Chapter 974: Politeness

Chapter 974: Politeness

Mr. Mikkola's expression also displayed a hint of displeasure between

his brows before he put on a slightly amused smile and said, "Since

Ayan wants you to come, then go ahead. With so many eyes watching

him now, what could he possibly do to you?"

Mr. Bell narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression remaining quite

serious. Eventually, he decided to set out for Simpson Group.

Mr. Mikkola personally saw him off into the car. Before the car started

moving, Mr. Mikkola bent down slightly and said through the window,

"Take this with you. If you need anything, you can contact me

immediately. If Ayan shows any disrespect, I will definitely rush over.”

Mr. Bell nodded and reached out to accept what Mr. Mikkola handed

him.

Then Mr. Mikkola added, "Don't worry or feel rushed. There's no need

to be nervous either. Currently, all the control is in our hands, and Ayan

can't do anything to us. The reason he's asked you to be there is

probably to discuss sharing responsibility for this matter. You don't need

to agree to it. Emphasize that it has nothing to do with us; it's someone

else picking at the small faults of Simpson Group. We certainly won't let

ourselves be dragged into this mess, right?"

Mr. Mikkola's words made Mr. Bell's expression freeze for a moment.

He hesitated and asked in a hushed voice, "Wouldn't this be

detrimental? It's like tearing off all pretenses and confronting him

directly. How can we continue to cooperate in the future?”

"Do you think going along with him would ensure continued

cooperation? The project has reached this point; we don't need

Simpson Group anymore. With our publicity and marketing, we don't

have to worry about the later stages of operation. So, you really don't

need to be concerned. You're spending more money now than before,

and your career also needs someone to inherit it, right? Therefore, it's

only natural for things to thrive and provide a more stable foundation for

our next generation, isn't it?"

Mr. Mikkola's words made it abundantly clear to Mr. Bell that everything

should be done according to his wishes and plans. If he didn't

cooperate, there was no guarantee that Mr. Bell's personal matters,

particularly regarding his child, wouldn't be exposed to the public.

Mr. Bell's face showed a hint of indifference. There was also a chill in

his eyes. Since Mr. Mikkola had discovered his secret a few months

ago, he had been threatened by Mr. Mikkola numerous times-no less

than ten times by now.

In just a short three to four months, the situation had escalated to this

point. If it continued like this, what would happen in the long run?

Mr. Bell's eyes revealed a touch of apathy. He looked deep into Mr.

Mikkola's eyes. Mr. Mikkola had a meaningful and threatening smile on

his face. After locking eyes with Mr. Bell, he said fearlessly, "I'm doing

this for the sake of a more stable cooperation between us. You won't

blame me, will you?"

Mr. Bell averted his gaze without changing his expression and replied in

a tone of indifference, "Of course not."

“That's good. You should hurry to Simpson Group now. It's almost time

for the meeting with Ayan. Go there and have a good discussion. If you

have any issues, let me know."

"Alright."

Mr. Bell raised the car window without another word. His face remained

cold as he drove away.

About half an hour later, Mr. Bell arrived at the Simpson Group's

parking garage.

He drove directly into the garage. In times like these, the security in the

garage would scrutinize every vehicle to ensure no reporters or media

personnel could sneak in.

Mr. Bell took the elevator up, and Kian was already waiting at the

elevator as planned. Both of them chose to set aside their previous

unpleasantness, putting on a facade of politeness instead.

Kian politely greeted him, saying, "Mr. Bell, thank you for making a

special trip."

Mr. Bell just nodded slightly and replied, "Kian, no need to be so polite.

It's the least I can do.”

The two of them exchanged glances, but there was no warmth in their

eyes-only a cold and distant emptiness.

Kian made a polite gesture and said, "Mr. Bell, Mr. Simpson is waiting

for you in his office. Right this way.”

Mr. Bell nodded and followed Kian, taking steps toward Ayan's office.

Upon reaching the office door, Kian raised his hand and knocked, then

pushed the door open. He looked inside and said, "Mr. Simpson, Mr.

Bell is here."

"Please, Mr. Bell, come on in." Ayan rose from his desk and met Mr.

Bell's gaze as he spoke gently, "Please have a seat.”

Both men took a seat on the sofa, and Kian poured them some tea

before standing quietly to await Ayan's instructions.

Mr. Bell looked at Ayan and asked, "Mr. Simpson, you asked me to

come over. What's this all about?"

Ayan leaned back comfortably on the sofa, his demeanor calm. He

fixed his gaze on Mr. Bell and his voice remained mild, "You've seen

what's been happening online, haven't you?"

Mr. Bell hesitated briefly, his expression turning somewhat chilly as he

looked at Ayan. He nodded and said in a subdued tone, "Yes, I have."

"Do you have anything to say about it?"

"What do you mean by that, Mr. Simpson? I'm not quite following."

Ayan simply smiled and said, "No need to be nervous, Mr. Bell. I don't

mean anything else. I was just casually asking if you had any thoughts

after seeing all the online discussions.”

Ayan's gaze felt like that of a hawk, unrelenting and prolonged. Such a

gaze could make one feel incredibly uncomfortable and even guilty.

Mr. Bell averted his eyes, not meeting Ayan's stare. He spoke in a cool

tone, “I don't have anything to say. Regarding this matter, it seems that

it's aimed at Simpson Group, probably because your competitors are

keeping a close eye on you and Simpson Group, which is why it came

to light."

Ayan chuckled and asked, "Do you think this matter is related to

Simpson Group?”

"This matter is directed at Simpson Group. Naturally, it's related.”

"But, Mr. Bell, have you forgotten a fact? This matter is currently under

your and Mr. Mikkola's purview. Why would it be my responsibility to

bear this burden?" Ayan's face stiffened, and a cold expression

emerged.

Mr. Bell was also taken aback, and his gaze at Ayan softened. He

spoke in a low voice, "Mr. Simpson, I did mention before that this

matter has nothing to do with Simpson Group. However, given the

current circumstances where it's clearly targeting Simpson Group, do I

also need to step up and clarify that it has nothing to do with your

company but it's my responsibility? That would make it seem like we're

just using it as an excuse to evade responsibility.”

Mr. Bell continued, "Mr. Mikkola and I are not shirking responsibility, but

this matter wasn't aimed at us, nor was it due to any negligence on our

part. So why should we bear the responsibility for it?"

Mr. Bell's words were earnest, and his expression showed his

determination. He had only one stance: if they wanted him to take

responsibility, he could, but the prerequisite was that the matter had to

be directed at them. However, at present, it had nothing to do with

them, so why should they be held accountable?

After Mr. Bell finished speaking, Ayan responded with a faint smile,

seemingly not angered by his words. In fact, there were no ripples of

emotion on his face at all.

Then, Ayan spoke calmly, "Mr. Bell, considering your close friendship

with Mr. Mikkola, why didn't you propose to collaborate with him from

the beginning? Instead, you came to me."

Mr. Bell's face turned pale, and he avoided looking at Ayan. His voice

quivered slightly as he replied, "Collaboration doesn't just happen

because of a good relationship. It was because it was the right choice

at the time. Ayan, we've been working together for quite some time,

always on the same front. If you had supported our proposal from the

beginning, then the responsibility would naturally be shared among us.”

Mr. Bell's words were sincere, but Ayan didn't seem moved at all.

Instead, he gave a cold, mocking smile.

He coldly remarked, "Is everything Mr. Bell said true?"

"Of course, it's true.”

"But what I heard seems to be a different version. Would you like to

hear what I know?" Ayan asked.