The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

Thank God the photo is still with me. I don’t think Craig realized I stole the photo.

“I was just curious. After all, Mother is upstairs, and I haven’t met her. That’s why I wanted to head upstairs.”

Craig sighed. “Forget it. I won’t punish you this time, but you’re not allowed to do this again. There are rules in our

family, and now that you’re here, you need to obey them.”

“All right…”

Craig stood up and straightened his collar. “You must have had a scare last night. Get more rest. I’ll ask the

servants to bring the food upstairs later.”

“Wait.” Jennifer grabbed his sleeve and looked up at him. “I think someone hit my head and tried to strangle me to

death before I passed out last night. They even said that I shouldn’t be alive. Was that… Mother?”

Craig said back down and patted her shoulder.

In a softer voice, he said, “No. No one tried to strangle you to death either. You slipped and hit your head on the

corner of the table. Maybe you were too startled last night and imagined it. Don’t overthink the matter, okay?”

“But—”

But it felt so real. I was sober last night, so how could I have imagined it?

“There isn’t any but. Mother didn’t even wake up when you passed out the night before. The maid only found you in

the study this morning when she went there to clean up the place.”

Was that really what happened? Was that just a dream?

Jennifer was half-convinced. “Then when can I meet Mother?”

Craig froze for a second before a complicated look appeared in his amber eyes. “Mother has a cold, and she says

she doesn’t want to pass it to you, so it might be a few days before that. At most, you’ll meet her during your party.

I’m sure you’ll be able to see our kind and beautiful mother then.”

“She has a cold? I can take care of her. I’m healthier than most girls, and I won’t catch it.”

“But you’re hurt, and your immune system is at its lowest right now.” Craig narrowed his eyes before sternly

reminding her, “You need to listen to others now that you’re back.”

Feeling deflated, Jennifer nodded quietly.

Craig proceeded to remind her about a few more things before leaving the room.

The second he was gone, Jennifer clambered down the bed and walked over to the dresser to check the mirror.

Other than the mild stinging pain in her neck, there were no other signs of strangulation.

Could I really have hallucinated this last night because I was too afraid?

“Whatever. Gwendolyn’s matter is more important.”

Once she recomposed herself, she took out the photo from her pocket. Upon ensuring that she had gotten the right

photo, she put it back into her pocket.

Because of the injury on her forehead, Craig had forbade her from leaving the room. No matter what she said, the

butler refused to let her out, and he even confiscated her phone, wanting her to focus on resting.

Just like that, Jennifer was locked up for two whole days.

Time passed quickly when everyone was busy.

Soon, it was the day of the trial.

After Craig had his breakfast and left, Jennifer told the butler that she had recovered and had a magazine

photoshoot to attend to and managed to get out of the house. She hailed a cab and went to Harrick Villa.

While Gwendolyn was on her way to the international court, the lawyer passed the script to her on behalf of Jared

and reminded her, “Ms. Harris, you have to follow this script later on. Don’t worry. Even if she’s a princess, the

Harris family’s legal team won’t disappoint you.”

Gwendolyn nodded, but she did not look at the script.

Kieran, Treyton, and Nicole had gone to the court as well, but Asher was too busy with his work to even return.

Nico, on the other hand, had volunteered to stay back at Harrick Villa to take care of Cedrick.

By the time Jennifer arrived at Harrick Villa in haste, everyone had already departed half an hour ago.

As her phone had been confiscated, she had depleted the last of her battery on her way to Harrick Villa. Left

without a choice, she borrowed money from Nico to hail a cab to the international court.

Nico returned to the master bedroom after Jennifer left. To his surprise, Cedrick was awake.

His eyes widened, and he rushed over to his side. “Thank God! You’re finally awake, Boss!”

Cedrick’s lashes quivered, and he glanced at Nico before scanning the room.

“Where’s Gwenny?”

Nico panicked when he heard that. “Ms. Gwendolyn and the others have gone to the international court. Her

Highness is suing her for the murder of a member of the royal family, and the trial begins today.”

Cedrick furrowed his brows and sobered up immediately. “The murder of a member of the royal family?”

“It’s Vidar Lund. Her Highness’ adopted son, Charles Newton.”

Cedrick instantly pulled away the blanket to get down from the bed. “You’re driving. We’re going to the international

court right now.”

Nico glanced at his watch before grabbing Cedrick’s arm. “The trial is about to start. I doubt we’ll be of any help

even if we go now.” At the end of that, Nico stiffened and whispered solemnly, “Boss, I just received news that the

person… is out of danger.”

Cedrick stared at Nico as he swiftly recollected his thoughts.

“Let’s go have a look!”

The outside of the court was crowded.

The second Gwendolyn’s car arrived, the reporters swarmed over and shoved their microphones in Gwendolyn’s

face.

“Ms. Harris, did you really kill someone?”

“Even though Charles had been in jail before, he was an upstanding citizen. We even heard that you were childhood

friends with him, so why did you kill him?”

“Ms. Harris, please give us an explanation. Ms. Harris!”

Countless microphones were shoved at Gwendolyn as the flashes of the cameras went on forever.

Just as Gwendolyn was about to part her lips to speak, Treyton wrapped his arm around her shoulder and told his

men to clear a path.

With him around, the reporters were swift to make themselves scarce in minutes.

Leaning closer to her ear, Treyton reminded her, “Kiddo, remember what Jared told you. You don’t need to think

about the others. Kieran and I will settle them for you.”

Gwendolyn put away her complicated thoughts and bobbed her head.

The gallery in the court was filled with people.

The defendant’s table and the plaintiff’s table were set up to face each other.

Soon, Gerhardt led a haggard-looking Kylie into the court. Her eyes were slightly swollen. She looked as if she had

been crying non-stop for the past few days.

Upon noticing Gwendolyn’s gaze, Kylie shot her a glare, the look of murder bright in her eyes.

Gwendolyn ignored her and looked away as she quietly walked over to the defendant’s table.

While they were announcing the rules of the court, Gwendolyn thought about the note the lawyer had passed to her

and took it out to glance at it.

As it turned out, the legal team wanted her to claim justifiable homicide. She had killed Charles because he had lost

control over his emotions and had tried to kill Nico.

However, that meant shifting all the blame onto him.xo.com fast update

Even though he was dead, he would still be branded a murderer.

The truth was, Gwendolyn was pregnant. As long as she proved her pregnancy to the court, she would not need to

bear the responsibility of the matter for the time being.

However, she was still early in her term. Her elders had all told her that it was not suitable to announce a

pregnancy before the start of the second trimester. Moreover, she had yet to think of a way to break the news to

her brothers and father.

While she was lost in the swirl of her thoughts, Treyton noticed the change in her expression when she read the

note. He said to her softly, “Kiddo, don’t dwell on this.”

Gwendolyn pursed her lips.

Right then, the judge came in.

A thunderstorm was brewing, and the trial was about to begin.