Chapter 273 Taking the Initiative
Housekeeper Robinson led Matthew into Quentin's room. The place reeked of booze, enough to make anyone wanna hurl. Quentin was a mess, sprawled out against the bed, surrounded by empty bottles.
Matthew blurted out, "Daddy!"
Quentin didn't even flinch, like he was out cold.
Paxton's eyes were all sad. He let go of Matthew's hand, quickly tidied up the mess on the floor, and then went over to help Quentin up.
"Mr. Robinson, Matthew's here! Wake up!" Robinson urged.
Quentin's eyes fluttered open, all confused. When he saw Matthew at the door, he snapped to attention.
In his drunken haze, he thought he heard someone call him Daddy and figured he was just dreaming. But nope, it was real.
Since getting back from the hospital, things had gone downhill. After Jessica left, he promised himself he wouldn't screw up again. But here he was, wasting time he could've spent with Matthew.
He thought he'd never get a moment alone with Matthew again, but here was his kid, calling him Daddy.
"Matthew, Matthew!" Quentin rushed over and hugged him tight.
Quentin's scruffy beard tickled Matthew, making him giggle. "Daddy, you need a shave!" Matthew teased.
Listening to Matthew's heartbeat and catching that milky baby scent, Quentin felt a wave of calm.
"Alright, I'll go clean up right now," Quentin said.
His eyes had that old spark back. Paxton looked relieved to see Quentin pulling himself together.
Matthew headed to the living room to grab a bite while Quentin cleaned up the room. The villa felt alive again.
After a shower and a change of clothes, Quentin looked like his old self. Matthew's eyes sparkled with pride, admiring his dad.
Matthew's mind was racing. With such an awesome dad, he wasn't about to let that nasty Sophia have him.
"Daddy, aren't you curious how I got back?" Matthew climbed onto Quentin, grinning, wanting to be held.
Quentin's eyes were serious. He didn't need to guess; he knew it was Lauren's doing. Without her okay, Matthew wouldn't be here.
He looked at Matthew coolly and said, "You probably wanted the desserts here."
Matthew wiped his mouth, thinking about the desserts made him hungry, but he denied it. "No way! Mommy sent me to keep you company. After you left the hospital, you never came to see me. Grandma said you made me sick, but Mommy explained it to her with the doctor's words so I could come see you."
Quentin stayed quiet. Matthew kept talking, and Quentin just listened, lost in thought.
Quentin thought, 'It's rare for Lauren not to blame me for not taking care of Matthew. I'm grateful she sent him back, making up for lost time.'
He harbored a deep sense of gratitude, yet his grudges ran just as deep. He wouldn't forget Lauren's kindness or what she'd done. Without her, Jessica might not have spent her last days in such pain.
He couldn't forgive her, no way!
A fierce glint flashed in Quentin's eyes. He shot Matthew a cold look and said, "Alright, enough talking. Let's eat."
Matthew's eyes lit up, and he dashed to the dining table, ready to devour some desserts.
Lauren left the Robinson Villa, heading home. The villa area was pretty deserted, so she had to hoof it a long way to the main road to catch a cab.
While she was waiting, a white Maserati pulled up in front of her.
The window rolled down slowly, revealing a familiar, beautiful face. It was Sophia.
"Hey, Ms. Walker. Didn't expect to see you here. So, you went to the Robinson Villa?" Sophia asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Lauren couldn't be bothered. She shot back, "None of your business. You're not Mrs. Robinson yet, are you, Miss Hall?"
Sophia bit her lip in anger. This Lauren was too cocky. She swore, 'One day, I'll make Lauren kneel and beg for mercy!'
Trying to play nice, Sophia said, "You're right. I'm not Mrs. Robinson yet. But no need to be all hostile. We've got some wires crossed. Let's find a place to talk."
Lauren coldly refused, "Sorry, Miss Hall, but there's nothing to talk about between us. Focus on pleasing your future husband. Don't waste your time on me."
Just then, a taxi pulled up. Lauren flagged it down and hopped in, leaving immediately.
Sophia stomped her foot in frustration. She hated Lauren for being so ungrateful but couldn't do anything about it.
Lauren and Ethan were in a cold war. Ethan's busy schedule at the architectural design company gave him even more reason to stay away from home. They barely saw each other, and when they did, they hardly spoke.
Kimberly was busy with her beauty salon and hadn't noticed the tension between Lauren and Ethan. She would occasionally urge Lauren to meet Ethan's family soon.
Lauren always agreed readily, but she was planning her moves.
One day, she went straight to Ethan's company. After checking his schedule with his secretary, she decided it was time for a serious talk.
Ethan was indeed avoiding Lauren. He was sulking, mad that Lauren couldn't forget Quentin, and always ignored his genuine feelings. But he didn't realize his own feelings had already changed.
After finishing a meeting, Ethan returned to his office and saw Lauren sitting on the sofa waiting for him. He frowned slightly but kept a smile as he walked over.
"Lauren? Why are you here? Coming to work? Why didn't you tell me in advance?" Ethan asked.
Lauren stood up, smiling at Ethan. "I haven't seen much of you lately," she replied.
Ethan shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, I've been swamped. Meetings from dawn till dusk. Just finished a sales meeting."
Lauren didn't call him out but went along with it. "No matter how busy you are, you need to take care of yourself. Don't burn yourself out."
Ethan felt a bit uneasy with Lauren's gentleness. "I know," he replied.
Lauren felt a pang of sadness. They used to have endless things to talk about, discussing daily life and work. She never thought there'd come a day when they'd talk so formally.
