The Ex and Her Riches

Asher’s face revealed a bitter expression while his eyes reflected a subtle look of mockery, though it was one directed at himself.

“Respond, Mr. Asher. You’ve always been a stickler for the rules. Don’t you know that you should answer honestly when the head of the family asks you a question?”

Gwendolyn tightened her grip on his chin and locked eyes with him, her gaze exuding a look of intimidation.

Asher remained silent. However, his mind wandered back to the words that Annie had whispered to him before she left.

She said, “Now that I’ve spoken up on your behalf, Gwendolyn won’t let you off the hook easily. Are you really not going to consider coming over to my side?”

She probably anticipated Gwendolyn’s arrival and deliberately said those provocative words to threaten our already fragile bond.

At that thought, he inadvertently furrowed his brows. Still, he remained silent throughout.

“Well, well. You did not even say anything truthful. Looks like you’ve chosen to help her!”

Gwendolyn’s anger flared up. Breathing deeply, she straightened her back and released her grip on his chin.

With a cold, disdainful smile, she remarked, “You’re truly her loyal brother. Whenever it comes to her. you’ll protect her no matter what. Asher, if Evelyn and I are both held at gunpoint one day and you only have one bullet, who would you save? Me or her?”

Asher’s eyes reddened as he saw her icy expression. He reached out to grab her hand. “Kiddo…

However, Gwendolyn took a step back when he stretched out his arm.

The small coffee table between them felt like an insurmountable barrier.

“No matter what, I will thoroughly investigate Annie’s identity. If you try to stop me, don’t blame me for disregarding whatever ties we share and dealing with you too.”

After saying those harsh words, Gwendolyn spun around and walked away.

“Kiddo… Gwendolyn, please listen to me.”

Holding onto his knees, Asher struggled to rise and stop her. However, his legs throbbed with excruciating pain, forcing him to pause for a long moment.

hoarse voice, coupled with his pained and pitiful expression, conveyed how helpless he was after being abused and

his once

in her heart, Gwendolyn stopped in her tracks. She turned her head and stared at him coldly. “Tll only hear your

she had given him the opportunity, it was up to him whether he made good

face, Asher analyzed the advantages and disadvantages

backing her up. Now that Dad has passed away and I’m suspended from duty, there’s no one supporting her. You can manipulate her however you want. However, Annie’s different. Paul’s a count of Ospea. He’s got the entire nobility backing him up. If you’re too insistent on finding out Annie’s identity and get into a conflict with Paul, Harris Group will be at a disadvantage. I don’t want you to offend them just for an investigation that

upon herself and put herself in danger.

raised her chin arrogantly, her gaze

years, yet so many people still want me dead. Even my own brother is helping to conceal the truth

scenes was to become stronger herself. Others, not even those closest to her, were

eyes met, she cast him a

pale slowly as

lingered in his mouth. Unable to explain himself, all he could do was bow

true identity instead of

of the ancestral hall without

two

them bowed respectfully when

bodyguards, “Bring the whip over. Follow the rules that Mr. Asher has set himself. Remember, it’s twenty

and the bodyguards

Gwendolyn frowned. “Are

disobey. We’ll carry out your instructions now, Ms.

had built a small equestrian center at the foot of the mountain as she loved to

birthday, Asher had arranged for her first horse to be

incident that had her heading for Fairlake,

whip over. After bowing respectfully at her, they entered

still writing inside. Even though he heard

The twenty whips are Ms.

a composed look, Asher

his previous acts of self–abuse, he swiftly removed his jacket. All he wore for the punishment was a thin shirt. He nudged the table forward slightly so that the pages that he had written would

immediately. Instead, she stood at the door for a long