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.

Treyton was fuming, he did not

a smart man, Treyton. I’ll give you some time to cool down and

her, somewhat hurt. “Are you placing me under house arrest,

I place you under house arrest? Think of it as grounding. It’s your punishment for speaking so rudely to the head

another word, Gwendolyn turned to address Cedrick. “Could you marshal some men who aren’t on active duty to surround this villa? I don’t want

nodded decisively. “Very well,

every single one of them with batons. You have my permission to beat him up if he

If it came to that, she would still be the one feeling

exceptions. If you won’t, we’re going to the ancestral

I’m scared of a little

out and spend the next two weeks in bed. By then, you would only be able to watch the broadcast of

clenched. He refused to say

arm around Cedrick’s,

and said, “Call me when you’ve calmed

he stood, Treyton watched as she and Cedrick entered

the car did

later, an orderly march of footsteps sounded. The smart-looking soldiers surrounded the villa

but preferred to strike first instead. Forced back into his villa, Treyton shut the door behind

did Gwendolyn and Cedrick disappear into

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

from being on good terms, they would exchange a greeting when they bumped

reasons, her secretary had taken a

spend the following two days coaching

an hour later, the manager of the HR department

she said without taking her attention off the documents in

permission, the two

man behind the manager had an imposing poise and a handsome face. He had

Inez did not so much as look

resume on her table. “This candidate is very

grunted in response, engrossed in typing. She did not look at the documents beside

won’t be easy working for me. All of my appointments have to be made one week in advance with the exception of special circumstances. You cannot arrive at the office later than me. When I come in in the morning, I expect a fresh cup of coffee on my desk…” She went on

man nodded. “Understood,