Ch. 126..130: Charmed by the Billionaire CEO Chapter 126-130
Chapter 126: Something strange about Gwen
Alice wanted to block him again but stopped when she read the message he had sent.
’If you don’t come to meet me, then I will keep calling you using other mediums’
Alice felt her body burn in anger. He was blackmailing her, and that pissed her even more.
Why on earth he wanted to meet her, she thought.
Alice had already broken all of the ties with him, then why was he so eager to meet her?
Taking a deep breath, she called the number from which she received the text, and within no time, the call was picked up.
"I knew you would call me," Dylan smiled.
"Why are you doing this, Dylan? For god sake, you have a fiancé, and soon you are going to marry her. Then why the hell are you disturbing my life" Alice roared.
She had already been patient with him, but he still couldn’t get it even after giving him a warning.
"I only want to meet you, Alice. Why won’t you agree" he said, ignoring her frustration.
Alice wanted to break her head. Why can’t he understand that she didn’t want to keep any association with him?
All that was between them was gone the day he used her for his benefit. She had accepted him with all her heart, but he broke her beyond repair. And now he is back again to remind her of the horrible life she had left behind.
"I said I don’t want to keep any relation with you. Why can’t you understand" she said, holding a little patience within her.
"I only want to meet you, Alice, and if you agree to it, then I will stop calling you" Dylan wasn’t ready to leave it.
Alice felt quiet listening to his words. She had no clue why is so adamant about meeting her. He was a man with a fiancé, and even she had a boyfriend with whom she had started to fall in love. So would it be appropriate for them to meet, she thought.
Thinking some time, she said," Fine. I will meet you, but you have to keep your word."
Alice wanted to end everything once and break free from his shadow lingering around her. She had finally seen hope in her life, and she tried to grasp it anyhow, and for that, she had to end things with Dylan once and for all.
"Great. I will send you the location," he said and ended the call.
Heaving out a sigh Alice closed her eyes. She didn’t know why he wanted to meet her, but if this meeting meant he wouldn’t bother her anymore, she was looking forward to ending this.
****
Dylan smirked as he sent the location on Alice’s number. His eyes shined with evilness," You are still so stupid, Alice," he said and made a call to someone.
"I want any mistakes," he said and ended the call.
"I am looking forward to meeting you" there was a glint of evilness in his words which only he knew.
*****
Evening
Tristan finished his work and took Ashley for a walk inside the garden. Ashley was healing faster than expected, and that surprised everyone around her.
"You are recovering way too fast, wifey," Tristan said, wrapping his arm around her waist as they kept walking.
"You have been taking care of me, Tristan. Isn’t it obvious your wife is healing quickly" Ashley herself couldn’t believe it was only the third day since she got shot, but her wound was healing faster than she had thought?
All thanks to her husband, who followed the doctor’s instructions and cared for her at every step.
After walking for some time, they both sat down, taking their respective chair, when Ashley noticed Gwen stepping out of Karl’s car.
She looked so happy as she waved her hand, and the car drove away. Gwen turned to leave when she saw Ashley and Tristan, and she decided to go and meet them.
"Hello, lovebirds" her cheerful voice made Tristan turn to look at him, and he said," Lovebirds. Gwen, from where are you learning these words."
Tristan frowned at her remark and saw her wave his hand in the air. She ignored answering him and sat on the chair facing Ashley.
"He doesn’t understand anything," she said and saw Ashley smile.
"How do you feel now," she asked Ashley, who looked much better than she had seen in the hospital.
"Your brother had been very considerate, and see how fast I recovered" Ashley praised Tristan and saw him broaden his shoulder proudly.
Gwen felt like puking watching how Tristan act out of his character around Ashley. They were still getting used to it, but sometimes they felt like fainting.
"You seem to enjoy your work" Ashley ignored Tristan and asked Gwen.
"Yes, Karl had been a good mentor. He makes things easier for me," she said with a smile appearing on her lips.
Ashley knew Gwen was a cheerful girl but had never seen her blush at mentioning someone’s name. If she wasn’t mistaken, Ashley felt that Gwen had a crush on Karl, and the way he smiled, saying his name made it obvious.
"Okay, now you both continue. I will head in," she said and left.
As soon as Gwen was out of sight, Ashley looked at Tristan and asked," Don’t you feel something strange about Gwen."
Tristan knitted his brow and asked," What strange. Haven’t you figured her out yet. She had always been this peculiar," he chuckled, knowing Gwen was the weirdest person inside the house.
