Read The Ex and Her Riches

CHAPTER ONE

Chapter 1 Let Us Get a Divorce

It was night, but Gwendolyn Shalders' sleep was fitful.

It was night, but Gwendolyn Shalders' sleep was fitful. She felt as though someone was crushing her to the point that she was close to suffocating. Worse still, the sound of deep and rapid breathing persisted right next to her ear. On the heels of that, a sharp stabbing pain came from the most intimate part of her. Realization dawned upon her, and her eyes popped open in horror. At once, she was greeted by a vague silhouette of a man propped above her. “Is it... you, Maverick?” A soft grunt then escaped the man who reeked of alcohol. Following that, he mauled her again and again without saying anything else. Nonetheless, the familiar voice had Gwendolyn breathe a sigh of relief. As the man continued thrusting into her, the desire within her gradually grew. In the end, seductive moans inexorably tumbled out of her mouth. Soon, the man's motions grew increasingly forceful. Gritting her teeth, Gwendolyn endured the pain. She was lost in the blissful atmosphere, feeling as though she was walking on air. They had been married for three years, and Maverick Wright was finally willing to bed her. Due to the fact that she was foisted on him by his grandfather, Declan Wright, he had never spared her a glance throughout the years. Therefore, she was over the moon that he had entered her room this time, no matter the reason. Two hours later, with a deep groan, Maverick collapsed onto her in utter exhaustion. The moonlight outside the floor-to-ceiling windows illuminated his perfect figure. As Gwendolyn listened to his rapid heartbeat, she found it all too realistic yet also incredibly dreamlike. If this is truly a dream, I never want to wake up! She wrapped her arms around his neck with a lovesick look in her eyes, panting slightly after the bout of rigorous exercise. “Maverick... Maverick, I really—” Before she could utter the word “love,” she heard the man muttering a name in a low and hoarse voice. “Tasha...” When she heard that, she froze on the spot. Her heart clenched in agony, and all the blood in her body ran cold. Tasha was Natasha Mossey's nickname, and she was Maverick's first crush who had been abroad in the past few years because of Declan. But yesterday, she returned to the country. That aside, she sent Gwendolyn a provocative text that read: I'm back, Gwendolyn, and there's no longer a place for you in the Wright family! Mave and I are childhood sweethearts. Do you think you can take my place in just a few years? Scram! Go back to the orphanage, for that's where you belong! You've got no idea how much he loves me, huh? Even if he's lying in your bed, he'll undoubtedly call out my name! You're only worthy of being my replacement. It must be a bitter feeling, huh, Gwendolyn? At that time, Gwendolyn denied it. Her replacement? I'm the granddaughter-in-law chosen by Old Mr. Wright, the rightful Mrs. Wright! I'm myself and no one's replacement! Nonetheless, right then, she could still hear Maverick calling out Natasha's name. The mocking text messages kept replaying in her mind, proof of her delusions in the past. Without warning, tears uncontrollably streamed down her face. She clenched her fists, her entire body trembling from the repression of her emotions. All these years, I've been cautious and obedient to the point of subservience. I even quit my job and devoted everything to being a good wife to him. His mother and sister at the Wright residence have an opinion about my background, snobs in every sense of the word, thus repeatedly making life difficult for me and humiliating me. Yet, I put up with it all because I didn't want to give him any trouble. Had I not lowered myself enough to gain his love? Why must he trample all over the last bits of my dignity? That night was extraordinarily long for her. She stayed up the entire night, sleeping nary a wink. Early the next morning, Maverick was awakened by the glaring sunlight from outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. He massaged his temples. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Gwendolyn sitting before the dressing table with her back to him. Suddenly, the absurd events from the night before flashed across his mind. Understanding dawned upon him, and his ebony eyes constricted while the temperature around him slowly plummeted. Despite having her back to him, Gwendolyn could distinctly sense the hostility emanating from him. She continued applying skincare product nonchalantly when suddenly, Maverick grabbed her wrist hard and yanked her up. Consequently, the skincare product in her hand fell to the ground. The glass bottle shattered into a thousand pieces, and white paste spilled everywhere. Snapping her head up, she glared at the man. Yet, her heart inevitably jolted when she met the man's furious and repulsed gaze. “Did you think you could become Mrs. Wright for real by using such a despicable method of drugging me so that I'd bed you?” Towering over her, Maverick scowled at her while he clenched his jaw. Instead of dropping his hold on her, he gripped her increasingly tighter. The savage expression on his face rendered his handsome countenance ghastly beyond words. Drugging him? All pale, Gwendolyn let out a bark of laughter. “Such is the kind of woman I am in your eyes?” In response, Maverick's lips curved into a derisory smirk, even as intense repugnance blazed in his eyes. “Back then, didn't you also fool Grandpa with some trick so that I was forced to marry you? Why are you feigning innocence now? An inherently shameless woman like you isn't even worthy of carrying Tasha's slippers!” Inherently shameless? Feigning innocence? Hah! It turns out that I'm actually this loathsome to him. As for using a tactic such as drugging him, I would've done it ages ago if I so wanted to. Why would I have waited until now? Verily, he doesn't understand me at all! How ironic! I sacrificed everything in the past three years, but it all amounted to nothing! In this case, there's no longer any need for me to stick it out. Enduring the pain radiating off the wrist in his grasp, Gwendolyn gritted her teeth and exerted strength, shaking his hand off hard. Then, she held her head up high, her voice resolute. “Let's get a divorce, Maverick.”

