Chapter 411
Isabella was still busy composing, so Olivia didn't want to disturb her and left shortly after.
As soon as the door closed, Isabella picked up her phone and called Atticus.
She had agreed to go out with Emilio, but now she had a different idea.
She had been wanting to set up Olivia and Atticus for a while.
But Atticus seemed to be avoiding her on purpose. It had been two or three days since he last came home. Matters of the heart required mutual willingness, and him avoiding her like this wasn't going to help.
So, she needed to create some noise to help Olivia out.
The phone connected, and Atticus's deep, magnetic voice came through, "Isabella?"
"Hey, Uncle Atticus. Emilio invited me to go to Graceful Haven Church tomorrow to relax. Thought you should know."
Isabella was always a free spirit, so it was surprising that she would call about something so trivial. Atticus was taken aback.
But he also found it considerate.
Since Isabella married Michael three years ago, she hadn't been this close to him.
"That's fine. I'm cool with you going with Emilio, but be careful. Take a bodyguard with you, don't come back too late, and definitely don't stay out overnight."
Atticus knew Emilio would make a move, so he wasn't surprised.
But he was still cautious about Isabella's safety.
Even though Emilio was someone both he and Holden approved of, men were still men. He didn't want Isabella to suffer any grievances or be taken advantage of by Emilio.
Hearing Atticus's advice, Isabella couldn't help but laugh.
"Atticus, what are you thinking? We're just going for a walk nearby."
Isabella deliberately hesitated, waiting for Atticus to take the bait.
Sure enough, Atticus quickly asked, "But what? Why are you only saying half of it?"
Isabella cleared her throat, trying not to make her intentions too obvious. "Atticus, I see you've been very busy lately and haven't had time to come home. Why don't you take a break and come out with us? Just to keep me company."
"You want me to keep you company? No problem. But isn't tomorrow already planned with Emilio? How about I join you another day?"
Atticus knew Emilio's intentions. Since Emilio had already set the time, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to tag along as an elder.
"No, it has to be tomorrow!"
Isabella quickly changed her tone to avoid suspicion. "Uncle Atticus, I just want you to be with me tomorrow. Please, I feel safe with you around."
After hearing her plea, Atticus couldn't refuse.
"Alright, if you want me to be there, I'll go with you."
Atticus had already thought of a plan.
At worst, he would drop Isabella off and leave early.
"Deal. Uncle Atticus, I'll wait for you at home tomorrow."
Hanging up the phone, Isabella smiled triumphantly.
This time, she was sure she could set up Atticus and Olivia.
At the Brown Group, Michael stood in his office, looking out at the sunset pouring into the room, feeling a deep sense of loneliness.
At this time, he should be heading home like everyone else, enjoying the company of his family. Or preparing dinner with his wife, chatting about trivial matters.
But he had none of that.
He was alone.
The Brown Villa had Aiden and Stella's nagging, which he couldn't stand.
His other residences were dark and lifeless, so he didn't bother going there.
As for his and Isabella's marital home at Elysian Heights Estate, he didn't have the courage to step foot in it.
So, his only refuge was the office. It was the only place that gave him peace.
He walked to his desk, knowing that work was the only thing that could temporarily distract him from his troubles.
At ten o'clock, Michael called Aaron internationally, timing it perfectly.
Aaron and Renee should have arrived by now.
If it weren't urgent, he wouldn't have called Aaron at this hour.
As soon as the call connected, Michael got straight to the point. "Aaron, did you thoroughly review the contract proposal from Auroria?"
Aaron was taken aback but quickly responded, "Mr. Brown, I checked every clause carefully before signing and sending it to the local government for notarization. Is there a problem?"
Michael's eyes narrowed.
This meant the document in his hand wasn't sent from abroad but had been swapped beforehand.
But he couldn't determine if the switch happened in Auroria or domestically.
Michael couldn't immediately pinpoint the source of the error.
Fortunately, Aaron was in Auroria.
And as the project lead, Aaron knew the contract details better than Michael and could investigate locally.
"There's an issue. I can't explain over the phone. I'll send you a copy, and you'll understand."
Michael hung up and sent the document.
Aaron, at a nearby hotel, opened Michael's email on his laptop.
Given the seriousness, he reviewed every page meticulously.
The more he read, the more his back chilled.
Thankfully, Michael hadn't impulsively signed it.
If he had, the company would have suffered a huge loss.
How could the local government resort to such underhanded tactics?
During negotiations, every term was clearly discussed, especially the financial aspects. Both sides had repeatedly confirmed the contract details.
How dare they falsify the contract?
Did they think they didn't understand the law and could be easily deceived?
Renee, exhausted from a nearly ten-hour flight, was resting. Aaron, not wanting to disturb her, took his phone to the balcony.
He called Michael.
He intended to clarify the situation and discuss solutions.
Michael, waiting for the call, answered immediately. "Aaron, how do you explain this?"
The Auroria project had been Aaron's responsibility from the start. Now, with a contract issue, he couldn't escape accountability.
Aaron understood this and sought Michael's advice.
"Mr. Brown, I won't shirk my responsibility. But please trust me. The contract I saw was definitely not this one."