Chapter 183 Ingenious Layout
Quentin smiled warmly while Lauren was lost in his tenderness.
"Noah, let them vent! I want them to see how sincere our apology is. Stopping them now just wastes my efforts," Quentin told Noah.
Noah looked at Quentin, worried. He thought, 'Is this really the best way? IsQuentin okay with this?'
Noah had never dealt with such chaos before. Unsure of what to do, he decided to trust Quentin and hoped his plan would work.
Without Noah blocking them, the man and his buddies got even bolder. They hurled pebbles at Quentin, who shielded Lauren with his body. His brows furrowed, but he didn't budge an inch from her side.
Lauren cried out, distressed. "Quentin, move away from me. They're aiming at me. I should take this myself."
"Don't be ridiculous. Stay put, and don't make things worse," Quentin replied.
Tears streamed down Lauren's face. She could hear the stones hitting Quentin and his muffled grunts. She couldn't stand it.
She tried to push Quentin away with all her might, but he held her tight, and she couldn't break free.
Just when Lauren thought this press conference would end in disaster, a clear woman's voice rang out.
"Stop it!"
The chaos didn't stop immediately, but three seconds later, everyone quieted down.
Lauren, still in Quentin's arms, couldn't see what was happening. She gently wriggled out of his embrace and saw Sophia standing below the stage.
Quentin turned to look at Sophia, who was gazing back at him meaningfully. At that moment, Lauren felt a bit out of place.
Next to the elegant Sophia stood a middle-aged man. Lauren didn't recognize him, but she was curious because the reporters were greeting him politely.
Listening closely, Lauren learned that the man was Paul Taylor, the deputy head of the organization that regulated all media platforms. That was surprising.
But what shocked her more was that Sophia had managed to bring Paul here. Sophia was indeed impressive.
Sophia then spoke, "Dear reporters, you know my connection to Mr. Robinson. He isn't the shady figure you think he is. He's honorable and would never use underhanded tactics for business. While the online evidence is accurate, it doesn't define his character entirely. To address your doubts, I've invited Mr. Taylor to clarify."
Paul nodded to Sophia and then began to address the reporters seriously. The once aggressive reporters now seemed like meek little lambs.
Paul called Quentin over and said, "I can vouch for Quentin's character. He is absolutely reliable. However, you are too easily swayed by public opinion. In a society governed by law, you have committed personal attacks. If Quentin pursues this, you will all be held legally responsible."
The reporters didn't dare argue with Paul since he was their boss.
Their attitude towards Quentin softened, but it was more out of fear of Paul than genuine acceptance.
Quentin smiled calmly. "I get it. They're just doing their job."
His words made the reporters feel ashamed. Compared to his grace, they seemed pretty unreasonable.
Lauren felt out of place standing there. She forced a bitter smile, stepped off the stage, and left.
Quentin watched her go, feeling a pang of sadness.
He couldn't chase after her or leave right then, so he just watched her walk away.
Sophia's face lit up with a triumphant smile. The guy who had been targeting Quentin exchanged a knowing glance with her.
It turned out Sophia had orchestrated the whole thing. She won Quentin's favor and made Lauren back off.
Lauren smiled with relief. Having someone as amazing as Sophia by Quentin's side was truly his good fortune. Sophia was beautiful and smart, way better than her. What reason did she have to stay?
Deep down, Lauren avoided thinking about her pain to keep from feeling sad. She was good at hiding her feelings, so when she got home, Kimberly didn't notice anything was wrong.
Seeing Lauren return, Kimberly didn't ask any questions. After thinking all afternoon, she decided to let go of Lauren's lost love and time, seeing no point in dwelling on it.
Lauren chatted briefly with Kimberly, checked on Matthew, and then went into the kitchen to cook.
After a while, Lauren came out with two steaming bowls of spaghetti.
"Mom, dinner's ready," Lauren said.
Kimberly put Matthew in the stroller and pushed it to the dining table.
They ate in silence, neither of them speaking. Finally, Lauren broke the silence.
"Mom, I've been thinking. You should go back to the Walker family. You've done so much for me. You should live for yourself now." Lauren lowered her head, not daring to meet Kimberly's eyes.
She had made up her mind and didn't want to hold Kimberly back any longer.
Kimberly looked up at Lauren's calm face, feeling deeply saddened.
"Lauren, what do you mean by that? Are you trying to drive me away too? You didn't say this earlier today," Kimberly retorted.
"Mom, I don't mean to, but I fear I'm hindering you, causing trouble in your relationship with Dad," Lauren anxiously explained.
"I've decided. Your dad and I can't go on. If I'm a burden, I can leave immediately!" Kimberly said angrily.
Seeing Kimberly's stubborn expression, Lauren felt very sad. "Mom, you deserve your happiness. I really don't want you and Dad to divorce because of me."
Kimberly sighed. "The problems between your dad and me are complex. Don't blame yourself. I'm an adult and will own up to my actions."
"Mom," Lauren called out.
