Chapter 112 His Hand on Her Waist
Sean was on his way down to meet a client who had gotten lost and had been checking messages on his phone. When he looked up and saw a slender figure, his gaze focused on that delicate face, and he paused, stunned.
To be honest, he had seen many beautiful faces. His ex-wife's visage had always mesmerized him, and later the blind dates arranged by Damian's family had their share of stunning beauties.
But in a flash, he felt as if he was struck by lightning when he saw her. Apart from awe, there were no other words to describe Ashley’s beauty.
"Ashley, are you here for dinner, too?" Sean quickly adjusted his emotions, a skill forged by his profession, almost imperceptible to others.
Ashley could only silently console herself that “he hadn’t seen her” as she had no better way to hide her nervousness. She managed to put on a calm smile and said, "Yeah, I have plans with a friend."
The elevator was about to descend when Sean hesitated, not wanting to move. Leaning against the elevator door with one hand, he asked, "Remember I promised to take you out for a meal sometime? When are you free?"
A question mark seemed to float above Ashley's head. Was this the dinner invitation she was thinking of?
Sean explained with a gentle smile, "Forgot? I mentioned that Eternal Path Corporation is setting up a new department."
Oh right, it’s related to the job offer.
"There's no rush, I haven't seriously considered it yet," she replied.
Sean let go of the door, "Okay, it's not urgent. Whenever you're ready."
As the elevator doors closed, the awkward tension began to dissipate. Ashley fanned herself with her hand, trying to regain her composure.
Harold saw the message on WhatsApp and dashed out of the private room. Seeing Ashley's outfit, he mentally gave her a perfect score for style. What an impression!
"Are you tired? Hot? It's quite warm outside, did you get sunburnt?" He raised his voice intentionally so the girls inside the private room could hear.
Ashley awkwardly chuckled, giving a thumbs up, "Hot, for sure. My face even got a bit sunburnt. You'll have to help me cool it down later." Her playful tone was a bit too much for some.
"It's all my fault. How about a spa treatment later to make it up to you?" Harold replied, playfully.
Ashley replied in a soft voice, "Yeah! That would be great!"
Eventually, the girl inside could no longer sit still. She burst through the door and upon seeing Harold fixing Ashley's hair, a mix of shame and anger boiled within her, "Harold! Who is this?"
Harold casually wrapped an arm around Ashley's waist, each movement marked with a protective nature as he thought to himself how slim she felt. He asked with a look of feigned innocence, "Who? Can't you tell?"
The girl, probably in her mid-twenties, was sporting a doll-collar dress, her hair styled in soft waves, and her makeup was in orange hues fit for a date, sparkling eyeshadow giving her a Lolita look.
Ashley leaned her head to the side, her long hair cascading elegantly over her collarbone, snuggling closer into Harold's embrace, "Dear, did your family set you up again?"
As if she didn't exist, the girl felt even more infuriated, her mouth twisting with anger, "What does this mean, Harold?! Your parents said you were single, how can you... You jerk!"
Harold, all too familiar with this routine, responded with a wry smile, "Freya, as I've said before, there's someone I like, but my family doesn't approve. They push for these blind dates, and I don't want to lead you on or embarrass you. Maybe you could just tell them you're not interested in me?"
Freya bit her lip, her high heels clicking on the floor as she circled Ashley, unable to deny yet unwilling to accept it. Finally, she had to admit Ashley was indeed beautiful, "Are you truly his girlfriend?"
Ashley wrapped her arm around Harold's waist, hugging him intimately when her face suddenly stiffened.
Sean had returned, walking shoulder to shoulder with a woman wearing a mask.
From a distance, their eyes locked. Sean's gaze briefly lingered on her, then he pretended not to recognize her and continued walking.
"Speak up! Are you some actor he's hired? This kind of scene is so overdone on TV! Not original at all!" the girl fumed, hands on her hips like a wife confronting a mistress.
Trapped in an awkward situation, Ashley gritted her teeth and grinned, "Sweetheart, why deny the obvious? Lovers can communicate with just a look. Can you act that out?"
Freya burst into tears, shouting, "Jerk! Just wait, I won't let you off easy!" She then ran down the corridor, her high heels clicking loudly until the sound faded away.
Once she was alone, Ashley released Harold, "Damn it, did you see Sean?"
Harold, completely absorbed in the scene, hadn't paid any attention to their surroundings. "What about it? Do you have a crush on him? No worries, I can explain," he assured.
"Explain my foot, I just find it a bit creepy... And Freya seems quite genuine, no ulterior motives," Ashley remarked.
Harold scratched his head, "No pressure to get married, we're just friends, right?"
"Let's go grab my stuff from the private room and head over to Amelia's for some soup," Ashley chuckled.
Having dealt with the minor incident, Ashley flicked her bangs with a self-satisfied smile.
Everything was going smoothly until she spotted Damian walking from the other end of the corridor!
He had an engagement that evening at... Jade Garden Restaurant?
It made sense since Jade Garden Restaurant was a high-end dining establishment under the KM Road brand.
So, had he witnessed everything?
Damian was accompanied by two jovial men, potential collaborators for the evening, having come up from the VIP elevator and discussing their new joint venture.
At first, Damian hadn't paid much attention to the figures gathered in the corridor, but upon closer inspection, his suspicions were confirmed.
It was indeed Ashley!
But now the man was gone, leaving only a woman with a peachy, elated demeanor. A secret rendezvous with another man seemed to be the cause of her happiness.
Ashley's smile froze, her eyes quickly darting as if she was searching for the right words to greet Damian, but no appropriate introduction came to mind.
Damian, however, didn't give her the chance to say hello, continuing his conversation with his companions as if he didn't know her from Adam.
His black-clad figure stood out amidst the luxurious setting, exuding an aura of dignity and chilliness that gave her goosebumps.
"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," Harold quipped. Harold took out his belongings and noticed something was off with Ashley's demeanor. Following her gaze, he caught only a fleeting glimpse of a dark shadow.
Ashley rubbed her arm and said, "I wish I had seen a ghost... Let's go!" She craved a steaming bowl of soup to warm up her body.
In the private room, Damian sat at the head of the table.
The guests included developers, regulatory authorities, city building officials, and big names from the legal world.
Damian, with a grim face, picked up a cigarette and leaned back in his chair, taking a drag and casually flicking the ashes, letting them fall wherever they might.
The others flattered him with small talk and crude jokes, creating a lively atmosphere.
Only his spot was like a glacial chill in deep winter, biting cold.
Lysander had been reminded recently by Thomas about some issues they had with Sean, who was widely regarded as exceptionally talented in the legal sphere, virtually unparalleled.
Today, Lysander wanted to put in a good word for him.
"We're all friends here, so work comes second. It's truly about connecting, right? Damian, if you don't mind, can I invite a friend over?"
Damian's look was frosty, as sharp as the burn from his cigarette. ‘Lysander's friend? How could Damian refuse?’
Encouraged by Damian's response and half joking, Lysander said, "You guys are about the same age and both young talents. There will be a lot to talk about. Let me call Sean. I think he's dining here with some friends. I'll have him come over and greet Damian."
Damian's finger paused as he was flicking away the ash. He slowly uttered from his pursed lips, "Who did you say?"
