Charmed by the Billionaire CEO
Chapter 101: Sleep with me

Chapter 101: Sleep with me

Alice was so disturbed the entire day that she couldn’t concentrate on her work. Dylan’s words kept ringing in her ears, and she felt the same fear surge with each passing second.

’You will be my wife only by the name. Your father sold you in exchange for the ranking he would earn after our company gets merged. There is nothing called love between us, Alice’s those words kept playing in her mind, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying hard to forget everything that happened back then.

Her eyes welled up as she recalled his harsh words, and she broke down, letting her tears fall. She didn’t want to go through it again. She tried to suppress this pain.

"Why... why is he making me recall those bad times" Alice cried silently, clutching her heart. She felt her chest pain and her breath hitched as slowly her mind began to turn frizzy.

She gasped but felt restricted as her hand began to tremble and sweat broke out on her forehead.

Alarmed, Alice looked for her bag frantically. She needed the medicine before she broke down. Trembling, she stood up and looked everywhere inside the cabin when her eyes fell on the handbag on the couch, and she stumbled while taking the steps there before picking it up.

She quickly opened it, took out the medicines, and gulped them with water. It was the only way she would keep herself sane, and she needed them.

Slumping on the couch, Alice finally began to feel better and her hands shivering stopped, and her vision cleared. Taking a few deep breaths, she steadied herself and stood up.

"I won’t let him play with me this time," she kept saying to herself when her phone buzzed. Noah texted her, saying he was outside the studio waiting for her.

Unknowingly, a smile appeared on her lips, and she wiped her face, leaving no fear in it, and picked up her bag before leaving.

****

Outside

Noah stood by his car, leaning leisurely, waiting for Alice. He had finished his work on time and rushed to pick her up.

’What taking her so long,’ he thought, looking at the time and looking ahead when Alice stepped out.

Noah watched her come toward him, and the first thing he noticed was her puffy eyes.

’Did she cry’ he thought and saw her stop before him.

Alice pursed her lips, making sure she won’t mess up, and put on a smile without meeting his eyes.

"Come, let’s go" Noah didn’t ponder much and opened the door for her to get in.

Noah kept glancing at Alice inside the car and saw her looking out the window. He knew something was wrong, and she wasn’t ready to show him.

Reaching his hand, he held her hand and intertwined their fingers which caught her attention, and she turned to see him in surprise.

Noah smiled at her and brought her hand before he kissed it and rested it on his heart.

Alice wasn’t expecting him to be this sweet to her. As she was busy pondering her thoughts on his action, she heard him say," Alice, I know we are not that close yet for you to share your problems with me. But as your friend, I am always there for you" he looked into her eyes being loyal to his words.

Alice could see he wasn’t teasing her; unknowingly, she nodded.

There were so many things about her life that she wanted to bottle up and never share with anyone. She tried to keep it hidden somewhere in the corner of her heart.

She wasn’t an open book and feared Noah would end up judging her.

Noah smiled and held her hand close to his heart until they reached home. He had already decided to spend his time with Alice and give her the comfort she had missed throughout her life.

Alice was like a child who craved love and affection. She might mask being unaffected by anyone or act like she didn’t care, but he knew she was trying to keep herself from getting hurt.

Reaching the doorstep, Noah was about to bid her by when she stopped him and said," Sleep with me" her words came out without any filter, which shocked Noah.

"W-what did you say?" he asked in anticipation.

"Sleep with me," she said again, raising her head and looking deep into his eyes.

Noah didn’t know what she meant, but one thing he understood was she needed him. Without hesitating, he nodded his head, and they headed to her apartment.

*****

Knight mansion

Grace looked at the cell phone in her hand, still contemplating whether she should call Dante or not. Even though Trevor had told her to take the first step, she still couldn’t bring herself to make a call.

Fidgeting her brain, she finally called the number, and the bell rang. Grace could feel her heart pump rapidly because it was the first time she had finally let go of her grudge against her father and taken a wise step to mend their relationship.

Tapping her feet in anxiousness, Grace waited for Dante to answer her call. But even after continuous ringing, he didn’t pick up the call, which dropped her heart.

’Maybe I started to expect too much,’ she thought and ended the call.

He had been protecting her all these years without asking anything in return. He fulfilled all his responsibility as her father by providing them with everything they needed for a living.

Even if he never once voiced it but she knew all her educational fees and daily needs were fulfilled by him.

Grace sighed in defeat and kept her cell phone back. She knew it wasn’t that simple because the bridge she had created between them wouldn’t fill so quickly. All these years she ignored him, then wasn’t it his turn now to forgive her?

When her phone rang, Grace was about to get up, and she immediately picked up the call without looking at the name.

"Grace," she heard her father’s voice, and her eyes welled up.

He sounded like a weak, defeated, and lonely person. Grace could feel the helplessness in his voice, and she slumped on the couch, crying her heart out.

"D-dad" for the first time in her life, she called him her father and broke down even more.

Trevor stood by the door frame and witnessed everything. He let her be as it was finally the day when she dropped her pride and called her father leaving behind all the grudge she carried for him in her heart.

*****

Hyatt residency

Ashley’s room

The couple lay on the bed after having dinner and cuddled. Ashley enjoyed the movie-watching time with Tristan, who was more interested in her than in the movie.

She would try to stop him, but he wasn’t someone who was going to listen, and instead of watching the movie, they ended up kissing each other.

"How was the movie" Tristan grinned and pulled her closer.

"Did you allow me to watch it" Ashley slapped his arm and snuggled closer into his chest.

"How can I concentrate on the movie when my sexy wife sits with me? There was no way I could fully focus on anything when you were beside me." Tristan told the truth.

It was tough for him to focus on anything else when Ashley was around. He would forget the entire world if she stood in front of him.

"Very funny," Ashley remarked and saw him arch his brow.

"You don’t believe me?" he asked and saw her shake her head.

Tristan was surprised at how she still doubted his intention, but he didn’t take it into his heart because he knew she was teasing him.

"You might not believe it, but whatever I said is the truth. You have me wrapped around your finger Ash, and I don’t seem to look any other way apart from you."

Ashley didn’t answer him because she knew everything he said was true. Tristan would never tease her when expressing his love for her.

They kept quiet for a while when she heard Tristan say." Ash," he called her.

"Hmm"

Tristan wanted to tell her about his life, but he feared she wouldn’t take it positively.

Ashley looked up and saw him in deep thought. Cupping his face, she made him look at her." You want to say something?" she asked.

Tristan watched her eager eyes looking hopefully at him. Was it the right time to tell her everything, or will she end up hating him?

He looked at her for a while and shook his head. No, he couldn’t tell her. He couldn’t see the hateful gaze which would loathe him.

"Nothing. Let’s sleep," he said and turned to wrap his arm around her hand, pulling her closer.

He wouldn’t tell her anything until he was ready to know she wouldn’t leave him.

Ashley could feel something wasn’t right, but she didn’t push further and waited for the day he would tell her everything that was bothering him.