The Ex and Her Riches

Without any changes to his expression, Cedrick chuckled and said, “I’m fine. How can I be sick?”

Gwendolyn did not believe his words, however. She had been with him for a long time, and she knew him inside out.

It would have been nothing if the strangeness had only lasted one or two days, but for this to be consecutive… Something had to be up.

As she reached out to Cedrick, she uttered, “Pass me the bowl. I’ll eat it myself.”“”“”

Her stubbornness made Cedrick hand her the bowl. Gently, he reminded her, “Be careful. It’s hot.”

Gwendolyn nodded.

The second she took the bowl, she swiftly placed it on the bedside table and grabbed his hand. Without hesitation, she rolled his sleeves up to check the wrist that shuddered earlier.

“Gwenny!”

By the time Cedrick retracted his hand, it was too late. Gwendolyn had already seen the abrasion and swelling on his wrist.

Startled, Gwendolyn widened her eyes at him as rage built up in her chest. “How did you get hurt? Even I’ve never hurt you this bad when you make a mistake! Who did this to you?”

Cedrick lowered his gaze and averted his eyes from her. As he guiltily clutched his sleeve, he muttered, “No one. I accidentally burnt myself on the edge of the pot while cooking. I didn’t run the spot under cold. water, and I didn’t think the skin would be burnt off. But I’ve treated it already, so don’t worry

How can I not worry about you?

Gwendolyn’s eyes reddened, and she ruminated about what she had seen.

How can that possibly be the result of him burning himself on the pot? It’s straight too, as if something had struck him instead

Thus, she uttered, “I don’t believe you. Give me your hand. I want to take a closer look at it.”“

He refused to budge and rejected her. “It’s nothing. You don’t need to blow this out of proportion.”

“Hurry up and give me your hand!” she ordered. “Why are you hiding your injuries from me?”

Cedrick hung his head, but he stayed unmoving and silent.

He felt helpless. As he expected, Gwendolyn was smart and would never miss anything.

“Ceddy, you know me. I won’t stop until I get what I want. You can hide this from me now, but you have to be a hundred percent certain that you can hide it from me forever, or else I’ll find out about it eventually

Then, in a softer tone, she went on as she reached out for his hand, “I just feel bad for you, so let me look at it.”

Cedrick pulled his hand back to avoid her again

Ultimately, Gwendolyn took the opportunity of his distracted state to lunge over and forcibly pull his sleeve up to reveal his muscular arm covered with weals.

more than one injury

was smooth and straight.

so badly? Who did this?

situation from her. Cedrick sighed and

someone has suddenly hurt you like this? Tell

not respond to her

was on the verge of losing

who was sweet with her every day, but he was also the powerful head of the Jenson family and the boss

in her eyes, but right then, another

arm, what about the rest of

to tug at his shirt. “Let

“Gwenny.”

good sleep, and he had been awake for long hours too. Moreover, he had been going through beatings. Enduring the agonizing treatment of his wounds the night before had taken most of the energy out of him

was pale

before. Along with

pulled off his shirt buttons, revealing the crisscrossed wounds

had shattered into pieces as an invisible hand crushed her

Cedrick’s terrifying weals abruptly made her

she shut her eyes, images of Cedrick standing before her and enduring the belt

fragmented scenes appearing in my mind) Am L… the one

she whispered, “Ceddy, did I do this?

alongside hers. “Gwenny, don’t be so quick to be sad. I can explain this.”

Explanations were excuses.

retort meant

never let anyone else besides her lay a finger on

really did this.

“I’m sorry.”

she reached out to his bruised chest, but there was no patch of unmarred skin she could rest her

this

of her eyes as she stared at his wounds

You only did this because you’re sick. It doesn’t hurt me, really. It’s only skin-deep. It just looks

to lie to me. I have eyes. I can see it for myself.”

“Mania,”

her head and started thinking about

hand and solemnly explained, “At the end of the day, this is my fault. If I had been more careful with the precautions, you wouldn’t have gotten pregnant with the kids, and you wouldn’t have gone all the way

it, but Gwendolyn knew that he was trying to console her.

her and murmured in a much softer tone. “My sweet darling, don’t cry anymore, okay? My heart is breaking to see you

treated every day to recover as quickly as possible. Have you applied your

shook his