Chapter 161 Come Directly Up
Everyone thought Ashley would lose control upon hearing the news, or at least her expression would be unpleasant. But she just smiled generously, as if she didn't care at all. "It seems like Mr. Hearst has a private jet. He can fly directly over. It has nothing to do with our itinerary."
Most women would probably ask about the relationship between Damian and Trinity, but Ashley instead focused on the transportation.
Mr. Moretti smiled and said, "We don't know about Mr. Hearst's intentions; maybe he has his reasons."
Ashley didn't ask much either; she just smiled. "That's right, as subordinates, we can't guess the leader's thoughts. Mr. Moretti, let's go to the meeting."
Mr. Moretti smiled and said, "Sure, let's go."
Walking beside them, Kevin was very angry. He thought, 'Ashley is resilient mentally; she would even give up her dignity for money.'
During the last meeting, he saw Mr. Hearst's preference of Ashley and thought their old relationship might be rekindling. This time, Mr. Hearst openly travelled with Trinity, clearly indicating their good relationship. As the one left out, Ashley should probably back off from this relationship.
"Ashley, I heard you just graduated. Have you handled such a big case on you own?"
Ashley indirectly asked Damian last night, if she could do anything to these cunning colleagues if they made things difficult for her. What's she worried about happened. This time, it wasn't about talking behind her but openly provoking her.
"Mr. King is right. During my Ph.D., I worked as a professor's assistant and handled similar cases involving even larger amounts."
"So, you haven't handled a case by yourself." Kevin hinted, looking towards Mr. Moretti walking ahead.
Ashley replied, "That's right. For this international debt collection, I’ll need the help of all the seniors here."
Kevin sneered, "It's good for young newcomers to be confident, but the courtroom is like a battlefield. Mr. Moretti has been in KM Road for over a decade, relying on strength and finesse! I suggest you would be to get Mr. Moretti's help early on, so you wouldn't end up crying at home halfway through the lawsuit."
Kevin looked down on her, mocking that she only knew how to seduce men and had no real skills. Ashley remained unfazed. As she entered the meeting room, she paused and smiled lightly at him. "Mr. King should trust Mr. Hearst's judgment in selecting people. Everyone here is exceptional, and Mr. Hearst wouldn't make a wrong assessment of me."
Kevin smirked. "I hope you can be as confident in court as you are here."
Ashley's expression turned serious. "Litigation is a team work, Mr. King. We share both glory and shame."
The atmosphere of this meeting was clearly not as harmonious as the last one. There were no pastries or drinks served midway. Ashley had to analyze the case and also deal with a few teammates who didn't support her. After two hours, she felt physically and mentally exhausted.
During the mid-meeting break, Ashley went to the restroom.
Ashley hadn't gone far when she overheard Kevin and Jerry's sneers. "She is the lover in the past. With the new arrival, the preferential treatment disappeared. I always said Mr. Hearst, being so wise, wouldn't hand over a good project to her."
"You’re smart. But Ashley's performance today was good, nothing out of ordinary. Maybe she's suitable for this lawsuit after all. Mr. Hearst isn't just concerned about love; there must be another reason for choosing her."
As Ashley moved away, Kevin and Jerry 's voice faded. Ashley couldn't tell whether the subsequent discussions were objective or deceitful.
As Ashley washed her hands, she overheard someone whispering.
A girl said, "I saw the daughter of Emperial Avenue Groups today. She's really beautiful. I think she'd be a good match for Mr. Hearst."
"I don't believe it. A perfect man like Mr. Hearst, there's no woman worthy of him. I heard Trinity was trying to get closer to Mr. Hearst by persuading our company to develop overseas projects. Emperial Avenue Groups provided most of the funding, while KM Road mainly contributed technically. It's obvious that Emperial Avenue Groups is subsidizing."
"If I have money, I would also actively pursue Mr. Hearst! He is so charismatic! I'm heartbroken."
After the two girls left, Ashley slowly raised her head to look at herself in the mirror. She had worked almost all night last night, with faint dark circles under her eyes. She pushed the long hair back from her face which she had deliberately let down when entering KM Road. The outline of the faint red mark below her ear was still visible but the color was lighter.
Trinity, in order to facilitate her marriage to Damian, took the initiative to invest in a project to help KM Road.
Was it their impending marriage, or was it just her own thoughts?
Her actions inevitably reminded Ashley of six years ago when she had a more intimate contact with Damian. At that time, Anthony was in poor health, and everyone thought he was about to execute his will to choose a successor. Young Damian hadn't even got the president's position yet. He was surrounded by a group of elders who were waiting to see him fail, as well as the competition from the Hearst family's peers.
Ashley approached him, offering Astor Group's assistance. She said she can help him secure the president's seat and also help him combat his competitors.
She kept at it for half a month, even resorting to a hunger strike as a threat. Finally convincing her father to invest in Damian's project.
She didn't understand business cooperation, the specific investment amount, let alone the form of cooperation. However, after that, Damian's position within the Hearst family became more secure.
Ashley tied up her hair, she smiled coldly at her slightly reddened eyes in the mirror. "Women always think love's the most important thing, but men often don't agree with this idea."
She dried her hands, gritted her teeth, and tossed the tissue into the trash can, as if she was discarding the love she'd had for Damian over the years.
At this moment, Damian called.
Looking at the name on the screen, his handsome image slowly emerged in her mind. That tempting face that had ensnared her, gradually turning her into a prisoner of love.
She took a deep breath, composed her face, and answered the phone, "Mr. Hearst."
With a flat and indifferent opening, she once again treated herself as just his business partner, not allowing herself to develop feelings for him.
Damian seemed unfazed by her attitude. He commanded, "Come to my office."
He seemed more like a business partner to her.
Ashley replied, "The meeting isn't over yet, Mr. Hearst. Could you wait a moment?"
"I already told Mr. Moretti. Come directly up." Mr. Hearst said before hanging up.
Perhaps out of a sense of retaliation, Ashley deliberately returned to the meeting room.
Led by Mr. Moretti, the expressions of several people were quite complex, becoming even more so when they looked at her.
Ashley picked up her bag and documents, saying politely, "Mr. Hearst needs me for something. You all continue."
She didn't care what they thought as she walked away, her steps firm.
Outside the office, Ashley took a deep breath and steeled herself. "Mr. Hearst, I'm here."
"Come in and close the door."
