The Ex and Her Riches

Nico was so alarmed to hear Gwendolyn’s voice, which was deadly soft, that he nearly flung his phone aside.

For a long while, he did not dare respond or breathe.

“You’d better come clean on Cedrick’s behalf, Nico,” Gwendolyn warned him severely. “Confess while I’m still feeling lenient, or the two of you will be in for a world of hell. Rest assured, I will send you there.”

She uttered the last few words through gritted teeth, and it sent shivers down his spine.

Nico was thoroughly frightened by this point. “Cedrick only did it with your health in mind,” he explained hastily. “He loves you so much, you know. He…”

Amidst a deluge of ingratiating pleas, Gwendolyn finally understood the entire matter two minutes later.

“All right, I see. You were right to tell me, so I won’t be putting you in a tough spot, nor will I allow him to punish you. Don’t you worry.”

Compared to his own fate, Nico was more worried that he had driven a wedge between her and Cedrick. “Don’t be mad at him, Gwendolyn. He—”

The woman had had enough. “Don’t concern yourself with it,” she interrupted brusquely. “Nothing will happen to him.” Without another word, she hung up.

Silence descended all of a sudden as the bedroom filled with a chilly aura.

Gwendolyn turned to face Cedrick. Before she managed to open her mouth to mock him, she felt something stuffed hastily into her hand.

Looking down, she found the mahogany ruler from the drawer of the bedside table.

“Even the ruler is out. What is this?” she asked with feigned ignorance. “Do you miss the taste of it, having been deprived of it for too long?”

Cedrick bit his lip nervously. The tips of his ears grew red, and his voice seemed to have withered in defeat. “I was wrong for not thinking things through. Please forgive me.”

Gwendolyn studied him carefully. “The children belong to both of us, Ceddy. You have no right to decide on my behalf.”

“I know.”

He avoided her gaze. “It was just a thought that I wanted to discuss with you as soon as I came home.”

Nico did not intervene,

“I’m sorry.”

up with her, he thought it

at that thought,

I will let you punish

talk to me

at his hung

want to hit him!

an impression on an already-recovered patient like him. Rather, he simply wanted

far today. I should prank him to

at that thought, Gwendolyn sniggered. Her fox-like eyes glimmered beadily. “You do deserve to be punished, but

and felt a sense of foreboding from her wicked

sat on the bed

“Eh?”

grasped her meaning, he appeared uncertain. “Do

nodded. “Very clever of

“No way!”

instant. Even his face

a punishment to him. Worse than

rather die than

head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation! What would become of my reputation?” Gnawing on his lip in

seriously. “Are you telling me that you

His

I’m already saving you face by letting you keep

not find the words to retort, but that was

“No means no.”

don’t appear to be remorseful for your actions, Ceddy. Maybe I should return to the Harris residence and think

to get up, and Cedrick quickly

I made

response. Deciding to take the prank one notch higher, she indicated

minutes getting into position on the bed in

lightly on his buttocks, her movements exuding a hint of deviousness. “Even if

face in the pit of his elbow. Gwendolyn could not see his expression, but she saw the tip of his ears,