Chapter 40 Rekindling Old Flames
Amelia flicked the ash off her cigarette and appraised him through the smoke. His appearance wasn't bad – the kind that stood out in a crowd, dressed in Italian designer clothes, sporting an expensive watch.
Men who patronized this place rarely lacked money. No surprise there.
A corner of Amelia's mouth quirked up. She pulled out another cigarette from her purse and offered it to him, "A fair trade, to keep things even."
With that, she turned and sauntered away.
Christian smirked as he watched the thin waft of smoke twist in the air from the lady's cigarette before dropping his gaze towards the direction the woman had vanished. It was his second time being ditched, but he wasn't fazed. The last one who had tried to play this game ended up on his doorstep begging for shelter, only to end up with her spirit crushed, unable to return to work to this day.
"Women these days are getting too clever for their own good," he chuckled, flicking the cigarette into the nearby high-tech trash can which opened automatically at the wave of his hand. "Playing hard to get with all those mind games. Do they really think they can keep a man interested with such tactics?"
The phone rang again. Same person. With an irritated swipe, he hung up, only for it to ring once more within seconds.
"Playing games with me?" Christian answered with a frosty tone as he leaned into the vanity mirror's reflection, so vast and spotless it caught every twitch of his expression.
On the other end, the woman's sobs came through, filled with such pitiful desperation it was as if they could reach through the screen and clutch at him. "Christian, I've made your favorite clam chowder, and you mentioned wanting to try the strawberry pudding, right? I've been learning from a pastry chef for days just to get it right. Come home and try it, would you?"
Catching sight of a pesky pimple on his chiseled chin in the mirror, not quite ready to be popped, he grimaced in annoyance. "When did I ever say I liked clam chowder? Oh... you fell for that?"
She stumbled over her words, searching for a response, "Don't you want it?"
"Didn't you tell me it was the only dish you could make? Did I have a choice? I was placating you, get it?"
But she persisted through her tears, "What about the strawberry pudding? You said you liked that, and I couldn't make it then."
He spoke to her as if she were simple-minded. "You think I was talking about actual pudding? It was a euphemism, sweetheart. Only you would take a bedroom comment to the kitchen."
Deflated but still hopeful, she pressed on between sobs, "But why haven't you come for me? Whatever you want to eat, you can have. Okay?"
Christian's patience had worn thin. It was time for brutal honesty to knock some sense into this delusional woman. "Listen, wake up, will you? We're nothing more than bed partners. I've paid for your services, never shortchanged you on money. That's it. Don't overthink it, and stop acting like there's some deep, emotional bond. A few sweet nothings and you think you're my girlfriend? Forget it."
"Christian!"
The woman's voice was piercing as she practically screamed into the phone, "Christian, you still love me, right? I know your status doesn't allow for a formal relationship, but it's okay. I don’t care about that. As long as you love me, nothing else matters. I can be the woman behind you. I love you, Christian. I really, truly love you."
Christian felt a twinge of irritation disturb his mouth, and it made the zit on his face even more bothersome. "I've never been emotionally involved with you; it's always been only physical. Don’t call me again. Get lost before I lose my temper."
Love? Screw love. If it weren't for his money and the halo of his family's name, not a single one of these women would give him a second glance. Women, huh? All cut from the same cloth. Christian thought to himself.
He hung up the call without bothering to block or delete the number. If that warning didn't keep her at bay, she obviously had a death wish.
Rubbing the annoying zit on his cheek, Christian gave it a strong squeeze.
"Damn, that really hurts."
As he turned back, Christian hadn't expected to bump into Ashley.
They recognized each other in the spacious, brightly lit corridor, standing ten meters apart. Christian, with his hands deep in his pockets, smiled at the slender figure bathed in the light, "Hey, when did you get back?"
If Ashley had known she'd encounter Christian Brin here, she would've stayed hidden at all costs.
Three years don't change much, like a man's looks and charisma. As always, Christian carried himself with casual defiance, dressed in fine clothing, his sharp bangs swept to the side revealing a broad forehead, highlighting features that screamed generations of wealth and arrogance.
She remembered the last time they had seen each other, three years ago, at Damian’s estate. They were having a barbecue in the yard, with Christian at the grill, tending to the sizzling coals, the grease crackling as it dripped.
He looked up at Ashley, who had come for food, and said with a grin, "Hey, you're pretty impressive."
Unlike Hayden, he never really called her by her name, and when he did, there was a mocking undertone to it, occasionally referring to her as 'Mrs. Hearst' in Damian's presence.
Christian had never had any faith in her.
Ashley picked up a roasted cob of corn, “What do you mean by that?”
Christian remarked, “Even a man as sharp and composed as Damian got fooled by you. Should I commend you for your acting chops or your expert “technique”?”
He loaded the word "technique" with such insinuation, his gaze filled with disgust, as if he was looking at a streetwalker slinking through an alleyway.
He was so annoying that Ashley almost wanted to slam an ear of corn in his face, but then she heard him add, "No performance is perfect. It won't take long for him to realize your act and show you the door, I promise. Anybody who crosses Damian will, well, let's just say, not have a beautiful ending."
The weather was glorious that day; the sun beaming down as Hayden and Damian lounged on a bench, soaking up the rays and chatting, with Hayden’s laughter occasionally carrying over.
Meanwhile, Ashley felt a chill in her heart, as if the temperature had plummeted to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Not long after that encounter, Astor Group ran into trouble and faced liquidation...
She forced a smile, clearly a façade, and quipped, "Less than three months."
It had been less than three months since her return, continuously bumping into this crowd. For a city like Rochester, claiming a population of over twenty million, it felt all too small.
Christian said with a tinge of sarcasm, “Heard from Hayden you snagged a Ph.D. abroad. After some further enlightenment, you’ve swooped back into town to stir up trouble again, huh?”
Ashley clenched her fists, reminding herself not to get angry; falling for his bait was exactly what he wanted. With a mock gracious tilt of the head, she replied, "Looks like Christian's insight has sharpened. Indeed, absence does make hearts grow fonder, even you can't miss this."
Christian snorted, "You're not bad yourself, dropping the act. It's better when we're straightforward with each other."
Ashley didn't want to engage with him too much; he was bad news and always brought trouble.
She should have never left to use the restroom. Using the private one in the lounge would have been so much better.
As Christian walked past her, he deliberately looked back, "Damian and Trinity are getting engaged, perfect match. Don't get your hopes up; Damian isn’t the type to make the same mistakes twice."
Ashley once again reminded herself to keep her composure, to maintain her aura. After all, she was a professional attorney!
"Yeah, just the other day Damian actually had me weigh in, providing a reference for his choice. Quite a jokester, your good buddy. When you've got a minute, remind him to cut back on the all-nighters; it affects his brain."
Brin paused, mulling over her words. Was Damian's biggest fan actually dissing him?
"Damian's just in our private room. You could deliver your advice in person, couldn't you? It's been years since we all were together, let's liven up the place."
Ashley smiled thinly, "I'm an outsider now, wouldn’t fit into the excitement."
His smile widening unnaturally with a hint of malice, Christian taunted, "What's the matter? Scared? Are you afraid of dredging up old wounds, or perhaps you're worried about rekindling past flames and falling for Damien all over again?"