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CHAPTER TWO

Chapter 2 Your Thirty Billion

“What?” Maverick frowned, seemingly never having expected her to propose a divorce. She had just drugged me last night. What stunt is she up to now, this early in the morning? “Have you lost your d*mn mind?” At that, Gwendolyn merely stared at him coldly. She was far shorter than the man, but her aura right then was wholly comparable to him. “Haven't you long since dreamed of getting a divorce? Seeing that it was your grandfather who coerced you into marrying me back then, no one can stop you from marrying Natasha anymore now that he's no longer here. Don't you want to give her a rightful status?” Pursing his lips, Maverick scrutinized her closely. Would she really be so kind as to give up her status? At her solemn gaze and the fact that she didn't seem to be lying, he snorted softly, his voice frosty. “I hope you don't regret it.” Gwendolyn sneered. Never had I been so determined about something! “The only thing I regret is marrying you back then.” After saying that, she spun on her heel and left, looking all resolved and blithe. Maverick's eyes remained fixated on her back for a long time. In the past, she had always been gentle and docile before me, putting on an act of fragility. Today, however, she's surprisingly steely. Could it be that I had really accused her wrongly about the incident last night? But who else could it be if not her? Both of them went to City Hall that very morning, one after the other. Dressed in old and ugly clothes bought from the side of the street, Gwendolyn made a stark contrast with Maverick, who wore a high-end black suit from Prada, as they stood together. As such, they attracted much attention from those around them. Nevertheless, she wasn't at all bothered. All she wanted was for the entire farce to end as soon as possible. In a brief ten minutes, their miserable marriage finally drew to an end. Gazing at the eyesore of a divorce certificate in her hand, Gwendolyn plunged into a trance for a moment. “You're on your own henceforth.” Out of the blue, a dispassionate voice drifted into her ears. By the time she lifted her head, the man had disappeared into thin air without dissuading her from getting a divorce or even taking a final glance at her. It was as though he had never been in her life. “Well, I suppose this is for the best.” She shook her head with a chuckle. Since he's callous enough, we'll be mere strangers the next time we meet again. Corralling her thoughts, she walked to the side of the road. Unexpectedly, a limited-edition black Bentley came to a stop in front of her. The car door swung open, upon which a middle-aged man with graying hair headed toward her under the escort of four bodyguards. When Gwendolyn made out his countenance, she jerked her chin up a fraction. In a flash, she was seemingly imbued with an innate sense of regality. “How well-informed of Dad. I've just gotten a divorce, and you've already come knocking on my door.” The butler, Leif, wore an ingratiating smile on his face. He bowed deeply to her before venturing, “Ms. Harris, your three-year pact with Mr. Harris is up.” Pausing, he glanced at the divorce certificate in Gwendolyn's hand. Then, he continued in feigned regret, “It looks like you failed to have Maverick Wright fall in love with you. In that case, you should honor your promise and return to Salinsburgh to inherit the family business.” Gwendolyn's brows furrowed, and she fell silent for a long time. When she was fifteen years old, someone sabotaged her and caused her to lose her memories. Ultimately, she ended up at Fairlake Orphanage. Thereafter, she saved Declan by coincidence and was taken back to the Wright residence. It wasn't until she had come of age that Maverick was ordered to marry her. An accident transpired on the night of her wedding with Maverick, and she happened to recover her memories. Ironically, she was head over heels in love with Maverick then and declined to follow Leif back. In the end, she made a three-year pact with her father. Casting my mind back on it now, these three years have really been wasted on a man who doesn't love me! “Mr. Harris misses you greatly. Come back with me, Ms. Harris. Don't be angry at Mr. Harris anymore, for he—” Alas, Gwendolyn cut him off. At the mention of the past, her expression turned all the icier. “Leif, he has got that woman by his side, and the Harris family doesn't lack an insignificant figure like me. I've still got something important to do in Fairlake, so I'm not returning.” She had been furtively investigating the culprit who made her suffer from amnesia and caused her to end up in Fairlake in the past two years, only to learn that the person might be part of Harris Group. Unfortunately, she hadn't any idea yet who exactly it was. With the enemy in hiding and me out in the open at present, I'll be in great danger if I return to the Harris family. Furthermore, I don't want to go back and face that woman every day! In response, Leif sighed. “Indeed, Mr. Harris was right. You're still harboring a grudge against him, unwilling to go home easily.” While saying that, he respectfully took out a supreme Centurion Card. “Here's your bank card. There's still thirty billion in it, not a cent less.” Subsequently, he waved a hand at the bodyguards behind him. One of them swiftly handed a new contract to Gwendolyn.