Ayan rolled down the car window and, despite his usual habit of not smoking in a moving car, lit a cigarette. His tone was indifferent as he asked, "Did Preston ask you to come back?"
He was direct, without any hint of delicacy.
Eileen looked at him through the drifting smoke, her heart still quickening at the sight of his handsome face. That feeling, which had persisted from the past to the present despite all that had happened, remained unchanged.
Eileen pressed her lips together, speaking softly, "Yes."
He asked, "Did he have any specific plans for you to come back?"
"He didn't say. He just asked me to return to Hance first."
Ayan glanced at Eileen from the corner of his eye, clearly skeptical of her words.
Eileen hurriedly explained, "Ayan, I'm telling the truth. Preston only asked me to come back. As for any plans he might have, he didn't mention them."
Ayan's voice remained dispassionate as he said, "I didn't say anything. You don't need to get so worked up."
Eileen's expression stiffened for a moment. She had thought she was well-prepared to face Ayan after being away for so long, but seeing him again made her realize that she always felt uncertain in his presence. She always seemed to be one step below him.
Did she really have to resort to those methods to be on equal footing with him?
A sense of confusion and hesitation crept into Eileen's mind.
She halted the spread of these thoughts and looked at Ayan, saying, "Ayan, I'm not worked up. I just don't want you to misunderstand me. If Preston really has any plans for me, I could choose not to tell you. Since I reached out to you before coming back, you can be sure that I have no reservations about being open with you."
Ayan didn't respond to her words, and the natural answer was that he didn't believe her.
Kian, who had been driving, reached the hotel-a property under the Simpson Group. Ayan said, "Since you've just returned, take a few days to rest."
Ayan instructed Kian to accompany Eileen to her room. Throughout the process, Ayan remained in the car, maintaining a distance from Eileen. His behavior made it clear that he wanted to keep some distance.
Eileen wasn't in a hurry. She followed his arrangements.
However, once she returned to her room, Eileen immediately shared her return to Hance with Preston.
She was attempting to navigate a delicate balance, not wanting to offend anyone on either side. Her desire was to reap the benefits from both sides, a goal she had held steadfastly throughout.
Yet, she couldn't help but question whether her ambition would truly lead to the desired outcome.
After seeing Eileen to her room, Kian left the hotel and got back into the car.
Kian glanced at Ayan in the rearview mirror, asking, "Mr. Simpson, are we heading back to Simpson Group now?"
"Yes," Ayan responded in his usual detached tone. After arriving at Simpson Group, he instructed Kian, "Get the car washed."
Kian nodded and was about to drive to the car wash when Ayan changed his mind, "Actually, never mind. Get a different car."
Ayan returned to his office. Instead of diving into work immediately, he took a shower and changed into spare clothes before tending to his tasks.
Around three in the afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Bell, accompanied by their assistant, arrived at Simpson Group.
They had been back for a few days, but their time had been occupied with other charitable endeavors, delaying their visit to Simpson Group.
The project was ready, and the upcoming opening ceremony would mark its launch. Mr. Bell stated, "I want this to be lively. I want the project to become well-known in Hance City. It's not just about the Modest Temple Hotel; the main theme is charity, in line with our original intention."
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The readers' comments on the novel: My Ex-husband Begs Me Back (Ayan and Camille)
Update pls thanks,!...
Thank you so much for the prompt update. More pls....