Chapter 931: Putting On A Show

Chapter 931: Putting on a Show

Simpson Group's CEO office. Kian posed the same question, "Mr.

Simpson, how can Preston clear up the misconception that he didn't

betray his fiancée?"

Ayan responded calmly, “That's his business, not something we should

concern ourselves with."

Kian nodded understandingly. He was just curious, after all, Preston

must be feeling quite restless now, like ants on a hot plate.

If this matter were proven true, while it might not affect the projects he's

involved in, it could still cast a negative shadow in front of Molly and the

Walker family, right?

At the moment, Preston probably didn't want to completely sever ties

with the Walker family, especially Molly. He still needed Molly as a

potential lifeline.

So, Ayan had a clear grasp of Preston's intentions.

Given the magnitude of this issue , there couldn't possibly be no

reaction from Quintus and Cora. Thus, they needed to keep a close eye

on them.

Ayan instructed Kian to monitor the situation closely and contact him

immediately if anything arose.

Ayan cautioned, "Don't underestimate them. We were negligent to let

Cora escape from the psychiatric hospital. We've learned our lesson

once, let's not repeat it."

"Mr. Simpson, I'll be cautious and careful.”

"Good. Prioritize safety to avoid being caught off guard.”

"Understood."

Kian nodded, then his gaze shifted back to Ayan. He whispered, "Mr.

Simpson, should we have Zoie return to Hance as soon as possible?"

"No need. Since Molly has already reached out to her, it proves that

she's in a safe situation. After all, she needs to stay and finish this

performance with Preston. How can Preston pull it off alone?"

After Kian left the room, Ayan rose and walked to the floor-to-ceiling

window. He lit a cigarette, took a drag, and his expression revealed a

touch of detachment. He hadn't shared his thoughts with anyone. He

knew that a storm of bloodshed and turmoil was on the horizon.

Whether it would be raging waves or an impenetrable forest of mist

behind it remained an unknown.

But he was certain that whether it was the former or the latter, it would

be a formidable battle.

Preston had bided his time for so long, waiting for the moment both he

and the Simpson family would fall together. He must have prepared

many things for himself to uncover, proactively plunging into danger.

But Ayan was prepared, ready to overcome any challenges. He couldn't

afford to lose — he had Camille, Timmy, every individual of the Simpson

family, his friends, and the entire Simpson Group.

Ayan took a silent breath, his deep eyes betraying a trace of cold

determination.

He stood like that for a while until the phone on his desk, resting in

silence, finally rang, breaking the stillness.

He walked over, picked up the phone, and glanced at the caller's name.

His expression softened.

He answered, "Hello!"

"Still not done with your work?" It was almost dinner time, and usually,

Ayan would have returned by this point. However, today, he hadn't

appeared, prompting Camille to make the call.

Ayan chuckled softly, "So, are you calling to check up on me?"

“I'm just asking if you're having dinner. If you're not eating, Timmy and I

will go ahead. We won't wait for you."

"Can't you just go along with what I say and make me happy?"

"No."

"Really heartless.” He sounded somewhat aggrieved. Camille, on the

other hand, remained unmoved, refusing to cooperate. He continued,

"I'l be back soon. Will you wait for me?"

"Yeah." Her tone was nonchalant. Just before hanging up, she added,

"Drive safely.”

"Sure." Ayan's lips curved into a gentle smile, his face softened.

Later that evening, around seven o'clock, Ayan returned to Franklin

Bay. He had dinner with Camille and then informed her, “I need to

handle some work in my study for about an hour. Once I'm done, I'll be

with you."

"Sure, take your time." Camille found this quite reasonable. After all,

they had both worked the whole day, and they didn't necessarily need

to spend every moment together after work. It was good to have some

personal space too.

Though she didn't voice it out loud, she knew that if she did, Ayan

would surely press her for an answer. Was she getting tired of him?

As Ayan went to his study, Camille accompanied Timmy to Sienna's

house next door, using the opportunity to help Sienna adjust to her role

as a mother. It would be better for Sienna to get used to it earlier, so

she wouldn't panic once her own child arrived. Otherwise, she might

become reluctant to have children and lose her sense of security.

Unaware that Camille had left, Ayan's full attention was on the

computer screen in front of him. A live broadcast was underway from

Flento City.

The host appeared on screen and briefly introduced the purpose and

content of the live stream.

As previously announced, the live stream attracted numerous viewers,

and the comments section was flooded with messages scrolling by too

fast to read.

At precisely 7:20, along with the host's introduction, another voice

joined the broadcast.

The host said, "After the rampant online rumors, Miss Walker and Mr.

Walker have decided to clarify the truth behind the video through a live

audio stream. Due to Miss Walker's pregnancy, she won't be appearing

on camera. But don't worry, we are the media and can vouch for the

authenticity of all parties involved."

To ensure credibility, Preston had Zoie recount the places they had

visited together. He also obtained videos from the cafés they had

frequented before, which were then presented during the live stream.

All three individuals explained their perspectives, and their accounts

matched Preston's version of events.

Their interactions were straightforward and transparent, devoid of

complications.

This clear-cut explanation left no room for doubt, and even skeptics

found it difficult to dispute.

Of course, this was Preston's perspective.

The journalists in the comments section selected a few direct and

incisive questions for the individuals involved.

“Is it true that Miss Reid and Mr. Walker are only in a professional

partnership? If so, why were they seen together so intimately at the

hotel?"

Preston replied confidently, "I've already addressed this question. Miss

Reid and I are business partners, and she's relatively new to Flento.

Since she's not familiar with the city, there shouldn't be any issues with

her being accompanied by me, her work partner.”

Preston couldn't help but laugh. "Even if it's just a friendly

companionship, it's being labeled as betrayal to my fiancée. Are we not

allowed to meet with friends in private anymore? Even for work

purposes? Just because it's easy to misconstrue.”

Preston's response was candid and natural, leaving no room for

criticism.

Not just Preston, Molly and Zoie also cooperated seamlessly, each

echoing Preston's answers.

Their cooperation was impeccable.

Each person's response was flawless, and no words could be found to

poke holes in their explanations. Yet, Preston overlooked a critical point

— sometimes, the more perfectly orchestrated a performance was, the

more it could seem overly contrived.

At that moment, however, Preston was immersed in his sense of

accomplishment and didn't consider any other issues.

To silence netizens and gossip-hungry journalists, Preston had Molly

also speak up. She said, "Online rumors are affecting our private lives.

We hope everyone will be considerate and refrain from spreading

baseless rumors or unfounded accusations. We are planning our

wedding and would appreciate everyone's well-wishes."

Preston continued, "If someone attempts again to harm my loved ones

for the sake of attacking me, I will take legal action.”

Here, the emphasis was on "someone."

These two words essentially confirmed that someone was deliberately

targeting Preston, leading to the release of the video featuring him and

Zoie.

Viewers in the livestream's comments section began speculating and

discussing fervently. Some were logical and rational. The commented:

"Am I the only one who feels like this is all staged?"

"Host, if you've been bribed, just blink your eyes!"

“I wonder if the fiancée's eyes are blinded?"

And amidst these various opinions, a few level-headed individuals

commented:

"Am I the only one who feels like this is all staged?"