Chapter 685 Lola Takes a Photo: Landon is Furious!
Caitlyn really didn't want to wear the clothes Landon gave her, even though her sweater was missing a button and looked pretty shabby.
With a bit of a whine, she said, "I don't want to wear it."
Cherie felt a little awkward but didn't push her. She watched as Caitlyn used her handbag to cover the missing button and headed for the elevator.
Caitlyn left so decisively that it made Cherie's eyes well up.
Over the years, Cherie had become one of Landon's trusted aides. Most of what she knew about Landon and Caitlyn's relationship was just gossip, but after seeing Caitlyn a few times, she felt that at least back then, Caitlyn really did love Landon.
If Caitlyn hadn't truly loved him, she could have easily stayed with Landon. She could have enjoyed his wealth and used his guilt to get more out of him, but she didn't.
Cherie thought, 'She must have loved him deeply!'
She then reported back to Landon, expecting him to be mad, but to her surprise, Landon just said calmly, "Let it go."
After Cherie left, Landon sat quietly for a bit before getting up and taking the bag to the lounge.
This was where he took his lunch breaks. Besides a big bed and a set of sofas, there was also a row of wardrobes. Cherie had prepared two sets of clothes for each season, not just for him but also for Caitlyn.
Before coming back to Seattle, he had thought about making up with Caitlyn. After they met, Caitlyn quickly decided to go on blind dates and find someone to marry.
Landon knew part of the reason was him; she didn't want to give him a chance or let him get close to her again. Having a legit boyfriend or husband was the best excuse.
He had a reputation and couldn't get involved in an affair.
Landon thought, 'Caitlyn, do you hate me that much?'
He hung the clothes back, gently touching the carefully chosen designer outfits.
Meanwhile, Caitlyn left the Carter Group Building and got into her car.
She pulled down the mirror and looked at herself. Her eye makeup was smudged, and her eyes were swollen. She looked like a mess. She stared at herself and once again told herself to stay away from Landon!
Afraid her mom would get suspicious, she didn't dare go home to change clothes. Instead, she found a nearby women's clothing store, where she bought a new outfit and changed there.
Then she got a call from Leonard. His voice was lazy and casual as he said, "What should I do, Caitlyn? I'm addicted to dating you!"
Caitlyn held her phone, watching the traffic outside, and after a while, she asked softly, "Are you free tonight?"
Leonard didn't say if he was free or not but sent her a location. It was the address of a fancy restaurant that was a really expensive one, usually for special dates.
Caitlyn knew he had just bought a house and wasn't doing great financially, so she thought about suggesting a different place. But then she realized Leonard had probably thought about it for a long time before deciding.
If she suggested changing the place now, it might kill the mood. She decided to talk to him about it after the meal. She wasn't the rich girl she used to be. A simple meal could still make her happy.
At 8 p.m, Caitlyn and Leonard were dining at a high-end restaurant. The ambiance was great, with a recent renovation and even a live piano performance.
Leonard rarely went to such places. He enjoyed the music for a while and then said to Caitlyn, "The music is beautiful."
But Caitlyn was a bit distracted. She looked over and then smiled lightly. "It's Lola," she said.
"Lola?" Leonard looked puzzled for a second, and then it clicked. "You mean Ms. Hawkins from Wise Counsel Law Firm?"
Caitlyn nodded. "Yep! This place was originally opened by Lola's mom, Ms. Russell. She later handed it over to Lola. Sometimes, Ms. Hawkins would come and play the piano here. I bet it holds some sweet childhood memories for her."
Leonard gently took her hand. "Caitlyn, we're gonna be really happy too."
Caitlyn smiled and leaned in closer, whispering, "So, how about we only come to fancy places like this once or twice a year? What do you think?"
Leonard found her absolutely adorable. But he also wanted to give her a good life, helping her fit back into her old social circles, so she could say she was Leonard's wife with pride. He hoped her work would be something she loved, not something she had to do to make ends meet.
Leonard didn't say any of this out loud. Instead, he reached out and gently pinched her nose.
The mood was perfect, and Caitlyn took the chance to tell him, "I turned down Mr. Carter. After teaching once, I realized it wasn't for me. Katelyn is too young to really understand."
