Chapter 451 Don't Cry
The family dinner concluded, and the guests dispersed. Lawrence. received a call from the Rodriguez family and his expression darkened ever so slightly. He walked briskly out of the Blanchet family's living room, signaling his driver to prepare for an imminent departure. His gaze, composed and penetrating, locked onto two figures outlined against the moonlit backdrop, positioned beside a sleek BMW, preparing to depart. Winnie was draped in a men's blazer—with Rock's hand resting on her shoulder, his own form adorned solely in an elegant dress shirt.His gaze, cool and deep, met a pair of figures silhouetted against the moonlight, standing by a sleek BMW, gearing up to leave. Winnie was wrapped in a men's blazer—with Rock's hand resting on her shoulder, his own figure clad only in an elegant dress shirt. "It's chilly tonight. Keep the jacket on, Winnie. I'll drive," Rock said, his peripheral vision catching sight of Lawrence. He smoothly continued, "Maybe head to my hotel afterward?" Winnie was on the verge of proposing to postpone any business discussions until the following day, feeling drained after confronting the Blanchets all evening. However, the sound of approaching footsteps, cold and purposeful, and then a hand seizing her wrist interrupted her.
The tip of his cigarette, held between his fingers, grazed against her sleeve, scattering ashes.Winnie was about to suggest postponing any business talk until tomorrow, feeling drained from facing off with the Blanchets all evening, but— The sound of approaching footsteps, icy and deliberate, and then a hand gripping her wrist. The tip of his cigarette, clutched between his fingers, brushed against her sleeve, scattering ashes. She looked up, her face growing colder at the sight of the man she did not wish to encounter. Lawrence. stood tall, his presence and expression colder and more intimidating than her own, his voice sharp with authority, "Your son is still with the Rodriguez family. Where do you think you're going?" To Rock's hotel? The unquenched fury in Lawrence.'s chest surged violently. In the restroom earlier, his warning apparently fell on deaf ears as she draped herself in the all-too-irritating jacket from Rock.
Winnie tugged at her wrist, not blind to the chilling glint in the man's eye, but she wasn't cornered in a restroom now. She could step back into her safe zone without having to swallow her pride. Her gaze was cool and detached. "Lawrence, I have no desire to communicate with you." "Did you get that, Mr. Lawrence?" Rock said, releasing Winnie's wrist with a defiant lift of his eyebrows as he faced off with Lawrence.
"There's been trouble at the Rodriguez family home. What's your plan?" Lawrence abruptly pointed out, hi's lips were a tight line, frigid as ice. "What?" Winnie's face drained of color. "What happened to him?" "Get in my car," the man ordered, devoid of warmth. Concern for her son gnawing at her, Winnie could only comply. His Bentley was parked across the street. She gently pulled away from Rock. "Rock, go ahead in my car. I need to find Sidney." Rock's brow furrowed with worry, but he let go. "Winnie, we'll talk tomorrow." "Okay." Winnie walked under the moonlight toward Lawrence's vehicle. As Lawrence listened to their exchange, a vein throbbed on his forehead, his face stone-cold. He stayed right there. As he flicked away his cigarette butt, his glare fixed on Rock, whom he couldn't bear to see. The ember of the cigarette reflected in Lawrence's eyes, a harsh and impulsive red as he ominously lowered his voice, mocking Rock. "Did you notice her chapped lips? What do you suppose she and I were up to in that restroom?"In the moment he flicked away his cigarette butt, his glare fell upon Rock, who he couldn't stand the sight of. The cigarette's ember reflected in Lawrence's eyes, a brutal and impulsive red as he menacingly lowered his voice, taunting Rock. "Did you see her chapped lips? What do you think she and I were doing in that restroom?" Rock's fist clenched tight. He couldn't have failed to notice.How could he not have noticed? Lawrence laughed wickedly;, his gaze cruelly oppressive. "Even if I don't want her anymore, I could have her anytime I wish. And you? You're a nobody. I'll never let her be yours!" "Show her some respect!" Rock's pride was struck hard, and hHe swung his fist uncontrollably. It was a powerful blow, but Lawrence caught it with ease, force meeting force. A hidden, burning anger flashed in Rock's otherwise refined eyes.A hidden, scarlet fury flashed in Rock's otherwise cultured eyes. Lawrence's words were a deep wound to any man's pride. But Lawrence wasn't done. His voice dripped with scorn. "Now that she's become Winnie Anderson of the Blanchet family, do you love her even more? Don't think I can't see through your ambition. Your love for her is tainted. How dare you consider yourself worthy?" It was as if he saw right through Rock's eagerness to ingratiate himself with the Blanchet family that evening, landing a figurative punch to Rock's face. With biting mockery, he retorted, "Your love is pure? Lawrence, no one has hurt her more deeply than you. You lost her for three years, but it was I who took care of her. We'll see who has the last laugh."
