Chapter 254 Looking for a Sucker
"Aaron, you've arrived? Please, take a seat," beckoned Ebenezer. Aaron's gaze shifted, and he moved to occupy the chair next to Nora. Observing the relaxed atmosphere in the room, devoid of any palpable tension, Aaron's anxiety began to recede.
At that moment, Ebenezer' assistant made his entrance. He cast a glance at Ebenezer, offering a subtle nod of acknowledgment. Ebenezer, understanding the unspoken communication, directed him to request the waiter for two additional sets of cutlery. "Join us for a meal," Ebenezer extended the invitation.
"Certainly," the assistant responded, his tone respectful. The waiter promptly arrived with the requested cutlery, and they all commenced their meal.
Ebenezer watched as Aaron attentively served soup to Nora, ensuring she was well-fed. A small smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth, though he refrained from making any remarks. Midway through the meal, Ebenezer steered the conversation towards Aaron's recent professional endeavors. The discourse between the two men revolved around finance, skillfully avoiding any reference to Suzy.
Nora quietly relished her meal, occasionally stealing glances at Ebenezer across the table. His smile, for reasons she couldn't quite comprehend, seemed eerily familiar. Images of her daughter's radiant face flashed across her mind, causing her to pause mid-bite.
She couldn't shake the peculiar sensation that the man seated across from her bore an uncanny resemblance to her daughter when he smiled. Where had such a thought originated? What was the purpose of this handsome gentleman's visit? He certainly didn't appear to harbor any ill intentions.
Meanwhile, in the CEO office, Quinn was taken aback when her secretary informed her that Baldwin's mother had requested to see her. She instructed her assistant to have the visitor wait in the reception lounge while she took a moment to freshen up and collect herself before their meeting.
Although nothing was confirmed, this woman could potentially be her future mother-in-law, so she needed to tread carefully.
Upon entering the reception lounge, Quinn was met with the sight of Hollis seated in a wheelchair, Mary standing at her side. Quinn studied Hollis, noting that despite her commanding presence in the wheelchair, her demeanor was decidedly haughty. Had she come with malicious intentions?
"What brings you here?" Quinn inquired, maintaining a polite tone. Hollis scrutinized her from head to toe, a fleeting expression of disdain crossing her face as she took in Quinn's delicate beauty.
"I've seen the news. Are you attempting to marry my son?" Hollis questioned. Her son had always been obedient; how could he suddenly spend a night at this woman's home?
Judging by her appearance, it must have been her who lured her son there. Hollis was determined not to let a woman with such a tarnished reputation jeopardize her son's future or her own plans.
"I indeed intend to," Quinn confirmed, aware of Hollis's disapproval but choosing not to take it to heart. She gracefully took a seat on the couch opposite, crossing her legs with elegance. Hollis's expression grew colder. "Quinn, do you truly believe you're worthy of my son?"
Did this woman genuinely wish to marry her son?
"Why wouldn't I be worthy of your son?" Quinn tilted her head and smiled. "Look at me. I'm quite attractive and hold a respectable status. If anyone is not quite up to par, it might be your son who falls a tad short of deserving me, don't you think?"
Hollis responded with a sound of disdain. "How self-absorbed! Quinn, have you ever considered your reputation? A social butterfly. Are you tired of playing around and looking for a steady man to settle you down? I suggest you look elsewhere, and not bring trouble to my son!"
Social butterfly, someone's second choice. These descriptions were hardly complimentary. Quinn's charming expression faded slightly, yet she responded with courtesy. "Mrs. Brown, out of respect for you as Baldwin's mother, I'll overlook your rudeness. But please, refrain from using such unkind words."
He was no social butterfly, and Baldwin was far from a simpleton. Judging them with such a biased view was a mistake. His conscience was clear in all his social dealings. If one were to spend more time with him, they would come to understand the kind of person he was. He was confident they would end up liking him.
Hollis scoffed coldly at his words.
"Quinn, how can you still smile?" she questioned, her tone icy. "Have you no self-respect after what I've said? Or have you been played by so many that you can't find anyone else to take you seriously, forcing you to cling to my Baldwin?"
Quinn smirked in response. "You're mistaken, Mrs. Brown. I'm not the one clinging to Baldwin. He's the one who pleaded with me to go public with our relationship. If you don't believe me, you can ask him yourself."
A subtle shift in Hollis's complexion was noticeable. "Baldwin said that going public was merely for show. He plans to clear things up with everyone afterwards."
"Is that so?" Quinn asked leisurely, her tone dripping with disbelief.
Her calm demeanor left Hollis feeling like she was punching cotton -- futile and frustrating.
In a fit of anger, Hollis slammed her hand on the armrest of her wheelchair and rebuked, "Quinn, I warn you, stay away from Baldwin. He has someone he likes and will never be interested in you!"
With that, she signaled Mary to push her away. The door closed behind them, leaving Quinn alone. Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of her mouth curled into a smirk. So Baldwin has someone he likes? She must be referring to Nora, right? What a difficult future mother-in-law she would be!
At that moment, her assistant knocked and entered, reminding her of an upcoming meeting. Quinn nodded and stood up. "Could you look up information on Baldwin's mother for me? I want every detail you can find." This future mother-in-law wasn't going to be easy to handle; knowing oneself and one's enemy was the key to winning every battle.
At a restaurant, after finishing a meal, Ebenezer wiped the corner of his mouth and said to Aaron, "Aaron, I'm going to pay a visit to old Gordon tonight."
Aaron nodded slightly, "Okay, I'll inform grandpa. Uncle, since you're rarely in Houston, why don't you stay at our place for a few days before going back?"
Ebenezer smiled, "I will be in Houston for a few days, but a hotel will be fine."
Aaron's eyes shifted subtly, "Are you in Houston on business, uncle?"
Ebenezer was quiet for a moment, "No, just handling some personal matters."
Aaron looked at him and seeing that he didn't want to talk more about it, didn't press further.
Ebenezer turned to Nora, "Miss Smith, are you full?"
Nora, who had finished eating long ago, nodded, "Thank you for the hospitality, Mr. Ebenezer."
Ebenezer smiled faintly and stood up to grab his coat, "Until we meet again."
The assistant had already managed to get a strand of Nora's hair from the waiter, so in three days, Ebenezer would find out whether this girl was his biological daughter.
Exiting the restaurant, Ebenezer got into his car and left first. Nora and Aaron watched his car drive away, both looking puzzled.
"He's just leaving like that? Was he really here just to have dinner with me? Thomas, what do you think he's really up to?" she asked.
Aaron was just as baffled by Ebenezer' behavior. Trying to be reassuring, he said, "Don't worry, from what I know about him, he's not a despicable man. He wouldn't use his power to force you into marriage with his daughter. So whatever he's up to, it's not of our concern."
Nora came back to her senses and glanced at Aaron, "I'm not worried, what's meant to be mine will be mine, and what's not can't be forced!"
Hearing this, Aaron chuckled, "Right, it's me who's worried about whether the great Sir healer will have me."
Nora couldn't help but smile at the comment.
Thinking of Ebenezer' intention to visit old Gordon at the family estate that evening, she was actually quite worried. After all, the Ebenezer and Gordon families had been allied for generations.
Maybe Ebenezer didn't say much in front of the younger folks because he had old man Gordon in his sights?
Could it be that despite Aaron's wishes, they had arranged a marriage for him?
"Thomas, you're heading back to the family estate tonight, right?" Aaron asked, noticing her extreme caution and taking her hand in his.
"Yeah, you want to come with me?" he asked.
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