The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Maverick was lying in bed, his lips curling into a smirk as he watched the live broadcast

on the television across the room.

So, it looks like she’s decided to reveal one of her alter egos after so long.

The broadcast was done to inform everyone that even Treyton and Joaquin were more than happy to let her have

the spotlight.

Samantha and Dexter must be extremely anxious right now. I bet they’re scrambling to uncover her real identity.

A corner of his lips lifted into a smile as he gazed at the stunning woman speaking on live television. She might

never look back or consider remarrying him, but he was happy enough to spend the rest of his life peacefully like

this.

Ryan was presently sitting on the chair by Maverick’s bed. He had propped his chin up with one hand while his

elbow rested on his knee, completely captivated by Gwendolyn’s stunning beauty.

“Ms. Shalders looks so attractive when she’s serious!” he remarked.

However, when he thought about being suspended, his face fell. “But she can be really scary when she’s mad, too.

If only she could be gentle like this all the time.”

Maverick had been admiring Gwendolyn’s beauty in silence until Ryan started rambling on next to him. Eventually,

he got quite annoyed and proceeded to grab the remote control from the bedside table, then decisively turned off

the television.

Ryan had been daydreaming moments ago, but before he knew it, he was staring at a pitch-black screen instead of

Gwendolyn’s pretty face.

“Mr. Wright, what gives?” he asked disgruntledly.

Maverick didn’t speak or pay any attention to him. His expression was somewhat cold, and due to being sick and

having been injected with the special drug previously, his skin had taken on an unhealthy pallor. This only

accentuated his intimidating presence.

Ryan looked at the somber man. Could it be that he’s… He decided to ask outright, “Mr. Wright, you’re not jealous

because I praised Ms. Shalders, are you?”

“I only turned it off because I got bored watching it,” Maverick lied impassively.

Ryan knew the man was lying, so he pointed out kindly, “Honestly, Mr. Wright, there’s no chance for you and Ms.

Shalders to be together again, especially since you’ve divorced her and now work as her housekeeper. Don’t go

getting your hopes up.”

Maverick’s face instantly darkened.

Unfazed and oblivious, Ryan continued, “Moreover, Ms. Shalders and Mr. Ferguson have had feelings for each other

since they were young. They are both very compatible in terms of personality, family background, age, and

appearance. So, why don’t you just see through this one-year agreement without kicking up a fuss and then go

back to being good old Mr. Wright?”

“Sherman Ferguson,” Maverick bit out the name through gritted teeth.

He would be completely fine with Gwendolyn dating Sherman if that man were trustworthy. However, Maverick had

met Sherman twice, and while the meetings had ended up in an argument between the two, he could tell from their

conversations that Sherman was quite promiscuous.

Not to mention, he was compassionate, too.

Knowing how Gwendolyn made a habit out of returning a favor tenfold, she might end up getting hurt by Sherman,

whether he did so intentionally or not.

There was no way Maverick could entrust Gwendolyn to a man like that!

“Mr. Wright?” Ryan probed when he noticed Maverick was spacing out.

Maverick immediately threw off the blanket and made to get out of bed. He even pulled out the IV drip needle

without hesitation.

“Where are you going?” Ryan panicked and stood up.

Maverick put on his shoes, and without so much as a backward glance, he walked out of the door as he said coldly,

“To get discharged.”

“Huh? You’ve only been here for a few days! The doctor will have to do another check-up on you and issue

discharge paperwork before you can leave!” Ryan cried out after Maverick.

He hurriedly chased after Maverick, only to see the latter suddenly stop at the door of the hospital room.

When Ryan drew closer, Maverick held out his hand and said, “Give me your phone.”

The talent show this time was a huge success, largely due to Gwendolyn’s stunning revelation. As a result, Angle’s

stock market soared, and the show received rave reviews.

That evening, Gwendolyn was discussing resource issues with Jennifer backstage when her phone suddenly rang.

She glanced down and saw that it was Ryan.

What mischief is Maverick up to now?

Her previously elated mood instantly turned sour.

She picked up the call calmly, but before she could say anything, a deep voice came down the other line.

“Gwendolyn, it’s me.”

Although Gwendolyn found it strange that Maverick was calling her, she didn’t bother to press him further and

merely asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been discharged from the hospital. To celebrate the success of your first show, I’ll prepare a feast for us to

enjoy together when you return. How does that sound?”

He spoke cautiously, the end of his sentence tinged with the fear of rejection, but there was anticipation in his

undertone, too.

Gwendolyn sensed this and fell silent for a beat or two.

In the few minutes where she did not say anything, he waited anxiously, his heart racing. Nonetheless, he kept quiet

and gave her time and space to consider his suggestion.

“I can’t make it tonight. I have a celebration party planned. Let’s talk about it another day,” she finally said.

She was just about to put down her phone when Maverick interjected anxiously, “Wait, don’t hang up! Are you…

going to eat with Joaquin, Treyton, and the others?”

She did not bother lying. “Yes.”

“Well, then…” Maverick hesitated for a moment, “Will Sherman be there, too?”

“Yes,” she answered curtly.

It was just one word delivered with cold indifference, but it was enough to stoke the flames of Maverick’s jealousy

into a raging fire.

Not to mention, he wos compossionote, too.

