Chapter 103 Not Biting on That Soppy Affection
True toRefusing the natureTaste of anOverdone Sentiment
The arranged marriage.
held true to its nature. As Ashley, watching Damian deal with observed Damian's casual dismissal of the situation with such casual dismissiveness, felt both gratified and saddened.
After all, she meantexperienced a blend of satisfaction and melancholy. In the past, she held no more significance to him back then than the inconvenient and superfluous presence of Trinity Bezos occupying thein their living room.
"If Damian doesn't want to minglehas no interest in mingling with her, why not find someone else? In seek another?" Ashley mused aloud. "In Rochester City, not to mentionlet alone the world, there are plenty ofcountless families that would match up to could align with yours, aside from . The Bezos are not the Bezosonly option. You could easily send her packingaway and looksearch for someonea new."
Damian, done with match."Having finished his grooming, Damian was in the process of selecting his outfitattire for the day. His brow furrowed,creased, though whether from it was due to the difficulty of choosinghis choice or the distaste for her commentAshley's remark, it was harddifficult to tell.
discern. "Too much hassle."
trouble," he muttered. "This is a pretty big dealsignificant matter, you know," he said. I've never heard of someone picking anyone choosing a wife justsimply because they were hassledpressured into it. It doesn't soundseem like something you'd do if you didn't likecare for the girl."
"Who said that marriage has to be for life?"
Damian retorted.Ashley wanted to pull outprovide an example to illustratesupport her pointargument, but considering that the couple in front of her had split mid-wayhalfway through their union, she figureddecided her argument wouldn't pack much punch. "Alrightpoint would lack impact. "Fine, it's your life. I have no placeright to interfere, and I'm certainly not in a position to giveoffer advice."
It was likely that Trinity Bezos was well aware of Damian's state of mind.mindset. Even if the home base was solid, flagssecure, signs of interest were undoubtedly wavingfluttering elsewhere.
After changingdressing, Damian skipped putting onneglected to fasten his cufflinks and casually rolled , instead rolling up his shirt sleeves, revealing casually to reveal his strongmuscular, well-toneddefined forearms. WhenAs he got toreached his left sleeve, he reached outextended his arm naturally, "Can you giveassist me a hand with this?"
Ashley, who hadhaving just received her freshly laundered clothes yesterdaythe previous day, chuckled at his outstretched arm. "Your girlfriend'sgirlfriend is waiting downstairs. Aren'tShouldn't you going to letallow her to have her moment? Play the wounded card—it works like a charm forinjured party—it's a surefire way to gain sympathy and bringingdraw people closer."
Damian respondedcountered, "You've seen me injuredmy injuries from last night until now; what has broughtthat done to bring us closer?"
Caught off guard, Ashley respondedreplied, "I'm talking aboutreferring to romantic partners, not contractors."
Damian snorted in disdain, watchingcontempt, observing Ashley rollas she rolled his sleeves, her hands once again creating a controlled chaos once more. They were delicate and clean, withher half-moon nails perfectly manicured, natural, and healthy without any color.
Ashley was extra cautiouscareful to avoid his wound, and her movements were slower and more meticulous. Her touch was light against his skin, the warmth fleeting but enough to send her thoughts racing.
Maybespiraling.Perhaps... her maternal instincts were kicking in, and she couldn't bear to see him hurt.
Whenin pain.Once she was donehad finished with his sleeves, Ashley headed tomoved towards the restroom to change, but. Damian called after her, "You can change here; no one's going to see."
Ashley wanted to retort, 'You're not just nobody,' adding, "My figure isn't exactly flattering. I'd rather not embarrass myself in front of you and insult your sense of beauty."
aesthetic sensibilities."His gaze fell sharply on Ashley, sizing her up even through her baggy robe. Despite the loose fit, the hints of her figure didn't escape him. "Yeah, not much to look at – not particularly curvy where it counts."
Ashley was fuming – her figure was just fine!
Meanwhile, Trinity Bezos endured agony and humiliation everywith each passing second. She was livid and almost ready to callon the verge of contacting Anthony Hearst and spill the beans.
to reveal everything.But knowing Damian's character, if she madecaused a scene, there would be no goingturning back.
So, she endured. It was all she could do for the moment.
And Ashley – that damn Ashley. Why couldn't she have just stayed gone?
As Damian descended the stairs, the anger in Trinity's eyes diminished by more than half, replaced by a fluttering heart and a surge of joy.
Seeing him, his looks, his body – maybeperhaps some things weren't worth fussing over after all.
Bounding over with With light steps, Trinity Bezos caughtbounded over to him, catching sight of the bandage on his hand and tugged at him withexpressing concern. "What happened? Are you hurt?"