Ashley shot him a glare, and he pursed his lips and asked," Why do you find her strange?" he had no clue what it meant to be odd, as per Ashley.
Rolling her eyes at his stupidity, Ashley motioned him to come closer to her and whispered," Didn’t you see how she blushed at the mention of Karl’s name"
Tristan moved back, listening to her words, and watched her in horror.
"Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed it. With your exceptional detective skills, there is no way you haven’t seen them act differently with each other" looking at his shocked face, Ashley could tell that Tristan was already aware of it.
Tristan blinked his eyes at Ashley. She knew him so well, he thought and cleared his throat, composing himself.
"Okay, so what if I know? There is no way Gwen will speak up until that cowardly boyfriend dares to speak up," he said and saw her widen her eyes.
’So they were already in a relationship,’ she mumbled.
Tristan was aware of Gwen’s liking towards Karl, which was why he had asked her to assist him. He was helping his sister to impress her crush, or else she would’ve been only crushing on him secretly without letting him know about it.
"What do you mean?" Ashley did understand why Karl would never speak about it to anyone. Wasn’t he serious about the relationship?
Tristan heaved out a sigh and told Ashley everything. That day when he was interrogating Gwen, he could see the shine in her eyes as she spoke about Karl, but when Karl’s time came, he just saw the man act on his words. And that made Tristan think that Karl was suppressing his love because he didn’t want to disrespect him in any way.
"Oh... so this is the reason they are keeping it secret from everyone" Ashley never thought Karl would be so inclined to Tristan’s reaction that he could even let go of his feeling for Gwen.
Tristan pursed his lips when he realized how much Karl respected him and his family, that he broke his sister’s heart, burying his feelings for her so that he wouldn’t cross the line.
Nevertheless, he finally realized what Gwen meant to him, and with her help, he would surely overcome this fear and come out clean, declaring their relationship.
After spending some more time there, they both returned to their room.
On their way, their eyes fell on the elders." What are they arguing at?" Ashley muttered slowly and looked at Tristan, who just shrugged his shoulder.
"Come, let’s see?" he said, and they walked toward the table at the corner of the living hall where the oldies were playing chess.
"What happened, grandpa?" bother asked and saw them both glaring.
"This man cheated," Dante pointed at Herd, who had this calm expression that pissed Dante even more.
"Look.. he isn’t even sorry about it," he continued.
Ashley watched Herd agree to Dante’s words because his face didn’t react, and he sat there calmly.
"Why would I feel sorry when I haven’t made any mistake? Is it my problem that you lost your focus recalling your high school crush" Herd smirked.
They both played chess until a time came when they started talking about their high school memories. As the talk got deeper, Dante recalled his crush, which he liked back then but never confessed to her, and that’s when he played wrongly and lost the game giving Herd the chance to win.
Chapter 127: I can take care of my girl
"Y-you, how can you say that when you brought up this topic to distract me from the game so you could win" Dante was ready to accept his defeat because he knew Herd tricked him.
Tristan shook his head and looked at Ashley, who had this amused face. She was yet to know the relationship they shared.
"You have to keep your thoughts intact, knowing that the opponent is way smart" Herd words made Dante fume.
"I won’t accept the defeat," he declared making Herd scoff.
"Now you will act like a child. Just grow up, Dante. You aren’t getting young. Just accept you’re losing and end this argument."
Herd didn’t want to extend this quarrel and wanted Dante to let go of his ego accepting his defeat.
"No... I will never give in to your words" Dante pushed the chess board and looked away. He was acting like a stubborn kid.
"Okay then, as you wish. But don’t come running to me when you start getting bored" Herd, too, wouldn’t stop now.
If it were he who came and asked him to play chess, Herd would’ve been enjoying his time with Snow. But because of his begging, he had to let go of his wife and come with him.
Ashley, who saw the elder being stubborn in their word, hinted to Tristan to do something. She would not let him fight in such a stupid game.
Tristan had no energy to get involved in their argument, shook his head, and said," I think you both need to grow up. It’s high time that you both drop your ego and make peace, or else if mom comes to know about it, then she will be upset"
Herd and Dante snapped their eyes on Tristan and suddenly realized the consequences.
Leaving them both to deal with it, Tristan held Ashley’s left hand and took her to their room.
*****
Bedroom
"Why didn’t you help them?" Ashley asked as she sat on the bed.
"Because they aren’t kids who should fight," he said, joining her.
Tristan was sure by now they must have sorted everything. Both couldn’t upset Grace because they loved their daughter very much and couldn’t see her upset because of them.
