Chapter 157 Subtle, Elegant, Charming
When she answered the video call, Christian remained silent for a moment, then asked knowingly, "Evelina, where are you off to? You're not trying to escape early, are you, our dear host?"
Evelina adopted a little girl's temper to evade the question, "Theo is right. I need to interact more with girls and stay away from you guys, especially you, Christian. That little star you played with last time seems to be struggling in the circle. You're so bad, you might lead me astray!"
Christian was used to people labeling him as a playboy and a bad guy, and he had never thought of earning himself a good reputation. He just smirked and said, "My 'bad' is out in the open; I'm honest about my misdeeds. But some people hide their wickedness, secretly do bad things, and then put on a 'loving and caring' good guy facade. Don't oversimplify women."
Damian patted Evelina's head, raised his chin, and instructed, "Open the bottle of XO on the corner of the table for Christian and fill his glass."
Evelina playfully complied, grabbed the white bottle, and poured a glass for Christian, saying, "Christian, this one is high in purity; it'll cleanse your palate."
Watching Evelina and her brother leave, Christian took a big gulp of XO; the spicy and stimulating taste was more intense than whiskey. He turned to Jade and asked, "Do you think Ashley has bewitched Damian?"
Theo pushed his glasses up his nose, swirled the wine in his glass, and the midst of the cigarette smoke-filled room, clad in a white shirt and black trousers, he exuded a clean and distinct aura. "Love has never been rational. I believe Damian loves her."
Christian spat out the drink, slammed his glass down, and was about to jump up. "Is he crazy? Ashley has a deep grudge against Damian. There's no love there!"
Theo walked over, placed his hand on Christian's shoulder, and said, "Don't get so worked up. Whether it's a fire pit or hell, once he jumps in, he'll know. In matters of the heart, until the very end, no one knows who wins or loses."
Christian coldly snorted, his eyes filled with hostility. He brushed off Theo's hand, narrowed his eyes, and looked in a certain direction in the room. "As long as I'm alive, she won't have it easy."
Theo asked, "Why?"
Christian said, "She may enchant Damian, but not me."
Damian drove without checking the navigation, smoothly heading toward their destination.
"Damian, do you still have hope of reconciling with Ashley?" Since returning home, Evelina had been curious about her brother's feelings for Ashley, but she dared not ask, fearing she might be kicked out.
Today, she seemed to have a faint sense of her brother's special feelings for Ashley. The question in the room solidified her suspicions.
Damian replied, "Children shouldn't pry into adult matters."
Leaning against the passenger seat, Evelina sniffed deeply. Her behavior resembled that of a puppy. "Damian, has Ashley been in your car? I can smell her scent."
"What scent?" Damian asked as Evelina searched for traces of Ashley in the car. "Subtle, elegant, charming," she replied.
Damian eyed her skeptically. "Nonsense."
In preparation for Evelina's visit, Ashley tidied up the entrance, living room, and bedroom. The bathroom was still pending when she heard a knock at the door.
"Evelina..."
Ashley thought, 'Did she run a red light while driving? How did you get here so fast?'
Opening the door, Ashley saw Evelina's youthful face, followed by Damian's tall and statuesque figure.
So, she wanted to refrain from saying anything that she had planned to speak to Evelina.
"Ashley, I'll go to the bathroom first." Evelina hopped inside, taking in the furnishings of the living room and bedroom at a glance. The decor seemed new but cheap, with furniture that appeared subpar.
Evelina thought, 'This is not the standard of living Ashley should have. No matter what, she is Damian's ex-wife. How could Theo let her live here?'
Damian stood outside, the night breeze enveloping him, his dark brows furrowed in the dim hallway. Holding the car keys in one hand, the other in his pocket, he remained silent, exuding a sense of intimidation.
Ashley wanted to find the same sense of tact she displayed during their daytime work discussions, but in the dim light of the night, her embarrassment had nowhere to hide. She said, "Damian."
Rubbing the tempered glass of his phone, Damian's facial features softened slightly, almost smiling. "Is it time to kick out the guest at the door, Ashley?"
Ashley was indeed ushering someone out. "It's late. Shouldn't Damian be busy with work?"
The woman in front of him was wearing a thin nightgown. The neckline was loose, with two buttons undone, revealing her delicate skin and winding collarbone. Her long sleeves were rolled up at the elbow, revealing slender and fair forearms. Parallel to her raised arm was the fullness of her chest, the thin fabric unable to hide the curve of her breasts. There was no bra underneath, making the contour and points visible.
Damian's throat went dry, "What do you think I'd be busy with at this hour?"
Supporting the door, Ashley asserted her authority in the rented house, which was unrelated to Damian. "Since it's only ladies at home, I won't invite you in."
"Evelina had a few drinks, so I drove her here. Should I leave her and go back?" Damian questioned, stepping inside.
Though the house wasn't low-ceilinged, once Damian entered, the space felt cramped, with his head almost touching the ceiling.
"Do I need to change shoes?" Damian asked, like a dutiful visitor, politely seeking the host's opinion.
Ashley thought there was no need for such pretense. "No need, come in."
Even though he didn't need to change shoes, Damian glanced at the pitiful few pairs of women's shoes in the shoe cabinet. Each style had only one pair, with one broken heel still in its compartment.
"A cockroach!"
Evelina's screams echoed from the bathroom.
Ashley left Damian, who had intruded and hurried over, grabbing the mop left outside. "Where is it?"
Evelina, in a state of distress, cowered behind Ashley. "Behind the toilet, it's huge! It scared me!"
Ashley patted her head reassuringly. "Don't be afraid. You go to the living room; I'll handle this."
Having never encountered a cockroach at home, Evelina was pale with fear, continuing to scream for help. "Damian! Come help Ashley, there's a cockroach!"
Damian walked over, seeing Ashley gripping the mop tightly, ready to take on the challenge like a fearless warrior. Despite her inner fear, she displayed a brave front.
He gently tugged the mop from her, pulling her out. The words 'Come over here' almost slipped out of his mouth, but he changed them to 'Come to me.'
Ashley swallowed nervously. "It seems to have hidden. I couldn't find it."
Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, her nose damp, her skin as pale as porcelain.
Damian resisted the urge to pat her head, speaking in a low voice. "Understood. Go to the living room and wait. I'll handle this."
