Female Novel
Chapter 952: In Need
Chapter 952: In Need
Camille pressed her lips lightly and said, "There's no specific reason, just didn't feel like responding. I'm
tired."
She answered without a hint of blushing or racing heartbeats. Her response seemed distant, a bit
detached from last night.
Who is Ayan?
He's a seasoned player in the business world, someone who can read people's intentions and see
through their fa?ades in the complex realm of commerce. How could he not figure out what's going on
with the woman before him?
He didn't know what had happened exactly, so he consulted the housekeeper at home. Since the
nanny was preparing lunch and didn't know if Camille had answered the call, she couldn't provide Ayan
with any answers.
Ayan didn't press further; he just gently said, "How about we have dinner outside tonight?"
Camille nodded in agreement.
That was settled.
Ayan squinted slightly, his gaze fixed on her. There was no change in his expression, and he didn't
press for more answers, but he felt that something was off.
Camille is the type of person who naturally shows her emotions when something is wrong. Her
appearance when there's nothing wrong is completely different.
Ayan kept everything he observed hidden within himself. He didn't show any emotion, just quietly
accompanying her as they waited for Timmy to finish playing and go for dinner.
Timmy had a lot of energy and only agreed to leave after over forty minutes of playing.
Then the three of them went out to eat, and the nanny returned to Franklin Bay with the driver.
Because it was a family meal, they chose a themed restaurant.
There were many family restaurants in Hance City over the past couple of years. The one currently
popular wasn't far from the amusement park. So Ayan took them there directly.
The menu mainly featured Cantonese dishes, which were relatively light and suitable for children.
Camille ordered two dishes that Timmy liked, leaving Ayan to arrange the rest.
The three of them didn't order much, just four dishes and a soup.
Timmy could feed himself now, but he still needed his food cut into bite-sized pieces, and someone to
watch his swallowing.
So Camille's attention was mostly on Timmy. She hardly touched her food.
Ayan helped serve Camille, then whispered, "Start eating; he's finishing up too."
Camille nodded and began to eat.
Ayan asked, "Is it to your liking?"
Camille looked at him and said, "It's alright."
"That means it's not good. Should we change to another restaurant? You like spicy food, so how about
some Mexican cuisine?" He suggested warmly.
Camille shook her head, "No need, I'm almost full. If I get hungry later, I can have a late-night snack at
home."
Camille watched Ayan with seriousness. Seeing her gaze, Ayan didn't press the matter any further.
After spending a little over an hour at the family restaurant, they finished their meal and then drove
back to Franklin Bay.
The journey was smooth, and upon arriving back in Franklin Bay and parking the car, Ayan's phone
rang.
Camille got out of the car first, opened the back door, and took Timmy out of his child safety seat.
Ayan remained in the driver's seat, answering the phone call. It was Kian on the other end. Whatever
Kian said seemed to cause Ayan's expression to turn excessively cold. Ayan's voice remained
detached as he spoke into the phone, "Alright, then set up the arrangements for tomorrow morning,
and immediately contact Mr. and Mrs. Bell to see how they intend to handle this?"
When he mentioned "Mr. and Mrs. Bell," Camille's gaze involuntarily shifted towards him.
Once he hung up the call, Camille finally asked, "Did something happen?"
Ayan's expression was tense up. His tone was somewhat indifferent as he stepped out of the car and
walked over to Camille. Looking at her, he said, "There's an issue with the project. Someone caused a
disturbance at the Modest Temple Hotel. Local villagers happened to be passing by and got hurt. The
troublemaker intentionally contacted the media and had the scene filmed. They also exposed the
hotel's attempt to gain publicity and benefit. However, they haven't completely released it online yet.
Now, they want to negotiate with us and sell us the content."
Camille understood. To put it more precisely, the troublemaker had staged an incident and now wanted
to profit from their own staged work.
Camille looked at Ayan and asked, "So, will you buy it?"
"It's not solely my decision to make. I'll have to discuss it with Mr. and Mrs. Bell. Plus, Mr. Mikkola has
inserted himself into this matter. Based on what I know about Mr. Mikkola and the current situation with
Mr. and Mrs. Bell, they'll probably be willing to spend money to secure peace."
Camille nodded slightly, looking a bit skeptical. "Do you really think peace can be bought?"
"Of course not," Ayan scoffed lightly. His eyes flashed with sharpness as he continued, "If it was just
about money, they wouldn't have staged this accident. Clearly, it's not about the money; it's about the
project. If we follow their intended plan and give them the money, then things will get even murkier."
From the very beginning, Ayan and the Simpson Group had embarked on this project with a positive
attitude. However, as things progressed, the project had yet to yield any benefits or advantages for the
Simpson Group. In fact, Ayan had encountered several issues because of it, which was causing waste
for him and the Simpson Group.
Such a partnership no longer seemed necessary.
But since the project was announced under the name of the Simpson Group, leaving now might mean
the project wouldn't continue. Considering the amount of money, resources, and the support and
expectations of the local villagers, it was almost as if all those investments would become futile.
Although Ayan had lost much of his interest and patience for the project, he still felt reluctant. After all,
in a remote mountainous region, becoming a funded project was a rare opportunity. For the local
community, it promised a bright future, potentially changing their present and future lives.
Ayan fell into a deep silence, his face reflecting a mix of emotions. The nanny carried Timmy from his
arms and took him upstairs for a bath. Ayan then took Camille's hand and led her to the living room
sofa. He leaned his head lightly on her shoulder, his voice tinged with fatigue, "If this project can't
continue, will you be upset?"
Camille was caught off guard for a moment, blinking her eyes and sounding inquisitive, "Are you asking
for the truth?"
"Yes, the truth."
Camille thought for a moment and replied, her voice carrying a sense of inquiry, "I would feel upset, butnovelbin
if the existence of this project brings significant negativity or trouble for others involved, then my
personal feelings would be inconsequential."
Camille was honest. Faced with such major pros and cons, being upset wasn't a significant concern.
Camille didn't wait for Ayan to respond; she proactively told him, "You don't need to feel any pressure
on my account. I'm just the architect for this project. Even if the project can't continue or if something
unexpected happens, it doesn't seem like a loss to me as the architect. The fact that my designs stand
strong is the greatest reward. So, don't make decisions that go against yours and Simpson Group's
interests just for me."
Camille smiled faintly, her expression light, devoid of any heavy emotions.
She said this to assure Ayan not to worry about making her feel uncomfortable because she has
different opinions from him. If he does, she would feel burdened and pressured.
Ayan emitted a low sound, his tired voice indicating his understanding. He sat straight, his expression
much more composed than before. He turned to Camille and said gently, "I need to step out for a
moment. Kian has scheduled a meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Bell and Mr. Mikkola to discuss this matter.
I'll need to go there in person tomorrow morning as the local villager was injured. I need to make sure
to handle this properly and appease them."
"Do you need me to accompany you?" She asked.
Ayan seemed to seriously consider this, and then asked, "Would you really be willing to accompany
me?"