Chapter 922: Proficiency

Chapter 922: Proficiency

Kian's eyes flickered, but he soon responded in a calm tone, "Miss

Khan, this question is something that only Arnold can answer, right?

You're aware of the situation with the Burton family. Although Arnold

has a feud with Mr. Simpson, the relationship between the Burton

family and Mr. Simpson is still quite good. So, even if Mr. Simpson

wants to help you, he'll be in a difficult position.”

Kian didn't delve into the details, just touched on the matter, and then

turned to Eileen, saying, "Miss Khan, rest assured, I will definitely talk

to Mr. Simpson about your request.”

Eileen nodded and thanked him, "Thank you for your trouble, Kian."

"Miss Khan, you're too kind," Kian nodded slightly. He had conveyed

what needed to be said, achieving his purpose. He then excused

himself and returned to the Simpson Group.

Kian informed Ayan about Eileen's request. It was clear that Eileen was

seeking Ayan's help. Ayan knew well, based on his understanding of

Eileen, that she wouldn't wait around for a response from him. She was

likely to have her foot in both boats, favoring whichever one ensured

her security.

Ayan remained silent for a while after hearing the update from Kian.

Kian couldn't read his thoughts and whispered, "Mr. Simpson, should

we delay responding to Eileen for now?"

"No need to rush with a response. Let her stew a bit. This information

has just been released. She won't fully believe it yet. She'll likely

investigate. Only when she comes to you on her own, after her

investigation, will that be her genuine reaction.”

Ayan didn't dwell on this matter any longer. There were other matters to

attend to within Simpson Group. He raised his eyelids and looked at

Kian, asking softly, “Where are they?"

Kian promptly glanced at his watch and replied, “They're five minutes

away from here."

Ayan nodded lightly, "Mr. and Mrs. Bell seemed quite eager, so Mr.

Mikkola must be in a hurry. Prepare the contract terms I mentioned and

take them to the conference room later. Let them decide for

themselves.”

"Mr. Simpson, if we do that, won't we completely distance ourselves

from Mr. and Mrs. Bell?" Kian asked.

"Why would we?" Ayan responded coolly, “In business, there are no

permanent friends or enemies.”

As long as Mr. and Mrs. Bell intended to continue their business in

Hance City, they would inevitably rely on Simpson Group and Ayan's

assistance. If Ayan severed ties with them completely, their charitable

endeavors in Hance City would suffer.

As for Ayan, even if he withdrew at this point, it wouldn't affect the

project or the people behind it. Yet, it could unfairly cast Simpson Group

in a negative light. Furthermore, since Simpson Group bore no fault,

they wouldn't withdraw due to someone else's unreasonable decisions.

Five minutes later, Mr. and Mrs. Bell, along with Mr. Mikkola, arrived at

Simpson Group.

Camille didn't need to attend today's meeting. After all, she was the

architect of the project, and the current issues weren't related to it. The

problems pertained to post-construction publicity, so she could be

excused.

Just like the previous time, Preston participated via voice call, and Dan

was present as well. Grace and Horace hadn't attended the last

meeting, with Horace being occupied with the fallout with Brody from

following Ayan's instructions. After resolving those issues, he had

returned to the project.

Kian had already briefed Horace about the previous meeting, so he

was familiar with the situation.

The meeting officially commenced with Ayan taking the lead, firmly

grasping control.

He began, "Once again, I appreciate everyone's presence to discuss

the Modest Temple Hotel publicity at Simpson Group. Regarding the

approach Mr. Mikkola mentioned during the previous meeting, I've

given it careful consideration. I don't fully agree with that method. It

could tarnish the concept of charity. It might lead people to perceive us

as using charity as a front for profit. This not only risks a negative

impact on the project but also on Mr. and Mrs. Bell."

As Ayan spoke, his gaze swept across the room. Aside from Dan,

Horace and Grace, the expressions of Mr. and Mrs. Bell and Mr.

Mikkola didn't seem to change significantly. They appeared to have

anticipated this point.

Preston, participating through the voice call, spoke before anyone else,

his tone casual, "I understand Mr. Simpson's perspective, and I don't

deny that his reasoning is sound. Mr. Simpson has thought this through

thoroughly. However, Mr. Simpson, aren't we businessmen? Isn't our

primary focus on profits? Mr. and Mrs. Bell have already taken a stance

on this matter. It's a perfect outcome for everyone involved in this

project. Does Mr. Simpson believe Mr. Bell and Mrs. Bell's decision is

wrong?"

Preston managed to acknowledge Ayan's viewpoint while subtly

endorsing Mr. Mikkola's proposal, indicating it would clearly favor them

all. He attempted to sway Dan and Horace's opinion. Preston didn't

care about the public's opinions of the proposal, nor did he care about

any potential negative repercussions of following Mr. Mikkola's plan. He

was deliberately acting against Ayan's wishes, trying to provoke Ayan

and undermine him. As long as Ayan was annoyed, Preston was

pleased.

Ayan was well aware of his intentions. Such passive-aggressive

remarks were meant to convey that if Ayan didn't agree, it would be

seen as disapproval of Mr. and Mrs. Bell.

But was Ayan afraid?

Certainly not.

Ayan's position today and his influence in Hance City's business

community were not mere words. His capabilities were widely

recognized, and Simpson Group's continuous advancement had placed

him at the forefront of the corporate world. Based on this alone, he

maintained a solid foothold at the top.

Ayan looked at those present, especially Mr. and Mrs. Bell, Mr. Mikkola,

Dan, and Horace and Grace. A faint curve appeared at the corner of his

mouth. It wasn't overly pronounced, but it couldn't be ignored. Ayan

calmly stated, "Are you implying that I criticized Mrs. Bell and Mr. Bell? I

was merely expressing my opinion. Mr. Baxter, there's no need to

exaggerate, is there? What we're discussing is about the project. It

doesn't really matter how I perceive it, does it? You just need to tell me

your thoughts and decisions. Why bother with so much manipulation to

sow discord among us?"

Ayan's words left no room for misunderstanding. He made it clear that

he didn't hold Preston in high regard. This reply directly slapped

Preston in the face.

After concluding his statement, Ayan didn't give Preston an opportunity

to speak. He redirected the focus back to Mr. and Mrs. Bell, asking,

"Mr. Bell, I hope you'll reconsider. The project has garnered attention

throughout Hance City. Using a profit-oriented approach for publicity at

this stage will undoubtedly generate negative consequences for the

project. Do you want to think it over?"

Mr. Bell's expression turned solemn. He subconsciously glanced at

Mrs. Bell beside him. His look seemed conflicted and hesitant. He

lowered his voice and said, "I've thought about the issue you

mentioned. However, I'm not well-versed in publicity. That's why I

intend to leave this matter to Mr. Mikkola."

Although Mr. Bell's response didn't explicitly reject Ayan's proposal, he

seemed to be using Mr. Mikkola as an excuse.

Ayan didn't press the matter further. He simply inquired, "What are Mr.

Tucker and Mr. Burris’ opinions on this matter?"