Chapter 25: Chapter 25

Luciana invited him so they could talk about Henrietta, she implored him to allow the contract to be assigned to Henrietta but Richard never agreed. Luciana sent a text message to Henrietta to come upstairs, however she was at the door when she heard the whole conversation. She felt terrible, there was no other way to convince Richard if his mother couldn't convince him. She turned around and left disappointedly.

She was about to leave the party when she saw Charlene excusing herself from others, without thinking twice she followed her. She stood behind her while she was on the phone call, she was literally jealous because she believed Charlene was the reason Richard refused to give their love a second chance.

Richard looked around for her, he sauntered to his friends and asked where Charlene was, Devyn pointed at the direction he believed she would be. Jeremy rose, both of them headed toward the direction while talking. Jeremy saw Henrietta pushing her, Richard didn't notice. When he looked up Charlene was already laying on the floor. His eyes popped up shockingly.

He glared at her with fury in his eyes. Jeremy squatted beside Charlene and examined her. “Richard, she's still breathing.” He announced.

“Charlene,” He dashed to where she was and kneeled beside her, he drew her close and put his hand at the back of her head.

Henrietta stood helplessly on the same spot. Devastated. Regretting her action, she couldn't leave or talk.

“Hey. Charlene, look at me.” He shook her vigorously but her eyes were tightly closed. “What have you done to her, Henrietta?” His voice was loud and harsh that caused Henrietta to flinch back frighteningly. Within a few seconds people were already girdling around them.

“She's bleeding.” Jeremy uttered, panicking.

Richard examined her pulse, moved a finger to her nose then he released a sigh of relief. “Please call the ambulance.” Jeremy brought out his phone, he dialed their digits and informed them about the emergency.

“Charlene, please hang on.”

“What's going on here?” Bryant and Rowan arrived at the scene. When he saw Richard with Charlene unconscious.

“What happened to my daughter?” Rowan asked anxiously. He moved closer, touched her but she never opened her eyes.

Richard shook her vigorously, begging her to open her eyes. For a few minutes Jeremy stared at him like he was a different person. Nevertheless he had never saw Richard in the kind of state before, miserable instantly he saw her, panicking because he didn't want to lose her, angry like he was going to murder his ex wife.

The ambulance arrived, the stretch was wheeled in and Charlene was laid on it. Richard rushed after them when he saw Henrietta, he looked at the securities. “Call the cops.” He said to the securities and went after them.

The doctor attended to her. Everyone sat impatiently, waiting for him to step out and announce to them she was going to be okay. After a few minutes, he came out, Richard hurried toward him. “How is she?”

“She's perfectly fine. It's a minor issue...” The doctor explained to them thoroughly, they sighed out with relief.

Richard was relieved from the heavy burden of guilt, he followed everyone in. Charlene looked toward the door direction, they stared at each other for a few minutes before Rowan interrupted. “My baby.” He rushed over, he cupped her face and examined her. “Sorry baby.”

Charlene kept switching her gaze on everyone and eventually it focused only on Richard who was standing at her right side with Devyn beside him.

“That little witch!” Bryant seethed. “Are you feeling better now, Charlene?” She nodded.

Luciana stood by the door, it was a private room so it was large enough to accommodate everyone. “We should step outside, she needs to rest.” Luciana blurted out.

No one listened, it was as if she was a ghost in the room. Devyn put a hand across her face, looking sat. “Are you feeling better?” She nodded weakly.

One after the other they left the room leaving Richard and Charlene alone, the doctor already informed them they'd discharge her tomorrow. Richard walked up to the bed, looking intently into each other's eyes, none of them ever spoke to each other for a minute until Richard felt uncomfortable and decided to break the awkward silence. “I'm sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

He stuffed his hands in his pockets, sighed softly. “For what happened to you.”

Charlene chuckled, refrained from rolling her eyes. “You're not the one that pushed me. Maybe if you want to apologize for something, you should for fooling me, pretending as if you never remember what you did that night. Quit pretending, Richard. I'm bored.”