Ashley could say that Tristan was very confident with his words before they returned to the room, and she believed in him.
"I didn’t know they would make peace listening to mom’s name," Ashley chuckled, recalling their horrifying look when Tristan mentioned Grace’s name in front of them.
"They had to, or else how can they get pampered by their loving daughter" Ashley laughed at his words.
"Are you kidding me? I didn’t know they were so obsessed with getting mom’s attention " Ashley was surprised at how these oldies still acted childish.
Tristan just shook his head and watched Ashley smile. His heart skipped a beat watching her alluring smile, and he leaned forwards, borrowing a peck that surprised her.
"Remember your words, Ash. I won’t stop once this bandage on your hand is removed" winking, he got up, leaving her baffled.
****
A black Mercedes stopped before a lavishing restaurant, and Noah stepped out. He was expecting to leave home early, but an emergency meeting occurred, and he happened to reach here.
Heading inside, he saw his clients waiting for him and approached them, taking a seat.
Noah wanted this meeting to end quickly so he would be free early and could go to pick Alice up. Though she told him that she would come on her own, his heart wasn’t ready to leave her alone.
As the meeting started, Noah got immersed, and it went on for more than two hours. Signing the deal Noah bid bye to the clients and turned to leave.
Reaching the parking space, Noah was about to unlock the car when his eyes caught the sight of Alice stepping out of the taxi, and he frowned.
"Didn’t she say she would be working late?" he muttered and was about to call her but stopped when he saw her hurrying inside the restaurant.
Noah found her acting strange, so he pulled out his phone and called. The ring went twice when she picked it up.
"Noah, I am working. I will call you later," she said without waiting for his words and ended the call leaving Noah struck.
His hand fell, and he looked the way Alice went. Noah felt his heart heavy listening to Alice lie to him when he saw her walk inside the restaurant.
****
Restaurant
Alice quickly got in and looked around when her eyes fell on Dylan, who waved his hand at her.
Reaching the table, she asked," Tell me what you want to say and end this matter" Alice didn’t want to waste her time entertaining him. She felt guilty because she lied to Noah about her work and came here to meet him.
Dylan was surprised to watch her hurry to talk with him and leave, but that was not what he wanted.
"Take the seat first, Alice; why in a hurry," Dylan said nonchalantly. He could never let her go so quickly when he hardly clawed her.
Alice gripped her handbag and looked around. There weren’t any people, so she calmed, pulled the chair for herself, and sat on it.
"What is it you want to say," she asked again.
Dylan crossed his legs and looked at Alice. She was still the same girl whom he had laid his eyes on. He didn’t leave any means to make her fall for him. But he made one mistake, and everything changed.
Though he didn’t regret it because that time, it was the only way for him to climb the success ladder, and unfortunately, Alice was the one who would give it to him.
"I think we should eat something first. It looks like you were quite busy with your work at the studio" Dylan saw how tired she looked and could tell that she had skipped her meal.
Without waiting for her response, he motioned to the waiter, placed the order for them, and excused himself.
Alice, annoyed by his forceful reflex, said," I am not here to have dinner with you. Just tell me why you want to meet me."
Alice couldn’t stand that Dylan was a changed man because he could never be. After whatever he did to her, she could never trust him.
Before Dylan could say a word, the waiter came with a bottle of wine, placed it on the stand, and left.
"I must you have become fierce, Alice. Is it because of Noah because, as far as I know, Alice back then wasn’t that brave to fight back" Dylan opened the wine bottle and poured it for both of them.
Alice chuckled, looking at Dylan, and said," And as far as I know you, you aren’t someone who would treat a woman considerately."
Alice’s words made him smile. She had a sharp tongue, and he wanted to pull it out from her mouth. Leaving behind, the displeased Dylan kept his cool and looked at Alice, who was enjoying insulting him.
Picking up the wine glass, she brought it to her lips and smirked before she slowly gulped it.
Alice was aware that Dylan never liked anyone to insult him. Back then, when they were together, he always had the upper hand and even went on making fun of her among his friends. But when it came to her, he would show his anger.
"I like your attitude, Alice, and this is why I couldn’t get you out of my mind the day I saw you again."
Dylan had left the country after they called off their engagement and began focusing on his work, but Avera came into his life and returned to marry her.
It was just a marriage of convivence because he never felt like any girl but only used them for his needs.
Alice scoffed his compliment and said," Then you should forget me, Dylan, because I already have someone who loves me with all his heart, and he wouldn’t take me for granted" her face changed by the end, and she stood up to leave.
