Emerging from the headquarters of KM International, Ashley sat dazed in her car. Rolling down the window, she welcomed the cool early summer breeze that tousled her hair.
Had she never fallen for him, never pushed for marriage, would her life have turned out differently?
Once she had been captivated by him, desperately seeking his attention, even while being his wife in name only, she was still hesitant to let go. If not for all those complicated events, perhaps they would still be close.
Her reverie was broken by the buzz of a phone call.
Wiping her eyes, damp with tears, she answered, "Hannah?"
"Ashley, the court session's at one o'clock, why aren't you here yet?"
Ashley slapped her forehead in frustration, annoyed by Damian's infuriating behavior. She had forgotten the trial. "I'm on my way."
The case was straightforward; defending a victim of campus violence, final hearing.
By five o'clock, the hearing had concluded.
The defense attorney attempted to use “juvenile defense” to acquit their client, but Ashley's presentation of twenty precedents as support, was decisive. The judge sentenced the perpetrator to ten years, with one year probation.
"Ashley, be careful, I've heard the perpetrator has a dangerous background," Hannah said with concern.
Being a lawyer was risky, facing not just moral scrutiny but also potential threats from those on the opposing side.
"I'm experienced. What's there to be scared of? We won the case; now let's go get our reward from Harold," Ashley said.
But Hannah was not in a celebratory mood. "Just be cautious. There was a report about an angry client who set their lawyer's house on fire. The lawyer and his family... didn't survive. And the defendant's family doesn't seem like the forgiving type."
"I can handle myself," Ashley replied, lost in thought.
...
That day, she was completely drained.
She had endured consecutive trials before, working late into the night reviewing documents, but none of those nights had exhausted her as much as that one hour with Damian.
In the shower, she closed her eyes, and Damian's angry face haunted her thoughts.
"My only regret is I didn't take your life," he had said bitterly.
Did he know that she too had often thought about why she hadn't had the resolve to end him as well?
Tears mixed with the shower water, stinging her eyes as they fell. The water streamed over her neck where a bruise from his grip still throbbed with a dull ache.
After turning off the water, Ashley wrapped herself in a towel and walked out the door.
When she opened the bathroom door, she was met with a wave of heat. Flames were everywhere, consuming her vision with a fierce red.
The cabinets were on fire, the flames spreading to the curtains and the couch, her living room vanishing in thick smoke.
Despite not having cooked recently, Ashley thought a gas leak was unlikely. She told herself to stay calm and look for an exit, but panic set in. She tried to shout but inhaled a lungful of smoke. Reaching the door, she found it stuck.
Ashley banged on the door, but no response came. Hannah's earlier warning echoed in her mind—revenge. Could this be it?
She soaked a towel, covered her face, and dialed 911.
"This is City Gardens... cough..."
Mid-sentence, a burning bookshelf fell, scorching her hand and sending her phone flying into the flames.
Powerless, she watched the fire approach the corner where she was trapped. Her throat, raw from the smoke and pain, silenced her screams...
Ashley awoke, feeling weak and with a sore throat.
She slowly opened her eyes to a white blur and the sharp scent of disinfectant.
Was she in the hospital?
Had she survived?
"Ah, Ashley, you're awake. You had me worried sick!" Hannah exclaimed, clinging to Ashley, who was connected to an IV, dampening her hospital gown with tears.
Ashley frowned, struggling for air, "Hannah, please, my gown isn't a tissue."
"I'm so sorry, it was just so scary when they brought you in. And you were only covered by a jacket — it was a close call."
Ashley suddenly remembered she had been in the shower when the fire started. Had she been found exposed by the firefighters?
Hannah handed her a glass of water, “I've called the police. They'll investigate the cause. I really jinxed it, didn't I?"
After a drink, Ashley felt better, “I'm still here, aren't I? Where's the paperwork you prepared for me?”
“You should rest, paperwork can wait," Hannah insisted. "Don't push yourself, you need to recover."
Ashley was not one for cowardice. She was unharmed, her mind was sharp, and she knew her priorities. If Damian's case was delayed, it could cause more issues.
“You think if I rest now, I might not wake up again? Are we going to delay Damian's case?”
At the mention of Damian, Hannah became alert, “I'll get the documents from the office!”
Damian was known to be wealthy, hot-tempered, handsome, and ruthless. Hannah had never met him, but the stories were well-known. Ever since the firm took on the KM case, the atmosphere had changed. Harold hadn't smiled once; he looked like he was carrying a heavy burden.
In a private room of the hospital…
Damian's doctor Hayden looked serious, “Damian, you can't leave today. This wound on your thigh needs proper care to avoid scarring."
Damian's expression was cold, “Who cares about a scar on the thigh?”
“Your wife.”
Damian paused, his voice colder, “I've been divorced for some time now.”
Hayden knew the history between Damian and Ashley, “You still care about her. Why else would you risk yourself by going in to that fire?”
Damian removed the IV, “I knew what I was doing.”
Hayden sighed, “You didn't know how dangerous it was. If the firefighters hadn't arrived in time, you'd be in a worse state.”
Damian fixed his cuffs, “Are you finished?”
“No, I'm not! You're divorced, yet you were near her place late at night. It wasn't a coincidence. Don't say you were on your way home. You live in the south and she's in the east.”
Damian gave a nonchalant look, “I have properties in all directions. I wanted to stay at the east one tonight. Got a problem?”