Chapter 802: The Deal

Chapter 802: The Deal

Ayan sat on the sofa in the living room, the faint scent of Camille

lingering in the air. He remained motionless, devoid of any movement

or sound.

Kian, standing nearby, dared not disturb him and moved to the balcony

to handle the situation. Since they didn't know how much money the

kidnapper wanted, Kian had prepared more than enough funds, ready

to be mobilized at any time by Ayan.

Finally, Ayan showed signs of activity. He asked, "Did you check the

surveillance at the entrance?"

Kian nodded, "Yes, I did. It was a black commercial vehicle. I followed

the route it took, and at road junctions with heavy traffic, I spotted three

identical cars with counterfeit license plates. It was obviously

prearranged. Those three cars are still being tracked. We can't

immediately locate them because some new sections of the road don't

have complete surveillance coverage.”

The more Ayan listened, the darker his expression became. He looked

up at Kian and asked, "Do you think Preston has anything to do with

this?"

Caught off guard, Kian instinctively looked at Ayan and replied softly,

"Mr. Simpson, judging from Preston's reaction earlier, I don't think he is

the one behind Mrs. Simpson's abduction. He has no reason to do so.

If he wanted to use Mrs. Simpson to threaten you, he could have done

it when she trusted him the most. Why wait until now?"

"So you think it's not him?"

"Yes, I don't think it's him."

Ayan remained silent instead of speaking up. He lit a cigarette, taking a

deep drag. The strong tobacco scent invaded all his senses, yet it

couldn't bring even the slightest calmness.

The reason Ayan asked Kian this question was simply to get a rational

and intuitive response from an outsider's perspective.

After Kian finished speaking, Ayan still didn't respond. It was at this

moment that his phone rang.

It was a call from the Simpson mansion.

Ayan immediately frowned and glanced lightly at Kian. After being

together for so long, Kian understood the meaning behind that glance.

Ayan answered the call, "Hello?"

"Ayan, are you at the office?"

"Yeah."

"Why can't we reach Cami? She hasn't returned to work these past few

days, right? We planned to take Timmy to the resort for a few days and

wanted to invite Cami to join us." Talia immediately asked Ayan to

share the news with Camille at Maple Leaves Mansion. Since Timmy

was growing up and the old Simpsons were also getting on in years,

they planned to take the young and old out for fun. The resort was an

investment by the family, so it was naturally comfortable to stay there.

Upon hearing Talia's hopeful words, Ayan's face turned cold in an

instant.

He squinted his eyes, his face revealing coldness, but his voice had to

maintain a calm and composed tone as he lightly smiled. "So, if you're

taking everyone to the resort, what about me? Should I just stay here

and work?"

Talia replied, "If you're willing to come along, of course, you're

welcome. But I understand Mr. Simpson is busy, so you can earn

money in Hance City while we go have fun.”

Ayan remained expressionless, his words still gentle. "You and Dad

take Grandpa and Timmy with you. Let Cami stay in Hance City with

me. Wouldn't that be better?"

“Did you ask for Cami's opinion?"

“No need to ask. I'm making the decision for her."

"Who are you? You're just an ex-husband. Why do you want to make

decisions for your ex-wife? Ayan, this will make Cami angry.” Talia

didn't hold back when it came to hitting Ayan where it hurt, saying

anything that could anger him.

Faced with Talia's retort, Ayan's expression grew even more bitter. He

raised his hand and rubbed his forehead forcefully, his eyes filled with

suppressed emotions. Talia thought her words had hurt him.

So she quickly added, "Ayan, I was just joking. I would be really happy

if your relationship with Cami gets better. Our whole family is looking

forward to you two remarrying soon. So work hard and strengthen your

bond. For now, we'll go with Grandpa and Timmy, and after you and

Cami reconcile, we can all go together. Let Cami stay in Hance City

with you, and you can have some time together.”

Talia's timely damage control caused Ayan to give a helpless smile,

though it was faint, almost nonexistent.

He said softly, “Take Grandpa and Timmy with you and stay safe. I'll

arrange two bodyguards and drivers to escort you. Stay in touch once

you reach there. Let me know immediately if there's anything, alright?"

"Don't worry, your father has everything arranged.”

"Good, that's settled. I have a meeting to prepare for."

"Okay, have Cami contact me tonight."

"Alright."

After finishing the call with Talia, all traces of warmth disappeared from

Ayan's face, leaving only a coldness.

He sat on the sofa without making any movements, relying on it without

expression. He had been sitting there for a long time, his brows

furrowed tightly, his face cold and gloomy.

Ayan had been waiting for the kidnapper to call again, but he waited

through the whole afternoon without a word. He hadn't even taken a sip

of water, and the lunch Kian ordered for him remained untouched.

Around two o'clock in the afternoon, his phone rang once again.

He closed his eyes and rested on the sofa, but as soon as he heard the

ringtone, he immediately opened his eyes and answered, "Hello!"

He answered the call quickly, and the person on the other end noticed

that.

With a smile in their voice, they said, “It seems Mr. Simpson is in a

hurry, eager to see Mrs. Simpson, right?"

Ayan's face turned cold, his tone indifferent. “The money is ready.

When can we meet for the exchange?"

"Mr. Simpson is straightforward. I won't waste any more time. But I

have a condition.”

"What is it?"

"Mr. Simpson must come alone. If you bring someone with you, I might

reconsider my promises.”

"Sure." Ayan agreed without hesitation. He asked, "Any other

questions? If not, give me a time."

"Half an hour from now, the abandoned car park on the east of the city.

Mr. Simpson, remember your promise. If I find out you're not alone, I

can't guarantee Mrs. Simpson will be unharmed.”

The other party clearly using Camille to threat Ayan.

Ayan's face turned grim. He silently took a deep breath, suppressing

his inner emotions and preventing them from showing. His voice

remained unchanged, devoid of any unnecessary fluctuations. He said,

“You better ensure her safety. That way, we'll both be satisfied. Take

your money and leave Hance City. But if you don't keep your word, I'll

search every corner of this city until I find you and the people behind

you."

The other person hesitated slightly, the voice faltering and speech less

smooth than before. He/She stammered, "Mr. Simpson, don't waste

any more time. There are still twenty-nine minutes left until the

deadline.”

Ayan didn't say anything more. He hung up the phone and immediately

saw Kian. Kian responded promptly, "Mr. Simpson, I've installed

surveillance cameras and real-time voice communication in the car.

Just in case they ask you to switch cars, I've also placed a tracker in

the money box. But even so, you need to be extremely careful. It's still

unknown whether they're after the money or something else, given that

they're using your wife as leverage, so..."

“I know." Ayan interrupted Kian's words. His face displayed a cold

expression as he calmly said, "Contact Logan and prepare for the

worst. Additionally, have our people split up and follow me without

interruption, ready to assist me at any time. Our top priority is ensuring

Camille's safety.”

"Mr. Simpson, you..."

"If they really want me to show up, their ultimate goal is me. They won't

actually harm me so quickly; they still need to use me to achieve their

objectives. So, why rush?"

Ayan no longer spoke, because the abandoned car park was still a

distance away from Maple Leaves Mansion. The kidnapper had clearly

calculated the timing, leaving no extra time for Ayan. Any delay would

exceed the time limit.

He left Maple Leaves Mansion and drove at almost full speed.

His men followed him from a distance, but they had to be

inconspicuous and avoid appearing too obvious. Therefore, they kept

changing positions constantly.

Since the abandoned car park was rarely visited, his men couldn't

really tail him there. They could only wait in the closest area with the

most foot traffic.