Standing Right Next To You - Chapter 362

The sky was getting darker with each minute as the sun was at the horizon, threatening to go into its hiding place only to come back the next morning.

In a dimly lit room, a young woman sat on the couch as she stared at the man standing before her.

“Who did this to you?” A low and menacing voice was heard in the room followed by the sound of teeth-gritting against each other.

Richy stood with his head lowered and refused to answer the question his young miss had asked.

“You dare not answer!?” Mandy growled when she saw his silent appearance.

The young servant cowered under her glare and gulped as he gathered the courage to look up at her.

Mandy’s heart ached when she saw the swollen eye which was throbbing and beginning to darken every hour.

This morning after she had woken up, she had asked for the maids to send word for her trusted servant who had failed to come to greet her like he would do every day.

Richy would be present before the other maids could arrive but today was an odd day as he had not appeared even after she has gotten up from her bed.

The maid whom she had sent, had come back bearing a letter from the man whom she had wished to see.

The letter gave her a brief explanation accompanied by an apology for failing to serve her today.

{Apologies, Young Miss but I seem to have caught a cold and cannot serve you today in fear of transmitting the germs over to you.

I am ashamed but please forgive me as I request for a leave today.}

The letter had the precise information followed by a humble request to be given time to rest and recover.

Mandy’s face initially had worry for her trusted servant but soon it twisted in disgust when she recalled that he had a cold.

She disdained people who were clingy and sweaty while they were sick and hence decided against visiting him to check on his health.

Nevertheless, she made sure to ask the maid to look after the servant and nurse him back to health.

Mandy was in a pleasant mood due to the absence of the thorn in her eyes which was none other than Lina Yang.

She did not mull over her sick attendant any further and began her daily routine in no time.

Her breakfast was followed by her leisure time with her mother who was still upset that her father had left soon after Lina had departed from the house.

She tried her best to cheer her mother up because she was in a great mood today.

‘Talia Zheng will make sure that by the time Lina gets back, her name and reputation is thoroughly destroyed!’ She smirked at the destruction of her cousin which was soon upon her.

Her eyes gleamed with a sinister glint which she hid before her mother could catch a glimpse of it.

Lucille Rong was still down after Patrick had left them in such a hurry so she did not accompany her daughter any longer.

Having left with no one to accompany her, Mandy decided to call Jeanette and ask her out for a day of shopping and spa treatments.

Strange enough, her best friend had rejected her proposal and hung up after saying that she had other plans for the day.

Mandy was rejected straightaway and as she was left with no other option, she decided to spend some quality time with her lonesome.

Her day went great and she came back home after her lunch at a restaurant in the mall.

A filled stomach lulled her to sleep and she only awakened from her afternoon siesta when the sun was beginning to set.

The table by her bedside which always had a jug filled with lemon and honey water was nowhere to be found this day.

Only then did she remember that the person who served her and looked after her every wish and requirement was sick today and was unable to serve her.

“Should I visit him…” She mulled over this thought after an ounce of care for the man arose in her heart.

She freshened up and decided to take a warm cup of tea for the man who always stood by her side.

This was a big step for Mandy who disliked the very thought of staying in close contact with a sick person.

A maid was called who prepared a hot cup of tea and followed the young lady over to the servant quarters with the tray in her hand.

“He stays here!?” Mandy’s incredulous and slightly shrill voice rang in the deserted corridor.

The place where the maid had led her was a dilapidated part of the servant quarters which seemed to be unoccupied by anyone.

However, the maid insisted that Mandy’s trusted aide lived in this part of the building.

She followed the maid who led the way while holding the tray which had the tea set on it.

The door on the far end of the corridor was the place where the maid had halted her feet which meant that this was the room where Richy resided.

*Knocks*

Mandy’s hand which had rapped her knuckles on the door stopped their movement when she noticed the door shaking.

‘Even the door is out of its hinges?’ She wondered as her eyes scanned the broken door which was reattached in a haphazard manner.

The frown on her face was deepening with every second that she waited outside the broken door.

“Leave it there… I will get it…” A feeble voice was heard and soon followed by a string of coughs.

She turned her gaze to the maid who shook her head in defeat.

“He did not let me enter the room and asked me to leave the meals and medication outside the door.” The maid revealed what had taken place this morning.

Mandy scowled at the incompetent maid who could not complete a single task without failing.

“Richy, open the door!” She commanded in a stern voice.

This was because, even if the door was shaking and unhinged, it remained shut and she could not push it open if she wanted to.

The sound of shuffling was heard and after a couple of seconds, the door creaked open.

Mandy was startled at first to see the man she had come to visit had a hoodie over his head and so far down that it covered more than half of his face.

“Miss!” Richy called out in surprise with a gruff and scratchy voice.

‘Was his voice always this sexy?’ She wondered and gulped when she felt her throat dry up.

The man before her was wearing loosely fitted grey joggers and the thick black hoodie which covered his face.

His shoulders look broader than usual and his muscular chest was right before her eyes, making it impossible for her to avoid the glorious sight.

‘When did he gain such big and bulging muscles?’ She was surprised to see the contours of his chiseled body.

She shook these thoughts away from her head and glanced up with a smile but that smile faded when she noticed something strange with his face which he was trying hard to conceal.