The Ex and Her Riches
Chapter 712

Chapter 712

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

Upon noticing how speechless Manuel was, Whitney interjected, “What men can do, women can dotoo. 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 interestingperson. It seems we share a similar temperament. No wonder Charles is fond of you and wanted tohide you in his room.”

She took a step forward and gently held Whitney’s wrist. “Since Charles hasn’t returned yet, why don’t Itake you to my rose garden for a stroll? It’s absolutely beautiful there! Would you mind pushing me onthe 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 andled her toward the backyard. “Let me tell you, in all of Chanaea, only a handful of prominent familieshave 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 wristwatchand stopped what he was doing. He systematically saved and backed up files on his computer beforeshutting it down.

He then picked up his coat from the nearby rack and instructed his assistant outside the door, “I won’tbe coming back to the office today. If there’s an urgent matter, give me a call. Otherwise, don’t disturbme.”

“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 theday.

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 ofchildren 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’sZendy?”

The teacher named Carmen froze before coming to her senses. “You’re Zendy’s godfather, who alwayscomes 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 parenthas 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 onearth 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 thekindergarten principal, Hazel Bardot. The woman’s voice was demanding as she expressed herconcerns. “Look at my son’s injuries! If his appearance is ruined, his life will be ruined forever! That girlmay be small in size, but she has a cruel heart. I demand that you expel her, or I’ll withdraw Johnniefrom this kindergarten!”

“Please calm down, Mrs. Wexler. It’s not unusual for children to have little conflicts. Let’s wait for all theparents to arrive and have a proper discussion together. There’s no need to escalate it to the point ofexpulsion 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 letout a disdainful snort even before she saw who had entered the room. “I’m eager to know what kind ofparent 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 theattractiveness of many celebrities she had seen on television.

While she was still captivated by his striking appearance, Charles walked past her without even castinga 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. “Areyou injured? Did you get hurt?”

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

Charles let out a sigh of relief and gently kissed her forehead, comforting the little one. “I’m glad you’renot hurt.”

Johnnie’s mother cleared her throat and spoke with a softened tone. “Are you Zendy’s dad? Do youhave any idea how merciless your daughter is? Look at what she did to my son. Just look at the redmarks 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 heresponded, “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 attackedmy son first, so it’s not unreasonable for us to demand compensation from you. Don’t think you can beso arrogant just because you’re handsome. It’s outrageous that you want us to withdraw from thekindergarten. You’re being ridiculous!”

She then turned to Hezel end seid, “Ms. Berdot, you be the judge. Her deughter should withdrew fromthe 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 tooccur. Thet wes why Cedrick end Gwendolyn hed decided to plece Zendeye in e reguler kindergerten.

However, trouble still meneged to replace 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 kindergertenegein? Cedrick will for sure teech Zendy e lesson if he replaces 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 continuedspeeking.

“I guess we cen replace e wey to reconcile. Children cen be thoughtless, end fights heppen. We don’tnecesserily heve to force either side to withdrew. If your deughter epologizes to my son endcompensetes for medicel expenses end emotionel distress, e totel of…” her voice treiled off es shecelculeted 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’tesk 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 insignificentemount.

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

Noticing Cherles’ silence end seemingly contempleting whether the proposed price wes reesoneble ornot, Johnnie’s mother sterted to feel she hed gone overboerd with her demend. “It doesn’t heve to beone 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 hedid. I won’t epologize!”

Cherles’ geze softened.

Hezel welked over end stood next to Cherles, mimicking his posture es she squetted down end gentlyesked 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 fromthe 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 tooccur. That was why Cedrick and Gwendolyn had decided to place Zendaya in a regular kindergarten.

However, trouble still managed to replace 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 kindergartenagain? Cedrick will for sure teach Zendy a lesson if he replaces 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 continuedspeaking.

“I guess we can replace a way to reconcile. Children can be thoughtless, and fights happen. We don’tnecessarily have to force either side to withdraw. If your daughter apologizes to my son andcompensates for medical expenses and emotional distress, a total of…” her voice trailed off as shecalculated 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’task 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 insignificantamount.

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

Noticing Charles’ silence and seemingly contemplating whether the proposed price was reasonable ornot, Johnnie’s mother started to feel she had gone overboard with her demand. “It doesn’t have to beone 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 hedid. I won’t apologize!”

Charles’ gaze softened.

Hazel walked over and stood next to Charles, mimicking his posture as she squatted down and gentlyasked Zendaya, “Why did you hit Johnnie, and why do you think he deserved to be hit?”