Chapter 192 Just Want to Take Another Look
Damian smirked, "It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. And now you're suing me for harassment? Fine, I'll be on the lookout for that letter from your lawyer."
Ashley glared at him, seething with anger.
Damian checked the time; he had to head to Dreamvale soon, and Edward's plane would land in a few hours. "Think of it as medical expenses. I didn't do anything more. You're not losing out."
Ashley pressed her temples with trembling hands, trying to keep herself from punching him. "You're a prime example of a scoundrel! If you wrote a book on 'How to Be a Scoundrel,' it would be a bestseller."
Damian chuckled, "Some skills are too exclusive to share."
Ashley's mouth twitched. She had missed the perfect moment to retort.
Her mind just didn't sync with Damian's.
During the meal, Damian shifted gears. "Any updates on the person you're investigating?"
Ashley forced herself to switch from anger to work mode, took a bite of her roll, and swallowed it like it was Damian's head. "Yeah. Janet said he saw Henry get into a car with some guy. He's looking into who the guy is."
Damian carefully cut his steak and asked casually, "Really? Janet didn't see his face?"
Ashley shook her head in frustration. "They're good at avoiding being followed. We haven't seen his face yet."
Damian said, "If things aren't going well, start by examining yourself. Improvement comes through self-reflection. Don't count on your opponent to mess up so you can catch up."
Ashley didn't mean that, but it seemed Damian had already decided they were incompetent. Fine. She'd better produce results to shut him up rather than argue. "You're right."
Damian paused his bread-cutting, realizing he might have said something wrong. "I just hope your efforts don't go to waste."
His explanations didn't help.
Ashley replied, "Yes, Mr. Hearst."
Maybe long dominated by Damian's prowess, Ashley, though somewhat defiant, began to reflect. Maybe they should speed up their progress.
Soon, Damian was ready to leave for Dreamvale.
Unlike last time, he methodically packed his luggage, placing each item into the suitcase. "I'll be waiting for your good news back home."
Was he going straight back home from Dreamvale?
That was good.
Ashley sat quietly, watching him busy himself. The scene was somewhat strange yet inexplicably natural, probably because they were too familiar. "We'll work hard and give it our best. Hope you have a safe trip, Mr. Hearst."
At the door, Damian stopped, one hand pulling the suitcase, the other on the doorknob, looking back at her. "Ashley."
Ashley took a step forward and asked seriously, "Mr. Hearst, any other instructions?"
He had no instructions and just wanted to take one last look. He was faced with numerous challenges ahead and was unsure if Ashley would receive any updates.
On second thought, even if she did, she probably wouldn't have any emotional reaction, just a jealous "congratulations."
For the first time, Damian found himself at a loss for words. The feelings he wished to convey were beyond words. Facing her thin, stubborn face, he felt powerless, saying, "Nothing."
The door closed, and Ashley watched Damian disappear.
Ashley pondered, 'What was he trying to say? He hesitated but ultimately chose not to speak. Was there some unspeakable secret? About Trinity?'
For three days, Ashley heard nothing from Damian. With no major breakthroughs at work, she had nothing to report, and time flew by in tense preparation.
That evening, Ashley got a message from Hannah.
Hannah: [Ashley, you've got some serious charm. Even when you're not here, someone keeps sending you flowers. The office smells amazing every day, and everyones jealous.]
Attached was a picture of fresh roses, still glistening with dewdrops.
Sean was still sending her flowers. He wasn't kidding that day.
Since coming to Eirondia, she hadn't contacted Sean. If he liked her, this quiet approach didn't seem like it. If he didn’t, the punctual flower deliveries showed he cared. He was kind of weird.
Either Sean was very skilled at the art of pursuit, or he knew how to take his time, slowly infiltrating her life without giving her pressure or trouble.
Either way, it showed Sean was not simple.
Next, Hendrix called, immediately mentioning Mark Smith, "The trial is tomorrow. How this tough battle goes depends on whether Brown has a trump card."
Since it was her case, Ashley couldn't stay out of it and asked, "Didn't Lucien give you any hints?"
Hendrix sneered, "In his eyes, I’m just a playboy blinded by emotions. He was on the verge of calling me scum, always dodging me."
Ashley rubbed her forehead. "Is your case finished?"
Hendrix replied, "Yeah, as expected, we won. Harold's case is also done. I've recently taken on a complex criminal case and am following up. How about you?"
Ashley genuinely admired their efficiency and decisiveness. Kevin's assessment of her is indeed on point compared to them.
Ashley continued, "With such strong leaders, I must work harder to keep up with you and not embarrass the firm."
Hendrix laughed, "Your private work doesn't concern the firm. Winning is best, but losing won't hurt. Don't pressure yourself. Actually, you could easily rely on your looks; no need to make things hard for yourself."
His casual tone and Ashley knew he was comforting her.
Ashley smiled. "Thanks. Talk to you later."
Fully recovered, she was determined to find the mysterious person and contacted Janet to suggest they follow him together.
As a subordinate, Janet couldn't refuse but worriedly asked, "Ashley, do you have experience in this? Following someone can be risky."
Ashley replied, "Fortune favors the bold. If you're afraid, you shouldn't choose this line of work."
Janet had heard many rumors about Ashley, both good and bad. This was their first time working together, so she was cautious. "Yeah, you’re right."
That night, Janet gave a detailed report on the surveillance of the past few days, analyzing Henry's frequent spots, habits, and routines.
Coincidentally, today was Henry's birthday.
Ashley paused her finger on the calendar, pointing at the date. "Let’s go see if his old friend will show up."
Wearing a baseball cap and mask, Ashley simply disguised herself and got in the car with Janet.
They soon arrived at Henry's private residence, a villa in the suburbs of City M.
The birthday celebration was grand, almost like Christmas.
Having followed Henry for days, Janet was almost a familiar face and briefly said, "This guy likes to drink. He might have a few more tonight."
Ashley picked up binoculars and observed through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Five or six guests, all dressed up, were already in the living room.
The lens moved up to a study with floor-to-ceiling windows. The curtain was half-drawn, revealing tall bookshelves.
A medium-built figure caught her attention.
