Nico, buy a few packs for me when you¡¯re free this afternoon


    and hide them in one of the drawers.¡±


    ¡°In the vi?¡± Nico replied, mouth agape as he drew a sharp breath. ¡°You sure are gutsy, Boss! You¡¯re


    knowingly breaking thew on Ms. Gwendolyn¡¯s doorstep!¡±


    My goodness¡­ He¡¯s ying with fire!


    Cedrick calmly rubbed his temples. ¡°Gwenny¡¯s busy in the day and doesn¡¯t look through the drawers


    much when she¡¯s home. Just stash the cigarettes away in a secluded corner. She won¡¯t find them.¡±


    Nico, however, remained doubtful. Really? That doesn¡¯t sound right¡­ Wait a minute. Is Boss reminding


    me that he¡¯s a masochist and is intentionally looking for ways to be punished? Is he feeling restless


    because it¡¯s been a while since Ms. Gwendolyn disciplined him? Yes,e to think of it, I still


    remember how I got a pay raise when Boss got beaten up thest time¡­


    With that thought in mind, Nico couldn¡¯t help but sigh internally. Well, it¡¯s not like I can ask Boss to


    rify¡­ There¡¯s no way a proud, distinguished man like him will ever admit to being a masochist. Then


    again, if this is what he likes, I¡¯ll do my best to help him! That¡¯s what loyalty¡¯s all about!


    Realizing Nico had yet to answer him, Cedrick turned to him with a raised eyebrow, ¡°Have I not made


    myself clear enough?¡±


    Chapter 282 Cedrick Is ying With Fire


    +15 Bonus


    Nico nodded vigorously. Ah! I saw the way Boss quirked his brows. That must be his way of telling me


    to take his


    hint!


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Boss! As long as you like it, I won¡¯t disappoint you! However¡­ Are you sure you¡¯ve


    thought it through?¡± the man said. What if Ms. Gwendolyn gets out of control with the beating, and


    Boss can¡¯t endure the pain? Gosh¡­ I can¡¯t stop worrying.


    Cedrick, on the other hand, was baffled and merely red at Nico.


    ¡°Okay! I got it! I¡¯ll get it done right away!¡± thetter blurted out before leaving the study and closing the


    door behind him.


    Cedrick stared at the door, a thousand questions running through his mind.


    What¡¯s wrong with Nico today? Why do I have this bad feeling?


    Meanwhile, Jennifer had been busy shooting a new show recently.


    It was a female¨Ccentric,ing¨Cof¨Cage period drama that boasted an excellent script and a famous


    director at its helm.


    Jennifer had clinched the lead actress role with Treyton¡¯s help, and if she could make the most of the


    opportunity, she¡¯d undoubtedly stand a chance to win at the end¨Cof¨Cyear awards show.


    Needless to say, Gwendolyn was happy for her friend and decided to visit her at the filming location in


    Salinsburghter that afternoon.


    By the time she arrived on set, Jennifer was in the midst of her break.


    Still dressed in her gorgeous period costume, thetter smiled brightly and waved at Gwendolyn, her


    bracelets jingling as she did.


    Without further ado, Gwendolyn returned the smile and walked over to join her friend.


    Before long, the two women had settled into afortable conversation.


    ¡°Ah. I just remembered something!¡± Jennifer suddenly eximed. ¡°This morning, Papilio Girls received


    an invitation to Ms. Ferguson¡¯s birthday party. The Ferguson family wants us to put on a few


    performances then. Are you aware of this, Gwendolyn?¡±


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. ¡°This morning, huh? Your manager has yet to inform me about it.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Jennifer sat deep in thought. ¡°Knowing Eloise¡¯s character, going to the Ferguson


    residence would be like entering the beast¡¯sir. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Eloise is a snob who has always looked down on those who work in the entertainment industry. The


    fact that she has taken the initiative to invite you guys to her party can only mean she¡¯s targeting you.¡±


    Jennifer instantly lowered her head and fell silent, prompting Gwendolyn to give her a reassuring pat on


    her shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s no harm checking it out,¡± thetterforted. ¡°Treyton and I will protect you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. I trust you.¡±


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Gwendolyn smiled, but there was a wicked glint in her eyes as she thought of Eloise. ¡°It¡¯s been a while


    Chapter 282 Cedrick Is ying With Fire


    +15 Bonus


    since I had some fun¡­ If Eloise has the guts to stir up trouble at her party, I¡¯ll return the favor by


    turning the Ferguson family upside down!¡±


    Jennifer stared intently at Gwendolyn, too mesmerized by the fire in thetter¡¯s eyes to look away.


    Just then, Gwendolyn snapped out of her reverie and thought of the situation between Jennifer and


    Treyton. ¡°Tell me the truth, Jennifer. Do you really like Treyton? Do you truly want to be with him?¡±


    After recalling her agreement with Treyton, Jennifer lowered her gaze and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do what he


    says. If he gives up on us in the future, I¡¯ll follow suit.¡±


    Gwendolyn said nothing more as she sighed.


    Dad has always been very strict about us finding a suitable partner of simr social status. I remember


    how mad he was when I married ¡°Maverick¡± back in Faike, but since he dotes on me the most, he


    eventually let the matter slide. That said, what if he finds out about Treyton and Jennifer? Will Treyton


    get a free pass like I did?


    After a long day at work, Gwendolyn finally returned to the vi.


    Cedrick¡¯s custom¨Cmade address stone had already been delivered and ced in the garden, the


    words ¡°Harrick Vi¡± engraved on it.


    Feeling warm and fuzzy in her heart, Gwendolyn instinctively picked up the pace as she strode to the


    door.


    She hadn¡¯t seen Cedrick the entire day and was starting to miss him.


    The second Gwendolyn opened the door, a strapping figure pulled her into an embrace and rested his


    chin on her shoulder before she could even register what was happening.


    ¡°I missed you, Gwenny¡­¡± the man uttered, his voice deep and soothing.


    Touched by the gesture, Gwendolyn gently caressed and patted his back. ¡°In that case, I shall take a


    day off tomorrow and stay home with you. How does that sound?¡±


    Cedrick smiled. ¡°That sounds perfect.¡±


    It¡¯d be even better if I could hold her to sleep, but I shall be content with what I can get.


    After dinner, the rm rang, which meant it was time for Cedrick to take his medicines.


    Gwendolyn went downstairs to fetch him a ss of water and prepare his medication as prescribed,


    carefully going through the pile of boxes in the cab and taking out the right pills.


    All of a sudden, she caught sight of a slightly ajar drawer at the bottom.


    Gwendolyn frowned.


    There was something inside, but it wasn¡¯t something she recognized.


    Curious, she opened the drawer.


    Huh? Cigarettes?

 Chapter 283

    Chapter 283


    Chapter 283 Indignance


    +15 Bonus


    In the bedroom, Cedrick had been waiting for quite some time, yet there was no sign of Gwendolyn


    coming upstairs with the box of medicine.


    ¡°Gwenny?¡±


    The lights were on downstairs, but no reply came.


    Puzzled, Cedrick got out of bed, slipped on his slippers, and proceeded downstairs to investigate.


    As he descended the staircase, his gaze fell on Gwendolyn right away. She was standing before a


    cupboard, holding a pack of cigarettes and examining it carefully.


    One of the drawers on the cupboard was open, revealing its contents¨Cpacks and packs of cigarettes.


    Cedrick¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    His handsome face turned a shade paler.


    Nico had only bought the cigarettes earlier that day and told Cedrick where he had put them away.


    However, Cedrick had been preupied with an online meeting that afternoon and hadn¡¯t had a


    chance. to open the drawer himself.


    D*mn it! Gwenny doesn¡¯t usually go through drawers. I¡¯ve got such rotten luck to be caught in the act


    by her today. And why did Nico buy so many packs?


    His body tensed as a wave of turmoil stirred within him.


    Gwendolyn, observing his reaction, held the pack of cigarettes and turned around to take a seat on the


    couch. Her face was devoid of any expression as she emanated a frosty aura.


    ¡°Care to exin?¡± she asked.


    Cedrick stood frozen at the foot of the staircase. Without the slightest guilt and hesitation, he denied,


    ¡°Those aren¡¯t mine. I never use that brand. They must be Nico¡¯s.¡±


    A hint of amusement crossed Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes. She fixed a stare on him, a smirk dancing on her lips.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that Nico ced his cigarettes in your vi, in your living room, in the drawer of your


    cupboard? And why is that? To tempt you to partake and join in the fun?¡±


    Cedrick fell silent as his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed nervously. His eyshes quivered while his brain


    churned at lightning speed.


    ¡°Penny for your thoughts, Ceddy?¡± Gwendolyn eyed him intently, a tempest hidden beneath her calm.


    exterior. Her tone was frigid as she added, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re thinking of how to concoct a usible


    excuse and pull the wool over my eyes?¡±


    With a loud smack, she pped the cigarette pack onto the coffee table furiously.


    At that sudden loud noise, Cedrick instinctively fell to his knees.


    He cast his eyes downward, hoping Gwendolyn would go easy on him now that he had admitted his


    mistake. His obsidian gaze was tinged with guilt. ¡°I was wrong! Please, hear me out!¡±


    Chapter 283 Indignance


    Gwendolyn¡¯s frigid gaze flickered at his plea.


    +15 Bonus


    When he had fallen to his knees just now, Gwendolyn had clearly heard a dull thud resonating from his


    kneecaps. Furthermore, he hadnded on cold, hard marble tiles.


    Her heart ached for him. However, the sight of the cigarette packs on the coffee table made her resist


    the urge to rush over to help him up and rub his knees.


    Then, she gestured at the soft carpet by her feet and said, ¡°Come here.¡±


    The forceful kneel had indeed hurt Cedrick badly.


    When he stood up, his eyebrows contracted in a small frown.


    He quickly concealed the pain in his eyes and slowly began to move toward Gwendolyn.


    She watched him carefully, her eyes taking in every small movement he made.


    Just as Cedrick was about to get on his knees again, she said, ¡°Assume military posture and squat.¡±


    Huh? Squat?


    Cedrick paused for two heartbeats and didn¡¯t move.


    Gwendolyn regarded him coolly. ¡°Didn¡¯t catch that? Do you need me to repeat myself?¡±


    ¡°I heard you,¡± he replied.


    Cedrick immediately assumed the standard military pose¨Ca single knee driven into the earth, thumb


    aligned with the rest, straightening his back as he squatted.


    He appeared imposingly upright in this position, emanating an air of unyielding pride.


    However, seeing as he had been caught red¨Chanded in his misdeeds, his aura seemed somewhat


    diminished, subdued by Gwendolyn¡¯smanding presence.


    Her gaze fell on the cigarette pack atop the coffee table. ¡°This is yourst chance to exin yourself.


    Choose your words carefully.¡±


    Cedrick nodded obediently. ¡°I appreciate that.¡±


    He began to formte his response,ying out the truth in a forthright manner. ¡°The cigarettes are


    indeed mine. I had Nico purchase them, but I never intended to smoke.¡±


    Fury burned in Gwendolyn¡¯s chest.


    She took a deep breath and suppressed the boiling rage. ¡°Still not telling the truth? How many times


    have you secretly done this behind my back? How many cigarettes have you smoked?¡±


    A wave of indignance washed over Cedrick. ¡°I only asked Nico to buy them this afternoon, and by


    evening you¡¯ve already caught me. I haven¡¯t smoked any.¡±


    Once again, Gwendolyn calmed herself and picked up the pack of cigarettes on the coffee table,


    flipping it open to show Cedrick.


    When I came over, the drawer of the cupboard was slightly ajar, like it had been opened just today. It


    Chapter 283 Indignance


    +15 Bonus


    seemed like you had been so flustered that you¡¯d forgotten to close it properly. Besides, one cigarette


    is clearly missing from this pack on the top. Are you still trying to deny it?¡± Gwendolyn pointed out.


    Cedrick was rendered speechless.


    So this is how I was discovered!


    Moreover, Nico had also put the packet missing one cigarette into the drawer.


    How could he be so careless? Is he trying to have me killed?


    Suppressing the urge to let Nico have a piece of his mind, Cedrick switched from squatting to kneeling.


    ¡°I did use one cigarette today, but I only smelled it. I didn¡¯t even light it. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can


    smell me. I don¡¯t smell of smoke at all. I really haven¡¯t smoked!¡± Cedrick said.


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes slightly and sneered. ¡°You could have showered and changed clothes


    after smoking. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t be able to detect any smell.¡±


    She clearly doesn¡¯t believe me¡­


    Cedrick was so aggrieved that the corners of his eyes turned red. His fingers gingerly clutched at her


    sleeve, as if it might offer some sce.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Gwenny, you said that we should trust each other. Everything I¡¯ve said is true. Could you believe me


    just this once?¡± Cedrick pleaded.


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you deny that the cigarettes were yours just a moment ago? So, which statement should I


    believe?¡± Gwendolyn retorted.


    Cedrick was at a loss for words. Nico and his own oversight had led him into a ditch.


    He bit down hard on his lip, unable to utter a single word of exnation.


    Gwendolyn soon noticed the tears welled up in his obsidian eyes. His expression was a mix of sorrow


    and helplessness.


    The imprints of his teeth were visible on his lower lip, forming a bloody streak.


    ¡°Stop that!¡±


    Stumped, Gwendolyn¡¯s fingers dug into his cheeks, forcing his mouth to open.


    His handsomely pale face bore a look of destion in his droopingshes. The vivid red imprints of his


    teeth formed a desperately pitiful sight.


    ¡°You¡¯ve made a mistake, and now you¡¯re ying the victim?¡± Gwendolyn questioned.


    She let out a resigned sigh, her heart aching at the pitiful sight. Gwendolyn leaned down and pressed


    her lips against his, her tongue gently licking away the pain from his bitten lip.


    The faintly metallic taste of his blood was sweet and bitter.


    After the kiss, Gwendolyn continued to hold his face, her eyes boring into his at a close distance.


    Finally, she decided to offer him a way out. ¡°Since you insist that you didn¡¯t smoke, then the intact


    cigarette should still be around. Find it, and I¡¯ll believe you.¡±


    Chapter 283 Indignance


    Atst, a glimmer of hope sparkled in Cedrick¡¯s eyes. ¡°All right, it¡¯s in the study-¡±


    His words abruptly halted.


    D*mn it! I asked Nico to dispose of the cigarette along with the study¡¯s rubbish bag. Now, where on


    earth am I supposed to find it?


    Gwendolyn¡¯s hand, still clutching his face, exerted a bit more pressure. ¡°Where in the study?¡±


    ¡°I threw it in the trash can, and it was taken away when Nico left¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn arched her brow. ¡°How convenient.¡±


    It is, indeed¡­ How can I possibly exin myself now?


    On the inside, Cedrick was seething. His misty dark eyes stared at Gwendolyn as he said, ¡°I have no


    evidence to support my im, but I have a witness. I¡¯ll have Nico prove my innocence!¡±


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn haughtily eyed him before releasing her grip on his chin, silently granting her permission.


    A minuteter, Nico answered the call


    Before he could even utter a single word, Cedrick¡¯s temper red up as he gritted his teeth in fury. ¡°You


    have fifteen minutes to get your *ss over here, now!¡±


    Chapter 284 His Exnation Backfired

 Chapter 284

    Chapter 284


    Chapter 284 His Exnation Backfired


    +15 Bonu


    Since Nico wasing over, Gwendolyn did not want to embarrass him in front of others. She subtly


    gestured toward the nearby couch with her eyes. ¡°Go and take a seat.¡±


    Cedrick refused to move. He kept his head lowered, breathing heavily in anger, while his cold, dark


    eyes revealed his murderous intent.


    Remembering how he had angina, Gwendolyn gently stroked his cheek to soothe his emotions. ¡°Go


    and take a seat over there, okay? We might be able to clear your name soon.¡±


    Cedrick suppressed his emotions and sat on the couch on the side.


    Fifteen minutester, Nico arrived.


    As he stepped into the house, the intimidating atmosphere caused him to shudder.


    After seeing the cigarettes on the coffee table, he instantly knew what to expect.


    He was pleased to see how effective his meticulous n was. I can¡¯t believe Boss was caught red¨C


    handed so quickly.


    With a faint grin on his face, he stood obediently by the coffee table.


    Cedrick could not believe Nico still dared to smile in front of him.


    Despite that, Cedrick remainedposed in front of Gwendolyn as he spoke in a deep voice. ¡°Gwenny


    saw the cigarettes you ced in the drawer. You better exin everything to her, and don¡¯t you dare


    utter a single lie. If you do, I¡¯ll drag you to the interrogation room and hook you up to a lie detector and


    a shock device!¡±


    Nico was struck dumb, not daring to give him any response. What the f*ck? How can he be so


    ruthless? This is not what I expected! Didn¡¯t Boss want to be punished? Shouldn¡¯t he be happy about


    being found out?


    Gwendolyn knitted her brows before shooting daggers in Cedrick¡¯s direction. ¡°Why are you threatening


    him?¡±


    ¡°N¨CNo, I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Cedrick instantly toned down his voice.


    Instead of continuing with the reprimand, Gwendolyn turned to Nico and asked in a calm tone, ¡°Nico,


    tell me the truth. Did Cedrick smoke today?¡±


    Nico froze for a moment before instinctively casting a nce at Cedrick.


    Cedrick blithely warned him again, ¡°Shock device!¡±


    His words sent chills down Nico¡¯s spine. ¡°Nope, he didn¡¯t! He asked me for a cigarette, but he just took


    a sniff of it before tossing it away.¡±


    Gwendolyn maintained aposed posture, crossing her arms gracefully, and her facial expression


    remained stoic. Despite studying their faces intently, she could not fully believe their exnation. ¡°Nico,


    don¡¯t be scared to tell the truth. As long as I¡¯m here, Cedrick would not dare toy a finger on you.¡±


    With Gwendolyn¡¯s assurance, Nico breathed a sigh of relief, raised his right hand, and vowed. ¡°Ms.


    Gwendolyn, every word I said is true!¡±


    Chapter 284 His Exnation Backfired


    ¡°All right then.¡± Gwendolyn nodded, giving the impression that she believed his words.


    Cedrick heaved a sigh of relief.


    +15 Bonus


    Yet, secondster, Gwendolyn continued asking, ¡°How do you exin the cigarettes in the drawer


    then?¡±


    ¡°Boss asked me to buy the cigarettes for him and told me to hide them inside the drawer,¡± he


    answered.


    Spotting a keyword in his reply, Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes. ¡°Hide?¡±


    Nico nodded. ¡°Boss said you¡¯re busy during the day and normally wouldn¡¯t go through the drawers.


    That¡¯s why he instructed me to put the cigarettes in a corner to hide them away from you.¡±


    Gwendolyn let out a coldugh before shooting Cedrick a meaningful look. ¡°Ah, I sec. So that was all a


    ploy to keep me from discovering the cigarettes.¡±


    Cedrick was about to explode in rage. F*ck! This b*stard is just making things worse! How am I going


    to defend myself after this?


    He gave Nico a fierce re before grinding his teeth. ¡°I told you toe and exin the situation, not


    repeat every single word I said earlier! You¡¯re supposed toe here to clear my name and set things


    straight!¡±


    Comprehension dawned on Nico when he heard that.


    He realized then that he had misunderstood Cedrick. So Boss wasn¡¯t looking forward to being beaten


    up by Ms. Gwendolyn. He genuinely wanted to keep the truth from her!


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    In contrast to Cedrick¡¯s anger, Gwendolyn responded with a gentle smile. ¡°You did a great job in


    providing me with a clearer understanding of the situation. Don¡¯t worry; you can speak freely. I am here


    to protect you.¡±


    Nevertheless, after realizing the harm he had brought on Cedrick, Nico became uncertain of what to


    say, but he knew he needed to earnestly think about how to make amends.


    Otherwise, his life would be in serious jeopardy. No one, not even Ms. Gwendolyn, can save me if Boss


    explodes!


    After contemting for a while, Nico spoke with sincerity. ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, it was not right for Mr.


    Jenson to keep this from you, but he does remember the n you customized for him, and he never


    intended to actually smoke. He has been taking medication three times a day recently. Those pills are


    bitter and can cause loss of appetite and nausea if taken in excess. He was trying to find a way to


    alleviate the difort caused by the medication. It¡¯s just that he ended up choosing the wrong


    method.¡±


    Nico gave a heartfelt exnation.


    Cedrick¡¯s gloomy expression gradually eased as the person who screwed things up for him finally said


    something pleasing.


    However, Gwendolyn¡¯s face remained deadpan. It was hard to tell if she believed what Nico said.


    Nico tested the waters by saying, ¡°So, Ms. Gwendolyn, please don¡¯t be mad at Mr. Jenson anymore.¡±


    Gwendolyn decided not to expose Cedrick in front of Nico for trying to lie to her and sweep things


    under the carpet.


    She nced at Cedrick and cast a gentle smile at him. ¡°Why should I be mad at him? It¡¯s just a small


    issue.