Though Leonard felt a bit let down, he respected Caitlyn's choice. "If it's not right for you, then don't do it. You should do what feels right."
Hearing this, Caitlyn smiled, her little canine tooth showing cutely. Even in the fancy restaurant, Leonard leaned in and kissed her.
Over at the piano, Lola finished her piece. She turned around and saw them.
She thought, 'Isn't that Amara's good friend? Didn't that jerk Landon chase her back to Seattle? Looks like Caitlyn has a boyfriend now! And they seem pretty happy!'
Lola took out her phone, snapped a picture of the sweet moment, and sent a message to her secretary: [Need some Valentine's Day vibes. Vertex Innovations Group, 24-hour continuous playback to boost consumer desire.]
After sending it, she transferred $1 million to Amara, asking her to give it to Caitlyn as a fee for using her image.
The secretary was super efficient. Even though it was after hours, the task was done in less than half an hour. On top of one of Seattle's tallest buildings, the Vertex Innovations Group Building, the screen started playing the image of Leonard kissing Caitlyn.
They didn't actually touch lips, but the image was beautiful, which made people believe in love.
Coincidentally, as Landon was driving home from work, Katelyn decided she didn't want to eat at home and wanted to go out instead.
Landon indulged Katelyn and drove her out himself. As they drove to the city center, they passed by the Vertex Innovations Group Building, where the giant screen on top was playing the image of Leonard and Caitlyn.
Shocked, Landon sat there, gripping the steering wheel, looking up at the beautiful image, his heart aching. He recognized the restaurant as a Hawkins family property, so the photo must have been taken by someone from the Hawkins family.
He stared for a long time, and the cars behind him honked like crazy, with some people even shouting curses. "Are you nuts? Move your car!"
After a while, Landon snapped out of it and hit the gas.
Everywhere he went, if it was a Hawkins family property, they were playing that photo. Landon's already bad mood got worse. He felt like the whole world was reminding him that Caitlyn wasn't his anymore.
The car pulled over to the side of the road, and Landon had just lit a cigarette when he remembered Katelyn was in the car with him. He quickly put the cigarette pack down.
Katelyn noticed and said in a sad voice, "Daddy, is Ms. Robinson not willing to teach me because she has a boyfriend? Will she marry someone else and have babies?"
Landon forced a smile and replied, "Probably."
Katelyn's thoughts were simple and direct. "Then what about you, Daddy?" she asked.
Landon sat in his million-dollar luxury car, wondering what he would do if Caitlyn really got married.
Honestly, what could he do? He was the one who didn't want her back then!
Caitlyn had chased him to Boston for his wedding, and he didn't have a moment of softness for her!
Meanwhile, Lola's inconsiderate behavior got her dragged home by Frederick for a stern lecture.
Frederick pointed at her, trembling with anger. "The Hawkins Group just finalized a big project with the Carter Group, thanks to Amara's role as a mediator. But you sent this photo that could make Landon so angry he ends up in the hospital. If he really has a health issue because of it, what good does that do us? Amara might still have to work for him," he said.
Lola lazily replied, "To compete with that young doctor, Landon wouldn't end up in the hospital! Men at this age, especially those with dignity, care a lot about their health."
Frederick snapped, "How do you know?"
Lola smiled faintly, fiddling with her phone. According to her secretary, a mysterious big shot had just bought the photo for $30 million. Lola thought, 'Caitlyn really is Landon's treasure. But seeing his beloved with someone else, he must be extremely jealous!'
Lola chuckled to herself.
Frederick gave her a cold look and said, "Still laughing? You should worry about your own matters! Your relationship with Johnny isn't what it used to be. He's been socializing a lot, hasn't he? Aren't you worried that he might be attracted to other women at the parties?"
When Lola heard him mention Johnny, her expression hardened.
She responded calmly, "It's nothing. Men can't avoid these entertainment venues when doing business!"
Frederick remained silent for a long time before softly asking, "Are you still blaming him for Darren's incident?"
At the mention of Darren, Lola's body stiffened slightly.
Darren was dead!
