The Ex and Her Riches Free Preview

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.”

“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.

“Mr. Harris said you can stay for the time being, but you must accept the management rights of Angle Corporation, a subsidiary of Harris Group in Fairlake. On top of that, the company's profits this year must be five percent more than last year's. He also said you can refuse, but things might end badly for Wright Construction Group if you do so.”

Upon hearing that, Gwendolyn gritted her teeth in utter frustration.

Before Declan passed away, she once promised him that she would help to look after Wright Construction Group. Thus, she couldn't allow anything to happen to the company.

This time, Dad is clearly using my weakness against me. However, he isn't blackmailing me into going home but is forcing me into taking over Angle Corporation. What exactly is his motive?

“Fine, I'll do as he says!”

Taking the pen, Gwendolyn signed her name with a flourish before accepting the supreme Centurion Card with thirty billion in it.

At the sight of the gold surface of the card, she shook her head in amusement.

A few minutes ago, I was so poor that I only had ten on me, not even enough to take a taxi. Is this then considered going from rags to riches? Because of my pact with Dad previously, my bank card and account were frozen. Additionally, I had to conceal my real identity, or it'd be a breach of contract. Maverick's mother and sister had an affinity for the rich and climbing the social ladder, so they never showed me any respect. I wonder what their expressions would be if they were to learn that I'm actually Gwendolyn Shalders Harris, the youngest daughter of the Harris family, the wealthiest family in the country, and a megarich woman with a net worth of hundreds of millions. I still remember when a good friend of mine from the orphanage was dying, back before I regained my memories. I went on my knees and prostrated myself before my mother-in-law, begging her to lend me some money. She arrogantly whipped out a platinum card, but she didn't give it to me. Instead, she boasted, “Guess how much money is in here. A million. You've never seen so much money in your life, huh? But I'd rather use it to buy dog food than lend you a single cent! Do you know why? Because that destitute friend of yours is even lowlier than a dog, in my eyes.” At that time, I merely balled my hands into fists as a flash of derision flittered across my eyes. Well, if there's a chance, I'd really like to teach those two haughty women a lesson and vent my wrath for once!

While she was deep in thought, someone grabbed her wrist from the back.

She turned around, only to be greeted by the sight of none other than her mother-in-law, Frida Landers.

Frida had her nose in the air, her expression disdainful and disapproving. Behind her were a few well-to-do ladies with shopping bags in hand. From the look of things, they had just finished shopping.

Surreptitiously putting the Centurion Card into her bag, Gwendolyn questioned indifferently, “Is something the matter?”

Frida was stunned at first, seemingly never having expected her attitude to be so blasé when she had previously always acted like a wimp before her.

“Who allowed you to come out and embarrass me? Have you done all the household chores? And have you cooked lunch? If my precious son were to go hungry, I'd skin you alive! Also, look at the scraps you're wearing! You've been married into the family for a few years now, yet you still appear impoverished. How shameful! Hurry up and go home!”

To her surprise, Gwendolyn reacted as though she had heard the biggest joke in the century.

“I'm shameful? After I married into the Wright family, you deliberately dismissed all the help in the mansion and forced me to quit my job to do the laundry and cook for your son, being a virtuous wife. I did all that, but were you ever satisfied? No, you merely went even further. You framed me for stealing your jewelry, thereby withholding the shares Old Mr. Wright left me. Moreover, you forced me to my knees and had me kneel outdoors as punishment while it was raining heavily. Have you forgotten all that?”

Following her words, the well-to-do ladies behind Frida clicked their tongues. We've always known that she treats her daughter-in-law horribly, but we never imagined that she actually went that far!

Seeing that things weren't quite right between the two women, they all made excuses to leave.

“W-What nonsense are you spouting?”

Several times, Frida wanted to cut Gwendolyn off, but the latter's rapid-fire speech gave her no opportunity to interrupt.

Gwendolyn proceeded to jerk her chin up imperiously, the look in her eyes razor-sharp.

“You know full well whether I'm spouting nonsense. I tolerated you in the past, but if you dare provoke me again in the future, I'll settle the score with you for all past grievances doubly!”

Frida was completely staggered by Gwendolyn's imposing aura.

Is this still my meek daughter-in-law?

“Oh, I understand now! You were merely putting on an act in the past!”