"Thank you for the wine," she said, slamming the money on the table and turning to leave.
After just a few steps, her head suddenly spun, and she stumbled onto her feet. ’What is happened to me? She thought and shook her head, trying to clear her vision, and took another step, but this time she lost her balance, and Dylan happened to catch her.
"Alice.. are you okay," he said, helping her to stand straight.
"Leave me" Alice felt disgusted with his touch, and she pulled away but failed and again rested her body on him until they both heard a voice that made them turn their head.
"Noah..." Alice slurred as she tried to focus her vision and saw Noah rushing towards them.
Noah quickly dashed to pull Alice away from Dylan’s hold." I can take care of my girl Dylan" he said, throwing a glare at him.
Dylan quickly let go of Alice and took a step back. The murderous look in Noah’s eyes intimidated him.
"I t-think she is drunk," he said, trying to keep his calm.
Noah picked Alice up and carried her out of the restaurant without sparing another glance at him. Since the place was vacant with fewer people, no one saw them.
As soon as they left, Dylan called and asked," Did you do the work" his eyes shone evilly, and his lips curled into a wicked smile.
"Good. Let it reach its destination," he instructed the person and quickly left the place.
Chapter 128: Because you lied to me
Noah walked out of the restaurant carrying Alice in his arms. He was so enraged watching Alice in Dylan’s arms that he wanted to break his hands which held her. But he stopped when he noticed Alice wasn’t in a good state.
Reaching his car, Noah was about to open the door when he heard Alice mumble, "Noah... how did you reach here" she wasn’t fully intoxicated and had her thoughts intact.
He didn’t answer her and opened the door before he placed her carefully on the passenger seat and shut the door.
Walking to the other side, he hopped in and sighed. Noah barely kept his cool when he heard Alice say," Noah..."
Snapping at her, he watched her smile like a fool. The anger inside his heart slowly dissipated, looking at her stupid smile.
"You shouldn’t be laughing, Alice. We have a lot to talk about after you get sober" his words weren’t gentle, but his eyes had softened.
Helping herself to straighten up, she managed to turn herself and faced him," Don’t be angry, please," she said with a slight pout on her lips, and Noah lost it.
He knew she would start acting cute after the alcohol completely knocked her mind, and before reaching her limit, it was better for them to get home.
With a heavy heart, Noah ignored her and made her sit properly before he locked the seatbelt.
"We will talk after we reach home," he said and turned away.
Putting on the seatbelt, he started the engine, and the car drove away. Alice kept mumbling rubbish throughout the ride and tried to unlock her seatbelt just because Noah wasn’t talking to her.
Soon they reached the building, and Noah stopped the car. Only he knew how hard it was for him to stay in control when Alice tried to disturb him with her adorable acts.
****
Alice’s apartment.
"You... just stay here and don’t go anywhere" Noah made Alice sit on the couch and rush into the kitchen to bring her some water.
He quickly returned to the living hall, only to find the couch empty.
"Alice..." calling her name, he walked towards her room and saw her lying on the bed with her upper half while her legs fell.
Noah sprinted to the bed and made Alice lie straight on the bed. Sensing his presence Alice slowly opened her eyes and watched him tuck her properly onto the bed.
"I know you have many questions to ask, but... but I don’t know how to answer you," she said, making him stop whatever he was doing, and he looked at her.
Her tired eyes bored him, asking him to believe her and not judge her for what happened today.
Even though Noah felt jealous when he saw her in Dylan’s arms but that didn’t mean he would come to conclude anything. He wasn’t someone who would judge a person without any solid proof.
And here it was, Alice, whom he believed more than anyone, not even himself.
Kneeling next to her bed, Noah pushed the hair strand behind her ear and said," I know you wouldn’t do anything without any reason and what happened tonight. I am surely upset because you lied to me and went to meet that man."
Noah expressed his displeasure because this was the second time she had lied to him about that man, Dylan. He didn’t know his purpose in meeting Alice, but he couldn’t stop being insecure.
Watching him getting upset, Alice reached out her hand to cup his face," I am sorry... please don’t hate me" her eyes welled up as she said those words.
She knew she had disappointed him by lying to him, and now she feared that he would come to hate her.
Noah wiped off her tears and saw the hand on his cheeks falling. She fell asleep crying, and that broke Noah’s heart. He wanted to know why she went to meet Dylan and why she lied to him.
He wanted to know about their relationship because he understood that Dylan’s fiancé was Alice’s friend. Then does it mean she already knew Dylan and didn’t meet him through work?
