Chapter 349 How Pure Do You Want to Be?
A firework suddenly exploded outside the window, lighting up the dark blue sky with brilliant flames. In in an instant, everything was exposed in the flying sparks.
Including Ashley's somewhat confused face.
What did he mean by "take a good look this time"?
Did Damian consider himself a backup option? Placing himself in the resource pool with Sean for her to choose?
Probably not, right?
Ashley wouldn't allow herself to have such naive thoughts. "Stop saying weird things that make it seem like our relationship is impure."
Damian replied, "How pure do you want it to be?"
Ashley was stunned.
She had reason to suspect that Damian had arranged all this today to make her withdraw from the lawsuit against Infinity Enterprises Group. Once she left the case, he could act without restraint.
But she would never back down!
Damian took a sip of red wine. Romanee-Conti could be treasured in oak barrels and wine glasses for decades, its taste becoming more mellow. Just by closing his eyes and savoring it, he could almost smell the enticing fragrance of the grapevines from that year, the hot air filled with sunlight over the estate.
However, for humans, time was an irreversible wheel, an unfillable chasm. Once it was gone, it became an eternal regret.
"Dorian will come to Rochester City tomorrow night and stay here," Damian said.
Ashley's gaze shifted from the tail end of the fireworks outside back to his face. "He can get through the strict customs check?"
"With me here." The tone was not heavy, the voice not loud, but the sound was intimidating and left no room for doubt.
Ashley nodded. "Thank you."
She would see Dorian tomorrow. Her heart pounded several times. She thought she had developed a good psychological resilience, but who knew it would be so fragile.
Damian frowned. "If you really want to thank me, drink the wine."
"Okay." If that was the reason, then she would accept it.
The clinking of wine glasses produced a crisp and pleasant sound, and the red wine looked even more enchanting under the fireworks.
After just one sip, Ashley exclaimed, "You opened such a good bottle?"
She wasn't a novice at the wine tasting. Her father had also collected many fine wines back in the day, but few could compare to the one in her hand.
Romanee-Conti, a classic of the ages, was not cheap per glass. The sip she just took probably cost as much as a square foot in the Sunset Ridge neighborhood.
Damian said, "It's worth it."
No matter what, today was an anniversary for him. He would remember and find a way to spend it with her on every holiday in the future, not just today.
Her heart was closed to him, but he wouldn't force it open. Instead, he would give her enough time to welcome him in on her own.
Ashley felt uneasy sitting there. Wasn't Damian's attempt to curry favor a bit too blatant? "Mr. Hearst, I'm very touched and grateful that you brought Dorian back, but since I've taken on the Infinity Enterprises Group case, I will see it through to the end. I won't quit halfway."
"Hmm?" Damian said.
What was she thinking?
"My stance is clear. We both have our positions to uphold. I hope you understand," Ashley said.
Damian pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Did she misunderstand him this much?
Fine.
Whatever, let her misunderstand.
"Okay," Damian said.
With his approval, Ashley felt a weight lift off her chest, and the second sip of wine went down much smoother.
The sky exploded with fireworks again, and Ashley smiled. "It's beautiful. I wonder if it's a wedding celebration."
Damian said, "Maybe."
Fireworks weren't allowed in the city, and the best place in Rochester City to set off fireworks and enjoy them quietly was Shadowcrest Castle.
Even without Hayden's call tonight, Damian would have brought Ashley over.
He had specially arranged Dorian's schedule for today because he was worried that without a sufficient reason, Ashley would refuse his request.
He was just delayed a bit because his father called him home.
Unexpectedly, this delay gave Ashley and Sean a chance to bond at the tennis court!
Damian felt a bit annoyed. "Since when did you start liking sports?"
Ashley swirled her wine glass. "Hayden told you, right? A grown man who likes to tattle, I can't believe it."
"That's not tattling," Damian said.
Ashley didn't want to argue. "Maybe I'm getting older and not as resilient as before. If I don't exercise to improve my immunity and stamina, my work will suffer, so I want to work out."
Damian asked, "Like what?"
Ashley didn't like any particular sport. If she had to choose, she would say walking, but walking didn't provide enough exercise. "Maybe playing ball or running."
"Alright, let's start tomorrow," Damian said.
Ashley's eyes blinked. "What do you mean?"
Damian said, "Tomorrow morning, I'll take you running."
"What?" Ashley said.
That night, Ashley stayed at Shadowcrest Castle. Damian's guest room was a suite with two bedrooms, and Ashley stayed in the inner room.
She was so tired from exercising that even though she was just a door away from Damian, she didn't have the energy to worry. After washing up, she fell asleep immediately.
The next day, Ashley was still asleep when the knocking on the door woke her up. She pulled the covers over her head, pretending to be dead.
She rarely fell asleep so early and had a dreamless night. Why did she have to endure the torture of waking up early?
Six o'clock!! How long had it been since she got up at six?
This wasn't the schedule of a working person!
Filled with endless resentment, Ashley threw off the covers and opened the door to see Damian, who was about to knock again. "What are you doing?"
Damian was dressed in light, quick-drying clothes, short sleeves, and long pants. He had brand-new shock-absorbing running shoes on his feet. "We agreed to go for a morning run today."
Ashley, with her messy hair and eyes still not fully adjusted from being closed for so long, said, "What? Are you serious?"
"Your clothes and shoes are here. You have ten minutes to brush your teeth, wash your face, and get dressed," Damian said.
Ashley was in a daze. Damian had brought her to Shadowcrest Castle, staying under the same roof, not to seduce her but to go for a morning run.
Was this the Damian she knew?
Dazed, she changed her clothes and looked in the mirror. Surprisingly, they fit perfectly and were incredibly comfortable.
This was probably one of the few times she was fully dressed in quick-drying clothes.
Damian leaned against the wine cabinet, his long legs crossed, looking very relaxed. "Not bad, let's go."
It was not just "not bad." Every time he saw Ashley in tight-fitting clothes, his blood would ignite.
Damn, he should have picked some looser clothes for her.
The morning air in the mountains was especially refreshing. Walking on the winding mountain path, every breath was filled with the safe oxygen released by the well-hydrated green leaves.
The forest birds especially loved to be active in the morning, and the dense, endless treetops were filled with their passionate singing.
In the distance, the morning sun sent out countless soft rays through the clouds, and tender green grass shoots were in front of them.
Ashley's morning grumpiness was instantly cleared away.
She stretched out her arms and took a comfortable stretch. "I didn't expect waking up early to be so nice."
Damian asked, "How long has it been since you woke up early?"
"I don't remember, but it's been a long time. I used to stay up late writing papers and reading literature so that I couldn't get up the next day. My schedule was almost reversed. After starting work, I rarely went to bed early, and I usually got up an hour before work, with no mood or conditions to wake up early," Ashley said.
Thinking about it, it seemed like an excuse. City people liked to be active at night, releasing emotional pressure through food and entertainment, thinking it would make them feel better, not realizing that going to bed on time was the best reward for their bodies.
Damian said, "From now on, develop the habit of going to bed early and waking up early. I'll supervise you."
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