Ch. 416..420: Charmed by the Billionaire CEO Chapter 416-420

Chapter 416: Vacate

Hours went by with Ashley sitting by the wooden bed placed in the extreme corner of the room. She kept hugging her knees while her eyes kept glancing coldly at the closed door every now and then.

’So much time went by, but why isn’t anyone showing up’ she muttered to herself and looked away.

Ashley was expecting a visitor but even after so much time passed no one came to check on her and that made her wonder if the camera fixed in this room was even working.

With her being so obvious, Ashley thought she might end up having someone check on her but no... not even a fly entered this room yet.

As she sat there her thoughts slowly drifted toward Tristan and her brows creased worrying about what happened to him. She knew they faced an accident with Tristan protecting her with all his might.

Her heart squeezed thinking about what happened to him and how was he doing, but with her trapped inside this shabby room she couldn’t even sneak out.

Ashley tried to find every possible way to get out but this single-story room but it had no windows nor did it have any chimney which she could use to get away.

Moreover, this camera monitoring her boiled her blood to the point that she went on hitting it once but failed as it was extremely high from her reach.

Defeated she walked back to the bed and slumped down on the ground waiting for someone to show up.

"Is anyone listening to me" Annoyed she yelled inside the room hoping to hear someone from outside but all she got in response was silence.

Heaving out a frustrating groan, she then picked up the glass from the small bedside table and threw it on the door.

Thud...

The sound of glass shattering against the door echoed inside the room and just like that sound even Ashely’s hope began to crumble.

"Tsk, Tsk.. poor Ashley. I know you are eager to meet me but as you know I like to trouble my target before exposing myself. So for now keep yelling and wasting your energy as much as you want because there is still time for us to face each other"

Sandra’s eyes glimmered with darkness as she watched the screen ahead. Just when her concentration was entirely focused on the girl, she heard a knock on the door, and her trusted man, Lingaa walked.

Lingaa was her father’s most trusted man, but now he worked for Sandra as she took over half of her father’s clan members into her side.

Even though he was against it, he couldn’t deny his young miss claim. His life was entirely devoted to them and going against them would mean losing your life.

Sandra’s eyes turned serious the moment she notice Lingaa rushing towards her taking long strides.

"Young miss... Master... I mean your father is trying to find you. He even sent a few of our men to search our secret hideouts" Lingaa stated with a straight face informing us of everything happening in the outside world.

Sandra sneered at his words as she balled her palm into a tight fist, digging her nails inside her skin fiercely.

Her father had been the biggest hurdle in her plan and even now he was causing problems for them. Even though Lingaa must’ve declined them, he won’t stop there and kept on looking for her until he doesn’t track them.

Lingaa noticed the furious behavior of Sandra but choose to remain quiet when he suddenly heard her speak.

"Inform our men to vacate this place. I doubt my father would again try to get here and before that, we have to leave from here" she instructed and the man immediately reacted to her command by leaving the room with two long strides.

Sandra solemnly turned her eyes back to the screen and pulled out her phone making a call to the medical facility room.

"Get the lady injected with anesthesia" her cold voice instructed on the call and just like that she hung up the phone as an evil gleam crossed her indifferent eyes.

Meanwhile, somewhere in country S, a group of assassins broke into Patrick’s biggest base, fighting his number of men finally making their way toward the main office.

Tori was the one to kick the door open and barge in taking the old man by surprise.

His eyes widely stared at the group covered with black, he scanned his way out from their clutches.

"Don’t move if you want me to shoot" the familiar voice stopped the man from taking a reckless move as he watched the woman pointing the gun at him with utter disbelief.

"Tori.." his voice came out as a whisper as he watched the woman remove away the black mask.

He couldn’t believe his eyes but the moment he noticed her meaningful gaze all his disbelieves vanished.

Surrendering without any delay, Patrick motioned Tori to do as she wished.

Tori was expecting her father to fight back, but his quick defeat left her confused. She didn’t think we would surrender so easily but he did and that made her wonder if he was a threat to them.

