Chapter 24 Hey, Cheer Her Up
Ashley sighed inwardly.
In three years, some old habits really do die hard!
She wondered where on earth he'd picked up such an imperious streak, always booking the whole venue for a simple meal, flashing his wealth like a peacock spreading its tail feathers.
Sean glanced back at the other dining table in the room. A man and a woman were seated; the man, striking to a fault, was clearly not an average Joe. Sean had rubbed shoulders with the top brass of the financial world, having acquainted himself with some of the big fish in Rochester, but he drew a blank on this guy, “My friend and I just want to grab a simple meal without interrupting their little rendezvous," he said, “I'd appreciate it if you could smooth things over."
For his first time taking a lady out, being booted midway would have been no small embarrassment.
The manager's face darkened with concern. With anyone else, there might've been room for negotiation, but not with Damian, “I'm sorr..." he began, but before he could refuse, Damian's cool voice cut across, "More guests here?"
A wave of panic crashed over the manager. Dead meat!
"These folks are probably unaware of the situation, just wandered in. I'll have them leave right away."
Damian raised an eyebrow, his expression uninviting, and yet he quipped, "Guests are a gift. Since when do we turn people away?"
She'd been all chat and charm in court by day, then hooked arms for dinner by night. Was she in the business of law or the law of attraction? Damian wondered about Ashley.
The manager's gears turned fast, and in a matter of seconds, he pieced it together; Damian was in a good mood, ready to make an exception, “Right this way, please."
Because Damian never flaunted his identity in public, others were willing to respect his privacy and even the manager dared not refer to him as "Mr. Hearst."
Ashley shot Damian a mental glare, though her face betrayed no emotion, “Since the place is booked, we won't intrude."
Sean, puzzled, murmured, "You don't like it here? We can go somewhere else."
Damian's voice boomed, invitingly, "Dining is more fun with company. Pull up a couple of chairs, join us."
Trinity, oblivious to the scene unfolding behind her, thought Damian had bumped into some nosy youngsters. Curious, she turned and stopped cold.
Ashley? How on earth!
A fleeting encounter at a wedding had etched Ashley's visage deep into Trinity's memory; a thorn in her side.
The thought of Ashley with Damian, sharing the intimacies of a married couple, unleashed a torrent of hate and jealousy in Trinity.
Hearing of Damian's divorce had sent Trinity over the moon; she thought Ashley wouldn't have the gall to show her face in Rochester again.
But there she was, shameless enough to return after everything?
Trinity, stifling her emotions, managed a tight-lipped smile, “Maybe they prefer their privacy? You know how couples are about their alone time."
Damian feigned ignorance, and rightly so, Trinity didn't call him out, allowing the pretended misunderstanding to continue.
Ashley glanced down, met with a stunning face that looked vaguely familiar at first glance. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was none other than the intended future bride handpicked by Anthony Hearst for his grandson.
A private event seemed a justifiable splurge for Damian's sake.
But Ashley had never met Trinity Bezos. Not exactly the type to warm up to strangers quickly, Ashley simply nodded politely, “Lady, it’s your private time with your companion. We wouldn't want to intrude.”
Trinity gave Ashley a once-over. The last time they'd met, Ashley was clad in a bridal gown, regal and majestic at her resplendent wedding. The queen of the ball. She had given up the lead today, dressed professionally, and her beauty was less stunning without the dramatic setting.
She said to Damian softly, "What about you, sir? Don't you think you should ask for others' consent? They might not appreciate the interruption."
Damian, however, was quite amused, his gaze fixating on Ashley with an appearance of politeness yet exuding a sense of control, "Ashley, it's such a rare encounter. Won't you do me the honor?"
The corners of Ashley's mouth had been turned up into a smile, but at his words, the smile came to an abrupt halt.
Sean noted the subtle shift in her expression, puzzled, "Do you know each other?"
Damian waved a hand dismissively, "Old acquaintances, of course, we know each other. Ashley, please join us."
Trinity curled her fingers tight, biting her tongue to avoid further rebuttal, and could only watch helplessly as Ashley took a seat next to her, at a diagonal to Damian.
The table was large enough for four, with room to spare.
With Damian at the head, an oppressive aura emerged from nowhere, filling the air with tension.
With the exception of the unaware Sean, everyone at the table was deep in concentration.
The restaurant manager was particularly anxious. His patrons were either wealthy or well-connected; he remembered them well. Ashley stood out in his memory because she and Damian had dined here twice, although each time, the atmosphere had been anything but pleasant.
By his estimation, it had been three or four years since their last visit.
Today's unexpected party of four was truly baffling.
The manager retreated from the room, too nervous to stray far. He made it a point to personally attend to the table each time the waitstaff delivered a dish, essentially turning himself into a makeshift server.
To add to the coincidence, the seasonal dish he had suggested to Damian was exactly what the unexpected guest had ordered. Both couples were attractive, their presence a feast for the eyes, almost as if they were performing a duet in a play.
But he had no interest in dramas; instead, he felt like he was caught in a battleground, silently praying that nothing would come crashing down.
As the meal was served, an awkward silence hung over the table, no one daring to break the ice.
Sean couldn't quite pin down the nature of Ashley's connection to the unfamiliar man, but he could tell it was less than friendly. He took the initiative and offered his business card, "May I have the pleasure of knowing how to address you both?"
Damian didn't take it at first. It wasn't until Sean awkwardly laid the card on the table that Damian spoke up, "So you're a lawyer too, that figures."
Trinity let out a slight chuckle, "Like attracts like... sorry, I mean, it's always nice to find common ground for conversation."
Ashley was speechless. She had no desire to clash with Trinity, but this lady was clearly picking fights for no good reason. They had never had any issues before, and their only connection was Damian. Now that she and Damian were worlds apart and no longer intertwined, there was no reason for Trinity to treat her as some sort of rival, fanning flames and starting conversations with barbs. Ashley felt irritated.
With a gracious smile, Ashley responded, "In our line of work, we learn to be pretty good judges of character. Your graceful demeanor is certainly striking; you must come from an impressive background. And as for my old friend here, he has a taste for the distinctive and spunky; plain and ordinary just won't do. What's your secret for enchanting him?"
Her smile was radiant, her words carried double meanings, each one an insult, yet none too vulgar.
Trinity's face flushed, her lips quivering with anger, "We are all respectable people here. It doesn’t hurt to keep everything pleasant."
Ashley, still smiling, turned to Damian, "Hey, your girlfriend seems upset. Maybe you should cheer her up!"
