Chapter 138 Blocking the Door and Delivering Breakfast
Unable to avoid the situation, Ashley greeted Hendrix with a standard smile. Ashley greeted, "Hendrix, showing up at a subordinate's doorstep so early in the morning, that can't be a mere coincidence, can it?"
Hendrix's injuries had worsened overnight, with his left eye swollen shut and a dark bruise forming. Despite the pain, he was determined to see Ashley. Hendrix said, "I got your address from Harold. I wanted to talk to you," he explained.
Ashley thought, "He's honest and straightforward enough but also annoying!"
Ashley said, "If it's not work-related, I'm not interested."
Hendrix, not wanting to appear weak, replied, "There are both personal and work matters to discuss. Which one do you want to hear first?"
Annoyed by her attitude, Hendrix retorted, "If it's work, at least have an office meeting. You can't openly refuse a reasonable request from your superior. Are you ignorant of labor laws or intentionally breaking them?"
Hendrix's words only fueled Ashley's frustration. "What labor laws?" she scoffed.
Not wanting to draw more attention from the morning commuters, Ashley reluctantly got into the car. She began to understand why Hendrix had chosen such a high-profile vehicle.
"Can we talk now?" Ashley asked, her voice tinged with impatience.
Hendrix grinned, having endured a sleepless night of pain and discomfort. Not only was he in physical pain, but he also felt uneasy inside. Ashley was ruthless—she didn't even bother to make a phone call. Wasn't she afraid he might suddenly drop dead?
Despite his inner turmoil, he reached behind and pulled out a warm paper bag. Hendrix asked, "Didn't have breakfast, did you? I bought you a sandwich and a burger. Harold mentioned you like ice cream, but just having ice cream is too sweet, so I also got a chicken leg. Oh, here's some milk, too."
Ashley found it hard to reconcile the luxurious car and the aloof Hendrix with the sandwich and burger in front of her. Ashley said, "I thought your breakfast would at least involve a table full of dishes prepared by a top chef."
Hendrix, with a hint of sarcasm, replied, "I'm not that extravagant. If you don't want it, throw it away."
Ashley wanted to ask if everyone from Wealthy Lane spoke in such a condescending manner, but she held her tongue.
Seeing her silence, Hendrix couldn't help but add, "If you like Cloud Man Hearston's breakfast, I'll have it delivered another day. Today was rushed, so please make do."
Ashley thought, 'Another day? Why postpone it?'
Ashley took a sip of the milk, which had a strong jujube flavor and changed the subject. Ashley said, "Let's get down to business."
Hendrix, relieved that she finally ate, continued, "You went behind my back and contacted Lynn without my permission. You could have talked to Harold instead."
Confused, Ashley blinked and replied, "Can Harold take care of you like that? Lynn genuinely likes you."
Hendrix reiterated, "I've made it clear that my relationship with Lynn is purely a cooperative one. Once the collaboration ends, there's no further connection. Your sudden involvement is causing trouble."
Remembering Lynn's frantic visit the previous night, Ashley felt a pang of guilt. Ashley said, "People are emotional beings. Even if you and Lynn didn't work out, or if it was just a business arrangement, you shouldn't disregard her feelings for you."
"Feelings?" Hendrix sneered his injured lip twitching. "If I were a poor nobody, let's see who would run to you then."
"Fine, I don't want to argue about this. If you have nothing else to say, please leave," Ashley said, opening the car door.
Hendrix stopped her with a low voice, "Wait."
Ashley, with a hint of impatience, asked, "What?"
Hendrix gestured towards the milk she had been drinking, "You seem eager to get away from me. Don't forget the milk. Can't spit it out now, can you?"
Ashley's eyes widened in disbelief, her almond-shaped eyes reflecting an unreasonable face. Ashley said, "You're something, Hendrix. I've got you figured out."
Hendrix had achieved his goal and said, "You have to go to court this morning, right? Finish your breakfast. I'll take you there."
Ashley wanted to argue, but Hendrix handed her a burger. "Eat up."
On the way, Ashley finished her breakfast, grateful that Hendrix didn't say anything to spoil her appetite.
Outside the courthouse, Ashley saw the lawyer hired by KM, someone she didn't recognize, and then a familiar figure in the crowd.
Walking with the aunt who ran the small restaurant was the traffic policeman who had stopped her car at the intersection that day.
No wonder the aunt who ran the small restaurant could get high-definition surveillance footage. It was probably all thanks to the traffic policeman.
Ashley thought, 'What was their relationship? Mother and son?'
Ashley wiped her fingers clean. She said, "Hendrix, using one's position to access surveillance footage without authorization, isn't that grounds for dismissal?"
Hendrix, who was frustrated that his face was too unsightly to go in and watch Ashley testify, turned his head and said, "Aren't you a lawyer?"
Ashley gestured outside. "That person is a traffic policeman. As a lawyer, I must help the country get rid of corrupt elements."
It was time for the trial.
Ashley sat in the lounge, waiting for the court's summons and figuring out how to get the traffic policeman punished by the law.
About twenty minutes later, she got the message that she could go in.
Ashley straightened her clothes and hair and calmly stood on the witness stand.
The presiding judge recognized Ashley and, after a slight surprise, said with a serious expression, "Ms. Astor, did you see clearly what happened that night?"
Ashley spoke clearly and firmly, "I saw it. I was in the car at the time, and I have a clear understanding of the whole incident."
After she finished her detailed account, the aunt who ran the small restaurant couldn't sit still and shouted, "You're talking nonsense! It was you who hit me and scared me; that's why I went home in a daze. When I got home, the more I thought about it, the more I felt something was wrong, so..."
The lawyer for KM spoke calmly, "You, together with your son, who works in the traffic police department, accessed the surveillance video and posted it online, using public opinion pressure to cause secondary harm to my client."
Then, he took out a piece of documentary evidence, which contained copies of ID cards and documents.
A look of surprise flashed in Ashley's eyes, and then she calmed down.
Yes, the person is a big lawyer hired by KM; how can he not even check this internal connection?
With the conclusive evidence and the private operation of public officials, the case was handled exceptionally smoothly.
Having completed her testimony, Ashley left the courtroom.
Someone shouted, "It's you who did it! You bitch!"
A dark shadow suddenly rushed over, and Ashley didn't even have time to see the figure and appearance of the other person clearly; she just felt a fierce killing intent coming towards her head.
Instinctively, Ashley raised her handbag to block it.
The bag was knocked to the ground, and the things inside also rolled down the steps.
