Chapter 49 Jealous
Damian didn’t leave his seat but pulled out a cigarette. Looking up and noticing eyes on him, he queried, "What is it?"
"Not for prying ears. It's about confidential business matters," Ashley replied without deviation.
Thomas abruptly set down his fork. "Sir, I'm full. There's a meeting coming up and I need to grab some documents."
With a nod of approval from Damian, Thomas made a swift exit.
Trinity was far from clueless. Even if it was a matter of corporate secrecy, there was no need for Thomas, Damian's senior assistant, to leave in such a hurry. His urgency suggested he'd picked up on the undertones of Ashley's remarks.
Trinity slowly placed her fork down, her smile the picture of elegance, "What's so urgent it can't wait until after meal? How much difference will half an hour make? Anthony Hearst mentioned that Damian's digestive system has been out of sorts, insisting I ensure he eats properly. Now, how could I neglect that reminder?"
Her words were coated with veneer civility, but the barbs hidden within were clear to everyone.
Ashley was no pushover. Ignorance of her true nature was one thing, but now that she had revealed her manipulative streak, she couldn't be blamed for wanting to stir the pot, her smile barely concealing the taunt, "I apologize, Trinity. KM is a major corporation with significant responsibilities. As Damian's attorney, it's my duty to address potential issues promptly. It's not about who's at fault; it's about preventing mistakes?"
Trinity had experienced Ashley's sharp tongue before, but to be outplayed in front of Damian was a blow to her pride!
She turned her soft gaze to Damian, "You go ahead with your work. I'll wait outside, check with you later."
"Okay," Damian replied.
Trinity knew how to play her part. She might have walked away, but her lingering, backward glances were filled with reluctant tenderness, an act so delicate it almost evoked pity.
No wonder Damian found her alluring; there was a certain charm to the ingenue.
Once the door closed, Ashley asked, "Upset?"
Damian lit a cigarette and inhaled slowly.
He would usually lean his elbow against a table or armrest and hold a lit cigarette between his fingers. He let it burn slowly, not smoking too much. Even this basic action had appeal, his muscular form showing through his shirt.
Ashley was used to quietly swoon over him.
But not anymore. Now all she sensed was the obnoxious smell of smoke and an air of cool self-absorption.
"So, what's the matter? Spit it out," he said.
Ashley responded, "It's nothing, after all."
Damian's face fell cold. "Are you trying to mess with me?"
Yes, she was. His attitude was humiliating her, and she was compelled to strike back.
"You are the boss; how could I ever mess with you? It's just that I didn't want to see your new flame. You made a valid point once: what's been used doesn't differ from first to last. We're no longer husband and wife, but we did share three years as a marriage couple. Even if in the end you end up with someone else, I'd rather not have it flaunted in my face."
Damian, with his fortitude, couldn't be easily angered by a few words. He took a drag on his cigarette and asked, "So, you don't like her. Jealous?"
Ashley quickly replied, "Don't get me wrong, Damian. It's not that I'm holding onto any old flames for you. I just don't take kindly to her type."
She had been insisting she had no feelings for him. Was she challenging his memory? "Do you have some issue with her?" Damian probed.
"No, hardly. We barely cross paths."
Ashley didn't want to badmouth anyone behind their backs. It was up to Damian to see people for who they really are, or not.
Damian knew little about Trinity and hadn't paid much attention to Ashley's social circle as well. He vaguely remembered an actress friend without much fame. In the rich crowd, friendships were a mixed bag, and it wasn't uncommon for them to bear grudges against each other.
"Are you going to let your personal feelings interfere with work and negatively impact the client's timeline? Can you afford that responsibility, Ashley?"
"I stand by what's right, not who's likable. If I don't care for someone, I won't coddle them. Trinity's hauling around her baggage trying to play a role for your benefit, big show, but what's the point? Being willful has a cost. I'll pay it. What's the damage this time? How much are you docking?"
He wasn’t tired of tallying up the constant deductions from the remuneration; the money Ashley earned was neither enjoyable nor satisfying.
Although bankrupt now, Ashley had lived the high life until she was twenty-three, cultivating an exquisite yet proud nature. Raised with elite education, embracing self-respect, love, and strength, she'd never been taught to ingratiate. Now, even as she remained under others' command, that pride was too deeply ingrained to shed.
Damian scoffed, "Your parents struggle day-to-day back in another country, waiting for you to save the day so they could come back. You do have some spirit, but what’s the point? That amount might be simply spent on a purse for the former Miss Astor, but for now, it's your family's yearly sustenance. Weigh your dignity against your livelihood before you speak."
Ashley's breath caught in pain.
All that pride came with a tag, demanding its price.
Damian had stripped away her veneer, revealing the vulnerable reality beneath.
How she wished she could throw that ten thousand in his face, but her family needed the money, and she had her family's messes to clean up. The heavy burden now rested solely on her shoulders.
She was no longer the carefree princess.
Her eyes unconsciously drooped, tears burning in her eyes.
Biting her lip, Ashley muttered, "I'm sorry."
Two words sliced through her like a knife across her skin.
Damian was agitated, "Why apologizing to me? I don’t care at all. Get real, Ashley! You are no longer that “princess”. Don’t you know who Trinity is?"
Ashley replied, "The member of the Bezos family, your soon-to-be fiancée, the future lady of KM."
Damian's voice caught, "What's the point of standing up to her? Just for a few minutes of satisfaction? Were you born yesterday?"
Ashley admitted she'd been impulsive. She just couldn't get past this internal hurdle, "I might have nothing, but I have my dignity. It's clear she's outright disrespecting me."
"Yeah, someone with nothing talking about dignity. Dignity isn't something you just claim; it's given by others! Society often looks down on poverty rather than moral failings.'"
Ashley opened her mouth, wanting to laugh or to curse, but Damian's serious lecturing face stopped the words cold.
Poverty was her greatest shame now.
Grabbing her bag and lowering her head to hide the moisture in her eyes, Ashley muttered, "No sense in extra words when we are not on the same page. Now that business is done, I'll fetch Trinity to join you for the meal."
Damian scoffed, "What? You can't handle criticism but only accept flattery? Then how you can start over like this?"
Ashley gripped the doorknob, her palm sweat smearing the metal, "I do want to start over. You can just leave me alone, Damian. What’s this all about? Don't tell me you gave me that case to help me!”
He couldn't even muster a sneer for her, "Quit the nonsense, just admit you have received my money, haven’t you?"
In his eyes, as long as there's money, nothing else matters, is that right? Using money as a weapon must feel so good.
Ashley, her pent-up frustration and anger finally breaking free, let go of the door handle and glared at Damian, "In your eyes, am I just a tool to be traded for cash? The Astor family took your money, my brother took your money, and I spent your money. But my investment was youth and sincerity. The Astor family declined, so I can't settle those debts. I have no leverage to confront you. But Damian...if you valued our past even a little, you wouldn't humiliate me like this. You stand high above, basking in adoration, but do you have any idea how hard it is that some people spend all their energy on just trying to live a decent life?"
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