Chapter 204 Tell Me When You Get Home
It felt like there was a wad of cotton stuffed in her chest, cotton with hidden blades.
With each breath, those invisible blades precisely pierced her throbbing heart. She clutched her chest and slowly squatted down.
Moments later, an Aston Martin slowly pulled up beside her.
Ashton thought she was in the way and attempted to step back.
Then she heard a pleasant voice, "Ashton."
Ashton looked up, her eyes red, locking gazes with Kenny in the back seat.
"You haven't left yet?" Ashton straightened up, a professional smile spreading across her face.
Kenny observed her, "Have you been crying?"
Ashton paused for a second, then wiped her eyes, "No...no, I just had a bit too much to drink. My eyes get red easily, it's nothing."
"It's hard to get a cab at this hour. Get in, I'll drive you home," said Kenny.
Ashton remained cautious.
Alone with a man, no matter how handsome he may be, she couldn't let her guard down.
Being taken advantage of was the least of her worries.
What if he had some contagious disease?
What if he was a psycho who lured single women home to murder them and dismember their bodies?
Back when she was studying abroad, there was a serial killer like that in the building opposite to hers.
"No, no, I couldn't possibly trouble you," Ashton waved her hands repeatedly, "I've got my car here. I'll just call a taxi service."
"I see," said Kenny, a flash of disappointment evident in his eyes.
"Yes," Ashton replied, her smile stiffening.
Kenny nodded, then took out his phone, "Let's exchange numbers. Message me when you get home."
They had recently been added to a group chat.
Ashton hadn't yet added Kenny.
She quickly pulled out her phone and added him as a friend.
His profile photo was a landscape shot. Ashton found it somewhat familiar, "Take care."
Before rolling up his window, Kenny offered one last piece of advice, "Don't sit on the curb. It's not safe."
Bigmouth, Ashton thought, but she kept a cheerful smile, "I'm heading back to the parking lot now."
"Alright," Kenny responded.
The Aston Martin then drove off, leaving her behind.
Ashton stood watching the receding taillights. Kenny's teasing had somehow eased the pain she'd been feeling.
She called a taxi service and managed to get back to her villa before midnight.
Because tomorrow, Chicago and Charles were returning to the island.
The staffs were still packing up.
They had a tough time too.
It had taken them over two days to sort and organize the old lady's clothes and jewelry, and now they had to pack it all up again.
"I've only been back for a few days, and I've seen you drunk three times," Janna commented from the couch, frowning at the smell of alcohol on Ashton, "Did you really go out for business, or did something happen that you ended up deliberately getting wasted?"
Ashton's business had seen tougher days than today yet she had never been seen like this before.
Now that she had returned home, even though she couldn't utilize many connections from abroad, her company's current status didn't require her to resort to such measures.
"Don't worry," Ashton said with a smile, "With my fierce personality, what trouble could I possibly encounter? And tonight wasn't just about business. I've got an additional bonus!"
"What bonus?" Janna inquired.
"There's this good-looking guy," Ashton said with an air of tease, "He's got a voice even better than a voice actor, and his hands are so fair and delicate, with veins clearly visible on the back. Quite striking."
"So, Ashton's done for?" Janna joked.
"Well, he does seem a bit young. I can't even tell if he's finished college," Ashton replied, looking somewhat regretful. "Alright, that's enough chit-chat. I'm going to take a shower."
After saying this, Ashton ascended the stairs with a wobbly, uneven gait as if stepping on cotton.
Janna shook her head helplessly.
She was not someone who easily let others in.
Take her own nephews and nieces, for instance. If their values don't align with hers, she keeps her distance.
Of the younger generation she'd met in recent years, Ashton was Janna's favorite.
Though she saw gaps in Ashton's abilities, her personality was warm and angelic.
Janna had been worried, noticing Ashton's recent off-putting state, concerned she might be facing some trouble.
But after some investigation, it turned out there was nothing wrong. On the contrary, Ashton had successfully negotiated a deal for the domestic division and there were even happy developments at home.
Her stepbrother recently met someone great.. Ashton's mother has been busy with the wedding arrangements these last few days.
No reason for Ashton to drown in her sorrows, as far as Janna could see.
"Madam, it's time for you to rest," Stuart said with a gravely reminder.
"How many times have you nagged about this?" Janna mumbled, unlocking her tablet. "I'll go to sleep after finishing this episode."
Stuart looked speechless at the cartoon playing on the screen. Oddly enough, in this household, the ones who should be most interested in cartoons, Charles and Chicago, hardly ever watched them.
After seeing Chicago's painting, Fiona returned to her room and inadvertently stumbled upon some old files from RH Company.
Suddenly, she realized why the flawless proposal seemed both utterly logical and oddly off-putting.
RH Company was a national brand.
Many of the childhood snacks Fiona loved came from this brand.
She remembered feeling extremely happy and fortunate each time her grandparents and mother took her to buy those treats.
Over the years, with the aggressive entrance of foreign enterprises into Armie Country and their sophisticated, omnipresent marketing campaigns, the native companies that failed to understand these tactics were driven to the brink of extinction. Many closed down or suffered the indignity of foreign takeovers.
So, Fiona believed that RH Company's revival should focus on capitalizing on that nostalgia for the joy and happiness of childhood.
In simpler terms, it meant selling sentimentality.
RH Company's strategy had been built upon a foundation of emotion, enabling the achievement of even greater benefits. It also aimed to tap into consumer's anger and protective instincts, allowing RH Company to make a remarkable comeback once its core strategy was confirmed.
Fiona's inspiration flowed like a spring as soon as the core was established. She worked on the framework of the proposal until six in the morning, finally achieving a result that pleased her immensely.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
