Chapter 142

Chapter 142 When his train of thought ended there, the heaviness in his heart dissipated.

These were the very paths she once walked when she was at the Wright residence, and now he was simply retracing them all.

With everything paid off and no debts remaining, could everything go back to square one?

Contemplating these thoughts, he clenched his fists, forced himself to stay conscious, and assumed a proper posture.

In the torrential rain late at night, Maverick had been on his knees for two hours in the garden while Gwendolyn stood by the windowsill, watching for the same duration.

Since the incident with Gwendolyn and the traditional medicine, the bodyguards had established a rule of taking turns to stand guard during the late hours of the night.

That night, Elven was on duty. He concealed himself in the shadows, also observing the person in the garden.

Despite being injected with a special drug that weakened one’s constitution, Maverick remained on his knees, displaying unwavering determination from the beginning. His body started swaying as time passed, but his back remained straight.

Elven somewhat admired him for that.

Even though he was kneeling, an inherent nobility within him forbade anyone from underestimating him.

Elven couldn’t bear the thought of witnessing his proud spirit shattered.

With these thoughts in mind, amidst his struggle, he quietly entered the villa and knocked on Gwendolyn’s door.

“Come in.”

Elven walked in and stood not far behind Gwendolyn.

Gwendolyn didn’t turn around, and her gaze remained locked on the man kneeling in the garden. Her expression was devoid of emotion as she asked, “What’s the matter?”

Elven swallowed hard and replied, “Ms. Shalders, it seems Mr. Wright’s physical condition may not withstand the kneeling…”

Gwendolyn sneered, “So what? It’s not like I forced him to kneel this time. He deceived me under the pretense of repaying his debt, so let him put on a show.”

“Ms. Shalders…”

“Get out.”

Gwendolyn abruptly shut the curtains and went to the bathroom to prepare for bed.

With a sigh, Elven had to retreat and return to his post.

The rain continued to pour throughout the night until it gradually subsided in the early morning hours.

Maverick had lost track of how long he had been kneeling. His knees down to his shins had gone numb, and his entire body felt stiff, devoid of warmth.

Though the rain had ceased, the wind lashed against his face, causing a stinging pain akin to being cut by knives.

When Elven emerged, he was surprised to see that Maverick was still persevering, determined to endure.

“Mr. Wright, it’s time. Please get up.”

Was that enough?

Maverick’s pallid lips involuntarily twitched. Did his endurance mean that this matter could finally be put behind him? Would his debt finally be repaid?

He attempted to get himself up and stand, but the determination that had kept him going suddenly waned. His head began to feel uncontrollably heavy, and his vision gradually darkened…

“Mr. Wright? Hey!”

Elven touched his forehead, which was burning hot. Even though he had fainted, his whole body was shivering uncontrollably.

After being drenched in the rain all night, Maverick must have developed a high fever!

Elven quickly took him back to his room and went upstairs to inform Gwendolyn.

Gwendolyn had just woken up and was combing her hair in front of her vanity.

Upon hearing that he had collapsed, Gwendolyn paused her combing movement momentarily, but her face remained expressionless. She continued combing her hair and said, “Understood. Go fetch a doctor to check on him.”

“Yes.”

After the doctor’s visit, they prescribed fever-reducing medication and administered an antipyretic injection.

An hour later, sensing his imminent awakening, Gwendolyn descended to the second floor and entered Maverick’s room.

Summoning a bodyguard to bring a chair, she settled beside Maverick’s bed. Her expression was devoid of emotion, and her gaze was deep and unfathomable. She was lost in her thoughts.

Maverick woke up in a daze, his vision still blurry. However, as he turned his head, he caught sight of a familiar figure by his bedside and instinctively grasped her wrist.

“Gwendolyn, have you forgiven me?”

His fever had not completely subsided, and as he held Gwendolyn’s hand, he could feel the searing warmth in his palm.

Gwendolyn furrowed her brows. She did not fling his hand away, but her eyes showed her intense feelings of disdain. “I’ll ask you one last time—where did you leave that person?”