Lawrence's eyes were icy with disdain. "You'd do well to stay out of Trento City." He turned on his heel and left. Rock didn't want to cause a scene in front of the Blanchet residence, but the raw humiliation dished out by Lawrence, combined with Winnie's cracked lips, fueled a wildfire of hatred in his heart. Tonight, entering the Blanchet's domain seemed like an invitation to his own degradation. Feeling powerless twisted his mindset. He squinted as he turned off the recording function on his phone, his hand curling into a fist. He vowed to repay Lawrence tenfold for the shame he had inflicted upon him at the Blanchets'. And he intended to fulfill that vow.The shame Lawrence had inflicted upon him at the Blanchets', he vowed to repay tenfold. And he would. Rock watched the Bentley speeed away, then slipped into his own car. His eyes glinted with menacing intent as he quickly dialed a number. "Look into the Rodriguez family for me." Lawrence had just returned to the Rodriguez family, and Rock was certain that he had vulnerabilities. - In the Blanchet's backyard, Eleanor grasped Ishara's arm. "Ishara, why didn't you seize the chance tonight to ask to join the Blanchets? ST may be modest, but with that conniving girl getting in, how can we be at ease? She holds 10% of the shares. If she starts thriving in ST, your father will eventually move her to headquarters." "Of course, I'll join ST," Ishara replied, her doe eyes narrowing ever so slightly with a hint of a smile. "The Rodrigueze familys have major stakes in ST, which means Mr. Lawrence holds the power, didn't you hear?" Eleanor looked puzzled. In a hushed tone, Ishara added, "I'll enter under the auspices of Mr. Lawrence's name. That'll show Winnie... Then I'll have Bryan make some moves. How could I possibly let Winnie enjoy her days in ST?" Eleanor's expression softened and praised, "I knew my daughter was sharp. We can't let her get the better of the Blanchet familys. She's already cornered me to the point where I can't speak up in front of your father! It's time we dealt with this Winnie;, we can't let her grow her roots in Trento City. I'll consult with your uncle as well."e Wen...” A sinister look flickered iIn Eleanor's eyes. Ishara listened quietly, offering no comment. After a while, Claire approached. Ishara, glancing toward the Blanchet's living room, inquired, "Where's Mr. Lawrence?"
As Claire was about to delve into the matter, she mentioned in passing, "Mr. Lawrence hurried out earlier, as if the Rodriguez family had some urgent business for him. But I noticed Winnie getting into his car. It looked like they headed off to the Rodriguez family together." Ishara, clearing her throat with a hint of reproach, questioned, "Why am I only hearing about this now?" With a sense of urgency, she hastened her steps, "Get the car ready, I'm heading to the Rodriguez estate as well." She had been eager to make her presence known at the Rodriguez estate, looking to forge closer ties with the elders from the Rodriguez family. She would not allow Rodriguezes... How could she let Winnie to steal the spotlight? . - Inside the gliding Bentley, a frosty silence divided the backseat. Winnie sat huddled against the door, while Lawrence, glimpsing her aloof reflection in the window, felt a surge of irritation. The melancholic woods of Camellia Mount blurred by, streetlights flickering past her face, casting an ethereal glow that made her porcelain complexion seem to radiate. Lawrence was haunted by the unfinished confrontation in the restroom, his gaze fixating on the split at the corner of her lips—those lips pressed together in silent protest. A parching thirst clenched his throat, guilt mingling with the regret for his roughness. The quiet in the car amplified his inner turmoil. Grasping for words, his husky, cool voice finally broke the silence, "Does it hurt?" His dark eyes were fixated on her mouth. Winnie shivered subtly, her cold stare shifting out the window, then toward the driver before, asking, "Can we go any faster?" The driver, feeling wronged, had been moderating their speed based on Mr. Lawrence's temperament. "Do you detest being with me that much?" Lawrence asked, his face was a mask of coldness. "What's happened to Sidney?" Winnie managed her irritation, her gaze fixed ahead., "If he's in trouble, why won't you let me see him sooner?" "You won't be able to see him either. Your identity as his mother shouldn't be revealed at the Rodriguez estate. Wait outside the grounds, I'll bring him out to you." Lawrence's words were icy, his concern transparent; there was a chance that Mars could stir up trouble using Winnie and Sidney's identities, be it with Mrs. Rodriguez adam Blanchet or among the Rodriguez family. He was publicly in an arranged union with Ishara, and with the Rodriguez estate being a hub of prying eyes, he didn't want to risk Sidney being caught in a web of public scandal. Yet, Winnie's heart chilled further, her laughter tinged with bitterness., "I am his mother. Even that has to be concealed? What are you afraid of, tarnishing the Lawrence reputation, or that your precious Ishara might be heartbroken if she found out?"
