Chapter 319 The Blow to Self-Esteem
Damian kept quiet.
Ashley, getting more nervous, grabbed his big hand. "What's up? There's gotta be a reason you're heading back all of a sudden."
The warmth of her touch almost made him lose it. To keep his cool, Damian twisted his hand, slipping his fingers out of hers. "Emperial Avenue Group is pulling their investment. I gotta deal with it myself."
Ashley, curious about what was going down in Rochester City, reached for his hand again but quickly realized what she was doing. Before she could feel awkward, Damian had already pushed her away and stepped back.
Ashley felt a wave of humiliation wash over her.
She had no right to be mad or feel hurt.
But still, a knot of unease formed in her chest.
Since he wasn't willing, she just retreated further into the bed, her face pale as she whispered, "Your marriage with Trinity is off. Edward won't let the Hearst family take advantage."
Damian, still caught up in his emotions, didn't notice Ashley's subtle reaction. He replied, "The partnership between Emperial Avenue Group and KM is a business deal. It doesn't need a marriage to keep it going."
Ashley laughed to herself. The so-called business cooperation was essentially that Emperial Avenue Group wanted a long-term win-win with KM through marriage. A small project was nothing; they wanted Damian and the endless resources of the Hearst family.
Now that they didn't get what they wanted, they'd definitely be pissed.
If it were her, she'd pull out the investment too.
Why should they pretend to be happy when their daughter had been played?
She knew Damian was smart and cunning in business, but she didn't think this approach was honorable.
Her expression changed slightly. "Yeah, but from a logical standpoint, it's not surprising."
Damian sensed her conflicting thoughts. "You agree with their approach?"
Ashley didn't want to be so blunt. After all, Damian had just saved her. Even though the earlier awkwardness had hurt her, she couldn't forget her gratitude instantly. "I just think Trinity is indeed aggrieved in this matter, but I don't approve of her methods either."
In essence, they were using each other. Damian was just more skillful, mastering the survival skills in the jungle, while others could only look up to him.
Damian chuckled. "I've said it before: this is the business world. As a lawyer, you shouldn't have the naive thoughts of a novelist, thinking everyone knows about honor and integrity."
Ashley's lips, still pale, parted slightly and then closed again.
Damian looked at her. "In the arena, if you don't strike, you'll be torn apart by the opponent. Whether to be prey or a hunter is a matter of a single thought. You can hold on to your kindness, but I can't."
He had never talked to Ashley about the treacherous nature of the business world before because it wasn't necessary. But now, he spoke the truth without any guard, hoping she could understand and accept it.
Ashley pressed her lips tightly. "You don't need to tell me so much. You have your way of doing things, and that's your freedom."
Hendrix had mentioned a case related to the Hearst family's business, so he probably knew as well.
Hendrix was helping his aunt against KM's subsidiary. Was it out of legal justice or a chance to settle a personal grudge? Maybe both. Seeing her still pale face, Damian decided to keep quiet. There'd be time to explain later. He just hoped they'd never end up on opposite sides and that she'd never see the darkness he carried.
Even if that day came, he hoped she'd put herself first.
The trip back to Rochester City was on a private jet again. Ashley remembered he said he needed to catch up on sleep, so she stayed silent the whole way.
Damian closed his eyes to rest, whether he was actually sleeping or just pretending.
As the plane soared through the clouds, Ashley glanced at Damian lying there, her eyes lingering on his hand resting on his chest. Her emotions were all over the place.
Back home, Ashley opened her laptop to check the news. There was nothing about KM, which meant they were keeping it under wraps.
That evening, Harold called her, sounding annoyed right from the start. "Is it because of him that you're taking leave and disappearing again?"
'He' had become their code for Damian.
Ashley didn't answer directly. "I got Robert's evidence. We're definitely winning this time."
Harold snorted. "Did you use your charm?"
"No, we reached a deal. We help each other," Ashley said.
Harold laughed. "Who are you kidding? Ex-husband and ex-wife happily cooperating? Let me tell you, Ashley, apart from us, there's no pure friendship between men and women. It's either lust or deceit."
She and Damian couldn't be defined as pure cooperation. The subtle ambiguity, the unintentional physical desire between adults, and the countless reactions all spoke of her longing for him.
She had to admit, she still had a lingering attachment to Damian's body, even thinking of those entwined nights when she caught his scent.
And Damian, for her, was probably more about physical desire. He had hinted at it more than once.
Shaking her head, Ashley pulled herself out of the unsuitable daytime fantasies. "If you didn't say that, I might have suspected you had feelings for me."
"Don't flatter yourself. If I had feelings for you, would I have waited until now?" Harold said.
Ashley rested her chin on her hand. "As a man, what do you think he's thinking?"
"Men are driven by their desires. What do you think he's thinking? Don't overestimate men. We're just shallow, vulgar, failed products of evolution, with animal instincts that are hard to change." Using self-deprecation to warn her, he was really going all out. "I have Robert's evidence. See you in court."
For the next three days, Ashley didn't see Damian, and there was no mention of business conflicts in the news. The outside world had no idea the two major groups were at odds.
Soon, it was time for the second court session.
Tina was even more nervous than last time, constantly wringing her hands and biting her lips. "Ashley, do we have a chance?"
Ashley nodded. "You've done everything you need to do. Leave the rest to me."
Tina nodded. "Don't worry, Ashley. Once I get the money, I'll take the kids to Sylvania. I've expedited the paperwork. As soon as I get the judgment, I'll leave."
Ashley felt sorry for this woman, worn out by the divorce case. She softly but firmly told her, "The sky is vast, and you will be free."
Brown, carrying a briefcase, entered the courthouse and ran into Ashley.
Ashley looked at him coldly. "Mr. Path, I hope we can settle this once and for all today."
Brown's face was grim, and he retorted, "Let's see what you've got."
"Of course," Ashley said.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
