Chapter 317 Death Threat
"Looking for you obviously is for something. Do you think I came here just to enjoy the scenery?" The guy's eyes were narrow, almost like he was squinting on purpose, with thin eyelids giving him a sharp, hard-to-deal-with look. Maybe he'd been doing it for so long his eyes just stayed that way.
Ashley glanced around without moving her head. No one was around; the buildings nearby were mostly empty, no pedestrians, no tourists. Just the sounds of birds and bugs, otherwise dead silent.
She shifted her left foot back, ready to bolt if things went south. Her plan was to make a run for Martin's place, maybe call Damian on the way or yell for help after a few steps.
With a decision made, Ashley smiled and asked, "You one of Alexander's guys?"
Patrick kept his head down, avoiding eye contact. Ashley's straightforward question made him even more jittery.
The guy in the baseball cap smirked, "Smart girl. Since you know Mr. Smith, you can probably guess why we're here."
Ashley's face tightened, her jaw set, and her eyes locked onto his. A hint of sarcasm and bravery showed in her slight frown. "I remember Alexander's under investigation. He's got restrictions on his movements, and the prosecutor's about to charge him. Legally, he'll be in jail in a couple of weeks, maybe even days. And you still dare to throw his name around? You must be pretty gutsy."
Ashley felt the moment was right. As soon as they let their guard down, she'd make a run for it.
The guy chuckled, "No wonder you're a lawyer for Mr. Walker. You've got a sharp tongue. Too bad that tongue's gonna be fish food today!"
Now!
Ashley clenched her fists, stretched her legs, and took off towards the town.
She couldn't gauge her speed, just felt the wind whipping past her ears, her hair flying everywhere. No time to worry about her messy hair, she ran like her life depended on it.
"Damn it, she's running! Get her!" The guy reacted fast, taking off after her. His long legs gave him an edge, and being a thug, he was in decent shape. In no time, he'd cut the distance between them in half.
Ashley glanced back once, then focused ahead, teeth gritted, pushing forward.
Her only edge was knowing the town's layout and where to take shortcuts. But it didn't seem to help; wherever she went, he followed. At the closest, he was just an arm's length away, almost grabbing her clothes.
"Help!" Ashley screamed, her lungs burning. "Help!"
The guy's cheeks tightened with effort, his steps quick and light. After a few strides, he closed the gap, grabbing her clothes.
Ashley's heart nearly stopped. She tried to take another step, but his grip was strong. Once he had her, she couldn't move, her body tilting, about to hit the ground.
He took advantage, pulling her slender frame to the wall and slamming her against it!
Ashley's cheek pressed against the rough, dirty bricks, causing a sharp, stinging pain.
"Run? You think you can outrun me? How dare you try to pull a fast one?" the guy sneered.
Ashley was pinned against the wall, her mouth twisted in a silent scream. She could only grit her teeth, trying to shake off his grip.
A few moments later, Patrick and another guy showed up, waiting for orders.
The man spat, licking his lips with a cold smile, "Gotta admit, she's a looker. If Mr. Walker didn't want this done quick, I'd have some fun first."
Ashley's stomach churned with disgust, her face going pale from the tension.
Robert! To win the case, he actually wanted to silence her!
She remembered what Damian had said when he took her back to the crime scene: that a woman had no chance against absolute power.
She had underestimated them, and Hendrix's concerns were spot on.
Guys like Alexander and Robert would do anything.
Ashley secretly moved her hand to her pocket, where her speed dial was set to call the cops.
"Chase, this bitch is trying to make a call."
Ashley cursed inwardly, then felt a sharp pain in her hand. The guy had snatched her wrist, grabbing her phone. He grinned, leaning close, showing yellowed teeth from years of smoking. "Who you trying to call? The guy with you? Forget it; he's busy carving wood on the east side!"
Damian was at the wood carving shop?
He really went to learn to carve?
Ashley wondered if she had lost her mind, thinking about why Damian had to carve wood at a time like this.
The guy grabbed her arm, dragging her a few steps, "Come with me!"
"Help!" Ashley's face had just left the wall. She took a breath and shouted with all her might, but she only had one chance. Soon, a large hand covered her mouth.
Ashley bit down hard!
The guy yelped in pain, momentarily loosening his grip, then slapped her hard.
The slap was filled with anger, hitting her with such force that her head buzzed, half her face going numb. She felt dazed until she tasted the sticky liquid in her mouth, realizing her lip was bleeding.
Dizzy and disoriented, Ashley was dragged to an open field with a river ahead. Her vision blurred, barely making out the river's path. The next moment, she felt the icy water invading her nostrils.
The guy held her neck with one hand, pressing her head into the water!
Ashley's face was submerged, the suffocating feeling of water flooding her nose and mouth. Her hands struggled desperately, her whole body trembling.
The suffocation quickly drowned out the pain, leaving only the sensation of water clogging her nose and ears.
Patrick finally couldn't hold back, "Chase, if you keep this up, she'll die. Mr. Walker doesn't want us to kill anyone."
Ashley was pulled out of the water, coughing violently.
The guy knelt down, gripping her chin and lifting it, "Want to live?"
Ashley's head felt like it was about to explode, her face burning from the water, "You did all this just to threaten me to stop being his wife's lawyer?"
"Smart, that's exactly it. As long as you make sure his wife loses the case, I'll let you live. Otherwise..." he said.
A dull, crisp thud struck the guy's head with precision and force. His eyes flickered, and a line of blood trickled down his forehead. "Fuck! Who... who is it?"
Damian stood holding a broken arm, his tense facial lines hard and cold. His narrow eyes released a dark power in extreme anger. He stepped on the stones, his steps firm and fast.
The next second, he suddenly kicked, sending a stone flying towards the target.
The stone hit the guy's chest, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the river!
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