Chapter 1087: Coaxing

Chapter 1087: Coaxing

"Sure, just let Kian know once you've made up your mind," Ayan said

without any pressure, as if what he'd just mentioned was something

insignificant and unimportant.

Eileen was increasingly uncertain, but she could only nod and reply,

"Alright."

Ayan no longer looked at her, lowering his gaze to the documents in

front of him, engrossed in work. He hadn't been at Simpson Group for

two days, so there was plenty to catch up on.

With a lack of warmth, he said, "You're free to go now."

Eileen hesitated, her face displaying a hint of discomfort. She didn't

want to leave so soon, especially after coming all this way. It would feel

like a wasted opportunity.

She took a step forward, gazing at Ayan. “Ayan, I..."

“Is there something else?" Ayan raised his indifferent eyes to give her a

brief, cold glance.

Eileen was taken aback and shook her head. "No, nothing."

She dared not voice her true thoughts.

Eileen couldn't recall the exact sequence of events that led her out of

the office, but Kian personally escorted her to the elevator.

As soon as Eileen left Simpson Group, she immediately dialed

Preston's number and informed him of the recent developments.

Upon hearing the news, Preston expressed his surprise and

astonishment. "He wants to set up a studio for you with his money?"

"Yes, that's what he said.”

"Did you agree to it?"

“I told him I needed to think it over. I don't know his intentions, and I

have to be cautious.”

Eileen's heart was actually swayed by the offer, but she couldn't reveal

this to Preston. While she and Preston had a longstanding cooperation,

she had also witnessed Preston's selfish side. She had to consider her

own interests because Preston's current life was far from enviable.

Eileen's private feelings were something she couldn't afford to share.

Hence, she didn't hesitate to tell Preston, “I'm committed to honesty in

our relationship. After everything we've been through, I hope we can

trust each other. Otherwise, I wouldn't have said I needed time to

consider and would inform you later.”

Preston's skepticism couldn't be concealed. At this moment, he was

already contemplating the opportunities that had arisen. If Ayan was

willingly offering this, he couldn't let it slip through his fingers.

Preston squinted, his expression turning icy. He said, "Since he initiated

the offer, just accept it. After all, there's no harm to you, right?"

Eileen wasn't entirely convinced and asked, "Are you really okay with

me agreeing?"

"Why wouldn't I be? Ayan's giving us money, and there's no reason not

to accept it, right?" Preston smiled, adding, "This might provide an

opportunity to exploit his offer. He and Camille have been getting along

for far too long. If things continue this way, their relationship will only

grow stronger.”

With his scheming mind, Preston revealed a hint of cold calculation on

his face.

His intentions were impossible for Eileen to fathom. Since he had given

the green light, she no longer needed to keep anything from him.

After their conversation, Preston remained far from idle.

Although he was still staying at the small inn, these past few days had

seen him undergo a remarkable transformation. He exuded an aura of

vibrancy that starkly contrasted with his previous desolate appearance.

Preston stood by the hotel room window, holding his cell phone. Once

the call connected, he spoke lightly, "Miss Armstrong, we can begin

now."

Brody understood his meaning and replied, “Come in an hour!"

"Alright, I'll see you in an hour then." Preston smirked as he confirmed

the meeting time with Brody. He promptly left the hotel room and

headed to a nearby shopping mall. He chose a reasonably priced suit;

while he had some money, it wasn't enough for extravagant spending.

His personal bank account was still frozen, owing to complications with

Molly and the Walker family. He had someone actively searching for

Molly, but so far, there was no concrete information.

Molly had gone abroad, and there was no news from Luke or Naomi.

This situation frustrated Preston to no end.

Preston changed into his newly acquired suit and then took a cab to the

meeting place he had arranged with Brody.

During this brief hour, significant developments occurred. Ayan had just

concluded a meeting and walked out of the conference room when

Kian immediately informed him of recent events.

Kian said, "Mr. Simpson, there's a situation with Mr. Burris."

"What's going on?" Ayan inquired with indifference.

Kian lowered his voice and said, "Mr. Armstrong, somehow, has started

working with Preston. He allowed Preston to enter Armstrong Corp in

place of her work. This has significantly increased pressure on Mr.

Burris because Mr. Armstrong holds the second-largest share of

Armstrong Corp. So, even if Mr. Burris refuses, it's futile."

Ayan narrowed his eyes slightly, appearing unsurprised. In the depths

of his eyes, a hint of a cold smile seemed to surface. He subtly lifted his

lips and said, "It seems my hunch was correct.”

Kian was slightly puzzled, not fully understanding Ayan's meaning.

However, Ayan didn't provide further explanation, simply saying, “Tell

Mr. Burris that since he has entered Armstrong Corp, they should treat

him as an employee. If we want someone to leave, there must be a

reasonable and legitimate reason."

Kian nodded, "Alright, Mr. Simpson, I understand your point. I'll get in

touch with Mr. Burris.”

"Preston entering Armstrong Corp isn't just to restrain Horace. I suspect

that he's reached some agreement with the Armstrong family. After all,

Elijah is related to Preston, and he has done so much to Armstrong

Corp, nearly causing it to go bankrupt. Surprisingly, the Armstrong

family hasn't held him responsible or even asked him to account for

anything. It's bizarre, and they're not revealing any information about it,

though I've tried to investigate. The Armstrong family remains tight-

lipped.” Ayan's expression darkened as he contemplated this.

His deep eyes slightly squinted, maintaining a prolonged silence. He

had speculated extensively and had probed into the matter. Yet, despite

knowing that Preston was responsible for Sean's current state, Elijah

remained tight-lipped about it.

This obviously indicated an intention to protect Preston. Was Preston

someone they were willing to protect at any cost? Or was there really

such a selfless person in this world?

Ayan grunted softly, his expression growing darker. His voice turned

hoarser than before as he asked, "Does Preston know about what has

happened the Armstrong family?"

Kian was momentarily puzzled before realizing what Ayan was referring

to.

He initially wanted to shake his head, but upon further thought, he

considered it a possibility. Otherwise, why would Brody cooperate with

Preston?

Kian asked cautiously, "Mr. Simpson, is it possible that Preston also

knows about it?"

Ayan smirked coldly and replied, "We're not sure if he knows, but we

can find out. You can inquire with the Armstrong family. If it's not

because they've caught some evidence against Preston, then it must

be a promise made to him. But can we trust Preston's promises with his

current capability?"

Kian tentatively suggested, "Mr. Simpson, could there be another

possibility? Could Miss Armstrong have been deceived by Preston?"

“It's not impossible. Keep a close eye on Preston; find out what's

hidden between them."

"All right, I know what to do." Kian nodded and followed Ayan into the

office, then asked, "Mr. Simpson, Dr. Ellis just received a call from Dr.

Ellis. The old Simpson's hospitalization schedule has been confirmed,

and Dr. Ellis has declined all work during this time to take care of the

old Simpson. Would you like to discuss it with Dr. Ellis?"