Chapter 306 Disliking His Unpleasant Expression
Damian's right-hand man, Juan Stewart, got the heads-up early and was hanging out at the airport, waiting.
Juan, who ran the Coastal City branch, hadn't seen his boss in ages and was practically bouncing with excitement. "Mr. Hearst, hop in the car."
From Ashley's point of view, Juan looked like a mix of scared and thrilled, his face a jumble of emotions.
Damian, staying cool as ever, said, "You're off the hook."
Juan froze, thinking he was getting canned for screwing up. He stammered, "Mr. Hearst, you..."
Damian cut him off, "Hand the keys to Ashley. You're free to go."
This meant Ashley was riding shotgun for the rest of the trip, and Juan was off the clock.
"Yes, Mr. Hearst. If you need anything, just holler—Ashley, thanks." Juan nodded quickly, shooting Ashley a look of admiration. She must've done something pretty impressive to get this close to Damian!
Maybe it was her looks? If that was the only criteria, Ashley definitely fit the bill.
Ashley slid into the driver's seat and glanced at Damian next to her. "I don't really know my way around Coastal City. Wouldn't it be easier to have someone who does?"
Damian stared out the window, uninterested. "If the GPS can't handle a few roads, KM should rethink their whole business."
Ashley kept quiet after that.
Following the GPS, they took the airport expressway to the ring road, then veered onto a twisty mountain path. After an hour of bumpy driving, they finally pulled up outside a quaint little town.
Ahead was a cobblestone street, too narrow for the car.
Damian eyed the narrow stone path, the small river running alongside, and the old houses on the other side. "Is this the spot?"
The rundown vibe matched the style of the doctor they were looking for.
Ashley got out and took in the scene. Fresh mountain air, misty clouds, and a town that looked like a hidden gem. The whole place had a vintage feel, "This is the town, but we need to find the exact house."
Damian didn't say anything and started walking down the old road. In the distance, mountains rolled on, with the towering Foggy Mountain shrouded in mist even further away. The summer breeze was cool and pleasant, filtered by the mountains and trees.
Ashley wasn't as chill. She worried Martin might chase them off with a cane. She could always butter him up, but Damian's icy demeanor might make Martin want to deck him.
After wandering around half the town, they finally got directions from an old lady.
Ashley dashed ahead and found a house with a wooden door. The door was shut, but flowers spilled out from inside, with bright orange blossoms decorating the entrance.
"Mr. Hearst, this is the place," Ashley said.
Damian strolled leisurely behind, watching Ashley run along the cobblestone path like a kid. Maybe because she had studied dance from a young age, even though she wasn't a teenager anymore, her movements were still light and graceful. Her long hair flew behind her, adding a touch of liveliness to the green mountains and clear waters.
Seeing her smile as she looked back, Damian felt his heart skip a beat.
That feeling of losing control again.
"Looks like he doesn't get many visitors," Damian said.
If people came by often, the moss outside wouldn't be so thick, and the stone slabs wouldn't have weeds growing all over them.
Ashley thought for a moment and suggested, "Mr. Hearst, why don't you wait over there for a bit? I'll go say hi to Mr. Collins."A first impression that bad would make it even harder to get their foot in the door later.
Damian's face darkened, his eyes deeper than the distant mountain peaks. "Do I look that bad?"
Ashley smiled wryly. "You look more like you're here to collect a debt than to ask for a favor."
Was she really bothered by his expression?
Damian looked down, carefully examining her face, which was even more flushed after running. Her clear eyes were bright and pure, still showing the innocence of a young girl.
He admitted, for a moment, he was a bit lost.
"Alright, I'll listen to you." He cooperatively walked to the front porch and sat down, his tall figure upright, showing no signs of discomfort.
Ashley silently pressed her temples.
After shaking the door knocker several times, she finally heard footsteps inside.
Ashley took a deep breath. Peeking through the cracked door, she saw a boy under ten years old, wearing smoke-blue pants and a short-sleeved shirt, with a cotton belt around his waist, looking like a character from a movie.
"Who are you?" His voice was still childish.
He didn't ask who she was looking for, just who she was, indicating he had dealt with many visitors.
Ashley bent down with a smile, meeting the boy's eyes. "My name is Ashley. I'm here to visit Mr. Collins. Could you please tell him?"
The boy looked her up and down, his face serious. "Mr. Collins said he's not seeing patients today."
So this was Martin's little apprentice?
Ashley's smile grew brighter, her eyes sparkling. "I'm not here for a consultation, just to visit him. By the way, do you know Albert Sanchez?"
Albert was the doctor who treated her parents. Mentioning his name should prevent her from being turned away.
The boy's serious face finally showed some reaction. "You know Albert?"
Ashley nodded, her stance less humble. "Yes, Albert lives in Evercrest City, Sylvania. I've met him."
The boy pursed his lips in thought. "Wait here."
He closed the door and left.
Ashley turned to look at Damian, who was still sitting upright.
He didn't seem to blend well with any scenery, especially in this small town, where he looked completely out of place.
Damian raised an eyebrow, his eyes asking: "What? You don't seem to be doing any better."
Ashley crossed her arms and lifted her chin: "Don't rush!"
Damian snorted.
Ashley pursed her lips, her expression saying: "Just wait and see!"
Damian turned to look at the distant mountains, unable to suppress a smile.
About five minutes later, the door opened again. The boy nodded politely at her. "Mr. Collins will see you."
Ashley was delighted. "Wait, I have a friend with me."
The boy glanced at Damian in the corridor. "Alright then."
He seemed very reluctant.
Ashley laughed to herself. Damian, being disliked for once?
Martin's inner courtyard was filled with the strong scent of herbs. Baskets of herbs lay drying on wooden racks throughout the yard, their aroma filling the air and making time seem to slow down.
Martin had a streak of white in his beard, and his hair was completely white. He didn't have an ethereal look but was slightly chubby. Despite his old age, he didn't have many wrinkles. He wore a simple white short-sleeved shirt and black pants, with only his cloth shoes retaining a touch of antiquity.
His face was very cold. He glanced at the uninvited guests and harshly said in a rough voice, "You said you know Albert?"
Ashley instinctively felt that Martin was angry and couldn't tell if he loved or hated his apprentice. "We met in Sylvania..."
"Bastard!" Martin said.
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