Silence Walks Beside Us by Eli Dane Cade 170

Chapter 170 

Ash had already reached the door, but she stopped when she heard the low, somewhat soft voice. 

This was the first time Calvert had taken the initiative to explain his thoughts to her. 

Seeing Ash stop, Calvert’s cold expression softened a little. “I respect your opinion, but I hope you can give me a chance to explain. 

“Why don’t you ever let me finish?” 

Ash’s body stiffened slightly. An inexplicable emotion welled up in her heart as she heard these words. She suppressed it and turned around with a sardonic smile. “Will anything change if I let you finish? Between us…” 

“Our relationship is purely professional. Often, we don’t need to say much. Maintaining a good working relationship and adhering to the spirit of our agreement is enough, isn’t it?” Her words were cut off abruptly. 

Calvert was saying exactly what she had been about to say. 

Ash had always believed that people were connected by specific bonds. Her relationship with her parents was one of kinship and blood ties, while her relationship with her subordinates was one of responsibility and accountability. 

She thought, ‘So, what about Calver and I? 

‘It is a partnership, yes, but will it remain that 

way in the future, even the distant future? 

‘It hasn’t been a pure relationship from the start. It had been predetermined. Should I try to change it? 

‘And what reason IS there to change it?‘ 

Ash wore a sardonic smile on her face, but her eyes were exceptionally calm as she looked at him directly and replied, “Yes. 

“So, let’s keep emotions out of this. 

to 

collaborate and achieve a common goal. 

Ve’re here t 

“I apologize for letting my emotions get Just let me know what you decide.” 

the 

better of 

me 

e just now. You’re the client for this project, so we’ll follow your lead. 

Ash’s expression returned to its usual indifference. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way. As your partner, I feel obligated to advise you to prioritize rest and recovery to avoid any long–term health issues.” 

Calvert’s narrow eyes held an unreadable expression. “Sure, I’ll have someone escort you. The car from last time has been inspected. Someone tampered with the brake pads. We found a vagrant who confessed. 

“It’s a woman, between forty and fifty years old.” 

Ash’s interest was piqued. She took two steps back and settled into the chair beside the bed. “A woman? Are you certain? A petite build doesn’t necessarily indicate a woman.” 

Calvert opened his phone’s photo gallery and showed her a video “Take a look. She’s very skilled, likely a repeat offender. Afterward, she headed southeast, eventually disappearing into a blind spot. 

“She’s familiar with the layout here. Someone must have hired her.” Calvert paused the video and zoomed in. “I’ve already dispatched people to investigate vagrants in the vicinity.” 

Ash stared at the figure, a sense of familiarity nagging at her. She couldn’t quite place it. “Disguises aren’t difficult to come by. We shouldn’t assume she’s a vagrant based solely on her attire. 

“Perhaps someone is deliberately misleading us. All the nearby dashcams were jammed. Where did you obtain this footage?” 

10:15 Wed, Feb 18 an 

Chapter 170 

Calvert put his phone away, turned around, and raised his eyelids slightly. “The jammer isn’t foolproof. As long as it’s a machine, there’s bound to be a flaw. 

“This video is not very clear. It took some effort to enhance it. You should avoid going out alone recently. The person who did this didn’t achieve their goal, so they will definitely do something else.” 

Ash hummed in agreement. While her captor had been planning this for a long time, she hadn’t suffered much. It was Calvert, in protecting her, who had been more seriously injured. 

She had been experiencing a whirlwind of emotions since her recent encounter with Calvert, her heart swaying back and forth like a pendulum, leaving her unsure of her own feelings. 

Finally, she brought the first–aid kit. She opened the bottle of ointment specifically for injuries, dispensed some into her palm, and rubbed it between her hands to warm it. Then, she squatted down in front of him. 

(419 

She pursed her lips and looked up at him. “If you really want to recover as soon as possible, give me your leg. But don’t think too much of it, I’m just grateful for your help earlier. 

“No…” Calvert wanted to reject, but Ash didn’t give him a chance to finish. She pulled his muscular leg over, pressed her palm on the injured area, and kneaded it with just the right amount of force. 

During this time, the room was so quiet that they could hear each other’s heartbeats. The originally serious and awkward atmosphere became harmonious and gentle. 

He sat up straight, his face taut, his expression clearly dazed and a little ill at ease. 

Ash kept her head down and focused on massaging him. At this moment, she was just a doctor, treating a patient, without the awkwardness that Calvert felt. 

She had been massaging him like this for almost a quarter of an hour, and Calvert could feel the soreness in the injured area lessening. He lowered his eyes slightly. “You really learned a lot from Prunella Gross back then.” 

“Yes, but I’m not as good as her.” Ash clapped her hands, stood up, pressed her slender waist, and her pink lips parted slightly. “Try to rest for a few days and apply a hot compress to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis.” 

She was about to go to the bathroom to wash her hands when he suddenly grabbed her wrist from behind. Ash frowned in confusion, but accidentally brushed against the alcohol that had just been spilled, and fell back into his arms. 

The two looked at each other, their eyes wide, and the air was filled with an awkward silence. 

Because Ash was relatively flexible, she could endure this posture. Otherwise, an ordinary person would probably have sprained their waist. Her wrist was still firmly grasped by him, and their posture was ambiguous and unique. 

Ash’s brows relaxed, and she clicked her tongue softly. “Well… may I ask what you were trying to pull me for just now? And can you hold my waist up first?” 

Calvert’s Adam’s apple rolled up and down unconsciously, and he panicked for a moment. He put a hand on her lower back and helped her up. 

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to say that I’ll take you back after dinner.” Calvert’s stern face now showed a kind of undisguised embarrassment. 

He reached out and touched his neck, clearing his throat. “Are you okay? Is your waist okay?” 

Suddenly, the style became aesthetically pleasing. 

The teasing words that Ash wanted to use to ease the atmosphere were stuck in her throat. She bit her lower lip lightly, and a trace of embarrassment could be seen on her calm face. “Well, yeah. I’m just going to wash my hands. Can I go now?” 

10:15 Wed, Feb 18 A 

Chapter 170 

She didn’t know why, but seeing Calvert like this made her feel uncomfortable and at a loss.