The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

The woman was known as Whitney Mellor, a citizen of Tayhaven.

Where even is that place? Is Tayhaven one of the third-world countries? We haven’t even heard of it.

They observed Charles’ uncharacteristically calm demeanor and couldn’t help doubting the veracity of the

marriage certificate.

“Charles, I hope you’re not attempting to fool us by using a random woman’s photo online to fabricate a marriage

certificate so that we won’t pester you about getting married.”

Charles leisurely sipped his coffee. “The marriage certificate is in my uncle’s possession. He can verify the

authenticity of it anytime. The Civil Affairs Bureau staff personally issued it to me, but feel free to validate it if you

don’t believe me.”

“Well… “

His uncles were unsure how to react. He sounds confident. Is he really married?

“Charles, please understand that our inquiries aren’t meant to doubt you. We simply want to ensure that this lady is

suitable for you. Could you share some details about her family background? Does she hold a degree? Where does

she reside, and how many family members does she have? Also, what are her parents’ occupations? Lastly, have

you both discussed any plans for the wedding?”

Charles’ expression grew stormy as he listened to his uncles’ barrage of questions. He retorted, “I don’t know her

well enough either. If all of you are so against me getting married, I won’t make any official announcements for

now. Feel free to investigate and evaluate her since you seem to have so much free time. If you deem her

inadequate to be the mother of the family’s future heir, I’ll divorce her in a year at most.”

The conference room sank into a protracted silence.

Charles’ relatives were all flabbergasted. A few of them were flattered that he had so much faith in them that he

entrusted them with the responsibility of assessing his wife and was willing to go as far as divorcing her if they

found her lacking.

“Charles, are you serious? Will you truly divorce her in one year if we dislike her and find her unfit?”

“When have I ever lied to you guys?” Charles’ curled his lips slightly.

“All right then. Charles, you’re a good lad. We’ll do as you wish and keep this matter discreet until we’ve gleaned

enough bona fide information about the woman’s identity. That is when we’ll decide whether or not to hold a

wedding ceremony and release an official statement.”

Charles got to his feet and adjusted his suit cuffs. He hummed in agreement and walked past several of his uncles

dispassionately to exit the conference room.

He even left the marriage certificate behind on the table.

It was as if the certificate was dispensable, the sole purpose of its existence reduced to silencing the nagging of the

elders in his family.

Charles’ hands were in his pockets as he strode down the corridor. A few male assistants trailed behind him silently,

resembling a trooper unit traveling from place to place.

Ignatius emerged abruptly from the lounge around the corner. He circumvented two bodyguards suddenly and

came face to face with Charles.

“Mr. Newton, you look like you’ve just finished work. There are some urgent matters I’d like to discuss with you if

possible.”

Social etiquette would have bid most people go along with such a request.

Yet Chorles hod never been one to obide by the norms.

“If you see the need to osk, it meons I’m otherwise occupied.”

Chorles wosn’t in o pleosont mood ond wos obout to side-step Ignotius, but the lotter blocked Chorles’ woy ond

grew insistent.

“I understond thot my doughter hos offended you. However, moking the Cloud fomily your enemy is unwise when

we’ve long been o household nome omong the prominent fomilies.”

Chorles looked ot him with o serious expression, his eyes norrowed. “If Newton Group incurs ony losses, the Cloud

fomily will poy on even greoter price. Feel free to give it o try.”

Ignotius felt o chill down his spine. “I come here todoy to opologize to you on beholf of my doughter. I’ve spoiled

Jess since she wos o child. Thus, she meont no horm. There wos no molicious intent behind her recommending

Whitney o job. She merely pitied her.”

Chorles roised his eyebrows, ond his sopphire eyes exuded o sordonic expression. “Cleorly, you don’t know your

doughter os well os you think.”

“Whot do you meon by thot, Mr. Newton?”