So many questions arose at that moment, and he wished to know the answers but stopped himself. His eyes looked at Alice, who seemed vulnerable, making him withdraw.
Kissing her forehead, Noah stood up, turned off the lights with only the side lamp on, and walked out of the room.
****
Knight mansion
Everyone was having dinner, but the two people who were way more enjoying it were Dante and Herd. Their over-friendly nature was making everyone choke.
"Am I hallucinating" Gavin whispered to Gwen, who was also shocked by the change in scenery.
"Herd, you should taste this" passing him the salad, Dante smiled and looked at Grace, who pursed her lips into a thin line.
Everyone in the house knew they both couldn’t stand each other, including Grace, but now just like the others, she was astonished by their friendly conversation.
"Your words seem to be worked. Look at them; just a while back, they weren’t ready to see each other’s faces, and now they couldn’t stop feeding each other" Ashley was also surprised, looking at them acting all good without bringing up any fight.
Tristan shrugged his shoulder with a smile and started feeding her. Ashley didn’t want to eat dinner in the room, so she asked Tristan to take her down so she could have dinner with everyone.
"Tristan feeds her properly. Don’t leave anything behind," Grace said, looking at her son and seeing him nod," Yes, mom. Ashley is going to finish everything served on her plate.
"Umm... I can’t finish everything. It’s too much, mom" Ashley would burst if she ate so much food at once. Though it was healthy, she still couldn’t eat everything.
"Why? There isn’t much. Look, you have already finished half of it" Tristan showed her the salad and watched her shake her head.
"Mom, I can’t eat anymore, please," Ashley pleaded to look at Grace, and she melted quickly.
"Oh, my daughter. Okay, if you don’t want to eat, it’s fine but promise you will drink milk when you go to bed. It will help the wound to heal internally."
Giving her a thumbs up, Ashley took another two bites and finished the food. Also, Tristan had his dinner and quickly returned to their room, taking Ashley along.
****
Bedroom
"I will surely grow fat if I keep stuffing my stomach with so much food" Ashley suddenly started to feel heavy with the amount of food she had eaten for the entire day.
"I don’t mind having a fat wife. I will still love you no matter what" joining her to bed, Tristan kissed her head.
"By the way, how long do you plan to skip your work," Ashley asked.
Tristan has been on leave for three straight days, and now she wants him to resume work.
"It wouldn’t be a problem if I worked from home. Karl and Gwen are there to handle the company-related matters in my absence" Tristan didn’t want to leave her side until he confirmed that she was all fine.
"But still, isn’t it your responsibility to look after the company? How long would Karl and Gwen handle the work? At some point, they would need you."
Ashley didn’t want Tristan to leave his work and stay with her all day, helping her with the things she would do independently. Her hand was injured, not her entire body.
"But I want to stay with you. What if you needed something and I wouldn’t be there to help you" Tristan pouted, thinking, which didn’t even happen.
"If not, there would be someone else to help me out. Tristan, we are at home, our home, and do you think mom will leave me alone? There would be so many people around me" Ashley tried to soothe his worry.
Tristan knew whatever she was saying was right, but even after giving such a long speech, he didn’t have the heart to give in and leave her.
"I didn’t know you would try to push me" making a sad face, he looked up at Ashley.
"I had heard women liked to keep their husbands in her sight, but my wife is pushing me here. Why can’t you see how desperate I am to spend my days with you until you recover" Tristan wrapped his arm around her waist and rested his head on her left shoulder.
Ashley knew he was fooling her by pulling this innocent act. She had seen it before, and she wasn’t a fool to believe him.
"I am not like other women, and I prefer my husband to be committed to his wife and also his work because there are so many people depending on him" poking her finger into his head, she pushed him away.
Tristan was shocked to see her keep a straight face, dropping his heart. ’Is there no way she would listen to me? He thought.
"Okay fine... I will listen to you this time but promise you won’t act recklessly and use your injured hand. If you need anything, just call the maid and keep mom with you all the time. Her being with you will ease my mind."
Chapter 129: I want to know it all
Bedroom
The following morning Alice woke up with a mild headache.
Opening her eyes, she looked around when the last night’s incident came crashing into her mind, and she jolted up, waking up completely.
Frantically looking around the room, she felt a sudden fear creep into her heart, and she muttered," Noah..."
Climbing down from the bed, she sprinted out of her room, ready to run to his apartment next door. But as soon as she stepped out of her room, she saw Noah in the kitchen.
It looked like he was making breakfast for them, and without wasting a second, she ran to him and hugged him from behind.
