Chapter 272 If You Have Any Conditions, Just Say It
Camilla snapped back to reality and turned around.
Behind her, Leopold was dressed in a crisp suit, looking thinner with more sunken cheeks. As she sized him up, he was also staring at her.
Camilla wore a beige knit sweater, black pants, and a khaki trench coat. Her hair hung naturally, and she had on simple, clean white sneakers.
"Hello." Seeing that he wasn't speaking, Camilla had to greet him first.
Once so close, they now greeted each other with a formal "hello" upon meeting again. In that moment, he felt a sharp pain in his heart.
"Camilla, do we really need to be so formal with each other?"
Camilla just smiled.
Leopold's heart ached and he forced a smile. "Do you need something from me?"
"Of course." She nodded seriously.
"Shall we talk inside?"
"Okay."
Camilla walked towards the office, Leopold following closely and closing the door behind them.
"John! Who is that beautiful woman? I've never seen her before. Is she here to talk to Mr. Wipere?" The speaker was a female assistant who had been there for less than two months. The previous assistant who had booked the wrong flight had long been fired.
John frowned. "Have you finished your work? Learned everything you need to? If you have so many questions, maybe you should become a journalist."
The female assistant smiled awkwardly. "Sorry, I was just a bit curious."
John looked at everyone else. "Are you all the same?"
No one spoke, but it was almost a tacit agreement.
John's face grew darker. "No matter how long you've been here or how experienced you are, remember: don't interfere too much in matters that don't concern you."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
John turned around and, gathering his courage, knocked on Leopold's door.
"What is it?" Leopold's voice came through the door, slightly hoarse.
John lowered his eyes. "Mr. Wipere, the golf game with Mr. Graves this afternoon..."
"Cancel it."
"Yes." John wasn't surprised by this answer. After all, it was Camilla—the very person Leopold constantly thought about.
"Sit." Leopold personally pulled out a chair for her and asked eagerly, "Would you like something to drink?"
"No, let's get to business."
"Alright." Leopold sat down across from Camilla, his gaze focused and restrained on her face.
"I came today because..."
"Camilla, how have you been lately? I heard that the coursework for graduate students at Harmony College is very heavy. Are you keeping up?"
He had heard Clara complaining at home about having so many classes that there was no time for meals, gatherings, or shopping.
Camilla, needing a favor, replied patiently, "It's okay." Beyond that, she didn't say more and tried to steer the conversation back on track. "I'm here about the land transfer from when we broke up..."
Leopold interrupted again, "Have you had lunch? I haven't, and I'm starving. There's a restaurant nearby that you used to frequent. Can we talk while we eat?"
Camilla thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.
Leopold took her and left immediately. On the way, he called John to cancel the evening's schedule as well.
During the meal, Leopold, as he used to, cut the steak and then handed it to her. "I remember you like steak but find it troublesome to cut, so you'd rather not eat it. Since then, I've always cut it for you."
Camilla looked at the small pieces of steak in front of her, her expression indifferent. She wasn't here to eat; just sitting here was already too much for her.
This time, not giving Leopold a chance to interrupt, she got straight to the point. "The procedures are almost complete, just missing the informed consent form. I brought it today. Can you sign it?"
Leopold's smile gradually faded. "Is it so hard to have a proper meal with me?"
Camilla frowned. "Why bring this up now?"
Camilla felt puzzled. "You said we could talk while eating. Now that we're eating, you don't want to talk. Do your words mean nothing?"
Leopold was at a loss for words and put down the utensils. "Fine, let's talk."
Camilla instinctively sat up straight.
Leopold glanced at the documents and pen she had taken out and smiled self-deprecatingly, "If it weren't for needing my signature, you wouldn't have come to me today, would you?"
Camilla spoke the truth. "Yes."
"In your eyes, all I'm good for is signing papers, and then we can go our separate ways?"
Camilla's tone was calm. "We already went our separate ways a long time ago."
"What if I don't sign today?" Leopold spoke slowly, his gaze deep.
Camille only felt confused and found him unfamiliar. "The land has already been transferred to me. Why are you clinging to an informed consent form?"
Leopold said softly, "I regret it." He regretted ending their relationship and not fighting to win her back.
Camilla found him unreasonable. "The land was given by you. When you signed the transfer contract, you were sober. Why go back on your word now?"
"Although the land was taken by me when we broke up, I don't consider it a breakup gift. When the company went public, as a founder, I should have received shares. Instead, you gave me a check and this land as compensation. So, this land rightfully belongs to me."
"I need your signature for the formal process, but that doesn't mean the land is still yours if you don't sign."
The land was under Camilla's name, but building a lab required Leopold's cooperation due to regulations.
Leopold's brow furrowed deeply. "It seems we can't reach an agreement today?"
"The initiative is in your hands. If you want to, you can."
"What if I don't want to?"
"I always believe there's no deal that can't be made. If there is, the conditions aren't good enough."
Leopold's eyes darkened.
Camilla looked him straight in the eye. "So, what are your conditions? Feel free to say them."
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