The Ex and Her Riches

Nico belatedly 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.

He lay 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 flashed 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, completely dispensing with their image. After a while, they started laughing with relief as tears continued to stream down their faces, making for a rather comical sight.

Maverick gently patted Nico’s shoulder, comforting 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! I completely 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 can last up to a week at most…”

One week. Maverick considered this. That means I can stay in Fairlake 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.

this and remembered the plan Swain had come up with

suddenly felt someone tugging on his clothes. He snapped

you

treated by ordinary medicine from any hospital dispensary. Professor Yancey has provided a healing ointment

That makes sense.

not hesitate to unbutton his shirt. He elegantly removed his dark suit jacket, then

between the defining lines of his muscular back was

of red even though it had been three days since the viral infection. At this point, the wound

as bloodthirsty and ruthless as Nico could not help inhaling sharply at the jarring sight of the

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

a cold sweat, his veins bulging and his jaw tightly

they had brought with them. “Boss, should I give you a sedative? This

antidote is working. I can handle this

grit his teeth and apply

remain idle, either, and seized

glimpse of several figures outside the

this time. Then, his eyes widened as he hastily cried, “Ms. Shalders is back! Ezra and Justin are with

Maverick frowned. “So soon?”

back

speed up in applying the ointment while Swain quickly

step through the iron

still lying in the garden! There’s no

Hill, her anxiety intensifying with every

rescued her at Crane Bridge, and he no

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

did not mean she was prepared to watch Maverick

garden, only to stumble upon Elven and the others lying unconscious

and Justin were

villa been

and through his keen observation, he noticed that all three of the unconscious men had a

knocked out by tranquilizers,” he concluded

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.

three of them to the living room first. Find a way to wake them up, then ask them what happened,”

villa, headed up to the second floor, and pushed open Maverick’s

He was wearing

He quickly fastened the last two buttons at his collar and asked, “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be

was a little worn out from running