Chapter 252 Who is the Informant
Quentin's words were harsh and cold, like an icicle piercing Lauren's heart, almost freezing her blood solid.
Lauren didn't understand the meaning behind Quentin's words. She was so stunned by his scolding that she forgot to retort and just kept crying.
"What am I saying? Lauren, stop the crocodile tears. I must have been blind not to see how good you are at acting. I can't believe I fell for you over and over, only to be trampled on like this! Lauren, are you laughing at how easy I am to deceive, how you've been manipulating me all along? Do you secretly laugh at me when you sleep at night?" Quentin growled, veins bulging on his forehead.
Lauren stared blankly at the furious Quentin. She felt like she must be dreaming. Why did Quentin, who had recently invited her to the Water Park, now seem like a different person, accusing her of things she knew nothing about? What had happened in between?
Lauren defensed, "No, Quentin, I never deceived and plotted against you."
"Don't you dare argue with me!" Quentin's eyes widened in anger. He shouted, "I never hit women. Don't make me break my rule. Get out. Don't let me see you again! Get out!"
Quentin's roar scared Matthew, who burst into tears. He ran over, grabbed Quentin's coat, and sobbed.
"Daddy, why are you being so mean? Why are you yelling at Mommy?" Matthew asked pitifully to Quentin.
Quentin looked down at Matthew, his eyes flickering for a moment before he forcefully shook off Matthew's hand and said heartlessly, "You and your heartless mother, get out of here!"
Matthew immediately ran after Quentin and asked, "Daddy, don't you like me anymore? Don't you want me anymore? Daddy..."
Lauren tried to stay calm. She wiped away her tears, rushed in front of Quentin, and said, "Quentin, what did I do to deserve this from you and Matthew? If you have something to say, say it. Although I die, I want to die knowing the truth!"
Quentin turned to look at Lauren coldly. He said, "Don't you even want your dignity anymore? I really underestimated you. Fine, if you want to know, I'll tell you. You're a scheming, vile woman. You forced Grandma to sign a disownment agreement, making her live in pain and guilt."
Quentin's eyes blazed with anger as he looked at Lauren as if he wanted to strangle her on the spot.
Lauren took a step back involuntarily. She thought, 'How did Quentin know about the statement? Did Jessica tell him? No, it couldn't be. Jessica had promised to keep it a secret until Quentin tried to take Matthew away.'
'However, only she, Jessica, and George knew about it. Did George tell Quentin? However, it was unlikely, as George always followed Jessica's orders.'
Lauren couldn't figure out how Quentin knew about it.
Of course, Lauren couldn't figure it out because it was a trap set by Sophia. Sophia had secretly installed a recording device under Jessica's bed under the pretense of visiting her. When she retrieved it, she discovered this shocking secret.
She had initially wanted to tell Quentin immediately, but Ruby advised her to use this leverage against Lauren, which might help Sophia become Quentin's wife.
So, Sophia waited for the right moment. She pretended to care for Jessica in the hospital room. When Jessica's doctor called Quentin away, Sophia knew it was her chance to act.
When Quentin returned, he found Sophia crying.
After being questioned, Sophia reluctantly told her pre-made story. She blamed Jessica for the disownment statement, saying Jessica had confided in her out of guilt and pain.
Quentin was naturally furious upon hearing this. Seeing the critically ill and unconscious Jessica, he was in agony. He regretted not helping Jessica with her burden and trusting Lauren, whom he thought was kind and innocent, only to discover she had worsened Jessica's condition.
In his anger, Quentin didn't tell Lauren about Jessica's critical condition because she didn't deserve to know!
However, Sophia didn't stop there. She wanted to escalate the situation. Since Lauren hadn't admitted to the disownment, Quentin might eventually doubt her. So, she went to Lauren and told her about Jessica's critical condition.
Quentin looked at the ashen-faced Lauren, feeling pained. Her expression confirmed the truth of the matter.
He clenched his fists and looked at Lauren coldly. He asked, "What else do you have to say? Lauren, you're really good at scheming. Since Grandma loved you so much, you thought you could use her without restraint! Grandma is seriously ill, and you still used her as a pawn to gain custody of Matthew. You're truly cold-blooded!"
Lauren opened her mouth but couldn't utter a word. What could she say to refute? Quentin's accusations were true. She had indeed used Jessica, but she had no choice! She couldn't lose Matthew, so she had to be ruthless to Jessica.
She knew she was wrong and that she had hurt Jessica. Although she hadn't meant to, she was trapped.
Lauren could only cry in regret. This wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want to force Jessica. However, what was the use of saying this now? Jessica was already in the ICU.
She finally mustered the courage to say, "I was afraid of losing Matthew. I know I went too far with Grandma. I'm sorry."
Quentin shouted, "Sorry isn't enough! Let me tell you the truth, I never intended to take Matthew away. What if I wanted to fight for custody, do you think you could win against me? You've resorted to such despicable tactics. Forget it. There's no point in talking about it. Take Matthew and leave. We don't need to see each other again!"
Quentin's voice grew weaker as he spoke. He was extremely disappointed in Lauren, and all the words he had buried in his heart came out.
Lauren was devastated. She hadn't expected her struggles to turn into a joke. She bitterly laughed at herself for being so petty, not realizing Quentin never intended to take Matthew's custody. Could his words be trusted?
If Quentin was telling the truth, then what about three years ago? What about what Ethan had told her and his conversation with Quentin? Lauren had a lot of questions, but now wasn't the time.