Damian responded with an icy tone, "I'm fine."
"How can you be fine with a bandage like that? After breakfast, I'll take you to the hospital." The wrapping was unsightly.
"It just needs to stop bleeding," Damian insisted.
Trinity's eyes and heart were full of sympathy, and she wished she could take the pain on herself. "Your right hand must be inconvenient; let me help you with your food?"
Ashley walked inentered two minutes after Damian and saw Trinity dutifully serving him, treating the nearly six-foot-two man like a child.
ThatThe display was toooverly sentimental.
When Trinity noticed Ashley, she pretended to be enthusiastic.feigned enthusiasm. "Ashley, care to join us?"
Ashley thought to herself, would I be crazy to join you?
But unexpectedly, Damian said, "Come and sit."
Trinity shot him a surprised look. She had been polite, not genuinely inviting. How could he... right in front of her, without any hesitation?
Ashley let out a sigh of resentment and approached with a smile. A team member on a battleship? Right.Trinity picked up a shrimp and offered it to Damian. "Try this?"Damian glanced at Ashley from the corner of his eye, then opened his mouth and ate it. "Good."Ashley scoffed silently.
Trinity picked up a shrimp and offered it to Damian. "Try this?"
Damian glanced at Ashley from the corner of his eye, then opened his mouth and ate it. "Good."
Ashley scoffed silently.
Yet even though Ashley was aware that Damian might just be putting on a show, their close Despite her awareness that Damian's actions and the exchange of looks were like amight merely be for show, Ashley found their intimate interactions and exchanged glances akin to a bee's sting from a bee –— not deadlyfatal, but painfully real.
tangible.Trinity's eyes sparkledgleamed with joydelight as she picked up a piece of greenverdant vegetable. "TheThese veggies are all homegrown in the yard, with no completely free of fertilizers or pesticides. They are reallyThey're incredibly healthy."
," she announced.Damian nodded and accepted Trinity's feeding with no reservations.
Trinity was ecstatic, lookingoffered morsel without hesitation, nodding in agreement.Radiating joy, Trinity seemed almost buoyant. as she turned to Ashley. "So, Ashley, where do you work?"
Ashley, who was diligently eating and trying not to look in their direction, was caughtCaught off guard by the question. She , Ashley, who had been focusing on her meal and trying not to glance in their direction, glanced at Damian before answering,responding. "Me? Oh,I work at a law firm."
A non-answer.
Trinity asked," she said, her reply vague and noncommittal.Trinity's question was laced with genuine concern,. "Being a lawyer can sometimes really test your conscience, likeespecially when a client is clearly guilty, and defense. Defense attorneys have to use every meanstrick in the book to get them off, even throughemploying special tactics to lessen the charge. How do you handle situations like that?"
Throughout the conversation, Damian continued to eat casually, apparently obliviousnonchalantly, seemingly indifferent to the notionconcept of friendship.
camaraderie. Ashley chewed her food listlessly, unable to taste anything. She couldn't exactly callfound it hard to be impressed by Trinity Bezos's cooking talent impressive.culinary skills. "How many scandals musthave you have witnessed in the corporate world at Imperial Avenue to become so cynical about human nature? Don'tHave you even trust lost faith in the authority of the law anymore?"
?" she retorted.Trinity's lips twitched in response. "Imperial Avenue operates strictly by the book; all our processes and actions are within the bounds of the law. Don't go slinging mud, Ashley."
Ashley chuckled. "That advice goes forapplies to Miss Daiyou, too as well. It's easy to criticize from when you're on the outside. If you don't understand something, ask, but don't. Don't just throw around baseless accusations."
Trinity's face stiffenedhardened as she plaintively tugged at Damian's sleeve with a, her tone timid tone,. "Listen to her. I haven't said a thing, and she's already badmouthing me."
Damian replied coolly,Damian's reply was cool and detached. "If you're not satisfied, you can always hit back."
Ashley felt as if she had bitten down on a hard piece of grit in a clam, jarring her teeth!
Damn, what. What kind of ally was this? He must haveDamian? Had he brought her here to join forces with Trinity and humiliate her!
With newfound resolve bolstered?Emboldened by Damian's stance, Trinity inquired more boldly,ventured further. "By the way, who was that gentleman you were dining with at Cloud Man Hearston? What's your relationship with him? You're seeing each other, aren't you? He had a wedding ring on his ring finger—he's married, correct?"
isn't he?""We're not exactly dating, but our parents have met," Ashley statedreplied calmly.
Damian, who had been quietly observing the exchange, suddenly choked on his soup, erupting into a violent cough.