Growing increasingly incensed as she mulled over the latter's change, Frida gritted her teeth and threatened, “I'm never going to let this incident today slide! I'll tell Maverick about it and have him divorce you! This time, I'm going to kick you out of the family even if you beg me on your knees!”

However, Gwendolyn merely sneered with a contemptuous expression on her face.

“Ah, I forgot to tell you this earlier. Just ten minutes ago, I'd already gotten divorced from Maverick. From now on, I'll never again take a single step into the Wright residence even if you beg me on your knees.”

Divorced? And a while ago, at that? How could that be? This bumpkin had been shamelessly clinging to the Wright family in the past, yet she has finally given up?

Eyeing her retreating back dubiously, Frida gave Maverick a call right then and there to verify that piece of news.

“Have you really gotten divorced, Maverick?”

Maverick grunted in affirmation, but a frown then marred his countenance. “Who told you when it had just been finalized a moment ago?”

“Who else could it be? I bumped into Gwendolyn, and that b*tch even raised her voice at me!”

Fury still stained Frida's face, but she promptly broke into a wide grin at the thought that the couple had truly gotten divorced. She even started crowing, “This is great! You've finally gotten a divorce! How could a woman of unknown origins from an orphanage be worthy of my precious son? She should've buzzed off long ago...”

Maverick pressed his lips into a thin line, his mood entirely different from Frida's excitement.

In fact, an inexplicable trace of irritation and guilt swamped him.

Previously, he thought that Gwendolyn wouldn't easily agree to a divorce. He even prepared a settlement of three million and a mansion in advance. Yet, she was the one who proposed it. On top of that, she didn't even ask for a cent in compensation.

Now that she's divorced without any money and family by her side, how will she survive in the future? Oh well, she'll come and seek me out when she's at the end of her rope.

Meanwhile, Gwendolyn took a taxi back to the little mansion belonging to her and Maverick that housed her bitterness and agony for the past three years.

The memories were far too heavy, so much so that she didn't want to recall them anymore.

She walked past the garden in front of the courtyard and headed upstairs right away to pack her luggage. When she had done so, she didn't want to tarry in the mansion for even a second longer.

Alas, a beautiful figure in the living room turned around and looked at her no sooner had she gone downstairs.

It was Natasha in a snow-white dress, smiling innocently. “It's been a long time, Gwendolyn.”

Gwendolyn was startled momentarily, seemingly never having expected to see the woman there.

We'd just gotten divorced, yet Maverick had already given her the key to the mansion? So, he's allowing her to move in just like that? It seems that he really loves this first crush of his.

A sense of repulsion flooded Gwendolyn. Nonetheless, she elegantly descended the stairs with a smile.

At the sight of her poise, Natasha's expression froze imperceptibly. But in the next heartbeat, she continued beaming.

“It's only been a few years, but your aura is increasingly more like that of the mistress of the Wright family. Oh, sorry, it was a slip of the tongue.” Clapping a hand over her mouth, Natasha gave an awkward chuckle before lamenting, “I forgot that you're already divorced from Mave, so you're no longer Mrs. Wright.”

Despite knowing that the woman was there to assert her dominance over her, Gwendolyn wasn't the least bit angry. The smile on her face remained as airy as ever.

“Maverick Wright is a man I'm already sick of. But since you love other people's rejects, I'll hand him to you. Anyhow, don't get too hasty, or it'll make you look like a third-party eager to intervene in someone else's relationship.”

Her remark had Natasha's smile quickly turning chilly and her expression contorting into a hideous mask.

“Mave and I love each other deeply. If it weren't for you back then, we would've been together ages ago. You're the third party who should be disdained by all!”

At that, Gwendolyn cast her a mocking look. “Very soon, you'll know who exactly the third party is.”

Having said that, she circled around Natasha, not planning to tarry any longer. Just when she was about to leave, the latter grabbed her wrist.

She glanced over her shoulder, only to see Natasha looking all pitiful. Her eyes were red-rimmed like a rabbit, and it was as though she had suffered a great grievance.

“I'm sorry, Gwendolyn. I've always regarded you as my best friend. This time, I only came to visit you. I meant well. I didn't know that you both had gotten divorced. I really didn't mean anything else. Please don't be angry with me, okay?”

“Oh, how fast you change your tune!”

