Charmed by the Billionaire CEO
Chapter 331: Richard is hiding something

Chapter 331: Richard is hiding something

The doctor came and examined Richard and that was when they learned that Richard had forgotten to take his medicines which lead to the drop in sugar level in his body.

Richard was a diabetic patient and skipping his dose was forbidden in his case.

"I have given him the medicines but from here on make sure he doesn’t skip any of his doses. It can cause him heart failure" the doctor informed them and left.

Richard who was finally awake and had heard whatever the doctor said pursed his lips into a thin. He kept his eyes down avoiding a pair of angry orbs that stare at him.

Ashley was utterly speechless after what the doctor said before leaving. She just had the urge to scold Richard because he hadn’t been taking care of himself.

"I have to make an emergency call" Tristan excused himself using a reason to give the father and daughter duo some space.

Once the door of the room shut, Ashley heaved a shaky breath. She brushed her face with her palm and stood up.

Richard had genuinely scared her. Finding him unconscious on his chair had almost stopped her heart. His pale face and cold hands still gave her chills.

Taking a few deep breaths, she tried to calm herself, and when she finally did, she turned to look at Richard.

"What is wrong with you dad? How can you be this careless? Why would you skip your medicines" taking the seat on the bed once again she asked Richard with concerned-filled eyes.

Richard sneaked a glance at Ashley before looking down once again. He kept playing with his fingers trying to think what reason he would give her this time.

’I can’t tell her anything at least not now’ he thought to himself and gulped before pushing his body straight onto the bed.

He was yet to face her but found it hard because he knew Ashley would sense the obvious in his eyes.

"I am sorry, this won’t happen again" he finally managed to speak.

Ashley watched Richard avoid meeting her gaze found his actions strange. He would never behave like this in front of her.

Looking at him for a few seconds Ashley reached out to hold his hand that he had been fidgeting with the entire time. She could sense the nervousness in his action but she didn’t ask him right away.

She lightly squeezed his hands and watched him raise his head to look at her. H looked so weak. His eyes were tired as if he haven’t had a good sleep all these days.

Ashley couldn’t understand why would his appearance change so drastically.

Richard on the other hand was finding it difficult to look normal in front of her when deep inside his heart he was scared.

Things that have been happening around him had scared him to death. Whatever Piper wrote about Tori in the letter was the truth. She wasn’t an ordinary girl but a shady person with many hidden motives.

But, he couldn’t tell Ashley about this. He can’t risk anyone’s life. What if their life also turns worse just like Piper’s?

’No, I can’t let this happen’ he firmly told himself.

Composing himself, Richard then forced a smile and looked at Ashley. She looked a little doubtful and he had to divert her thoughts.

"By the way what brings you here, this late" he tried to change the topic.

Ashley sharply eyed Richard. Though the smile on his face looked fake, she decided to let it skip for now. She can’t let him stress.

She then pondered on the words he said and fell silent. ’Should I bring Tori’s topic? Should I tell him that we saw her driving away with someone’

Ashley chewed the inside of her lips, thinking whether she should talk about this with Richard, but they have to confirm this, or else how would they know what was Tori doing out past the curfew time?

Thinking for some time she finally decided to speak. "Dad, have you changed the rules inside the house" her voice came out low as if she was hesitating to talk about it.

Richard was free to change the rules as per convenience but it was quite unusual of him because even after so many years, he kept them the same.

"No why?" Richard creases his brows together at her question.

He doesn’t remember setting new rules for anyone inside the house. He himself followed the same old rules until this day.

"Huh!" Ashley was taken aback by his response but quickly masked her expression.

Richard found her turning silent all of a sudden and asked. "Did something happen?" he felt the fear creep into his heart.

’Did she find something suspicious while I was unconscious’ he thought.

Richard tried to observe her expression. His palm had now started to feel sweaty.

Ashley sensed the tension in his voice and she snapped out of her thought. She found him firmly holding her hand and also felt it a little sweaty.

She didn’t know if it was the right time to tell him about Tori, but she couldn’t leave him in the dark. Since day one, she and Tristan had found the girl a little mysterious.

Not to forget how scared she was when she met Tristan. That time she let this thought skip her mind thinking maybe she wasn’t used to having new people around, but now that she gave it thought, she remembered Tristan telling her that he found the girl a little familiar.

Gathering her thoughts, she took a deep breath and told Richard everything she see.

Richard was shocked by the time she finished speaking. His head was in an utter mess. His fear was slowly inching close to reality and he wasn’t even able to control it.

"Dad I don’t know why but Tori seems quite strange to me" she finally expressed her thought without holding them back.

Richard felt his blood run dry and he slowly pulled his hand away from hers. His lips quivered as he started looking elsewhere making Ashley nervous.

"Dad, are you alright?" she asked when she saw him sweating profoundly and she quickly reached her hand to the side table and fetch him a glass of water.

"Here drink this" Ashley passed him the glass and watched him gulp it down in one take.

She couldn’t understand why would her words end up triggering his health, but then she remembered what the doctor said and she immediately dropped the topic for now.

"I don’t feel good. I think I should sleep for some time" Richard passed her the glass back and lay down on the bed.

Ashley helped him tuck to bed and watch him sleep. She didn’t know why something about Richard’s actions was making her doubtful of the fact that her father was hiding something from her. There was no way he would try to shove the topic using his health as an excuse.

****

[Outside]

After leaving the father and daughter duo alone, Tristan stepped out of the house. He just wanted to gather his thoughts and for that, he need to breathe fresh air.

Stepping into the lawn, he tried recalling the moment he saw Tori, the young chef of Brown mansion. He could never forget her face and was damn sure it was her, even Ashley confirmed it.

His eyes roamed around the lawn as he kept walking until he reach the back side of the mansion and stopped.

"What’s that!" his eyes narrowed when he saw a red faint light coming from a distance.

He remembered once Richard told him about the forbidden area on the other side of the land and how he never allowed anyone to trespass on it. The reason was still unknown but now when he watched thoroughly, he could sense that someone is already residing in that place.

Tristan took a few steps trying to see more clearly. He was sure he had seen the light coming from that way, so he kept moving further until he heard Ashley’s voice from behind.

Turning around he watched her pant and that made him frown. "I told you not to walk recklessly Ash. Why don’t you understand" he mumbled getting worried and quickly walked towards her.

"I couldn’t find you anywhere in the house, so I marched here to search for you. What are you doing here?" she slowly calmed down and watched him stand in front of her.

Tristan blinked at her words. The frown on his forehead had already cleared. He opened his mouth to speak but close it back.

’What was he supposed to tell her that he tried sneaking into the forbidden place’

Tristan couldn’t tell her what he had seen until he confirms it by himself. Something around the house seemed suspicious to him, but he didn’t want to raise the doubt unless he first finds by himself.

"I just came to get some fresh air," he told her the truth.

Yes, he stepped out of the house so he could clear his mind but after coming here he saw something which he found weird. He was about to see through his vision but Ashley happened to call him.