Chapter 495 Let Her Fall into the Trap
Ashley turned her body, her long hair flowing out gracefully, lightly scattering and spreading along the man's suit. She tightly collided into the man's chest, being held by one of his arms.
Ashley, still in shock, looked up and met that face—it was Chad.
His sinister smile seemed to declare a power grab, displaying his smugness to the fullest. "I didn't expect us to meet again so soon."
As he spoke, his gaze roamed freely over her body, taking in her curves.
Ashley forcefully pushed Chad's arm away, freeing herself from his grip, and said reluctantly, "Why is it you?"
"Excited?" he asked with a malicious smile.
"Not excited, but thank you."
Whether it was a coincidence or premeditated, Ashley couldn't tell now, but Chad had saved her, and she should thank him.
Chad straightened his disheveled suit jacket, seemingly not appreciating her gratitude, and instead glanced at the bodyguard lying on the ground, unable to move. "It's dangerous for you here. They won't give up looking for you easily."
Ashley had already handed the subpoena to the defendant. The rest could be discussed with the police, so there was no need to stay at the casino. "I'll leave right away, not to disturb your fun."
Chad crossed his arms and looked at her. "I saved you, and you're just going to leave?"
Ashley was undoubtedly wary of Chad. He was sinister and ruthless, willing to do anything to achieve his goals. Saving lives and taking lives were just a matter of a single thought for him. Any benefits he brought came with a heavy price, and she didn't want to touch them.
Including his unsolicited pursuit.
Determined, Ashley crossed her arms, protecting her body. "I don't have cash on me, but all the chips on the table are yours to play with. If you're not satisfied, give me an account number, and I'll transfer the money to you."
If money could solve the problem, Ashley didn't want to waste favors.
Money could draw clear boundaries, but favors couldn't be wiped clean.
"Alright!"
Chad unceremoniously took out his phone and pulled up a WhatsApp QR code. "What era is this? Who still uses bank transfers?"
"Okay."
Ashley scanned the code, preparing to transfer all the balance in her WhatsApp account to him. But before she could press the last zero, Chad smiled and said, "Wait, taking money makes me look too low. Treat me to a meal; I'm just hungry."
Ashley still transferred the money without hesitation. It wasn't too much, but not too little either—twenty-two thousand dollars. "This money should be enough for whatever you want to eat. Enjoy your meal."
Chad looked at the newly added friend and transfer record in his WhatsApp list, raising an eyebrow. "Your colleague is still in their hands. If you leave, who will save him?"
Did Otis not escape?
They had gotten separated during the incident. The last time she saw Otis was in the corridor. The other side had professional thugs, and Otis was just an ordinary person. The odds were against him.
Chad offered, "I have connections in the casino. I can help you find him. Have dinner with me; it won't take long. I don't want to threaten you, but Ms. Astor, paying me off with money is a bit insulting to my character."
Ashley clenched her fist, once again confirming that Chad was not someone to be trifled with. But Otis...
"I'll make a call first."
She took a few steps and dialed Otis's number, only to be prompted that it couldn't be connected.
Was he really captured?
Damn it!
"Dinner is fine, but I choose the place."
Half an hour later, at the casino restaurant.
The restaurant, located on the top floor of the casino, had most of its dining area in an open-air glass room, except for a few private rooms. The tables were far apart but still visible to each other. At this time, the restaurant was crowded, with piano accompaniment creating a serene atmosphere, completely different from the noisy gambling downstairs.
The decanted red wine was poured into a goblet, and the appetizers were served, but Ashley had no appetite at all.
This was only her second meeting with Chad, yet he seemed to know her very well.
Chad picked up his wine glass, a smile hanging at an angle across the red rose in the middle of the table. "Ms. Astor, cheers."
Ashley symbolically clinked her glass with his, hesitated for a moment, and pressed her lips to the edge of the glass, but the wine did not enter her throat.
Chad naturally noticed but didn't expose her.
"You don't want to take our case. I've reported to the BOSS, and he decided to replace you, so there's no forced relationship between us. All our interactions today and in the future are my personal actions."
