Chapter 207 Father and Son as Friends
When Lauren went to check on Jessica, Matthew was alone in the next room watching TV. Suddenly, a man walked in.
Matthew's eyes widened at the sight of the man, who had a chilling aura and a cold gaze. Surprisingly, he wasn't scared. Instead, he was curious.
"Who are you?" Matthew asked boldly, not blinking.
Quentin laughed and walked over, squatting down in front of him. "Guess who I am?"
Matthew blinked at the handsome face. "I don't know. But you look pretty cool, kind of like me. Wanna be friends? I like being friends with cool people."
Quentin's smile widened. He patted Matthew's head, squinting. "Hey, didn't your mom teach you not to talk to strangers?"
Matthew's face twisted in confusion, but then he smiled again. "Mommy said not to talk to strangers, but she also said this is my other home, so you can't be a bad person."
Quentin's lips curled slightly. "You're pretty smart."
Matthew lifted his chin proudly. "Of course, Mommy says I'm smart."
"Yeah," Quentin responded.
"What's your name? Wanna be friends? Mommy went somewhere, and I'm lonely," Matthew said, pouting.
Quentin stood up, looking down at Matthew. "I can be your friend."
Matthew jumped up happily. "Great! Let's go out and play!"
He jumped off the couch, heldQuentin's hand, and started walking. His small, soft hand felt warm in Quentin's.
A rare, gentle expression appeared on Quentin's face as he followed Matthew.
"Aren't you going to wait for your mommy?" Quentin asked.
"It's okay. Mommy will call me, and I'll come. Let's play. I saw a big fountain downstairs," Matthew said, pulling Quentin along.
Matthew loved water, especially in the hot summer. The fountain's water was icy cold, and he ran around in it, having a blast with Quentin.
Quentin watched Matthew with deep eyes. He didn't expect Matthew to have grown so much or to look so much like himself as a child.
Seeing Matthew was like seeing his childhood self, except he wasn't as naughty and confident.
After a while, Quentin was reluctant to part with Matthew but didn't want Lauren to worry.
"Alright, time to go back," Quentin said, picking Matthew up from the water.
Matthew struggled. "No, I still want to play. Let me go."
Quentin frowned. "Hey, I have a name."
"Then tell me your name," Matthew said, staring at Quentin with big, innocent eyes.
Quentin put Matthew down and whispered, "Quentin Robinson, that's my name."
"Quentin Robinson, what a coincidence. My last name is also Robinson. My name is Matthew Robinson," Matthew said sweetly.
Quentin's eyes darkened. "What happened today is our little secret. Don't tell anyone, okay?"
Matthew nodded, half understanding. "Okay, but can I tell my Mommy?"
"No, not even your Mommy," Quentin insisted.
"Okay," Matthew agreed obediently.
"Go back now, and remember our secret," Quentin said, taking Matthew's hand and heading back to the villa.
As they reached the staircase, they heard Lauren anxiously calling Matthew's name. Matthew skipped off to find her, but when he looked back, he found that Quentin was already gone.
"What a strange guy," Matthew muttered, running towards Lauren.
"Mommy, I'm here!" Matthew shouted.
Lauren ran over, relief flooding her face. "Matthew, where did you go? I was so worried!"
She hugged him tightly. Lauren had always kept a close eye on Matthew, or left him stay home with Kimberly. She had never been so unaware of his whereabouts before. Even though she knew he was safe here, she couldn't help but worry.
Matthew snuggled into her arms. "I went out to play. There's a big fountain outside, and it's so cool. Mommy, come play with me."
Lauren patted his head. "Not now, Matthew. I didn't bring a change of clothes for you. If you get wet, you'll catch a cold."
"But I want to play," Matthew pouted, thinking, 'Quentin is much more fun. He would let me play.'
At four years old, Matthew understood a bit about keeping promises. He kept his word to Quentin and didn't mention their meeting.
Lauren didn't suspect anything. She regretted being so careless. Luckily, nothing happened to Matthew, or she would have been beside herself with worry.
She took Matthew back to the next room to watch TV, unaware of the sharp eyes watching them from the stairs.
George brought fresh fruit to Matthew and noticed Quentin secretly observing Lauren and Matthew.
"Mr. Robinson, why don't you just meet them directly?" George asked.
Quentin stood up, straightening his suit. "The timing isn't right."
He had spent three years without forgetting Lauren. The longer the time, the stronger his desire to win her over. That's why he forced her back to City A from Pariz. He didn't know what the future held for them, but he felt a knot in his heart he couldn't untangle.
George sighed. "Jessica doesn't have much time left. I hope you'll think more about her."
Quentin's hand clenched tightly. Jessica had been missing Matthew for the past three years. She had been angry with Quentin, and her health had deteriorated. Quentin hoped bringing Lauren and Matthew back would give Jessica some happiness.
"I know," Quentin said, feeling a pang of heartache. This was the last thing he wanted to think about.
