Chapter 224
Wooing My Ex-Wife
Chapter 224 You Look Like Someone Cedrick held his breath while sneaking a glance at Gwendolyn.
She sat on the couch by the window with her back facing him, sipping red wine.
He clenched his fists so tightly that they felt clammy.
Could she be drunk by any chance? Would she be as gentle to me as two nights ago? âI admit I donât know you well, yet you still plotted to get engaged with me.
Donât you think you owe me an explanation?â Cedrickâs hand was on the doorknob when he felt his heart drop.
Gwendolynâs speech was coherent and paced regularly.
It was clear sheâd barely imbibed any wine and was still sober.
That meant that he would be dead meat tonight.
Cedrick still wasnât ready to face her.
He stalked toward the window and considered making a run for it.
Gwendolynâs languid voice sounded.
âOld Mr. Jenson has instructed the windows to be locked.
It is also fitted with bulletproof glass and canât be shattered.
Weâre just going to have a nice little chat.
I wonder what youâre so afraid of?â He had no chance of escape.
Cedrick subconsciously touched his face to confirm that his mask was still on.
Gwendolyn couldnât possibly recognize him that easily.
He cleared his throat.
âYou must be joking, Ms. Gwendolyn.
We arenât acquainted at all.
I decided to get engaged with you merely because the fortune teller mentioned that weâd get along well together.
â Gwendolyn placed her wine glass down and turned to face him.
âIâve told you before that thereâs someone Iââ She was cut off abruptly.
The man who stood by the window in a well-fitting suit gave off an aloof aristocratic air.
The sheer sight of him flooded her with a bone-deep sense of familiarity.
Her expression froze as she carefully scrutinized the man from head to toe.
Cedrickâs heart was in his throat when he noticed the change in her expression.
âMr. Jenson, you really look like someone.
â Gwendolyn got to her feet with her brows furrowed and gingerly approached Cedrick.
âMs. Harris, you must be mistaken.
Weâve never met,â His eyes were glacial as he uttered in a hoarse voice.
Gwendolynâs eyes reddened as she met his familiar eyes.
Her hand shot out without forewarning to grab his suit collar and press him against the glass window.
âAre you taking me for an idiot, Maverick? Do you think I wonât be able to recognize you just because youâre wearing a mask? You might fool everyone, but I can tell itâs you from your eyes and mannerisms!â Cedrick felt his entire body go numb.
Should I come clean? Will Gwendolyn think that Iâve been deceiving her all along? She hated being kept in the dark the most and had never liked him in the first place.
Wouldnât doing so compound the hatred she bore against him, so much so that itâd be even more difficult for him to be forgiven? âWhy didnât you come looking for me if you werenât dead? How come youâve taken on the identity of Cedrick? Maverick, you owe me a much due explanation!â Gwendolyn grabbed his collar so tightly that her hands were trembling.
Her eyes swirled with shock, confusion, and fury.
âMs. Harris, Iââ âWhat are you calling me?â Gwendolyn raised her hand and curved her elbow as she swiftly landed a hard blow on his abdomen.
Cedrickâs features beneath his mask twisted in pain, and he bent down reflexively.
Despite that, Gwendolyn tugged his collar and backed him up against the window once more.
He wouldnât retaliate as he feared that he would accidentally hurt Gwendolyn due to the disparity between their strength.
However, Gwendolyn had no such concerns.
She would whack him with all her might every single time.
Her mind had no room for reason as she stared daggers at Cedrick.
She still couldnât get over Maverick being alive and well.
Why didnât he look for me? Why act like weâre strangers? âIf you refuse to tell the truth, Iâll have to take matters into my own hands!â She reached out to snatch his mask.
Cedrick held on tightly to it.
âMs. Harris, isnât it unbecoming of you to be so forward on our first meeting tonight?â âWhatâs wrong with me touching my fiancé? Why are you so scared of me seeing your face? If you are Cedrick and not Maverick, you should have nothing to fear!â âIââ Gwendolyn didnât give him a chance to defend himself as she leveled another blow at his abdomen.
Gwendolyn swiftly ripped off his mask while he was curled up in agony.
Time seemed to stop as they looked into one anotherâs eyes.
Gwendolyn surveyed his face in astonishment.
Besides his eyes, the rest of his features were completely altered.
He now only vaguely resembled Maverick at a glance.
Even so, his gaze and mannerisms gave him away.
He was obviously Maverick.
âWhy does your face look so different? Is it because youâre wearing another mask?â Gwendolyn pinched the skin of his face and attempted to peel off his disguise.
Cedrick kept his grip firm on her hand and said sternly, âThat is because I am and have always been Cedrick Jenson!â âI donât believe you! Did you undergo plastic surgery? You must be delusional to think I wonât be able to recognize you because of that! Why donât you try switching your eyeballs instead?â
She gritted her teeth seethingly.
Cedrickâs resemblance to Maverick was the only indicator on his face that they were the same person.
She recalled the severe burns and wounds from the lashings on Maverickâs back before the incident and broke free from Cedrickâs grasp to lift his shirt.
âMs. Harris, arenât you taking things too fast by stripping me?â âShut up and turn your back to me! If you arenât guilty, then let me inspect you!â âFine.
Go ahead.
â Cedrick raised both of his hands and let her manhandle him.
While Gwendolyn was suspicious, she still had her reservations.
Instead of removing his clothes one by one, she loosened his shirt from his belt and lifted it along with his suit.
His broad back was instantly revealed.
Its defined musculature was flawlessly smooth, with tan skin that looked exceptionally enticing under the roomâs lighting.
It was devoid of any scars.
She couldnât even make out the deep knife wound on Maverickâs waist which he sustained from Asher while looking for her in the mountains.
Gwendolyn slowly let go of him and retreated to the bedside with unsteady feet.
She sat on the bed in a daze in total disappointment.
Her rational mind was coming back to her.
Maverick was dead.
Sheâd witnessed the burial of his ashes.
Moreover, Maverick and Cedrick came from such contrasting family backgrounds that it was unlikely they were related.
A shot of pain went through her heart at the anguish of experiencing loss all over again.
Nevertheless, she held back her tears in front of Cedrick.
âI mistook you for someone else.
â Cedrick discreetly let out a sigh of relief and turned to face Gwendolyn, who was looking down dejectedly.
He ventured, âMs. Harris, did you mistake me for your ex-husband? It seems like you still have feelings for him.
â Gwendolyn pursed her lips and chose to ignore him.
She stood and sat back on the couch, quaffing the remaining half bottle of red wine.
âMs. Harris!â Cedrick snatched the wine bottle from her.
âYour body canât take it if you continue drinking in such a way.
â âYou should worry more about yourself since our wedding will be called off sooner or later.
â Gwendolynâs expression was indifferent as she opened a new bottle of red wine.
Cedrick took hold of the bottle once more.
âLet me join you then, Ms. Harris.
â Cedrick sat on the couch opposite her.
Heâd just filled two full glasses of red wine when Gwendolyn downed them in the blink of an eye.
It wasnât enough, as she emptied the entire bottle right after.
She paid the price by ending up drunk again.
Cedrickâs heart ached as he took in her buzzed-up state.
He rounded the coffee table and took the wine bottle from her hands.
âThatâs enough.
Let me carry you back to bed to get some rest.
â Gwendolyn didnât struggle from his grasp as he smelled too familiar.
His scent invaded her senses, causing her mind to short-circuit.
âMavyâ¦â Cedrick was about to get a towel from the bathroom to clean her face when he froze at the term of affection.
He paused for several seconds before turning back in disbelief to gaze at Gwendolyn lying in a drunken stupor on the bed.
âWhat did you call me?â