Chapter61Playing Hard to Get
"Ashley's interest was not piqued by Mr. Brin's feigned ignorance," she declared in a tone devoid of emotion. "Your friend assaulted my girlfriend, and you believe a mere song will rectify the situation? Isn't that a tad trivial?"Ashley, having previously encountered Christian's underhanded methods, maintained her composure as she engaged in a verbal duel with him. "You were the one who proposed this resolution, are you reneging now? Of course, a man who encourages his girlfriend to instigate conflicts probably doesn't have any dignity to preserve."Meanwhile, Christian, in conversation with Damian, sounded somewhat like he was grumbling. "Did you catch that, Damian? Ashley just hurled an insult in my direction."Ashley was irritated; she should have anticipated that Christian had her on speakerphone. Unperturbed as always, Damian responded as if nothing could disrupt his equanimity. "You have a tongue, don't you? Use it to retaliate if you're capable; otherwise, remain silent.""Really? I'm allowed to counter-insult her, and you won't intervene? I have free rein in this situation?"His attitude was dripping with insincerity. Damian retorted, "Have we concluded our business here?""Ha, this is amusing. Usually, people are so mundane, a single word can reduce them to tears. Why don't we invite Ashley back for more entertainment?"Christian clicked his tongue, unable to witness the current scene unfolding in the private room, but their exchange quickly illustrated a plot of conspiracy. Ashley was seething. Did Christian perceive her as a plaything? An object for his amusement?And what part was Damian playing in all this? Provocateur? Observer?"If Mr. Brin refuses to abide by the rules, then there's no sense in further dialogue. At this hour, the patriarch is likely still awake. I'll bring him some date nut bread and join him for a game of chess."Christian muttered a curse under his breath, evidently in a foul mood. "Ashley, you're overly sensitive. I was merely commenting on your amusing nature."Their propensity for saying one thing to a person's face and another behind their back was all too familiar. Ashley retorted, "Before midnight, I presume that's not too demanding for Mr. Brin's abilities. I'll await your message."Back in the private room, Christian shrugged and laughed at the now dimmed screen. "Damian, what possessed you to marry such a shrew?"Damian finished his cigarette and didn't reach for another. "Which woman are you referring to?""Ugh! A minor influencer a friend suggested. I assumed she was naturally beautiful, but her nose, eyes, and lips have all been surgically enhanced. It was a complete turn-off.""Who assaulted her?"Damian, not one to keep abreast of the chaos of online news, needed to be better informed about the gossip circulating on social media.Christian summarized the critical details. "I encountered a woman at Blue Star. She was giving me the cold shoulder, so I taught her a lesson. Little did I know she was a friend of Ashley's, a woman named Amelia."Damian rolled his eyes, exasperatedly responding, "Are you simply ignorant or intentionally stirring up trouble?"Who could question Damian's intelligence? With just a few carefully selected words, he had cut to the core of the issue."You're not incorrect in your assumption," Christian conceded.Without further ado, Damian shot him a glance, "Stay out of her affairs and keep a low profile.""Don't pretend to be upset about it. You were the one who unceremoniously shipped her off to the States without a second thought. She was kneeling, sobbing in the pouring rain, and you didn't show an ounce of compassion. Honestly, if the staff hadn't intervened, she would have been in serious trouble. What I admire about you is your ruthlessness; when you need to be cold, you're as cold as stone."Damian was taken aback, and a shiver ran down his spine, "When did this occur?""You're unaware?" Christian asked incredulously. "It was the day after the Astor Group was shut down. I can't recall the exact date; it's been a couple of years. Who keeps track? I was on my way to celebrate your liberation from the chains of matrimony, but I couldn't even set foot in your house before witnessing her wailing like a banshee. It completely ruined my mood. Once she was escorted away, I simply left."Damian had no memory of this incident.After finalizing his divorce from Ashley, he had embarked on a business trip to Meridian City, so he had been absent for two days and a night. Upon his return, he hadn't heard a whisper about this event.
