Chapter 161 The Bet
Lauren glanced at Matthew, ignoring Jessica's hopeful eyes.
Jessica looked a bit let down but switched gears to talk about Matthew's celebration.
"Lauren, will you come back for Matthew's celebration?" Jessica asked.
Lauren felt awkward, knowing the truth would hurt Jessica.
"We should cancel the celebration," Lauren said.
"That's fine. The noise would disturb Matthew's rest anyway," Jessica muttered.
Lauren sat there, feeling uneasy. The atmosphere was tense.
Jessica stared at Matthew, fearing she might never see him again.
"Lauren, can you bring Matthew over again? I want to visit, but my health won't let me," Jessica said, tears in her eyes. She felt so alone in that big house.
Jessica understood the loneliness Lauren had felt those two years.
No one could live in isolation forever. Too much solitude would harden her heart.
Lauren looked seriously at Jessica. She assured her, "Don't worry. I'll visit with Matthew whenever I can."
Jessica nodded, relieved. "Thank you."
Hearing Jessica's thanks, Lauren felt even more guilty. As tough as Jessica was, she was crying softly.
Jessica must have had a hard time over the years, too.
As they talked, Matthew fell asleep. Lauren gently placed him on another bed, and they both watched him with smiles.
In the evening, Ethan came to pick up Lauren and Matthew but was stopped by Quentin.
Quentin and Ethan exchanged a look and walked to a secluded spot in the woods to talk things out.
Quentin smoked silently while Ethan stood at a distance, staring at the villa's lights.
After about ten minutes, Quentin stubbed out his cigarette and spoke, "Is Lauren okay?"
Ethan chuckled. He sarcastically replied, "Don't worry about that. Whether Lauren's okay or not has nothing to do with you, ex-husband."
Ethan didn't know the truth about Quentin's disappearance, so he thought Quentin had poor character. Since Quentin had hurt Lauren, Ethan had a low opinion of him.
Quentin sneered. The term "ex-husband" was a bitter reminder that Lauren was no longer his, even legally.
"Yeah, I'm her ex-husband now, but I won't always be. I'll still fight for her. Don't forget, Matthew is my child, and I was the man Lauren loved wholeheartedly for three years!" Quentin said coldly, unwilling to give up.
Ethan glared at Quentin. He angrily said, "Haven't you hurt her enough? Do you still want to torment her? Bastard!"
He cursed and then punched Quentin hard in the face.
Blood trickled from Quentin's mouth, but he laughed proudly. He boldly remarked, "You're scared. You've never won Lauren's heart. Why ruin your relationship with her?"
"I'm not ruining anything. You treated her like a toy, but I love her. Whatever you think, I won't let you hurt her again. Whatever you do, Quentin, I won't be scared," Ethan said, clenching his fists.
"You're guilty. Do you dare to admit Lauren loves you?" Quentin asked.
Ethan was furious. At that moment, he lacked the confidence to admit it.
"One day, Lauren will love me," Ethan replied.
Quentin turned serious. He questioned, "Let go! Lauren has always adored me. Why use your kindness to make her feel obligated to choose you? Don't you realize she loves and hates me? If you love her, don't make her fight her feelings."
"Stop being so self-centered. Lauren loved you before, but she's heartbroken. Let's bet. The loser leaves Lauren forever," Ethan said confidently.
"What bet?" Quentin asked.
"Starting now, we'll compete fairly for Lauren. I won't stop you from visiting her, but she decides," Ethan said seriously.
"Okay," Quentin agreed.
Quentin and Ethan stared coldly at each other, both confident they would win.
Ethan picked up Lauren and Matthew, distracted. He wondered when to ask Lauren some questions.
Seeing Ethan so agitated, Lauren asked, "Is something wrong?"
Ethan scratched his head. He blatantly denied, "No, why do you ask?"
"Say it. No need to hide anything from me, and I'll be honest with you, too," Lauren said.
Lauren's words gave Ethan more confidence.
'Quentin, Lauren won't even see you now. She trusts me unconditionally. How do you plan to compete with me?' Ethan thought happily.
"Lauren, I just ran into Quentin. He wanted to talk about some things," Ethan said, glancing at Lauren to see her reaction.
Without speaking, Lauren smiled slightly, helping Matthew adjust his clothes.
"Lauren, it's about you," Ethan said, pulling the car over to the side of the road.
Lauren needed to face it.