    Chapter 284 His Exnation Backfired


    Right, Ceddy?¡±


    Cedrick nodded earnestly.


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn withdrew her gaze and looked at the cigarettes on the coffee table. ¡°But from now on, let¡¯s


    not keep these cigarettes. These are just bad stuff. Nico, empty the drawer and sell all the cigarettes at


    a low price.¡±


    ¡°Low price?¡± Nico¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Those are imported goods, and they¡¯re all extremely


    expensive!


    Those were his cherished possessions. The thought of selling them at a low price felt like a stab to his


    heart.


    Cedrick red at him. ¡°Listen to Gwenny. Take all the cigarettes away. I don¡¯t want to see them again!¡±


    Nico¡¯s face showed a mixture of pain and reluctance. ¡°All right, Boss.¡±


    While Nico started clearing the cigarettes in the drawer, Gwendolyn stood up and grabbed Cedrick¡¯s


    arm. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go upstairs.¡±


    She sounded calm, but Cedrick¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Will she still punish me after all that exining?


    Overwhelmed byplicated emotions, Cedrick felt helpless as Gwendolyn led him to the master


    bedroom.


    ¡°Sit,¡± she instructed.


    Cedrick sat down obediently, even though he had butterflies in his stomach.


    He was unsure if Gwendolyn was still angry, but he knew he hated her physical punishments.


    If it were not for fear of Gwendolyn getting angry, he would have dumped the ruler and Lego pieces into


    the ocean so that she would never be able to retrieve them again!


    As he was brooding, he saw Gwendolyn turn her head and walk toward the bedside table. She ced


    her hand on the first drawer as if she was about to open it.


    Cedrick knew very well what was lying inside.


    Before Gwendolyn could fully open the drawer, he clutched his chest, furrowed his brow, and weakly


    said, ¡°Gwenny, I feel ufortable¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn ran over to check on him. ¡°Do you feel difort in your heart? Is your angina acting up


    again? By right, you should feel better since you¡¯ve taken the medicine for a week.¡±


    With a pallidplexion and a frail demeanor, he leaned weakly in her embrace, his eyes drooping.


    Gwendolyn was deeply concerned. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t bear the pain if you¡¯re having an episode. I¡¯ll fetch


    the medicine to alleviate your angina attacks!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay!¡± He gripped her wrist just when she was about to stand up.


    The grip was remarkably firm and unwavering, in stark contrast to the feeble and trembling hand of the


    person who had been in agony moments before.


    Upon realizing he had overreacted, Cedrick instantly loosened his grip and buried his head in her


    Chapter 284 His Exnation Backfired


    embrace, speaking softly. ¡°What I meant was, I feel much better with you hugging me¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn lowered her head and stayed silent.


    After narrowing her eyes, she discreetly assessed the man¡¯s behavior and quickly understood his


    intentions. Not only did he deceive me, but now he¡¯s also putting on a show.


    Initially, she had considered forgiving him. That was why she had wanted to retrieve the anti-


    inmmatory cream from the drawer to apply it to his injured knees.


    A corner of her lips quirked up. Looks like someone deserves a punishment, after all!


    41


    L

 Chapter 285

    Chapter 285


    Chapter 285 The Queen Of Unpredictability


    Gwendolyn quietly stroked Cedrick¡¯s back tofort him.


    Several minutester, she asked, ¡°Are you still ufortable?¡±


    +15 Bonus


    The difort in Cedrick¡¯s expression barely changed, but he put on a brave face and nodded. ¡°I feel


    better with you around.¡±


    Gwendolyn was secretly impressed by his charade, though she did not call him out on it. She helped


    him to sit on the bed, propping some pillows against his back and covering his legs with a nket.


    Then, she said, ¡°There was a half¨Chour dy. You haven¡¯t even taken your night medication. Wait


    here; I¡¯ll get them for you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Scarcely two minutester, Gwendolyn reappeared in the room with warm water and a pill box, which


    she ced on the bedside table. After that, she closed and locked the room door before returning to


    Cedrick¡¯s side.


    Cedrick pulled a face when he saw the assortment of pills. ¡°Can I at least get Gwenny¡¯s medicine¨C


    feeding. service again tonight?¡±


    Unamused, Gwendolyn handed a ss of water to him and retorted, ¡°Well, what did you think of your


    little act tonight? Was it deserving of a reward?¡±


    He lowered his eyes guiltily in response.


    As it were, he would already be thanking his lucky stars if he escaped unscathed, let alone expect a


    reward.


    After wiping the sulkiness from his gaze, Cedrick received the ss from Gwendolyn. He stubbornly


    tried to swallow all the pills at once and erupted into a fit of choking coughs when he glugged too much


    water.


    Gwendolyn patted his back while chiding him, ¡°You fool. You could just swallow a couple of pills at once


    each time and spare yourself this misery. How can it not be bitter if you stuff everything into your mouth


    in one go?¡±


    As she spoke, she pulled a packet of caramel sweets from her pocket, which she had bought


    specifically for Cedrick.


    She ripped the packaging open and grabbed a sweet, leaving the rest on the bedside table.


    Her pale, slender fingers deftly unwrapped the caramel sweet, which she plopped into Cedrick¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mistreat your body like this again. If you find the pills too bitter, treat yourself to a sweet.


    Smoking will not relieve your suffering; it will only make things worse. Don¡¯t ever entertain that thought


    again. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Cedrick mumbled while sucking on the caramel sweet.


    He savored the milky fragrance of the confection, pleasantly surprised to find that it was not sickeningly


    sweet.


    Of course, the fact that Gwendolyn had purchased and fed him the sweet only augmented his delight.


    While he slowly ate the sweet, he opened his arms in a silent bid for a hug.


    O


    Chapter 285 The Queen Of Unpredictability


    +15 Bond


    His dark gaze had lost its usual hawkish edge in Gwendolyn¡¯s presence. In fact, he even appeared


    rather adorable with his cheeks puffed up from sucking on the sweet.


    Gwendolyn smiled and shook her head. She flicked his forehead lightly and teased, ¡°You¡¯re five years


    older than me, mister, but one sweet has turned you into a toddler. Is it that yummy?¡±


    Cedrick nodded earnestly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a taste too.¡±


    She turned toward the bedside table to get a caramel sweet, but Cedrick seized her elbow and pulled


    her toward him. A secondter, he covered her lips with a searing kiss.


    The faint, milky scent of the caramel sweet intermingled with their breaths..


    Cedrick asked, ¡°Taste good?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curved into a seductive smile. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    She traced his face with her fingers as her smile grew wicked. ¡°You¡¯ve finished your medicine and


    tasted that sweet. I guess it¡¯s time to move on to the next thing on the agenda, hmm?¡±


    Cedrick scrunched his brows in confusion. A sense of dread filled his chest as he took in Gwendolyn¡¯s


    expression.


    s, she did not give him a chance to react. Instead, she swiftly pulled open the first drawer of the


    bedside table and took a red wooden ruler out of it.


    The wicked smile never left Gwendolyn¡¯s face as shezily tapped the ruler on her palm.


    Cedrick instantly paled with shock when he saw the ruler. The caramel sweet in his mouth suddenly


    tasted less sweet than he remembered.


    Even after all the distractions, it appeared he would not be spared from corporal punishment.


    It felt as though he had taken a tumble from heaven andnded straight in hell.


    ¡°Gwenny¡­¡± He clenched his fists nervously and pleaded, ¡°I messed up¡­¡± The poor man was on the


    verge of an emotional breakdown.


    Unmoved, Gwendolyn said, ¡°Since you know you messed up, you must be punished for your


    wrongdoing, or you¡¯ll never learn. Now, give me your hand.¡±


    Cedrick inhaled shakily but did not offer his hand. I should never have celebrated prematurely if I knew


    my fate was sealed.


    ¡°Your hand? Gwendolyn repeated more sternly.


    Under her scrutiny, Cedrick slowly stretched out his left hand. The ruler was immediately ced on his


    palm, but Gwendolyn seemed to be in no rush to carry out his punishment.


    Instead, she drawled, ¡°Hiding cigarettes is one thing. I¡¯m not likely to discover them since I¡¯m usually


    out in the day. But lying that they belonged to Nico? Plus, you didn¡¯t seem to care that I would be


    worried and were more intent on weaseling your way out of a punishment. Tell me. How many raps do


    you deserve?¡±


    Cold dread washed over Cedrick.


    Chapter 285 The Queen Of Unpredictability


    Ah, I guess she knew from the start that I was trying to y the victim.


    She had recounted every one of his crimes with frightening uracy.


    ¡°Talk. How many?¡± Gwendolyn tapped the center of his palm and urged him to respond.


    +15 Bonus


    Cedrick snapped out of his thoughts and bit his lip. He uttered timidly and hesitantly, ¡°Uhm¡­ how about


    once?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression darkened, and she announced coldly, ¡°A hundred!¡±


    His heart clenched in fear, and he attempted to negotiate a lighter punishment. ¡°What about five


    times?¡±


    Not even a hint of mercy was detectable in Gwendolyn¡¯s expression as she responded, ¡°Fifty.¡±


    She immediately halved the number of


    it I think I¡¯m seeing a pattern here.¡±


    He tested the waters and offered, ¡°Ten?¡±


    Gwendolyn paused for several seconds before saying, ¡°Twenty.¡±


    It was lenient enough for Cedrick, and he dered, ¡°Fine. Twenty it is. Go on.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not move and raised a brow in amusement. A devilish smile appeared on her face.


    She feigned shock and eximed, ¡°Ah, you¡¯re very much mistaken. My rule was to sum up both our


    proposed number of hits, so that makes forty! What a coincidence! I just determined that you


    committed four offenses today. We read each other¡¯s mind so perfectly!¡±


    Cedrick was bbergasted and could only stare at her wordlessly.


    What kind of logic is that?


    Frustration brewed in his chest, and he asked meekly, ¡°How hard will you hit me?¡±


    If she hits me as hard as she didst time, forty hits could render my left arm permanently impaired!


    Gwendolyn replied seriously, ¡°This is a punishment. If I hit you softly, how will you learn your lesson


    next time?¡±


    That dashed Cedrick¡¯s hopes entirely.


    The ruler, which still rested on his left palm and could strike him at any time, filled him with fear.


    He lowered his head in utter defeat as his nose inexplicably stung.


    Gwenny doesn¡¯t love me anymore¡­


    Amid his morose thoughts, the ruler left his palm and resumed contact with a sharp sting again and


    again, sparing him no room for reprieve.


    Cedrick¡¯s fingers quivered, and he clenched his jaw silently, resisting the urge to retract his hand.


    He felt aggrieved, but he could only ept his punishment dutifully.


    The sounds of Gwendolyn¡¯s ruler pping Cedrick¡¯s palm pierced the silence of the night.


    1325 Fri, 2 Jun


    Chapter 285 The Queen Of Unpredictability


    943%·Û


    +15 Bonus


    Despite her ims that she would not go easy on him, Gwendolyn had, in fact, only used fifty percent


    of her strength.


    Granted, every rap of the ruler hurt, but it was not as painful as thest time she punished him.


    By the time she fully doled out the punishment, Cedrick¡¯s left palm was swollen and turning red. Still,


    the forty hits this time were definitely a lighter penalty than the five hits from Gwendolyn in the past.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Cedrick knew she had toned down her strength, but upon recalling her convincing threats earlier, he


    whined, ¡°I really thought you didn¡¯t care about me anymore.¡±


    Gwendolyn raised his left hand and nted gentle kisses across his burning palm.


    She was using her own ways to lessen his pain.


    Chapter 286 The Shameless Nico

 Chapter 286

    Chapter 286


    Chapter 285 The Queen Of Unpredictability


    Gwendolyn quietly stroked Cedrick¡¯s back tofort him.


    Several minutester, she asked, ¡°Are you still ufortable?¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    +15 Bonus


    The difort in Cedrick¡¯s expression barely changed, but he put on a brave face and nodded. ¡°I feel


    better with you around.¡±


    Gwendolyn was secretly impressed by his charade, though she did not call him out on it. She helped


    him to sit on the bed, propping some pillows against his back and covering his legs with a nket.


    Then, she said, ¡°There was a half¨Chour dy. You haven¡¯t even taken your night medication. Wait


    here; I¡¯ll get them for you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Scarcely two minutester, Gwendolyn reappeared in the room with warm water and a pill box, which


    she ced on the bedside table. After that, she closed and locked the room door before returning to


    Cedrick¡¯s side.


    Cedrick pulled a face when he saw the assortment of pills. ¡°Can I at least get Gwenny¡¯s medicine¨C


    feeding. service again tonight?¡±


    Unamused, Gwendolyn handed a ss of water to him and retorted, ¡°Well, what did you think of your


    little act tonight? Was it deserving of a reward?¡±


    He lowered his eyes guiltily in response.


    As it were, he would already be thanking his lucky stars if he escaped unscathed, let alone expect a


    reward.


    After wiping the sulkiness from his gaze, Cedrick received the ss from Gwendolyn. He stubbornly


    tried to swallow all the pills at once and erupted into a fit of choking coughs when he glugged too much


    water.


    Gwendolyn patted his back while chiding him, ¡°You fool. You could just swallow a couple of pills at once


    each time and spare yourself this misery. How can it not be bitter if you stuff everything into your mouth


    in one go?¡±


    As she spoke, she pulled a packet of caramel sweets from her pocket, which she had bought


    specifically for Cedrick.


    She ripped the packaging open and grabbed a sweet, leaving the rest on the bedside table.


    Her pale, slender fingers deftly unwrapped the caramel sweet, which she plopped into Cedrick¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mistreat your body like this again. If you find the pills too bitter, treat yourself to a sweet.


    Smoking will not relieve your suffering; it will only make things worse. Don¡¯t ever entertain that thought


    again. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Cedrick mumbled while sucking on the caramel sweet.


    He savored the milky fragrance of the confection, pleasantly surprised to find that it was not sickeningly


    sweet.


    Of course, the fact that Gwendolyn had purchased and fed him the sweet only augmented his delight.


    While he slowly ate the sweet, he opened his arms in a silent bid for a hug.


    O


    Chapter 285 The Queen Of Unpredictability


    +15 Bond


    His dark gaze had lost its usual hawkish edge in Gwendolyn¡¯s presence. In fact, he even appeared


    rather adorable with his cheeks puffed up from sucking on the sweet.


    Gwendolyn smiled and shook her head. She flicked his forehead lightly and teased, ¡°You¡¯re five years


    older than me, mister, but one sweet has turned you into a toddler. Is it that yummy?¡±


    Cedrick nodded earnestly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a taste too.¡±


    She turned toward the bedside table to get a caramel sweet, but Cedrick seized her elbow and pulled


    her toward him. A secondter, he covered her lips with a searing kiss.


    The faint, milky scent of the caramel sweet intermingled with their breaths..


    Cedrick asked, ¡°Taste good?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curved into a seductive smile. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    She traced his face with her fingers as her smile grew wicked. ¡°You¡¯ve finished your medicine and


    tasted that sweet. I guess it¡¯s time to move on to the next thing on the agenda, hmm?¡±


    Cedrick scrunched his brows in confusion. A sense of dread filled his chest as he took in Gwendolyn¡¯s


    expression.


    s, she did not give him a chance to react. Instead, she swiftly pulled open the first drawer of the


    bedside table and took a red wooden ruler out of it.


    The wicked smile never left Gwendolyn¡¯s face as shezily tapped the ruler on her palm.


    Cedrick instantly paled with shock when he saw the ruler. The caramel sweet in his mouth suddenly


    tasted less sweet than he remembered.


    Even after all the distractions, it appeared he would not be spared from corporal punishment.


    It felt as though he had taken a tumble from heaven andnded straight in hell.


    ¡°Gwenny¡­¡± He clenched his fists nervously and pleaded, ¡°I messed up¡­¡± The poor man was on the


    verge of an emotional breakdown.


    Unmoved, Gwendolyn said, ¡°Since you know you messed up, you must be punished for your


    wrongdoing, or you¡¯ll never learn. Now, give me your hand.¡±


    Cedrick inhaled shakily but did not offer his hand. I should never have celebrated prematurely if I knew


    my fate was sealed.


    ¡°Your hand? Gwendolyn repeated more sternly.


    Under her scrutiny, Cedrick slowly stretched out his left hand. The ruler was immediately ced on his


    palm, but Gwendolyn seemed to be in no rush to carry out his punishment.


    Instead, she drawled, ¡°Hiding cigarettes is one thing. I¡¯m not likely to discover them since I¡¯m usually


    out in the day. But lying that they belonged to Nico? Plus, you didn¡¯t seem to care that I would be


    worried and were more intent on weaseling your way out of a punishment. Tell me. How many raps do


    you deserve?¡±


    Cold dread washed over Cedrick.


    Chapter 285 The Queen Of Unpredictability


    Ah, I guess she knew from the start that I was trying to y the victim.


    She had recounted every one of his crimes with frightening uracy.


    ¡°Talk. How many?¡± Gwendolyn tapped the center of his palm and urged him to respond.


    +15 Bonus


    Cedrick snapped out of his thoughts and bit his lip. He uttered timidly and hesitantly, ¡°Uhm¡­ how about


    once?¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression darkened, and she announced coldly, ¡°A hundred!¡±


    His heart clenched in fear, and he attempted to negotiate a lighter punishment. ¡°What about five


    times?¡±


    Not even a hint of mercy was detectable in Gwendolyn¡¯s expression as she responded, ¡°Fifty.¡±


    She immediately halved the number of


    it I think I¡¯m seeing a pattern here.¡±


    He tested the waters and offered, ¡°Ten?¡±


    Gwendolyn paused for several seconds before saying, ¡°Twenty.¡±


    It was lenient enough for Cedrick, and he dered, ¡°Fine. Twenty it is. Go on.¡±


    Gwendolyn did not move and raised a brow in amusement. A devilish smile appeared on her face.


    She feigned shock and eximed, ¡°Ah, you¡¯re very much mistaken. My rule was to sum up both our


    proposed number of hits, so that makes forty! What a coincidence! I just determined that you


    committed four offenses today. We read each other¡¯s mind so perfectly!¡±


    Cedrick was bbergasted and could only stare at her wordlessly.


    What kind of logic is that?


    Frustration brewed in his chest, and he asked meekly, ¡°How hard will you hit me?¡±


    If she hits me as hard as she didst time, forty hits could render my left arm permanently impaired!


    Gwendolyn replied seriously, ¡°This is a punishment. If I hit you softly, how will you learn your lesson


    next time?¡±


    That dashed Cedrick¡¯s hopes entirely.


    The ruler, which still rested on his left palm and could strike him at any time, filled him with fear.


    He lowered his head in utter defeat as his nose inexplicably stung.


    Gwenny doesn¡¯t love me anymore¡­


    Amid his morose thoughts, the ruler left his palm and resumed contact with a sharp sting again and


    again, sparing him no room for reprieve.


    Cedrick¡¯s fingers quivered, and he clenched his jaw silently, resisting the urge to retract his hand.


    He felt aggrieved, but he could only ept his punishment dutifully.


    The sounds of Gwendolyn¡¯s ruler pping Cedrick¡¯s palm pierced the silence of the night.


    1325 Fri, 2 Jun


    Chapter 285 The Queen Of Unpredictability


    943%·Û


    +15 Bonus


    Despite her ims that she would not go easy on him, Gwendolyn had, in fact, only used fifty percent


    of her strength.


    Granted, every rap of the ruler hurt, but it was not as painful as thest time she punished him.


    By the time she fully doled out the punishment, Cedrick¡¯s left palm was swollen and turning red. Still,


    the forty hits this time were definitely a lighter penalty than the five hits from Gwendolyn in the past.


    Cedrick knew she had toned down her strength, but upon recalling her convincing threats earlier, he


    whined, ¡°I really thought you didn¡¯t care about me anymore.¡±


    Gwendolyn raised his left hand and nted gentle kisses across his burning palm.


    She was using her own ways to lessen his pain.


    Chapter 286 The Shameless Nico

 Chapter 287

    Chapter 287


    Chapter 287 Jealous Cedrick Jenson


    Gwendolyn remained silent. Her expression was somber with worry.


    +15 Bonus


    Cedrick continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already been recovering at home for thest two weeks. People will start to get


    suspicious if I don¡¯t get out soon.¡±


    ¡°All right, fine,¡± Gwendolyn said grudgingly. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to drink any liquor during the party. If I


    find out you drank anything other than fruit juice, you¡¯re never going to hear the end of it from me!¡±


    She red at him fiercely while letting out a cute snort.


    Cedrick threaded his long fingers through her silky raven hair and tilted her head slightly upward before


    bending down to kiss her gently.


    After a long, drawn¨Cout kiss, he pressed his lips together and reveled in the sensation of her soft lips.


    ¡°Neither juice nor wine tastes as sweet as you, Gwenny.¡±


    Gwendolyn put his mask on him and hit his shoulder gently as she cooed, ¡°What a flirt!¡±


    The two of them left the house amidst yful flirting. They then set out to the Ferguson residence in


    their ck Shelby Supercar.


