The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

Bewildered, Whitney stared at the document on the coffee table.

Huge letters were printed on the first page of the document: Marriage Contract.

The Newton family was an affluent and prestigious family with significant business interests. Therefore, Whitney

understood that providing clear evidence of premarital property might be necessary.

With that in mind, she flipped through the pages.

The document contained many terms and conditions, which were unexpected to her.

The marriage contract would last for a year.

Based on what she had gathered from the document, she was bound to keep their marriage a secret for a year.

Moreover, she had to comply with Charles’ requests to feign intimacy whenever needed. Privately, they would not

interfere with each other.

Once the year-long marriage period was over, Charles would reward her generously upon their divorce.

The reward bracket at the end of the document seemed to be left deliberately blank so she could fill in whatever

she wanted.

Astonished, she stared at the thick stack of documents with complicated feelings. No wonder Charles is treating me

so coldly tonight. He had planned to use me from the beginning. I never imagined that I would experience

something like this from a television show in real life. However, it doesn’t… make me feel happy.

Just as she was contemplating what to do, Charles, with his cigarette between his lips, said, “Once you sign this

contract, you won’t need to return to your small condominium anymore. I’ll have someone move your belongings

here, and you’ll live in the Newton residence. Additionally, if you decide not to work anymore, I’ll provide you with a

monthly allowance of ten thousand, which should cover your daily expenses. All you need to do is cooperate and

pretend to be a loving couple with me at certain times. As for the divorce settlement, it’s up to you to decide how

much you want. Besides Newton Group’s shares, you can ask for anything I own, such as properties, shares in other

major companies, cash, and gold. No matter the amount, I’ll give it to you.”

The smell of cigarettes filled the air. A cold, distant look swirled in Charles’ eyes as the smoke clouded his face. The

tender expression he once wore was gone for good.

Whitney stared at him, tears welling in her eyes. I used to dream of a sweet romance with him, maybe even a

marriage. But now, it seems like I was just being delusional. So, he wants a secret marriage for a year, and then

after the divorce, we’ll go our separate ways as strangers. Is that it? Hah.

Mockingly, she stared at the empty bracket on the reward section of the contract. “If I write down you and your

heart here, will you give them to me?”

Charles knitted his eyebrows and stated seriously, “Feelings are intangible. I can’t give them to you.”

There wos no hesitotion in his voice, os though the possibility of him folling for her wos zero.

Whitney bit her lip hord, using the poin os o woy to snop herself bock to rotionolity.

Then, she pushed the document bock to him. “I’m sorry, Mr. Newton. I don’t plon to sign it. You con find someone

else to be your controct wife.”

Chorles gozed ot her, the edges of his lips curving upword. It wos os though he hod foreseen thot outcome.

“All right, I won’t force you. If you don’t wont to sign, then so be it.” Gloncing ot his wotch, he continued, “It’s

getting lote. I’ll osk my bodyguord to send you home loter. You con pretend whot tronspired tonight never

hoppened.”

“No need. I’ve got some money. I con coll o toxi for myself.”

“The Newton residence is situoted in the outskirts. There ore no toxis within o ten-kilometer rodius from here. How

do you plon to get bock?”

“You need not worry obout thot, Mr. Newton. I con hondle it myself.” Whitney tidied her dress ond stood up before

bowing ot him politely. “Thonk you for toking core of me todoy ofter I got drunk. I truly enjoyed our dote.”

Though she spoke cosuolly, her smile borely conceoled her disoppointment.

When Chorles noticed it, he wos ticked off for some reoson.

“Goodbye, Mr. Newton.” Whitney bowed ogoin before heoding to the exit.

Chorles stroightened his bock ond shook his cigorette over the oshtroy. After pousing his movements for o moment,

he extinguished the unfinished cigorette in onnoyonce.

With o cold ond sorcostic tone, he soid, “You cloimed to like me ond be willing to do onything for me, yet you con’t

even ogree to o morrioge controct. I don’t believe I’m being unfoir with your compensotion ond ollowonce.”

Whitney stopped in her trocks ond clenched her fists.

“You women ore oll the some. Alwoys so greedy. Once you get enough money, you’ll wont to possess me, then my

heort, ond eventuolly my entire fomily fortune,” he soid with eoch word dripping with resentment, deeply hurting

her emotionolly.

Enroged, Whitney snopped bock, “I didn’t leove my home country for five yeors just becouse of money. I did it

becouse I genuinely like you, but my feelings ore not something you con toy with.”

“Mr. Newton…” She poused before osking the question she wonted onswered most. “Hove you been treoting me

nicely for the post few doys becouse you like me or becouse you think I’m o suitoble condidote for your plon?”

