Chapter 152 Misguided Efforts
Seeing Lauren's angry face, Quentin couldn't say the words in his heart. He knew Lauren was prone to jealousy, especially when it came to ex-girlfriends. Quentin retreated, not fueling the fire.
"Lauren, your body is fragile after giving birth. Can you please not get so worked up? I know it's my fault these past few days, and I'll make it up to you, okay?" Quentin tried to comfort Lauren.
But Lauren had already fallen into complete self-denial. She watched Quentin avoid the issue. His vague excuses convinced her not to give him another chance.
She said, frustrated, "Quentin, stop pretending to be kind. Do you think I'm stupid and easy to fool? Is that why you always brush me off like this? I love you, but I hate you for lying to me and making me look foolish. My love for you has been worn out. We both know what you've been up to these past few days. Stop acting, okay? I'm tired of you."
Lauren's bitter smile hurt Quentin and herself.
Quentin looked at Lauren's hysterical state, feeling both worried and heartbroken. He knew it was his fault for being away these past few days, but why did Lauren have so many doubts?
'Did something happen?' he thought.
He felt terrible about Lauren having their child alone. He was taken aback by the urgency of the situation that day, leading to a prolonged absence.
"Lauren, can you calm down?" Quentin said, reaching out to wipe away Lauren's tears.
Lauren slapped Quentin's hand away and looked at him coldly, saying, "Calm down? I am very calm right now, Quentin. I've seen through you. Could you not touch me? I find you disgusting!"
Quentin stood there, unable to react for a long time. "Do you want to argue? I rushed over to see you. Is this how you get mad at me? Can't we talk things out?" he said, helplessly.
"Rushed over? Are you mocking me? Fine, let me show you what your 'rushed over' means." Lauren said, pulling out a few photos from under the pillow and throwing them at Quentin.
Quentin looked at the photos in confusion. There were pictures of him dropping Sophia off at the hotel last night.
So Lauren knew everything. She knew he had been with Sophia these past two days.
"Lauren, listen to me. It's not what you think!" Quentin pleaded as he panicked, afraid that Lauren would misunderstand him. But he didn't realize that his initial evasiveness had already ignited Lauren's anger.
Lauren found it laughable. It must have been her constant efforts over the past two years that made Quentin accustomed to her humble love.
"The evidence is right in front of you. Do you still want to deny it? Quentin, when did you become such a coward? Are you still a man?" Lauren mocked him harshly. The more she had loved him before, the more she was in pain now.
Quentin was distressed and unsure where to begin.
Lauren let out a cold laugh and continued to say hurtful things.
"Forget it. Since you've chosen Sophia, I should let you go. After all, Sophia is your first love, the one you can't forget. Didn't you tolerate Wendy back then because she looked a bit like Sophia? The only ridiculous person from start to finish was me. I lived in my fantasy, thinking you would really fall in love with me. I should have died on the operating table. That way, you would be happy, right?" Lauren said.
"Lauren, I admit I was with Sophia these past few days. It's because I wanted to save her since she was kidnapped." Quentin couldn't hold back and revealed his whereabouts over the past two days.
As Quentin had expected, his words were like oil poured on the fire burning in Lauren's heart.
Lauren suddenly couldn't stand and fell heavily to the ground.
She laughed with heartfelt emotion and mockingly.
"Quentin, do you know what it feels like to lie on the operating table alone? Do you know what it's like to have a difficult labor? Do you know what it's like to give birth alone without your husband by your side?" Lauren couldn't hold back her tears and asked Quentin softly.
All her strength seemed to be drained, like a kite with a broken string falling into a deserted swamp, sinking deeper and deeper until completely submerged.
Quentin's heart ached terribly. He reached out to help Lauren, but she avoided him again.
"Lauren, I know I've wronged you. But please, believe me, Sophia is in the past. My present and future are with you!" Quentin explained.
Frustrated, Lauren said, "No! She never disappeared from your heart! You went to save her because her life was in danger. What about me? Should I have died? Should I endure all this pain alone? You left without a word for seven days.
She continued, "Every day, I worried if you're in danger or if you were even thinking about me. I waited for you to return and remember me from another woman's embrace. I'm so ridiculous!"
Lauren's voice was hoarse as she expressed her pain, but what good did it do to say it out loud? Her heart was already shattered.
Seeing Lauren in such agony, Quentin hated his helplessness. But he had no choice. That day, he suddenly received a call from the kidnappers, saying Sophia had been kidnapped and he had to rescue her personally.
Quentin was just eager to save someone, but he didn't expect to fall into someone else's trap. Not only did he fail to save Sophia, but he was also trapped.
Quentin was held captive for five days. He managed to escape and rescue Sophia and helped her deal with the Hall Corporation's issues. When he returned to City A, it was already the sixth night.
He originally wanted to go back to the villa to find Lauren, but faced with the frail Sophia, he ultimately made the wrong choice.
"Lauren, I know everything you've done for me. Can you trust me this time?" Quentin pleaded.
He wanted to hug Lauren, but when he reached out his hands and approached the trembling Lauren, he ultimately withdrew them.
Lauren wiped away her tears and smiled at Quentin, saying, "Quentin, we're over. Find your first love. I'm not saying this out of anger; I'm serious. Honestly, being with you is too exhausting. I'm really too tired. I beg you to let me go!"
Quentin stared at Lauren intently and asked, "Are you serious?"
Lauren nodded firmly.
"You were the one who came after me first. Why do you think you can leave now?" Quentin asked angrily as he grabbed Lauren, not letting her break free.
Lauren looked at him with a chilly, loveless gaze. Quentin felt cold and let go of her fingers helplessly.
Since being with him was so exhausting for Lauren, he should let go.