Knowing how Gwendolyn mode o hobit out of returning o fovor tenfold, she might end up getting hurt by Shermon,

whether he did so intentionolly or not.

There wos no woy Moverick could entrust Gwendolyn to o mon like thot!

“Mr. Wright?” Ryon probed when he noticed Moverick wos spocing out.

Moverick immediotely threw off the blonket ond mode to get out of bed. He even pulled out the IV drip needle

without hesitotion.

“Where ore you going?” Ryon ponicked ond stood up.

Moverick put on his shoes, ond without so much os o bockword glonce, he wolked out of the door os he soid coldly,

“To get dischorged.”

“Huh? You’ve only been here for o few doys! The doctor will hove to do onother check-up on you ond issue

dischorge poperwork before you con leove!” Ryon cried out ofter Moverick.

He hurriedly chosed ofter Moverick, only to see the lotter suddenly stop ot the door of the hospitol room.

When Ryon drew closer, Moverick held out his hond ond soid, “Give me your phone.”

The tolent show this time wos o huge success, lorgely due to Gwendolyn’s stunning revelotion. As o result, Angle’s

stock morket soored, ond the show received rove reviews.

Thot evening, Gwendolyn wos discussing resource issues with Jennifer bockstoge when her phone suddenly rong.

She glonced down ond sow thot it wos Ryon.

Whot mischief is Moverick up to now?

Her previously eloted mood instontly turned sour.

She picked up the coll colmly, but before she could soy onything, o deep voice come down the other line.

“Gwendolyn, it’s me.”

Although Gwendolyn found it stronge thot Moverick wos colling her, she didn’t bother to press him further ond

merely osked, “Whot’s wrong?”

“I’ve been dischorged from the hospitol. To celebrote the success of your first show, I’ll prepore o feost for us to

enjoy together when you return. How does thot sound?”

He spoke coutiously, the end of his sentence tinged with the feor of rejection, but there wos onticipotion in his

undertone, too.

Gwendolyn sensed this ond fell silent for o beot or two.

In the few minutes where she did not soy onything, he woited onxiously, his heort rocing. Nonetheless, he kept quiet

ond gove her time ond spoce to consider his suggestion.

“I con’t moke it tonight. I hove o celebrotion porty plonned. Let’s tolk obout it onother doy,” she finolly soid.

She wos just obout to put down her phone when Moverick interjected onxiously, “Woit, don’t hong up! Are you…

going to eot with Jooquin, Treyton, ond the others?”

She did not bother lying. “Yes.”

“Well, then…” Moverick hesitoted for o moment, “Will Shermon be there, too?”

“Yes,” she onswered curtly.

It wos just one word delivered with cold indifference, but it wos enough to stoke the flomes of Moverick’s jeolousy

into o roging fire.

He bit down on his pale lower lip and said in an appeasing, coquettish manner, “Can’t you take a rain check? I know

my cooking was bad before, but I promise I’ll do better. Why don’t you come back to Bay Villa tonight?”

Gwendolyn could not stand it when he used that tone on her. “No, there’s no room for negotiation.”

Maverick’s jaw hardened. “If you don’t come back, I’ll hold a press conference tomorrow and tell the whole nation

that I belong to you!”

She nearly laughed.

I’ve never seen a self-destructing idiot before.

Despite her amusement, she told him tersely, “You’re just my housekeeper.”

“Yeah, a housekeeper who belongs to you! Don’t you dare claim otherwise!” he argued.

“Maverick!” She was furious now, and the ferocity of her voice made Jennifer jump.

It was only after he heard how angry Gwendolyn was that Maverick gave in. “I’m sorry. I just wanted you to come

back to Bay Villa for a meal. You might not think I’m worthy enough to eat with you, but I wouldn’t mind standing

and watching you eat…”

Gwendolyn pressed her palm against her forehead. What the heck is wrong with him these days? It’s like his

shamelessness knows no bounds!

She didn’t feel like arguing with him any further, so she casually agreed, “I’ll go back to Bay Villa, but not until the

celebration party is over. It might be quite late by the time I get back.”

“Don’t worry. I can wait, no matter how long it takes for you to get home,” he said cheerily.

Although he couldn’t stop her from attending the celebration party, at least Sherman would not be the only one

there. He found comfort in the thought that Sherman would not be able to take any liberties with Gwendolyn.

After hanging up the phone, Maverick excitedly went to handle the discharge procedures.

Since Ryan had previously agreed to take care of Maverick until he recovered, there was no reason for him to

follow Maverick back to Bay Villa following the latter’s discharge from the hospital. As such, he called William and

Quinton to pick Maverick up, then went home to serve his suspension.

Upon returning to Bay Villa, Maverick made a beeline for the kitchen and began to read up on recipes. Someone

had been hired to stock up the refrigerator with fresh ingredients every day, so he could experiment with any dish

he liked as long as the recipe did not call for anything too complicated.

It took him nearly three hours to prepare a table full of delicious dishes. He tasted each dish beforehand to ensure

the flavors were well-balanced and perfect for Gwendolyn’s palate.

Not knowing exactly when Gwendolyn would return, he covered each dish with a plate to prevent them from getting

cold.

When he was done, he sat on the couch and waited patiently for Gwendolyn to come home.

Two hours had passed, and the food was getting cold. Seeing this, Maverick took the food back to the kitchen to

reheat it. Once he was done, he covered it and continued to wait.