Chapter 36 Awkward Much
Thomas hesitated, trying to gauge how to phrase it, "Miss Astor's victory for KM in that case was widely recognized. Truly, we could use someone with your legal skills in our company's legal department. I suppose Mr. Hearst is eager to have a talented lawyer like you."
Ashley smirked, "KM's legal department isn't exactly short on talent. Plus, you guys have a whole roster of retained attorneys. Law firms are practically tripping over themselves to get a piece of KM's business. Are you really struggling to find qualified people?"
Thomas replied with courteous vagueness, "Well, that's true. I'm not entirely sure what the boss was getting at, perhaps just personal admiration for Miss Astor, a familiar face. Actually..."
Seizing the opportunity, Thomas shared a bit more, "Mr. Hearst is swamped with work most of the time, and lots of things slip through the cracks. Just now, we were on a call discussing work stuff. He is a chronic insomniac, you know, often pulls all-nighters. To be honest, it makes for a pretty monotonous life..."
Ashley wasn't interested in Damian's daily routines and cut him off, "Thomas, we've known each other for a while. I appreciate your loyalty to your boss, and I genuinely respect you. You were there when we divorced; you saw what he did firsthand. No matter what, trying to rebuild his image is pointless now, but thanks for the flowers. I liked them. And thanks for remembering how much I love Baby's Breath."
Thomas felt a rush of heat flood his cheeks.
His mind raced back to the day in the CEO's office three years ago, and a chill ran down his spine.
That day, the KM’s legal team had congregated, hashing out the divorce details between Damian and Ashley for an exhausting five hours. His face was an emotionless mask throughout, refusing even to glance at his ex-wife.
Ashley had sat on the couch, teary-eyed and deflated, resembling a lamb to the slaughter.
Back then, she had lost the protection of her parents, who had fled the country. The Astor Group was dismantled and sold off, a business legend reduced to a laughingstock.
Her husband offered no shelter but coldly ended their three-year marriage, shutting her out.
"I'm sorry... Miss Astor. Even so, we're still friends, if you don't mind my humble status."
"You outrank me by far. You're Damian's right hand, the celebrity of KM. Everyone gives you respect. As long as you don't mind," Ashley replied.
A smile finally broke across Thomas's face. "Of course not! If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
Ashley nodded, "You should go. The nurse will be here soon with my meal; we don't want to stir up rumors."
Thomas descended the stairs, immediately calling Damian with an update.
Unbeknownst to him, the recipient of that call was in the parking lot.
"Boss, I've just seen Miss Astor. She's not well, high fever, quite pale," Thomas reported.
Damian, impassive, responded, "If she's sick, the doctor will see to her."
"Miss Astor might be discharged tomorrow, should I visit again?"
Damian's voice was icy, "I don't pay you to play charity worker."
Thomas didn't dare argue. "Understood, I'll be in the office tomorrow."
Damian hung up, glancing up at the hospital room.
“Not well”, “quite pale”.
She turns a little fever into a drama, falling from grace as a “princess” yet remaining too arrogant to be overly dramatic..
The next day, as Ashley's fevers subsided, she waited for the doctor to start his rounds before she began the discharge process.
Stepping out of the elevator on the ground floor, she was met with a cacophony. A crowd was wailing and shouting their despair to the heavens.
"My son! My poor boy! This is how cruel fate can be...!"
Several doctors and nurses hurried to calm the weeping woman, but she had lost all control, kneeling on the ground, pounding her chest in utter despair, the thudding of her fists on her chest echoing clearly.
Leading the way, the male doctor bent down to support the distraught woman. "Ma'am, your son is still in the ICU. We're doing everything we can to save him. Please try to stay calm."
The woman clung to the doctor's arm, her sobs choking her words. "Doctor, I beg you, please save my son. He's only thirty, with a child of four. He's so young, Doctor!"
The doctor's expression was grave. "We've administered the best medication and are using top medical equipment. These next 24 hours are critical, but we won't give up until the very end. Be rest assured, ma'am, our hospital always prioritizes saving lives."
Collapsing in weakness, the woman finally managed to rise from her half-kneel on the floor. "What about the person who hit my son? Have the police caught him? Have they?"
"The apprehension of criminals is the police's duty," the doctor said. "We haven't received any updates, but the hospital will fully support the police whenever they need our assistance."
The woman's cry was one of pure despair. "Whoever cursed soul hit my son hasn't even had the decency to show their face. I swear, I'll risk everything to make them pay!"
Ashley knitted her brows in confusion. The police ought to have been called in early for an accident this serious, interviewing with the victim and obtaining evidence at the hospital last night. Why is no one in attendance? This was not consistent with standard traffic accident investigation protocols.
Someone piped up, "Can we even rely on the police these days? It's all about the powerful protecting each other. It's only the small fry who end up behind bars; the big potatoes walk free."
"Yeah, heard the driver was in some fancy car worth millions. Rich and influential people skirt the law even when they break it."
"It's an unjust world, money talks. Bad luck for the rest of us, huh?"
"Don't get your hopes up, ma'am. If you can get money out of them, demand as much as you can."
Clenching her fists to her chest, the woman retorted, "If my son dies, I'll make sure the driver rots in jail! Life for a life! Can money bring back my son's life?!"
A resigned voice replied, "Oh, ma'am, don't get too worked up. That's just the way the world is."
Ashley's delicate brows knit tighter. The public's trust in the legal system had plummeted to such a pessimistic state. Were they resigned to their misfortune rather than fighting for justice? Was it a mentality of servitude or had societal norms eroded their will to resist?
After finishing discharge procedures, Ashley finally sent a message to Hayden.
Hayden had been worn out by surgeries all night and was sprawled asleep.
He saw the message at 9:30 a.m.
Jumping up, Hayden grabbed his phone and dashed downstairs. "Ashely, where you at?"
Ashley was still in her clothes from last night as she headed home, a shower being the only thing on her mind. "You're awake? The nurse told me you handled multiple surgeries that took hours yesterday. You should get some more rest."
"A little surgery won't kill a big guy like me. Why'd you take off without saying anything, Ash? I was hoping we could grab breakfast together. There's this spot right by the hospital with dumplings to die for!"
Ashley rolled her eyes. Breakfast was the last thing she needed; misunderstandings at work already ran deep enough.
"You might want to clear things up with your coworkers, so it won’t be too awkward."