"I thought you left me," she muttered, burying her face into his back and hugging him tightly.
Noah was caught off guard. He was preparing breakfast for them while Alice was still sleeping. But he didn’t think she had already woken up and would come and hug him like this.
Turning, he wrapped his arm around her and looked down at her trembling body. He knew what she was thinking, calmed him, and hugged her back.
"I won’t leave you, Alice. You have to get this fixed in your head," he said, gently brushing her back, and she slowly calmed down.
After what happened last night, Alice thought Noah would end up with everything and leave her. The thought of him being indifferent to her was killing her inside, and she couldn’t handle it if he went ahead and broke ties with her.
Carefully pulling her away, Noah saw her tears-filled face, which broke his heart. For him, Alice was like a pot he wanted to protect with all his strength. She was a fragile woman with a rough past, which he wasn’t aware of, and it made him feel more helpless because he couldn’t help her.
Alice lowered her gaze, not ready to face him. She was ashamed of her act last night.
’Will he think of her as a lair and leave her’ her mind was constantly running wild, assuming things that would make Noah push her away. She had already made a massive mistake by keeping many things away from him, and she regretted it every second.
A relationship is built on trust and understanding; she failed initially. She was selfish to live a carefree life breaking out from her dark past, but she forgot there was another person who wanted the best for her.
Noah was trying to bring out the light and breathe a new life into her. But what she did, she broke his trust by lying to him, and now she was scared that he would never believe her.
Noah looked at her and reached his hand under her chin, making her look up." I won’t leave you, Alice, but that doesn’t mean you would keep things away from me."
His words were gentle yet stern, making her feel more miserable." Yes, you hurt me, Alice, and I am upset about it," he spoke, looking deep into her eyes.
Alice could see the pain as he spoke those words, and she rose again.
"N-Noah..." Alice tried to speak, but as if her throat had run dry, she couldn’t voice it loud.
Heaving a sigh, Noah rested their forehead together and took a deep breath," It felt like I am not good enough for you to trust me, and that made me feel unworthy of you" the pain in his words pierced Alice’s heart, and she sobbed shaking her head.
Cupping his face, she looked into his eyes which had turned red due to sorrow." You are more than enough for me, Noah, and don’t call yourself unworthy because it’s me who is coward and scared about her horrible past."
Alice didn’t want to listen to blame him for things she did out her fear. She hid about Dylan from him but not anymore. She couldn’t make him feel this way because of her.
Noah pursed his lips, looking deeply into her eyes, and watched her eyes turn cold. This distant look in her eyes made his heart feel heavy.
Looking at her, Noah saw her open her mouth, and the things she said made him lose his hand from her waist," Dylan was the man who I was going to marry."
Alice felt her heart squeeze looking at the disbelief in Noah’s eyes, and she felt her entire world come to a standstill.
Maybe she had started to expect too much from him. How did she forget? Her past wouldn’t leave her, and she would remain like this, living in pieces.
Alice watched Noah step back from her, and she felt her fear come true. She walked past him without waiting for his reply and dashed into her room.
Slamming the door loudly, Alice broke into tears and slid down, falling onto the ground. Clutching her heart tightly, she cried until she heard the living room door shut, and Noah was gone.
*****
Tristan’s bedroom
"How long do you plan to stand in front of the wardrobe Tristan... just get ready and leave," Ashley voiced as she kept looking at Tristan, who wasn’t ready to get dressed up.
He had been standing with a towel wrapped around his waist and looking inside the wardrobe, but still, he couldn’t pick one suit for himself.
"Ash... can you come and help me. I am confused between two of my favorites," Tristan said, peeking from the door.
Heaving out a sigh, Ashley got up and walked to him. She knew he was purposely prolonging his stay because he didn’t want to go to work.
Tristan Knight, whom everyone called cold and indifferent, was a whole new person when he was with her. He would act stubborn and spoiled to make her agree to him. She would have probably agreed with the others if she had not seen it with her own eyes.
Pushing him aside, she stepped ahead and scanned her eyes through the clothes when Tristan’s strong arms wrapped around her waist, and he leaned to her resting his chest on her back.
"What are you doing, Tristan? Let go" Ashley wriggle in his hold as she felt his shaft touch her back.
Ashley knew Tristan was always turned on whenever he was around her but not today because he had to leave, and she wasn’t in a suitable condition to help him. He had been taking cold showers, and she feared he would catch a cold.
"No..." he whined, burying his face into her nape, inhaling her freshly bath odor.
