The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

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 me completely

either. When Frida and Dexter accused 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 could commemorate the day I first entered the

Wright residence!”

Her gaze was so cold that one could feel the chill coming 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 placidly, “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 glanced at the time and realized it was getting late.

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 planning 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 the last 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—”

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 become parallel lines.”

Maverick’s face grew paler by the second as he watched her struggle free from his grasp and leave the villa.

Does this mean she actually likes Sherman?

Over at the seven-star Dunearn Hotel at Fairlake, Sherman had booked the entire restaurant on one of the higher

floors of the hotel and filled it with nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-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 planted 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 since coming to Fairlake for her. The last two times had either

been too hastily done or gotten interfered with by someone else.

This time, he was determined to succeed.

He was still deep in thought when, suddenly, a man in a suit and leather shoes came up to him. At first glance, the

man looked like a bodyguard.

“Hello, Mr. Ferguson. I am Ms. Shalders’ bodyguard,” the man introduced himself to Sherman.

“How come I’ve never seen you before?” Sherman asked.

Neville’s eyes crinkled at the sides as he explained with a smile, “I’m William. I was sent out on an errand by Ms.

Shalders when you visited Bay Villa the last 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 the latter was a good-looking

young fellow with pleasant manners.

Since Gwendolyn was very particular 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 to come 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.

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 clapped 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 since coming 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 succeed.

He wos still deep in thought when, suddenly, o mon in o suit ond leother shoes come 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.

“How come 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 to come 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 blacked 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 Fairlake 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 or later? He’s lucky that he’s only getting thrown onto a cargo ship after he called Ms. Shalders a divorcée!”

“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 plans. Sorry about the inconvenience.

She frowned at this. What urgent matter could the Ferguson family have that they would ask him to return so late?

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 plane pretty fast.

She didn’t think too much about this and turned the car around, making her way back to Bay Villa.

Maverick was elated 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 the company as usual.

In the Wright Construction Group CEO’s Office, Gwendolyn was working with Maverick and Yulia to come up with a

detailed plan 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 Fairlake Female Prison.

Natasha has gone missing!”