Chapter 253 The Doubts from Three Years Ago
Lauren stared blankly at Quentin, whose eyes were cold and stern. She knew that her actions had deeply hurt Quentin and Jessica. However, she couldn't walk away after realizing her mistakes; she owed Jessica an apology and needed to seek her forgiveness in person.
"Quentin, I'm sorry for what I've done to you both. You can blame me or hate me, but I need to see Jessica. I believe Jessica misses Matthew, too, so please let's see her, okay?" Lauren pleaded cautiously, but Quentin's expression only grew colder.
Quentin laughed sarcastically and refused, "That's out of the question. From today on, you and Matthew have nothing to do with the Robinson family."
Lauren pleaded, "Quentin, though Matthew lives with me, he is still a descendant of the Robinson family. It can't be changed. It's all my fault. Please don't take it out on Matthew."
"Don't take it out on Matthew? Lauren, you really have a way with words. While I can't be harsh with Matthew, seeing you reminds me of everything you've done. I won't go easy on you. Get out right now!" Quentin roared, cutting Lauren off.
Lauren knew she was wrong and didn't dare to argue back as Quentin yelled at her. Holding the frightened Matthew, she whispered, "Then we'll wait here. When Jessica wakes up, she will want to see us."
"It's ridiculous! If you want to wait, then wait here!" Quentin stormed off in anger.
After Quentin left, Matthew began to cry loudly. He had never seen Quentin so serious before and was terrified. He had hoped that Quentin and Lauren would reconcile, but now, it seemed like a distant dream.
Matthew sobbed, "Mommy, Daddy is so scary. Does he not want me anymore? Why is he so angry? If you did something wrong, you should apologize to Daddy. I don't want you to fight."
Lauren hugged Matthew tightly and said, "I really messed up this time. Matthew, don't worry. I will work hard to earn your Daddy's forgiveness. Don't be afraid; your Daddy is just very upset right now. Once he calms down, he will still love you."
Hearing Lauren's words, Matthew slowly stopped crying. He believed that Lauren could handle the situation and that he could still have the life he wanted.
However, Quentin had arranged for two bodyguards to prevent Lauren from approaching the hospital room.
Lauren sat sadly on a seat in the hallway, holding Matthew. She was waiting, hoping Jessica would wake up soon so she could have a chance to apologize to Jessica in person.
After some time, Ethan hurried over. Seeing the sad Lauren, his heart ached slightly. He didn't understand why Lauren hadn't told him about such a big issue immediately; he only found out after Kimberly called him about Jessica's situation.
Worried that Quentin might make things difficult for Lauren, he rushed over and saw this scene.
"Lauren, why are you sitting here? Where is Mrs. Jessica Robinson? Could it be that she..." Ethan asked in a low voice.
Lauren looked up dejectedly, her eyelashes still wet with tears, glistening like morning dew.
Her eyelashes fluttered, and the tears fell. She replied, "No, I don't know how Jessica is. Quentin won't prevent me seeing her. He already knows about the statement of severance."
Ethan was horrified. Quentin would definitely blame Lauren for this. He hadn't expected Quentin to be so heartless as to forbid Lauren to visit.
He sat down next to Lauren and comforted her in a low voice, "Quentin might just need some time to accept it. It might be for the best, as it will make him give up on the custody issue with Matthew."
At this moment, Lauren suddenly looked up with a blank expression, staring at Ethan without blinking. Ethan felt uneasy under her gaze, rubbing his hands and avoiding her eyes.
Lauren asked, "Ethan, three years ago, when you told me Quentin wanted to take custody of Matthew, was that true?"
Lauren's sudden question made Ethan's eyes flicker. He thought, 'Could Quentin have told her something?'
However, he remained calm, knowing that Lauren was very smart and meticulous. He looked at her calmly, recalling the events of three years ago.
Ethan replied, "Yes. What's wrong?"
Lauren lowered her head and answered, "Nothing. I suddenly thought of it. You told me that the conversation you had with Quentin that day was also about Matthew's custody. Is that true?"
Ethan pretended to be angry and asked, "Lauren, what do you mean by this? Are you doubting that I lied to you?"
Regarding this matter, Ethan was confident because Quentin had indeed said those words, although it was out of anger.
"I'm not doubting you; it's that Quentin told me he wouldn't fight for Matthew's custody anymore. I wanted to verify if he was sincere," Lauren said calmly.
Hearing that, Ethan slowly calmed down.
Ethan remarked, "That's good news! It means Mrs. Jessica Robinson's efforts weren't in vain."
Lauren remained silent. She thought, 'Yes, it was good news. I could finally stop worrying about it. However, why did my heart feel even more unsettled? Why did I feel even more depressed?'
Seeing Lauren's silence, Ethan continued, "Since Quentin won't allow you and Matthew to visit Mrs. Jessica Robinson, why don't you and Matthew go home and rest? I'll stay here for you."
"No, Ethan." Lauren shook her head gently. "I don't want to go anywhere. I owe Jessica too much and have to stay here and wait for her to see me."
"However, you don't know when she'll wake up. And even if she does, Quentin might not allow you to see her," Ethan said, making Lauren's face look even worse.
In fact, Ethan was secretly pleased. He hadn't expected Lauren and Quentin to have such a complete falling out, which meant he no longer had to worry about them reconciling.
As long as Jessica died, an insurmountable barrier would exist between Lauren and Quentin, making it impossible for them to reconnect. This way, Lauren could live with him in peace.
Ethan hid his joy but realized he didn't genuinely feel sorry for Lauren at this moment; instead, he felt a bit of glee. Why was that?
Lauren was always persistent in her actions. Although she seemed easygoing on the surface, once she made a decision, no one could persuade her otherwise.
Lauren remarked, "Ethan, don't try to persuade me. Let me wait here; it will make me feel a bit better."
Lauren held Matthew's hand and ignored Ethan. Her mind was in turmoil, and she couldn't focus on anything else.
Seeing that Lauren wouldn't listen to his advice, Ethan sat there in a daze, waiting with her.
