Chapter 525 Suddenly Missing Ashley
"Are you sure it's Ashley's daughter?" Tyrell didn't know much about young people, but Ashley left a deep impression on him because she was beautiful, and Hayden cared about her a lot.
Jessica was also a bit uncertain. If it wasn't Ashley's daughter, then whose could it be? Only parents would take their child to see a doctor on a weekend. "The child was being held by Sean, and her features resembled Ashley's a lot. She felt very familiar. That little girl should be about four or five years old."
Tyrell pondered, "Four or five years old? Logically, Hayden wouldn't like a woman who was already married and had a child. I'll find some time to chat with him and see what he knows."
"I'll wait for your news."
Jessica got the answer she wanted and happily left the hospital.
Sitting in the car, she still couldn't feel at ease.
Who could the woman Damian likes be? Does it have anything to do with Ashley?
She had specifically checked the bathroom in the villa and found no traces of any woman. Was she overthinking it?
The best way to verify a guess is to see it with your own eyes.
Jessica immediately decided to stake out near the villa and find out who was getting close to Damian.
Sean took Ashley back to her place. Natalia was resting in the bedroom, and Cleo was smartly playing with the cat in the yard.
In the living room, Ashley poured two glasses of water and sat down with Sean.
The elegant and comfortable decor made one feel relaxed as soon as they sat down. Even someone as upright as Sean adopted a more relaxed posture. "Is it very close to Mr. Hearst's place from here?"
Ashley lifted her chin to indicate upwards, "Ten minutes, walking."
It was indeed very close, close enough to run into him by chance.
Sean admitted he was a bit envious, no, jealous. "Do you see him often? You two."
"No, only when I take Natalia to get her medicine."
Yes, it was quite strange. Damian loved morning runs, yet he had never been seen on the mountain path outside. Was he deliberately avoiding this place?
Sean said, "Don't you want to see him often? If you want, it's very easy to create opportunities."
Ashley smiled, "You want to know how I feel about him?"
Sean smiled lightly, self-deprecatingly, "Scientists give lab mice painful electric shocks. After repeated stimulation, the mice become numb and lose sensation."
Ashley felt a pang in her heart. Was Sean deliberately talking about Damian to repeatedly stimulate her until she became numb?
"As long as the nerves aren't dead, no matter how many times you stimulate them, it will still hurt. It's just that when you can't resist, you close your eyes and endure it, but the pain doesn't lessen. So if possible, wouldn't it be better to have less stimulation and more comfort?"
Sean looked at her with a smile. She was a beautiful girl, but her eyes held an insurmountable sadness. "Let's not talk about this. Do you have any plans for work while taking care of Natalia?"
Ashley thought about it, "We haven't hired a nanny, and I handle everything myself. Plus, it's the initial treatment phase, and there are many unexpected situations. I'm afraid if I go to work, I won't be able to take care of the child."
Harold had also called her, asking if she wanted to do some work on the side. It didn't require full-time attendance, just organizing case files and assisting in court when necessary.
She hadn't agreed.
Once she took on a case, her energy and time would be diverted. Staying up late to review files would become routine, and she feared neglecting Natalia's care.
Sean said, "You could hire a nanny and use the remaining time to do something you want. You love the legal profession and have a license from Sylvania. Some domestic financial dispute cases need someone like you."
Ashley pondered. Long-term unemployment would also make her restless. Watching the legal channel to relieve her desire was just scratching the surface. "Stop tempting me. Have you been waiting all day to talk to me about this?"
Sean laughed, "You are indeed smart. Yes, our law firm is currently helping a local listed company with a lawsuit against an Eirondia enterprise. It involves multiple charges, including patent rights, capital outflow, private transactions by executives, and illegal competition. We lack a strong assistant familiar with international law to find the best entry point for the defense. Would you be willing to help me?"
Ashley joked, "No way, Justice Peak Law Firm is the largest law firm in Rochester City. How could you be short of people?"
"Can't you see I'm trying to poach you?" Sean joked, raising his eyebrows lightly.
"I probably won't go to Justice Peak Law Firm. I gave you my answer two years ago. As for the lawsuit, send me the files, and I'll take a look for you."
Sean had helped her so much, and it was only fair to repay him in her professional field.
"I'll have my assistant send them to you tomorrow."
Ashley asked casually, "Lynn?"
Sean didn't think much of it. "Why?"
"Nothing, just confirming."
Two years was not a long time, and for many people, life wouldn't change much.
It was getting late, and Ashley invited Sean to stay for dinner.
Her cooking skills were still not great. Sean cooked while she helped, and the dishes turned out delicious.
Sean looked very impressive in an apron, both homely and elegant. Even his stir-frying movements were particularly handsome.
Not to mention the perfect color, aroma, and taste of the food. One bite, and the flavor lingered!
Natalia gave him a thumbs up, "Uncle Sean, your cooking is so good! Even better than my dad's!"
Ashley, eating her meal, couldn't help but ask herself, why don't I feel anything for such a good man like Sean?
Ungrateful!
"Mr. Hearst, it seems to be Mr. Ross."
Thomas was driving Damian back to the villa and deliberately slowed down when passing by Ashley's place. He had intended for Damian to see Ashley more, but through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he saw the warmly lit dining room.
A long dining table, with four people, two adults and two children, talking and laughing.
Even through the window, one could feel their happiness.
In contrast, the luxurious and spacious car felt very cold and lonely.
Damian responded in a low voice, and it wasn't until the car drove past the villa and left it behind that he managed to dispel the oppressive feeling in his heart.
Was this how Ashley felt when she saw him with Trinity?
This was probably what fate was like. He truly felt the helplessness and frustration.
On Monday, the stock market opened. Damian glanced at Volcano's performance, which had dropped significantly, even affecting the Nasdaq index.
This showed that Volcano's strength was not to be underestimated.
Damian had looked into Volcano's founding history, and it had expanded continuously through acquisitions.
The most interesting part was that five years ago, they bought the startup company Nova for $5 billion, gaining today's AI achievements, and their value had multiplied several times.
Before purchasing Nova, their growth rate was far from this rapid.
So, how could a mid-sized company come up with so much money at once?
Damian tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and after a moment, he came to a highly probable conclusion.
"Check Hannibal's travel records from five years ago, now."
Upon receiving the order, the people on the other end quickly investigated and called back within thirty minutes. "Mr. Hearst, we found it. Hannibal went to Evercrest City five years ago and stayed at a five-star hotel in the Skyline District."
Damian's last doubt was confirmed. "Volcano is the culprit. Their CEO threatened Dorian through Hannibal and took a sum of money from KM to buy Nova. The timing matches, there's no mistake."
To further verify, checking Volcano's financial movements during that period would suffice, but Damian didn't want to spend more time on something already confirmed.
The person on the other end was shocked, "It's them?! Stealing money from Mr. Hearst, using KM's money as startup capital, damn it, they're asking for it!"
Damian said, "Hannibal likely met that person. Check his expenses and locations during those days, and try to recover surveillance footage."
"Yes!" The person on the other end was excited.
Damian looked at the sky outside his study. The leaves had fallen, and the bare branches swayed helplessly in the wind.
At this moment, he suddenly missed Ashley very much.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
