Chapter 514 The Scene Was Incredibly Warm
Ashley felt like throwing up.
Maybe her aversion to men had reached a physiological level. Just being near them, smelling their masculine scent, made her feel nauseous.
She frowned, holding back the urge to vomit, slightly tilting her head up to look at Chad's not unattractive but extremely displeasing face. "I don't need to follow any rules for anyone. I purely find you repulsive. Let go before I throw up!"
She wasn't joking or threatening. The pained and restrained expression on her face was enough to make Chad understand how much she disliked him.
Chad felt a wave of frustration.
Damn it, he was making a woman feel so disgusted she wanted to throw up?
This realization was too self-doubt-inducing!
The Ferris wheel finally reached its highest point. The designers had meticulously arranged a romantic scene, with each car flashing neon lights at the top to remind passengers they were at a beautiful moment.
But at this moment, the neon lights became a joke.
Chad smiled nonchalantly, let go of Ashley, and sat back in the opposite seat. "I'm curious, why are you like this? Hurt by a jerk? Who? Happy's dad?"
Hearing Chad casually mention Happy and Damian, Ashley's fist clenched. She wasn't joking but coldly reminded him word by word, "Mr. Wilson, don't touch my bottom line. I may not be as strong as you or as ruthless, but never underestimate a mother's determination."
A woman becomes a mother and can pay any price for her child. This was a truth Ashley deeply understood after becoming a mom.
Anyone who tried to harm Happy, she would fight back with all her might, no matter the cost.
Chad's heart skipped a beat. Over the years, living on the edge, he had long been fearless. He didn't expect to feel a long-lost dread in Ashley's eyes.
Killing Ashley would be easy. Not just her, if he was willing to pay the price, even Damian's life wouldn't be a problem. But strangely, Chad didn't want to solve them so quickly. Instead, he wanted to play with them, see how important their dignity was, see if the Hearst family was as noble as the outside world said.
Chad shrugged, pulling a smile, "I haven't done anything. Don't react so strongly, making it seem like I'm your enemy. I did threaten you with a gun, but I also saved you. At least we can start as friends. Show some goodwill to a friend, please."
Ashley hated his playful demeanor and said irritably, "You know your purpose for approaching me. Don't pretend to be so pure and harmless. You're smart, but don't take others for fools."
Chad was stunned for a moment, but only for a moment.
He didn't think Ashley had the ability to know his identity or his true purpose.
Chad still put on a helpless expression, "Tell me, why do you reject men so much? If you don't explain, I'll always think you were raped."
Ashley shot him a sideways glance.
Chad instead laughed at her glare, "Really?"
Ashley pulled a corner of her mouth. "You guessed right. Then I killed that person, stabbed him thirty times from head to toe, leaving no corpse."
Chad fell silent.
After an unpleasant dinner with Chad, Ashley drove back.
There were no entertainment activities at the foot of the mountain at night, very quiet. On the mountain road, only the sound of the engine could be heard, and occasionally the sound of birds hunting in the night came through the closed windows.
Climbing up the mountain road, Ashley saw a patch of lights in the distant valley through the rearview mirror.
She vaguely remembered that it was Hendrix's home.
Hendrix hadn't contacted her in the past two years, and she didn't know how his relationship with Esme was progressing.
Lost in thought, she drove to the villa.
"Ashley, you're back?"
Jasper, quick on his feet, was the first to come out to greet her.
Ashley handed him the snacks she brought, "Snacks from a very famous shop, very delicious."
After speaking, Ashley coughed and asked, "Mr. Hearst has other guests here?"
Jasper examined the box and said, "Guests? No, besides Thomas and Jessica, no one else has been here. Oh, Mr. Hearst's parents and grandfather used to come, but then they stopped for some reason. When they came, it was quite scary, it seemed like they were arguing. I don't know what it was about, but it was scary. Master didn't let me go out and said I shouldn't listen to such things."
In a few words, Ashley could roughly imagine the troubles of the Hearst family.
"Take the snacks to your master. I'll go find Natalia."
Jasper smiled, "Natalia has been in Mr. Hearst's study all evening, having a great time."
Ashley found it hard to believe. With Damian's temper, could he spend so much time with a child?
Ashley slowed her steps, looking at the study door for a while, afraid of encountering an unpleasant scene.
The study was silent. Damian sat in a chair reading documents, with only a floor lamp on, casting a long shadow.
On the sofa beside him, Natalia lay quietly, covered with a thick, plush blanket.
The scene was unbelievably warm.
Ashley almost didn't want to disturb it.
"Natalia fell asleep?" Ashley asked a redundant question to start the conversation.
Damian looked up, put down the documents, and glanced at the still-sleeping child. "She got tired from playing and just fell asleep," he paused and asked, "Is your work done?"
Ashley nodded, walked into the study, and looked down at Natalia's pitiful little face. "Thank you. I'll take her back now."
Damian's Adam's apple bobbed a few times. Looking at her back, he said, "Mr. Collins will try to find a way for Natalia's illness. I'm also contacting other doctors. With current medical technology, it should be curable. Don't be too scared."
Ashley wasn't used to Damian being so gentle and said without turning her head, "I'm not scared. I'm used to it."
Damian was choked, "She just fell asleep. Wait a bit before taking her. She might fuss if she wakes up."
Ashley wanted to say, "Do you think everyone has as bad a temper as you?"
"It's okay. Natalia is very well-behaved."
Damian wanted to find another reason to keep her a bit longer, but then the phone rang. He picked it up and answered in front of Ashley, "Yes."
"Mr. Hearst, Chad and Mrs. Hearst returned to the hotel after their meeting, nothing unusual."
"Okay."
Putting down the phone, Damian asked, "Do you know Chad?"
Ashley, with her back to him, immediately sneered, "Are you having me followed?"
Damian didn't deny it but said, "Chad's identity is still under investigation. He's not as simple as he seems. Be careful."
Careful? The one I should be most careful of is you.
Thinking it over, Ashley decided to temporarily suppress her displeasure for the greater good and say what she hadn't said during the day. It concerned KM and the Hearst family. Even though she had deep prejudices and was very annoyed with Damian, if her knowledge and silence led to more serious consequences, she would regret it.
"Mr. Hearst, there's something you might have considered. You can think of it as me being redundant."
Damian was puzzled by her words, "You haven't said anything yet. How can you think it's redundant?"
Ashley said, "I suspect the person who coerced Dorian into embezzling KM funds and blowing up your project is the same person. They likely have a personal grudge against the Hearst family. They might be targeting you or the entire Hearst family. You can investigate from this angle."
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