Chapter 300 Intense Jealousy
Damian's insomnia and depression had been getting worse lately, so he often found himself at the villa for hypnosis. This almost-abandoned estate had become his go-to spot, but every time he came, he felt a sense of resistance. To him, it felt more like a private hospital than a home.
He hated lying on that bed, feeling like a puppet controlled by someone else's mind.
So today, he parked his car far away, his broken arm in a sling, and walked up the winding mountain path.
From a distance, he saw someone wandering aimlessly in the woods. He didn't think it was Ashley at first. When the figure started to look familiar, he found it ironic. Had he missed her so much that everyone looked like her?
He must be losing it. But as he got closer, he realized it really was her.
Before saying anything, Damian's mind raced, trying to figure out how to sound casual and not make her bolt like she was seeing an enemy.
As he thought, he had already walked up to her, and it would be weird not to say anything.
So he used his usual tone and asked the most ordinary question, "What are you doing here?"
She wouldn't know how much thought had gone into that simple question.
Ashley, tired from walking, sat on a rock and didn't want to move. Even if she stood up, she wouldn't be as tall as Damian. Sitting down actually gave her a bit more presence. She was surprised and even a bit skeptical about fate, but her words were as arrogant as ever, "Can't I be here?"
The implication was that this wasn't his territory; if he could walk this path, so could she.
Damian's face stayed calm as he stood in the wind, the faint scent of grass in the mountain forest lingering in his breath. Even though her words were harsh, he didn't show any temper, "You can, as long as you want, you can go anywhere."
He meant it. As long as Ashley wanted, he would do his best to fulfill her wishes.
Ashley's expression flickered. She thought she might have misunderstood. Damian was probably just mocking her, "I remember you rarely came here before. Are you tired of living in Imperial Residence? Don't want to smell the unpleasant air there?"
Imperial Residence had too many traces of her, just like their old home. Probably because there were too many traces of her, Damian simply didn't want it anymore.
She couldn't be sure if the current Damian was still so obsessive and compulsive.
Damian sneered, "You really know how to talk, always picking the unpleasant things to say."
Ashley said, "Sorry, no offense intended."
Damian frowned. He really didn't like confronting Ashley, "What are you doing here? Don't tell me you just wandered over here by accident. It's quite far from your place."
Ashley said, "You're right; I really did come here by accident."
Damian saw the mud on her shoes, and the white sneakers were stained around the edges. She must have walked a lot. There were still traces of sweat on her forehead, and her clothes emitted a faint scent of sweat. She was carrying a small bag.
She looked like an unlucky person lost in the deep mountains and forests.
"Where's your car?" Damian asked.
Ashley didn't want him to know about her predicament, "Parked over there."
Damian smirked, looking at her in complete disbelief. Then he took out his phone and called Ashley. Her bag remained silent, and his phone indicated that the call couldn't be connected.
"Phone out of battery?" Damian asked.
Ashley hated how Damian always seemed to see right through her, exposing her vulnerabilities.
Damian put his phone away, slipping his good hand into his pocket. "Car broke down, phone died, and you got lost. Quite the trifecta."
Ashley thought, 'Meeting you is the real bad luck trifecta!'
She bit her lip, her eyes blazing with anger. "None of your business. I like walking here. I enjoy it."
Damian sighed, "This mountain is meant to be a place of peace and quiet. There's no other transportation. If you want to leave, you either walk or have someone pick you up. What do you have now?"
Ashley wanted to borrow his phone, but her pride held her back. "None of your concern."
Damian's frown deepened. Without a word, he grabbed her arm and easily pulled her up. Before Ashley could struggle, he forcefully pulled her to his side and said, "I know you're stubborn, but do you have any idea about your physical condition? When your limbs and heart are as tough as your attitude, then you can be stubborn. I'm not trying to scare you, but there are snakes and wolves here at night."
Hearing about snakes, Ashley shivered, and her resistance wasn't as fierce. "Nonsense. This is the suburbs, not some wild mountain forest."
Damian said, "I had them put there. Wouldn't I know?"
Ashley didn't want to show that she was scared, but the skin around her eyes involuntarily tightened. "Why did you put those things there?"
Damian pulled her towards the castle, speaking in a matter-of-fact tone, "To train me to combat wild instincts."
Ashley was speechless at this explanation.
Maybe for others, some things were incomprehensible, but with Damian, everything seemed so natural. Even if he said there was an endangered tiger on the mountain, she wouldn't be surprised.
"Ouch!" Ashley's foot hurt, and she couldn't keep up with his long strides, wincing in pain.
Damian slowed down, breaking the silence of the past ten minutes. "You came to see Hendrix?"
Ashley was surprised. "How did you know?"
"Not hard to guess. Although you're at my doorstep, you're definitely not here for me. So it must be Hendrix, who lives on the other side of the mountain. He's almost a cripple. What do you want with him?" Damian said.
Ashley glared at him. "Can you be more polite? If you hadn't been so harsh, would he be so badly injured?"
Damian snorted. "If I had been really harsh, he'd have his prosthetics ready by now."
Damian saw the unexpressed anger in her eyes and changed his tone. "Feeling sorry for him?"
Ashley twisted her wrist, trying to break free from his grip, but failed again. "Mr. Hearst, this is not how you invite someone over! I can walk on my own."
Damian still wouldn't let go, as if only by holding her tightly could he feel secure. "Since you went to see him, why didn't you stay? Wandering around alone and wrecking your car."
There was a strong sense of jealousy in his words.
Ashley said, "None of your business."
Damian walked to the villa's tall main building. The electronic recognition system on the door recognized his face and automatically opened.
The black wrought-iron gate slowly opened to both sides, like a vast ocean parting in the middle. It exuded an imposing aura, much like its owner.
"Not happy being with him?" Damian said.
Standing on his own turf, the sense of ownership naturally surged, making Ashley, as a guest, instinctively feel inferior. "Why did you bring me to your house?"
"Answer my question first. Are you unhappy with Hendrix?" Damian said.
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