Chorles ignored his question. “Whitney ond Zendy hove o close relotionship, ond Zendy treots Whitney like on elder

sister. Furthermore, Zendy is the future heir of Horris Group. If Jessomyn were to bully Whitney, it would be seen os

bullying Zendy too. The Jenson, Horris, ond Newton fomilies would not toke kindly to onyone horming Zendy. Hove

you considered whot it would be like to foce the combined wroth of three united fomilies?”

Ignotius’ foce wos droined of oll color.

Of course, he wos perfectly owore of whot it’d be like. Thot wos precisely why he’d humbled himself to pleod for on

oudience with Chorles.

“Jessomyn wos indeed rosh. We hodn’t expected things to neorly spin out of control. But wosn’t Ms. Mellor

unscothed in the end? Con’t we just let bygones be bygones? After oll, the choirmen involved hove olreody been

opprehended by the Federol Bureou of Investigotion. If thot’s not good enough, I’ll let Jessomyn bring gifts ond

opologize to Ms. Mellor ond Ms. Zendy. How obout thot, Mr. Newton?”

“Thot’s not occeptoble. I’m sure you’re owore of the trogedy thot could hove hoppened when severol men gonged

up ogoinst o womon if I hodn’t oppeored in time ond things hod gone south in the privote room. Do you truly think

opologizing with gifts would suffice?” Chorles’ tone remoined stern ond uncompromising.

Ignotius wos ot o loss. “Whot should I do then, Mr. Newton? Whitney hod olmost been ossoulted. Don’t tell me… you

expect my doughter to go through the some thing for it to be foir?”

Thot’s impossible! I won’t let this hoppen! How con I ollow my doughter to be left ot the mercy of those scumbogs?

“Thot will depend on how sincere your opology is. Mr. Jenson ond Gwendolyn oren’t privy to this incident yet. But I

con’t soy for sure in two doys.” Chorles’ expression wos indecipheroble os he potted Ignotius’ shoulder, offering o

non-onswer.

A glociol smile crept ocross his foce. Chorles gove Ignotius o meoningful look, grocefully withdrowing his hond ond

wolking owoy from him without o bockword glonce.

Ignotius remoined rooted to the spot os he stored ot the other mon’s receding figure for o prolonged moment. He

wos silent os his expression turned increosingly grove.

Yet Charles had never been one to abide by the norms.

“If you see the need to ask, it means I’m otherwise occupied.”

Charles wasn’t in a pleasant mood and was about to side-step Ignatius, but the latter blocked Charles’ way and

grew insistent.

“I understand that my daughter has offended you. However, making the Cloud family your enemy is unwise when

we’ve long been a household name among the prominent families.”

Charles looked at him with a serious expression, his eyes narrowed. “If Newton Group incurs any losses, the Cloud

family will pay an even greater price. Feel free to give it a try.”

Ignatius felt a chill down his spine. “I came here today to apologize to you on behalf of my daughter. I’ve spoiled

Jess since she was a child. Thus, she meant no harm. There was no malicious intent behind her recommending

Whitney a job. She merely pitied her.”

Charles raised his eyebrows, and his sapphire eyes exuded a sardonic expression. “Clearly, you don’t know your

daughter as well as you think.”

“What do you mean by that, Mr. Newton?”

Charles ignored his question. “Whitney and Zendy have a close relationship, and Zendy treats Whitney like an elder

sister. Furthermore, Zendy is the future heir of Harris Group. If Jessamyn were to bully Whitney, it would be seen as

bullying Zendy too. The Jenson, Harris, and Newton families would not take kindly to anyone harming Zendy. Have

you considered what it would be like to face the combined wrath of three united families?”

Ignatius’ face was drained of all color.

Of course, he was perfectly aware of what it’d be like. That was precisely why he’d humbled himself to plead for an

audience with Charles.

“Jessamyn was indeed rash. We hadn’t expected things to nearly spin out of control. But wasn’t Ms. Mellor

unscathed in the end? Can’t we just let bygones be bygones? After all, the chairmen involved have already been

apprehended by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If that’s not good enough, I’ll let Jessamyn bring gifts and

apologize to Ms. Mellor and Ms. Zendy. How about that, Mr. Newton?”

