Chapter 194 The Whereabouts of Lauren
Noah's eyes flickered before he forced a smile. Only he knew the mix of resentment and love he felt for Sophia.
"No, it's your choice. I can't interfere. Everyone makes their own decisions, including Lauren. She's made hers, and we should respect that, right?" Noah said, keeping his tone light so Quentin wouldn't suspect anything.
But Quentin wasn't having it. He clenched his fist so hard his knuckles cracked. He was fuming. 'Lauren dared to run away! No way I'm letting her get away with that!'
Just then, there was a knock on the office door. After Quentin called out, Sophia's cheerful face popped in.
"Quentin, don't forget about the board meeting tomorrow! Oh, Noah's here too," she said, strolling in.
Noah's eyes flashed, but he quickly covered it with a laugh. "Speak of the devil, and here you are!"
Quentin shot Noah a fierce look. Noah was getting too bold, making decisions on his own.
"What were you two talking about?" Sophia asked, her almond-shaped eyes curious.
"He just mentioned that Robinson Conglomerate got out of its crisis thanks to you. He suggested I give you my shares in your company as a thank you," Quentin said coldly.
Sophia looked a bit uncomfortable. "Quentin, you don't have to be so formal with me. I helped Robinson Conglomerate because you helped me before. It's only fair, so you should keep your shares in Hall Corporation."
"No need. I don't like owing people," Quentin replied flatly.
Sophia's face paled, her smile turning a bit sad. "That's fine, as long as you're happy."
Sensing the tension, Noah decided to leave Quentin's office.
Once Noah was gone, Sophia found out the real reason she was there.
"Quentin, I heard you've been looking for Lauren everywhere this past month. I know something about her, but I'm afraid telling you will make you sad," Sophia said.
At the mention of Lauren, Quentin's attention snapped to her like he'd been jolted with adrenaline.
"Where is Lauren?" he demanded.
Seeing his intense reaction, Sophia hid her heartache and jealousy, nodding slightly.
"Yes. A month ago, I ran into Lauren and talked to her. I advised her to come back to you for Matthew's sake, but she refused." Sophia paused, letting Quentin's imagination run wild.
Sure enough, Quentin's expression turned icy. Lauren had refused to come back! She was determined to leave.
"Ungrateful!" Quentin spat.
"No, Lauren told me she's with Ethan now. She plans to leave and start a new life with him," Sophia sighed.
A cold light flashed in Quentin's eyes. "Ethan! No way!"
"Quentin, anything's possible. I knew you wouldn't believe me, so I recorded our conversation," Sophia said, pulling out her phone and playing the recording.
The recording played, and Lauren's voice came through, clear and cold: "I'm already with Ethan!"
Sophia had carefully edited the conversation to make sure Quentin would give up on Lauren for good.
Quentin's face was a mask of fury. "Fine!"
His expression was blank, but the air around him felt heavy with tension. Sophia wanted to run but held her ground.
"At first, I didn't believe it either, but she really disappeared. Quentin, you..." Sophia started.
"Enough! We're done here! Don't meddle in my personal affairs. Let's find a time to settle the shares of Hall Corporation," Quentin cut her off coldly.
Sophia sneered inwardly. 'Whether Quentin gives up on Lauren or not, I've driven her away, boosting my chances.'
After Sophia left, Quentin channeled his rage into action. He had someone investigate Ethan's recent activities and used all his connections to track down Lauren's hiding place.
The more Lauren tried to hide, the more determined Quentin became. He didn't fully trust Sophia's words. He trusted his own instincts.
Quentin quickly booked the next flight to Paris. Did Lauren think she could hide from him by going so far away? Ridiculous!
Meanwhile, Lauren had been living a fulfilling life. Thanks to Ethan's arrangements, she found Joseph and became his student, settling down in Paris.
Lauren focused on learning design from Joseph, while Matthew was cared for by Kimberly. Ethan stayed in City A but visited occasionally.
Lauren smoothly transitioned into the peaceful life she had always dreamed of.
One day, after finishing her class with Joseph, Lauren's phone rang. It was Ethan. She smiled as she answered.
"Ethan, you should be sleeping right now. Why are you calling at this hour?" Lauren asked, smiling.
"Yeah, the time difference is a pain. I knew you'd be done with class around now, so I set an alarm," Ethan's sleepy voice replied.
Lauren chuckled. "If it was important, you could've just messaged me. Why wait until after my class to call?"
"Because I wanted to hear your voice! It's been almost half a month since I last saw you. How's Matthew?" Ethan asked.
"We're all good. What do you mean you haven't seen me? Isn't a video call a meeting?" Lauren teased.
"That's different, Lauren. I really want to come see you right now. Do you want to see me?" Ethan teased back.
"Ethan, you're so childish!" Lauren dodged the question.
"Do you want to or not? If you say you do, maybe a miracle will happen," Ethan persisted.
Lauren sighed, exasperated. "Fine, you win. Let's say I do want to see you. Where's the miracle? There's no such thing as miracles."
"Yes, there is. Turn around," Ethan said, grinning as he watched Lauren.