He frowned. When he stared intently into her eyes she stared back at him surly. “Who told you I'm pretending?” He grunted softly.

Charlene had to miss her examination, Richard didn't give her a chance to go to school. Finally she was discharged, the driver drove them to the mansion. Richard alighted from the car, Charlene also did the same, she was about to walk ahead when he called her back. “Can you walk on your own?”

Surprised, she turned to look at him to be sure he was the one that spoke. “Yeah. I'm perfectly fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, it's my head not my legs. Standing here right now my legs ache.” She only said that so he would stop talking, she couldn't wait to be inside. Richard didn't utter a word, she pivoted and walked in straight into their bedroom.

After a while Richard also entered after checking Miguel in his room. Charlene stood close to the bathroom door, she attempted to zip down her dress but she couldn't reach it. She scoffed softly.

Richard was walking to the bed when she saw her. She was facing the door and she hadn't noticed he was in the room with her. Richard sighed, he sauntered casually toward her, Charlene flinched when she felt he was behind her. “What?” She turned at him, lifted a brow perplexingly.

“Let me help.” He said dryly. Charlene studied his countenance for a while before turning her back. He zipped down for her and she walked inside the bathroom.

Richard returned to the bed, he brought his laptop out and placed it on the bed, laying on his stomach. Richard began to work on his work, he was supposed to be at work but because of Charlene he couldn't go. All of a sudden he heard her scream, Richard hesitated on what he was doing then he heard her scream again. He didn't think twice before dashing to the bathroom, without a second contemplation that she might be naked, he entered. When he saw her he halted on the track and scanned her whole body to be sure she wasn't hurt. Apparently she was perfectly okay.

Charlene screamed again but the cold water touched her body, she extended her hand and changed it to warm water, she turned around only to see him standing in the bathroom while she was naked. “Ahhh!” She screamed out, quickly covered her breasts with her hand but it was futile. “What are you doing here?” She snapped angrily.

Richard turned around abruptly when he finally regained himself. He shouldn't be looking at her when she was naked. “I thought you needed help.” He said with frustration.

She moved close to the railings, grabbed a towel and quickly wrapped it around her body. “You should have stayed outside. You should have called my name.” She scolded him.

He clenched his fists furiously and turned to look at her. He frowned. “When you're screaming like someone who's about to die, do you expect me to stand back, huh? What a nitwit!” He berated and left the bathroom.

She was nearly speechless, she scanned the bathroom vaguely. She was embarrassed and she knew she couldn't face him at the moment after what just happened. She paced around with anxiety. She sluggishly dragged her feet to the door, she stepped out and rushed into the walk-in closet. She would rather spend the entire day in the closet than stayed in the bedroom with him.

“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, HENRI?” Dolly said almost in tears.

Henrietta felt no remorse over what she did, she had been locked up in the cell for what she did to Charlene. The police retained her in the cell overnight, waiting to hear from Richard. “It wasn't intentional. I didn't know she's a weak lady.”

“Do you know what you're charged for? Attempt murder!” She snapped.

Henrietta widened her eyes bewilderingly. “What!” She gasped. “Richard did that?” Her eyes welled up with tears.

“What were you thinking when you tried to kill his wife? That's a lesson, next time you don't bully his wife.”

Henrietta held her hands firmly. Tears trickled down her cheeks. “How about the contract? Please get me out of here, Dolly.”

She shook her head vigorously and withdrew her hands. “Sorry about that but you already lost to Maggie. He declined my appointment. For now there's nothing I can do.”

Henrietta exclaimed shockingly. “What! Am I going to spend another night in that stinky cell? Please do something, Dolly. Okay fine, tell Richard I'm truly sorry. I promise I'll never come close to his wife ever again. He should give me another chance. Please, I need to get out of here.”

“I'll do my best.”

“Is his wife okay?” Henrietta asked. She nodded. “Why is he getting sulky over the minor issue? It's not like he loves her.” Dolly eyed her grimly and she choked back her words.