Staring into his eyes for a few seconds, she then looked away, motioning the other comrade to take charge, and just like that they were able to bring the mafia leader along as per Gabriel’s order.

Reaching the base they took Patrick to the secret chamber where Gabriel and the others were waiting for them. Throughout their ride, Patrick didn’t say a word and silently followed his daughter’s orders.

He had somewhat guessed the reason behind his captive and without pondering too much he was ready to answer their every question.

Inside the chamber, Patrick settled down on the chair but his hand was tied. A few of Gabriel’s men watched him when the door of the room flung open and he watched two most influential men making their way towards him.

Chapter 417: Hide and seek

Patrick had been maintaining his cool but the moment he noticed the gauze wrapped around Tristan’s head, arm, and leg his brows creased.

His chest tightened when a certain thought crossed his mind but he remained tongue-tied as he witnessed the bloodshot eyes staring at him as if they were drilling holes into his skin, slowly tearing his flesh apart.

The sight itself was heart-wrenching as he also sensed the desperation lurking within them.

Taking the seat across from him, Tristan didn’t beat around the bush and came straight to the point and asked," Where is Sandra?" his cold voice sent a shiver down his spine, and he quickly shook his head.

"I don’t know... we are too searching her" Patrick’s voice cracked as his throat ran dry with fear, but he remained firm with his word.

He knew there was nothing to hide as he already guess something wrong has happened the moment, Tori held him captive.

Tristan’s face crumpled when he sensed the stern look in Patrick’s eyes. He could tell that the man wasn’t lying and it was enough to stir his building fear even more.

His eyes fluttered recalling the call he received from Sky on his way here. They failed to find Ashley as they got a minute late before Sandra and her men vacated the abandoned building which was also one of Patrick’s hideouts.

But they did find some medical equipment that was freshly used on someone and it was later confirmed when they found Ashley’s earnings inside that room.

Gabriel who was silent the entire time felt his blood rush through his veins and he marched towards Patrick and grabbed his collar furiously.

"You think we are a fool to not understand what you are trying to do. Just tell us where have you hidden your daughter or else the consequence would be worst than you can imagine" he lost his cool watching that stern look on his face.

Gabriel couldn’t bring himself to trust his words knowing how both this father and daughter had equal contributions in messing up their lives.

His one selfish decision of getting out Sandra of prison using an illegal way brought all the problems. Did he think getting his daughter back to him will change her? Never... a selfish woman like Sandra can never change.

Someone who even tried to kill her own sister learning that she was helping them showed how much of a heartless person she could be.

Tori informed him of everything, from Tristan’s plan to Sandra’s attack and it only made his blood boil with pure rage.

He couldn’t believe he loved such a selfish woman and even took revenge for her, harming his loved one. He regretted getting swayed by her lies and even dragging everyone into this mess.

"I said I don’t know anything. Please believe me" Patrick was caught off guard but remained rooted to his words.

If he had the slightest idea of where Sandra was hiding, he would’ve informed them first. But even after searching for her in his every hideout, there was nothing he could find out.

This sly girl has smartly swiped off her whereabouts taking half of his army along and even after using all his force he couldn’t find her.

Gabriel’s fury reached his limits and was ready to punch the man but stopped when he heard Tristan’s voice.

"He is telling the truth, Riel"

Gabriel shot his head in Tristan’s direction and watched him give a meaningful glance. His hand around his collar slowly loosen and he jerked him away furiously.

"You are trusting his words, Tristan... his words... the man who is the reason behind all these problems" Gabriel snapped getting infuriated with his friend.

Their trusting Patrick was just like having faith in the Chameleon not to change its color. After all, she is his daughter what if he was the one who help her sneak away, just like he did back then?

Was it reasonable enough to have faith in his words...

Tristan didn’t weaver his eyes from him as he kept staring with sternness in his eyes.

Gabriel scoffed and looked away as he ran his hand through his hair and said," Fine... If you want to believe him, then do it but if he happens to double-cross us then I won’t think twice before eliminating him" he warned firmly before walking out of the room.

