Chapter 182 Fragrant Shoulders
In the top-floor suite, as soon as they entered, overlooking the night view of half the city, the foreign buildings and lights, which were different from the style she knew back home, reminded Ashley that this was the distant Eirondia.
And Damian was the first party she couldn't afford to offend.
Instead of going against his wishes, it's better to chat calmly for a few moments.
Decided, Ashley took the initiative and said, "If Mr. Hearst doesn't have anything urgent to discuss for the moment, please give me five minutes to blow-dry my hair at least."
She rushed out, hair dripping wet, and clothes soaked. Water dripped onto the carpet. Damian, known for his fastidiousness, would likely criticize her again soon.
Damian spoke, with many sarcastic and retaliatory remarks in mind, but Ashley's disheveled appearance was like a thorn stuck in his eye.
He hesitantly inquired, "You're just blow-drying your hair. What about your clothes?"
Using the living room mirror, Ashley saw herself clearly, with a slightly pale face, wet clothes, and lack of lawyer-like demeanor, instead resembling a woman engaged in a questionable profession.
It seemed understandable that Damian didn't want her to go out like this. He is sensitive about his reputation.
Ashley rationally replied, "There are no clothes here to change into. Can I borrow Mr. Hearst's bathrobe? I'll dry my clothes and change them later, but it might take a while. Does Mr. Hearst mind?"
Damian's throat rolled unconsciously. At that moment, he seemed to have already imagined Ashley swaying in a bathrobe, the feedback in his brain almost making him feverish. He awkwardly answered, "Yes."
Not sure if she was using up resources or causing him trouble.
Not wanting to speculate on his intentions, Ashley walked to the bathroom, wiped off her drenched hair in front of the mirror, and turned the hairdryer to the highest setting.
Damian walked to the window, habitually gazing at the view outside.
He was thinking, why did he rush from Dreamvale to M City?
The work in M City could have been handled with a phone call, or Curtis could have handled it properly if he had come over himself.
Pressing his long fingers against his throbbing temples, Damian once again thought of Hayden's conclusion—love.
Glancing sideways, with the bathroom door closed, the sound of the hairdryer was faint. It wasn't hard to imagine her holding the dryer in front of the mirror at this moment, her long hair draped like silk on her soft skin.
Damian rubbed his temples with a headache.
At that moment, his phone rang.
A voice inquired over the phone, "Mr. Hearst, are you in M City?"
Trinity was on the other end of the phone, she had been busy with work all day, attending several meetings in a row. She thought that she could have a drink with Damian after work, even if it was just a simple working relationship. Spending more time with him would be good.
But when she knocked on the door, she was told the guest wasn't there.
Trinity only found out through Curtis that they had driven to M City.
And this trip wasn't on his schedule.
Without much thought, she could guess that Damian had gone after Ashley.
While Facebook was buzzing with news of their wedding, he was traveling hundreds of kilometers for his ex-wife.
Trinity felt bitter, ironic, resentful, angry, and hostile!
Damian responded coldly, "Yes."
Trinity chuckled. She tried to hide her unpleasant feelings as she asked, "Did something go wrong? I didn't get any news here. If it's a small matter, I can handle it. There is no need for Mr. Hearst to come in person."
Damian said, "It's personal."
Two cold words shut down Trinity's further questions, and she could only carefully smile and ask, "I see. When are you coming back? Our return time is the day after tomorrow. Are you coming back with us?"
They were supposed to return home three days ago. After the start of the Dreamvale project, they could have returned home, but Damian said that international projects were often prone to complications. With a new team in the core management, more deliberation and observation were needed, so it was delayed until the day after tomorrow.
In this way, their stay in Dreamvale far exceeded their initial expectations.
The workload back home was probably piling up.
Originally, Trinity thought Damian was meticulous and thoughtful in his work. Staying a few more days was the right decision, but now she saw his foolishness and blindness.
This clearly wasn't for work. It was clearly for Ashley!
It's Ashley again! Why is she everywhere he goes?
Why doesn't she just die?
Damian said, "You and the team go back first. I have my own arrangements."
Trinity softly said, "Alright, let's talk about our matters after we return, okay?"
He replied indifferently, "Yes."
Trinity inquired, feigning innocence, "Anthony asked me to see him as soon as I return. If you don't mind, should I go? After all, he still doesn't know..."
Damian said, "Do as he says. Pleasing him will only benefit you, not harm you."
The words were correct, but if it didn't lead to a marriage, pleasing Anthony would be meaningless.
Before the call ended, a sudden scream came from the bathroom.
Damian took a step and walked three steps to the bathroom door, turning the handle forcefully, only to find it locked. He knocked on the door, "Ashley?"
Trinity remained silent.
Damian and Ashley were in the same room. They were actually in the same room!!
Damian was so nervous that he forgot the phone call hadn't ended, and he showed no signs of avoiding being overheard.
Ending the call, Damian put the phone in his pocket and knocked on the door again. He demanded, worriedly, "Ashley! Speak!"
On the other side of the door, Ashley sat on the floor, trembling in pain.
After blow-drying her hair, she was about to change clothes, but when she took off her clothes, she hit the vanity mirror extending from the washstand, her body tilted, her feet slipped, and she fell on her bottom.
Her tailbone hit the marble floor, and after a painful scream, she couldn't make a sound for a long time.
"Ashley!"
Outside the door, Damian's shout grew louder and fiercer. She opened her mouth, took a few deep breaths, and, after a while, finally swallowed her saliva to make the sound, "Just a moment."
Upon hearing the response, Damian's heart finally calmed, and he asked coldly, "What's going on? Open the door first."
Ashley closed her eyes to adjust her breathing, trying to adapt to the pain, and also moved her legs, trying to stand up. Oh no, she couldn't muster the strength. Did she fracture her tailbone??
She told him, "Wait a bit longer, I can't stand up."
"If you can't stand up, don't move. I'll find the key," Damian instructed and left, there was no further communication.
The hair that had been blow-dried was damp again with sweat. Cold sweat dripped down her forehead, falling on her exposed shoulders halfway through undressing. Not only was she disheveled, but she was also quite alluring.
Ashley raised her arm, preparing to adjust her clothes, such a simple movement that had already caused her to break out in a cold sweat due to the excruciating pain.
Unlucky.
Whenever she encountered Damian, she was unlucky.
The door opened from the outside. Damian, worried about bumping into her, gently pushed it open. What met his eyes was a woman with alluring shoulders sitting on the floor, her face flushed, biting her lower lip, big watery eyes pitifully meeting his gaze.
