Chapter 367 Coercion and Temptation
Here.
Damian finished his cigarette, and what awaited him was a room of silence.
There was no sign of Ashley in the room.
The soft light of the floor lamp was still there, reminding him of the loss of control a few minutes ago.
Damian pinched the bridge of his nose, turned around, and walked over. When he reached out, he saw the ceramic cup Ashley had left on the coffee table, with a faint mark on the edge, as if it still held the warmth of her lips, so similar to the one left on his own.
She was gone.
Maybe it was for the best.
Otherwise, he couldn't guarantee he wouldn't do something worse than forcibly kissing her tonight.
And now, what he urgently needed to do was take a cold shower to extinguish the uncontrollable fire raging in his body!
A half-hour cold shower did nothing to improve his physical or mental state. Instead, his overly clear mind made the burning memories even more vivid and glaring.
Whenever he calmed down, he could feel the soft, wet touch of her lips, the deadly beauty of her hair slipping through his fingers, and the obvious heat swelling when he touched her curves.
Damian forced himself to lie down, trying to self-hypnotize.
At this rate, even without Ashley tempting him, he would still be half-dead by the end of the night.
What kind of woman had he provoked?
After tossing and turning several times without any sign of sleep, Damian resignedly opened his sleeping pills. He spread the pills in his palm, hesitated for a moment, and then swallowed them.
However, the pills that usually had some effect seemed to be deliberately working against him tonight. Not only did they fail to help him sleep, but they also made his imagination run wild. He was almost about to mistake the soft down comforter in his hand for her delicate body.
Damian couldn't lie still any longer. He picked up the phone and called Jessica.
If he hadn't forced himself to sleep, he would probably have had Thomas find him a woman.
Disturbing Jessica's sleep in the middle of the night was already a common occurrence; neither of them found it inappropriate.
This was a term Jessica had accepted when she became his psychologist, and he compensated her well financially.
On the other end of the line was Jessica's gentle voice, "Mr. Hearst, can't sleep again?"
The question was redundant, but it didn't seem out of place as an opening.
Damian pressed his long fingers against his throbbing temple, "The sleeping pills aren't working."
Jessica anxiously said, "Mr. Hearst, next time you have insomnia, call me first. If hypnosis doesn't work, then take the pills. That way, you can gradually reduce and even get rid of your dependence on medication."
Damian wasn't in the mood to argue with her about this and said coldly, "Let's start."
It was a routine they were both used to.
Jessica didn't haggle, obediently agreeing.
After the preparation, her soft voice came through the receiver, like a living, breathing massager, relaxing his head, slowly breaking the barriers of insomnia, guiding him to relax and feel sleepy.
After the first stage of hypnosis, Jessica seamlessly transitioned to the second set of hypnosis techniques in his mind.
The breath of spring turned into words, constantly reinforcing in the subconscious of the lightly sleeping person, like a spider weaving a web, constructing an aerial castle.
"Mr. Hearst?"
Jessica called softly, but there was no response.
Then she gently said into the still-connected phone, "Good night, Damian. Have a sweet dream with me in it."
For the next two days, Ashley and Infinity Enterprises Group's legal team worked together to organize evidence for the upcoming first trial.
Meanwhile, the head of KM's legal department also contacted Ashley.
Dante was very polite, "Ms. Astor, we may be opponents in court, but we are still friends outside of it. We shouldn't let this affect our relationship."
Ashley smiled, thinking to herself, what relationship do I have with you? But she politely said, "Mr. Moretti, that's just how the legal circle works. Even the best of friends might fiercely oppose each other in court one day."
After some back-and-forth, Dante shared his perspective, "Actually, Quantum Innovations Tech doesn't want to take this to court. I'm here today to represent Quantum Innovations Tech and express our willingness to settle out of court if Infinity Enterprises Group is open to it."
Ashley asked, "What are the terms of this so-called settlement? How will Infinity Enterprises Group's three cancer-stricken employees be taken care of? What about the materials with quality issues?"
Dante adjusted his glasses meticulously and said, "Quantum Innovations Tech's building materials meet professional testing standards, with environmental protection levels reaching the national E1 and E0 standards. The VOC limit is less than 100 grams, far below the national standard of 200 grams. The detailed test results are documented and stamped by official agencies, which can serve as direct evidence."
Seeing Ashley's tense jaw, he continued, "We are willing to settle not because we fear losing, but to avoid prolonging the battle and affecting production. Ms. Astor, it's understandable that you speak for Infinity Enterprises Group, but if they lose this lawsuit, the compensation amount will be substantial. You might want to advise them."
Ashley interrupted his seemingly sincere suggestion. If she could, she would tear off these hypocritical masks. "Mr. Moretti, the materials used by Infinity Enterprises Group contain excessive pollutants, and there are already cancer cases. And you want us to settle quietly? If these words didn't come from your mouth, I wouldn't want to hear a single one."
As for the so-called huge compensation, it was just a psychological tactic!
Infinity Enterprises Group, as the victim, was still being threatened. It was outrageous.
Dante remained calm, smiling amicably, "Alright, since you don't accept Quantum Innovations Tech's humanitarian proposal, we'll see you in court."
Ashley nodded, "Take care."
After KM's legal team left, Ashley stomped her foot in anger, "Damn it! Just because they have KM backing them, they think they can do whatever they want!"
Back at the law firm, Ashley immediately contacted Linda to inform her of Quantum Innovations Tech's lawyer's attitude.
Linda was also resolute, "We have to fight this case! Don't worry too much; Infinity Enterprises Group is not a private company. KM wouldn't dare to play dirty."
Ashley thought to herself, not only would they play dirty, but they also had bigger plans. "We're following the proper legal procedures, but it's still unknown how far KM's connections can reach. My suggestion is to involve the media to amplify the social impact of this issue. With public scrutiny, KM wouldn't dare to be too blatant."
Linda hesitated for a moment, "The PR department has considered this, but given Infinity Enterprises Group's nature, stirring up public opinion might not be a good idea."
Ashley sighed inwardly. If it were a private company, this tactic would definitely work. With everyone being a media outlet, there were plenty of sharp-eyed people who would sympathize with the victims and speak out for them, putting pressure on KM.
But Infinity Enterprises Group had to consider its corporate image and couldn't become a topic of gossip.
"I understand. Let's proceed with the proper legal procedures and see what tricks they have up their sleeves."
Linda thought for a moment, "Ms. Astor, this case concerns the future of three patients from Infinity Enterprises Group and the safety of the entire office building. I don't want to pressure you, but you need to understand the gravity of the situation. Hendrix is supporting us from behind, but you know how crucial the trial is, so you must withstand the pressure."
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