That sweet-sounding speech had Gwendolyn snort a bark of laughter. She was just about to shake Natasha off when, with a shriek of pain, the latter collapsed onto the ground weakly in concert with her movement.

From the back, it would look as though she had shoved Natasha hard.

Heh! How intriguing!

Gwendolyn watched the entire self-directed show coldly. If I'm right, Maverick must have happened to come back just this moment and is presently standing at the door, witnessing the whole scene.

Sure enough, the man's enraged bellow abruptly rang out behind her.

“What are you doing?”

Striding into the living room on his long legs, Maverick went over to Natasha and helped her up at once.

Then, he turned his eyes to Gwendolyn, his gaze brimming with grimness and disappointment. “I initially thought you'd behave after our divorce, but I never expected you to still resort to such a despicable tactic. It makes me sick. I had actually planned to transfer this mansion to your name, but from the looks of things, that's no longer necessary.”

“Don't blame Gwendolyn, Mave. She only pushed me accidentally because I made her mad. It was my fault, so admonish me instead.”

Natasha leaned against his chest with guilt written all over her face, her sobs pitiable and heartbreaking. When she stole a glance at Gwendolyn out of the corner of her eye, however, her gaze carried a hint of pride and triumph.

A layer of frost blanketed Maverick's face, and he said to Gwendolyn in a commanding tone, “Apologize to Tasha immediately, right this moment.”

Tsk-tsk, he wants me to apologize to her?

A spark of anger flickered within Gwendolyn.

Alternating her gaze between the loving couple, she beamed from ear to ear. Then, she gently tugged at Natasha, who was in Maverick's arms.

I thought she'd be livid and argue, but unexpectedly, she's still smiling?

Puzzlement showed on Natasha's face. Not quite comprehending Gwendolyn's exact plan, she was momentarily dazed, allowing the latter to pull her over.

Slap!

“Ahh!”

A shriek far more piercing than the one earlier split the air. With a hand cradling her swollen face, Natasha fell onto the ground hard.

Gwendolyn put all her strength into the slap, so much so that her palm was a touch numb. Hence, the pain Natasha endured this time was definitely excruciating.

Even then, Gwendolyn wore a smile on her face, and it was surprisingly detached to boot. She didn't look at all like the instigator who hit someone.

As she stared down at Natasha on the ground, her voice was incredibly gentle. “Since you claimed that I picked on you, how could I have helped you affirm my misdeed if I hadn't slapped you?”

With tears shimmering in her eyes, Natasha sat on the ground feebly, whimpering softly.

Meanwhile, Maverick had never expected Gwendolyn to have the guts to get physical right before him. Thus, he forgot to help Natasha up immediately.

Wearing a dark look on his face, he glowered at Gwendolyn threateningly. “Not only did you fail to apologize, but you even took things further! Are you testing my limit?”

“You're regarding yourself too highly, Mr. Wright.”

Gwendolyn waved a hand profusely, the grin on her face growing increasingly wider.

“We were once married, so I'll give you an epic gift before I leave.”

While speaking, she took out a thick stack of paper from her bag and tossed it at the man's face.

Countless pieces of white paper fluttered in the air.

Maverick reached out and snagged one, only to see a copy of a text message filled with insults and taunts, sounding arrogant beyond words. When his eyes scanned over the sender's unidentified phone number, shock inundated him.

Flipping it over, he saw proof of the truth behind the incident of him being drugged the night before. The evidence was solid, and it all pointed to Natasha as the culprit.

In a flash, his brows knitted together. He swung his eyes at Natasha on the ground, a terrifying look in them.

Coincidentally, Natasha had just finished skimming through the contents of the paper. Her face drained of all color.

Indeed, she was the one who had someone spike Maverick's wine. In fact, she even phoned the man and told him to go to the hotel to look for her. Little did she expect that the driver would mistakenly send him back to the mansion, and her plan would end up benefitting Gwendolyn.

Hopping mad, she texted Gwendolyn to rub salt into her wound.

Regretfully, never had she imagined that Gwendolyn would dare confront her openly in such a manner.

Oh God, what would Maverick think of me?

Without waiting for her to justify herself, Gwendolyn had already picked up her packed suitcase. Before leaving, she took one last look at the man she once loved deeply.

“Remember this, Maverick Wright—I'm not the one who's divorced and abandoned. Instead, it's you! I don't want you anymore, nor is the Wright family worthy of me!”