Charmed by the Billionaire CEO

Ashley took Alice back to her place as she didn’t want to leave her alone after whatever happened in the Keller house.

She couldn’t believe her parents trusted that lair than their own child and even said hurtful words to her.

As soon as she stepped inside the room, Alice asked Ashley to be alone for some time. Without obliging, she agreed and closed the door before walking away.

****

Study

"I felt like choking his throat" Ashley slumped on the couch, grunting in anger.

Everything was so vivid in her thoughts that she couldn’t stop cursing those people in her mind.

"Did Alice know Dylan was behind her father’s shares as he wanted to use them to enhance his business here" Ashley frowned and snapped at him?

"What do you mean, dad?" she asked, unsure what he meant.

Richard, who had done a background check on the Grey, had found some crucial information about them.

Dylan wasn’t someone who would settle down that easily when he was labelled Casanova. He only agreed to marry Alice because he wanted Theon to transfer his entire share under his name, and once he got what he wanted, he would ditch Alice.

And today was supposed to be when Theon would transfer his share to Dylan and get rid of Alice; he came up with this plan where he would defame her, which would eventually make everything easy for him.

Dylan would not only get rid of Alice but also get Theon’s entire share he put in Keller and wouldn’t take it back once given.

Ashley listened to Richard carefully, and as she kept learning more, her blood boiled, and she slammed her hand." I am going to kill that bastard. How can he hurt my Alice dad." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Ashley couldn’t erase the images of Alice when she found her in that room. She could still feel a shiver run down her spine, thinking if she hadn’t shown up in time, they would have succeeded in taking advantage of her unconscious state.

"It will be of no use, Ash", she heard Alice’s voice, and she turned, looking at her standing at the door frame.

Alice came out of the room because she suddenly felt thirsty. Taking the water jar, she walked through the hallway when she passed Richards’s study and heard them.

Alice stood there like a lifeless person as she looked at them both and continued," Even if we expose Dylan, my dad would still trust him."

Her voice wasn’t sad as before but purely cold as she had finally realised that no matter what she did or said, she wouldn’t get her father’s trust.

"But what if we find his friends and pressurise them to speak the truth" Ashley still thought if they caught hold of Dylan’s friend, Theon would finally see through Dylan’s lie.

Letting out a chuckle, Alice smiled," They weren’t his friend Ash, but some men he hired to carry on his plan."

Ashley was surprised by the new revelation. Dylan was more intelligent and more cunning than she had thought him to be. He just fooled everyone, but the one who got more affected was Alice.

Breaking out from her, though, she looked up. Alice was already gone. Richard and Ashley were surprised by her indifferent behaviour, which somewhat scared them.

*****

Evening

Alice had skipped her lunch as she didn’t come out of her room even after calling her twice. Ashley thought she might be sleeping, so she didn’t disturb her.

But even after so long, she couldn’t find Alice stepping out of the room, so again she decided to check.

As she reached her room, she heard a faint voice. It sounded like crying, but then she heard a loud bang which startled her, and she slammed the door.

"Alice...open the door", she called her name, but then the sound became even louder, and this time she heard Alice yell," Go...."

Fear crept into Ashley’s heart, and she sprinted away, calling the maid to bring the spare key to Alice’s room.

As soon as the maid rushed to give her the keys, she quickly opened the door and dashed inside.

Ashley felt a lump in her throat when she saw the entire room turned upside down. Everything thing around was messed up and destroyed.

"A-Alice..." she called her name anxiously, looking around the room when she saw the bathroom door open.

She ran to the bathroom without wasting time and saw Alice sitting under the shower, scratching herself. Her heart broke looking at her friend who was having a mental breakdown.

She kept mumbling to herself without caring about how badly she had hurt herself and started to bleed.

Ashley ran to her and fell to her knees," Alice, please stop.... you are hurting yourself", she cried, trying her best to stop her. But as if she didn’t hear anything, Alice continued hurting her and crying her heart out until she fainted.

Ashley called her father and a few servants, who helped her take Alice out of the bathroom and soon the doctor was called.

****

Alice had turned suicidal and couldn’t cope with the incident that happened to her. Even after a month had passed, Alice was just the same. She had again tried to harm herself, which led her to take therapies.

It took her some time because the trauma was too complex for her to forget, but she finally managed to break free, and soon Ashley saw some changes in her.

Though she wasn’t as carefree and cheerful as before, she was still way better than those days when she had lost all hope. She changed utterly, breaking free from that tied-up life she spent in her father’s house, turning bold and brave. Ready to fight for herself.

Her parents tried to get her back, but she wasn’t ready to step her feet into that house that didn’t belong to the girl she had become. She could follow her father’s order or keep listening to her mother’s rant. That obedient Alice who agreed to their every word to get their love and attention was gone. Because now she didn’t care for them and wanted to live a life that made her happy.

She became the girl whom no one ever thought...

*****

Present

Noah poured all his emotions into that one kiss. He was to let her feel his love, tell her that she was perfect even with flaws. He wanted to say to her that no matter how long will it take for her to work on herself, he would leave her.

Pulling away, he looked at her flushed face. No matter how long he stared at her face, he wouldn’t get enough.

Bringing his hand to her face, he wiped her tears off and rested his palm on her cheeks, brushing it carefully with his thumb." No matter how long it takes for you to work on yourself, I will never leave your side," he voice was so deep that it stirred her heart.

"I didn’t realise before, but I can’t live without you, Alice."

Noah had never felt so scared in his entire life, but he couldn’t forget the image of her sitting under the water and hurting herself. His heart bleeds, recalling the moment he had seen her blood flowing along with the water.

Burying his face into the crook of her neck, Noah hugged her. She had become his life, and he would seriously die if something happened to her.

Never in his life had Noah thought he would love Alice to the extent that she would become his heartbeat. So to keep himself alive, he had to protect his heartbeat and keep her by his side secure; he had to help her.

Alice lay stiff and let Noah hug her. She was still processing his words, getting them fixed in her mind and heart. She wanted to be a better person and come clean, so she would love him the way he loved her... flawlessly.

She felt her skin getting wet and breaking out of her state. Noah was crying while he hugged her tightly. Her hands slowly reached his back, and she hugged him.

For him, she can fight with herself. She would join the broken pieces and make her whole, a new person who would love and cherish him.

"I love you, Noah", she whispered next to his ear and his stiff.

Alice said it, after all... She didn’t want to hold back because of her past. Noah wasn’t like them. He was different and loved her no matter how miserable she was. So why can’t she heal herself? She can’t become selfish for his love without returning the same.

Noah slowly pulled away and looked at her anxiously." What did you say?" he asked, thinking he might have heard something wrong.

Alice watched his confused face and, without hesitation, cupped his cheeks and pulled him for a kiss, confirming her words to him.

This was the only way she could tell him what he mean to her and how important he was for her.