Ashley felt helpless with his gesture. He knew that his being like this would melt her quickly. But she wasn’t going to let her give in. Avoiding his actions, she picked a suit for him and turned, slamming it on his chest, and he stumbled a little.
"Here, wear this and come for breakfast soon" taking advantage of his astonished self Ashley sneaked out from his hold and rushed out of the room.
Tristan, still standing in the same place, only broke out of the trance when the bedroom door shut, and Ashley was nowhere in sight.
His lips twitched at Ashley’s sudden reflex to sneak away from him, and he shut the wardrobe door with annoyance.
****
Breakfast table
Tristan finally got ready to leave for work and headed downstairs to have breakfast with everyone.
"I thought you were on break," Grace said, looking at her son’s sullen face, telling her he was forcefully sent to work.
"I was, but there is someone who doesn’t want me at home" he glanced at Ashley and saw her purse on her lips.
Everyone could tell it was Ashley, whom he was talking about, and they laughed at how annoyed he looked.
They began to eat breakfast when Tristan looked at Gwen and said," Gwen, you would be coming with me" his words surprised her, and she gulped but then nodded, agreeing with him.
Finishing breakfast, Tristan and Gwen left for work while Ashley headed back to her room. Since she was on leave, there was nothing valuable she would do and only keep on resting.
Sitting on the couch, Ashley began scrolling down the messages when her phone began to ring.
"Noah... what a pleasant surprise," she greeted him with a smile as soon as she picked up the call.
"I thought you won’t be needing my advice after successfully wooing Alice," she chirped, but what she heard next froze her mind.
"What happened between Alice and Dylan? I want to know it all," Noah said without any trace of playfulness in his voice, and Ashley was assured that he had finally come to find something about Alice’s past.
****
Melanin
Tristan dropped Gwen a few distances away from the company and drove ahead. Reaching the building, she was about to walk ahead when she heard a honk and flinched.
"What the" Gwen was about to curse the person but swallowed her words when she saw it was Karl’s car.
Karl drove the car and parked it before he stepped out and saw Gwen reaching towards him.
"It was a boring drive here," Karl said with a sad tune and heard Gwen chuckle.
"I knew you liked listening to my constant banter" Gwen smiled, and they walked inside the building and stepped into the private elevator.
Chapter 130: She doesn’t want this relation
Gwen stood at one corner inside the elevator and was busy thinking about Tristan’s words.
Flashback
Inside the car, Tristan was busy discussing the schedule when he suddenly bought Luke’s topic.
"Do you remember Mr. Ford?" Tristan asked.
"Yes," she said casually.
" He seems to be interested in you" his words struck like thunder, and she coughed.
"Hey..." reaching his hand on her back, he patted it lightly." Are you okay?" he asked.
Gwen shook her head when she felt better and looked at Tristan’s worried face," H-How can you say that, brother" she asked.
Gwen had been working with Luke for some time now, and she knew he had a friendly personality, but that didn’t mean he liked her. He had been talking the same with Karl too. Then how can Tristan say something like this?
"He happened to talk with me about it and even asked me if he could help him to impress you" Tristan was speaking so calmly that she doubted if it was the identical brother who never let any boy linger around her.
Why did you think she was single all these years? All thanks to her brothers, who kept their gawk-like eyes on her, shoving every boy who came to talk to her.
Watching Tristan in disbelief, Gwen felt like crying." And what did you say to him" she asked, holding on her breath, hoping just like the other time he would reject it.
"What would I say? Of course, I agreed. I have known him for a long time, and he seems to be a good person, and I am sure he will keep you well."
Gwen’s mouth dropped listening to his words, and she yelled," How can you say something like that, brother? You should’ve asked me before answering him. What if I don’t want to get into a relationship? What if I already have someone in my life-" she stopped and watched him arch his brow.
"What did you say?" Tristan looked at her intently and heard her clear her throat.
"I-I mean, I don’t want to get into a relationship yet. I have a long way to go, and right now, I am focusing on my work" she rejected him and looked to the other side, unaware of the smile Tristan was hiding behind that stern face.
Tristan knew the reason behind her rejection, but still, he kept playing." I am not asking you to get into a relationship just like that. Spend some time with him and get to know each other and then come to a conclusion," his words made her looked at him in awe.
"I know I never allowed any boy to approach you, but in Luke’s case, it’s different. He is a good man, and I can bet he would be a good boyfriend, too" Tristan could see the horrifying look on her face, and he smiled internally.
’I’m sorry, Gwen, but I have to do it.’
Soon the car stopped, and Gwen turned to step out when Tristan stopped her," There isn’t any rush, but still, I want you to think about it," he said, and she stepped out without turning back.
