Chapter66Embrace and Kiss
Ashley was pinned against the wall, her hands held high above her head. Her eyes were wide, her face a tableau of protest and outrage, but she had no chance to voice her objections.Damian, relishing the sweet taste of her lips, was oblivious to her resistant expression. His body was relentless in its pursuit, his actions driven by a primal urge to dominate. In the heat of the moment, he had pressed his lips to hers without a second thought. Had he paused, even for a fraction of a second, to let his mind intervene, he might not have succumbed to the impulse.His desire was to punish her severely, to make her beg, to see her cry.When he finally released her, his hand remained firmly against her, warding off a potential slap. He studied her swollen lips, tracing them with his fingertip. Out of nowhere, he said, "Buy a pair of men's slippers." His random comment was a stark disregard for her emotional state.Chest heaving with anger, Ashley managed to growl, "What's your deal, Damian? We're divorced. Which part of that don't you understand?"Damian focused intently on her, replying, "I don't understand any part of it.""You..." Her words were choked with frustration, but she pressed on, "Alright then, explain what just happened!"They were neither lovers nor spouses. What gave him the right to kiss and hold her on a whim?Unfazed, Damian said, "A kiss."His response was as literal as it could get.Exasperated, Ashley closed her eyes, "Get out. I'll write it off as bad luck, not even worth squabbling over."Bad luck?Damian, his hand propped against the wall, fingers spread wide to reveal the prominent veins on his knuckles, demanded, "Look me in the eyes and tell me you feel nothing for me."She looked up defiantly, "I do feel something – disgust."His complexion turned a sickly grey, "You..." He paused, then spat out two words, "Very well.""Any more questions?"His expression darkened from anger to a menacing shade.Then he stepped out, slamming the door behind him. He had arrived like a gust of wind and departed just as swiftly, always putting his mood first.Ashley moved slowly to the window, hugging her arms around herself, feeling wronged, angry, scared, and above all, heartbroken.How had it come to this with Damian?Their once clearly severed marital ties and her painstakingly organized emotions had crumbled in just a few days of contact.Her fingers brushed her lips, and the warmth and sensation of his presence still lingered there – commanding, scorching, and so familiar...He had asked if she felt anything.How could she not?Every single passionate dream she had was about him. She desperately wanted to convince herself she was over Damian, yet his embraces and kisses were undeniably lethal.‘Ashley, I've had someone look into it, and it's Mister Hearst. You must be cautious around Damian and never let your guard down.’ Upon her return home, her father had warned her that all the evidence they had pointed towards Damian.The bankruptcy of the Astor Group was his doing.
She had her suspicions that Mister Hearst wasn't necessarily Damian. The Hearst family was sprawling, and it could be some other man with the surname, like his father or even his grandfather.But wasn't Damian the one with a direct grudge against the Astor Group?He was the prime suspect.Damian was Astor Group's nemesis, and in the eyes of his parents, he was utterly unforgivable.How could she possibly harbor any illusions about him?She slapped her face hard several times, nearly swelling her cheeks, chanting to herself, "Snap out of it, Ashley, snap out of it!"Ashley had a rough night, waking up almost every hour and staring blankly into the pitch-black room.She had thought through a lot throughout the night.She needed to force herself to step out of Damian's shadow, desensitize herself to him, face her fears, and conquer them.
As the first light of dawn pierced the darkness, Ashley reached for her phone. Dialing Harold's number, she announced, "Harold, I've decided to continue with the KM Road case."Harold, still hazy from sleep, grumbled, "Why so early? Are you sleepwalking?"Maintaining a composed tone, Ashley responded, "Letting personal emotions interfere with work is unwise. I've been too emotional and easily influenced. I'll explain the situation to Mister Hearst."Harold, having stayed up past one with Amelia, was struggling to process the early morning call. "You were hesitant to take on this case, remember? The legal team at KM Road hinted that they no longer want our involvement. I've been pondering how to break this to you, considering the penalty clause."Ashley wasn't entirely sure if Damian would keep his promise from the previous night, but she was determined to fight for an opportunity. "I'll try to arrange a meeting with him. There might still be some room for negotiation."Fearing that Ashley might impulsively rush to KM Road and face Damian's wrath, Harold quickly cautioned, "Don't act rashly. You're no match for him. You must follow my instructions, understood?""I understand," Ashley assured him.With her fever subsided and her cold mostly gone, Ashley applied light makeup and slipped into a lavender jacket, looking refreshed and radiant.Upon arriving at the law firm, she immediately checked her corporate email, but found no messages from KM Road.Seeing her anxiety, Harold felt a pang of sympathy. "Still no word from KM Road. They won’t confirm or cancel, just leaving us in limbo. It's unusual for such a large enterprise to treat this like a game."Feeling guilty for mishandling the communication with Damian, Ashley suggested, "I have the CEO's number. I'll give him a call."Harold's apprehension grew. "Damian? Is he really someone we can call up casually?"Meanwhile, Damian woke up in a foul mood. His sleep had been restless, and by morning, his temper was frayed. Choosing to avoid the office over the weekend, he sat in his study, aimlessly scrolling through his emails.Early in the morning, a call from his grandfather came in, insisting that he meet with some members of the Bezos family."The Bezos family is taking this alliance very seriously, and you need to present yourself well. Pick out some gifts; don’t tarnish the Hearst family's reputation.""The alliance is still under discussion. I'm not rushing into any decisions."Aware of his grandfather's frail health, Damian tried to be as diplomatic as possible.However, the old man was still irked. "What are you saying? Your marriage to Trinity Bezos is practically confirmed, set to happen this year."After ending the call, Damian returned to his emails, but the words blurred before his eyes, failing to register.His phone lit up again. Seeing Ashley's name, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.The persistent ringing was exacerbating his headache."What do you want?" His tone was icy.Ashley's voice was considerably softer. "There's something I need to discuss. Can you talk?""Is this personal or business?"His curt and detached reply forced Ashley to be succinct. "Business.""I don't discuss business on weekends. Schedule an appointment with my secretary."Fearing that hanging up would only make it harder to reach him later, Ashley blurted out, "What’s your favorite color?"Damian's fingertip rested on his brow. "What?""Weren't you the one who asked me to buy men's slippers? What’s your favorite color?"
