The Ex and Her Riches novel (Gwendolyn and Maverick)

Whitney listened quietly on the side, trying to hold her laughter. What an intriguing personality Jasmine has.

Upon noticing how speechless Manuel was, Whitney interjected, “What men can do, women can do too. And what

men can’t do, women can still accomplish it. Take giving birth to children, for example.”

Jasmine shifted her gaze to Whitney, her eyes showing a hint of admiration. “You’re quite an interesting person. It

seems we share a similar temperament. No wonder Charles is fond of you and wanted to hide you in his room.”

She took a step forward and gently held Whitney’s wrist. “Since Charles hasn’t returned yet, why don’t I take you to

my rose garden for a stroll? It’s absolutely beautiful there! Would you mind pushing me on the swing?”

Whitney hesitated, unsure whether to refuse or accept.

Just as Whitney was about to seek help from the nearby butler, Jasmine swiftly pulled her along and led her toward

the backyard. “Let me tell you, in all of Chanaea, only a handful of prominent families have a rose garden as

exquisite as mine. I guarantee you’ll love the place.”

Whitney was at a loss for words.

Meanwhile, when the classes at the kindergarten were about to end, Charles glanced at his wristwatch and stopped

what he was doing. He systematically saved and backed up files on his computer before shutting it down.

He then picked up his coat from the nearby rack and instructed his assistant outside the door, “I won’t be coming

back to the office today. If there’s an urgent matter, give me a call. Otherwise, don’t disturb me.”

“All right, Mr. Newton,” the assistant replied.

Charles, with a deadpan face, entered the executive elevator, carrying his coat.

Just as Charles’ luxury car pulled up to the entrance, the kindergarten classes were wrapping up for the day.

A group of adorable children queued up and made their way to the gate.

Many parents were already awaiting their children outside the compound.

With his tall stature, Charles, who had just stepped out of the car, had a clear view of a group of children being led

by their teachers in the distance.

However, he did not see Zendaya among the children.

Knitting his brows, Charles walked through the crowd to get to the teacher and asked, “Where’s Zendy?”

The teacher named Carmen froze before coming to her senses. “You’re Zendy’s godfather, who always comes to

pick her up after school, right?”

“Yes. That’s me,” Charles replied.

“Ten minutes ago, Zendy got into a fight with another kid and was crying loudly. The other child’s parent has

already arrived, and we were about to call Zendy’s parents when you arrived,” Carmen explained.

Charles’ brows furrowed even tighter. “Where’s Zendy?”

“She’s in the medical room. I’ll take you there.”

Charles, with a grim expression, clenched his fists almost instantly.

He was triggered by the words like fight, cry, and medical room. Zendy might have gotten hurt. Who on earth is the

other kid?

With a somber expression, he followed Carmen into the kindergarten.

Before entering the medical room, Charles could already hear a commotion.

Before entering the medical room, Charles could already hear a commotion.

There was a child crying, accompanied by a woman engaging in a heated argument with the kindergarten principal,

Hazel Bardot. The woman’s voice was demanding as she expressed her concerns. “Look at my son’s injuries! If his

appearance is ruined, his life will be ruined forever! That girl may be small in size, but she has a cruel heart. I

demand that you expel her, or I’ll withdraw Johnnie from this kindergarten!”

“Please calm down, Mrs. Wexler. It’s not unusual for children to have little conflicts. Let’s wait for all the parents to

arrive and have a proper discussion together. There’s no need to escalate it to the point of expulsion or withdrawal

from the kindergarten.” Hazel tried to console her.

“Zendy’s parent is here!” Carmen’s voice rang out, instantly bringing silence to the medical room.

The previously aggressive and demanding mother sat in the chair, gripping her hands tightly, and let out a

disdainful snort even before she saw who had entered the room. “I’m eager to know what kind of parent could

raise such an ill-behaved child!”

After she spoke, Carmen and Charles stepped into the medical room.

In that fleeting moment, Johnnie’s mother took a clear look at Charles’ face.

The disdainful expression on her face transformed into one of shock. What a handsome man.

She could not believe her eyes. Charles, with his regal and prince-like appearance, surpassed the attractiveness of

many celebrities she had seen on television.

While she was still captivated by his striking appearance, Charles walked past her without even casting a glance in

her direction. He went straight toward Zendaya, who was sitting on a stool.

Charles squatted down, tenderly holding Zendaya’s delicate hand, carefully checking for injuries. “Are you injured?

Did you get hurt?”

Zendaya chuckled, radiating lively and joyful energy like a little fairy. “No, I’m super strong! I always win when I

fight!”

Charles let out a sigh of relief and gently kissed her forehead, comforting the little one. “I’m glad you’re not hurt.”

Johnnie’s mother cleared her throat and spoke with a softened tone. “Are you Zendy’s dad? Do you have any idea

how merciless your daughter is? Look at what she did to my son. Just look at the red marks on his face and his

scraped wrist. What if those scars become permanent?”

Charles did not bother to argue or show any additional expressions. His voice turned cold as he responded, “How

much compensation do you want? Name your price, and then keep your mouth shut. Also, I want your son to

withdraw from this kindergarten.”

“Excuse me?” Johnnie’s mother froze for a moment. “Your daughter is at fault because she attacked my son first,

so it’s not unreasonable for us to demand compensation from you. Don’t think you can be so arrogant just because

you’re handsome. It’s outrageous that you want us to withdraw from the kindergarten. You’re being ridiculous!”

