Chapter 147 Quotes from a Villain
Amelia stared at her, softly and expectantly asked, "I saw the article Harold shared about the law firm winning the lawsuit for KM; the number of reads, does it mean you're famous?"
Ashley was surprised. She took a few gulps of water and then responded, "Famous? I'm just getting started. The upside is that representing KM in legal battles does make a noticeable difference."
Amelia said, "You have to work hard to earn Damian's favor. Don't be soft; as long as you don't fall for it again, protect yourself."
Speaking of this, Ashley put down her water cup and solemnly said, "I've thought about it. After the case is over, I want to cut ties with the Hearst family and the KM group. In plain terms, I can't control myself. Every time I'm with Damian, I force myself not to be moved, not to think randomly. However, his appearance, his demeanor, and everything that attracted me back then still affects my determination."
Helplessly self-deprecating, Ashley continued, "I'm afraid of falling in love with him again. Really, I'm scared. Do you understand that feeling? Knowing all the reasons, seeing all the truths, yet powerless, letting yourself fall into a trap. Damian is like a huge magnet to me; getting close to him, I lose control like a small nail."
In a state of surprise, Amelia inquired, "Are you still in love with him?"
Six years of memories, moments spent together, and emotions invested were not easily erased. Ashley herself couldn't see clearly what was hidden in that mist.
"Maybe it's love; maybe it's a habit; maybe it's a dependency on that feeling. When I was abroad before, far away, I couldn't see him, thought I had forgotten him long ago, and swore I would never like him in this lifetime. But unexpectedly, returning home and meeting this person again, my heart doesn't obey me; it hurts, it softens, it cares, it worries for him." Ashley replied.
Amelia threw away her food container. "That's love! Damian is a bad man, even divorced. He made you and your family suffer so much, yet he doesn't stop coming back to disrupt your life. Too bad! Compared to your former boss, Damian is the real master. Even after the divorce, he still can make you miss him, make you unable to leave even rely on him!" Amelia said.
Seeing Amelia's readiness to confront someone on her behalf, Ashley was moved to the brink of tears. "Once I wrap up the case in the UK, I'll be getting $1.5 million. That should keep me going for a while. Men may be unreliable, but money isn't. Besides, he's not all bad; we see things differently," she explained.
Amelia was angry, she cursed, "Look at the brilliance of Damian; he sells you out, and you're happy about it. $1.5 million is nothing to him. Look at how content you are."
Ashley patted her on the back to comfort her, smiling, "You're looking out for me, but what I lack is money. Besides the resources Damian provides, where else can I earn this money?"
Amelia, crying out of anger, wiping her tears, "You used to buy cars and watches worth millions. Why are all the men you meet so despicable?"
"Alright, it's already good that I'm getting paid. A lot of people are envious of me." Ashley said.
Amelia wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Have you made up your mind?" Amelia said.
"My parents, my brother, my sister-in-law, and my entire family were against me being with Damian. If they knew the money was from KM, my father would definitely refuse to use it. You also know how the Hearst family feels about me. How foolish would I have to be to fall into that trap again?" Ashley said.
No matter how difficult, she would endure it.
If the heart doesn't flutter, it doesn't ache.
Without love, there's no heartbreak.
Only then did Amelia relax, embracing Ashley's shoulder, her voice softened, "In the future, we will both meet the right person who truly deserves us, healing all the pain we've endured. And also, our efforts in our careers will bear fruit. My favorite movie, The Intern, has a line, "I will get better and better, while you will always be the bad guy."
'A bad guy?' Ashley thought.
Ashley didn't know how to evaluate Damian; he was cold, decisive, and ruthless, and he could even be cruel to his wife.
But he also sheltered her, warned her about Hendrix, and indirectly let her handle major cases.
Shaking her head with a bitter smile, Ashley mocked herself, "You're silly, forgetting about the Astor Group's ordeal as soon as you turn around. Are you dazzled by these small favors now?"
The next morning, Ashley kept her promise and brought breakfast to Hendrix but worried that his personality might spread the news at the law firm, so she called him first downstairs.
The phone rang; Ashley slid her phone away from her ear and looked in the direction of the harmonious voice.
Hendrix was wearing a black baseball cap today, which matched well with his black casual wear, not as formal and precious as when he wore a suit, looking relaxed and stylish.
Equally stylish was his cold attitude towards Lynn, pretending not to know her when facing her.
Taking advantage of Lynn not seeing her from behind, Ashley quickly dodged behind a car parked on the side of the road and crouched down.
From the situation, it seemed like Lynn was blocking Hendrix from going to work.
Ashley clearly heard her say, "Why didn't you answer my calls? Although we've broken up, we're still in the same law firm; you're my boss; don't you even answer your subordinate's calls?"
Hendrix replied, "When you call me, is it work-related?"
Lynn paused, trying hard to control her emotions, sounding gentle yet restrained, "Do you forget our two years of relationship so easily? In your eyes, do I not even have a place as a friend?"
Hendrix's tone remained calm, "What did I say on the day we started? Can't remember?"
Lynn remained silent.
"You want to use my resources for your development, I agreed. I haven't been stingy with you in these two years. Your current position, money, or reputation, which one wasn't given by me? And I don't drive you out of the law firm, prioritized cases for you, isn't that enough?" Hendrix said.
Ashley listened, feeling irritated.
Yesterday, she thought Amelia's advice was too harsh, but now it seemed she needed to be tougher with Hendrix.
With a sob in her voice, Lynn asked, "You loved me too, didn't you?"
Hendrix's steps approached the steps of the building. Ashley feared being discovered, took two steps towards the front of the car, and then heard him say, "Can you forget me when you hear the answer?"
"Don't say that; at least that way, I can numb myself," Lynn replied.
"You speak as if you love me very much. I don't want to repeat what you said to Riley in private. Today, I hope this kind of thing will be the first and last time. If you block my car again, I bet you won't have any cases to handle for the rest of your life." Hendrix said.
After his harsh words, Hendrix strode into the revolving door.
Lynn's sobbing cries finally stopped suppressing, "Hendrix, how can you be so cruel? How can you do this?"
In a fit of anger, Ashley threw all the breakfast into the trash.
He didn't deserve to eat.
Ashley walked over, pulled out a tissue, and handed it to the tearful Lynn. She then said, "Lynn, now it's my turn to talk to you. Would you like a cup of coffee?"
