Chapter 250 The Shadow of the Elevator Incident
Lauren and her group found the mall manager and explained their purpose. They then went to the surveillance room together.
As Lauren expected, the surveillance footage did show a man wearing a hat pushing them from behind. However, the footage was too blurry to make out the man's appearance.
"Lauren, we should call the police. Let them investigate who this man is," Ethan said worriedly.
Lauren was silent for a moment before finally saying, "I'm afraid calling the police won't help. There are so many people coming in and out of this mall every day. It's impossible to investigate. The surveillance footage is so unclear that we can't even see what this person looks like. There's no way to start an investigation."
"However, we can't let this go. The thought of someone trying to harm you guys scares me. Although the police can't identify this person, it will at least serve as a deterrent, keeping those with bad intentions away from you and preventing further harm," Ethan said, visibly agitated, unable to figure out who would want to harm Lauren and Matthew.
The scariest enemies were not the ones in plain sight but those plotting in the shadows, making the danger even more terrifying.
Lauren finally agreed with Ethan. They called the police and gave their statements before returning to the villa.
Lauren's heart pounded the entire time. She had a feeling that this matter was far from over. Although they had called the police, it wouldn't stop the bad guys from intentionally harming them. 'What should I do? How could I feel safe letting Matthew go to school?' She thought.
That night, Lauren tossed and turned, finally falling asleep out of sheer exhaustion, only to be awakened by a nightmare.
In her dream, Lauren recalled the elevator incident. For some reason, Ethan, standing below, had a menacing expression. Lauren was terrified and screamed in her dream, but no one came to their rescue.
She watched helplessly as Matthew tumbled down the stairs. She held his bloodied body and cried until she went blind.
The bystanders around her became terrified, laughing loudly at her plight, but none of them came to help or call an ambulance.
Lauren woke up drenched in sweat, realizing that Ethan's decision to save her instead of Matthew had left a deep scar in her heart. She could no longer ignore it.
She knew she shouldn't overthink it, but she couldn't help but start doubting Ethan. ’Would he really be good to Matthew? Could he truly love Matthew as his child?‘
Lauren remembered what Quentin had said to her. He asked if being with Ethan meant she could neglect Matthew and enjoy her life.
At the time, she found it laughable. Matthew was her most important child; how could she not care about him? However, after today's events, she realized she hadn't fulfilled her duties as a mother. She made her child hurt while she remained unscathed.
She would rather be the one hurt! Lauren went to Matthew's bedside and saw the swollen wound on his forehead, feeling immense pain.
As she watched Matthew sleep, tears streamed down her face. She recalled Matthew's words, saying he didn't like Ethan as his dad and didn't want to live with Ethan. However, Lauren couldn't heed his advice, making her feel very guilty.
The next day, Kimberly made Matthew a lot of delicious food, saying it was to help him recover.
Lauren, with red eyes, fed Matthew. Ethan opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Kimberly noticed something strange between Lauren and Ethan after they returned, but she was too focused on Matthew to ask.
Lauren asked Ethan to leave to stay home with Matthew.
Feeling guilty towards Matthew, Ethan naturally agreed. However, Lauren's distant gaze made him uncomfortable. He thought about finding a suitable opportunity to explain that he didn't intentionally neglect Matthew.
A few peaceful days passed, and Matthew's head wound healed, leaving only a red mark without any scars. Lauren's mood gradually improved, but there was still something strange between her and Ethan that she couldn't quite pinpoint.
After Matthew recovered, Lauren went back to work. She rode in Ethan's car as usual, but neither of them spoke.
Ethan couldn't hold it in any longer and asked, "Lauren, why have you been ignoring me lately?"
Lauren looked at the scenery outside the window and said calmly, "I'm not ignoring you. I've been busy taking care of Matthew and haven't had time for you. Don't overthink it."
Ethan felt very frustrated.
Ethan explained, "I know I let you down, but that day I really..."
Lauren interrupted, "Ethan, I believe you! You don't need to explain. I know you genuinely care about Matthew. That day was sudden, and you didn't have time to react. I don't blame you," Lauren said with a smile.
She had been using these words to comfort herself and defend Ethan. However, only Lauren knew that these words couldn't ease her feelings.
Ethan fell silent. He had originally wanted to improve his relationship with Matthew, but it had backfired, disappointing Lauren. He was determined to find out who was targeting Lauren, to put her mind at ease, and to regain her trust.
Ethan worked hard at the company and didn't rest at home, either cooking for Matthew or playing with him. Matthew's face lit up with a happy smile. As long as Ethan didn't try to be his daddy, everything else would be negotiable.
Lauren noticed Ethan's efforts and forced herself to bury the previous unpleasantness, gradually repairing their relationship.
Just as Matthew was about to start school, an unexpected visitor disrupted their peaceful life.
Sophia, with red eyes, came to Ethan's villa. Kimberly couldn't handle it and quickly called Lauren. Upon hearing it was Sophia, Lauren rushed back to the villa.
"Where's Lauren? Why isn't she back yet!" Sophia, with a cold face, questioned Kimberly.
This time, she was not her usual gentle self but more like a madwoman, perhaps revealing her true nature.
Kimberly sent Matthew to his room and kept a close eye on Sophia, fearing she might harm Lauren when she returned.
At that moment, the door suddenly opened. Lauren hurried back, looking very anxious.
She unceremoniously said to Sophia, "Miss Hall, you're not welcome here. Please leave immediately."
Sophia glared at Lauren and said, "Lauren, you're a heartless wretch! Jessica loved you so much, yet you wouldn't let her see Matthew one last time before she died. How could you be so cruel!"
These words struck Lauren like a bolt of lightning. She hadn't even spoken yet, but tears were already streaming down her face.
Lauren asked, "What? Jessica..."