With a dismissive wave of his hand, Christian sought to catch Damian's attention. "What's the matter?" he inquired, a hint of mockery in his tone. "Feeling a touch sentimental, are we? Do you honestly believe this tale? My friend, I recommend you indulge in some primetime melodrama instead of falling prey to these professional victims. Haven't you been scorched enough? Your father nearly crippled you due to the Astor Group debacle."Damian, unphased, retrieved another cigarette from his pocket, lighting it and inhaling deeply. He nearly exhausted the stick in a single draw. "Aren't you departing?" he asked, his tone nonchalant.Christian looked at his wristwatch. "It's only eleven. Where would I possibly go at this hour?""Go settle the dispute with Amelia," Damian suggested, his voice carrying an undertone of command.Christian stared at him, taken aback. Since when had Damian shown concern for anyone else's problems? Had Ashley bewitched him once again?Suppressing a chuckle, Christian retorted, "I cautioned you, Damian. You and Ashley are as compatible as oil and water. Meddle with the Astor Group's unresolved affairs, and you'll be tainted with trouble. As for Ashley, she's nothing more than a con artist, her deceptive tricks too numerous to count. Has her enchanting singing ensnared you once again?"Had he known the irresistible allure of Ashley's singing, he would have never invited Damian in the first place.Ignoring Christian's jibes, Damian exited the private room.A waiter entered to tidy up the room and, noticing a Hermès bag on the couch, queried in a hushed voice, "Mister Hearst, what should I do with the bag..."Christian couldn't bear to even glance at it. "Dispose of it!" he commanded.---Ashley decided against visiting Harold's place. She was apprehensive that Christian might refuse to cooperate, and it wouldn't be appropriate to confront him there. Harold's voice echoed with regret over the phone. "Ashley, I'm truly sorry. I've messed up badly this time.""Did she witness everything?" Ashley inquired, her voice tense."I was in the shower and had taken my phone with me. I forgot to lock the door. It never occurred to me that she'd barge in, snatch it, and flee. I couldn't chase her down in my current state. She locked the bedroom door behind her. She saw everything she was meant to see, and everything she wasn't."Ashley massaged her forehead, a grimace of worry etched across her face. "How did she react?""She berated me for a while," Harold confessed. "Now she's silent. She's vowing to take Christian down."Ashley remained composed, her sanity intact. "Tell her to hold off, not to act impulsively. She can't take on Christian head-on. She'd be torn apart before she even got a chance to confront him."Amelia interjected, "Ashley, this is a personal matter between Christian and me. Stay out of it. Allow me to decide how to deal with him.""If it's still trending in an hour, and he hasn't sorted things out by midnight, you'll receive his address and the means to confront him," Ashley promised, her voice firm.She was aware of Christian's address but needed to ensure Harold remained oblivious."Alright. It's war now. He'd better kill me, or I swear I'll do it to him! Harold, I'm famished. Prepare something for me!" Amelia's voice was filled with determination.Once she ended the call, Ashley glanced at the gates of Henry Lee's neighborhood. She pressed the accelerator and drove into the garage.She resolved to find a new place the following day. She was done sharing a space with Damian.Her grueling day had left her oblivious to her physical exhaustion. But once she settled on the couch and relaxed, her body was wracked with aches, her legs felt weak, and her forehead burned to the touch.Fortunately, she had fever reducers at home. She swallowed the pills with some warm water. With an empty stomach, the sudden intake made her feel nauseous.It was half-past eleven, and the trending topic on Twitter regarding Amelia was escalating; more scandalous information was being unearthed, including a trivial high school romance.Damn Christian!Ashley harnessed her anger into energy, prepared to unleash a verbal onslaught over the phone, and then confront his grandfather.Before she could dial, Damian's call appeared on her screen.Without a second thought, Ashley disconnected the call.Two seconds later, a text from Damian appeared: [Open the door.]
