Chapter78An Accidental Kiss
Ashley scoffed inwardly, 'Yeah, right, as if you don't care. Then why the competition?' She managed to mask her disdain, offering a smile that was anything but sincere. "Perhaps I've been overthinking things. Once Mr. Brin gives his word, he's known to stick to it."Christian shot Damian a sidelong glance. The big boss couldn't hide his annoyance, "It seems Ashley doubts my character. Have I somehow offended her?"Caught in the crossfire, Damian finally broke his silence, maintaining a neutral stance. "Aren't you two aware of each other's feelings?"Christian's mood lightened, appreciating his brother's lingering rationality, undazzled by the manipulative vixen. "Lighten up, Ashley. Stephen finally has time for a get-together. You've won, yet you still seem gloomy. It reflects poorly on me, as if I haven't taken good care of our guests."Christian's words were charming, but the underlying irony wasn't lost on anyone—it was a clear challenge.With Amelia's issue now resolved, Ashley felt more at ease. She tilted her head back, allowing the breeze to caress her face. Her simple smile had the power to turn heads. "Mr. Brin, up for another challenge? I'm game."Christian cocked his head, eyeing her knowingly. She was clearly up to something. "What's your game, Ashley?"Ashley felt the weight of the bow in her hands—it was substantial. "Why not another round, since everything's already set up?"Christian had never seen Ashley shoot before. Archery was more demanding than darts—pulling a bow required strength. Was she skilled in this as well?Holding the bow, Ashley prompted, "Mr. Brin?"Hayden, always eager for entertainment, egged him on, "Christian, Ashley's ready. What about you? You're quite the expert here; don't you want to even the score?"Gregory wanted to encourage him to join in but feared she might stir up trouble, so she simply stood by with a sugary smile.Christian felt suffocated by their foolish grins. "Damn," he muttered under his breath, "what's with the world today, full of airheads and morons?"Ashley boldly laid out the rules this time. "Same game, the winner can make any demand of the loser."Christian lit a cigarette, took a drag, and let it hang from his lips, his smile askew. "You're pretty confident, Ashley.""To play with you guys, don't I have to be?"This time, they each faced their own targets, nocks set and arrows ready to fly in unison. Whoosh! Whoosh! Two arrows streaked across the night sky like shooting stars, their sounds merging into one — both hit the bullseye.Ashley was well aware of Christian’s prowess. Every draw of the bow was a moment of concentrated effort, demanding his undivided attention.Christian flicked his cigarette butt away, crushing it underfoot, and glanced at Ashley, “You’ve got some fancy moves for a lady.”Ashley responded, “While other girls fancy dancing or playing the piano, all those refined arts, I never had the knack for grace. I tend to go for something more… robust!”Whoosh!Her words ended with the thud of an arrow striking its target — another bullseye.Hayden's jaw nearly hit his stomach in astonishment. He looked at Damian and exclaimed, "Holy smokes, do you think Ashley’s some kind of retired special forces operative? Like the ones you read about in novels, a heroine with layers upon layers of badass hidden talents?"Damian, leaving his drink untouched, leaned back in his chair to appreciate the confrontation, “Impressive? Hardly. That’s just a parlor trick, nothing more."Stephen, seeing through Damian's bravado, called him out, "Admitting she’s got skills won’t kill you. Something is refreshing about her directness, you know? A woman who doesn’t put on airs of elegance but has an honest charm – it's rather appealing.”Damian watched Ashley stand tall, her arms steady as she drew the bow and released each arrow with fluid grace, quite unlike her piano-playing demeanor. He couldn't determine which side of her was the genuine article.
A voice inside him questioned, “What’s she really after, hiding her talent like that?”
Ashley concentrated, feeling the strain in her arms that she hadn't felt in a long time. Her teeth clenched as she released her tenth arrow. Christian, preparing for his next shot, already knew he was outclassed. He tossed aside his crossbow with a resigned clap of his hands, forfeiting the contest. "Let's cut to the chase," he said, "there's no need for suspense."Gregory, holding a glass of water, tentatively offered it to him. "Tired, huh? Have some water first."Christian accepted the glass with a grimace, took a sip, and spat it out. "What is this?"Gregory nervously explained, "It's... just some soda water.""Get out of my way. You’re bothering me," Christian retorted.Gregory stumbled back, seeking refuge behind a chair. No one offered her an escape route, leaving her to slink away in embarrassment.Isabel chuckled to herself before playfully placing a cherry between Hayden’s lips. “It’s sweet,” she said.Hayden savored the cherry, holding her finger in his mouth a moment longer. “Sweet," he echoed.All Gregory could do was watch in frustration.Ashley returned the crossbow to its barrel, then gazed out at the ink-blue canopy. She had been so engrossed in the competition that she almost missed the nighttime panorama from the mountaintop. The late spring evening view of Rochester City, with its cool, star-studded sky and clouds drifting on the breeze, was a particular kind of beautiful.“I heard Mr. Brin has a special skill that I’ve always been curious about,” she mused, “whether it's fact or fiction.” Ashley's statement was tantalizingly vague, stirring everyone's curiosity.Hayden was the first to jump into the conversation. "Does Christian have some secret skills I don't know about?"Christian's face reddened, a testament to his self-control. The last thing he needed was for Ashley to provoke him after all the years he spent building his reputation. "Yeah, I wonder what skill set has caught Ashley's eye. Was she watching me sleep last night? Sure, I excel in certain... personal areas."Damian's expression darkened, but Ashley seemed utterly unfazed, as accustomed as she was to hearing risqué jokes."Christian's talents are best appreciated by his girlfriend," Ashley said nonchalantly. "But I'm curious, is it true that Christian has practiced... Toad-style kung fu?"Toad-style kung fu? The image of a caricature frantically puffing his cheeks and leaping off the ground flashed through everyone's minds.Internally, Christian wanted to tear Ashley apart, but he maintained a calm exterior. "Who told you that?""Didn't you invest in a film called 'The Archer' and demonstrate a crucial scene on set? You did it so well, even better than the director. It made the actors' performance incredibly lifelike. Mr. Brin, could you give us a reenactment?" Ashley pressed.Christian was sure this was one piece of dirt that no one would dare spread. It must've been one of her entertainment industry friends who dug up this little piece of gossip. Fantastic, just fantastic.Hayden's eyes bulged in an effort to suppress his laughter. "Holy crap, is that for real? Christian, you can't back out now."Stephen chimed in, "How much did you invest that you even gave a personal demonstration? Were you smitten with the actress?"Damian added dryly, "You might want to omit the 'watching' part."Laughter erupted among them.Christian, not willing to lose face, exclaimed through clenched teeth, "Ashley, quite the player, huh?" So she wanted to play him to death.Ashley casually picked a chair and sat down, a smirk on her face. "Just following your lead." In her mind, she was plotting her revenge—have him sing "Itchy" on video and see how he likes it.Christian, caught between a rock and a hard place and bound by the rules of their playful retribution, had no choice but to follow through. With a resigned sigh, he launched into the act he dreaded. In just a few seconds, his heart sank as he silently cursed Ashley hundreds of times.Hayden doubled over with laughter, practically gasping for air. Stephen clapped along, highly amused. Gregory and Isabel, trying to contain their joy, could only pinch the backs of their hands until they were mottled with bruises.Damian approached Ashley with a restrained smile and whispered, "You've got the guts to challenge him like that. Aren't you scared he'll get back at you?"Ashley turned to look at him, but they were so close that as she moved, her lips accidentally brushed against his, stifling his teasing smile with her own.
