Chapter63Will It Work? Just Try
The kitchen window framed a dazzling tableau of lights, twinkling like a thousand tiny stars against the inky expanse of the night sky. With the city's landmarks shrouded in darkness, the celestial bodies took center stage, their brilliance undimmed. The crescent moon hung low, its silver arc partially obscured, lending an air of mystery to the scene.This was the view that met Ashley's eyes as she pulled away from Damian's embrace. The beauty of the night seemed to lend an air of romance to the moment, making even the most mundane utterances from the typically aloof man seem laden with innuendo.A blush crept up her cheeks, the heat of her fever making her head spin. She pressed her back against the cold surface of the refrigerator, her fingers curling around its metallic edge. Her voice, husky with illness and unspoken desire, broke the silence. "I don't care what you want to eat. Suit yourself."Damian had always believed that people were capable of acting irrationally under certain circumstances. The woman in his arms, stubborn and defiant, was a prime example. Despite her protestations, he found her endearing.Endearing and devilishly alluring. Her soft voice was a siren's call, luring him into her web of seduction.He leaned in closer, his chin almost brushing against her cheek, and murmured, "I want to eat..."Ashley's eyes widened in shock, her ears burning with embarrassment. "Damian, that's too much. We're divorced; we're not in that kind of relationship anymore."With a swift movement, Damian pulled open the refrigerator door, causing Ashley to stumble backwards. A gust of cold air swept out, making him grimace. Reluctantly, he reached in and grabbed a frozen pizza.Ashley glanced at the pizza, then back at Damian, her earlier indignation giving way to embarrassment. "Pizza? I thought you hated pizza."Ignoring her comment, Damian returned to their previous conversation. "And what did you think I wanted to eat?"His gaze dropped to the tantalizing expanse of her neck, revealed by an undone button on her collar.Ashley coughed awkwardly, trying to deflect his attention. "I forgot we had other groceries at home."A smirk played on Damian's lips. "Did you think I wanted to eat you?"Ashley refused to admit that the thought had crossed her mind. "In your eyes, I'm just some easy woman, beneath your interest."But Damian wasn't deterred. He lifted her chin, leaning in close. His aura enveloped her, his breath hot against her lips, making her head spin.Ashley jerked away, trying to put some distance between them. "What are you... what are you doing?"His fingers traced the contours of her cheek, sending shivers down her spine. "Am I not good enough?"Her eyes widened in surprise."Is there a game to replace the usual between spouses? What would you suggest?"Memories flooded back to Ashley. She had made that comment during a heated argument with Trinity Bezos, and Damian had overheard."What are you trying to say?"Damian stepped forward, pulling her closer. His body radiated heat, making her heart race. "Don't you know if I'm good enough? Want me to prove it?"His gaze was intense, his intentions clear. Ashley was taken aback, unsure of how to respond."Damian... I'm hungry, we should eat. I'm not worth your effort or trouble!" she stammered, trying to escape his grasp. In her haste, she collided with a cabinet, the loud thump breaking the tension.Seeing her wince in pain, Damian turned away to fill a pot with water and turned on the stove. "You got yourself a PhD here?"The abrupt change in topic left Ashley confused."Staying here without studying isn't an option. Not all of us are like you," she retorted, questioning his ability to follow a logical conversation.Living in the States as a foreign national wasn't easy. One either worked under a job visa or stayed as a student. A tourist visa only lasted for six months. Ashley wanted to make the most of her education. Her parents had always encouraged her to aim high, not wanting her to end up like her older brother, working in a restaurant.Fortunately, Ashley had secured a full scholarship to Cornell University, ensuring her stay in the country for at least two years.
Damian's voice dripped with sarcasm as he asked, "Can't your omnipotent father handle something as simple as a green card?" The mere mention of her parents was enough to make Ashley's blood boil. It was her Achilles' heel, the trigger to her fury. "Are you implying that you're unaware of the circumstances surrounding my father's departure from the country?" she retorted.When her father had left, they were neck-deep in debt. The Hearst family had frozen all their assets and bank accounts, including Ashley's. It was her mother who had used the last of her spending money to ensure their safe arrival in New York.Damian shot back, "What am I supposed to know? Is it about the billion your father liquidated or the two billion your elder brother pocketed? In less than half a year, the Astor Group siphoned off over three billion from the major banks. Even if that money was dumped into a canal, it would raise the water level. And you're saying that's not enough to support a family?"Ashley could feel her anger pulsating in her temples. She regretted ever opening the door to him. "That money..." she began, but then thought better of it. Why dredge up old wounds for his amusement? "Whatever you say," she conceded, her voice tight.Damian was irked by her expression. He wasn't averse to hearing an explanation, after all.With a practiced ease, Damian preheated the oven. Ashley watched him, a sneer playing on her lips. In their three years of marriage, she had never seen Damian set foot in the kitchen. Could it be possible that he knew how to cook?As he slid a pizza into the oven, expertly adjusting the temperature for even baking, she couldn't resist asking, "You can cook?"Damian shot her a look that clearly said, 'Are you seriously asking me that?'Ashley defended herself, "I've never seen you do it. I assumed you couldn't.""You think everyone's as incompetent as you," Damian retorted.Stung, Ashley shot back, "Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Not knowing how to cook isn't the end of the world.""Some things you can afford not to know, but cooking? What, are you planning on starving?" he challenged."I haven't starved yet.""Take a look in the mirror, do you even look like a living person?"Ashley bit back a retort, "I've had a lingering cold, and Christian has been causing problems. That's delayed my recovery, so I've just looked a bit off these past few days."In other words, none of this was her fault.As the oven preheated, Damian lifted the pizza stone to check the temperature, then placed it back inside, leaving the oven door slightly ajar to adjust the heat. "Everyone else manages to stay healthy, but you catch a cold, run a fever—it shows you have poor immunity, malnutrition. Ultimately, you're not eating right, leading to poor physical condition."Her shortcomings were his focus.Ashley retorted, "Who else runs over to their ex's place in the middle of the night to bake a pizza? You're not doing so well yourself."Damian's lip twitched slightly as he reached for some plates, only to find them neatly loaded in the dishwasher. Had she really used every single dish and then washed them all at once?“I need to talk to you,” he said.Catching his intent and feeling a tad embarrassed, Ashley didn't let it show. She handled it with poise, pulling out the dishes from the machine. “Your so-called 'matter' wouldn't happen to be freeloading my pizza, would it?”Damian turned off the burner. “Back then, did you ever...” Visit my place?He had come to ask this very question, but their constant bickering had left him no room to speak.In an unfortunate turn of timing, Ashley’s phone rang.She answered, “Amelia...”“Ashley, I love you! How did you pull it off? The trending topic is gone, not a trace online. I can't believe my eyes. Seriously, how magical is this? Who did you call on for this miracle?”Had Christian pulled some strings?Ashley glanced at Damian serving spaghetti, then stepped outside. “If it's sorted, you can get some sleep, right?”On the other end, Amelia was exuberantly grateful, elevating Ashley to superhuman status. “No more words needed. Whatever you want, darling, I’ll buy it for you!”“All I want is your happiness,” Ashley said. “Tell Harold I won’t make it tonight. I’ll see him at the law firm tomorrow.”
Damian placed two steaming plates of pizza on the table. “Come on, let’s eat.”
Amelia’s ears perked up. “Who’s that? Who’s talking? Ashley, where are you?”