“That’s not acceptable. I’m sure you’re aware of the tragedy that could have happened when several men ganged

up against a woman if I hadn’t appeared in time and things had gone south in the private room. Do you truly think

apologizing with gifts would suffice?” Charles’ tone remained stern and uncompromising.

Ignatius was at a loss. “What should I do then, Mr. Newton? Whitney had almost been assaulted. Don’t tell me… you

expect my daughter to go through the same thing for it to be fair?”

That’s impossible! I won’t let this happen! How can I allow my daughter to be left at the mercy of those scumbags?

“That will depend on how sincere your apology is. Mr. Jenson and Gwendolyn aren’t privy to this incident yet. But I

can’t say for sure in two days.” Charles’ expression was indecipherable as he patted Ignatius’ shoulder, offering a

non-answer.

A glacial smile crept across his face. Charles gave Ignatius a meaningful look, gracefully withdrawing his hand and

walking away from him without a backward glance.

Ignatius remained rooted to the spot as he stared at the other man’s receding figure for a prolonged moment. He

was silent as his expression turned increasingly grave.

Although Whitney was a mere pawn that Charles used to deal with his elders, she was still his wife-in-name. He

would not allow his woman to be bullied.

There were suitcases scattered everywhere across the floor in the room of a small apartment within a middle-class

neighborhood.

Whitney packed alone while the bodyguard and driver Charles assigned to her waited at one side.

Both of them felt somewhat uneasy initially but took to the couch to smoke and scroll their phones when Whitney

ignored them and packed for several hours. They idly observed her from their spot.

There was a knock on the apartment door at one in the afternoon.

Whitney opened the door to an unfamiliar-looking young man in a suit.

“You are?”

“Greetings, Ms. Mellor. I’m Mr. Newton’s special assistant, Isaac.”

Whitney politely let him into the living room to have a seat upon the knowledge that he worked for Charles. “Is

there something he wishes to convey since you’re here?”

Isaac nodded. “Mr. Newton asked me to check up on you since he’s concerned about your situation here.”

His gaze swept past the luggage of various sizes on the ground and finally landed on the bodyguard and driver.

They were on their phones and were so engrossed that they hadn’t noticed Isaac’s arrival.

Isaac stalked toward them sternly and gave them an earful.

“Mr. Newton instructed you to accompany Ms. Mellor to assist her, not laze around.”

The bodyguard and driver swiftly composed themselves and stood up straight.

Whitney said awkwardly, “It’s not their fault. I prefer sorting out my things on my own lest they mess them up. I let

them sit and take a break since there’s nothing for them to do.”

Isaac was firm. “Ms. Mellor, you shouldn’t speak up for them. These are Mr. Newton’s orders. Even if you prefer

packing your luggage yourself, they should have helped you carry them downstairs into the car once you’re done.

They slacked off on their duties and are now liable to be fined or dismissed.”

“Y-Yes, we’ll be right on it.”

The driver and bodyguard hastily carried several luggage bags Whitney had finished packing downstairs in an

orderly fashion.

Whitney could only say, “Thanks for your help.”

Isaac nodded and drew close to her, whispering, “Ms. Mellor, the high life awaits you. Congratulations.”

Whitney smiled bitterly and responded perfunctorily, “Thanks.”

Isaac rambled on. “You probably have no idea that Mr. Newton has been teaching the Cloud family a lesson recently

because Jessamyn plotted against you two days ago. He’s called off many of our contracts with Cloudington Group,

and Jenson Group is also exerting pressure on their side. Cloudington Group’s losses as of late are insurmountable…

“

Whitney listened quietly.

Isaac worked closely with Charles and knew in detail what he did for Whitney’s sake. He embellished the facts while

recounting them to her.

He even revealed wholesale everything about how Charles bid Ignatius to discipline Jessamyn.

Whitney became increasingly surprised.

Is Charles truly getting back at the Cloud family to avenge me?