Ashley said, "Your BOSS is a smart person. At least he knows that forcing others is not good. Please convey my thanks to him. As for our interactions, they won't be necessary in the future."
Chad said, "I want to ask in a personal capacity, what grudge do you have with the KM Group?"
"I said, it's a personal reason, no comment."
Chad held his knife and fork, eating slowly. His table manners were impeccable, exuding the elegance and ease of high society, but the force with which he cut the steak easily exposed his cruel nature.
"We've investigated you."
"Figured as much."
"So, even if you don't tell me, I know your relationship."
Ashley remained indifferent, "It's all in the past. It doesn't matter if you know or not."
Chad nodded, "You don't care, but I do. I heard you're devoted to Damian, that no one else will do. I want to see if you'll fall in love with me."
Ashley sneered, "No need to try. I'll tell you the answer right now—no."
"Really? You still love him?"
Chad was very fixated on her relationship with Damian.
Ashley put down her knife and fork, having no appetite to eat. "If you have a personal grudge with Mr. Hearst, you can settle it like a man instead of pestering me. That's even lower."
Chad shrugged, "I think this approach is cool, very manly! Although I don't like Damian, I can't deny he has good taste. The women he likes, one after another, have strong personalities."
Ashley smiled, "Besides me, who else have you pursued?"
Chad teased, "Other women don't need to be pursued; they can be taken."
Ashley rolled her eyes, what a lunatic.
Although it was supposed to be a meal, Chad spent the entire time making small talk, dragging the meal out for two hours.
Taking the elevator downstairs, Chad said with lingering interest, "I have a feeling we'll meet again."
"Hopefully next time, I'll be the one saving you."
"Maybe!"
Ashley's arm broke out in goosebumps.
Chad kept his word. Once his goal was achieved, he made a call, and within ten minutes, Otis was brought to the lobby, injured but with only minor wounds.
Back at the hotel, Ashley turned on her phone and searched for Chad.
Unexpectedly, there was indeed information about him online!
Chad was a young and promising financial lawyer, a graduate of a prestigious university with a master's degree in law. He was thirty-three years old, residing in Evercrest City, and working at Volcano.
But the information might not be accurate, so Ashley messaged her colleagues at the law firm to inquire.
A colleague said they hadn't seen this person, "That university is so big, and there are many law students. It's normal not to know everyone."
The reason was acceptable, but Ashley still felt uneasy.
Finally, she sent a message to Harold, asking him to use his connections to investigate.
Due to the time difference, Harold hadn't replied.
What grudge did Chad have with Damian? Why was he so interested in her? What did he want to achieve by using her?
Meanwhile.
Chad sat in the back of a stretch Lincoln, a laptop on his lap, with April's face on the screen.
"Send me the photos."
April calmly praised, "As expected of you, getting a date with her so quickly."
"A little trick. I happened to know the person they were looking for, so I sent a few bodyguards their way."
Chad had checked Ashley's work schedule in advance and knew she was coming to Golden City, so he arranged everything, staging a hero-saving-the-damsel act.
Flawless, making her fall into the trap.
April quickly sent the photos to his computer, all of Ashley's front views, while his were all back views, including the scene of them hugging tightly in the corridor.
One in a sharp suit, the other in a long dress.
Chad smirked, "We look quite a match."
April scoffed, "Please, she's married with kids and has had a miscarriage. You want a woman like that? Even if you want to take something from Damian, at least be a bit selective."
Chad enlarged Ashley's photo, her cold face devoid of a smile, her eyes filled with resistance.
She was very different from Selene.
When he first met Selene, she was still very young. Though stubborn, she eventually became tamed over time.
Ashley, on the other hand, was still a wild horse.
The wilder, the more it ignited a man's desire to conquer.
Chad's long fingers slid over Ashley's lips, then brushed against his own. "April, next time, I want to sleep with her."
April was indifferent, "Suit yourself. What about the photos?"
Chad accessed a heavily encrypted system, then hacked into Damian's email, carefully selecting a few photos to send over. "It's been a while since I dealt with him. I wonder if, after being blown up once, he's still as smart as he used to be."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