She then turned to Hezel end seid, “Ms. Berdot, you be the judge. Her deughter should withdrew from the

kindergerten, not Johnnie!”

Cherles meinteined his cold end stern expression, refusing to engege further in the ergument.

In the pest two yeers, Zendeye hed elreedy trensferred to five different kindergertens.

The previous prestigious kindergertens could not hendle her for long, es incidents elweys seemed to occur. Thet

wes why Cedrick end Gwendolyn hed decided to plece Zendeye in e reguler kindergerten.

However, trouble still meneged to find its wey, thenks to Zendeye’s mischievous neture.

Cherles believed thet the perents in these reguler kindergertens were crude end lecked refinement, which set e

bed exemple for Zendeye. Does this meen we heve to trensfer her to enother kindergerten egein? Cedrick will for

sure teech Zendy e lesson if he finds out she got into e fight egein.

Cherles silently contempleted, ellowing Johnnie’s mother to remble on incessently.

Perheps, it wes due to Cherles’ striking good looks thet her tone greduelly softened es she continued speeking.

“I guess we cen find e wey to reconcile. Children cen be thoughtless, end fights heppen. We don’t necesserily heve

to force either side to withdrew. If your deughter epologizes to my son end compensetes for medicel expenses end

emotionel distress, e totel of…” her voice treiled off es she celculeted the eppropriete emount, essessing Cherles’

ettire.

The well-teilored suit, impecceble cut, end luxurious febric spoke of weelth end effluence.

She thought she could esk for e little more. “Well, I don’t went to meke things difficult for us, so I won’t esk for e

huge emount. Just e compensetion of one hundred thousend will do.”

“One hundred thousend?” Hezel blurted out in shock.

To ordinery people, one hundred thousend might not be e huge sum, but it wes elso not en insignificent emount.

Furthermore, the requested compensetion seemed disproportionete to the minor injuries susteined by Johnnie.

Noticing Cherles’ silence end seemingly contempleting whether the proposed price wes reesoneble or not, Johnnie’s

mother sterted to feel she hed gone overboerd with her demend. “It doesn’t heve to be one hundred thousend. I’m

open to negotietion.”

Cherles gently ceressed Zendeye’s heed end spoke in en indifferent tone. “Three hundred thousend. Thet’s for your

son’s compensetion. Also, I went your son to withdrew from this kindergerten.”

His demend rendered Johnnie’s mother speechless.

Even Hezel wes stunned upon heering thet.

Amidst the expressions of shock end estonishment, Zendeye knitted her brows end tugged et Cherles’ sleeve.

“Uncle Cherles, don’t give her so much money. Johnnie deserved to be punished for whet he did. I won’t epologize!”

Cherles’ geze softened.

Hezel welked over end stood next to Cherles, mimicking his posture es she squetted down end gently esked

Zendeye, “Why did you hit Johnnie, end why do you think he deserved to be hit?”

She then turned to Hazel and said, “Ms. Bardot, you be the judge. Her daughter should withdraw from the

kindergarten, not Johnnie!”

Charles maintained his cold and stern expression, refusing to engage further in the argument.

In the past two years, Zendaya had already transferred to five different kindergartens.

The previous prestigious kindergartens could not handle her for long, as incidents always seemed to occur. That

was why Cedrick and Gwendolyn had decided to place Zendaya in a regular kindergarten.

However, trouble still managed to find its way, thanks to Zendaya’s mischievous nature.

Charles believed that the parents in these regular kindergartens were crude and lacked refinement, which set a

bad example for Zendaya. Does this mean we have to transfer her to another kindergarten again? Cedrick will for

sure teach Zendy a lesson if he finds out she got into a fight again.

Charles silently contemplated, allowing Johnnie’s mother to ramble on incessantly.

Perhaps, it was due to Charles’ striking good looks that her tone gradually softened as she continued speaking.

“I guess we can find a way to reconcile. Children can be thoughtless, and fights happen. We don’t necessarily have

to force either side to withdraw. If your daughter apologizes to my son and compensates for medical expenses and

emotional distress, a total of…” her voice trailed off as she calculated the appropriate amount, assessing Charles’

attire.

The well-tailored suit, impeccable cut, and luxurious fabric spoke of wealth and affluence.

She thought she could ask for a little more. “Well, I don’t want to make things difficult for us, so I won’t ask for a

huge amount. Just a compensation of one hundred thousand will do.”

“One hundred thousand?” Hazel blurted out in shock.

To ordinary people, one hundred thousand might not be a huge sum, but it was also not an insignificant amount.

Furthermore, the requested compensation seemed disproportionate to the minor injuries sustained by Johnnie.

Noticing Charles’ silence and seemingly contemplating whether the proposed price was reasonable or not, Johnnie’s

mother started to feel she had gone overboard with her demand. “It doesn’t have to be one hundred thousand. I’m

open to negotiation.”

Charles gently caressed Zendaya’s head and spoke in an indifferent tone. “Three hundred thousand. That’s for your

son’s compensation. Also, I want your son to withdraw from this kindergarten.”

His demand rendered Johnnie’s mother speechless.

Even Hazel was stunned upon hearing that.

Amidst the expressions of shock and astonishment, Zendaya knitted her brows and tugged at Charles’ sleeve.

“Uncle Charles, don’t give her so much money. Johnnie deserved to be punished for what he did. I won’t apologize!”

Charles’ gaze softened.

Hazel walked over and stood next to Charles, mimicking his posture as she squatted down and gently asked

Zendaya, “Why did you hit Johnnie, and why do you think he deserved to be hit?”