A few years ago, when she and Johnny had just reconciled, she thought Darren had been sent to Novaria for treatment by Johnny. She believed that after giving birth, she would see him again. But when she finally did, it was only his tombstone.
For those six months, the Facebook posts and letters from Darren were all arranged by Johnny.
Darren had been dead for a long time, but Lola had always thought he was alive. She didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. He was buried in a foreign land, not even in Novaria where they had lived together.
Lola rushed over and brought Darren back, burying him in a small cemetery. From that moment, her relationship with Johnny was over.
She didn't mention divorce, continued to take care of their two children as before, and didn't separate from him. But over time, Johnny could sense it. He tried to rekindle her feelings, but Lola's heart was like a lifeless pool. She didn't even care about him anymore.
For a while, he desperately sought to have sex with her every night. On a rainy night, with the children still around, a young, beautiful woman, clearly a prostitute, appeared on their bed.
The woman had the looks and figure that matched Johnny's taste. At that time, Johnny's eyes were bloodshot. He ripped off his tie and yelled at the woman to get out. Then he started searching and found that Lola had moved her things out of the main bedroom.
He found her in the guest room. She was quietly leaning against the headboard, freshly showered, wearing a white bathrobe, and reading a legal book. However, Johnny, like a madman, tied his tie around Lola's wrist.
That night, he was rough with her all night. He had never been so violent with her before. At dawn, Lola lay motionless on the bed, not looking at him or telling him to leave.
Johnny leaned close to her neck, softly pleading, "Lola, don't treat me so coldly!"
Yet Lola remained indifferent!
Since then, they had almost no intimate relations. It wasn't that Johnny didn't want to, but every time he faced Lola's indifferent expression, he couldn't continue. Over time, he seemed to lose the desire as well.
As Frederick and Lola were talking, the servant's voice rang out, "Mr. Flores is back."
Hearing this, Lola looked over.
Under the bright light of the entrance, Johnny took off his coat, handed it to the servant, and walked over. They didn't live with Frederick, so he brought a gift, a type of coffee Frederick had recently enjoyed.
"I'm here to pick up Lola." Johnny's tone was respectful and calm, as if he and Lola were still a loving couple. In fact, their marital discord had never been exposed, and Frederick could only ignore it. He still hoped they would be happy.
He accepted the coffee and smiled, "It's a nice coffee, thank you!"
Johnny sat down, turned to Lola, and asked softly, "Shall I play a game of chess with Frederick? Then we'll leave?"
Though he phrased it as a question, it was more of a decision.
Despite their strained relationship, Johnny's business had been thriving, and he rarely had the chance to play chess or have coffee with Frederick. Among the younger generation, only Johnny could keep him company.
Lola stood up and responded, "I'll wait for you upstairs."
Johnny's eyes showed a hint of disappointment. "Just half an hour. Can't you wait here?"
"My back hurts!" Lola rubbed her back as she went upstairs, showing no respect for him.
After she went upstairs, Frederick set up the chessboard and asked casually, "Are you having a disagreement recently?"
Johnny leaned forward and placed a piece. He replied, "Don't worry; we're fine!"
Under the light, he wore a white shirt and black casual pants, exuding elegance. Frederick was satisfied with Johnny as both a son-in-law and an adopted son, but he was also worried about their marital discord.
Clearly, Johnny was a bit distracted.
He lost in less than 20 minutes, picked up the pieces, and said, "Your strategy here could still dominate for another 20 years."
Frederick leaned back, his gaze deep. After a moment, he smiled and said, "Go find Lola!"
Johnny stood up and responded, "Alright, I'll take her home now. We'll bring Angelina and Austin over for dinner on Saturday!"
Frederick nodded as Johnny climbed the stairs to the third floor, reaching Lola's bedroom door.
He paused and knocked. "Lola!"
There was no response, so he opened the door. The room was dim, with a faint fragrance. Johnny didn't turn on the light but walked to the bed in the weak light.
Lola was asleep, her back to the door, half-covered by a thin blanket, with her phone lying beside her. Johnny picked it up and looked at it, his eyes darkening. He stared at it for a long time before restoring it to the standby screen. He then patted her shoulder and said, "Lola, time to go home!"
Startled, she woke up from her dream.
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