Chapter 190 Emergency Mission
In the end, Quentin gave in. He couldn't let his pride ruin Robinson Conglomerate's future. He had to step up.
Quentin nodded, and Noah grinned, "Don't worry. Leave the rest to me. I won't let you down."
Quentin made sure to avoid Sophia, not wanting any rumors to start. Despite his doubts, he had to show up at the business event.
What really bothered Quentin was Lauren's situation. The online drama hadn't died down, and he was worried sick about her. He wondered if she was breaking down, crying alone.
He was racking his brain for ways to help Lauren, but nothing seemed to work. Still, he stubbornly refused to reach out to her, even though he missed her more every day.
Two days later, news of Sophia and Robinson Corporation's partnership was everywhere. People were more interested in seeing Quentin and Sophia together than the actual business deal.
Watching Quentin smile and shake hands with Sophia on TV, Lauren felt a pang of bitterness.
"These reporters are so dull, writing about this stuff every day," Lauren muttered, angrily turning off the TV.
Kimberly didn't mention Quentin's name, but Quentin was still a big deal in City A. Anything he did made headlines.
"Lauren, what do you want for lunch?" Kimberly asked, changing the subject.
"Anything's fine. I'll hit the supermarket after I finish the laundry," Lauren replied, standing up.
Kimberly nodded. Lauren hadn't talked about leaving in the past two days, and Kimberly wasn't sure what that meant.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Kimberly, holding Matthew, quickly opened it. It was Ethan.
"Ethan, you're finally here!" Kimberly said, smiling.
Ethan beamed. "What's up?"
Kimberly covered her mouth, not wanting to upset Lauren, who was still mad about the TV report. She didn't want any drama.
"Nothing. Just glad you're here. Lauren's doing laundry. Why not keep her company?" Kimberly suggested with a look.
Ethan chuckled, scratched his head, and headed to the bathroom.
"Lauren, you done yet?" Ethan called out.
Lauren shook the water off her hands. "Don't come in. It's a mess. I'll be done soon. Wait outside."
Ethan ignored her and walked in. "Need any help? Why are you washing clothes by hand in this cold?"
Lauren glanced at him. "I feel better washing Matthew's clothes by hand. Keeps me busy and warm."
Ethan looked at her warmly. 'We look like a married couple, busy with chores,' he thought, feeling a surge of happiness.
Seeing Ethan still there, Lauren said, "Ethan, go out. You might slip."
"I'm not that clumsy. How about you wash, and I'll hang them up? I need to tell you something important once you're done," Ethan suggested.
"Okay, I'll wash quickly." Lauren scrubbed the clothes, looking a bit disheveled, but to Ethan, she was the most beautiful sight.
Once they were done, Ethan pulled some documents from his briefcase and handed them to Lauren.
"What's this?" Lauren asked, puzzled, without opening them.
"Take a look first and let me know if you have any questions. Then we can talk," Ethan said.
Lauren nodded and opened the documents. It was another housing design requirement form. She glanced up at Ethan, who was watching her intently, then quickly looked back down to read.
A few minutes later, Lauren finished and said, "This is completely different from the last one. Why are you showing me this?"
Ethan smiled. "After you left that day, Richard came to me. He has a few urgent projects but not enough capable people. He wants you to handle one. Will you help us out?"
"But I'm just a design assistant. What if I mess up and waste your time?" Lauren said, worried but also excited about the new challenge.
"We all believe in you, and you should believe in yourself too. Plus, the draft you submit isn't final. Richard has to approve it before it goes to the client. So don't stress. If it's not perfect, it's not all on you," Ethan reassured her.
Lauren nodded. "Okay, I'll do my best. I hope I won't let you down."
"You need to submit it by 10 a.m. in two days, so you'll have to hustle," Ethan said with a grin.
"Two days? How can I finish it that fast? The last one took me half a month," Lauren said, panicking. This challenge seemed huge.
Ethan looked at her playfully. "You just agreed, so no backing out now."
Lauren rolled her eyes at him, thinking, 'What's with this guy? He's been teasing me a lot lately.'
She looked at the requirement form seriously again. She was determined not to disappoint Richard and Ethan.
For the next two days, Lauren worked overtime to complete the design draft. She was full of energy, sleeping only four hours a night, like she was back in her most vibrant days.
Finally, with her hard work, she submitted the design draft on time. The next few days were just a waiting game.
Just as Lauren breathed a sigh of relief, waiting for the results, Sophia showed up.
Sophia smiled gracefully. "Miss Walker, long time no see! I saw you at the press conference last time, but I didn't get a chance to say hello before you left. Can I come in? I have something to say to you."
Lauren didn't like Sophia, not because she was Quentin's ex-girlfriend, but because of an inexplicable feeling that made her very uneasy around her.
Since Sophia appeared, Lauren's life had become increasingly difficult. Now, she couldn't even live in City A. Maybe Sophia was her nemesis.
"Sorry, Miss Hall, we don't really know each other," Lauren said.
The last time Sophia found her, she had scolded Lauren harshly, and Lauren had fought back just as fiercely. There was no way they could sit down and talk.
And now Sophia wanted to come into her home? No way.
Sophia still smiled gently. "Don't you want to gain custody of Matthew?"
