Chapter 91: Reveling in the Limelight
Damian swiftly navigated through the exhibition area, making a hasty attempt to lead Ashley away by seizing her wrist. She had yielded on numerous items, but the essentials for their shared bedroom were a boundary he adamantly refused to breach. He was resolute in his decision to prevent their personal sanctuary from becoming a cluttered mess. Ashley, however, had her eyes set on a four-piece cotton set. "It's soft and gentle on the skin during winter, breathable for the summer, and doesn't trap sweat. Besides, it's not as if you need to like it. You don't even have to," she argued.Damian's response was unwavering. "Put it down."Ashley, never one to back down without a fight, shot back, "No, I've made my decision. I determine how my space is decorated, and don't presume you can dictate everything just because you own the house."He had previously voiced his disapproval over the quality of the bed sheets, and on one occasion, he hadn't even bothered to dress the bed with sheets! Damian found it unbearable to scrutinize the subpar, inexpensive products, let alone allow his skin to come into contact with them. "They're of inferior quality; I could end up with a rash.""That's because you're Damian Stone, the grand and illustrious. I don't have that issue."Without a second thought, Damian turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Ashley to her own devices.After hours of shopping, Ashley's legs throbbed with fatigue as she finally arrived home. She slumped onto the couch, utterly spent and unwilling to move.Damian nudged her foot. "Clean up your mess. The living room isn't a landfill."In his eyes, those items were even less valuable than the trash he had discarded.Clutching a pillow, Ashley's voice softened into a gentle purr, worn out from the day's activities. "Leave me alone, I'm exhausted."His heart unexpectedly softened, as if touched by the tender warmth of spring.Clearing his throat, Damian announced, "We're heading to the supermarket in an hour."Ashley remained sprawled on the couch, feigning paralysis. "I've got plans tonight. If you want to entertain them, do it at your place, but don't count me in."Their divorce had done little to untangle their lives, rendering the whole situation pointless.Ashley had no desire to become entwined with Damian's circle of friends. With their contrasting values, there was no need to force a connection.Damian's tone was less authoritative than before, but his stance left no room for negotiation. "An invitation, once extended, can't be retracted. That's the plan for tonight. As for you, cancel your plans."Ashley held her ground, refusing to be manipulated by Damian again. "I can't cancel—it's crucial. I have to be there. Your dinner is just a casual gathering; my event could impact my career. Which do you think is more important?"Damian didn't engage in a debate, instead glancing at the bags strewn across the living room. "Rest now and clean up later. We're preparing spaghetti for tonight. Make sure you're ready early."His domineering tone irked her. "You!"At that moment, Damian's phone rang. Thomas was on the line, reminding him about the video conference that had been on hold for over ten minutes.With a meaningful glance at Ashley, he retreated to the study, shifting gears into work mode.Frustrated, Ashley kicked her feet in exasperation.She couldn't simply dismiss Jeff Harding's invitation; Damian was unpredictable, and if she insisted on leaving, who knew what accusations he might hurl at her?As she deliberated, her phone rang.Harold's chuckle preceded his words. "Busy, Ashley?"Cradling the pillow, Ashley's energy was waning. "What's up, boss?"
Harold's voice was warm and inviting as he spoke. "I had planned a celebratory dinner for you today, but you decided to take the day off. What do you think about a team-building outing this weekend instead? It would be a great opportunity to celebrate your recent success."Ashley, however, was not one for such festivities, particularly given that she felt her recent legal victory was less than glorious. "You decide," she replied with a shrug. "I'm content with whatever you choose." Harold continued to shower her with praise before shifting the conversation."Mr. Ye from the prestigious Dixon Law Firm was taken down a notch today," he said, a gleam in his eye. "I've done the calculations, and it seems our small firm might be about to ride a wave of success."Ashley's interest was piqued at the mention of Dixon. "What happened? Who was responsible?""Dixon has always been a respected name on Keller Street," Harold explained. "But recently, there's been some turbulence in the upper management. Ye was publicly chastised. He didn't say much, but his expression was far from optimistic."Ashley's gaze drifted towards the closed door of the study, and her thoughts immediately turned to Sean. "And so?"Harold rubbed his hands together, a speculative look on his face. "What do you think about the idea of us partnering with Dixon in the long term? You've just won them a major case; they're impressed with you. I believe this is our chance to engage with their executives. Imagine us becoming Dixon's go-to law firm."He chuckled, his laughter filling the silence that his lengthy speech had left behind. From a professional standpoint, Harold's ambition was commendable and worth pursuing immediately. However, on a personal level, Ashley found herself wrestling with the idea.
"Dixon usually favors the larger, more established law firms," she pointed out. "We might struggle to keep up.""That's why I need you," Harold replied. "Dixon is hosting a salon next week—come with me. We'll discuss the details tomorrow at the office."Ashley was inclined to decline, but she held her tongue as Harold continued. "Every year, Dixon is involved in numerous major mergers and acquisitions, not to mention countless lawsuits—both big and small. I won't say more, but securing even one or two of those for our firm would ensure we meet our annual targets. It's a far better prospect than the uncertainty we're currently facing, where we could potentially end up in the red."Ashley swallowed the refusal that was on the tip of her tongue, and reluctantly agreed to go along with his plan. "You better think this through," she warned. "The people at Dixon are not easily impressed; they have high standards.""I'll bring you and Lynn with me; she can hold her own when it comes to drinking."Meanwhile, Damian had just finished a grueling hour-long video conference when his phone rang.Christian's voice, laced with a cheeky laugh, filled the line. "Finally answering my calls, are you? What was that, the thirtieth time? Are you still holding a grudge?""Get to the point," Damian retorted.Unfazed by his friend's curt response, Christian continued to tease. "How can you be so cold? I went to all this trouble to set up a perfect opportunity for you—tent ready, bed made, even took care of protection. The atmosphere was perfect, and you bailed? Did you really run off to a hotel in the middle of the night?""I'm not desperate," Damian shot back.Christian's tone turned serious. "You didn't? Not even once?" He had never been a fan of Ashley and was the first to object to any romantic involvement, but he couldn't deny that from a physical standpoint, Ashley was attractive. She had the looks and curves that any man would notice.Damian replied tersely, "Do you need something else, or can you just scram?""Sounds like someone's not getting any," Christian remarked with a smirk. "But enough of that. Ashley took off with my car. What's the deal?"Damian hadn't mentioned the keys. "Get to the point," he said again."I don't want anything she's touched. Simple. I want a brand-new one," Christian stated."Pick whatever you want. I'll cover it," Damian replied shortly.Christian was about to argue, but Damian cut him off. "Keep it clean, Christian. No need for the trash talk."Unfazed, Christian teased, "If you ever change your mind and want a quick hookup, I could set you up, bro.""Scram!" Damian retorted.It was past four in the afternoon when Damian finally finished his work and stepped out to find the living room untouched. The house was eerily silent, and the quietness was making him restless."Ashley!" he called out with an authoritative tone. Hidden in the bedroom, Ashley stirred at the disruption. "What now?"Ashley had been researching several law firms that frequently collaborated with KM Road. Her papers were spread out over half of the bed. As Damian entered the room, she didn't manage to hide her research quickly enough, and he caught sight of some key phrases."What's this? Are you scouting out the competition or thinking about jumping ship?" Damian asked as he picked up a document.Hastily gathering her papers, Ashley replied, "None of your business.""These are all firms KM Road has worked with," he observed. "Quite the coincidence. Is your senior partner aiming to get on KM Road's roster?"