Tristan watched his friend leave when he suddenly heard Patrick’s apologetic voice.

"Trust me... I too want to help you and was also going to convince my daughter but before I could talk with Sandra, she left the house, without informing me anything. From that moment I have been looking for her searching every place of mine secret hideouts where she could hide, but have been unlucky till now. But I promise... after finding her I will take both my daughters away from your lives"

Patrick was true to his words when he said he would leave.

"And you think she will leave just like that?" Tristan had been silent till now raised his voice slowly moving his attention to the man.

Patrick cluelessly stared at him as if he didn’t understand his words and heard Tristan say...

"Sandra has abducted my wife Patrick... Ashley is held captive by her and she won’t leave unless she gets her revenge on me" he flared looking straight into his eyes and watching him gasp in shock.

"Wife..." he muttered under his breath trying to grasp his words.

Patrick didn’t know Tristan had already married Ashley as the couple always remained tongue-tied regarding their private lives. If only he had the slightest idea of their relationship, he would’ve forced Sandra to drop her obsession with him as there wasn’t any chance of her having Tristan anymore.

But what if... she knew everything and was still trying to pursue him...

While everyone was trying to figure out where was Sandra managed to move her guild into an underwater base, just next to the ocean close to the forest.

This place which was her secret hide out that no one was aware of finally came to live when she decided to hide there meantime.

Looking through a telescope, she watched Tristan’s men walking out of the building and her lips curled into a sinister grin.

"Let us play hide and seek for a while before we finally send an invitation to their boss" Sandra instructed passing the telescope to Lingaa and then climbed down the underwater basement with her trust man shutting the door above them.

 

Chapter 418: You are a coward

Meanwhile, a figure kept lying on the bed in one of the cells, slowly stirred. She had been sleeping for god knows how long but the moment her eyes opened, she failed to figure out where she was.

Ashley who was sitting in a different room suddenly found herself in another room and this change left her puzzled wondering how she even came here.

"Ah.. why can’t I remember anything" she questioned pushing herself from the bed and looking at the surrounding. Her head felt heavy but her mind didn’t stop recollecting the memories of her sudden change in the surrounding.

This place wasn’t a shabby room but a cell, a place used for hostages but then why was brought her and how.

She tried brushing off her foggy thoughts when suddenly she heard the sound of a ship honking and her entire body froze.

As if her body regain its strength Ashley climb down from the bed and rushed towards the door and started slamming it with her fist.

"Open the door... where are you taking me" she yelled as loudly as she could with her voice echoing through the hallway, but even after so much shouting no one came to even look at her.

In the end just like the previous time, she dropped her shoulder in defeat and return to the bedside, slowly sitting down on the cold floor.

Ashley had a feeling there were somewhere near the port area or else why would hear the sound of the ship?

Her entire mind turned frizzy as she couldn’t think of any way from escaping this place. The way they were ignoring her every word only made her believe that they were purposely doing it to silence her on their own.

’Tristan where are you’ her confidence began to shake as she couldn’t think straight.

Ashley had no clue where she was and how was Tristan going to find her, but she couldn’t let them trap her for too long. She had to find a way out of this place.

Just when her mind began to work, she heard a few footsteps nearing her cell and she froze.

Her heartbeat increase thinking about who these people were and what are they for after ignoring her for this long. She could feel the tension building inside her body when suddenly the door flung open and a few men barge inside.

Shooting her head up in fear, she watched those men make their way to her as they forcefully picked her up with both her hands.

"Leave me... you bastards... I said don’t touch me.. umm" Before she could create a ruckus, one man walked and covered her mouth and eyes silencing her voice, while the other two used force and dragged her out from the cell.

Ashley didn’t know where she was been taken to but after a long drag she heard the sound of a door opening and then she was taken inside.

Walking a few distances, they finally released her hand. She stood there taking deep breaths trying to access the silence around when suddenly the cloth around her eyes dropped and a lady came into her view.