    Eloise¡¯s birthday party was scheduled to start at seven in the evening.


    Gwendolyn and Cedrick showed up half an hour carly.


    There weren¡¯t that many guests around since the party hadn¡¯t technically started yet.


    Eloise rolled her eyes at the sight of them holding hands before walking over with a falsely bright smile.


    ¡°Hi, Ms. Harris! Aren¡¯t you and Mr. Jenson early today!¡±


    Gwendolyn simply smiled in response.


    Cedrick, on the other hand, didn¡¯t even nce at Eloise. His dark irises maintained their icy gaze under


    his mask, which added an extrayer of mystery to his appearance.


    Eloise was clearly ruffled at theck of a response and couldn¡¯t be bothered to put on a front any


    longer. Turning away, she struck up a conversation with the socialites standing nearby.


    Sherman was sitting alone and had been broodily sipping at some liquor. When he heard that


    Gwendolyn had arrived, he was instantly delighted.


    However, she didn¡¯y even look in his direction. After going through the formalities with Wyatt Ferguson


    and Emma Tovack, Sherman¡¯s parents, she continued hanging around Cedrick as if they had been


    joined at the hip.


    Feeling upset, Sherman quickly approached and greeted her in an attempt to start a conversation. ¡°Hi,


    Gwendolyn! Long time no see. How have you been?¡±


    Gwendolyn replied mildly, ¡°Good evening, Mr. Ferguson. I¡¯m well.¡±


    Sherman visibly sagged with disappointment. ¡°Why can¡¯t you call me by my name like you used to?


    What happened between us?¡±


    Gwendolyn frowned at his usation. He was making it seem like they had been very close before,


    which


    Chapter 287 Jealous Cedrick Jenson


    led her to wonder if he was purposely trying to agitate Cedrick.


    As expected, Cedrick¡¯s gaze underneath the mask was starting to darken with anger.


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn quickly reached out to straighten his cor and ran her fingertips across the back of his


    neck tenderly as she spoke to Sherman.


    ¡°You must have misunderstood, Mr. Ferguson. We¡¯ve always been friends and nothing more. Also, my


    fianc¨¦ is quite the jealous type. Please don¡¯t say such misleading words that he might misunderstand.¡±


    Cedrick finally seemed to cool down under herforting touch and reached out to wrap an arm


    around her slender waist.


    Sherman felt like he had been plunged into icy¨Ccold waters.


    The persistent Maverick was gone, but an equally formidable opponent named Cedrick had appeared.


    He especially couldn¡¯t believe that Gwendolyn had fallen for Cedrick so soon, even to the point of


    moving in with him.


    As someone who had been in love with Gwendolyn for over ten years, he had always thought he was


    her best match and the one who loved her the most.


    He couldn¡¯t swallow the fact that he no longer stood a chance. ¡°Gwendolyn, I have something I would


    like to say to you in private. I won¡¯t bother you anymore after that. On behalf of our friendship, can you


    do that?¡±


    Gwendolyn turned him down without a second thought. ¡°You should know that Mr. Jenson and I were


    recently on the news. We got crowned the sweetest engaged aristocratic couple. I believe that there


    will be several press members attending since Ms. Eloise has invited quite a few celebrities. It will be a


    hassle to exin things if any reporters catch sight of us, don¡¯t you think? I think you should say


    anything you have to say here. There¡¯s nothing I wouldn¡¯t want Mr. Jenson to hear, anyway.¡±


    At her words, Cedrick was slowly starting to be less agitated. He interlocked his and Gwendolyn¡¯s


    fingers tightly.


    The two of them nced at each other, smiling so sweetly it would have given anyone a cavity,


    The sight severely ticked off Sherman. ¡°I wasn¡¯t afraid to go against the Jenson family for you,


    Gwendolyn. Did you know that every single woman that Old Mr. Jenson finds for Cedrick ends up


    beaten and has to be carried out while covered in injuries? He¡¯s violent and treats women like punching


    bags. There are countless rumors about him torturing women for fun. He may be pretending to be nice


    now, or he may also just be worried about the Harris family¡¯s reputation. Either way, if you marry him,


    your life will be a living hell! I¡¯ve known you since we were kids. I wouldn¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    Cedrick remained expressionless despite everything Sherman had been spouting about him.


    However, he was a little bit curious about how quiet Gwendolyn had been about the rumors despite his


    apparent notoriety.


    Both men looked at Gwendolyn, who chuckled gracefully.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°At the end of the day, they¡¯re rumors, after all. You really shouldn¡¯t be so gullible, Mr. Ferguson.


    Besides, knowing Mr. Jenson, he might have spread those rumors deliberately to protect himself from


    anyone with bad intentions. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m the only woman for him, anyway.¡±


    15:30 Fd 2Jun


    Chapter 287 Jealous Cedrick Jenson


    Sherman¡¯s expression soured. He had been rendered speechless by Gwendolyn¡¯s smooth rebuttal.


    +15 Bonus


    She politely said, ¡°The party is almost starting. I¡¯d like to have a little private time with Mr. Jenson


    before it begins. See youter.¡±


    She walked away with Cedrick hand¨Cin¨Chand and left Sherman standing there lookingpletely


    beaten down.


    Eloise looked at Sherman with pity from a balcony on the second floor. Her gaze was tinged with hatred


    as she turned to look at Gwendolyn¡¯s retreating figure.


    ¡°B*tch!¡± she hissed.


    Evelyn was standing right next to her with a perfectly made¨Cup face. She patted Eloise on the shoulder


    gently as she looked at Cedrick and Gwendolyn as well. An ambiguous smile was beginning to form on


    her lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You have a lot of events lined up forter. Take a deep breath and calm down.¡±


    Gwendolyn and Cedrick were walking around the vinguidly.


    Suddenly, Cedrick asked, ¡°Gwenny, do you really have that much faith in me? Aren¡¯t you afraid that I


    really did do all those cruel things to other women in the six months before we reunited?¡±


    Since there was no one around them, Gwendolyn pinched his ear tightly as she said coldly, ¡°So, you¡¯ve


    thought about it before, have you?¡±


    ¡°Ouch! No, I¡¯m just kidding! Watch out for cameras. Tomorrow¡¯s headlines are going to be about you


    abusing me,¡± Cedrick wailed.


    Despite his supposedints, he had naturally leaned down so that Gwendolyn wouldn¡¯t have to


    keep stretching her arm.


    Gwendolyn let go with a smile and gently massaged his ear. ¡°If it really does get on the news, then


    you¡¯re going to have to admit how much you love and listen to me. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m getting the short end


    of the stick.¡±


    Cedrick retorted, ¡°No way! I¡¯ll make sure to get revenge if that happens.¡±


    ¡°Nice try,¡± Gwendolyn said with a sassy eye roll. She knew what he meant by ¡®revenge¡® and began


    walking further ahead.


    Cedrick immediately caught up with her and held her hand tightly as if he were afraid that he would


    lose her.


    Even though Gwendolyn didn¡¯t ask about the rumors, Cedrick still felt the need to exin as they


    continued strolling.


    ¡°Well, Grandpa did send a woman right into my bed once. I made Nico dress up like a ghost and scare


    her. She fainted and had to be carried out on a stretcher, which is where the rumors came from. Yael


    purposely spread them in an attempt to ruin my reputation. However, as all rumors do, they grew more


    exaggerated as they spread further.¡±


    The two of them were in the middle of their conversation when Papilio Girls¡® assistant suddenly


    appeared. ¡°Ms. Harris! I¡¯ve been looking for you. Something happened to Jennifer and the girls


    backstage. Pleasee with me!¡±

 Chapter 288

    Chapter 288


    Chapter 288 There Is Someone Directing Eloise


    In the blink of an eye, a serious expression descended upon Gwendolyn¡¯s face.


    I¡¯m surprised at how fast Eloise has made her move. She clearly can¡¯t wait to have her revenge.


    -43%


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn turned toward Cedrick and suggested, ¡°Ceddy, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for you toe


    backstage since it¡¯s full of girls. I¡¯lle to see you in a while. Remember not to drink, okay?¡±


    In public, Gwendolyn could only convey her intentions implicitly, yet the dangerous look in her eyes was


    unmistakable.


    Once Cedrick nodded and smiled with his lips pursed, Gwendolyn¨Cher mind put at ease¨Cleft with the


    assistant.


    However, Cedrick¡¯s expression gradually darkened the moment she left.


    Shortly after, he called Nico to his side and instructed, ¡°Tell Neville to secretly ensure Gwenny¡¯s safety


    while you keep an eye on the Ferguson siblings. Report to me the moment they make a move.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss!¡±


    Once Nico was gone, Cedrick looked up and narrowed his eyes at the Ferguson vi.


    The instant he turned around, he saw Treyton walking in his direction.


    Thetter had heard from Gwendolyn about Cedrick masquerading as Maverick previously.


    Although the look on Treyton¡¯s face didn¡¯t seem friendly, it wasn¡¯t as hostile as Asher¡¯s..


    Cedrick would eventually have to gain the approval of all Gwendolyn¡¯s brothers since he nned on


    living the rest of his life with her. There was no avoiding it.


    Nheless, Treyton was aware of the torment Cedrick and Gwendolyn had suffered in Faike, which


    made him the easiest brother to gain approval from.


    With that thought in mind, Cedrick broke into an ingratiating smile. ¡°My future/brother¨Cinw, dide


    here to see me?¡±


    you


    The address annoyed Treyton. ¡°Who says I¡¯m your brother¨Cinw? You¡¯re only engaged right now.


    The wedding isn¡¯tpleted yet.¡±


    Cedrick responded with a small grin instead of rebutting. ¡°Shall we talk?¡±


    After following the assistant into the vi, Gwendolyn arrived at the Papilio Girls¡® makeup room.


    Even before she entered, she could already hear sobs and chaotic chatter ringing out from inside.


    When the assistant opened the door, they saw the girls huddled in a group with their backs to the


    entrance, seemingly looking at something.


    Gwendolyn approached them and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Upon hearing her voice, the girls turned around.


    J Jameson, the fourth member of Papilio Girls, hurried anxiously to Gwendolyn¡¯s side,


    Chapter 288 There Is Someone Directing Eloise


    +15 Bonus


    ¡°Ms. Harris, look! Jennifer¡¯s costume has been ruined, and we only have ten more minutes before the


    banquet starts. What are we going to do?¡±


    The rest of the girls were equally distraught.


    Ever since the establishment of their group, they had always been popr. It wasn¡¯t until Lisa was


    asked to leave after being exposed as a mistress that only six of them were left. The incident caused


    many of the group¡¯s fans to lose interest too.


    Even though the performance that evening was an ordinary one, many of Salinsburgh¡¯s rich and


    famous were in attendance. Thus, the girls were hoping to capture the hearts of a young tycoon so that


    they could marry into a rich family.


    Moreover, a single mistake from any one of them during the performance would negatively impact


    everyone.


    Cognizant of their intentions and concerns, Gwendolyn remained silent as she came forward to


    examine the costume.


    The previously beautiful dress had been cut into tiny pieces, leaving no chance of sewing it back or


    modifying its design.


    As for Jennifer, she was seated on the couch.


    In fact, she was the calmest among the members of the group, as if she had expected the act of


    sabotage.


    Gwendolyn turned to look at her. ¡°Jennifer, what do you think?¡±


    She replied, ¡°Since the costume is ruined, I won¡¯t be able to perform. You should just inform the


    organizers that I¡¯m feeling under the weather and let the other five continue.¡±


    J was the first to object. ¡°No, our performance is a group dance. If we lose one person, we¡¯ll have


    to rehearse entirely new positions. There¡¯s no way we can aplish that with the banquet ten


    minutes away. If we force ourselves to do it, we¡¯ll just end up embarrassing ourselves.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! I would rather not perform than be humiliated. It would be terrible for my reputation!¡±


    ¡°I agree. You have to help us, Ms. Harris!¡±


    After pondering a moment, Gwendolyn had a word with their manager in private. ¡°How much are they


    being paid by the Ferguson family for their performance?¡±


    ¡°The Ferguson family was generous this time and signed a fifty million contract with us. If we were to


    break it, thepensation would be tenfold that amount. You have to consider this properly, Ms.


    Harris!¡±


    Gwendolyn snorted in response. ¡°Who says I¡¯m going to renege on the contract? I¡¯m not going to pay


    Eloise anything.¡±


    The manager was puzzled. ¡°In that case, what do you n to do, Ms. Harris?¡±


    Gwendolyn didn¡¯t answer. Instead, she instructed one of the housekeepers in the Ferguson residence,


    ¡°Bring Eloise here. Tell her that I have something to discuss in person.¡±


    The housekeeper replied, ¡°The banquet is about to start, so Ms. Ferguson is likely in the room touching


    up her makeup. She doesn¡¯t have time to see anyone.¡±


    |||


    1327 Fri, 2 Jun


    F


    Chapter 288 There Is Someone Directing Eloise


    +15 Bonus


    ¡°In that case, tell her that I, Gwendolyn Shalders Harris, will hold up the opening of the banquet in front


    of all the media and guests until she¡¯s willing toe forward and resolve the problem.¡±


    Well aware that a dy to the opening would be a disaster and intimidated by the sharp glint in


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes, the housekeeper ran upstairs to get Eloise.


    In less than a few minutes, Eloise came down.


    Arms folded and looking annoyed, she asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    The manager came forward to exin, ¡°Ms. Ferguson, one of the costumes has been ruined. As they


    were provided by your side for this particr banquet, could you have them¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish, Eloise cut her off. ¡°The costumes were tailor¨Cmade and handed to you a long


    time ago. I¡¯m surprised you have the cheek to seek me out when you¡¯re the ones who ruined it.¡±


    After letting out an arrogant snort, she shot Gwendolyn a challenging look. ¡°If you¡¯re unable to perform,


    get out of my house and pay me thepensation for breaking the contract.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    At a loss for words, the manager turned to Gwendolyn for help.


    The smirking Gwendolyn grabbed the costume that had been cut into pieces and threw it at Eloise.


    Thetter¡¯s expression drastically changed as she staggered back. ¡°Gwendolyn! Do you know how


    expensive my gown is? I¡¯m going to make you pay if you dirty it!¡±


    As the sneer on her face deepened, Gwendolyn insinuated, ¡°Oh? It seems you¡¯re aware that the


    costume has been smeared with red dye.¡±


    Eloise was briefly stunned before regaining herposure. ¡°How would I know that? Even if there¡¯s no


    red dye, this dirty piece of cloth will still sully my dress!¡±


    By the end of her sentence, Eloise was gritting her teeth while giving Jennifer an insidious look.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression darkened in response. Not wanting to waste any more time, she raised her


    phone to show Eloise the screen.


    The video that was ying showed the girls huddled around the ruined costume. All of them acted out


    the script Gwendolyn prepared, looking helpless and distraught while doing so.


    Eloise was baffled by what she saw. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±


    The corner of Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curled. ¡°We have ten minutes before the opening performance for the


    evening. If the Ferguson family is unable to provide a recement costume, this video will be yed


    on the big screen in the courtyard and uploaded onto the inte. On top of that, I¡¯ve already ordered


    articles using the Ferguson family of wrongdoing to be authored.¡±


    Despite those words, Eloise let out a defiant snort.


    Cutting Jennifer¡¯s costume into shreds was just the appetizer of her scheme. The main course she had


    nned for had yet to be revealed.


    After celebrating her birthday for more than twenty years, she had long grown bored of it. Thus, she


    decided to liven it up this year by using it to teach her enemies a lesson.


    O


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    13:27 Fri, 2 Jun


    Chapter 288 There Is Someone Directing Eloise


    +15 Bonus


    ¡°Gwendolyn, you underestimate me. Do you think I really care about all this? So what if the stock of the


    Ferguson family¡¯spany drops for a few days? The money lost by my family will be easily made


    back in the blink of an eye!¡±


    Thrusting her chin in the air, Eloise continued smugly, ¡°My staff has already handed the costume over.


    It¡¯s not my fault your people didn¡¯t take good care of it. If you don¡¯t want Jennifer to embarrass herself


    on stage, you should just cancel the contract!¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s brows furrowed in the face of Eloise¡¯s response.


    She seems to be a lot shrewderpared to half a year ago. Is there someone guiding her behind the


    scenes? Who can it


    be?

 Chapter 289

    Chapter 289


    Chapter 289 Gwendolyn Pretends To Take The Bait


    Íâ´©43%•þ


    +15 Bonus


    For some reason, Evelyn¡¯s face emerged in Gwendolyn¡¯s mind, for thetter seemed to know


    everything about Gwendolyn¡¯s past in Faike.


    Faced with Gwendolyn¡¯s silence, Eloise gloated, ¡°What¡¯s it going to be, Gwendolyn? Are you panicking


    because you realize your harsh methods don¡¯t work on me anymore?¡±


    In spite of the taunt, Gwendolyn remained unfazed as a grin emerged on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always enjoyed a challenge. Since you don¡¯t care about the consequences, I¡¯ll just blow the matter


    up. I¡¯m sure your parents and brother won¡¯t be as nonchnt about it as you are.¡±


    After ncing at her watch, Gwendolyn continued, ¡°There are still eight minutes left. Let¡¯s see how


    much your parents really love you when your birthday banquet ends up bing theughingstock of


    the city¡¯s high society.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ You really want to challenge me, don¡¯t you!¡±


    Eloise¡¯s face contorted in fury beneath her makeup.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Both of them were subsequently locked in a stalemate, neither wanting to back down.


    After all, Eloise couldn¡¯t show weakness in front of the assistant and manager from Angle.


    It wasn¡¯t until Sherman¡¯s voice rang out from the corridor that the impasse was interrupted.


    ¡°Eloise, Gwendolyn, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Wearing an indifferent expression, Gwendolyn leaned elegantly against the door.


    When Sherman shifted his gaze to Eloise, thetter kept mum.


    In the end, it was the manager who came forward to exin the situation.


    Upon learning of what happened, Sherman broke into a gentle smile while exuding a debonair aura.


    ¡°This is a trivial matter. There¡¯s no need to kick up a fuss on Eloise¡¯s birthday. I remember that she had


    extra costumes made and kept them in the storeroom.¡±


    He subsequently instructed the housekeeper, ¡°Go to the storeroom and get the group changed into


    their new outfits. Be quick about it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Ferguson.¡±


    Upset by the turn of events, Eloise folded her arms and rolled her eyes before turning to leave.


    Nevertheless, the smile on Sherman¡¯s face was just as warm. Being the gentleman that he was, he


    apologized to the girls in the room, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the Ferguson family¡¯sck of hospitality. Let me make


    for it by apologizing over a toastter.¡±


    up


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ferguson. That¡¯s really kind of you.¡±


    Other than Jennifer, all the other girls nodded shyly as the goodwill they felt toward him increased


    significantly.


    13:27 Fri, 2 Jun


    Chapter 289 Gwendolyn Pretends To Take The Bait


    Now that Sherman had mediated a conclusion to the matter, Gwendolyn turned and left, as she had


    nothing more to say.


    However, Sherman quickly caught up from behind. ¡°I¡¯m d to be able to speak to you in private,


    Gwendolyn.¡±


    Ignoring his words, Gwendolyn picked up her pace.


    As the Ferguson residence was huge, both their footsteps echoed through the quiet corridor.


    It was there that Sherman took a deep breath to steel himself before blocking her way.


    +15 Bonus


    ¡°Gwendolyn, I swear that this is thest time. I just feel indignant over the fact that you rejected me


    outright. At the very least, I deserve an exnation. I admit that I¡¯m inferior to Cedrick when ites to


    power and position. That said, my character and family background is superior to his, so why did you


    still choose him over me after your divorce?¡±


    Gwendolyn had always hated the clingy type. It didn¡¯t help that she had exined the situation to him


    countless times.


    Thus, she had no choice but to snuff out whatever hope he had left once and for all.


    ¡°Sherman, stopparing yourself to Cedrick. You don¡¯t evene close. Besides, I don¡¯t love you,


    and neither do you me! I have no doubt in my mind that the feelings you have for me are nothing more


    than a sense of stubborn familiarity, and you¡¯re just numbing yourself with it. Besides, even if Cedrick


    didn¡¯t exist, we would never be a couple. If you continue to pester me, I won¡¯t be able to stay friends


    with you anymore.¡±


    Her scathing words left a stunned look on Sherman¡¯s face. The devastation they wrought within him


    filled him with dejection and rendered him speechless.


    Although Gwendolyn took note of his reaction, there was nothing but iciness in her eyes.


    Just as she was about to leave, she could hear the sound of hurried footsteps approaching. A male


    housekeeper from the banquet hall suddenly came up to her.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, Mr. Jenson was just looking for you. He says it¡¯s urgent, so pleasee with me.¡±


    Despite his words, Gwendolyn stayed where she was as she scrutinized the housekeeper from head to


    toe. Thereafter, her lips curled into a slight smile while the amusement in her eyes intensified,


    If Cedrick ever wanted to see her, he would never send a member of the Ferguson residence staff.


