Chapter: 251

Peering through the glass of the meeting room, Alan spotted Kaitlin, engrossed in conversation, which somewhat soothed his anxieties.

"Mr. Hewitt, perhaps you could wait in her office? Ms. Gilbert's meeting is quite significant," the receptionist offered, her voice tinged with caution, wary that he might disrupt the meeting.

Alan nodded and made his way to Kaitlin's office.

There, he discovered a proposal left by Shawn and began to peruse it.

With each word, his frown deepened.

“What are you doing here?" Kaitlin, having wrapped up her meeting, found Alan absorbed in thought at her desk.

She wasn't taken aback by his presence, only by the speed of his arrival.

"Is something pressing at the studio?" Alan asked.

She arched an eyebrow. "Are you questioning me?"

"Did Shawn drop this off?" Alan queried, holding up the proposal before returning it to the desk.

Kaitlin didn't hold back and nodded. "I'm considering it. This partnership seems flawless, almost too good for us."

Their thoughts aligned perfectly.

"Since it's already perfect, what else is there to think about?" Alan said, a teasing tone in his voice as he felt a wave of relief.

“But that's precisely it. It's too perfect. If, as you've suggested, Shawn and Owen are in cahoots, accepting an offer to go abroad would be stepping right into their trap," she replied.

"You really are thinking this through," Alan commented, his praise tinged with a personal note, which earned him a sharp glare from Kaitlin.

After a thoughtful discussion, Kaitlin decided against the overseas collaboration.

Her reasoning was simple: she lacked the energy, and Oasis Studio was gearing up to take a hiatus from major projects.

This decision caused Shawn's assistant to raise an eyebrow in disbelief.

“Ms. Gilbert, are you certain you wouldn't like to reconsider? Mr. Murphy highly values this partnership," the assistant pressed.

Kaitlin sighed over the phone, her voice laden with feigned regret.

"I truly appreciate Mr. Murphy's proposition, but now isn't the right time for us. My energy and health just aren't in the right place. Should any complications arise later, they'd be challenging to manage. I trust Mr. Murphy will understand," she explained without going into further detail and promptly ended the call.

Stunned momentarily, the assistant pondered her words before reporting back to Shawn. “Mr. Murphy, we've received a response from Oasis Studio. Ms. Gilbert mentioned."

Shawn looked up expectantly. "What did she say?"

"She doesn't have the energy for it, so she can't commit to the collaboration," the assistant relayed, his head lowered in anticipation of Shawn's reaction.