Ashley blurred vision slowly stabilized as she carefully looked at the woman ahead. "Sandra" the name unknowingly left her lips and she watched the woman smirk.

"So you know me... Nice to finally meet you Mrs. Knight" Sandra voiced her words out staring at Ashley.

It took Ashley a while to grasp her thoughts before she returned to her cold demeanor and stared back at Sandra with detest.

"It’s nice meeting you too, Sandra. After hiding like a coward for so long you finally have the guts to show up" Ashley threw her knife-like words right on Sandra’s face and watched her expression turn dark.

The mocking smile she carried all this time faltered by her remark, but she still tried to maintain her cool.

"You do have a sharp tongue, but it’s such a waste because.... soon, I will silence this mouth of yours" Sandra’s eyes turned grim with her lips curling up like a maniac.

’No wonder why Tristan called her crazy. She does have the symptoms of being called a psycho’

Ashley clenched her jaw never letting her words intimidate her. She could tell that Sandra was trying to scare her but she wasn’t fool to get afraid of her shallow threats.

If she had to kill her, she wouldn’t have kept her alive till now.

"Then what are you waiting for... Did you want to eliminate me from the beginning " Ashley spoke with a challenging tone causing everyone around her to give her a shocking look.

Ashley smirked on her stupefied face and continued," You are just a coward Sandra, who likes attacking people hiding in the dark. First, you fake your death and manipulated Gabriel with your false letter. You even fooled your sister and even now you are still the same weak crazy lady who abducted me when my husband wasn’t conscious"

Sandra’s lips twitched at her blunt words and she quickly marched towards her and grabbed her hair forcefully. "Don’t act smart Ashley. I know what you are trying to do" he flared as she pulled her hair.

Ashley remained unfazed by her provoked reaction as she managed to irk her. She wanted to do so much but she stopped thinking about her child. She just wanted to be cautious.

Glaring at her with bloodshot eyes Sandra jerked Ashley away and motioned her men to take her away. "Let her starve. I want to see her break both mentally and physically" A loud warning echoed inside the room and two of her men quickly step ahead and dragged Ashley away.

Lingaa who stood behind Sandra watched the woman being dragged before he turned his eyes to his current master. "Is my job done?" her words startled the man and he quickly composed.

"Yes, Master. I have already informed the medical facility"

"Good. Let her starve for some time before we bring her to the doctors in charge"

Chapter 419: Searching...

Ashley was taken back to the cell and thrown inside by Sandra’s men before they locked her. Two of them guarded the cell from outside while the remaining two headed back.

Her eyes observed the back of the two men who were as ruthless as their master to drag her all the way here with her hands bleeding from the flesh that was scratched due to the ropes.

Her sight blurred feeling the sting around her wrist and she stumbled.

Ashley felt like every cell of her body was getting worn out because of a lack of food.

’No Ashely...You can’t give up. Think about your bean’ she told herself and blinked her eyes a few times, clearing her blurry sight.

She had to keep up as she couldn’t believe anyone around, especially Sandra the twisted-minded woman who would do anything to her if she passes out.

Taking a few deep breaths Ashley tried to stabilize herself and turned her head to the side as she sat on the bed next to her.

She thought with her observant eyes she would come to find a way to escape this place, but she couldn’t.

Ashley had no idea where she was captivated, but by listening to the sound of waves she understood they weren’t somewhere near any port but in an underwater basement.

Her mouth parted in shock as she connected the dots on her way to Sandra’s cabin. While getting trained by Tristan, he always asked her to pay attention to small details. Enhancing her hearing ability and much more.

Self-defense training wasn’t just to protect herself from her enemies but also to keep an active eye around to escape from any red zone.

A feeling of helplessness passed through her entire being and she dropped her shoulders in defeat. There was no way she would be able to get out of there. All she could hope was somehow Tristan might come and find her. But then the question was how?

How was he supposed to find the lead when they were somewhere inside the water? It would be impossible for anyone to locate her unless they receive some kind of signal.

