Chapter 287 Tobias, Will You Answer?
Tobias went to college, so he should know these basic things—especially something as important as a contract.
"I've been swamped lately, and this is a new project. There wasn't a contract template to refer to, so I forgot to include the breach of contract clause when drafting it," he explained awkwardly.
After the other party broke the contract, Tobias was initially too stunned to react. His first thoughts were that they lacked integrity or respect for his hard work, which made him seem rather naive.
Anyway, the first thing Camilla thought of was how much compensation they could get.
"Do you have to draft the contract yourself?" she asked.
Tobias looked increasingly embarrassed. "I didn't have to before. My partner used to handle these things, and I only managed the construction site. But half a month ago, he proposed to dissolve the partnership."
Tobias tried to persuade him to stay but failed. He had to take a large portion of the already tight cash flow from the company to repay the initial investment.
Camilla asked, "Didn't you calculate the losses based on the business situation?"
"Calculate losses?" Tobias asked in surprise.
"Of course!" Camilla almost laughed in exasperation. "When you started the company together, did you share the profits?"
"Of course!"
"Then similarly, shouldn't you also share the losses?"
Given the company's dire situation, losses were inevitable.
How could he have expected to return the principal intact after proposing to dissolve the partnership?
Even if he had engaged in the stock market for just a few seconds or sold immediately, he would have incurred the expected losses. There was simply no way to recover the principal in full.
"Tobias, if that's the case, then I'd also be willing to partner with you. It's a guaranteed profit," Camilla teased.
Tobias remained silent.
Camilla sighed. "I think you know the math, but you just don't want to ruin the relationship over money, right?"
Tobias's eyes reddened again. "Camilla, am I useless? I don't know how to claim compensation for breach of contract, and I return the principal when dissolving the partnership."
"No," Camilla said seriously. "You're just too kind and don't value money that much."
"He was my college roommate. We shared a dorm for four years and got along like brothers." Tobias said wistfully.
He didn't expect the person he trusted the most to turn away when Tobias was at his lowest.
"I know, it's human nature, so I don't blame him. I only blame myself for not being able to keep him," he added.
Camilla suddenly thought of something, her eyes lit up. "Tobias, you mentioned your company does smart home installations. Can you elaborate?"
Tobias thought she was just curious but still explained seriously, "In simple terms, it's about using smart devices and the current popular AI control models to improve living conditions and facilitate daily life."
Camilla asked, "Do you only do home installations?"
"What?"
"I mean, do you only take on residential renovation projects? Can you do basic construction and lab design, as well as smart system layouts?"
Tobias replied, "We used to do basic construction, but the competition was too fierce. There are professional construction companies above and scattered construction teams below. We had no advantage, so we cut that part of the business."
"As for lab design and smart system layouts, if the client has specific requirements, we mainly handle the renovation and related smart technology implementation. That shouldn't be a problem. But Camilla, why are you asking?" he added.
Camilla's eyes sparkled. "I happen to have a project. Tobias, are you interested?"
Tobias looked confused. "What project?"
"A smart lab. But there's one condition: you have to handle the construction as well."
Camilla wanted not a traditional lab but a highly intelligent one.
The two of them ate their meal in a hurry. After hearing Camilla's requirements, Tobias couldn't wait to leave and went back to the company to work on the plan.
After he left, Camilla immediately started a group call to inform the other two partners of the situation. Hestia and Royce both raised their hands in agreement after hearing it. For now, there seemed to be no better solution.
That night, Camilla went home and organized a more detailed set of requirements to send to Tobias's email. She thought she would have to wait a few days, but to her surprise, Tobias called early the next morning.
"Camilla, I'll take the project! From now on, you are my esteemed client!" he said.
Camilla couldn't help but laugh. "Tobias, it's not that serious."
"It is! Rules are rules! If you're dissatisfied with anything along the way, just let me know. Don't treat me like a brother; I'm just your humble servant."
Camilla laughed even harder. But she understood his point: business was business, no personal feelings involved.
"Tobias, aren't you going to ask about my budget or discuss the price before agreeing? Aren't you afraid of losing money?" she asked.
Tobias's tone was cheerful. "No need."
"Why?"
"First, I know you won't let me suffer. Second, even if I don't make money, helping you out and keeping my company running is worth it!"
"Tobias," Camilla sighed, "you shouldn't be so straightforward in the future. It's easy to get taken advantage of."
Tobias was nothing like the shrewd Maurice or the hypocritical Donna. That naive spirit reminded her of someone. Oh, right! Alistair! Exactly the same!
In the evening, the two met to discuss the details. It was still that small restaurant. Camilla went straight there after class and ran into Sebastian on the way. She just greeted him briefly and hurried off.
Sebastian watched her hurry back and couldn't help but frown. Was it still about the lab renovation?
When the issue first came up, Sebastian contacted the academic office. According to the regulations, students were not allowed to apply for other labs during the renovation period, not even temporarily. The rules were clear, and even though Sebastian had some influence at the school, he couldn't openly defy the regulations.
Later, Sebastian invited her to his lab, but Camilla declined. After much thought, Sebastian decided to find an off-campus lab for her. And it couldn't be too far away, or it would be inconvenient. But finding a suitable one in a short time was not easy.
Fortunately, he received a response yesterday and arranged to visit today. He would tell her once it was finalized. If it didn't work out, he didn't want to get her hopes up.
In the small restaurant, Tobias had already ordered the food. Camilla had just sat down when she was startled by his current appearance.
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