The Ex and Her Riches

Zendaya mimicked him and whispered, “Uncle Charles, let’s keep Benny company together. It won’t do if you keep running away, Uncle Charles. If we should apologize, then let’s apologize. One day, Benny will be touched by your apologies and forgive you!”

Charles’ face paled, but he patted her head and said, “This isn’t something that can be solved with an apology. Let me think of another way around this.”

Zendaya pouted and pointed out, “Uncle Charles, are you trying to avoid this?”

Charles fell silent.

He simply could not think of a way to face Benedict at the moment.

Whenever he saw the way Benedict weakly lay on the bed, the feelings of guilt and helplessness would threaten to drown him.

It crushed him.

“Uncle Charles,” Zendaya cried out, swinging Charles’ arm and pestering him. “Come in with me. Sometimes Mommy ignores Daddy because of his mistakes too. When that happens, Daddy will just keep pestering her. He’ll do anything to get back into her good books. I’m sure he wants to stomp his foot and start bawling sometimes as well.”

Then, Zendaya covered her mouth and giggled. “Uncle Charles, have you heard of a fruit called durian? Why don’t you get some of them? If Benny doesn’t want to forgive you, then you can just kneel on that fruit’s thorny shell. I’m sure Benny will be moved by that.”

Charles turned speechless.

No godfather ever went on his knees for his godson.

Even if they were not godfather and godson, he, as someone older than Benedict, would technically never kneel before a child.

Still, he was more curious as to why Zendaya would think of durians. “Zendy, why would you ask me to get durians and kneel on them? Did your daddy… do this before?”

Zendaya earnestly shook her head. “I don’t know. Mommy keeps the door shut whenever she scolds Daddy, so I wouldn’t know. The walls in our house are thick too, so even when I tried to eavesdrop, I couldn’t hear anything.”

At that, Charles’ expression darkened.

and

a couple, he could not

asked, “Then

taste great! I’m craving a little for some, and Benny likes it too. If you’re going to kneel on its shell, then we can eat the flesh

Charles another suggestion, “If you don’t like durians, we can make do with pineapples. Pineapples are

Charles’ lips twitched. “Zendy,

the two were

icy voice, Benedict

eyes. Then, she smacked her hand over her mouth

he heard us? It’s

and said, “Zendy, go in and keep your brother company. I’ll go and get some

“Yay!” Zendaya cheered.

ward, Zendaya merrily launched herself toward

you hungry, Benny? We’ll be having fruits in the afternoon—durians and

as he glanced at her. He then pushed away her

here, right? I don’t need you to keep me company. Mommy’s coming back after her half-an-hour meeting. A quarter of an hour has already gone by, so

want to eat durians and pineapples with you! By the way,

had blurted out to Benedict a plan that

“He’s… going to kneel before

“Uh-huh,” Zendaya affirmed.

he could not help wondering if it was true. Still, it did not dismiss the hatred he had

karma will get to me and cut my lifespan shorter if someone older kneels before me. Is

froze. She never thought

a quiet hum, she said, “To be honest, Uncle Charles has only said that he’s going to buy durians and pineapples. He never said anything about kneeling, but that doesn’t matter. You’re sick because of Uncle Charles, and you’re hurting once in a while because of him too. Why don’t you punish him severely today

one of a kind,

and flashed him a

If I have to eat a few more pieces of durian flesh… I mean…