End of Flashback
Karl, who was looking at her, patted her shoulder and broke her thoughts." Huh!! You said something" she asked absentmindedly.
Karl noticed Gwen wasn’t mentally present as her mind was drifting somewhere else and before he would ask her what she was thinking, Karl, slammed into the wall with Gwen caging him between her arms.
"G-Gwen, what are you doing?" he asked, looking at the door, praying no one saw them.
"Karl tells me one thing," she asked, confusing him.
Gwen could no longer wait until Karl brought himself to speak openly about their relationship. If this thing is delayed for a long then what will happen to them?
Will he ever be courageous to tell everyone that she was his girl, or would he sacrifice her because he respected his family very much and couldn’t hurt them?
Karl saw the seriousness in her eyes and heard her say," Will you ever build up the courage to speak about our relationship?" her question made him stiff.
They had been seeing each other for some time, but even after knowing his feelings for her, Karl was torn between his relations with the Knights and Gwen.
He couldn’t thank them enough for whatever they did for him. If not for Trevor’s kindness, he wouldn’t have been here at all.
After his parent’s death, he felt lonely with no one to guide him, and then Trevor came and took me by his side. He trained Tristan and him and made them the people they are now. Then how can he break his trust in him?
What would he feel when he finds that he loves his daughter, or what would Tristan think of him if he learned he is dating his sister?
Karl felt terrible for not being brave enough to be with Gwen without carrying the baggage of the favor Knights had done for him.
Gwen’s heart sank when she didn’t see him answer back and she felt hurt. She was expecting him to assure her that he was trying and would do anything to be with her, but what she got in return was his silence, which was enough of an answer for her.
"Fine... I got it. If you aren’t sure enough about us, then why are we even seeing each other" dropping her hand from his said, Gwen stepped back.
She didn’t look at his face, and she turned to face her back at him. She couldn’t let him see her cry. She couldn’t let him see how badly his silence at hurting her. No! she won’t let him hurt her again.
The lift reached the last floor, and as soon as the door opened, Gwen rushed out from there, leaving the shocked Karl behind.
Her words crumbled Karl’s entire world, and he stood there like a statue trying to grasp everything he heard.
"Does it mean she doesn’t want this relation" he muttered when the realization hit him and suddenly he a pang in his heart.
*****
Alice didn’t come out of her room and stayed sitting on the floor for hours. She knew everything had ended when Noah walked out of her house.
’Why would he want a girl like her who wasn’t even brave enough to fight her past.’
Letting out a disgusting chuckle, Alice said," Your life wasn’t the same the day he threw you among those predators. He wasn’t the man you imagined him to be. He wasn’t the man who would sell his girl in exchange for a deal" a lone tear roll down her cheeks as she recalled the day when Dylan used her.
She felt ants crawling all over her body when she recalled how disgusting their eyes were, and the next moment, she started rubbing her skin.
Alice couldn’t rub the touch on her body. She could forget the disgust she felt when one man among them tried to force himself on her. She wanted to clean herself and forget how terrible she felt when they touched her without her consent.
"Why can’t I erase it" she mumbled and rubbed her skin until it turned red.
Her thoughts had landed on that incident, and she felt miserable. She wanted to clean herself, but even after rubbing her so much, she still felt the same.
"No... I have to do something," she said and quickly dashed into the bathroom.
Standing under the shower, she turns on the tap and lets the cold water fall on her. "I will clean everything. Nothing would be left behind," she said and started rubbing herself roughly.
Alice was losing her mind as she kept talking to herself and hurting her. She even dug her nails into her flesh, scratching herself so severely that blood started to ooze.
*****
After talking with Ashley, Noah came to find the truth behind Alice’s behavior and how badly her past had taken a toll on her mind. He couldn’t imagine what she had gone through, but not anymore.
Dylan had already caused enough trouble for her, but now, he won’t let him play with her mind. Back then, she had no one to listen to her and stand for her, but now she had him, and he would make sure he would stick to her in every good and bad time.
With this hope walked back to her apartment and entered in. His eyes flew to the bedroom door, and he dashed in to embrace her and tell her that he didn’t care about her past and loved her with all his heart.
His heart sank when he found the room empty, and that’s when he heard the water splashing sound. At first, Noah thought he shouldn’t just barge in, but something inside his heart said something was wrong.
How she stormed into her room, a while back made him think about her panic attack. His eyes widened at the possibility, and without thinking anything, he slammed open the door and saw Alice on the floor.