Chapter 956: Sincerity

Chapter 956: Sincerity

Camille was slightly taken aback by Mrs. Bell's inquiry, and her

expression turned nonchalant. She asked, "Is there something you

need, Mrs. Bell?"

Mrs. Bell didn't provide a direct response; instead, she hesitated

momentarily before saying, "Can we meet in person?"

Camille checked the time and replied casually, "I'll be at the office in

about half an hour. Feel free to come over."

"Alright, see you in a while,” Mrs. Bell agreed.

"Sure, see you later," Camille responded before ending the call.

Afterward, Camille sent a quick message to Ayan, informing him about

Mrs. Bell's request to meet. Then, she hurriedly changed into

appropriate attire, grabbed her bag, and headed out. Even Timmy was

dropped off at daycare by the driver.

Camille was driving when she received a call from Ayan.

Ayan inquired, "Mrs. Bell wants to meet you?"

“Yes, we arranged to meet at the office. I believe it's about your

meeting yesterday. They are probably trying to persuade me since you

expected this," Camille replied.

Ayan had foreseen this situation last night. Mr. and Mrs. Bell on their

side weren't likely to give up so easily. Although he didn't intervene in

Mr. and Mrs. Bell's decision, he knew that having his support was much

better than the current state of detachment. That way, even if an

unexpected situation arose, the Simpson Group wouldn't stand idly by.

So Mr. and Mrs. Bell were not about to give up on convincing Ayan. Mr.

and Mrs. Bell couldn't persuade Ayan directly, so their only option was

to approach Camille, as Ayan had explained to her the previous night.

But unexpectedly, Mrs. Bell arrived so quickly.

Ayan advised Camille, "Just maintain your composure. If she doesn't

directly discuss it, there's no need to probe or inquire. Even if she does

bring it up, you don't need to pay much attention to it. Simply shift all

responsibility to me."

"I understand,” Camille replied while driving. She asked, "Are you

heading to Modest Temple Hotel now?"

"Not immediately. I'll stay in the downtown today. I have dinner plans

with the government official we contacted earlier. I might have to handle

the upcoming work under his name," Ayan explained.

"Alright, I'm preparing to go to the office then. That's the plan,” Camille

said.

"Okay," Ayan agreed.

Once they ended the call, Camille was just about to enter the

company's underground parking garage.

She took the elevator up to her office floor and received a message

from Yessica confirming Mrs. Bell's arrival.

Camille didn't respond to the message, for she had already arrived at

the door of her office.

Yessica had welcomed Mrs. Bell into Camille's office, and Mrs. Bell sat

on the sofa. Yessica was preparing tea for her. When Camille arrived,

Yessica informed her, "Mrs. Bell says she has an appointment with

you."

Camille nodded and smiled at Yessica. "You can go ahead; we'll chat.”

Yessica left the office, closing the door behind her.

Camille walked to the empty seat opposite Mrs. Bell, maintaining a

polite and friendly expression. "Mrs. Bell, what brings you here today?"

Mrs. Bell's gaze remained fixed on Camille as the two women locked

eyes. Mrs. Bell spoke slowly, "Cami, I came to see you today because

there are some things I'd like to discuss with you."

Camille pretended to be unaware of the situation and spoke with a

gentle tone. "Sure, what's on your mind?"

"Some unexpected events have occurred at Modest Temple Hotel

related to our project. Do you know about it?" Mrs. Bell inquired.

"What's going on? I had no idea,” Camille shook her head, looking

genuinely surprised.

Mrs. Bell couldn't quite discern whether Camille's words were genuine

or not, leaving her without a clear answer for a moment. She replied

with a measured tone, "There has been a bit of a hiccup in the project,

and someone is trying to leverage this situation against us. I thought

Mr. Simpson had already discussed this with you. I didn't expect you to

be unaware."

Camille nodded gently, her voice warm and composed, "I truly had no

knowledge of this matter. We both have our own job, and when we get

home, we hardly discuss work matters. Although I am the architect on

this project, it has moved into the publicity phase since it was

completed, so I wasn't aware of how to handle it."

Camille did have a good understanding of the situation, but she was

curious about Mrs. Bell's intentions.

Mrs. Bell, unable to determine Camille's true knowledge of the

situation, chose to be candid. She said, "Recent events are related to

this project, and I was considering withdrawing from it. I didn't plan to

continue. Cami, what's your impression of me during the time we've

known each other?"

Camille was momentarily puzzled by Mrs. Bell's question. She replied,

"My impression of you has always been positive. You've treated me

well, and even though we've known each other for a short time, you've

been very kind to me. I value our friendship.”

Camille naturally held a positive impression of Mrs. Bell, treating her

and Timmy kindly. In reality, there was no one in this world who should

or could be unconditionally good to someone; the reason for such

kindness was usually fondness.

Had it not been for their past disagreements, Camille and Mrs. Bell

might still have been in good standing. Although Ayan suggested that

they could still be friends, Camille understood that while friendship

might be possible, certain things had changed.

She couldn't speak her mind freely in front of Mrs. Bell, nor did she

want to cause trouble.

Camille's response, though brief, conveyed sincerity. Mrs. Bell smiled

and looked at Camille, saying, "Cami, I'm glad to know you, and I hope

we can still be friends in the future.”

"Of course," Camille replied with a nod.

Mrs. Bell's smile faded, and her tone became more serious as she

spoke. “To be honest, I didn't come to you of my own accord today.”

Camille was surprised by Mrs. Bell's candid admission but maintained

her composure. She asked, "Then, who asked you to come?"

"It was him," Mrs. Bell revealed. "He wanted me to come and talk to

you, to convince Ayan, to make him agree to our proposed solution. He

hopes Ayan won't just stand by but actively participate in this matter.

Because only through cooperation can this partnership be more

sustainable.”

Mrs. Bell explained that she had initially declined because she didn't

want to use Camille again or strain their friendship further. She said,

"That's why I wanted to be honest with you."

Camille smiled and replied, "You're sincere."

"Is that a compliment?" Mrs. Bell asked with a hint of curiosity.

Camille nodded, confirming it was indeed a compliment.

The two women shared a smile. Mrs. Bell then continued, “To be

honest, after the last incident, you must have some grievances against

me, right?"

Camille shook her head, "I don't hold any grudges. It's just that we have

different perspectives.”

Mrs. Bell understood Camille's unspoken message. She nodded and

sighed, "After this matter is resolved, I'll be returning to my home

country. Once everything is settled there, I plan to live in Hance. I may

trouble you when that time comes."

Camille's voice remained calm as she briefly assessed Mrs. Bell,

sensing a hint of sadness in her eyes. She couldn't resist asking,

"Regarding you and Mr. Bell..."

Camille wasn't sure if this question was appropriate, and she hesitated

for a moment. She also worried that Mrs. Bell might not be comfortable

answering, so she quickly changed the subject, saying, “If you plan to

come over in advance, please let me know, and I'll arrange

accommodation for you.”

Mrs. Bell replied, "Yes, that would be great. You can keep an eye out

for a suitable apartment for me."

"Sure," Camille nodded. The conversation could have ended there, but

Mrs. Bell took the initiative to say, "Cami, are you perhaps curious

about the current state of my relationship with him?"