A Love Trap

Ashley's face was clouded with worry. Andrew tried to say something to comfort her, but he was in too much pain to be able to speak. He couldn't help but curl up into a ball due to the unbearable pain.

With great difficulty, he pointed to a little box placed next to the car window.

Thankfully they had already reached the villa and he could finally rest.

"Is there medicine inside the box?" Ashley asked as she hurried to open the box. She found a small bottle and quickly scanned the note on it to ensure it was safe. She removed two pills from the bottle, grabbed some water, and went closer to Andrew to help him take the medicine.

Andrew took the pills with a small mouthful of water while holding her hand and slyly taking the chance to lick it, but Ashley was too anxious to feel that.

"How do you feel now? Better?" Ashley asked, her eyes fixed on him.

She panicked because she had never seen Andrew like this. In her mind, he was always a calm and elegant gentleman who behaved in a dignified manner no matter what the circumstances. She could barely believe her eyes when she saw him curl up like a helpless child.

Ashley glanced at medicine bottle labeled "Antacid" and asked Andrew, "You have stomach trouble?"

He could just nod in response.

The pain wouldn't subside despite the medicine he had just taken.

This problem had haunted him for so long. From the time he had taken over the Lu Group, he had had to attend numerous business parties. He had to accept all his clients' toasts to maintain a good relationship. He couldn't refuse for fear of offending them even if it took a toll on his health.

Now it was a different scenario. Few people, if any, could force him to drink as the Lu Group had grown into a vast business empire. But it was too late for his body. The damage that the alcohol had done to his body in those early years was now a lifelong curse. This sacrifice wasn't in vain. Without all this networking, the Lu Group would not have reached the heights it did.

Even today, skipping meals on busy days was common for him and this affected his health, but he never paid much attention to it.

that Ashley had an appointment with Ellie today, so he had drowned himself in piles of work, which he would have normally left behind at the office if Ashley was home. Consequently, he forgot to

down on the sofa. "You can rest here. Let me go and check in the kitchen if there's something you can eat,"

Andrew could protest, Ashley went

meat, was replaced daily to make space for fresh food. Andrew was rich and this was a way

for some time and

a bowl of noodles for Andrew. It was late at night, so she didn't want to wake up

them until the edges looked crispy. After

some vegetables and condiments like scallions, ginger and garlic before boiling them with noodles. She didn't put too much salt or soy sauce in

and finished it with some scallions and

wrapped the bowl with a piece of cloth to

much in the kitchen, so this is the best I can do for now. Please make do with it for today. Tomorrow morning we will

of noodles in front of Andrew and hurried him

froze at her words, so Ashley

and locked her in his arms.

as if she were a delicacy that he

Ashley was dumbstruck for a moment. Then she clenched her fists and

ended up like

to cuddle her gently and kiss her lovely lips from time to time. It was only when Ashley was almost out of

to face with him. She touched her lips

earth did he do this

off her. He whispered in a barely audible

must have been. He might have been deprived of food, or maybe he was isolated by other children. Ashley couldn't help