    What does Eloise n to do to me in the Ferguson residence? This is getting interesting


    Breaking into a mischievous yet alluring smile, Gwendolyn turned around to nce at Sherman. He


    was still frozen to the spot, devastated by her earlier words.


    ¡°All right, lead the way.¡±


    The housekeeper bowed slightly before ushering Gwendolyn forward with his hand. ¡°This way, please.¡±


    Holding the train of her dress elegantly, Gwendolyn walked on ahead.


    All of a sudden, a threatening aura crept up on her from behind.


    |||


    13/27 Fri, 2 Jun


    Chapter 289 Gwendolyn Pretends To Take The Bait


    Scoffing internally, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t bother reacting.


    As the housekeeper softened his footsteps, his long arms suddenly reached around her neck before


    covering her mouth with a drugged handkerchief.


    After a momentary struggle, Gwendolyn felt her vision go dark.


    +15 Bonus


    Meanwhile, the devastated Sherman, who had witnessed how the housekeeper was trying to drag the


    unconscious Gwendolyn away, dashed forward to save her.


    ¡°What are you doing? Let go of her!¡±


    When the housekeeper ignored his cries, Sherman came forward to wrest Gwendolyn from the


    former¡¯s


    arms.


    All of a sudden, Eloise emerged behind him and held him back. ¡°Sherman, this is my doing. Don¡¯t get in


    my way.¡±


    ¡°Eloise, have you gone mad? If anything happens to her in the Ferguson residence, our family will be in


    deep trouble! Do you know that?¡±


    Eloise replied with conviction, ¡°I do, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to kill her here, so calm yourself down. I


    know you like Gwendolyn a lot. Haven¡¯t you thought of making her yours?¡±


    The question caused Sherman to freeze as a sense of dread crept into him. ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°I had someone drug her so that she could be brought to your room.¡±


    ¡°How could you do something like that?¡±


    Sherman stared at her in disbelief.


    I can¡¯t believe how wicked my sister is!


    ¡°You¡¯re a girl too. How could something like rape even cross your mind?¡±


    Eloise sneered, ¡°What other choice is there? This is the only way you can have her, Sherman. Once


    you have slept with her, Cedrick will abandon her. On top of that, no one else will marry her once word


    of it gets out. She will then have no choice but to be with you.¡±


    Shocked by her n, Sherman couldn¡¯t bear to look at the sister he had loved so dearly.


    ¡°This is ridiculous!¡±


    For the very first time, eyes that were bloodshot with rage appeared on his usually calm and gentle


    face.


    He then raised his hand in an attempt to p Eloise.


    Instead of trying to avoid it, Eloise thrust her chin forward to taunt him. ¡°Can you really bear toy a


    finger on me, your own sister? I¡¯m doing this all for you, and this is how you repay me? In that case, go


    ahead and hit me!¡±


    Intimidated by Eloise¡¯s defiance, Sherman couldn¡¯t bring his palm down upon her. All he could do was


    stand idly by and watch the male housekeeper carry the unconscious Gwendolyn upstairs.


    Eloise subsequently ced a hand on his shoulder and softened her tone. ¡°I know that you¡¯re a kind-


    13:27 Fri, 2 Jun


    Chapter 289 Gwendolyn Pretends To Take The Bait


    +15 Bonus


    hearted person, Sherman. You won¡¯t be able to do anything morally wrong while you still have your wits


    with you. That¡¯s why I have a n to help you.¡±


    While speaking, she picked up a ss of champagne from the tray of a passing housekeeper.


    She then brazenly dropped a white pill into the drink right in front of Sherman. Upon giving the ss a


    shake, the pill gradually dissolved into the drink.


    Thereafter, she handed the ss to Sherman as she continued persuading him. ¡°Trust me, Sherman.


    I¡¯m doing this for your own good. This is your final opportunity. As long as you take this step forward,


    Gwendolyn will be yours! She has not just looked down upon you but also the Ferguson family. Even


    though you have loved her for more than ten years, she doesn¡¯t care about you at all. Can you really


    ept that? Why don¡¯t you just give it a try?¡±


    As Sherman stared at the champagne ss in her hand, his heart began to waver.


    O

 Chapter 290

    Chapter 290


    Chapter 290 Tricks


    The birthday banquet was about to begin.


    The garden was lively and filled with guests. The melodious sound of violins and a piano reverberated


    in the air.


    Meanwhile, inside the vi, Sherman was standing in a quiet corridor, facing a tough decision.


    Eloise decided to egg him further, ¡°Sherman, drink it. I¡¯ve already set things in motion, so you have no


    way out. How do you think Cedrick and Treyton will take revenge against the Ferguson family if they


    find out in advance?


    ¡°However, if you seed, Cedrick will disdain Gwendolyn and break off their engagement. The Harris


    family will also feel embarrassed and won¡¯t dare to confront the Ferguson family, and we will have the


    upper hand. By then, won¡¯t Gwendolyn be at your mercy? Sherman!¡±


    Sherman was backed into a corner with no way out. The expression in his eyes gradually grew


    resolute.


    He received the ss of champagne handed to him by Eloise and gulped the content.


    Satisfied, Eloise grinned in delight. ¡°Hurry up and go upstairs. She belongs only to you tonight. Enjoy


    yourself!¡±


    Mixed emotions churned within Sherman as he moved slowly up the stairs, holding onto the rail for


    support.


    Taking in his retreating figure, Eloise quietly took out her phone and sent a message: It¡¯s a sess.


    Then, she added: Check the drugs prepared for Jennifer again. Proceed as nnedter. I want her


    reputation to be ruined!


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn was being carried to Sherman¡¯s room.


    The male housekeeper ced her on therge bed and was about to remove her gown.


    Before he could touch her, a pair of slender hands grasped his wrist.


    The male housekeeper was stunned. He looked up and noticed Gwendolyn had awakened.


    Her eyes, reflecting the colorful lights from the garden outside, shone brightly and emanated intense


    coldness.


    She curled her morous red lips into a wide smile.


    ¡°W¨CWhen did you wake up? You weren¡¯t affected by ecstasy?¡±


    The male/housekeeper was momentarily dazed before swiftly regaining his senses. A malicious look


    shed across his eyes as he hastily yanked his right arm free. Pressing his fingers together, he aimed


    his hand at her neck, nning to knock her unconscious.


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes and was ready to retaliate, but someone was faster than her.


    A thud rang out, and the male housekeeper was knocked out from behind without any warning.


    Half of his body copsed onto the bed as he passed out cold.


    |||


    >


    Chapter 290 Tricks


    As he fell, Neville¡¯s radiant and delicate face was revealed.


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn was a little taken aback. ¡°Neville? Why are you here? Did Ceddy send you to follow me?¡±


    Neville nodded. He crouched beside the bed to examine her condition. Noticing the faint red marks on


    her neck, he panicked.


    ¡°I¡¯m done for! Did I show up toote? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re hurt. Ahh! Boss will kill me!¡±


    Gwendolyn was amused by his frantic demeanor.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hurt. These red marks will fade in a little while. You arrived just in time. Help me with


    something.¡±


    Neville scratched his head. ¡°What are you nning to do?¡±


    Gwendolyn arched her brow, wearing a meaningful look on her countenance. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    Meanwhile, inside the garden, the banquet had already begun.


    Wyatt was giving a speech on the stage while Cedrick sat alone at a table.


    His brows were knitted, and he gave off a spine¨Cchilling and intimidating aura. As a result, no one


    dared to sit with him. The party is starting, yet Gwendolyn hasn¡¯t returned even after being gone for so


    long. There¡¯s no word from Neville either.


    He was restless as tumultuous emotions churned within him.


    Not long after, someone pulled out the chair next to him.


    ¡°Gwenny¡­¡± When he turned his head around, his expression instantly froze.


    Cedrick asked gloomily, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Evelyn was dressed in an extravagant, custom¨Cmade gown from a branded clothing outlet. Her


    exquisite makeup and wless skin gave her a highly captivating appearance.


    Many scions from various wealthy families were unable to take their eyes off her from the moment she


    showed up. However, they were immediately disheartened when they saw her sitting beside Cedrick.


    Yet, as breathtaking as she was, Cedrick didn¡¯t bother sparing her a nce.


    Evelyn was a popr actress, to begin with. As she took the seat beside Cedrick, many reporters in the


    surroundings pointed their cameras at her and furiously clicked on the shutter


    Despite having multiple cameras trained on her, she remainedposed and wore a gentle smile.


    Evelyn whispered, Mr. Jenson, the cameras are pointed at us. Don¡¯t look so grim.¡±


    Cedrick pursed his lips and ignored her.


    She didn¡¯t feel awkward and even poured herself a ss of red wine. Then, she clinked her ss


    lightly with Cedrick¡¯s ss filled with fruit juice, producing a crisp sound.


    ¡°Are you looking for Ms. Harris, Mr. Jenson? I saw her earlier.¡± She elegantly took a sip of red wine


    before continuing, ¡°She was talking with Mr. Ferguson in the corridor.¡±s


    O


    |||


    Chapter 290 Tricks


    Cedrick, whose eyes were dark and pensive, disregarded her entirely.


    +15 Bonus


    ¡°Do you really trust her that much, Mr. Jenson? She told you she wouldn¡¯t be alone with Mr. Ferguson


    to avoid


    any misunderstandings, but she¡¯s now secretly meeting him. Moreover, the two seemed to have gone


    upstairs together. Aren¡¯t you curious about what they¡¯re doing up there?¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s expression gradually turned frosty. He red at Evelyn with his sharp gaze and uttered


    mockingly, ¡°I cannot tolerate people I don¡¯t like. I¡¯ve tried all your pretentious tricks on Gwendolyn. How


    clich¨¦.¡±


    Evelyn froze.


    He couldn¡¯t be bothered with her, so he got to his feet and strode toward the vi.


    1. 1.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    At that moment, Nico happened to jog over in his direction and whispered something next to his ear.


    From the moment he stood up, many cameras had followed his movements, and so they clearly


    captured the increasingly icy expression under his mask.


    Cedrick¡¯s fury intensified the more he heard. He picked up a wine ss from the table and smashed it


    on the ground.


    Crack!


    The piercing noise startled everyone.


    Wyatt, who had been giving a speech on the stage, also had his attention drawn by the sound.


    The music and conversations in the garden ceased abruptly as everyone stared nkly at Cedrick, not


    daring to speak.


    Cedrick riveted his frosty and wrathful gaze on Wyatt. ¡°How dare you, Fergusons!¡±


    Wyatt and Emma were utterly baffled.


    Sensing his overwhelming rage, the other guests were frightened to the extent of pot daring to breathe.


    Is he nning to cause a scene at an event hosted by the Ferguson family?


    A sense of foreboding surged within Eloise. Before Nico could speak, she quickly shot a look at the


    female housekeeper near her.


    The housekeeper rushed out from the vi. ¡°Oh no! This is terrible! Oh my!¡±


    She even tripped and fell to the ground because she ran too hastily.


    Eloise feigned ignorance and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Today is my birthday. It¡¯s a wonderful day. How


    dare you say it¡¯s terrible?¡±


    The housekeeper stuttered, ¡°Ms. Ferguson, Ms. Harris drank too much earlier and went into Mr.


    Sherman¡¯s room. S¨CShe¡¯s b¨Cbedded Mr. Sherman!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Wyatt, Emma, and Treyton eximed in unison.


    Everyone instantly shifted their eyes onto Cedrick.


    |||


    +15 Bonus


    Chapter 290 Tricks


    Cedrick grimaced. His aura turned hostile like a brewing storm and wasced with murderous intent as


    he strode into the vi with Nico to catch Gwendolyn and Sherman in the act of cheating.


    Treyton trod on their heels. Eloise, leading a few brawny bodyguards, also trailed behind.


    Subsequently, pandemonium reigned in the crowd.


    Wyatt and Emma were forced to stay behind to appease the guests. They braced themselves and put


    on a show, trying to divert everyone¡¯s attention.


    Evelyn was the calmest.


    She sipped on her red wine in amusement as if waiting for a drama to unfold.


    Cedrick and Nico headed straight for Sherman¡¯s bedroom.


    The soundproofing of the room was excellent, as no sound came from within. Nheless, the closed


    door gave the impression that something untoward was happening inside.


    Arriving at the door, Cedrick paused for a few moments until he heard the hurried footsteps mixed with


    the clicking sound of high heelsing from the stairwell.


    Only then did he narrow his eyes and instruct Nico, ¡°Barge in!¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±

 Chapter 291

    Chapter 291


    Chapter 291 Drama At The Ferguson Residence


    Gwendolyn was not there.


    The only people lying in bed were two men!


    Everyone was shocked to see two naked male bodies on the bed.


    Sherman exhibited an abnormalplexion on his face, appearing dazed. The other man was


    restrained with bound hands and feet, and a gag covered his mouth. His body disyed visible marks


    of recent intimacy.


    Nico rubbed his nose and chuckled. ¡°Mr. Ferguson¡¯s taste is indeed unique!¡±


    Eloise, who had been expecting Cedrick to explode, was puzzled when she saw howposed he


    was.


    It was not until she clearly saw who was on the bed that she understood. ¡°What are you doing here?


    Where¡¯s Gwendolyn?¡±


    To her astonishment, the man on the bed was none other than Samuel, the male housekeeper she had


    sent to drug Gwendolyn!


    Wyatt and Emma were just as dumbfounded.


    Wyatt roared, ¡°You useless brat! You¡¯ve tarnished the reputation of the Ferguson family!¡±


    Emma, too, was at a loss for words. She eximed, ¡°Pull up the nket! This is so embarrassing!¡±


    Yet, no one heard what she said as they were still taken aback by what they saw.


    The room was abuzz with noises amidst the terrified muffled sounds Samuel made.


    Meanwhile, Sherman seemed to be in a deranged state. He hugged Samuel and kissed him


    repeatedly. ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯re finally mine. Gwendolyn, my Gwen¡­¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s eyes darkened, and in an instant, a surge of killing intent arose. ¡°How dare he utter my


    fianc¨¦e¡¯s name! Nico, beat him up!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss!¡± Nico got up and punched Sherman twice in his face.


    The blows caused bruises to bloom on Sherman¡¯s face, and a tiny bit of blood trickled from his cut lip.


    He also appeared disoriented.


    Nico grabbed his hair and pointed at Samuel. ¡°Mr. Ferguson, take a closer look at the man you slept


    with!¡±


    Under the influence of drugs, Sherman was unable to see and think clearly. Like a broken record, he


    repeated, ¡°Gwendolyn, you¡¯re mine! You must marry me¡­¡±


    Wyatt felt utterly embarrassed and nned to drive Cedrick and Treyton away. After all, this was a


    family matter that needed to be dealt with behind closed doors.


    However, before he could speak, a clear and feminine voice sounded from outside the door.


    ¡°Did someone call for me? What did I miss? I just went away to do some stuff.¡± Gwendolyn smirked,


    exuding her usual noble and aloof demeanor.


    She was not alone,


    =


    Chapter 291 Drama At The Ferguson Residence


    Behind her stood the journalists who had been in the garden earlier. They swiftly aimed their cameras


    at the Epean¨Cstyle bed and began capturing photos.


    Neville also wore a duckbill cap and blended in with the crowd. In his hands, he held a video camera as


    he broadcasted the scene live to the screen in the garden downstairs.


    In the garden, a high¨Cdefinition screen was disying a backdrop for a popr female celebrity


    performing on stage.


    Suddenly, the screen¡¯s image shifted, disying the intertwined figures on the bed inside the Ferguson


    residence.


    The entire audience erupted in an uproar, many of them shocked to the point where their jaws almost


    dropped.


    For the socialites, this was their first time witnessing two men engaging in intimacy. Taken aback, they


    let out shrill screams, their faces turning pale.


    The garden descended into chaos.


    ¡°Oh, my god! Didn¡¯t the housekeeper say that Ms. Harris slept with Mr. Sherman? How did it be


    him sleeping with a man instead?¡±


    ¡°S6, Mr. Ferguson is into¡­ Oh, my god, that¡¯s disgusting! How could he do such a thing during his


    sister¡¯s birthday party? This is too much! His initial n was to tarnish Ms. Gwendolyn¡¯s reputation. I


    can¡¯t believe the Fergusons have resorted to such a dirty tactic!¡± another guest echoed.


    Before this, Sherman had always appeared as a soft¨Cspoken and humble gentleman, always treating


    others with kindness.


    Yet, the good reputation he had cautiously cultivated over thest two decades waspletely


    shattered by this live broadcast on the big screen.


    Some people began to mock and ridicule him, while others took pleasure in the misfortune, capturing


    the scene with their phones.


    Some ill¨Ctempered individuals from prominent families even started smashing their wine sses,


    vowing to break business ties with the Ferguson family.


    Things were no better inside the vi.


    When Cedrick saw Gwendolyning in, he walked over, stood before her, and covered her eyes.


    Gwendolyn, displeased with his action, pouted and insisted, ¡°I want to see what¡¯s so special about it.


    Let me take a look.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s displeasure was evident on his face as he lifted her in his arms. His deep voice carried a


    gentle tone. ¡°You¡¯re the youngest here, and what you¡¯ll see might not be appropriate for your age.


    Come, let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Gwendolyn wrapped her hands around his neck, not struggling or refuting.


    As they were about to walk out of the door. Cedrick halted, his tone icy as he addressed Wyatt. ¡°This is


    not the end of it. Just wait and see!¡±


    Wyatt and Emma called the housekeepers to disperse the journalists and stop them from taking photos


    |||


    r


    Chapter 291 Drama At The Ferguson Residence


    and videos.


    Overwhelmed by everything that was happening, Wyatt felt a splitting headacheing in. ¡°Cedrick,


    about this¡­¡±


    Cedrick ignored his attempts to exin and carried Gwendolyn away.


    Gwendolyn clung to his arm and turned to look at her brother, Treyton. Her gaze was filled with concern


    as she silently mouthed a few words to him.


    Treyton immediately understood what she said.


    She was telling him to keep an eye on Jennifer.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Treyton knitted his brows and went deep in thought for a moment.


    A sudden thought crossed his mind, prompting him to swiftly turn around and run in the opposite


    direction to look for Jennifer.


    Eloise stopped him from leaving. ¡°Trey, where are you going?¡±


    III

 Chapter 292

    Chapter 292


    Chapter 292 You Are Way Worse Than An Animal


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that! It¡¯s disgusting! Eloise, I won¡¯t let you off if youy a finger on Jennifer!¡±


    He shoved Eloise¡¯s hand away and rushed down the stairs.


    Eloise¡¯s face twisted with jealousy as she watched Trey¡¯s hasty departure.


    In a fit of anger, she smashed a colossal porcin vase along the corridor.


    She was well aware that after what just transpired, Sherman¡¯s reputation was utterly ruined while


    Gwendolyn escaped that fate, and the Fergusons were in big trouble.


    However, none of that mattered to her at this point.


    Since she had failed to destroy Gwendolyn, she was determined to ruin Jennifer!


    125 Bonus


    Meanwhile, Emma was handling the reporters gathered in Sherman¡¯s room while Wyatt attended to


    matters in the garden.


    Many guests had already departed even before the tower cake made its grand entrance as they were


    unable to endure the footage on therge screen.


    Eloise couldn¡¯t care about anything anymore as she hurried down the stairs and took a shortcut to get


    to Jennifer before Treyton.


    Moments ago, Jennifer had been clinking sses with her fellow members at the Papilio Girls¡®


    backstage room before she took a sip of fruit juice.


    However, within a matter of minutes, her body temperature began to rise. She tried her best to endure


    the difort, thinking that a trip to the washroom would alleviate it.


    As she walked along the corridor in a daze, leaning on the wall for support, a rugged man with an


    unkempt beard suddenly grabbed her and forcefully carried her away to the basement.


    Moans and groans could be heard emanating from behind the tightly shut door.


    Eloise hastily arrived with a camera and five bodyguards in tow, intending to capture apromising


    photo of Jennifer..


    However, she was met with profound disappointment when she opened the door.


    Jennifer stood against the wall, her eyes bloodshot, gripping a bloodstained metal rod in her hand.


    Despite the visible trembling, she was still standing strong.


    Her exquisite costume had been torn to tatters, but her gaze remained resolute. Instead of sumbing


    to distress, she emitted a fierce resolve, ready to fight till the end.


    Earlier, she had only taken a sip of the drugged beverage, so she was not particrly affected and was


    able to maintain a shred of herposure.


    ¡°What¡¯s the hold¨Cup? Why haven¡¯t youpleted the task?¡± Eloise felt her frustration reaching its


    peak.


    Everything seemed to be spiraling out of her controltely.


    The man whom Jennifer had fiercely beaten was slowly making his way toward her, but upon hearing


    Chapter 292 You Are Way Worse Than An Animal


    Eloise¡¯s voice, he abruptly changed course and limped toward Eloise instead.