<Chapter>chapter 452 In Search of Oscar </Chapter>
Her sarcasm had a knack for igniting his anger— Reflecting on her evening with Rock, Lawrence scoffed, "Yeah, I fear that if Ishara learns you're Sidney's mother, it'll break her heart. So, keep it to yourself." Winnie's fists clenched tightly at her sides. ,Her heart ached with the sharp sting of betrayal. She struggled to control her emotions but couldn't suppress her feeling of injustice. Her eyes welled up with tears as she exclaimed, "Lawrence, you'd do anything for her! I won't help you cover up the truth, and I won't let my child suffer even a little for Ishara's sake. Today, it was you, too focused on your girlfriend, neglecting Sidney. If anything happens to him because of the incident at the Rodriguez place, I won't forgive you! Oscar is already... Oscar..." Her voice choked with emotion, and she couldn't finish her sentence.She fought back her emotions, only to fail at containing her sense of injustice. Her eyes reddened as she growled, "Lawrence, you'd do anything for her! I won't help you hide the truth, nor will I let my child suffer the slightest for Ishara's sake. Today, it was you, too preoccupied with your girlfriend, neglecting Sidney. If anything happens to him because of the incident at the Rodriguez place, I won't let you off the hook! Oscar is already... Oscar..." Her voice hoarse and tense, she couldn't finish her sentence. A sharp pain clutched Lawrence’s heart, and he rued his harshness, looking at her remorsefully. What he'd said in anger had elicited a far greater reaction than expected, as Oscar's disappearance had become her sore spot, and now her son's situation was causing her immense anxiety. "Winnie," he said, unsettled, his towering figure moving to her side, his bushy eyebrows furrowed as he pulled her into his arms without a word, "Don’t cry.! I didn’t mean earlier..."
Winnie was oblivious to the fact that Could she not tell he had been trying to provoke her on purpose? . His long fingers forcefully pinched her cheeks, his dark, cold eyes fixed on her tears, burning him as if they were his own. He hastily reached for a tissue. "You know that by revealing you’re Sidney's mom at the Rodriguez family function is bad for Sidney. Mars, Bryan, you experienced what happened that night. You know what you should do." Lawrence wiped her tears, never directly addressing the hurtful comment he had provoked her with. He wanted nothing more than to hold her close., "Sidney's fine; it was his first time meeting my Madam Blanchetmy grandmother, Leah, who treasures him dearly." Upon hearing this, Winnie relaxed slightly. She rejected his hand as it reached to touch her face and wipe away her tears. Her tearful body recoiled from his lap, her demeanor cold and distant, refusing to be consoled.Winnie relaxed slightly upon hearing this. She rejected his hand as it reached to touch her face and wipe away her tears. Her soft, tearful body leapt away from his lap, the woman cold and distant. Refusing to be consoled. Lawrence's hand with the tissue hung in mid-air, a flicker of loneliness passing through, his expression hardening., "Do you really need to be this distant with me?" "What else can I do when, for Ishara’s sake, our past doesn't matter, not even Sidney’s identity?" she continued to taunt him. His throat felt cold, a hint of bitterness sliding down as he tossed the tissue aside. Then he glancing glanced at the fallen suit jacket on her body...… Winnie only felt a gust of wind as Rock's suit jacket was abruptly thrown away by him. Wrapped in the heavy wool of his coat, a masculine aroma that seemed to mix indifference and allure enveloped her. Winnie breathed in deeply, her senses suddenly transporting her back to that disheveled restroom where he almost... Her cheeks flushed with anger as she abandoned her attempts to shrug off the coat in a childish tug-of-war. With a sharp turn of her head, she shot him a fierce glare.A flush of angry red crept up her cheeks as she gave up trying to shrug off the coat in a childish tug-of-war. She turned her head sharply and shot him a fierce glare. "Don't glare at me like that. You're still going to wear it," he said indifferently, leaning back in his car seat. Winnie lowered her gaze, her thoughts drifting to Oscar, their missing piece. Her heart twisted with worry as she asked,, "Have you been looking for Oscar?" Lawrence felt a twinge of discomfort at her tone., "Of course, I have been. Do you believe me?" Whether she believed him or not was beside the point now. What mattered was progress. "Any leads?" she inquired, trying to suppress the anxiety in her voice. "Jeremy is investigating a suspicious car that entered Trento City," he stated with a forced calmness, his genuine concern revealed only by the urgency with which his team worked tirelessly. His failure in this matter pierced her heart like a dagger and was one of the many reasons for her resentment toward him."Jeremy's tracking down a suspicious car that headed into Trento City." He spoke with a calm he did not feel, his