That evening, at Atlas Group Headquarters.
James Grant remained in his office, standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, with a brooding expression, gazing down at the bustling streets below.
The phone on the desk seemed to be exploding, ringing incessantly. Yet, James stood there as if he couldn’t hear it, completely unresponsive.
Until someone knocked on the door.
Quentin Hale entered, looking somewhat tense, "Director Grant, the chairman is here."
As soon as he finished speaking, Harrison Grant walked in with a stern face. Official source is NoveI~Fire.net
Quentin was startled, thinking that the father and son might clash today, but he was powerless to help, as he was just an assistant and had no right to intervene in his boss’s family affairs.
"Assistant Hale, leave us," Harrison ordered with a cold glance, his tone firm.
Quentin looked at his boss, seeing James’ continued indifference, and could only grit his teeth and exit.
As he closed the door, Harrison looked at his eldest son, his anger only growing stronger, starting with a taunt, "So, you finally realized you caused trouble and now don’t dare to go home?"
James slightly raised his well-defined eyebrows, emitting a barely noticeable sneer, a mocking glint passing through his icy eyes.
Home? Is that really his home?
Turning slightly, James glanced at Harrison, answering with a question, "What brings you here, Dad?"
"What else could I be here for?!" Harrison exclaimed in frustration, "You seem quite calm and idle! The scandal about you and Evelyn Clayton is all over the internet! Atlas’s stock price plummeted by thirty percent! What are you going to do to fix this?!"
James strolled over to the desk, lighting a cigarette, his handsome face obscured by smoke, even his words were indistinct.
He chuckled, flicking the ash, "Fix what? Why fix it? Stock prices rise and fall, what’s so strange about that?"
Harrison’s eyes widened with rage at his nonchalant attitude, "What kind of talk is that, huh? Haven’t you seen the trending topics online? Even if stock fluctuations are normal... what about your situation with Evelyn Clayton?! If the Yates Family backs out of your marriage with Lynn Yates, then what?"
He wanted to see Evelyn Clayton right now.
The office was incredibly silent, the sound of the burning tobacco alarmingly clear in the moment.
James’s indifference served as his best defense, and even as Harrison’s anger raised his heart rate, James maintained his calm demeanor.
Eventually, Harrison seemed to concede, persuading half-coaxingly, half-threateningly, "You’d better settle this matter for me, by any means, just ensure the engagement remains intact; the stock price is not a major issue, the market always fluctuates, I understand that. But..."
Harrison’s gaze turned cold, "If you insist on acting recklessly, I will ensure this becomes the final straw that breaks Evelyn Clayton. I heard her studio is doing well now, and she has secured a lot of collaborations."
"James, I know you still have feelings for Evelyn Clayton, and I believe you don’t want her to lose everything she now has because of you, right?"
Harrison didn’t waste more words, feeling he had said enough.
Originally, he didn’t like his son slipping out of his control.
But James was different.
He was the only son Harrison recognized as the most capable and intelligent.
Harrison left, not closing the door when he did. James looked at the gaping black space outside the pure white door, feeling as if his heart too had been torn open, letting in a cold draft.
He took out his phone and dialed Lynn Yates.