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.

injury on his arm, she was stunned to her

smooth and straight. There was no way those would form from burns.

hurt so badly? Who did

situation from her. Cedrick sighed and started,

calm if someone has suddenly hurt you like this? Tell me! Who is it?”

did not respond

then, Gwendolyn was on the verge of losing her

head of the Jenson family and the

up in her eyes, but right then,

already the state of his right lower arm, what about the rest of his body? What

shirt. “Let me see

“Gwenny.”

been awake for long hours too. Moreover, he had been going through beatings. Enduring the agonizing treatment of his wounds the night

he was pale

Gwendolyn had intravenous therapy and a good sleep the night before. Along with her anger fueled

off his shirt buttons, revealing the crisscrossed

if her heart had shattered into pieces as an invisible hand crushed her lungs and made it hard for

terrifying weals abruptly made her head hurt.

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

appearing in my

to look at him in disbelief, she whispered, “Ceddy, did I do

so quick

Explanations were excuses.

meant that

Cedrick would never let anyone else besides

really did this.

“I’m sorry.”

his bruised chest, but there was no patch of unmarred skin she could

done this to you?

of her eyes as she stared

touched her cheek, and he gently wiped away her hot tears. “This isn’t your fault, Gwenny. You only did this because you’re sick. It doesn’t hurt me, really. It’s only skin-deep. It just looks frightening, but it’s nothing

can see it for myself.” She sniffled. “What illness

“Mania,”

head and started thinking about her

wouldn’t have gotten pregnant with the kids, and you wouldn’t have gone all the

about it, but Gwendolyn knew that

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

uttered. “This is quite serious. You’ll need them treated every day to recover as quickly as possible. Have you applied your

his