Gave Her A Major Slap

"Uhmmm is Amber not around?" Leslie who just came inside the office asked the ever so serious Ashton.

"Aren't you her classmate?" he asked with furrowed brows.

"I... I am but she was not in class for the whole day. I thought she was busy because of the launching of her product, that is why I didn't search for her. We agreed to meet here in the afternoon," Leslie explained as she too looked quite baffled.

Amber never wanted to miss her classes despite always sleeping on them. This was the first time she did, she also texted her a while ago but still got no reply.

Ashton was even more confused, especially since Amber seemed disturbed last night before leaving.

So he picked up his phone and made a call.

"Did Amber leave the hotel today?"

"..."

"But she arrived there yesterday?"

"..."

"I see. Thank you very much."

After hanging up, he closed all files in his computer and shut his computer down.

"Did something happen?" Leslie asked as she suddenly felt worried towards Amber.

"It is not a big deal but is it possible for miss Lane to come back tomorrow instead?"

Seeing as Amber was not there, Leslie no longer stayed and nodded in agreement. Just as she was out of the building, she sent Amber a text.

"Where will you be going, young master?"

Carl stood up upon seeing Ashton come out after Leslie.

"I'm going to Snow Fall Hotel, you don't have to follow me. And since we're done for the day, you can return home as well."

Ashton stayed in the university while Carl, his personal asisstant, stayed in an apartment close to the university. Their stay was still 4 years in total so he didn't bother checking in a hotel.

*****

"Young master," James bowed respectfully once Ashton came in.

He gave him the spare key to the penthouse. Upon departure, Ashton called him to prepare it as he travel to the hotel.

Upon knowing that Amber did not come out since last night after arriving, the first thing that came to his mind was the side effect of the medicine on her.

Five times a year, she would suddenly fall weak to the point where she can't even lift a finger.

As Leslie have said, she didn't want to miss even just a day in class. So what happened today was the first.

"Do ask the chef to prepare a porridge and bring it up in another hour," he went and instructed before going up.

He went up and without bothering with the doorbell, he opened the door. He was then greeted of Amber sitting down on the carpet while her body was leaning on the sofa.

Just as he stepped in, the board beside the door caught his attention and in it were daggers. He frowned but brushed it off and went to check on Amber.

"Amber, Amber."

In her dizziness, Amber opened her eyes, "Father?"

She felt so weak at the moment, after throwing those daggers. She didn't have the energy to go to her bed and instead leaned on the sofa while sitting on the carpet.

Yet who would have thought that upon waking up she found out that the side effect kicked up.

She couldn't move and there's no point in shouting for this was the penthouse, no one would come up here for she do all the cleaning herself.

Ashton shook his head and carried her to the bedroom. It was just a good thing that she still changed to a comfortable home wear last night before throwing those daggers.

So he had no need of changing her, or looking for someone to change her clothes.

After being carried, she was able to regain much more of her consciousness. And found out that it was Ashton who came.

He didn't ask anything and went out to get her a glass of warm water, before helping her into a sitting position, "Drink some water first, I asked the chef to cook some porridge."

He understood that with her current condition, chewing was a very difficult thing for her. But porridge is heavier than soup, so it's a better choice.

Seeing as she was already wide awake, he called down to get the porridge ready and to bring it up.

Amber just watched by the side as he stood up and went to the door when the door bell rang. She watched him return and placed the bowl on the side table.

He waited until it became warm before sitting down beside her with the bowl on his hand. Without speaking he scoop a small amount and placed it in front of her.

Amber was indeed hungry but she didn't expect for him to actually feed her and seeing as the spoon remained in front of her, she could only open her mouth to eat.

Her face turned red as he fed half of it to her.

"You can eat again later, you must not have anything since last night. If that is the case, suddenly eating too much is not good for your stomach."

He placed a cover and planned on just reheating it later.

"How?"

After the word "Father" this is the first word she uttered.

"What do you mean how? What are you asking about?"

"How did you come up with this conclusion?"

"Well, you were adamant on always entering your class even when you only sleep there, so this is a first time for you to be absent, especially since you had a prior plan with miss Lane."

Before continuing he stood up and brought the porridge out. Before making himself some coffee, as if the place was his own.

He was not a bit shy, instead his movements was equal to him welcoming himself in another person's home.

Amber smelled the coffee and was flabbergasted, 'He actually has a shameless side?'

But she didn't try voicing it out for he was of great help today. She was famished and thirsty.

In the past, her parents were there when the side effect would kick in. The first time it kicked in, that they were no longer around, was when Ashley was kidnapped, so she didn't have that much of a problem.

So today was the first and she found it pitiful at the same time horrible. She just thought of being alone last night, then the very next day the whole situation gave her a major slap.

That she was indeed alone and her parents are no longer there to help her during these times.

She was feeling so terrible when Ashton came a while ago, adding to the fact that she haven't had anything since last night, she was barely conscious when she called him "Father".

"What are you thinking?" Ashton have returned and saw her look that shows how terrified she was.

"Nothing. So your saying that, you came here just because I was absent?"

"No, you have explained to me about the side effect of the medicine. And since this is the first time, I suddenly thought of that matter. Seeing it now, I was actually right."

She pursed her lips, "I... want to lie down."

He helped her and tucked her in properly, before standing up and was ready to leave her in order for her to sleep.

"Don't... Can... Can you stay?"

She was always so straight forward and would demand things in a frivolous manner. But right now, she felt so weak and scared of being left alone.

"*sigh* Go on and rest, I will stay and wake you up in another hour or two, for you to finish your food."

He felt like he was taking care of Ashley when her illness would attack. The way she felt scared of being alone.

Amber closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep. Feeling weak was the same as always being sleepy. After eating as well, she became even more sleepy.

Ashton could only check his phone when a call suddenly came in.

He instantly declined it and looked at her sleeping figure, seeing as she was already asleep. He stood up and went out of the room before calling back.

"What the hell was that? Why did you decline?" Blake complained.

"Am I obligated to answer all your calls?"

"Geez, anyway where are you? This is abnormal, you leaving the university."

"I'm at Amber's place."

"What happened? Did something happen when she went home last night?"

Ashton have once told them about the side effect so he was able to explain it quite easily to Blake. After that, the two of them hung up.

It was normal for Blake and Devon to look for him on usual days, since the three of them really have nothing to do in this country. So the call was also just because they didn't see him in the office.

After that, another two minutes and another call came. He furrowed his brows for this number was only known to a few people. He had given it to them but no one tried to call for there was no point.

Wondering why this person suddenly called, he picked it up.

"Everyone misses you now, can't you come back now so we can hang out?"

"Are you calling me for such trivial matter? Xander?"

"Come on Ash, this is the first time I am calling you in two years. All of us are currently gathered together. We suddenly thought of the three of you, that is why we're calling."

"You all know I'll be staying here until I graduated."

"*laughs* As if you still need that, graduating from a small country at that."

Ashton looked back at the bedroom door before giving it a thought.

"Xander... your parents-"