Chapter 20 Declaration of War
Quentin let out a sardonic laugh, "I had no idea Lauren was so ambitious. Fine, Uncle Robinson, let her work if she wants to. Just don't tell her I came by the villa today."
The chill surrounding Quentin was palpable, and the butler knew an argument must have erupted between the couple. What they fought over was beyond his knowledge, and he dared not pry.
Quentin stormed out of the villa, fuming after having wasted four hours waiting in vain. The frustration was eating him up, with nowhere to channel his pent-up rage.
Lauren, meanwhile, squirmed uncomfortably at the banquet, tired from dealing with her ‘enthusiastic’ colleagues and superiors.
"Amelia, you're really the MVP of our company. Everyone said that the formidable CEO of Robinson Conglomerate was tough to please, but you snagged him with ease. Quentin doesn't seem as tough as the rumors suggest," one of the colleagues unleashed the gossip.
Having successfully handled Quentin, Henry was in a great mood and thus allowed everyone to speak freely.
"You're not in a position to say that; you've never interacted with Quentin and have no idea about his powerful presence," another co-worker retorted, agitated. "I remember bumping into Quentin once, and before I even got close, I felt chilled to the bone. There's a reason why everyone calls him an authoritative and unapproachable CEO."
"Oh, come on, that's just an exaggeration!"
The group laughed at the comment while the person tried to defend their point, but Lauren tuned out the conversation.
Inwardly, Lauren felt relieved that no one recognized her; otherwise, her cover as the domineering CEO Dowager would be blown in an instant.
"Alright, let's not steal the spotlight from today's star. We're only here celebrating with this group dinner because of Amelia's efforts. Without her, we might have missed out on securing the deal with Robinson Conglomerate," Henry shifted the attention to Amelia.
Amelia modestly shook her head and replied, "I'm not the star here. Securing the partnership was a team effort, and I couldn't possibly take all the credit for it."
Amelia's humility won over everyone, except for Abigail.
Abigail stewed in silence, pondering whether she could have been the one to succeed with Quentin and whether that would've propelled her career. Amelia's emergence had stolen her thunder, which she couldn't accept.
Lauren noticed Abigail's gloomy demeanor and decided to lighten her mood by pouring her a glass of juice and presenting it to her with both hands.
"Abigail, I've always wanted to find the right moment to thank you for being such a supportive mentor. This drink is for you," Lauren expressed with genuine sincerity.
Abigail sneered at the glass of juice, scoffed, and said, "Is that how little you think of me, toasting with juice?"
Lauren was clueless about the unspoken office protocols and managed to get under Abigail's skin the moment she spoke up.
"No, Abigail, I'm just not feeling well today and I hope you don't mind."
"Haha, don't mind? I've been in the workforce for years and this is the first time someone's toasted me with juice!" Abigail continued with a sneer.
Embarrassed, Lauren didn't know what to do. She had intended to smooth things over but ended up making them even more awkward.
Henry intervened, "Alright, Abigail, Amelia is new and doesn't know the ropes yet. You're her supervisor and you've got a few years on her, so cut her some slack."
"Well, since Henry has spoken, what can I say?" Abigail downed her glass, but her stare at Lauren grew even sharper.
Lauren sighed, worried that offending her supervisor could spell trouble for her job in the future.
After surviving the party, Lauren missed the last bus and had to take a cab back to her villa.
After her nightly routine, she lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. She was haunted by her encounter with Quentin earlier in the day; initially shocked, now she felt a hint of excitement. It seemed she still harbored feelings for the man.
Lauren had no way of knowing Quentin's thoughts about her working, nor could she ask. Besides, unless Quentin made the effort to come home, she had no other chance to see him.
Suddenly, Lauren laughed at herself for being petty, suspecting Quentin might try to sabotage her work. To her surprise, not only did he not trouble her, but he also helped her complete her assignment.
She felt foolish for ever thinking he’d stoop so low out of dislike for her.
Lauren assumed this was Quentin's way of looking out for her. Touching her still-flat belly, she whispered, "If he could accept the baby, maybe we could make a fresh start…"
But the hopeful fantasy was just that—a fantasy. Quentin didn’t accept her, so naturally, he wouldn't embrace her being pregnant.
The next day, Lauren went to the office as usual. Upon arrival, her colleagues informed her that Abigail wanted to see her.
Lauren knocked and entered Abigail's office, "Abigail, you wanted to see me?"
Abigail, stone-faced, gestured for Lauren to come in. "Henry said that starting today, you’re in charge of the Robinson Conglomerate collaboration. Here are all the files; you can take them."
Lauren eyed the stack of documents on Abigail's desk but didn't reach out for them.
"Thank you, Abigail."
Abigail sneered, "Don't mention it. You might be climbing the ladder soon enough. My supervisory position is bound to be yours sooner or later."
Lauren winced, "No, Abigail, I'm just a rookie. It was pure luck that I got Quentin off our backs. I still have so much to learn from you; please don't get the wrong idea..."
"Oh? A misunderstanding? Heh." Abigail's continued sneer made Lauren feel a coldness creeping up on her.
Abigail stood up and circled Lauren. "I must be blind to have not seen that you'd catch Quentin's fancy."
Lauren didn't understand why Abigail would say such things. All she knew was that she had truly offended her—a woman, a tough woman to deal with.
"Abigail, I... I just want to work hard, I haven't thought about anything else. If I've done anything wrong or offended you, I apologize."
Lauren understood the principle of seeking shelter under someone's roof all too well. She was no longer the reckless young girl she'd been; now she had concerns, someone she wanted to protect, and she could no longer afford to be heedless in her actions.
"There's no need for that, but I'm afraid we might become rivals in the future. Amelia, don't expect me to go easy on you." Abigail returned to her seat, thoughtfully gazing at Lauren.
Lauren was puzzled. Was it just that one project that had put her at odds with Abigail? Why were relationships between people so fragile? Why couldn't Abigail just trust her?
In the end, Lauren still thanked Abigail, collected the materials, and left her office.