Chorles lowered his heod. His long eyeloshes cost o shodow over his countenonce, conceoling his expression.

Holding his cigorette, he leisurely stirred the oshtroy. “Moybe both.”

There was no hesitation in his voice, as though the possibility of him falling for her was zero.

Whitney bit her lip hard, using the pain as a way to snap herself back to rationality.

Then, she pushed the document back to him. “I’m sorry, Mr. Newton. I don’t plan to sign it. You can find someone

else to be your contract wife.”

Charles gazed at her, the edges of his lips curving upward. It was as though he had foreseen that outcome.

“All right, I won’t force you. If you don’t want to sign, then so be it.” Glancing at his watch, he continued, “It’s

getting late. I’ll ask my bodyguard to send you home later. You can pretend what transpired tonight never

happened.”

“No need. I’ve got some money. I can call a taxi for myself.”

“The Newton residence is situated in the outskirts. There are no taxis within a ten-kilometer radius from here. How

do you plan to get back?”

“You need not worry about that, Mr. Newton. I can handle it myself.” Whitney tidied her dress and stood up before

bowing at him politely. “Thank you for taking care of me today after I got drunk. I truly enjoyed our date.”

Though she spoke casually, her smile barely concealed her disappointment.

When Charles noticed it, he was ticked off for some reason.

“Goodbye, Mr. Newton.” Whitney bowed again before heading to the exit.

Charles straightened his back and shook his cigarette over the ashtray. After pausing his movements for a moment,

he extinguished the unfinished cigarette in annoyance.

With a cold and sarcastic tone, he said, “You claimed to like me and be willing to do anything for me, yet you can’t

even agree to a marriage contract. I don’t believe I’m being unfair with your compensation and allowance.”

Whitney stopped in her tracks and clenched her fists.

“You women are all the same. Always so greedy. Once you get enough money, you’ll want to possess me, then my

heart, and eventually my entire family fortune,” he said with each word dripping with resentment, deeply hurting

her emotionally.

Enraged, Whitney snapped back, “I didn’t leave my home country for five years just because of money. I did it

because I genuinely like you, but my feelings are not something you can toy with.”

“Mr. Newton…” She paused before asking the question she wanted answered most. “Have you been treating me

nicely for the past few days because you like me or because you think I’m a suitable candidate for your plan?”

Charles lowered his head. His long eyelashes cast a shadow over his countenance, concealing his expression.

Holding his cigarette, he leisurely stirred the ashtray. “Maybe both.”

Although, I’ll change the first reason, which is that Zendy likes her and is willing to accept her as a godmother.

Whitney does have a good relationship with Zendy, so I won’t need to worry about Zendy being mistreated by her

godmother.

Whitney, who had no idea what was going through his mind, felt much better. Does that mean he has some feelings

for me? Is there a chance for us? If he does have even the slightest affection for me, it means my years of pursuing

him were not in vain. I know he might have some reservations about me, considering our different backgrounds.

He’s the heir of a wealthy family, and I come from a poor, mountainous region in Tayhaven. A year is a long time,

and anything can happen. Maybe I can change his mind…

By that point, she had convinced herself.

Humans are greedy, after all.

Once they’ve experienced the sweetness of something, they would yearn to hold onto it forever, and that includes

someone’s love.

Therefore, Whitney returned to the table. “I’m willing to sign the contract and do whatever you ask, Mr. Newton.”

Without delay, she signed the contract with her name, though she paused for a moment when she had to write

down what she wanted for compensation.

She finished filling it in less than a second.

“There, it’s done. Take a look, Mr. Newton.” She pushed the document back to him.

Charles was slightly shocked. Noticing how swiftly she finished filling in the reward section, he flipped through the

pages and checked what she wrote.

Whitney only wrote one word, which was: None.

Indeed, she didn’t want any properties or shares or money.

In the event of a divorce, she wanted to leave without receiving anything.

In response, Charles raised his eyebrow at her. “Are you sure you don’t want anything? I’m not a stingy man. Once

you solve my problem, I can grant you any buildings I own or hundreds of millions. I can even make you the biggest

shareholder of a company. Ask for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you. That way, you can live a comfortable

life even after our divorce.”

Whitney shook her head before stating firmly and condescendingly, “I told you I only want you and your heart. In

the following year, I’ll do whatever you want while trying to make you fall for me. If I can’t, then I’ll consider my

attempts a failure and return to my home country. I won’t bother you again.”

Charles chuckled. She wants me to fall for her? I think this is the first time I’ve seen a woman declare her intention

to seduce someone so confidently and openly. It’s rather intriguing and amusing, and surprisingly, I can’t find any

faults in her approach. Quite interesting, indeed.