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson, she¡¯s too strong. I can¡¯t take her down!¡±


    ¡°Useless piece of trash!¡±


    ÒÔ10%½´


    Eloise delivered a resounding p that left him disoriented. She then fixed a piercing re on Jennifer,


    who was backed into a corner, and instructed her bodyguards, ¡°All of you, have fun with her, and I¡¯ll


    reward everyone with one million each!¡±


    The bodyguards¡® eyes gleamed like feral beasts as they lunged at Jennifer at Eloise¡¯smand.


    ¡°Stay away from me! Ah!¡± Jennifer fiercely swung her metal rod, but she was outnumbered by the five


    bodyguards.


    In a matter of moments, her weapon was wrested from her grasp, plunging her into a torrent of fear and


    despair.


    Determined to avoid being vited by these vile men, she contemted biting her tongue to end her


    life.


    However, before she could act, Treyton swiftly intervened, kicking the bodyguards away and breaking


    their wrists before they could eveny a hand on her shoulder.


    Within seconds, all five bodyguardsy defeated on the ground, their agonized cries filling the room.


    Eloise, who was leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded, was caughtpletely off guard.


    She didn¡¯t even have time to react or witness how Treyton swiftly took down all of her bodyguards.


    Treyton crouched down, removed his jacket, and quickly draped it over Jennifer¡¯s trembling form. With


    urgency, he pried open her mouth to prevent any self¨Cinflicted harm. ¡°Jennifer, it¡¯s me! I¡¯m sorry I


    arrivedte!¡±


    Amidst the turmoil of her fight for survival, Jennifer found sce in the familiarity of Treyton¡¯s deep,


    baritone voice. Weary and drained, she surrendered herself to his embrace, allowing her tears to flow


    freely.


    As Treyton gently patted Jennifer¡¯s back, trying to soothe her, a tumultuous storm brewed within him.


    His eyes flickered dangerously, radiating an icy aura that betrayed his pent¨Cup emotions.


    Witnessing their closeness, Eloisepletely lost control.


    She stormed over, forcefully wrenching Treyton away, her face contorted with envy. ¡°How could you do


    this to me? Why? I¡¯ve loved you since our childhood. After much effort, I finally got the opportunity to be


    engaged to you, yet you¡¯ve rejected me time and time again. You always treat other women better than


    you treat me. Treyton, what gives you the right to treat me like this?¡±


    With each word, she struck Treyton¡¯s arm with all her might, consumed by fury and jealousy.


    Treyton remained motionless, a brewing storm in his eyes. Finally, he snapped and responded with a


    resounding p.


    Like a delicate princess, Eloise crumpled to the ground under the force of his fierce p.


    Her cheek flushed red as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.


    111


    O


    Chapter 292 You Are Way Worse Than An Animal


    Shocked and disoriented, she instinctively covered her face and eximed, ¡°You struck me? How dare


    you!¡±


    Treyton¡¯s eyes simmered with disdain as he regarded Eloise as if he had just swallowed a fly. ¡°I never


    lay hands on a woman, but you¡¯re nothing more than a feral beast!¡±


    With those words, he scooped up Jennifer, who was slowly losing consciousness, and walked out the


    door.


    ¡°Trey! Trey!¡± Eloise reached out to grab his pants but fell t on her face.


    She had no choice but to watch Treyton walk away with Jennifer in his arms.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Overwhelmed, she covered her head and screamed like a madwoman.


    Two weeks of meticulous nning had unraveled right before her eyes. It was enough to drive her


    crazy!


    Treyton swiftly settled Jennifer inside the car, instructing the driver to look after her while he headed


    back to the Ferguson residence.


    The atmosphere in the garden had somewhat calmed down, with Wyatt reluctantly swallowing his pride


    and apologizing to the remaining guests, trying to persuade them to stay. However, a considerable


    number had already departed.


    The once elegant birthday banquet had descended into chaos within moments, leaving each individual


    with their own distinct perspective on the unfolding events.


    Treyton stormed into the garden, striding toward the stage with determination. He picked up the


    microphone, his voice resolute and unwavering as he addressed the remaining guests without


    hesitation, ¡°I, Treyton Harris, hereby announce the cancetion of my engagement to Eloise Ferguson.


    Moreover, I am cutting off all business connections and affiliations with the Ferguson family. From now


    on, you¡¯re on your own, Fergusons!¡±


    With that, he tossed the microphone down and made his exit.


    As the microphone fell to the ground, an ear¨Cpiercing screech reverberated through the air.


    The serene garden was immediately plunged into chaos once again as the previously pacified guests,


    who had momentarily calmed down due to Wyatt¡¯s efforts, erupted into a frenzy ofmotion and


    confusion.


    Meanwhile, at the gate of the Ferguson residence, Cedrick emerged with Gwendolyn in his arms.


    Just as he was about to step into his car, Treyton¡¯s announcement caught his attention.


    Gwendolyn shed a thumbs up in approval. ¡°Impressive, Treyton! As expected of my brother!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s your sibling, after all.¡± Cedrick smiled and gently ced her in the backseat of the


    car.


    Gwendolyn scooted over to make room for Cedrick to join her.


    As the car door mmed shut, the cacophony of noise emanating from the Ferguson residence was


    abruptly silenced.


    Nico took the wheel and elerated toward Harrick Vi.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Unable to contain her curiosity about the earlier events, Gwendolyn turned to Cedrick and asked with a


    mischievous glint in her eyes, ¡°Ceddy, just now, when you were standing outside Sherman¡¯s room door,


    |||


    Sat,


    Chapter 292 You Are Way Worse Than An Animal


    how were you so sure I wasn¡¯t inside?¡±

 Chapter 293

    Chapter 293


    Chapter 293 Carried By Gwenny


    He sounded frail. Sticking his nose into the crook of Gwendolyn¡¯s neck, he tantly took in whiffs of her


    body scent, and very soon, he fell asleep.


    Gwendolyn held his back and patted him once in a while. She kept her eyes on the street lights outside


    the window and began to zone out.


    When Nico saw that Cedrick had fallen asleep, he slowed down the car and drove more steadily.


    After half an hour, they arrived at the Jenson residence.


    The Jenson residence was designed in such a way that all the cars had to be parked at a designated


    garage. The passengers then had to walk through a series of winding paths before arriving at the


    residential area.


    Cedrick was deep asleep. Due to atrophy, his stamina was worse than before.


    Gwendolyn could not bear to wake him up and nned to carry him back gently.


    Nico was stunned and reached out before saying, ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, why don¡¯t you let me do it?¡±


    ¡°No need she replied tersely before scooping Cedrick into her arms and walking toward Harrick Vi.


    Nico stared at her retreating figure in astonishment. It took him a while before he returned to his


    senses. Is this a case of role reversal where Boss is the princess being carried?


    He was utterly shocked!


    The sight of Cedrick¡¯s one¨Chundred¨Cand¨Ceighty¨Ceight centimeters tall body in Gwendolyn¡¯s arms


    brought about a sense of dissonance. Yet, at the same time, it looked right.


    Nico was truly happy for his boss.


    Holding back his tears, he jogged up to them.


    Since Gwendolyn was wearing high heels and Cedrick was heavier than her, it was a little difficult for


    her to carry him. Besides that, they had to walk through the winding paths to get to Harrick Vi.


    Nico spotted the sweat on her forehead and felt sorry for her. Even her heels were making loud noises.


    ¡°Ms. Gwendolyn, why don¡¯t I carry him instead?¡±


    There was no response from Gwendolyn. She took a few deep breaths before continuing to walk


    forward.


    Nico continued to persuade her to do otherwise. ¡°Mr. Jenson¡¯s condition doesn¡¯t affect his weight. He¡¯s


    quite heavy. If you continue to carry him, your arms will ache tomorrow. Why don¡¯t you let me take


    him?¡±


    Gwendolyn shushed him softly and looked down at Cedrick with heartache.


    ¡°I want to experience it for myself, so I know how someone like him with atrophy feels after carrying me


    all the way down from the Ferguson residence.¡±


    Nico was slightly stunned and touched to hear that.


    After a while, he decided to take Cedrick from Gwendolyn¡¯s arms and carried him on his back.


    ¡°You!¡±


    III


    O


    Chapter 293 Carried By Gwenny


    Nico smiled. ¡°To Mr. Jenson, you are more important than his life. If your arms ache tomorrow, he will


    be heartbroken and feel very guilty. So please, Ms. Gwendolyn, stop arguing with me.¡±


    It was easy for him to carry Cedrick, and he walked a lot faster than Gwendolyn. Gwendolyn ended up


    following behind him.


    After putting Cedrick on the bed, Nico left the vi.


    Gwendolyn sat on the bed and massaged her sore arms.


    Staring at Cedrick¡¯s handsome face, she lost herself in her thoughts again.


    Recently, she had read up on a lot of information.


    At present, the S404 RNA virus was illegal, and there was not much information on it, let alone an


    antidote.


    Cedrick had been taking the medicines prescribed by Joshua, but those medicines were only meant as


    supplements. Their effects were negligible, and they certainly were not able to treat Cedrick¡¯s illness.


    Perhaps it¡¯s time I consider Charles¡® method?


    What if he really does know how to cure Cedrick?


    She had mixed feelings and was very confused.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    In the end, she had no choice but to take the risk and give it a try as that was her only option now.


    That night, the Ferguson family became a trending topic online.


    Treyton had even made arrangements so that all top ten trending topics online had something to do


    with the Ferguson family.


    Wyatt did not sleep that night. He contacted the various public rtions departments to forcefully put a


    cap on the news but to no avail. In fact, the Fergusons became even more popr because of Treyton


    calling off the engagement and Sherman¡¯s scandal.


    Things reached such a level that, at one point, the rted websites went down due to the high traffic. It


    was even worse than the announcement of the love lives of celebrities.


    The following morning, misfortune befell Ferguson Group.


    Cedrick had terminated all coboration with Ferguson Group.


    As the head of the richest family in Chanaea, Cedrick was now the wealthiest man in the country.


    That made him an extremely influential man.


    With him leading, several otherpanies also cut off ties with Ferguson Group.


    The shares of Ferguson Group dropped drastically overnight.


    It was so bad that there did not seem to be any reprieve.


    The incident caused Wyatt to lose more than tens of billions.


    O


    18:56 Sat,


    Chapter 293 Carried By Gwenny


    Meanwhile, in the garden of the Ferguson residence, Sherman, who was finally sober, was being hung


    from the tree and whipped by his father. His body was covered with blood.


    Sherman¡¯s pained cries, inteced with the sound of the whip hitting flesh, were horrifically loud and


    terrifying.

 Chapter 294

    Chapter 294


    Chapter 294 Feeding Cedrick


    +35 Bunus


    In the living room of the Ferguson residence. Wyant sat on the couch, brows furrowed and eyes zing


    His fury showed no sign of diminishing. He closed his eyes, listening to the whipping sounds from the


    garden wordlessly


    Emma was clutching a handkerchief, her voice already hoarse from crying nonstop.


    Unfortunately. Wyatt was really incensed this time and took no notice of her pleas.


    As for Eloise, the p from the previous night had left half of her face swollen. It made it appear as


    though she had her mouth stuffed with food, which was quiteical. Her face was still wet with tears,


    and she looked rather pitiful.


    She had been kneeling on the cold, tiled floor of the living room for thest hour.


    Since she and Sherman were little. Wyatt had doted on them. Any little bump or scratch they had would


    make his heart ache for a long time. This time, however, he was merciless


    The solemn and unnerving atmosphere went on for another two minutes.


    As Sherman was hung up in the garden and whipped, his agonized cries gradually grew weaker. It


    seemed as though he would not be able to bear it much longer.


    Enduring the acute pain in her knees. Eloise shuttled over to her father on her knees and clutched at


    the hem of his pants Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pleaded with him. ¡°Have mercy on


    Sherman! He can¡¯t take much more. That b*tch, Gwendolyn, tricked him! How could you be so harsh to


    your children? You should help me deal with Gwendolyn and kill Jennifer!¡±


    He stared at her in shock. Enraged by her words, he yanked her hand away fiercely. ¡°How did I raise a


    daughter like you? Not only are you arrogant and imperious, but you also defy thew and twist the


    truth. You¡¯re also absolutely vicious, wanting to kill others at every turn. You¡¯re a menace!¡±


    After getting thrown to the floor, she stared at him in stunned silence for a moment. Then, she chuckled


    coldly. ¡°As if you weren¡¯t the one who taught me all that. You were the one who told me I¡¯d be able to


    progress more steadily and further if I handled matters ruthlessly. My only mistake was not doing that


    well enough.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Rage surged through him. He pointed a trembling finger at her, too furious to say anything-


    Eloise continued. ¡°If my n seeds, Sherman may be able to marry Gwendolyn. She has the


    inheritance rights to her family¡¯s fortune, so if she marries into our family, doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯ll all


    belong to us? We won¡¯t have to feel inferior because we¡¯re rankedst among the four prominent


    families. I did everything for the sake of our family, so you shouldn¡¯t treat Sherman and me like this.


    Besides, he didn¡¯t know anything about it. He doesn¡¯t deserve a whipp


    Wyatt snorted heavily. ¡°As the older brother and pride of the Ferguson family, it¡¯s bad enough that he


    didn¡¯t try to advise you. However, he even caused trouble with you. He should get beaten to death after


    humiliating our family like that!¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Wyatt simply looked away, unmoved.


    Just then, the housekeeper in the garden rushed inside. ¡°Mr. Ferguson. Mr. Sherman has passed out


    again. If we wake him up and continue the whipping. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll mean the end of him. Please have


    mercy on


    111


    O


    13


    Chapter 294 Feeding Cedrick


    him.¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Eloise and the sobbing Emma were rmed when they heard that.


    Although Wyatt had a slightly conflicted look in his eyes, he did not say anything.


    Emma¡¯s eyes shed with anger. She quickly grabbed the paring knife on the coffee table and pressed


    it against her neck.


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    ¡°Darling! What are you doing? Hurry up and put down the knife!¡±


    Wyatt and Eloise cried out at the same time.


    However, Emma did not lower the knife. Instead, she pressed it even closer, and a faint trace of blood


    seeped through the shallow cut it made on her neck.


    ¡°Wyatt Ferguson! That¡¯s our son whom I carried for ten months before giving birth to him! If you¡¯re


    going to beat him to death, I don¡¯t want to live either! You might as well kill me and our two children,


    then marry another woman and have kids with her!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t continue with the whipping. Put down the knife, and we can talk this out.¡± After


    hearing her threaten him with her life, he finally relented.


    The housekeeper carried Sherman to his bedroom. Worried about him, Eloise followed them upstairs to


    tend to his injuries.


    Soon, only the couple was left in the living room.


    Having blown off some steam, Wyatt was now calmly smoking a cigarette.


    Emma was racking her brains for a solution. ¡°At present, the only way to gain control over the


    downtrend in the stock market is to remove all the trending posts. As for Cedrick¡¯s end, let¡¯s wait for


    Sherman¡¯s injuries to heal before sending him to the Jenson residence to apologize personally. For Old


    Mr. Jenson¡¯s sake, Cedrick will surely let the matter slide. Once we¡¯ve dealt with that sticky situation,


    thepanies. who terminated their coborations with us will surely change their minds.¡±


    Needless to say, Wyatt knew how to handle the situation. Cedrick is in a fit of anger now. We¡¯ll only be


    able to deal with this in a few days after he calms down, so let¡¯s not talk about that now.


    He let out a long sigh. In a steady tone, he replied, ¡°If Treyton refuses to agree, removing the trending


    posts will be difficult. However, you saw what he¡¯s like. He dared to call off the engagement in front of


    everyone,pletely embarrassing our family.¡±


    Emma fell silent. Treyton¡¯s methods were a little extreme. It¡¯s evident he¡¯s just as furious as Cedrick, so


    there¡¯s no way he¡¯ll agree to that so easily.


    ¡°Dad, Treyton doesn¡¯t call the shots for the Harris family. It won¡¯t work if he¡¯s the only one who wishes


    to call off the engagement. Mr. Marcus has to agree to it.¡± Eloise had wiped away her tears and was


    descending the stairs gracefully. ¡°You once mentioned that Mr. Marcus owes you a favor. If you meet


    with him and ask for his help, I think he¡¯ll consider helping us to persuade Treyton. Besides, what do


    you think will happen if he finds out about Treyton and Jennifer?¡±


    Back then, she had used the same excuse to make Marcus ignore Treyton¡¯s objections and insist on


    proceeding with the engagement. As far as I¡¯m concerned, since Treyton and I aren¡¯t getting married,


    the favor


    III


    O


    Chapter 294 Feeding Cedrick


    hasn¡¯t been repaid yet. Hence, it¡¯s only reasonable to make some other small request.


    Wyatt looked grim as he remained silent. Perhaps I¡¯ve no choice but to set aside my ego and try that


    method.


    Over at Harrick Vi, Cedrick was awakened by the smell of oatmeal.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw Gwendolyn sitting beside him with a bowl of piping hot oatmeal in


    her hand. She was stirring it while blowing on it to cool it down.


    What a familiar scene.


    He seemed to recall that he and Gwendolyn had had a misunderstanding half a year ago because of


    Natasha. He had kneeled in the garden all night under the pouring rain. After Gwendolyn realized she


    had wrongfully used him, she also made oatmeal just like this and blew on it to cool it down. The


    only difference was that previously, she had viewed him as a target of revenge. Her eyes had been


    cold with no hint of pity. Now, her gaze was gentle, and her tender affection was evident in her every


    move.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Setting aside the bowl, she propped the pillow upright and helped him lean against the


    headboard.


    His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he asked, ¡°How did I get backst night? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d wake me


    up?¡±


    Gwendolyn picked up the bowl of oatmeal again, continuing to stir and blow on it. ¡°I had Nico carry you


    back. Seeing how soundly you were sleeping, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to wake you.¡± Scooping up a small


    spoonful of oatmeal, she held it to his lips. ¡°Here. Eat it slowly. Careful, it¡¯s hot.¡±


    Cedrick was stunned for two seconds. Then, he opened his mouth obediently.


    ¡°Why are you feeding me? Why the sudden attentiveness early in the morning?¡± It made him a little


    uneasy, and he could not help thinking something felt off.


    Gwendolyn lowered her gaze to hide the look in her eyes as she held out another spoonful. ¡°You


    worked hardst night, so think of this as your reward, okay?¡±


    Her reply rendered him speechless. Those words can easily cause one to misunderstand. All I did


    yesterday was carry her! I¡¯ve got to correct that response of hers!


    Hence, the pair fell into a heated debate about the term ¡°worked hard.¡± The bowl of oatmeal soon


    became empty as she fed it all to him.


    Gwendolyn arranged for Joanne to handle thepany¡¯s affairs for the day as she nned to spend


    the day at home with Cedrick.


    That afternoon, she loungedzily on the couch with her legs crossed, binge¨Cwatching dramas.


    Meanwhile, Cedrick had his head on herp while working away on his tablet.


    Suddenly, they heard the sound of someone knocking on the front door. It sounded very urgent.


    Elven was outside the door. ¡°Ms. Harris, bad news! Mr. Treyton and Mr. Marcus are arguing in the


    ancestral hall, and it doesn¡¯t sound good. You should quickly go back and check on the situation.¡±

 Chapter 295

    Chapter 295


    Chapter 295 Return Home To Support Treyton


    Gwendolyn immediately got up to open the door.


    ¡°What happened? How did they start arguing?¡±


    Elven panted heavily and replied, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson came over in the morning, and I don¡¯t know


    what they said to Mr. Marcus. Mr. Treyton is still angry about yesterday¡¯s matter, probably because of


    the engagement with Ms. Weller¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows.


    Did Dad find out about Treyton and Jennifer? Of course they would get into an argument because of


    that! I have to go back home now to make sure Treyton isn¡¯t at a disadvantage!


    ¡°Ceddy, I mighte backter at night,¡± she said to Cedrick as she put on her shoes.


    Cedrick got up, put his tablet down, and walked toward Gwendolyn.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s an important matter, I¡¯ming with you.¡±


    Gwendolyn immediately replied, ¡°This is a matter concerning the Harris family. It wouldn¡¯t be


    appropriate for you to go. Stay home, rest well, and remember to take your medicine!¡±


    Cedrick wasn¡¯t pleased about it but didn¡¯t say anything. He took a white coat from the coat hanger and


    helped Gwendolyn put it on.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost winter. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    Gwendolyn stood on tiptoe and nted a kiss on his cheek. Then, she and Elven hurried back to


    Mount Tranquil.


    The moment Gwendolyn reached the mountaintop, she spotted Jennifer pacing back and forth at the


    entrance of Marcus¡® vi anxiously.


    She got out of the car and walked over. ¡°Jennifer!¡±


    Upon hearing her voice, Jennifer immediately ran over to her.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, Mr. Marcus called Mr. Harris over during lunch, and they haven¡¯te out yet. They won¡¯t


    let me in, so I can only wait outside. I have no idea what¡¯s going on inside!¡±


    Gwendolyn grabbed Jennifer¡¯s hand and patted it gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here. I¡¯ll definitely help


    Treyton. I¡¯ll bring you in.¡±


    As Gwendolyn was there, the bodyguards didn¡¯t dare to stop them.


