Chapter 113 A Slap so Hard, It Stings
Lysander couldn't quite grasp the subtle mockery in Damian's eyes. If it was mere professional dissatisfaction, why demonstrate such disdain?
Perhaps there was a personal history there?
"Sean is a partner at our law firm. He's worked on quite a few cases for KM Road, one of the lawyers with the highest win rate."
He could have been even more confident and dropped the qualifier of 'one of the'.
Several officials familiar with navigating the corridors of power instinctively feared the He family. But in a city swarming with millions, sharing a last name was hardly unique.
The He family was traditionally discreet. The higher their position, the more careful their speech and actions. It seemed there weren't many involved in the political scene, and they guarded their privacy well, leaving little room for gossip.
Damian flicked away the ash, seemingly recalling the person in question with lackluster interest, "You mean the same Sean He who recently lost a case to a female lawyer?"
Lysander felt his face lose color as he privately wondered why Damian would show him no courtesy whatsoever.
With a smile plastered on his face, he said, "About that last case, the client came to our law firm, asking for Sean to take it on, and he approached us with such sincerity. Truthfully, as members of the KM Road legal team, it was contra policy to accept the case, but... you know, sometimes you let your heart lead. Luckily, in the end, it didn't harm KM Road's interests, and it did showcase the prowess of the younger generation of lawyers."
Damian remained noncommittal, "Business is business, you got to take the deals that come to you. After all, isn't Lysander's success with Eternal Path Corporation all about seizing the right opportunities?"
He faulted the topic and gave a veiled critique, deliberately avoiding mentioning Sean while implying a dig at him.
Lysander, watching the eager expressions of the audience, grew more uncertain. Why did he feel like bringing up Sean right now might harm him instead of helping?
"Damian, that's high praise," Lysander responded with a casual laugh. "We still have a lot of work to do to expand our horizons."
The person sitting on his right then said, "Speaking of Sean, isn't he the one who lost his wife in that accident a couple of years ago? I heard her skull was crushed by someone's reckless driving."
Such a blatant mention of someone's personal tragedy was anything but gentlemanly. It was clear he was making a crude joke about Sean to curry favor with Damian.
Damian's brow furrowed ever so slightly. A widower?
The last time they had dined at Cloud ManHearston, Trinity Bezos had noted Sean still wearing his wedding ring, but Sean hadn't offered an explanation, and everyone had assumed he was married.
Lysander wasn't one to be trifled with, though. He shot back with a smile, "Mr. Xu, your entertainment company is thriving for a reason, it seems. You've got quite the ear for gossip!"
The man smirked, holding his drink at an angle. With the current dynamics putting Damian and Lysander at odds, siding against Lysander meant leaning towards Damian. "In this day and age, information is the primary resource, and Lysander, you should not underestimate it, especially in law. Isn't your job also about leveraging inside information? To win cases, haven't your hands gotten dirty?"
Arguing and playing petty games at Damian's gathering was practically a death wish. The others fell silent, stealing glances to gauge Damian's reaction.
Unexpectedly, though, Damian didn't throw the man out but instead gazed distantly at a certain spot, lost in thought.
It wasn't until moments later that he said, "Have Sean come to my office another day. Do you really think he deserves to be here today?"
He clearly implied that the people present were of significant standing; did Sean even rank high enough to share a meal at the same table?
Some chuckled lowly, some felt a rush of schadenfreude, and others looked at Lysander with sympathy.
Ouch! That rebuke had to sting.
Stepping out of the private room, Harold's phone rang. Seeing his mother's caller ID, his eyes dimmed like extinguished lights, and he grimaced, "Here comes the inquisition. Allow me to take this call."
Ashley nodded, giving him a look that said, ‘Take care of yourself.’
The phone call came through with Thalia's roar on the other end, the specifics muddled but the intensity clear enough to infer she was ready to tear her son apart, her vocal power outdoing Freya by a fair margin.
Harold played it cool with a bit of humor, "All right, yeah... you're right... sure."
Finally, he hung up the phone and felt as if he was headed to the guillotine, "Looks like I might have to bail on you, the ‘queen mother’ is furious, and I need to go home and beg for forgiveness."
Ashley sympathized with him for being on the receiving end of his mother's wrath. Still, she couldn't help feeling a hint of envy that his mom was close enough to call him back home for a scolding, while others could only dream of hearing their mother's nagging again.
"Go ahead, but remember to make it up to me," she said. "I sacrificed both my looks and reputation today, and even Sean caught me at it. My losses are huge."
Harold clasped his hands together in a promise, "Absolutely! If you need me on that KM Road case, just say the word. Though it's your private gig, my experienced hands and wise brain are at your service!"
"I'll hold you to that," Ashley chuckled.
Harold rushed off, and Ashley glanced in the direction where Damian had disappeared.
He was likely still in some private room, hammering out details on deals worth hundreds of millions. People treated him with obsequious flattery, a feeling he'd grown accustomed to reveling in; it seemed he'd never understand or need to grasp the concept of humility.
Getting into her car, Ashley called Amelia to check what time she'd be home.
Amelia chuckled guiltily, her voice hushed, "Ashley, I'm so sorry, girl. The crew had a last-minute get-together, let's reschedule dinner. Can you let Harold know for me?"
Ashley empathized with her sense of obligation, "Are you and Harold trying to match by both standing me up? You've got the same style down pat!"
Stood up, Ashley headed back to Henry Lee on her own.
She walked in to see a huge box in the living room and felt her head throbbing with the thought of dealing with it. Unboxing was easy, but assembling furniture?
A hassle that costs money. She moved groceries into the kitchen, deciding to just cook. She'd barely heated the pot, the bubbles forming, when the phone rang.
Damian? Why was this guy haunting her?
Fork in one hand, plate in the other, she tapped the speakerphone button, "Damian, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
Damian heard the sound of water boiling in the background, "You eating?"
"Yep." She was supposed to have dinner with Sean at Jade Garden Restaurant and she hadn't eaten? Had she changed locations after seeing him?
Clever girl, knowing how to switch venues, he thought with a sneer. His tone was less than friendly, "Where?"
"At home," she replied.
"With whom?" Damian asked. ‘A bold move, she even brought a man back to her house!’ he thought.
"Ashley, you're doing great!" he said sarcastically.
"With whom?" he asked again.
Was she expected to report to him about who she dined with? Even if they had reverted to a contractual relationship, it was no reason to interfere with her personal life!
There was a murmur of voices on the other end of the line, too faint for Ashley to make out clearly. Then came Damian's presumptive demand, "Wait for me for ten minutes."
The call ended.
Ashley jabbed at her food with a bit more force than necessary and chewed vigorously. He was starting to act as if he were the protagonist!
In less than ten minutes, Damian was standing in the living room. The scent of alcohol lingered on his clothes, mingling with the cool night breeze that invaded the cozy space.
His gaze was so intense, it felt like he could devour her whole.
She turned her head from the dining room to look at him, "What do you want? Came to mooch a meal?"
