Chapter 85 Jail Seems Inevitable
<Chapter>Chapter 85 Jail Seems Inevitable </Chapter>
Rage and humiliation were Ashley's twin companions, their presence so overwhelming that she trembled, speechless in her fury. Her gaze lowered, she stabbed at the meat on her plate with a vehemence that belied her usual calm. Each jab was a wish, a desire to inflict a thousand cuts on Damian, to make him feel the pain he'd caused her.Noticing the bruise marring her collarbone, Damian felt a twinge of remorse for his earlier roughness. "Does it hurt?" he asked, his voice laced with regret.Ashley's response was a lethal combination of anger and scorn. "Why don't we find a baton and prod you with it? Let's see if that hurts," she retorted, her tone rigid, each syllable heavy with a bitterness that made her words seem almost tangible.Observing Ashley's trembling form, her complexion as pale as a ghost, Damian raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed?" he quipped, attempting to lighten the mood.But Ashley was in no mood for his jests. She refused to meet his gaze, focusing instead on the pitiful vegetables on her plate. How could he act so nonchalantly, as if he had no part in her pain? How could he just conveniently forget the damage he'd inflicted?Was it so easy for him to laugh off the hurt he'd caused? Was he truly so callous as to hit and run?"Feeling used because we slept together?" Damian challenged, his voice cold. "Let's be clear: you came to me, not the other way around."Ashley's patience snapped. She slammed her fork down on the table, her anger boiling over. What did he mean by 'coming to him'? She hadn't initiated anything last night! And she'd made it abundantly clear this morning that he was the one who'd coerced her!"Do you think it's normal and trivial to sleep with a woman who's neither your girlfriend nor your wife?" she spat, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion. "Yes, you're never short of women – always ready to throw themselves at you. You view women as trivial, playthings to be used and discarded. Once you're done, it's back to business as usual, without a care for the other person's feelings."Tears welled up in Ashley's eyes, threatening to spill over. She wanted to maintain her composure, but in Damian's presence, her vulnerability was impossible to hide. "It was my mistake to think I was different from the others in your eyes, that I meant something."Her voice broke as she finished, a lump forming in her throat. "But, Damian, can you leave me with a shred of dignity? Could you please just let me be alone for a while?"Damian watched her in silence, his expression unreadable.Ashley took a deep breath, her chest heaving with the effort to contain her emotions. She felt as if she would burst if she said another word.The shrill ring of the phone shattered the tense silence.Ashley moved to the living room to answer, her voice curt. "What?"Casting a glance back at Damian, who was casually continuing his meal, she responded to the caller. "Yes, I have all the documents... I have no plans today; I'm just catching up on some sleep."Ending the call, Ashley felt a wave of discomfort wash over her.Her superior had praised her competence for securing the agency contract on KM Road that morning, oblivious to the fact that she'd paid for that project with her body.She wanted to confront Damian, but her thoughts were a chaotic whirlwind.As Damian cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher, he offered her a piece of unsolicited advice. "You know, processed food isn't healthy. Too much of it can lead to sudden death."Ashley's face twitched in a sarcastic smile. "Thanks for the tip.""There's real food in the fridge; a quick meal only takes a few minutes to prepare. You won't learn if you never try."Ashley scoffed bitterly. If she were to die suddenly, it would be because of him, not because of junk food."Sure," she muttered through clenched teeth."The contract's signed, sealed, and delivered. KM Road won't back out now. The project's success is all on you and what you make of it," Damian added, his tone indifferent.Ashley took a deep breath, grabbed the keys from the entrance table, and tossed them over. "Christian's car. Please return it to him," she said through clenched teeth, adding a terse "Thanks!"---Later that evening, Ashley received a call from Amelia, who mentioned she had some free time to visit Rochester City and wanted to meet up.After a moment's hesitation, Ashley decided to start the conversation with a half-truth. "Amelia, I have a client who got divorced but then got involved with her ex-husband again."Amelia cut her off sharply, her voice as crisp as snapping beans. "Which client? You're talking about yourself, aren't you? Did you sleep with Damian?"Frustrated, Ashley rubbed her forehead, her anger clouding her judgement. "Yes.""Did you enjoy it?" Amelia asked, her voice laced with curiosity.Choosing to ignore the distinction between active and passive participation, and fearing Amelia might fly back to confront Damian, Ashley simply replied, "I forgot.""Damn, he must have been quick for you to forget. Forget it; let's not dwell on quickies."The mere thought of her time with Damian gave Ashley a headache. "I landed the case on KM Road," she said, attempting to change the subject."Scumbag, using his influence to get what he wants, even from his ex-wife through sleeping with her," Amelia commented with a huff.After a night's rest, Ashley headed to the law firm early the next morning, ready for court.Harold had also been busy, using his connections to delve into Li Bing's financials."He's definitely broke. He won't be able to pay the settlement Mister Hearst is asking for; jail time to offset the debt seems inevitable," he concluded.
Ashley massaged her temples as she reviewed the files. "Who's the defense attorney? Sean?" she asked, her voice strained with the weight of the case.Harold, her colleague, gave a chuckle before responding. "Sean knows how to play the game. He wouldn't take on a case he's bound to lose a hundred percent. How stupid would he have to be?" He gave Ashley a meaningful look before continuing, "In the Rochester legal scene, do you have any high-level contacts?"Ashley sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "You know my network. Most of my old contacts will do me little good now. They avoid me, and I haven't had the chance to connect with others."Harold tapped his fingers on the desk, his brow furrowed as he considered his next move. "That's not going to work. I'll have to set something up for you and get you acquainted with the folks from the courthouse and the DA's office. It'll make your life easier when you need to pull strings in criminal cases."Ashley pressed her hands together, her gratitude evident in her eyes. "I'm counting on you, Senior."Harold shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "Don't celebrate yet. The people I know are small fry. The big fish are out of our reach."Later that afternoon, Ashley's phone rang. It was Sean. She hadn't heard from him since their last meal together. What could he want this time?"Sean, what's up?" she answered, her voice guarded.Sean's tone was serious. "I hear you're the attorney on the KM Road case."Ashley was taken aback. The news travels fast. "That's right. It's me."Sean paused for a moment. "Maybe I can help you. We used to be adversaries, but now that I've stepped down from the case, I've done a detailed analysis of Lee Bing, even visited his hometown myself."Ashley was surprised. She hadn't considered this could be an option. "Why would you help me?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.In the background, she could hear the rustle of Sean changing clothes, followed by a door opening. "Let's meet face-to-face, shall we? How about coffee?"Within twenty minutes, they were sitting across from each other. Sean looked sharp as ever in a suit with a modern design. The top button of his pristine white shirt was undone, a look that was both elegant and upscale.Amidst the rich aroma of coffee, he smiled and said, "After our last meal together, I kept thinking about how to meet you again without being a disturbance."Ashley thought to herself, You're a married man. Talking like this is a bit sleazy! Aloud, she said, "It would be an honor to get guidance from Sean."Sean cut to the chase. "Lee Bing is a dutiful son and adores his daughter. He just took a wrong step and crossed KM Road. That's why, even knowing I might lose, I was willing to defend him."Ashley stirred her coffee, taken aback. "I wouldn't have pegged you for someone who'd risk tarnishing their reputation over sentiment."Sean shrugged. "A lawyer is human too. Emotions come into play sometimes—let's not dwell on that. Lee Bing has thoroughly offended Mister Hearst this time. Prison seems inevitable.""What's your suggestion?" inquired Ashley.Sean sipped his coffee, a glint in his eye. "Really want to hear it?"
