The Ex and Her Riches

His eyes turned scarlet. He clutched Gwendolyn’s wrist, not noticing that he was gripping her so tightly that her skin was turning pale.

Cedrick shoved him away, wrapped Gwendolyn in his arms, and massaged her wrist.

Gwendolyn sighed. Her tone was stern as she said, “You acted rashly tonight, Treyton. I understand how you must be feeling, but I don’t agree with you giving away fifteen percent of the company’s shares to the Newton family.”

Treyton gaped at her in disbelief. “For all your talk about being sisters with Jennifer, you won’t even save her when she’s in trouble. When have you become so unfeeling, Gwendolyn?”

“Me, unfeeling?”

Gwendolyn was incredulous. Her rage began to boil.

As Treyton had had a traumatic night, she did her best to remain patient. “I don’t want to hold a grudge against somebody who can’t think straight. We’ll talk about this tomorrow.”

Treyton’s gaze grew cold.

Everything that had happened at the party had lost him his wits. “I’ll do it myself if you won’t. My shares, my call.”

He turned to go, but Gwendolyn had enough. Done with coddling him, she dashed forward and slapped him across the face.

Smack!

The crisp slap echoed in the air.

As she had used her full strength, Treyton’s face tilted to the side, and a red imprint of her hand appeared instantly on his cheek. He stared at her, dumbstruck.

Cedrick, too, was stunned. He remained rooted to the spot.

Massaging his stinging cheek, Treyton fumed, “How dare you hit me, Gwendolyn?”

Faced with his accusatory glare, Gwendolyn raised her chin defiantly.

“I’m not hitting you as your little sister but as the head of the Harris family. Now would you calm down? Can you listen to me?”

She looked stern, like the head of the family she was.

he did not say

you some time to cool down and reflect

gazed at her, somewhat hurt. “Are you placing

of it as grounding. It’s your punishment for speaking so rudely

men who aren’t on active duty to surround this

decisively.

of them with batons. You have my permission to

his laughter. If it came to that, she would

more at Treyton. “I am now the head of the family, and everybody must obey me with no exceptions. If you won’t, we’re going to the ancestral hall and I will have you tried according to our family law.

think I’m scared of a

you piss me off, I will have you beaten up so severely that you pass out and spend the next two weeks in bed. By then, you

clenched. He refused to

around

said, “Call me when you’ve calmed down and thought

watched as she and Cedrick entered

the car

orderly march of footsteps sounded. The smart-looking soldiers surrounded the villa as if they had rehearsed it and left

strike first instead. Forced back into his villa, Treyton shut the

after Treyton was securely inside his house did Gwendolyn and Cedrick

most other days, Inez showed up early the following morning at her

their relationship had lost some of its stiffness. Though far from being on good terms, they would exchange a greeting when they bumped

secretary had taken a medical

spend the following two days coaching her new

the HR department arrived with

in,” she said without taking her attention

her permission, the

imposing poise and a handsome face. He had a presence that

not so much

placed the secretary’s resume on her table. “This candidate

grunted in response, engrossed in typing. She did

office later than me. When I come in in the morning, I expect a fresh cup of coffee on my desk…” She went

nodded. “Understood, Ms.