Upon hearing her words, Maverick gradually loosened his grip.

As if spurred by anger, he turned away, facing the other side and closing his eyes in feigned slumber— a defiant gesture, as if intentionally pretending not to hear her words.

Gwendolyn’s patience had already been utterly exhausted.

“Since you’re so stubborn and refuse to speak, there’s no need for further pointless conversation. I will ensure you pay the price since you’ve sent that person away. It’s only fair that you suffer in that person’s place.”

She then called out, “Elven, William, come in!”

The two entered the room obediently.

Gwendolyn cruelly curled her lips and ordered, “Send him to prison, and make sure he is well taken care of!”

Upon hearing this, Elven immediately stepped forward, pleading for mercy.

“Ms. Shalders, you can’t do that! Given Mr. Wright’s current condition, he won’t last more than three days there!”

Gwendolyn cast a cold glance at him and said, “Fine, then you can take his place, and you will be given special treatment too.”

Everyone remained silent.

Elven’s sympathy was abruptly suppressed, and he reluctantly joined William in dragging Maverick off the bed.

“Mr. Wright? Hey!”

Elven touched his foreheod, which wos burning hot. Even though he hod fointed, his whole body wos shivering uncontrollobly.

After being drenched in the roin oll night, Moverick must hove developed o high fever!

Elven quickly took him bock to his room ond went upstoirs to inform Gwendolyn.

Maverick’s fever raged on.

As he lay with his back turned toward Gwendolyn, on the verge of falling asleep, he faintly heard her mention something about imprisonment.

When Elven and William approached, he broke free from their grasp, adamantly refusing to get out of bed. He looked at Gwendolyn bewilderedly and asked, “I merely sent Sherman out of the country. It’s not like I put him in prison. Whose place am I supposed to take?”

Gwendolyn chuckled lightly.

“What does Sherman have to do with this? Do you think you can brush this off with your evasive words? Take him away!” commanded Gwendolyn.

Maverick paused momentarily, quickly realizing that he might have misunderstood something from the previous night.

Just as Elven and William received the order and moved to pull him off the bed forcibly, he instinctively toppled in Gwendolyn’s direction, landing at her feet.

Gwendolyn instinctively took a step back.

Maverick missed his mark. As he lifted his face, he spoke earnestly. “While I may not know what you’re referring to, I truly haven’t done anything apart from sending Sherman away.”

Gwendolyn gritted her teeth and gripped his cheek.

She enunciated, “You confessed to being involved in Natasha’s disappearance last night, and now you’re denying it? Don’t you think it’s a little too late for that?”

Natasha?

Maverick’s pupils dilated, his expression resolute. “Natasha? Wasn’t she supposed to be in prison?”

Gwendolyn pursed her lips, choosing not to respond. Her gaze was still icy and fixed on him as if waiting to see how long he could keep up the act.

Maverick knew she didn’t believe him at all. “Gwendolyn, I truly had nothing to do with that. I wanted a divorce before because I had always thought the girl who saved me thirteen years ago was Natasha. But later, I found out it wasn’t her. I even asked you about it. Do you remember that?”

Gwendolyn pondered for a moment, recalling the time Natasha was hospitalized with severe injuries, and he defended her in front of the media. He had asked about that matter then.

“What are you trying to say?”

Maverick’s dark eyes were slightly hazy as he stared intently at her. “Ever since that time, I’ve known that Natasha deceived me, and recently I discovered that you were the girl who saved me. So, Gwendolyn, please believe me. Everything I’ve done lately has been genuine.”

He coughed twice.

Continuing, he said, “I was simply displeased with Sherman’s proposal to you last night, so I quietly sent him away. I had absolutely no knowledge of Natasha’s matters!”

Observing Maverick’s sincere plea and recalling the strange events involving Sherman from the previous night, Gwendolyn couldn’t help but think that there was indeed something peculiar about the situation.

The convergence of these two incidents was just too coincidental.