Chapter 215 When Disappointment Accumulates, One Will Eventually Leave
Damian's words shocked everyone.
Jason was freaking out.
Harold's face went pale. "Mr. Hearst and Miss Bezos, could it be..."
Ashley, who knew what was up, stayed quiet and started eating the new dish.
Damian said, "No comment on personal stuff."
Getting Damian to spill was like pulling teeth.
Ashley ate slowly. Panicking wouldn't help, so she stayed calm.
Jason had business with the Emperial Avenue Group. He'd recently met Edward at a party, and Edward was all smiles, acting like Damian was practically family and about to boost their business.
Everyone thought Emperial Avenue Group and KM Group were solidifying their alliance, but Damian's tone suggested otherwise.
Jason kept his thoughts to himself, only discussing them with his wife at home. He wouldn't dare gossip publicly.
Jason said, "In this age of free speech, everyone has an opinion. With so much info out there, some of it's bound to be nonsense. My son probably heard some false rumors. Mr. Hearst, please don't be mad."
Damian replied, "Harold's a PhD in law, but he seems to lack some rigor."
Harold shot back, "Some things, even if not confirmed, are implicitly allowed. I thought someone like Mr. Hearst wouldn't let rumors stick. If it weren't true, the PR team would deny it."
Jason started sweating. His son was already a handful, and now he was causing trouble!
Just as he was about to apologize, Damian said, "No need."
Those two words shut Harold up, making him look foolish.
Sofia, seeing her son humiliated, tried to smooth things over with a smile. "Let's eat. Mr. Hearst, please enjoy."
Damian picked up his knife and fork, frowning. "Ashley, pass me the pepper."
Ashley, annoyed, thought, 'Don't you have some over there?'
Damian repeated, "Ashley?"
Feeling the pressure, Ashley handed over the pepper shaker. As she did, she felt Damian's fingers brush against hers.
He did it on purpose.
Everyone noticed.
Harold's parents definitely saw it!
Ashley gritted her teeth. "Mr. Hearst, the pepper's strong, use it sparingly!"
Damian sprinkled some on his steak. "No worries, I like it."
Sofia's face fell.
Throughout the meal, Harold kept trying to talk, but it only annoyed his parents or Damian. Luckily, Ashley spoke up for him.
He was probably the most stressed one at the table.
Barely eating, Damian wiped his mouth and asked, "Ashley, are you done?"
Ashley, wanting to end the meal quickly, was annoyed. "Mr. Hearst, what's up?"
Damian checked his watch. "I have something to do, so I'll take you back now."
Sofia glanced at her son, thinking, 'What? Let Damian take Ashley? Are you useless or something?'
Harold quickly jumped in, "No need to trouble Mr. Hearst. I'll take her back. It's on my way."
Damian stood up, radiating authority. "I brought her here, so I'll make sure she gets back safely. Whether it's on the way or not, I enjoy chatting with Ashley."
Ashley's head was about to explode. Out of respect for Harold's elders, she had to keep her cool. "I just happened to run into Mr. Hearst on the way here and got a ride. I can't trouble you again. I'll go with Harold; we have some work to discuss."
Jason and his wife kept glancing between the three of them, too scared to say anything.
Damian, still in a good mood, said, "I think I left my jacket at your place. I need it tomorrow, so I'll pick it up."
His words shattered the fragile peace.
Sofia's heart sank. She thought, 'It's over, it's really over.'
Jason and Sofia thought, 'Ashley seemed nice, but how did she end up attracting two men? It must be Damian's influence. Whatever the reason, it was a pity.'
When Ashley walked out of the restaurant, she couldn't hold back. "Damian! What are you doing? Embarrassing me in front of everyone, will you only be happy if you ruin my reputation?"
Her lingering affection for Damian had completely eroded. Now, all she felt was resentment and disgust.
Damian pulled out a cigarette, then realized his lighter was in the car. Thinking of Ashley with Jason's family made him irritable and uneasy.
He suddenly imagined Ashley marrying someone else, calling someone else's parents mom and dad, and having kids with someone else.
Just the thought made him emotionally collapse.
With a temper, he sneered, "Do I need to ruin your reputation? First Sean, then Harold, and there's Hubert in Eirondia. Ashley, don't you think you're being promiscuous?"
The word "promiscuous" cut deep, leaving her in agony.
Indeed, she could never change Damian's attitude toward her.
Ashley sneered, "Remember what I said? I said that until now, I couldn't bring myself to hate you. Today, I take that back. Your words and actions are not only lacking in grace but are also repulsive."
Damian grabbed her arm, pulling her close, staring into her eyes. "Repulsive?"
Ashley gritted her teeth and struggled, but his grip was like iron. "I admit that since we reunited, I've often felt soft-hearted and pained. Seeing you reminds me of the past, the love and passion I gave you, making it hard for me to let go. But no matter how foolish one is, after enough disappointment, they will eventually leave."
The walls around Damian's heart slowly crumbled. He stared at her in a daze. "Do you hate me that much?"
Ashley finally broke free from his embrace. She wanted to stay calm but couldn't. The cold, piercing pain coursed through her veins, killing any remaining tenderness. "Mr. Hearst, I like a saying: after parting, may we each be well. Even if we can't have a beautiful beginning, at least let the ending be gentle. Our beginning wasn't beautiful, and our ending is a mess. But I hope that when we meet again, we can wish each other well and embrace new lives. Why can't we do that?"