    As soon as Leif heard that Gwendolyn had returned, he hurriedly ran over from outside the ancestral


    hall to greet her.


    Gwendolyn asked him, ¡°Leif, where¡¯s Asher?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Asher and his wife aren¡¯t in Salinsburgh. I don¡¯t know when they will be back.¡±


    Gwendolyn¡¯s expression darkened. She suddenly thought about something and turned to look at Elven.


    III


    Chapter 295 Return Home To Support Treyton


    ¡°Go and contact Asher. If he doesn¡¯t pick up his calls, call Sienna and get Asher to return to


    Salinsburgh within these two days. I have something to discuss with him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Harris.¡± With that, Elven turned to carry out her order.


    Gwendolyn held Jennifer¡¯s hand and went straight to the entrance of the ancestral hall.


    The entrance to the ancestral hall was tightly closed. There was a sudden sound of a coffee cup


    shattering inside, indicating things were not going well.


    Gwendolyn furrowed her brows and was about to push the door open when Leif stopped her.


    ¡°Ms. Harris, although you can enter the ancestral hall, Ms. Weller can¡¯t enter because she isn¡¯t part of


    the family.¡±


    Jennifer didn¡¯t want to cause unnecessary trouble for Gwendolyn, so she uttered tactfully, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I


    don¡¯t need to go in. I¡¯ll wait for you outside the ancestral hall.¡±


    Gwendolyn nodded and didn¡¯t dy any further. She immediately pushed open the door to the


    ancestral


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    hall.


    In the ancestral hall, Marcus was sitting in the main seat, his chest heaving with anger and his eyes


    clouded with rage.


    At the side, Lori was sitting on a chair with an indifferent expression as if it had nothing to do with


    her.


    Treyton stood in the middle of the room with his back ramrod straight. He didn¡¯t think he had done


    anything wrong, so he refused to kneel on the ground no matter how much Marcus yelled.


    Coffee stained his expensive suit on his right shoulder. Marcus had used the coffee cup to strike at


    Treyton, which aligned with what Gwendolyn had heard outside.


    The yelling stopped once Gwendolyn entered the ancestral hall.


    Lori shot her a condescending and annoyed look before snickering softly.


    Marcus¡® expression softened. He asked gently, ¡°Why are you back? Did you return home to support


    Treyton?¡±


    ¡°Dad, what are you saying? Can¡¯t Ie back home?¡± As she spoke, she took out a wet tissue to wipe


    the coffee stains on Treyton¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Treyton, was the coffee hot? Did it scald you? Undo a few


    buttons, and let me see your shoulder.¡±


    Treyton shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s just warm coffee. It wasn¡¯t scalding hot. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Marcus huffed in dissatisfaction. He was slightly jealous.


    All Gwendolyn cared about after returning home was her brother. She didn¡¯t even ask about him.


    Hearing that, Gwendolyn immediately squatted by his feet, her crossed arms resting on his legs, which


    were covered with a nket. She lifted her face, smiling adorably.


    ¡°Dad, you have always been gentle and never lose your temper. What happened today? You were so


    angry that you even used a coffee cup to strike at Treyton.¡±


    Marcus was enraged upon thinking about it. He red at Treyton and said, ¡°He intended to break off


    the


    ?


    O


    Chapter 295 Return Home To Support Treyton


    engagement with the Ferguson family without seeking permission and even hooked up with a celebrity


    even though he was engaged. Wyatt had toe and humbly request me to persuade this b*stard not


    to deliberately oppose the Ferguson family and to remove the trending topic for them.¡±


    Treyton clenched his fists, causing his veins to bulge. ¡°I have been courteous enough to refrain from


    doing anything! How dare they ask me for help! Keep dreaming!¡±


    ¡°You-¡±


    Marcus choked and coughed violently, his countenance turning ck and purple from anger.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t get agitated. Treyton isn¡¯t an unreasonable person.¡± Gwendolyn immediately patted


    Marcus¡® back and shot a look at Treyton to tell him to stop adding fuel to the fire.


    Treyton¡¯s expression darkened, but he didn¡¯t say anything else.


    With Gwendolyn cating him, Marcus gradually calmed down.


    Just as she was about to mediate the situation, she noticed Lori from the corner of her eyes. ¡°You


    should leave. I have something to say to Dad and Treyton.¡±


    Lori, who had been gleefully watching the drama, was very displeased having been called out.


    ¡°Gwendolyn, are you chasing me away? I¡¯m part of the Harris family, so why can¡¯t I listen to this


    conversation?¡±


    Gwendolyn stared at her coldly. ¡°So what if you¡¯re part of the family? They¡¯re my father and brother. I


    want to have a private conversation with them. What¡¯s it to you?¡±


    Lori was unable to counter her argument, so she turned to Marcus for help. ¡°Hubby, did you hear


    her? She¡¯s saying I¡¯m an outsider. Aren¡¯t you going to say something?¡±


    However, Marcus was on Gwendolyn¡¯s side. ¡°She must have something she has to say to me privately.


    You should leave first. Don¡¯t worry. No one will dare to treat you as an outsider as long as I¡¯m here.¡±


    If Lori didn¡¯t leave after all that was said by Marcus, Gwendolyn would definitely mock her again.


    Lori had no choice but to leave. She mmed the door behind her.


    Once she was gone, Gwendolyn turned to look at Marcus.


    ¡°Dad, there¡¯s something you don¡¯t know. Treyton hates Eloise because she tried to kill me several times


    in Faike. However, the Ferguson family was able to help her cover up because of their influence¨Cand


    power. I didn¡¯t bring this up because I couldn¡¯t find enough evidence.¡±


    Marcus was shocked. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Dad.¡± Gwendolyn massaged his legs. ¡°Eloise took advantage of me chatting with Sherman and


    knocked me unconscious during her birthday banquetst night. She nned to tie me to Sherman¡¯s


    bed. If I hadn¡¯t been alert, the news headlines you saw during the day would have been about me!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Marcus widened his eyes and mmed his hand on the table in rage. ¡°Did the Ferguson family


    think they can deceive me on this because I¡¯m old?¡±


    That morning, Wyatt and his wife hade over but didn¡¯t mention a word about the reasons behind


    the misfortunes of their family. They had conveniently talked about Treyton calling off his engagement


    and


    III


    O


    Chapter 295 Return Home To Support Treyton


    affair, trying to shift all the me onto the Harris family.


    How evil of them!

 Chapter 296

    Chapter 296


    Chapter 296 Calling Off The Engagement


    Suddenly, Marcus recalled something that quelled his rage. ¡°You may not know about this, Honey, but


    Wyatt saved me when we were young, so I promised to help him. He¡¯s invoking the favor I owe him


    right


    now, so¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn knitted her eyebrows. ¡°How many times have you secretly helped the Ferguson family over


    the years, Dad? Besides, this isn¡¯t the first or second time Eloise has tried to harm me. You don¡¯t owe


    the Ferguson family anymore. If Treyton wants to call off the engagement, just let him do it. Do you


    want him to bring a vicious woman like Eloise home as a bride so she can bully me? You should ignore


    the Ferguson family¡¯s crisis and let fate decide their end. If they fail to ovee this obstacle, it¡¯s their


    fault when theirpany goes bankrupt and they¡¯re no longer an affluent family. Whatever bes of


    them has nothing to do with you.¡±


    Upon listening to her words calmly, Marcus earnestly thought about the matter and nodded. ¡°Very well.


    I¡¯ll do as you say. I can¡¯t believe Eloise tried to hurt you. The Ferguson family should be grateful that I¡¯m


    kindly abstaining from stacking more problems onto their tes.¡±


    In response, Gwendolyn grinned. While she seemed satisfied with her father¡¯s decision, she wasn¡¯t.


    Dad may have nothing to do with the Ferguson family anymore, but my grudge against Eloise can¡¯t be


    resolved. Soon, a storm will descend upon the Ferguson family and I can¡¯t wait to see it.


    Afterplimenting Marcus for a little longer, she sessfully calmed him down.


    Treyton stood silently and stared at the two of them coldly.


    Upon noticing that Treyton was standing at the side like a block of wood, Marcus said in a gentler tone,


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind you calling off the engagement, but I still won¡¯t agree to your marriage with Jennifer.¡±


    Treyton scowled. ¡°Are you going to pair me up with the daughter of another prestigious family?


    Marriage is something that¡¯llst for a lifetime. I will marry someone I love. I don¡¯t care if you want to


    pick another fianc¨¦e for me because I won¡¯t allow it!¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to piss me off?¡± Marcus¡® rage that had died down reignited. ¡°That little celebrity of yours


    is just an orphan with no background! Not to mention she didn¡¯t graduate from any distinguished


    institution. What are the benefits of you marrying her, huh? Do you want the Harris family to beughed


    at?¡±


    ¡°Benefits?¡± Treyton¡¯s temper sparked. ¡°Are we still talking about my marriage or a shopping trip? Even


    though you¡¯re so calctive, you ignored all our objections in the past and insisted on marrying Lori,


    who has absolutely nothing! Why is it that when you marry a mistress, it¡¯s all fine and dandy, but when


    I¡¯m trying to marry a wife I love, it¡¯s wrong? Oh wait, I know why. It¡¯s because you¡¯re a hypocrite!¡±


    Marcus pointed at Treyton with a trembling finger as he heaved violently, struggling to breathe. ¡°You


    b*stard!¡±


    If he weren¡¯t bound to his wheelchair, he would¡¯ve already pped Treyton twice.


    Since he couldn¡¯t hit his son, he became even more incensed. ¡°Leif! Whip this unfilial son of mine until


    he apologizes!¡±


    Treyton unbuttoned his coat and removed it. ¡°I¡¯ll never apologize. I dare you to beat me to death today


    so you can have the life you¡¯ve given me back! If there¡¯s a next life, I won¡¯t be your son again!¡±


    It had been more than two years since Marcus had tried engaging Eloise with Treyton. Because of that,


    the rtionship between the father and son had be stiff and never recovered.


    ||]]


    .


    Chapter 296 Calling Off The Engagement


    ¡°You insolent b*stard!¡± eximed Marcus, his eyes red. His countenance had turned ck and purple


    from anger.


    Leif hesitated and advised, ¡°You should calm down, Mr. Marcus. Mr. Treyton is-¡±


    Marcus glowered at him. ¡°Tie him up and whip him to death now! I don¡¯t care even if you kill him!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± Gwendolyn shot Leif a look, telling him to stand down.


    ¡°Are you going to disobey me, too?¡± Lowering his head, Marcus stared at his beloved daughter with a


    grimace.


    ¡°Of course not, Dad.¡± She patted his heaving chest to soothe his emotions.


    ¡°Treyton did cross the line a little with his words earlier, but it¡¯s only because he¡¯s irritated by Eloise¡¯s


    matter, Dad. He didn¡¯t mean to talk back to you. I apologize on his behalf.¡± As she smiled, she was


    secretly d that her elders were more open¨Cminded than other families. Thank goodness our family


    doesn¡¯t have the type of punishments the Jenson family delivers, like whipping people. Otherwise,


    Treyton will be in a lot of pain today.


    Marcus¡® breathing returned to normal after sheforted him.


    However, when he lifted his eyes, he saw Treyton still removing his shirt. The younger man was staring


    at his father half¨Cnaked as though he was openly challenging thetter¡¯s authority.


    ¡°Look at him! You apologized on his behalf for nothing because he doesn¡¯t regret his actions at all!¡±


    Abruptly, Marcus had a coughing fit.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Gwendolyn quickly looked back and red at Treyton. ¡°Stop messing around, and put your clothes


    back on. Dad will be heartbroken if you get sick with a cold.¡±


    She kept shooting him looks, requesting him to do as she said.


    Treyton was momentarily stunned. With a scowl, he put his clothes back on.


    Marcus scoffed, ¡°Like heck it¡¯ll happen. I won¡¯t shed a tear even if he dies of an illness. I should¡¯ve


    worn a condom back then so he would¡¯ve died as a sperm!¡±


    Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help but snicker and did her best to ease the tension. ¡°What are you saying, Dad?


    If he weren¡¯t born, you wouldn¡¯t have me, your considerate and adorable daughter.¡±


    ¡°True¡­¡± Marcus¡® tone softened. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll let this slide for your sake.¡±


    Yes! He¡¯s giving Treyton a way out. Delighted, Gwendolyn turned to her brother. ¡°Dad¡¯s not angry at


    you anymore, Treyton. Hurry up and thank him!¡±


    Treyton didn¡¯t respond.


    Seeing that Marcus was getting riled up again, Gwendolyn shifted her focus back to him. ¡°You¡¯re a kind


    father, Dad. You never hit or scolded us siblings. There¡¯s no need for you to be mad at Treyton.


    Perhaps he¡¯ll change his mind in a few days.¡±


    Her words once again appeased him. His expression rxed as he spoke sincerely. ¡°Remember this,


    Treyton. I¡¯ll never hurt you. I¡¯m more experienced than you, so I know what¡¯s best for you. It¡¯s for your


    own good to marry a woman of a simr background.¡±


    Treyton scoffed and was going to argue with his father again when Gwendolyn covered his mouth. ¡°Let


    ´¨


    Chapter 296 Calling Off The Engagement


    me handle Treyton, Dad. I¡¯ll definitely help you convince him!¡± Then she dragged Treyton out of the


    room by his arm and smiled at Marcus. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving now, Dad!¡±


    After the siblings left the ancestral hall, Treyton spoke up before Gwendolyn could. ¡°Back then, you


    insisted on marrying into the Wright family because you didn¡¯t want your life to be dictated by someone


    else. I¡¯m the same. This is non¨Cnegotiable for me. I won¡¯t allow him to decide who I marry.¡±


    Gwendolyn blinked. ¡°Who¡¯s saying I¡¯m persuading you to do as Dad says?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Didn¡¯t you just tell him you were going to do that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, Treyton. Trying to convince Dad to think otherwise when he¡¯s angry is a fool¡¯s errand. If


    you want him to agree to your marriage with Jennifer, you must take things slowly. Convince him she¡¯s


    a beautiful, nice, kind¨Chearteddy and not a conniving woman who only wants to be the wife of a


    wealthy man. Use a roundabout approach to make him agree to your marriage. That¡¯s what you¡¯re


    good at!¡±

 Chapter 297

    Chapter 297


    Chapter 297 Take Responsibility


    Treyton fell into silence before blowing out a long breath. ¡°You¡¯re right. Dad¡¯s stubborn. Convincing him


    to change his mind is harder than flying.¡±


    ¡°That makes it worth the challenge. Are you scared, Treyton?¡± Gwendolyn pped him on the


    shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help put in a few words for you. Plus, he may be able to control who you


    marry, but he can¡¯t control who you date. Just do what you want, but keep a low profile.¡±


    Treyton mulled over the wisdom in her words.


    The pair chatted as they walked and arrived at the ancestral hall entrance sooner than expected.


    Gwendolyn suddenly stiffened in shock as she stared at the empty doorway.


    I forgot someone!


    She eximed, ¡°Oh no! I was so absorbed in our chat that I forgot about Jennifer. Why didn¡¯t I see her


    while we were heading to the door? She said she would wait for you at the entrance to the ancestral


    hall!¡±


    Treyton knitted his brows and asked, ¡°Did she follow us here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She said she was worried about you.¡± Gwendolyn wondered if she should turn back to find


    Jennifer. ¡°She never breaks her promise. She wouldn¡¯t have left unless she saw you. Unless¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn trailed off


    and met Treyton¡¯s gaze.


    Both their expressions grew somber as their thoughts arrived at the same conclusion.


    Treyton turned around first and sprinted in the direction of his vi.


    Gwendolyn was not far behind as they headed down from the summit to the halfway point.


    They were just pushing open the iron gates to the vi when Jennifer walked out with her luggage.


    Treyton strode forward and asked, ¡°Why did you pack your luggage?¡±


    Jennifer lowered her head and replied somewhat guiltily, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have imposed on your kindness,


    Mr. Harris. Almost a month has passed since Walter¡¯s cheating scandal, and I¡¯m sure theizens have


    long forgotten about it. It¡¯s time for me to move back to my ce.¡±


    Treyton grasped her wrist and yanked the luggage out of her grip. ¡°I disagree!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Harris, you have no right to stop me from leaving. You¡¯ve sessfully broken off your engagement


    to Ms. Ferguson, so our contract is void!¡± Jennifer¡¯s annoyance seeped through her words.


    This was the first time she had said such harsh things to him.


    Treyton pursed his lips, a frosty expression on his face. After some thought, he asked, ¡°Did Lori say


    something to you when she left the ancestral hall?¡±


    Jennifer did not bother to hide the truth and confessed, ¡°She was absolutely right. We belong to


    different


    worlds. I¡¯ll never be a good match for you. I¡¯m just a fake lover you hired for a job. It was improper for


    me to develop feelings for you, and I should not hold you back from meeting a woman deserving of


    you. I¡ª¡±


    Her protests were cut off by Treyton, who closed the distance between them, pulled her head to his,


    and poured his apologies into a passionate kiss.


    ?


    <


    Chapter 297 Take Responsibility


    The atmosphere became tinged with an intimate mood.


    That was the scene Gwendolyn witnessed when she barged into the vi grounds.


    +26 Bonus


    She smiled in relief and shook her head. Her footsteps instantly felt lighter as she silently took her


    leave.


    Jennifer broke free from the overpowering kiss first.


    Treyton hurriedly exined, ¡°I fell for you first. In fact, I should be the one apologizing. Last night¡­


    when you were intoxicated, I shouldn¡¯t have done that to you. But 1¡­¡±


    The night before, when he brought Jennifer back to the vi, the only thing on his mind was to help her


    get a quick shower and give her some medication to relieve her pain.


    He never expected her topletely fall under the influence of the drug and attempt to seekfort


    with his body.


    Treyton hated how he had given in so easily to his lust.


    He had been celibate for years, yet Jennifer had obliterated his restraints.


    Recollections of their deeds fromst night instantly filled Jennifer¡¯s mind.


    She blushed in embarrassment.


    ¡°L¨CLast night was an ident. Don¡¯t think too much of it, Mr. Harris. I¨CI will never use it against you as


    emotional ckmail or anything. Let¡¯s just¡­ pretend it never happened!¡±


    Indignance was written all over Treyton¡¯s face as he used, ¡°You! You immoral woman! Aren¡¯t you


    going to take responsibility for me after bedding me?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Jennifer was puzzled.


    What is he saying?


    It escaped her imagination that the elegant and well¨Cmannered Treyton would utter such shameless


    words.


    Jennifer¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She mustered all her courage and asked haltingly, ¡°Wasst night¡­


    also your first time, Mr. Harris?¡±


    Treyton¡¯s expression shuttered while his ears turned bright red, betraying his mortification.


    He mumbled, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Well, since it was a first for both of us, let¡¯s consider it canceled out?¡± Jennifer barely managed to


    voice her suggestion and attempted to slink away.


    Her n was foiled by Treyton, who locked his hand behind her neck and demanded, ¡°Where are you


    running off to? I¡¯m not some promiscuous man. Since we¡¯ve slept together, I¡¯ll take responsibility for


    you forever.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°No buts!¡± His gaze looked unusually determined. ¡°I vow to sweep away all obstacles in our rtionship


    from now on. You¡¯ll never be alone again. I¡¯ll love and cherish you so you can focus wholeheartedly on


    ?


    Chapter 297 Take Responsibility


    building your career in showbiz and chasing the happiness you desire!¡±


    Jennifer looked at him in a daze, moved by his romantic deration.


    She once believed her heart would forever be closed to any man after Walter cheated on her, but


    Treyton had somehow slipped in despite her defenses.


    Love and family were things she had never dared to dream of.


    Jennifer sniffled and muttered, ¡°Can you not be so good to me?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Treyton cradled her face gently and awaited her reply.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡±


    I¡¯m scared I¡¯ll fall deeper in love with you and fail to pull myself out before it¡¯s toote. I¡¯m scared my


    emotions will take a worse battering from Walter¡¯s cheating, and it¡¯ll sink me further into despair.


    Treyton appeared to have guessed her thoughts. He chuckled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not Walter. I,


    Treyton Harris, never go back on my promises!¡±


    Jennifer repressed the urge to burst into sobs and reminded him solemnly, ¡°But Mr. Harris, are you sure


    you want to be with me? I¡¯ve no idea what my parents look like. My earliest memories are of my days at


    the orphanage in Faike, and they have no information on my family background. I¡¯m an abandoned


    child. My birth was a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Abandoning you was their loss. I¡¯ll treasure you from now on.¡± Treyton held her hand, nted a tender


    kiss on it, and looked at her earnestly. ¡°I¡¯d like to sign a new contract with you, Ms. Weller. This time,


    the contract deadline is up to you.¡±


    Jennifer was utterly dumbstruck.