concern betrayed only by the urgency with which his people were working tirelessly. His failure in this regard was a dagger to her heart, and a reason, among many, for her resentment toward him. Cracking open the window for some air, Lawrence's voice softened in an attempt to comfort her, "He'll be all right." "My boy's smart and wise," Winnie said, her teeth clenched. But Oscar had asthma, and after being missing for two weeks, the fear that his condition could worsen, that he might be confined somewhere without his medication, tormented her day and night. She tried, however, to cling to hope. Their son was the emotional link they still shared. In companionable silence, Lawrence sat beside her as they arrived at the Rodriguez family estate. Winnie relented, "Bring Sidney to me, and if he's hurt, move quickly." "Whoever hurts him will answer to me," Lawrence muttered, his lips pressed into a thin line. Clad only in a dress shirt that accentuated his imposing stature, he stepped through the grand entrance with an authoritative air. Before long, after Lawrence had vanished inside, Ishara's car pulled up to the estate. The Rodriguez family's security opened the gate with deferential politeness. Ishara drove past the Bentley, catching a glimpse of Winnie's face through the car window—eyes red and swollen with unshed tears. A glimmer of amusement crossed Ishara's eyes. Whatever encounter that despicable person had in the restroom, especially given tonight's fallout over Rock, she must have had a conflict with Lawrence.Whatever tryst that wretch had in the restroom, especially with tonight's fallout over Rock, she must have fought with Lawrence! And now here she was, stranded outside the Rodriguez mansion's gates. Feeling a touch more content, Ishara offered with a smile., "So, Winnie, Lawrence wouldn't let you in? He's treating you so coldly. I’m just about to visit the dowager; need a hand getting in?" Winnie stepped out of the car, giving Ishara a fleeting glance before noticing she was accompanied only by a single servant. She sneered, "Are you not tired of this charade, little sister—flaunting and feigning modesty at once? " "Just today, you prompted Angela to spring an engagement on me, all to get under Lawrence.'s skin. You've achieved your goal, haven't you?" Ishara's face froze, caught off guard by the accusation. It was clear that Winnie's suspicions of her ran deeper than she had anticipated. With an affected flutter of her eyes, Ishara played feigned innocence and respondedt,. "Winnie, I have no idea what you're talking about." "Who are you performing for when there's no audience? Can your frail body even handle it?" Winnie said sarcastically, her eyes coldly fixed on Ishara's pallid face. This was their first private confrontation since Winnie's return to the Blanchet family. If Ishara was going to play games, Winnie was ready to expose her.
"Ishara, I know what you want. It's nothing less than the Blanchet legacy and the affluent Lawrence. Your ambition certainly does not match your delicate appearance. My return has been an inconvenience to you, hasn't it? Well, I apologize for nothing. I return fire with fire. You may have taken my man, but the Blanchet family will not fall into your hands so easily." Winnie's eyes narrowed sharply, intent on unsettling Ishara. Ishara's doe eyesgaze finally chilledturned cold, an emotion flashing briefly before she put on a pitiful smile. "You misunderstand me too deeply, Winnie. I don't 'steal' anything. If a man's affections shift, it means he has simply found someone who moves his heart. Lawrence and I are in love. Haven't you seen that?" Winnie's hands clenched behind her back, ready to strike this master manipulator. "Then you'd better make it to the altar, or it's all for nothing." Her voice was edged with a frosty laugh. Ishara bit her lip gently, said nothing more, and turned to leave. Stepping onto the grounds of the Rodriguez estate, Claire looked back at the fearless Winnie with a frown., "That wretch has uncovered our plans! Is she declaring war by confronting you so openly?" A cold smile flitted across Ishara's lips. "Does she really think she can win? She has no clue why Mr. Lawrence is with me. Just based on that, I can break her heart. Besides, I have everything she holds dear in my hands." Claire, of course, knew exactly what "'everything" ' meant—particularly for a mother. Ishara held her cards close, not worried in the slightest. After asking the Rodriguez family's servants, Ishara learned Mr. Lawrence was with the old lady, and she made her way toward them. - Inside the mansion. Lawrence. walked in to find Madam BlanchetLeah holding Sidney anxiously. The little guy had a bit of blood coming from his ear, and the family's private doctor was tending to him.
The little spitfire stood beside her mother, her mother, Amy, fuming with unmistakable ferocity. "Grandma,Miss Madam Blanchet," the little girl shrieked, "That bully hit me first! Why are you cuddling her him instead of me?"
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