Ashley sighed in defeat. It was a very big deal for her to even send some kind of lead to Tristan just so he could come and find her.

’God.. please help’ she prayed silently hoping to get out of this trap as soon as possible.

As time passed by Ashley felt the fatigue wash through her consciousness, as everything around her eyes started spinning.

She tried keeping her eyes open but soon her body and mind both gave up and she slumped on the bed unconscious.

****

Meanwhile, Tristan and Gabriel along with Patrick mobilized their team to hunt Sandra down. So much time had passed but they could find a single lead.

Lucas the main suspect, even went missing after that night. As if everything happen to them was a well-proof plane, and they made sure they wouldn’t be able to find them even if they search the entire country S.

"What should we do now... where are we supposed to find her?" Gabriel sighed turning his head towards Tristan who didn’t stop in search even for a second.

After his men failed to find Ashley, he personally went to that place to find any lead but returned empty-handed. It was only the mini device he got his hold on which he secretly shoved into Ashley’s pocket.

From the time he returned, he had been listening to the recording that was captured before it lost Ashley’s track.

Without uttering a word, he kept listening to the voice record leaving Gabriel looking at him with a pitiful gaze.

With Tristan’s condition still recovering, the man never once hissed in pain nor complained and kept looking for his wife. He swore never to give up until he finds her.

Gabriel had long realized how much Tristan loved Ashley and what she meant to him. So now all he wanted was to help his friend in every possible way.

Everything around them was quiet when suddenly Tristan spoke.

"I don’t know... but keep looking for her Gabriel. I want my wife and my child safe" Tristan’s sudden revelations took him by surprise but soon Gabriel composed his thoughts, silently bobbing his head.

Them still locking those meaningful eyes, when suddenly the door of their room flung open and Patrick barged in. He seemed anxious but the moment his eyes met theirs, something clicked in their mind.

"What is it?" Tristan asked with a serious tone and it was then Patrick who was holding his phone the entire time, turned it on, on speaker.

****

Ashley remained conscious for god knows how long, when suddenly she felt someone tap her cheeks.

"Hm.." groaning in her sleep she tried to open her eyes, but as if her eyes didn’t want to open she tried to ignore the touch.

She felt like her entire body felt heavy all of a sudden, restricting her from moving. ’What’s happened to me’ she thought as her breathing quickened the next instant.

"What is happening to me" she muttered in her drowsiness as she finally opened her eyes, but everything around seemed blurred.

She could see a few figures standing next to her wearing a white lab coat, making her anxious the next instant.

"What have you done to me?" she asked as restlessness took over her entire being. The way she felt unable to move, make her think something was wrong with her body.

She remembered passing out on the bed as she couldn’t handle her fatigue but whatever she was feeling now left her paralyzed.

"How long the medicine will take to react?" she heard a familiar voice and her eyes slowly moved from the white coat man to the person standing next to her.

"Sandra..." she muttered her name breathlessly as the woman turned her attention towards her, but the gleam she noticed passing through her eyes, left her shocked.

Chapter 420: Escaping

Sandra paused listening to her weak voice and turned her eyes on her. The way she looked helpless gave her a sense of pleasure.

She so wanted to silence her mouth and now watching her struggle to speak a word, made her happy.

The moment their eyes met, she smirked.

"W-what are you doing with me?" Ashley spoke with much difficulty.

She felt her throat run dry, but even after having trouble she still tried to keep up with her strong self.

Sandra smiled at her helplessness and slowly bend down a little." Don’t you already feel the change within yourself, Ashley... You do, and I feel sorry for you because you won’t be able to do anything to save yourself and your... child" Her words shocked her, and she tried to grab her neck but as she said, her hands didn’t even lift.

She was left paralyzed, unable to do anything. Slowly she even started to feel the muscle on her face twitch and her eyes rolled up.

Ashley was slowly losing consciousness but the thought of something happening to her child made her terrified.

