Wooing My ex-wife (Gwendolyn and Maverick) novel Chapter 480

Chapter 480 The Gulf Between Us Is Unbridgeable 

The endless pressure being applied triggered a sense of suffocation in Craig. 

His fists alternated between clenching and releasing as the rage within him swelled to its brim. 

All the physical punishments that Cedrick had meted out were exercises used during training. Other than the coffee cup thrown earlier, he had not laid a finger on Craig. 

Hence, even if Craig wanted to report Cedrick to their superiors, he had no reasonable excuse to do so. 

With that thought in mind, Cedrick calmly tapped on the table and reminded, “You still have fifteen seconds to decide. Take your time.” 

The words sent a shiver down Craig’s spine, vanquishing the thoughts that were previously cycling through his mind. 

Without a moment’s delay, he hurried toward a spot two steps away from the wall. Teeth gritted, he took a deep breath and pushed himself upright with his hands. 

When Cedrick mentioned for it to be done near the wall, he clearly didn’t mean for Craig to lean against it. 

Thus, the latter had to support the weight of his entire body with his hands alone. 

Although his back was facing the wall, it only acted as a temporary cushion in case he fell down. 

This exercise was particularly strenuous due to its technical difficulty, and the fact that Craig was already drained made it worse for him. 

At the two–minute mark, his arms were already trembling uncontrollably. 

Thus, he felt as if thirty minutes could potentially torment the life out of him. 

Many years had passed since he was reduced to such a pathetic state. 

He would never forget the humiliation he suffered and swore to seek revenge one day. 

Observing him from a distance, Cedrick could clearly see Craig’s trembling arms. 

He then took a sip of coffee before remarking, “Craig, the years I spent away in Fairlake was supposed to be an opportunity for you to demonstrate your capabilities. Instead, you became full of yourself to the extent of trying to overthrow me.” 

Enduring the massive discomfort he felt, Craig eked out a few words through his gritted teeth. “You must be kidding, Mr. Jenson. I wouldn’t dare.” 

Cedrick let out a snort before pinching his forehead languidly. “You were someone that I have personally groomed to become deputy director. Therefore, I know better than anyone else how truly ambitious you are. Unfortunately, you have lost your initial idealism and have become someone I barely recognize.” 

Ever since Craig became the head of the Newton family, the power to order everyone around and have them obey him unconditionally caused him to be intoxicated by power. From then on, his ambition began to grow as he craved more of it. 

Craig was aware of the change within him, yet he didn’t see anything wrong with it, let alone have any 

intention of changing. 

“Please, Mr. Jenson. I have not changed. You have to reconsider the matter.” 

Having used the last of his energy to speak, Craig felt his body tilt toward the back. However, he swiftly bounced back off the wall to recover his previous position. 

In no mood to hear Craig’s excuses, Cedrick continued solemnly, “Do you feel tired? As if your arms are going to break and you can no longer hold on?” 

In spite of Craig’s silence, that was precisely what he was experiencing. 

Cedrick added, “When I was trained by my master back in the day, what I had to go through was even more grueling than this. In fact, I felt like I was going to die. But the truth is, man’s potential is limitless. When faced with overwhelming pressure, even the proudest of us have no choice but to submit. Moreover, despite knowing that one is incapable of withstanding the punishment for failure, one would still give one’s all just to endure it. Craig, the gulf between us is just unbridgeable.” 

Craig was slightly stunned by the words even though he didn’t know what Cedrick was trying to convey. Cedrick has never lectured me about life. Has he gotten carried away from punishing me that he can’t help reminiscing about his past? Craig wondered in silence. 

Staring at the man, Cedrick spoke in a cruel and icy tone. “If you’re unable to keep this up for thirty minutes, it means that your physical body is too weak. I’ll have no choice but to report it and request that you be sent back to training camp for three months. Upon your departure, the position of deputy director will be left vacant, and I intend to let Nico fill it temporarily. Do you have any thoughts on the matter?” 

Nico taking over the role might be temporary on the surface, but once he actually did, there was no way Craig would be reinstated. 

As he felt a chill down his spine, Craig bit down on his cracked lips, leaving a bloody print. He then channeled the anger within him to steady his shaking arms. 

“Such an arrangement isn’t necessary, Mr. Jenson. I can still keep this up.” 

Cedrick snorted in laughter. “I’m glad to hear that.” 

Half an hour passed quickly for Cedrick as he went through his work. 

Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for the hand–standing Craig. Every second felt like an eternity to him. All he could do was focus on maintaining his balance and nothing else. 

Half an hour later, the timer began to ring. 

Coincidentally, it also signaled the end of the work day. 

Amidst a groan of relief, Craig collapsed to the ground, unable to get back to his feet. 

With his eyelashes drenched in sweat, he was so exhausted that he couldn’t even open 

his 

eyes. 

At the same time, Cedrick had finished notating the last document with his red pen. 

After turning off the heater, he slowly walked up to Craig. “You have managed to pass the test by a whisker. Now, clean up the floor before you leave.” 

“Mr. Jenson,” Craig called out softly upon collecting himself, “can I-” 

As if he could read Craig’s mind, Cedrick rejected him outright. “No. That said, if you don’t mind 

in the bureau learning of your punishment here, you’re welcome to get someone else to clean it up. Even if you can’t stand on your feet, I’m sure you can still crawl on your knees. I won’t let anyone enter to disrupt your work. Now, whether you want to keep the last of your self–respect is entirely up to you.” 

everyone 

Cedrick stared quietly at Craig with a merciless look in his eyes.