Chapter 262 A Relaxing Trip to Paris
Ethan wasn't buying a single word of Lauren's half-assed explanation.
The more he tried to convince himself that Quentin was out of Lauren's heart, the more her actions screamed otherwise.
Ethan was all twisted up about Lauren wanting to jet off to Pariz. If she left City A, she'd be out of Quentin's orbit, which sounded great for both him and Lauren. But deep down, he knew dodging Quentin wouldn't fix her feelings, and he didn't wanna deal with that mess.
Plus, he'd bragged to Quentin about being with Lauren. If she bailed now, wouldn't that make him look like a total fool?
After mulling it over, Ethan figured it was better for Lauren to stick around in City A. Even if she stayed, there was no way she'd get back with Quentin.
Ethan asked, "Lauren, you said you'd be my girl, so why the hell would you leave City A? Besides, I've already got Matthew set up for school. In ten days, he'll be in kindergarten like all the other kids. Everything's chill now, so why do you still wanna bounce?"
Lauren's face was a blank slate, but her eyes were all kinds of sad.
She thought, 'Yeah, these stable days came at the cost of Jessica's resentment for me.'
Seeing Lauren's distress, Ethan pulled her into a gentle hug.
"Lauren, I've always wanted to be your rock. I want you to tell me whenever you're down. I've been working towards this, so please, let me in, okay?" Ethan's voice was full of emotion; it hadn't been easy for him.
He was carrying the hopes of the White family and dealing with the world's judgment. Over the years, Ethan had stayed single, making people question his sexual orientation. Even though he used to hit up adult entertainment spots, he never crossed any lines.
Every time, Ethan would laugh it off, but deep down, he cared about what people thought. As time went on, the pressure on Ethan grew, and Ryan saw this and felt bad for him. That was why Ryan later talked to Lauren.
Thinking about this, Lauren understood Ethan's feelings for her. However, she wanted to leave City A to escape the harsh reality. She felt drained and longed for a supportive presence.
Lauren replied, "Ethan, I remember my promise to you. But I'm really worn out; I need a break."
"Lauren, I get it. I just want you to know I can't live without you, so please think about me, okay? Don't leave me. I wanna share all the pain with you. If you need a few days to chill, I'll give you that. Go wherever you want, and when you're rested and feeling better, come back, okay?" Ethan looked at Lauren with deep affection, planning everything out for her.
Lauren couldn't turn down Ethan's thoughtfulness. She couldn't be cold, especially to someone who genuinely cared for her.
"Alright, since Matthew's here, I wanna go back to Pariz to see my teacher." In the end, Lauren went with Ethan's suggestion.
Hearing Lauren agree, Ethan was stoked. He hugged her tight and said, all excited, "Then I'll head back to Pariz with you. Haven't seen Mr. Borgia in ages."
Lauren started to push him away but then thought better of it. She was his girlfriend, after all; a hug wasn't a big deal.
"Nah, no need for that." Lauren smiled awkwardly, pretending to slip out of Ethan's embrace casually, and moved to the side. "You've got work to handle here; don't mess up your important stuff."
Ethan looked at his empty arms, feeling a bit hollow inside too. He mumbled, "Being with my girl is the most important thing."
What was supposed to be sweet talk between lovers didn't make Lauren blush, at least not in front of Ethan.
Lauren looked at Ethan helplessly and kept refusing, "Ethan, seriously, it's not necessary. I'm just going for a quick trip; I'll be back in a few days."
Seeing Lauren keep turning him down, Ethan decided to back off to avoid being pushy.
"Alright, but be careful. Matthew and I will be waiting for you here," he said with a smile.
Lauren nodded, and the next day, she caught the earliest flight to Pariz.
She didn't spill her worries to Kimberly because she could already picture Kimberly's reaction. Jessica's hatred wasn't something to brag about. If Kimberly found out, Ethan would too. While she wasn't afraid of being mocked, she couldn't quite understand why she felt compelled to keep it from Ethan.
So, Lauren quietly left City A in a rush. When she arrived at Joseph's place with her suitcase, she felt a mix of emotions.
Three years ago, she was in a similar spot, feeling down and out with nowhere to go. But fate was kind enough to give her a shot to study with Joseph, letting her cut ties with her past.
However, fate had its twists, and three years later, she was back with the same complicated feelings.
Pariz was where her life had a fresh start, the only place where she had tasted happiness.
The summer in Pariz was mild, unlike the blazing sun in City A, which seemed hell-bent on burning everything.
Joseph's small yard was filled with all sorts of flowers planted randomly, making the place lively despite the chaos.
Even though Joseph was a world-renowned designer, he was super down-to-earth. He didn't have high demands for his living space as long as it was comfy. Maybe that was why he had so many great students.
Lauren looked up at the golden sunlight, feeling her mood lift. Without worries, she naturally felt more relaxed.
Just then, the door creaked open, and Joseph appeared, catching Lauren off guard. Seeing her, he was initially in disbelief, but then he gave her a big hug.
"Lauren, what brings you back?" Joseph was thrilled. He had many students, but Lauren was one of the few who kept in touch and missed him.
Lauren smiled and said, "Mr. Borgia, it's been a while. I've missed you."
Joseph laughed heartily, pulling Lauren into the house. He was so caught up in the joy of seeing Lauren again that he didn't notice she had come alone.
