Alice's tears fell like rain as she stammered, "I'm s-sorry... Please d-don't h-hurt me." Alex's grip on her arms loosened, and he looked deep into her eyes, his gaze calming her fears.
"I'm not gonna hurt you"
He released her arms, and they sat together on the bed.
With sincerity, Alex apologized, "I'm really sorry about yesterday. I was drugged, i wasn't not in my right senses. I'm really sorry." His words surprised him - he had never apologized to anyone before.
Alice's shaky voice replied, "I-it's ok, I understand."
"Did it hurt so much?"
More tears flowed as she nodded, answering his concerned question.
Alex pulled her into a warm hug, and she cried uncontrollably, soaking his shirt. After crying for so long, she finally fell asleep in his arms. He gently placed her in bed, tucked her in, and left for his room.
Just as he was about to sleep, his phone rang. Jax's voice was on the other end. "Sir, Scarlet knows about the waiter and has gone into hiding."
Alex's tone was firm. "Find her and the traitor within 48 hours." He hung up, his mind racing with the challenge ahead.
Alice woke up to the warm rays of the morning sun peeking through the curtains, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. A good night's sleep had worked wonders, and she was grateful to be feeling a bit better. She stretched her arms and yawned, noticing the silence of the house. Everyone must be busy, she thought.
As she got ready for the day, Alice's mind wandered to the events of the previous day. She was still trying to process everything that had happened. But before she could dwell on it too much, Daniella knocked on her door.
"Good morning, ma'am," Daniella said with a bow. "I was instructed by young master to inform you that you are to stay home today."
Alice's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh? Why is that?"
Daniella hesitated before speaking. "I'm not entirely sure, ma'am. But young master was quite clear in his instructions."
Alice nodded, deciding not to question it further. Maybe Alex just wanted her to rest and recover, she thought. And to be honest, the idea of spending a quiet day at home didn't sound so bad.
So, Alice spent the day lounging in bed, reading books, and watching videos. But as the hours passed, she couldn't shake off the feeling of loneliness. Everyone seemed to be busy, and she missed the company.
*SAME DAY*
In an apartment across town, three friends, Mandy, Kelly, and Rose, sat in the living room, their faces etched with disappointment and frustration. "How could this happen?" Mandy asked, sipping her wine.
"I know, right?" Kelly replied, pacing across the room. "I still can't believe we got fired. It's unbelievable!"
Rose spoke up, her voice laced with suspicion. "Do you guys think Alice had something to do with this?"
Mandy and Kelly exchanged confused glances. "What do you mean?" Kelly asked.
Rose's eyes narrowed. "Think about it. She's Mr. Black's mistress. She could have used her position to get us fired, especially after we taunted her so much."
Kelly's expression turned thoughtful. "You have a point, Rose. That's definitely possible."
Mandy's face set in determination. "We can't let her get away with this. We need to teach her a lesson she'll never forget."
Kelly nodded in agreement. "We'll make sure she regrets ever crossing our path."
The three friends clinked their glasses together, a plan already forming in their minds...
_Later that day, 7:00 pm_
Alice was engrossed in a book in her room when a maid arrived to summon her for dinner. As she entered the dining room, she found the entire family present, including Alex. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting moment, Alice's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't explain why she felt this way.
Taking her seat, Alice tried to avoid eye contact with Alex, focusing on her food instead. Midway through dinner, Jerry asked, "How's everything going at the company, son?"
Alex replied curtly, "Good." Jerry sensed his son's reluctance to talk and didn't press the issue.
As Alice continued eating, she suddenly felt an intense, burning sensation inside. She started coughing violently, and everyone thought she was choking. Stacy handed Alice a glass of water, which she gratefully accepted. However, despite taking a few sips, Alice's choking persisted. Suddenly, she collapsed to the ground, her body writhing in distress. The room fell silent as a collective gasp filled the air.
The next moment, a chilling sight met their eyes: Alice lay on the floor, blood trickling from her mouth. The severity of the situation hit them like a ton of bricks.
"Someone call a doctor, now!" Stacy exclaimed, her voice laced with panic, as she rushed to Alice's side to help her.
_An hour later_
Alex sat in his room, lost in thought, when a knock at the door broke the silence. "Come in," he said, and his assistant, Louis, entered with a bow. "Good evening, boss."
"Find out who poisoned Alice and bring them to me," Alex ordered, his voice firm and commanding.
"Consider it done, sir," Louis replied, before turning to leave.
As Louis exited, Dr. Sam walked in, taking a seat beside Alex. Sam has been Alex's good friend since their childhood days. "Hey, Alex. I just saw Alice. She's going to be okay, but she'll need careful attention and medication during her recovery. Also, she should avoid spicy food for now to help her stomach heal."
Alex nodded, relief washing over him, but concern still lingered in his eyes. "Thanks, Sam."
Sam smiled. "What are friends for? I should get going. Good night, Alex."
As Sam left, Alex lay back in bed, his mind racing with thoughts and emotions. Who could have done this to Alice?
The next morning, Alex was ready for work but lingered to see Alice before leaving. She had just finished a specially prepared breakfast by Stacy and was watching the maid clean her room when a knock was heard on the door.
"Come in," she said, and Alex entered, closing the door behind him. "Good morning, Alice."
"Good morning, sir," she replied, sitting up straight. As he approached her, her heart raced, and she couldn't help but admire his chiseled features. Alex Black..
"Leave," he said to the maid, who quickly exited. Alice felt a surge of tension, wondering what he wanted.
"How are you feeling?" Alex asked, sitting beside her.
"I'm feeling better now, sir," she replied, looking down.
"Did you take your medication yet?" he asked, his gaze fixed on her.
"No, sir...I mean, I was about to," she stammered. Alex handed her the tablets and water, watching as she took them without complaint.
"Get some rest," he said, standing up.
"Thank you, sir," she replied, her voice weak as she lay back down.
"It's Alex," he corrected gently, as he pulled the blankets up to her chin, his touch tender and caring.
"I'm sorry... Alex," she whispered, her eyes cast downward, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.
"Feel free to call me if anything comes up, okay?" he said, to see her nod, before leaving her room.
As the door closed, Alice couldn't help but wonder about the intensity of his gaze and the gentle way he cared for her...
☆☆☆
Alice spent the rest of the day watching tiktok and you tube. Despite the peace and quiet, Alice found herself glancing at the clock every now and then, hoping someone would come to visit her. But the hours ticked by, and she was left to her own devices.
As the sun began to set, Alice realized she had spent the entire day alone. She sighed, feeling a pang of loneliness.
As night fell, she tried to move around, but her abdominal pains made it difficult. Suddenly, she heard someone enter her room, but the darkness made it impossible to see who it was.
"Who's there? Daniella, is that you?" she asked, but there was no response.
"Alex sir, is that you?..."
She shone her phone light on the figure, and her heart skipped a beat as she saw who it was.
"W-what are you doing? What do you want?" she stammered, her body trembling with fear.
The figure slowly moved closer, its intentions unclear, leaving Alice frozen in terror.
Meanwhile, Alex was at work, unaware of the danger lurking in his own home.