Sandra was aware of her pregnancy the entire time and was waiting for the right time to punish her. It was her foolishness who didn’t take her words seriously earlier, but now finding herself in such a vulnerable state, she couldn’t help but miss Tristan.

She somehow wanted him to come to save her. She didn’t mind if something happened to her but her child... she couldn’t bear to lose it.

Ashley’s chest heaved up and down as she started finding it difficult to breathe. Something wasn’t right. She could feel deep into her bones, but as much as she wanted to save herself, she found it hard to stay up and before even her mind could lose its sense, her body gave and she succumbed into a deep slumber.

Retreating back Sandra’s eyes watched Ashley with utmost detest. She was about to strangle her to death when suddenly the siren inside the medical facility rang.

Everyone inside the hall was alarmed by the sudden intervention and soon Lucas, barged in with an anxious look on his face.

"Tristan’s men intruded into our base" his words left Sandra in shock and she yelled frustratingly.

"How is that possible!"

Sandra’s entire world flip within a second, but even before she could grasp her thoughts, Lucas grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the room.

"No!... this can be..." she stopped midway and looked at Lucas who gave her a strange look.

"I can’t let her live" she muttered to her bloodshot eyes.

Everything around her appeared to be surreal. She still couldn’t believe Tristan’s men found them, but the question was how...

"How did they find us..." she asked.

Lucas who was in the surveillance room watched Lingaa, her trusted man walked out of the emergency room. At first, he didn’t find his actions suspicious but after soon time when he looked at the screen ahead, he saw a group of people approaching them through the boats.

It didn’t take him time to realize who those men were as Tristan’s most trusted man Sky was leading the group.

Gnashing his teeth in frustration, Lucas flared "Lingaa... he backstab us. I am sure it was him who gave the lead"

Sandra felt betrayed. She thought she had everything in her power, but she forgot man like Lingaa who dedicated his life to her would never stand against him and so did his men.

She made a fool out of herself and now she felt like everything was slipping from her hands.

"No!... I can’t lose to them" she yelled shocking Lucas who felt like Sandra have lost her mind.

They were on the verge of getting caught and here she was still lingering on her win. If they wouldn’t survive how will they ever going to see the victory?

"Sandra... let’s get out of here. We can’t let them catch us... " Lucas tried to add some sense to her twisted brain, but watching her unbothered, he let go of her hand.

"Fine... if you want to die in their hands then feel free to stay here, because I am sure no one here is going to save up except for me. These people were never ours... and you will know it when your own father offers you to them" he warned and turned to leave when Sandra suddenly grabbed his hand.

Lucas stilled watching Sandra and then heard her say," She would die anyway, but I don’t want to die yet," she said looking at Ashley whose body was slowly turning pale.

Sandra asked the doctors to inject Ashley with slow poison, something that could damage her internally giving her a steady death. The medicine has finally started to show his reaction.

First, her body was paralyzed, and how she had passed out. Soon her every organ would give up killing the baby in her womb too.

This would be her revenge on Tristan for betraying her. Now he would understand how it feels to see the person whom you love die in front of your eyes.

Ashley’s death would be the only way to break Tristan in every way. Living without his beloved would kill him anyway...

With this thought, she continued," Take me with you.." her desperate tone made Lucas change his mind, and without wasting any time, they rushed out of the medical room.

Meanwhile, Sky and a few men had already entered the underwater base and were looking for Ashley. Mobilizing his men everywhere, he then followed the straight route.

On his way, his eyes caught the sight of Lucas and Sandra, escaping the place and he quickly followed them.

Reaching the top of the base, he watched the two ready to hop into the attacked boat.

"Stop... or else I will shoot" he warned the two pointing his gun at them.

Hearing his warning, they both paused. It was then they realized, someone was following them.

Sandra turned her eyes and shared a glance at Lucas. She was hinting to him to jump on her one signal.

"We both know even if we stop your boss will still kill us" Her words stunned Sky for a moment but he remained unfazed.

"So why not I give him a big shock before escaping"