    He was basically giving her the reins to direct their rtionship, allowing her to back out if she lost


    interest.


    Is he doing all this to give me a sense of security?


    The chilling breeze ofte autumn suddenly felt like a warm caress to Jennifer.


    Treyton was the source of that warmth.


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn was already in a car headed away from Mount Tranquil.


    She looked back several times at her rapidly retreating surroundings with mixed emotions in her chest.


    If only Cedrick and I could be like Asher and Sienna or Treyton and Jennifer, leading healthy, peaceful


    lives filled with love. That would be wondrous.


    An uncharacteristically despondent gaze appeared in her eyes for the first time.


    Just then, her phone rang with a call, disturbing her gloomy thoughts.


    It was a call from Asher,


    ¡°Kiddo, I heard Elven mention that you were looking for me.¡±


    O


    1857 Sat Juns


    Chapter 297 Take Responsibility


    Gwendolyn inhaled deeply and replied. ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Asher checked his schedule and said. ¡°I¡¯m upied for a couple of days and won¡¯t be able to return to


    Salinsburgh immediately. Why don¡¯t you tell me about it over the phone? I¡¯ll help you out once I have


    time¡±


    ¡°Thanks Asher.¡± Gwendolyn paused for a long moment before saying, ¡°I hope you can help me to bail


    Charles out of the maximum¨Csecurity prison!¡±


    Her request rendered Asher speechless.


    He did not seem to anticipate such a request from her.

 Chapter 298

    Chapter 298


    Chapter 298 Testing My Patience


    Three hourster, in the evening, Gwendolyn returned to Harrick Vi.


    As soon as she opened the door, Cedrick saw her carrying bags of various sizes. These bags could


    easily stack up to a height taller than an average person.


    ¡°D¨CDid you just rob a mall?¡±


    Gwendolyn shed an awkward grin.¡°You need to understand what a girl wants. Besides, there are


    discounts and buy¨Cone¨Cfree¨Cone and buy¨Ctwo¨Cfree¨Cthree deals everywhere in the mall. How can I


    resist? I bought them because they were quite cheap.¡±


    Cedrick froze for a moment before exposing her lie. ¡°You¡¯re not poor. Why would you care about those


    marketing gimmicks in the mall?¡±


    Gwendolyn refuted, ¡°What nonsense is that? This has nothing to do with me being rich or poor. If I can


    get them at a lower price, why should I buy them at full price? I¡¯m a frugal spender, okay?¡±


    Cedrick was impressed. ¡°Gwenny, I like that you¡¯re careful with your spending. I have no doubt you¡¯ll


    make an excellent wife who can take care of the family¡¯s finances!¡±


    Gwendolyn chuckled in amusement upon hearing that. ¡°All right, enough with the sweet talk. Come and


    help me unpack these. I bought lots of winter attire for you.¡±


    He stared at all the exquisite shopping bags in disbelief. ¡°Y¨CYou bought all these for me?¡±


    Gwendolyn arched her brows and casually fibbed, ¡°Well, most of them were buy one, get one free, and


    there was a fifty¨Cpercent off sale. I may have identally bought too many because I haven¡¯t seen you


    wear this style much.¡± As she spoke, she picked a light¨Cgray sweater from the bag and passed it to


    him. ¡°Here. Put this on and see if it fits.¡±


    Cedrick frowned, refusing to ept the sweater from her. ¡°I don¡¯t wear this kind of sweater during


    winter, especially a turtleneck one!¡±


    ¡°From now on, you have to because I¡¯m with you. You have to keep yourself warm. You have a nice


    model¨Clike body, so I¡¯m sure everything you wear will fit you like a glove.¡± She nudged his waist several


    times while holding the sweater. ¡°Go and put it on. This is my first time buying clothes for a man. How


    could you turn me down?¡±


    Despite having a smile on her face, she was gritting her teeth when she uttered thest sentence with


    a hint of threat.


    Cedrick sighed and epted the sweater. He then remove his shirt and put on a knitted garment.


    Not long after, Gwendolyn handed him another dark gray wool coat, and once again, Cedrickplied


    and put it on.


    Then, Gwendolyn personally helped him wrap the new scarf she bought around his neck.


    Without his usual formal attire, Cedrick now appeared less domineering. Like an artistic teenager, he


    had be more approachable,


    His face was remarkably exquisite, with features so handsome that they surpassed those of an


    ordinary young man.


    111


    Chapter 298 Testing My Patience


    Feeling satisfied, Gwendolyn pinched his checks affectionately. ¡°You look dashing. Ceddy, you must


    dress like this from now on. I¡¯m tired of seeing you all suited up.¡±


    Gedrick lowered his head, examining his appearance. Suddenly, a fearful idea crossed his mind,


    causing his heart to race. ¡°Gwenny, please don¡¯t tell me you bought me a down coat.¡±


    He would never wear those bulky clothes that would make him appear puffed up.


    As his anxiety continued to escte, Cedrick could not help but notice that Gwendolyn proceeded to


    unpack the remaining shopping bags,


    She retrieved two long down coats from the bags, which appeared as puffy as fermented buns. Both


    coats were ck but had different styles.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Gwendolyn said, ¡°You indeed know me very well, Ceddy. Not only did I buy you some down coats, but I


    also bought some autumn clothes, thick cotton pants, and thick cotton socks. Oh! There are also two


    ck fox fur coats. They¡¯re super warm and perfect for the coldest snowy days.¡±


    She kept talking without a pause. Cedrick felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His face turned


    paler with each passing moment.


    Autumn clothes, down coats, and thick cotton pants were all his biggest nightmares. I will not wear


    them. Over/my dead body! No way!


    Yet, that was not the only thing he needed to tolerate.


    Gwendolyn continued, ¡°Come here, Ceddy. I bought these clothes in pairs. You have to put them on for


    me to take photos of them!¡±


    Once again, Cedrick was thunderstruck. Not only does she want me to wear them, but she also wants


    to take photos of me wearing them. She might as well kill me!


    His chest tightened with an oppressive weight. He fixed his gaze fiercely upon the mound of shopping


    bags and clenched his teeth in frustration. ¡°Are you testing my patience?¡±


    Gwendolyn sat on the couch, crossed her legs, and folded her arms. With an elegant yet rebellious


    demeanor, she tapped her arm and gazed into his eyes. ¡°Yes, I am. Are you going to put them on or


    not?¡±


    Cedrick stared at her with his cold, dark eyes.


    A minuteter, Cedrick gave up. ¡°Yes, of course. I¡¯ll wear them. When I¡¯m with you, there are no


    boundaries or limits that can hold me back.¡± He smiled and added softly, ¡°It¡¯ll be my pleasure to wear


    them since you bought them for me.¡±


    Gwendolyn burst intoughter and stood up, giving him a yful peck on the lips. She then took his


    hand and led him back to the bedroom, carrying all the new winter clothes with them.


    After turning on the heater in the room, she sat on the edge of the bed with her camera, enjoying


    Cedrick¡¯s performance of undressing and putting on the new clothes. With each movement he made,


    she captured his moments of awkwardness and chilly demeanor.


    To Cedrick, the entire process was torturous, but Gwendolyn enjoyed every moment of it.


    She shamelessly indulged in admiring his handsome face and perfect physique, asionally


    transforming into a mischievous temptress, yfully pinching his abs and teasing him without


    reservation.


    Chapter 298 Testing My Patience


    The torturested for nearly half an hour, and it finally came to an end when Cedrick was done putting


    on all the clothes.


    Gwendolyn sat leisurely in the middle of the bed, cross¨Clegged, flipping through the camera, engrossed


    in admiring the private photos she had just taken. She looked particrly focused, and a subtle delight


    shimmered in her eyes.


    Cedrick rested his chin on her shoulder and embraced her from the back, looking exhausted. ¡°Gwenny,


    I¡¯ve worn the down coat and the cotton pants. Considering how hard I¡¯ve worked, could you give me a


    little reward tonight?¡±


    His voicecked strength, soft and pitiful as if he was seeking sympathy from her.


    After setting aside the camera, Gwendolyn turned around, grabbed his shoulder, and pulled him into


    her embrace, allowing him to lean in with his head resting on her shoulder.


    Cedrick gently tugged at the silky fabric of her blouse, a silent plea for understanding andfort.


    In a gentle voice, Gwendolyn asked, ¡°What kind of reward do you want?¡±


    His face brightened, but before he could speak, Gwendolyn added, ¡°I can give you anything except for


    moving in and sleeping together.¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s expression turned deste. ¡°You knew that¡¯s exactly what I wanted¡­¡±


    Gwendolyn caressed his face and kissed his eyes. ¡°Be good.¡±


    He snorted softly, sulking in silence.


    This time, Gwendolyn did not console him like she usually did.


    Instead, she concealed her concern and said earnestly. ¡°I may be a bit busy with work at Angletely. I


    may not be able to video call you during lunch to supervise your medication, and I maye home


    later than usual. Maybe¡­¡±


    Cedrick looked up and gazed into her eyes. ¡°Maybe what?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go to bed, shall we?¡±


    Cedrick held onto her tiny waist, refusing to let go. He frowned aggrievedly. ¡°How can I sleep when you


    haven¡¯t fulfilled the reward you promised me!¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    He thought earnestly, concealing the mischievous sparkle in his dark eyes as he gently nuzzled her


    neck. ¡°Changing clothes is truly tiring. See, I¡¯m all sweaty now. How about you lend me a hand with a


    rxing bath?¡±


    ?

 Chapter 299

    Chapter 299


    Chapter 299 Asking For It


    Gwendolyn felt a lump in her throat.


    He had changed his clothes earlier, but at least he was still wearing his underwear.


    Gwendolyn could feel her heart pound.


    Taking a bath means he will have to be naked! I can¡¯t guarantee that a pervert like myself can hold


    back!


    She was trying toe up with an excuse to refuse when Cedrick said, ¡°It¡¯s just a bath. I¡¯ll feel horrible


    if you don¡¯t agree, Gwenny. My chest is going to hurt again!¡±


    He appeared mncholy as he spoke, pouting and holding his hand over his chest.


    Gwendolyn sighed helplessly. Ever since it became impossible for him to hide his disease, Cedrick


    became more and more at ease ying the pitiful card.


    Frustratingly, Gwendolyn would fall for it from time to time.


    ¡°Stop acting already. I¡¯ll get the bath ready.¡±


    The man smirked, having gotten his way.


    Gwendolyn went into the bathroom and increased the temperature of the heater. She filled the tub with


    water and added the body wash to it.


    Once everything was warm and prepared, Gwendolyn shouted, ¡°You cane in now! The bath is


    ready.¡°¡°¡±


    Cedrick strode into the bathroom. He was wearing the new cotton robe Gwendolyn had bought him.


    The woman tested the water temperature again, and it was just nice.


    Turning back, she saw Cedrick still standing there nkly like a blockhead.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking off your clothes?¡±


    He raised his arm a little, and his fingers hung limply. With a piteous look, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t have


    strength in my arms¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh! Look at how delicate you¡¯re acting!¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s face darkened, and she stripped him naked the


    next instant. ¡°I¡¯ll spoil you now since you¡¯re sick. Go on and continue with your act, then. Just you wait.


    We¡¯ll see what happens once you¡¯re all well,¡± she said through gritted teeth.


    Cedrick slumped weakly against her when he heard that. With his chin on her shoulder, he said feebly,


    ¡°You¡¯re being mean to me. I might not get well any time soon¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Gwendolyn red at him.


    The man hissed in pain as he buried his face in her shoulder, quietly swallowing the bitterness he was


    feeling.


    Gwendolyn straightened him up and held his face in her hands. ¡°I¡¯m here, Cedrick. You mustn¡¯t have


    any thoughts of giving up on your life no matter what!¡± she emphasized with a serious look in her eyes.


    Chapter 299 Asking For It


    I¡¯ll make sure he lives healthily. I don¡¯t care what I have to do to achieve that.


    Cedrick felt dejected.


    Sensing his sorrow, Gwendolyn pressed a kiss on his lips and said, ¡°I know how amazing you are. Why


    don¡¯t you prove it to me once you¡¯re all better?¡±


    He didn¡¯t say a thing, but at least he felt a little better than before.


    Gwendolyn helped him into the tub filled with bubbly water and wet his shoulders and neck, covering


    his honey¨Ccolored skin with foam.


    ¡°Stay in here for fifteen minutes. I¡¯lle and scrub your backter.¡±


    She dried her hands with a towel and tried to leave, but Cedrick grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled


    her toward him.


    ¡°It¡¯ll only be warm if we bathe together.¡±


    Gwendolyn was not prepared for his strength and fell behind into the tub.


    With Cedrick¡¯s hand acting as a buffer, Gwendolyn didn¡¯t cause a huge ssh when she fell into the


    water.


    However, the water in the tub started to overflow since there were two people in the tub now.


    Gwendolyn looked down at her silk robe, now soaking wet. She gritted her teeth and red at him.


    ¡°Cedrick! You¡¯re really asking for it, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Cedrick leaned backwardzily and rested his hands on the sides of the bathtub, his legs wide open.


    He had a look on his face that seemed to say, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you to teach me a lesson.¡±


    ¡°Being able to be taught a lesson in the bathroom by you is romantic in its own way, Gwenny.¡±


    Cedrick raised a brow and had a sly smirk on his face as he spoke.


    However, Gwendolyn merely rolled her eyes at him.


    Has he really no shame?


    Seeing that she was ignoring him, Cedrick looked down and pinched his abs.


    He confirmed that he still had them, and they were eight¨Cpack abs too.


    Then why¡­


    Cedrick felt a little aggrieved. ¡°Gwenny, I still taste as good as before. You¡¯ve been abstinent for so


    long. Don¡¯t you want a taste of it?¡±


    Mist rose from the tub, giving his face a dewy glow.


    His firm honey¨Ccolored body was covered in bubbles. Water droplets dotted his eyshes as he stared


    at Gwendolyn with eyes full of expectation.


    Not wanting to look at him, Gwendolyn shut her eyes close and took a deep breath.


    |||


    r


    Chapter 299 Asking For It


    I knew he¡¯d start feeling restless the moment he got the chance. I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to help him


    bathe. I almost fell for his tricks again!


    She kept reminding herself about the situation at hand.


    Cedrick is sick! He¡¯s sick! He¡¯s sick! I can¡¯t touch him! I must not tarnish him!


    Cedrick didn¡¯t stay idle either while she took deep breaths and tried to calm herself down.


    His hands that were hidden under the foam slowly made their way toward Gwendolyn, wandering,


    stroking, and teasing her.


    Gwendolyn¡¯s eyshes quivered. Her ears reddened as he continued to tease her.


    ??????


    She tolerated him as much as she could, and she just couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.


    ¡°Cedrick! Should I break those restless hands of yours?¡±


    Gwendolyn turned around and took the wooden bath brush from the shelves. Fury burned in her eyes


    as she red at him threateningly.


    Ten minutes passed, and the air in the bathroom turned foggy from the hot water. The atmosphere


    around them had be a little unusual.


    Gwendolyn put down the wooden brush and let out a heavy sigh.


    She had just given Cedrick a beating, and he was finally behaving. She could finally be at ease.


    However, Cedrick did not feel as good as she did.


    He stared at his swollen and red palms and carefully blew on them.


    Gwendolyn merely took a cold nce at his hands and went back to scrubbing his back.


    This was the first time she had notforted Cedrick after giving him corporal punishment.


    Frustration brewed in his chest, making him feel extremely unpleasant.


    Refusing to ept his fate, Cedrick raised his arms slightly to show Gwendolyn his palms with an


    aggrieved look in his eyes.


    He was silentlyining that he was in pain.


    A scowl appeared on Gwendolyn¡¯s face. She acted as if she didn¡¯t understand him and red at him.


    ¡°Did you not have enough? Should I give you another twenty hits?¡±


    With that said, the woman acted as though she was about to grab the brush.


    1


    Cedrick instantly retracted his arms and hid them under the water. He then obediently lowered his head


    and stayed motionless.


    A horde of emotions tormented him at that moment.


    Why can¡¯t I win against her? Now, of all times?


    Gwendolyn had no idea what he was thinking, but she was relieved to see that he wasn¡¯t feeling


    restless


    III


    Chapter 299 Asking For It


    anymore.


    It really is better when he¡¯s acting all obedient like this.


    When she was done scrubbing his back, Gwendolyn cast a nce at the shampoo beside them. She


    squeezed some of it into her hands,thered it, and spread it in Cedrick¡¯s hair.


    She was rough with her hands while she shampooed his hair.


    ¡°Be gentle,¡± Cedrick said with a frown.


    His words displeased Gwendolyn. ¡°You¡¯re even ordering me around now? This is the only option you


    have. Forget it if you don¡¯t like it!¡±


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°All right, all right¡­¡±


    Cedrick had no choice but to hold back his frustrations and endure her ufortable strength,


    allowing her to

 Chapter 300

    Chapter 300


    Chapter 300 Who Is Pushing The Limits Now


    After some time, Gwendolyn shook her wrist, trying to alleviate the soreness that had settled in. She


    had never realized that taking a bath could be so exhausting.


    She was alsopletely soaked even though Cedrick was supposed to be the one taking a bath.


    Despite her frustration, Gwendolyn swallowed it down and assisted Cedrick in getting out of the


    bathtub.


    Once she dried the water from his body, she led him to the dry tiled floor and tossed the bathrobe at


    him. ¡°Put it on yourself!¡±


    Cedrick stood still and refused to reach out to take the robe. The robe slipped from his face and fell to


    the ground.


    ¡°I can¡¯t move my arms, and my hands are in pain,¡± he uttered. I can¡¯t dress myself!


    Gwendolyn red at his feeble state and ground her teeth in frustration. She was about to explode in


    rage. Who¡¯s pushing the limits now, huh?


    Confronted by Cedrick¡¯s persistent self¨Cpity and his attempts to push her limits, Gwendolyn gave him a


    stern gaze. ¡°You¡¯ve got one minute to pick up your robe, put it on immediately, and fetch me a clean


    one. If you dare to exceed the time limit, I¡¯ll make sure you experience the consequences of the rules I


    established before. And I might consider not feeding you medicine anymore!¡±


    Cedrick swallowed the fluid lodged in his throat. His knees began to ache, and his hands throbbed with


    increased pain. She might not want to feed me medicine anymore? No! I can¡¯t ept that!


    While cleaning herself, Gwendolyn started counting down. ¡°You have fifty¨Ceight seconds left!¡±


    Cedrick¡¯s body tensed up as he swiftly retrieved the robe, and deftly secured it around himself. He then


    opened the door, slipped on his slippers, and hurried to the adjacent wardrobe to fetch a clean robe for


    her.


    ¡°Ten, nine, eight¡­¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s countdown echoed in the bathroom. She sounded like an emotionless


    timekeeping machine.


    As the countdown reached the final second, Cedrick urately hung the robe on the bathroom rack.


    Gwendolyn nced at him and yfully remarked, ¡°Well, it seems you do have the potential to meet


    my expectations. Not bad, Ceddy!¡±


    Cedrick kept mum.


    Gwendolyn saw through all of Cedrick¡¯s little schemes. In other words, none of his tricks worked.


    Frustrated to the core, he forcefully mmed the bathroom door shut, releasing all his pent¨Cup


    annoyance onto it.


    Gwendolyn gazed at the sulking man behind the closed door, sighing softly and wearing a smile tinged


    with a touch of helplessness.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Two dayster, Salinsburgh transitioned into winter. Gloomy clouds covered the sky, and rain started to


    fall.


    The cold wind, apanied by a light drizzle, caused the temperature to drop by approximately ten


    JU


    Chapter 300 Who Is Pushing The Limits Now


    degrees Celsius.


    People walking on the streets were shivering in the chilly weather.


    The heavy iron gate of the high¨Csecurity prison creaked open, releasing a deep, resonating sound.


    Charles had changed out of his prison uniform and was now dressed in a neat yet lightweight white


    shirt.


    He clutched a ck bag tightly in his arms containing the few clothes he possessed during his time in


    prison.


    The prison guard observed as Charles moved at a sluggish pace and gently pushed him through the


    iron. gate. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve been given parole, take this opportunity to turn over a new leaf!¡±


    Charles stumbled, taking a few unsteady steps before abruptly raising his head to face the somber sky,


    letting the frigid raindrops cascade down on his face.


    His weary and weathered face gradually broke into a faint smile. Turn over a new leaf? Yes. This marks


    the new beginning of my life!


    Suddenly, a ck van emerged from the end of the road and pulled up in front of him.


    William and Quinton got down, covering his mouth and forcefully pushing him into the back seat.


    Charles let out a muffled groan as he mmed his knees harshly against the seat.


    As he lowered his head, he caught a glimpse of a pair of delicate high heels.


    His heart filled with joy as he nced up and saw Gwendolyn seated beside him. They were separated


    by a table.


    On her exquisite and charming face, her eyes emitted a profound sense of indifference and disgust.


