Chapter 259 A Game Within a Game
Quentin yanked Matthew to the door, with Sophia trailing behind, looking like she was enjoying the drama. Meanwhile, Lauren was on her knees, quietly reflecting near the memorial hall.
Quentin barked, "You got no right to show up here. Get up!"
A sharp voice echoed from inside, making Lauren jump. She knew it was Quentin. Nervously, she looked up and locked eyes with his furious glare.
Lauren froze, forgetting to stand up, still kneeling like a statue.
She stood there, dumbstruck, staring at Quentin.
Quentin looked rough, his chin covered in stubble, and he had lost a ton of weight. His brows were furrowed, and his face was a mess of unresolved sorrow. But his sharp, eagle-like eyes were still the same. His fierce gaze looked like it wanted to rip her apart and toss her in the trash.
His whole face was twisted with anger, and Lauren knew he didn't want to see her. But she didn't expect Quentin to come out himself. What was he up to?
Matthew rushed over and grabbed Lauren's hand, trying to help her up.
Only then did Lauren snap out of it. She lowered her head and slowly stood up, then patted Matthew's shoulder, signaling him to go back to Quentin. Finally, she turned around, ready to leave.
Seeing the thin Lauren, Quentin felt a pang of pity. Her face still had tear stains, and her pale complexion showed how unwell she was.
But the flowers at the door reminded him of how much Lauren had hurt Jessica. He couldn't afford to show her any mercy.
"Putting on airs is laughable. Take Matthew and get out of the Robinson Family!" Quentin said coldly.
Lauren turned around, looking sadly at Quentin. She knew no explanation could bring Jessica back, and it was pointless.
She bit her lip, took a deep breath, and said, "I promised Jessica that I would let Matthew mourn with you."
Lauren didn't reveal her true agreement with Jessica. She feared saying it would only deepen Quentin's resentment, and she was genuinely worried he wouldn't be able to overcome this setback.
Quentin still looked coldly at Lauren. Since it was Jessica's last wish, though he didn't want to, he would honor it.
He shouted, "Then you leave here alone! Never come back, because you don't deserve it!"
With that, Quentin ignored Matthew's struggles and dragged him back inside.
Seeing Quentin take Matthew away, Lauren silently breathed a sigh of relief. She pushed aside any sadness, knowing she didn't have the luxury to dwell on her own unhappiness.
Just as she was about to leave, Sophia spoke again, "Lauren, if I were you, I wouldn't dare come here again. Today was solely for Jessica's sake. Quentin wouldn't have been as forgiving otherwise."
Lauren chose to ignore Sophia's comment. She lifted her chin and walked away.
Seeing that Lauren didn't respond, Sophia played her trump card and said, "Lauren, Jessica lost her life because of you. Are you just going to walk away like this? Do you think that's fair to her?"
Hearing this, Lauren couldn't stay calm. She turned around, looked coldly at Sophia, and said, "I didn't kill Jessica. Please watch your words."
Sophia looked at Lauren with a smug grin and said, "You can deny it all you want, but Quentin believes you're to blame. Your excuses mean nothing. How can you be so shameless? How dare you push Jessica, who loved you so much, to her death just to get Matthew?"
"I didn't!" Lauren spat out through gritted teeth, trying hard to keep her anger in check.
Sophia was thrilled to see Lauren so riled up. But she wasn't done yet. She smiled at Lauren, savoring the moment.
"Lauren, did you know Jessica once told me she was super disappointed in you and hated you? I don't think she'd forgive you, even in death," Sophia said.
Lauren's body trembled. 'Did Jessica hate me? No way! I was there when she passed away, and she was smiling and talking to me, no signs of hatred.'
'Besides, Jessica was such a big-hearted person; she wouldn't hold a grudge over this.'
Lauren tried to reason it out in her mind, but the more she thought about it, the more scared she got. 'Could Jessica really hate me?' The thought made her feel like she was falling apart.
She tried to put on a strong front, forcing a stiff smile.
"Sophia, if you're trying to break me, you're wrong. My relationship with Jessica is not something an outsider can understand. Although we had a falling out, she would never say such things to you. I don't know why you're telling me this, but I advise you not to provoke me. Otherwise, your dream of becoming Quentin's wife won't be so easy to achieve," Lauren said calmly, not letting Sophia see any hint of her inner turmoil.
Seeing Lauren's calm face, Sophia was filled with anger. Lauren was indeed tough to crack. She had thought a few words would easily deceive her!
Sophia shrugged and kept smiling. "Believe it or not. How do you think Quentin found out about the statement? If Jessica didn't hate you, why would she tell us about it?"
Hearing this, Lauren's fake strength crumbled! She had never understood how the secret got out. She didn't expect it to come from Jessica.
She thought, 'So, what Sophia said about Jessica hating me was true.'
Lauren broke down, stepping back until she hit the wall to avoid falling to the ground.
"No, how could it be?" Lauren's face went pale. She didn't want to believe it, but the facts were right there, forcing her to accept it.
Seeing that Lauren had finally fallen for it, Sophia smiled gently and walked closer to her.
She remarked, "You are just so arrogant. Do you really think the world revolves around you? I don't know why you've always been hostile to me. Don't forget you took my lover first. I didn't hold it against you, but you treated me as an enemy. So, tit for tat. I didn't want to tell you these things, but you've had it too good for too long. I was afraid that with Jessica gone, you would forget all the harm you caused her."
Lauren's face turned blue. Indeed, she had wronged Jessica. However, now, she didn't even have a chance to make it right.
Sophia put away her smile and looked at Lauren viciously. "Lauren, spend the rest of your life in pain and regret! Consider it my best gift to you!"
