Chapter 199 The Opportunity to Return Home
Quentin knew Noah like the back of his hand. But Noah couldn't figure out why Quentin suddenly had this idea.
Given the Robinson Conglomerate's growth over the past five years, it made sense Quentin wanted to dive into home design. So, Noah didn't object.
"You've got a point, but will this Ryan guy really hand over the company?" Noah asked, puzzled.
"If I want something, I'll get it, no matter the cost," Quentin said, determined.
Quentin didn't know why, but seeing Lauren's stories ignited a burning rage inside him.
Noah sighed. Quentin was as relentless as ever.
"Alright, I'll go talk to Ryan," Noah said.
Quentin nodded, lost in thought.
A few days later, Ryan told Ethan that Quentin wanted to buy his family business. Ethan didn't get why Quentin was interested, but he refused.
Quentin wasn't taking no for an answer. After Ryan turned down their offer, Quentin started using his tactics one by one.
A few days later, Quentin poached all the designers from Ethan's company except for Richard. Even the assistants were gone, leaving the company in shambles.
Ethan frowned when Ryan told him they couldn't hire new people. They had business but no one to do the work, putting them in a tough spot.
Lauren noticed Ethan had been distracted lately and was worried.
"Ethan, is something wrong? You don't seem yourself," Lauren asked, concerned.
Ethan forced a smile. "No, nothing's wrong."
Lauren looked at him seriously. "I've been through a lot with you. You supported me at my lowest. You don't have to hide anything from me. I'm here for you."
Ethan was happy to hear this, but since it involved Quentin, he wondered if telling Lauren would bring back bad memories from three years ago.
"Lauren, I'm really fine. I can handle this," Ethan said with a light smile, trying to ease her worries.
Seeing Ethan so insistent, Lauren didn't push further. "Alright, if you ever need my help, just ask."
Ethan nodded with a smile, but then his phone rang. It was Ryan. Instinctively, Ethan covered the screen and walked to the window to take the call.
But he was too late. Lauren had already seen the name.
Lauren noticed Ethan's odd behavior. Ryan rarely called, and Ethan had never hidden his calls from her, making her even more suspicious.
When Ethan finished the call, Lauren looked at him seriously.
"Ethan, is something wrong at home? If there is, you should go back. You don't have to stay here with me all the time," Lauren said.
Seeing Ethan unhappy made Lauren feel guilty. She guessed something might be wrong with the White family, needing Ethan's attention.
Ethan had stayed in Pariz for three years for Lauren, and she felt she owed the White family for that.
Ethan knew he couldn't keep this from Lauren, so he decided to go along with her suggestion.
"Lauren, there are some issues at the company I need to handle, so I might need to leave for a while. But don't worry, I'll come back as soon as things are sorted out," Ethan said.
"What kind of issues? Are they serious?" Lauren asked, concerned.
Ethan shook his head. "No, just some staffing problems."
Lauren let out a sigh of relief. "I thought it was something major. I almost got scared. If the company needs you, then you should pack up and go back."
Ethan smiled sadly. "Alright, but I'll miss you all."
"Come on, it's not like you won't come back. If you really can't get back, I can come visit you," Lauren said with a smile.
Ethan's heart skipped a beat. His instincts told him he couldn't let Lauren return to City A. Plus, Quentin might try to seize custody of Matthew. He knew Quentin wouldn't give up on Lauren. Both he and Quentin were persistent.
Ethan smiled faintly. "No need, you and Matthew stay here and wait for me. I'll be back soon."
Lauren didn't think much of it. The next afternoon, Ethan bought a ticket to City A and left Pariz.
But even after returning to City A, the issues with the architectural design company couldn't be resolved smoothly because Quentin had blocked all his paths.
Quentin poached his company's talent and recruited home design experts in City A with hefty wages. Due to understaffing, Ethan's employer couldn't cover the gaps, leaving him helpless.
Standing beside his office's floor-to-ceiling window, Quentin drank wine and watched the cityscape. He smiled warmly, knowing he could finally make Lauren come to him.
Lauren wasn't scared Ethan wouldn't return. Instead, she was worried if the problems were serious as it had been half a month since Ethan left. Ethan looked exhausted every time they video-called.
Lauren wanted to avoid overthinking or investigating. But every time she asked Ethan if things were going well, he dodged the question, which gave her a bad feeling.
It was like how Zeus shouldn't have given Pandora the box of disasters. The more he emphasized not opening it, the more Pandora's curiosity grew.
So, Ethan's avoidance only planted a seed of curiosity in Lauren, which grew stronger each day, increasing her desire to know what had happened.
Lauren knew few people in City A, and she had kept in touch with only a few over the past three years. At this moment, she thought of Ulysses, her father.
Three years ago, Walker Corporation went bankrupt due to Lauren's influence, and Ulysses had been living a carefree life with fifty million dollars.
During this time, Lauren had reached out to Ulysses a few times, but they didn't have much to talk about. Lauren could only ask about his well-being, and Ulysses would respond perfunctorily.