    Charles held his knee and moved onto the seat. ¡°It¡¯s been over half a month since west met, and


    you¡¯re still as stunning as ever, Gwen. My heart skipped a beat when I saw you.¡±


    Gwendolyn stifled her revulsion and got straight to the point, unwilling to entertain his nonsense.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the medicine?¡±


    ¡°What medicine?¡±


    Gwendolyn knitted her brows, exuding an icy aura.


    She drew out a pistol, loaded it, and pressed it against his forehead. ¡°Are you ying me? If I can get


    you out of prison, I can send you back!¡±


    She pressed the muzzle of the gun against Charles¡® head with force, causing his head to tilt slightly.


    ¡°Calm down, Gwen. I¡¯ll keep my promise. We agreed that if you bailed me out, I¡¯d provide you with the


    antidote to help with his viral infection. But I don¡¯t have it with me at the moment since I just came out


    of prison.¡±


    Gwendolyn kept the gun pointed at him, her voice aloof as she asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the medicine? Take me


    there.¡±


    Charles chuckled lightly. ¡°I can¡¯t do that. If I take you there, I¡¯ll be revealing my trump card. I¡¯m still


    ?


    O


    18.38 Sat,


    Chapter 300 Who Is Pushing The Limits Now


    hoping that you¡¯ll marry me.¡±


    His remarks made Elven and the other bodyguards feel ufortable. They wished they could beat


    that despicable man to a pulp right away.


    Gwendolyn looked away and kept mum for a moment. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Charles nced at the drizzling rain outside the window, his eyes filled with indifference. ¡°Do you have


    a pen?¡±


    Gwendolyn gave Elven a signal with her eyes.


    Elven took out a pen from the pocket of his suit, found a piece of scrap paper in the car, and passed


    them to Charles.


    After taking the pen and paper, Charles wrote down a contact number. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you using this


    number before tomorrow night. Follow my instructions ande to the designated location to collect


    the antidote.¡±


    Gwendolyn carefully scrutinized the number, her cold gaze revealing no emotions. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare y


    any tricks. If you do, I swear you¡¯ll suffer more than death!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. As long as I can obtain what I desire, you¡¯ll certainly get what you seek too, Gwen.¡± He


    smiled, gently shoving the pistol aside.


    Gwendolyn holstered her gun and passed it to Elven. ¡°Where do you intend to go now? Are you


    heading back to the Newton residence?¡±


    Observing the surroundings with his serene deep blue eyes, Charles replied, ¡°No. Just pull over on the


    side of the road. I have some matters to attend to.¡±


    Ezra, who was driving the car, stopped by the road. William and Quinton opened the door, grabbed his


    cors, and were about to toss him out.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Charles stopped them.


    Gwendolyn looked up, her face disying impatience. ¡°What?¡±


    Charles maintained his smile as if he was unbothered by her demeanor. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money on


    me. I¡¯d like to buy some warm clothes, have a decent meal, and perhaps get a pack of cigarettes.


    Could you spare me some, Gwen?¡±


    Suppressing her anger, Gwendolyn nced at Elven. ¡°How much cash do you have with you?¡±


    Elven checked the pockets in his suit and pants. ¡°Five hundred.¡±


    ¡°Give it to him,¡± she said.


    Elven reluctantly mmed a five hundred banknote on his chest. ¡°Consider this as Ms. Gwendolyn¡¯s


    charity. Get lost!¡±


    Charles remained unfazed, bowing his head to collect the money.


    After he finished picking up the money, William and Quinton forcefully ejected him from the van and


    mmed the door shut, and Ezra drove away.


    101


    18.. Sat,


    Chapter 300 Who Is Pushing The Limits Now


    Quinton even spat out of the window in frustration. How dare he dream of marrying Ms. Gwendolyn.


    He¡¯s just chasing rainbows. Dream on, fool!


    Gwendolyn did not stop him from overreacting.


    Instead, she gazed at the rearview mirror, watching Charles standing motionless as the van drove


    away. She turned to Elven and instructed, ¡°Find two skilled individuals to follow him secretly. I want to


    be informed of every location he visits.¡±

 Chapter 301

    Chapter 301


    Chapter 301 Perfect For Each Other


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Elven nodded. ¡°Got it.¡±


    +15 Bonus


    Gwendolyn retracted her gaze and nced at the phone number Charles had written her. ¡°Contact


    Shadow Bell and have them investigate this number.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Ms. Gwendolyn.¡±


    Meanwhile, Cedrick made his way into the living room of Valentino¡¯s vi and bowed respectfully at


    him. ¡°You wanted to see me, Grandpa?¡±


    Valentino, who was sitting on the couch, looked up at him from across the coffee table.


    For a moment there, he almost didn¡¯t recognize Cedrick when he saw him standing there in a wool


    coat.


    ¡°You sure have changed a lot after finding yourself a woman. I mean, just look at you! You look a lot


    more approachable now!¡± Valentino said with a relieved smile as he eyed Cedrick from head to toe.


    Cedrick simply kept quiet and stood there with a calm look on his face.


    on,


    ¡°Go take a seat.¡± Valentino fiddled with the head of his cane with his wrinkled hands. ¡°Actually, I


    summoned you today because someone wanted to see you and ask you for forgiveness. I had no


    choice but to y the role of the middleman.¡±


    Cedrick had a little furrow between his eyebrows when he heard that.


    Valentino cleared his throat and said, ¡°Come on in.¡±


    Wyatt stepped into the living room with a stern look on his face.


    Sherman followed closely behind with his head held low. He had mostly recovered from the beating he


    received a few days ago.


    Cedrick maintained a cold look on his face as he elegantly poured himself a cup of coffee and gently


    blew on it.


    Wyatt sat down on the couch in front of Cedrick and greeted Valentino with a smile before asking,


    ¡°Hello, Cedrick. How have you been throughout the past few days?¡±


    Cedrick simply ignored him and sipped on his coffee. He couldn¡¯t even be bothered to look at Wyatt,


    Valentino lightly tapped his cane on the floor. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so rude to your elders,


    O


    +15 Bonus


    Cedrick. Hurry up and greet him!¡±


    ¡°Why should I respect an elder who couldn¡¯t even teach his son proper manners?¡±


    ¡°Cedrick!¡±


    Sherman, who was standing next to Wyatt, got mad when he heard Cedrick insult his father.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Wyatt maintained a friendly smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s true that Sherman was at fault for what


    happened that day. As punishment, I have given him a beating at home and brought him over today to


    apologize to you. If you find this insufficient, you may feel free to whip him to your heart¡¯s content. I will


    not have anyints, so go ahead if you wish.¡±


    He then shot Sherman a look, prompting thetter to suppress his feelings of shame as he walked up


    to Cedrick and bowed deeply.


    ¡°I hereby apologize to you for what I did that day. I only called out Gwendolyn¡¯s name because the drug


    had taken over me. I have no intention of doing anything bad to your fianc¨¦e. In fact, I respect the


    rtionship that you two have.¡±


    Cedrick let out a soft chuckle after hearing that.


    He put his coffee cup down and shot Sherman an icy¨Ccold re as he replied, ¡°You and I both know if


    you truly mean what you said. There¡¯s no need to put on an act like this, All it does is waste both of our


    time.¡± He stood up and turned toward Valentino. ¡°Is there anything else, Grandpa? If not, I will be on my


    way now. I still have a video conference to attend tonight.¡±


    1. 1.


    Valentino was clearly displeased at how firm his attitude was.


    Sherman has alreadye over and apologized to him, so why can¡¯t he just let it go?


    Even so,


    Valentino simply nodded and said, ¡°Go on, then. You are currently the one in charge of the Jenson


    family. You can do as you see fit.¡±


    Having obtained the green light, Cedrick turned around and walked away.


    Refusing to be disrespected like that, Sherman called out to him, ¡°Why must you be so unforgiving, Mr.


    Jenson? I know I was at fault, but I didn¡¯t do any actual damage to you or the Jenson family!


    Gwendolyn¡¯s reputation isn¡¯t affected in any way either, and I even came here to apologize! Why can¡¯t


    you just forgive me?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that I must forgive you simply because you apologized?¡± Cedrick asked with a sneer


    and walked straight out the front door.


    Wyatt was angered by Cedrick¡¯s stubborn attitude as well, but he could only say to Sherman softly, ¡°Try


    to talk to Cedrick again in private. Make sure to be polite, okay? I¡¯ll stay here and


    Chapter 301 Perfect For Each Other


    chat with Old Mr. Jenson for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sherman nodded and ran out the door.


    +15 Bonus


    It was drizzling at the time, but Sherman couldn¡¯t even be bothered to grab an umbre as he ran


    toward Cedrick.


    ¡°Mr. Jenson!¡± Sherman called out, but Cedrick ignored himpletely and carried on walking with Nico


    holding the umbre.


    G


    Sherman then tried a different approach by saying, ¡°If you¡¯re so bothered by the fact that I said her


    name, then why are you okay with her being married to someone else before? This isn¡¯t the first time


    she has done it!¡±


    Sure enough, Cedrick paused in his tracks when he heard that.


    Realizing that his strategy had worked, Sherman quickly ran up to Cedrick and continued, ¡°Regardless


    of whether you like her or not, it is unwise to cut ties with my family because of her. The Ferguson


    family may have encountered a crisis, but it has a solid foundation, so it is only a matter of time before


    we resolve the crisis. Why won¡¯t you lend us a hand so we can get through this sooner and resume our


    mutually profitable rtionship?¡±


    -Cedrick narrowed his eyes and exuded a dangerous aura as he said, ¡°Nico.¡±


    Naturally, Nico understood what he meant by that. He nodded and handed Cedrick the umbre before


    punching Sherman square in the face.


    That punch was so powerful that it knocked Sherman to the ground instantly. The corner of Sherman¡¯s


    lips was swollen, and two of his teeth were loosened from the impact.


    Sherman spat out a mouthful of blood and stared at Cedrick in confusion. ¡°M¨CMr. Jenson?¡±


    With one hand holding the umbre and the other hand in his pocket, Cedrick walked up to Sherman


    and stared him down. ¡°Sherman, you¡¯d better stay away from me from now on. Otherwise, I¡¯ll give you


    a beating every time I see you!¡±


    ¡°Why? Because I said a few nasty


    i aboul Gwend,


    stuff about Gwendolyn?¡±


    A deep frown creased Cedrick¡¯s brows when he heard that.


    Nico nodded in acknowledgment and stomped hard on Sherman¡¯s stomach.


    Sherman curled


    up


    into a ball and clutched at his stomach while screaming in pain.


    The look of displeasure in Cedrick¡¯s eyes became less intense as he enjoyed watching Sherman suffer,


    19 Mon, 5 Jun


    Chapter 301 Perfect For Each Other


    +15 Bonus


    Lend your family a hand? Resume our mutually profitable rtionship? I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not going to


    happen ever again! Working with a family that has a sc*mbag like you in it would be an insult to the


    Jenson family¡¯s reputation!¡±


    Sherman was furious. ¡°Just you wait, Cedrick! One day, you will fall from that high and mighty throne of


    yours! When that dayes, I¡¯ll be sure tough at you to my heart¡¯s content!¡±


    Cedrick simply reached out and asked Nico for some cash.


    Nico whipped out a wallet made of crocodile skin and began counting the money inside, but Cedrick


    snatched it from him before he could finish.


    111


    There are only a few thousand in here. It¡¯s not much, but¡­ Given the state the Ferguson family is in,


    I¡¯d say this is plentiful.


    Cedrick whipped out the bank notes and tossed them onto Sherman.


    The banknotes were instantly wet from the rain as they scattered on the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m a fair man, Mr. Ferguson. This should cover your medical bills. Feel free to make a im with


    Jenson Group¡¯s finance department if this isn¡¯t enough,¡± Cedrick said sarcastically before retracting his


    gaze and walking off.


    Nico followed closely behind him and whispered with a smile, ¡°You looked a lot like Ms. Gwendolyn


    when you tossed those banknotes at him, Boss! You two sure are perfect for each other!¡±


    III

 Chapter 302

    Chapter 302


    Chapter 302 All I Want Is You


    Cedrick nodded in satisfaction when he heard that. we get back.¡±


    #15 Bonus


    Waid, Nico. I¡¯ll give you a raise when


    ¡°Hahaha! Thanks, Boss! Honestly, you and Ms. Gwendolyn look like a perfect couple! I¡¯ve ¡°Hahaha!


    Thanks, Boss! Honestly, you and Ms. G Gwendolyn look like a perfect couple! I¡¯ve never seen a more


    fitting pair!¡±


    Sherman¡¯s eyes were bloodshot with rage as he watched the two disappear into the distance, but all he


    could do was punch at the ground to vent his frustration.


    ¹é


    Cedrick went back to his usual self upon returning to Harrick Vi. ¡°Nico, I want you to continue


    pressuring Ferguson Group and make them go bankrupt within three days! Make sure to acquire


    everything they own! I want the Ferguson family to stay down for good!¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Eloise did a lot of bad things in the past. It was the Ferguson family that helped clean up after her


    messes. Put up an ad with a huge reward on the dark web for evidence of her crimes. I want to help


    Gwenny send Eloise to prison!¡± Cedrick continued.


    Given how the Ferguson family had taken a huge hit, there would surely be others who. would strike


    them while they were down.


    After all, being able to kick an enemy, who had been a thorn in their side for years, was not an


    opportunity that came by often.


    ¡°Leave it to me, Boss!¡± Nico reassured him.


    Having made the arrangements, Cedrick nced at the sky outside the window.


    The sky had gotten dark rather earlytely due to the rainy weather and winter being just around the


    corner.


    Cedrick lowered his gaze as he felt a little lonely on the inside.


    Gwendolyn would spend the entire day outside whenever she left the house, and she wouldn¡¯t even


    call him throughout the day.


    Ah¡­ It¡¯s already seven in the evening, and Gwendolyn still isn¡¯t home yet¡­


    Cedrick slumped weakly against the couch and looked as dejected as a person who had lost the will to


    live.


    Nico let out a sigh when he saw that. ¡°Are you missing Ms. Gwendolyn again, Boss?¡±


    Chapter 302 All I Want Is You


    Cedrick ignored him and stared at the empty road outside the window.


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Meanwhile, Gwendolyn¡¯s car was parked about two hundred rs a


    She had an icy¨Ccold look in her eyes as she sat there and


    +15 Bonus


    away from the Jenson


    stened to Elven¡¯s:


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Harris. He managed to shake us off shortly after discover


    us, so we were unable to tail him.¡± When he noticed the increasingly gloomy look in Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes,


    Elven¡¯s voice grew even softer as he continued, ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry¡­¡±


    Opst


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. He was trained by elites, so he¡¯s highly capable in every aspect. He¡¯s also very smart.


    Shaking you guys off his tail would be a piece of cake anyway.¡± Gwendolyn then looked at the phone


    number that Charles had written down on the paper. ¡°What about this phone number? Did you manage


    to find anything about it?¡±


    ¡°It is indeed a Chanaean number. While it isn¡¯t registered to anyone in particr, we managed to track


    down the location of its user. It¡¯s currently in Erihal.¡±


    Erihal?


    Gwendolyn narrowed her eyes as she went into deep thought.


    If I recall correctly, Charles¡® mother is from Erihal. However, I¡¯ve never heard Charles mention his


    mother when I was little. In fact, he never said a word about Erihal at all. Apart from those blue eyes of


    his, he is practically no different from your average Chanaean. Could it be that he is in contact with


    people from Erihal? Does he have some kind of secret that no one knows about?


    ¡°Go investigate Charles¡® mother. I want detailed information on her and all individuals from Erihal who


    have entered Chanaea up to six months ago.¡±


    ¡°Six months is too big of a range, Ms. Harris. There are far too many individuals for us to screen


    through, which would make it even more time¨Cconsuming. Even Mr. Asher would have a hard time


    conducting this investigation,¡± Elven replied with a conflicted look on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m in no rush, so you can take your time with this one.¡±


    Their conversation was interrupted when Gwendolyn¡¯s phone rang all of a sudden.


    A nce at the caller ID revealed that it was a call from Cedrick.


    Oh, my! I got so carried away that I ended up staying out until eight in the evening! I bet he must be


    missing me dearly!


    A sweet smile spread across Gwendolyn¡¯s face at the thought of that.


    Instead of answering the call, however, she put her phone on silent and said to Ezra, ¡°Turn the car


    around. We¡¯ll drop by Grand Essence Restaurant before heading back to the Jenson residence.¡±


    Right as Cedrick was on the verge of breaking down from depression, he heard the sound of the door


    being unlocked.


    He ran toward the door as quickly as his legs could carry him and pounced on Gwendolyn the moment


    he saw her.


    His arms were trembling as he wrapped them tightly around her waist.


    Waiting for her was such an excruciating process that he felt as though he would die if she kept him


    waiting any longer.


    Gwendolyn was so caught off guard that she had to take a few steps backward before steadying


    herself.


    Fearing that he would cause her to spill the soup she had bought, she held it far


    away from him as she said, ¡°It¡¯s winter today. ording to tradition, we need to have some hot soup to


    warm ourselves up. I didn¡¯t have time to make us soup, so I bought some from a restaurant on the way


    back from work. That¡¯s why I took so long to get home.¡±


    Cedrick buried his face in her neck and sniffed hard to take in her fragrant scent. ¡°I don¡¯t need soup!¡±


    All I want is you!


    Gwendolyn let out a silent sigh in response. She wanted to pat him on the back of his head, but she


    had both hands upied with carrying the soup she bought.


    She had no choice but tofort him verbally instead. ¡°All right, are you hungry? Let¡¯s go inside and


    have dinner. I¡¯ll be able to keep youpany every day once I¡¯m done with my work.¡±


    ¡°How much longer will you need?¡±


    ¡°About a few more days, I guess.¡±


    ¡°What is going on at Angle Corporation? Why are things so busy that you need to work this hard?¡±


    Cedrick eximed with displeasure written all over his face.


    Gwendolyn froze for a few seconds before replying, ¡°I recently hired a new batch of artists. We¡¯re in the


    process of breaking them in at the moment. Because they¡¯re newbies, I need to personally supervise


    them. On top of that, we¡¯re also nning some new coborations, so things are indeed pretty hectic


    there,¡±


    <


    Cedrick rested his head against her shoulder and let out a depressed sigh.


    He knew that Gwendolyn valued her career very much, but he wished she would spend more time with


    him since he didn¡¯t have much time left to live.


    Of course, Cedrick would never voice those feelings of his out to Gwendolyn.


    He would always support her no matter what her decision was.


    Even if she wanted to leave him right then and there, he would not do anything to stop her from


    leaving.


    Gwendolyn, too, was distracted thinking about Charles.


    It wasn¡¯t until she felt her back start to ache from the position they were in that she snapped out of it.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go have some soup.¡±


    Both of them were lost in their own thoughts during dinner.


    After having dinner, Gwendolyn went to keep himpany in his bedroom. She would always stay with


    him for a few hours until he fell asleep before going to bed in the next


    room.


    This time, however, she noticed something was off the moment she sat down on his bed. Huh? Nico


    would usually let me know if Cedrick has been taking his medication on time. Why haven¡¯t I heard


    anything from him tonight?


    ¡°Have you taken your medication for the night?¡±


    Cedrick tensed up briefly before replying with an awkward chuckle, ¡°N¨CNo¡­¡±


    Those medications were bitter and barely did anything to help with his condition, so he didn¡¯t want to


    take them.


    ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll get it ready for you.¡±


    Gwendolyn returned a few minutester with a ss of warm water and a box of pills.


    ¡°You came back reallyte tonight. Could you at least reward my patience by feeding me the


    medication?¡± Cedrick asked weakly,


    ¡°Sure thing.¡±


    She sat down beside him and held the back of his head affectionately as she fed him two tablets orally,


    Despite how smooth her movement was, Cedrick noticed it and frowned immediately after


    Chapter 302 All I Want Is You


    swallowing the pills.


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s cheating, Gwenny! You need to feed me the pills one at a time!¡±


    As Gwendolyn had been busy with work throughout the entire day, she barely had any time to rest and


    was hoping to get it over with sooner.


    ¡°I¡¯d have to give you over a dozen kisses if I fed you one pill at a time! Don¡¯t you ever get sick of that?¡±


    she snapped at him impatiently.


    Cedrick¡¯s face went pale almost instantly. ¡°H¨CHave you gotten sick of it already?¡±


    Those who are sick would often get paranoid, so I need to be more careful with


    my


    words¡­


    Having noticed the change in his expression, Gwendolyn said, ¡°Of course not! You¡¯re so tasty that I


    could never get tired of kissing you, Ceddy! Come on, let¡¯s keep those kisses going!¡±


    She was about to give him another kiss when her phone started ringing on the nightstand.


    Gwendolyn nced at the screen and saw that it was an unknown number.


    Her eyes grew cold when she realized that the number belonged to Charles.


    What? Why is Charles calling me right now?


    Cedrick turned around and looked at the phone.


    ¡°Who¡¯s calling you thiste at night?¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!