Chapter 282 Damian's Ulterior Motive
"I don't want it!" Ashley blurted out, like she'd been hit by a truck.
No matter what Damian's angle was for giving her shares, getting tangled up in that mess would be a nightmare to untangle later.
She'd seen Damian's slick moves before. If he wanted something, he'd get it, just like he did with Sven. She knew he could do the same with her.
Damian didn't seem surprised by her pushback. He stayed chill and didn't try to argue. "Moon Island's perfect for people stressed out of their minds. It’s great for mental and physical health. KM's bringing in top-notch shrinks from all over to set up the country's first elite therapy center. Only the cream of the crop can get in—background checks, financials, the whole nine yards. If you don't make the cut, you're out."
Ashley almost snapped back, 'I'm not sick, so why are you telling me this?' But then she thought of her mom back in Sylvania and clammed up.
Damian was known for keeping his word, and his no-nonsense style got him where he was today.
Once KM snagged Moon Island, his word would be law.
Could her mom get treatment there?
The idea was laughable. Her mom couldn't even come back to the country, let alone get to Moon Island.
Ashley shot back, "Since Mr. Hearst has it all figured out, good luck with Moon Island. Hope you make bank, and Mr. Hearst's Limehof incident won't be for nothing."
Damian said, "No rush to answer. The project's gonna take a while to kick off."
Ashley thought, 'Even if you gave me ten more years, I wouldn't budge.'
Just then, Damian's phone rang.
He didn't step away and answered, "Grandpa."
"You met Sven at Limehof?" Anthony asked.
A smirk crept onto Damian's face. "Looks like Mr. Bergstrom's got guts, going straight to you."
For Anthony to call and mediate, Sven must have some serious connections.
After Dante's threats, Sven hopped on a private jet to Rochester City to see Anthony. If anyone could somewhat rein in Damian, it was Anthony.
Luckily, Sven had some old ties with Anthony, which he was cashing in on now.
Anthony knew Damian well. If Damian took a hit, others would pay. Sven wouldn't get off easy, but Anthony had to make one thing clear, "He agreed to sell you the island at half price, so he knows he messed up."
Damian said, "Grandpa didn't hear I got hurt?"
Sven played up his sincerity but didn't know how bad Damian was hurt, so he kept it vague.
Anthony was out of the loop, "Injured? How'd you get hurt? Where?"
Damian said, "If Grandpa wants to go easy on Sven, I can let it slide."
Anthony grunted, "Got it. Take care of yourself."
By "got it," he meant letting it go.
The Hearst family never took a loss.
Ashley caught every word. Anthony was cold-blooded, but his love for Damian was clear—a classic case of grandparents spoiling their grandkids.
Damian put his phone on vibrate. "You hungry?"
Ashley was starving, but the doc only let her have light, mushy stuff. "I kinda want something sweet," she said.
She needed that sugar rush, big time.
"Got it." Damian told Thomas to handle it.
In less than twenty minutes, a box of fancy desserts with all kinds of goodies was on the table by her bed.
Ashley's eyes lit up.
Her head was spinning, and she just wanted something sweet.
Damian slapped her hand away and cut a tiny piece of cake. "Just a taste."
Ashley looked at the tiny bit on the spoon, "Can I try a little bit of each?"
Damian said, "Nope, you get five."
It was better than nothing.
Ashley opened her mouth, holding the spoon, wanting to savor it.
Damian let go, and the spoon stayed in her mouth, held by her thin, crystal-like lips.
Ashley stayed quiet.
Damian grinned, his voice low and rough, "You really got a sweet tooth."
Ashley's ears warmed, and half her face turned red.
"Ashley, how are you? I asked Thomas to report your condition, but he didn't show up!" Hendrix, tired of waiting, barged in with a nurse pushing him. One leg was up, and he sat in a wheelchair, looking like a determined hero.
But when he was wheeled in, he saw Damian smiling as he took a dessert spoon from Ashley's mouth, and she looked super shy.
"Damian, even with a busted arm, you don't forget to flirt. What a piece of work!" Hendrix said.
He figured if Ashley fell for it, it was 'cause Damian's game was too strong.
Damian ignored him, "Which one next?"
Ashley looked at the odd-looking Hendrix, "Hendrix, why are you here like this? Your bones just healed; you shouldn't be moving around. Go rest."
Hendrix glared at Damian, his wheelchair almost hitting Damian's chair. "If I didn't come, you'd be taken advantage of."
Ashley felt super embarrassed.
Hendrix grabbed a piece of dessert and popped it in his mouth, implying, "No wonder Mr. Hearst can scare Sven out of Limehof and still flirt here. Wanna apply for a Guinness World Record? Most versatile playboy."
Ashley's head hurt, and she closed her eyes, frowning, "If you wanna argue, do it outside."
Damian shot Hendrix a cold look, "Either get out or shut up."
Hendrix angrily swallowed the dessert. "What did the doc say? How many days of bed rest? Can the Limehof docs handle it? Better transfer to Rochester City ASAP. I'll get the best docs for you."
Ashley was unsure. "Let's wait three days. It's not a big deal. Don't make a fuss"
Damian didn't want her talking to Hendrix, so he cut a piece of cake and put it in her mouth.
Ashley grabbed a pink one and reached to stuff it into Damian's mouth. "Strawberry, it's delicious."
She wanted to shut Damian up, but to Hendrix, it looked like flirting.
He grabbed the desserts and put them in his lap, fed up. "Ashley, that's enough. Did you hit your head so hard you can't see Damian's ulterior motives?"
Damian, holding the small spoon, was annoyed by Hendrix's voice, "Hendrix, don't push it."
